not of thy ghostly excercyse that thou hast vsed but rather encrece more ther to Wyth thyse dartes of mekenes this holy mayde wounded the provide kynge of babylonye hyr enemy the fende And strengthed hyr self gretely wyth suche wyse wordes and as she knoweleched to hir confessour mayster Reymond ther was suche a multytude of fendes in hyr chambre as hyr semed â—he sawe with hyr eyen aboute for to styre hyr to foule thoughtes of synne that she fledde hir chambre for a tyme and kepte hyr self more in the chyrche thanne she was wonte to do Alle be it that she was pursued thyder by theyr sotyll temptacyons yet neuerthelesse she thought that she wolde folowe the steppes of Saynt Jerome fleenge and hydyng hir self by dales and hylles in eshewyng of suche abhomynable temptacyons And euer whan she came home fro chyrche to hyr chambre she founde so many a multytude of fendes there Inne seyenge vnhonest wordes and doyng the abhomynable dedys of lecherye and as hir semed rennyng aboute hyder and thyder as it had ben a passyng swarme of flyes Thanne she took hir to prayer and so longe she prayed to our lorde vnto the tyme that heuysom compayne were I swaged somwhat fro they re abhomynable temptacyons Whan thyse wretched temptacyons had contynued many dayes to gydres In a tyme whan she was come fro chyrche to hyr chambre and fyll doune to prayer sone after ther appyred a gladsome beme of the holy ghoost and opened hyr sowle that she sholde haue in mynde how that not many a dayes a fore she hadde asked of our lord the vertue and the gyfte of strengthe And what doctryne our lord had gyue hyr for to gete the gyfte of vertue and of strengthe And anone she vnderstode the meuynge of the foule temptacyons of the fende and conceyued ther by a grete gladnesse that our lord had gyue hir suche strengthe to ouercome them and purposed euer afterwarde to suffre mekely and gladdely all suche heuysom temptacion and all maner dyseases for the loue of hyr spouse Than one of the fendes that was more bolder thanne ony of that other more wycked spake to the holy mayde in thys wyse What thynkest thou to do wretche thynkest thou euer to kepe this caytyf lyf knowe it well we shall neuer cesse to payne the and heuy the to thy deth vnto the tyme thou consente to vs To whom the holy mayde answerd hauyng in minde the doctryne the whiche oure lorde taught her seyeng thus I haue chose payne for my refresshyng And therfore it is not harde to me for to suffre theym but rather dylectable for the loue of my sauyour as longe as it pleseth his mageste that I shall suffre theym assone as she hadde sayde that worde anone sodenlye the abhomynable companye of fendes vanysshed awaye all confused And after that a grete vnspekable lyht of heuen appieryd and shynned alle her chambre and in that lyght apperyd our lord Jhesu cryste as he hynge vpon the crosse whan he shedde his precious blode and called the holy mayde to hym and sayde Myn owne doughter katheryn seest thou not what I suffred for the be not heuy therfore for to suffre for me After that he came more nerre to hyr in another maner of lyknesse for to comforte hyr thanke hyr for her gloryoê° victorye that she had wonne Thenne she after thyse wordes of saint anthonye seyde to hym thus O my lord Jhesu where were thou whan my sowle was soo vexyd wyth suche fowle fylthy temptacions Our lord sayde agayne I was in thy sowle and in thy herte Thenne sayde she agayn A lorde sauyng alway thy trouthe and the reuerence of thy mageste how maye it be that thou sholdest dwelle in so foule a herte that was replete wyth soo many fylthy thoughtis and vnclennes Oure lorde sayde eftsones whether caused tho temptacions tho thoughtes in thyn herte gladnesse or sorowe delectacion or weylynge She answerde naye lorde But grete soro we and weylynge Our lord sayde theÌ„ne who was cause of that sorowe and weylyng But I that dwellyd in thyn herte yf I hadde not be there thylke foule thoughte sholde hadde partyd thyne herte and so thou sholdest hadde dylectacion in theym But my presence was cause why theymyslyked the whan thou woldest hadde putte theym fro the wyth dyplesaunce and myghtest not as thou woldest thou weptyst and were sory all thys made I that was presente wythinforth wyth in thyn herte and defended the from thyn enemyes And suffre the wythout forthe to troubled as moche as was nedeful be and spedefull to thyn helthe And whan the tyme that the bataylle was fulfylled and ended by me I sente the wyth out forthe my bemys of lyght And anone the derkenes of the fendes fledde for they might not abyde there my lyght is who was he the whiche enfourmed the now last that tho peyne were to the full holsom for to wynne ghostely strengthe by And that thou sholdest suffre theym paciently as longe as it was lykynge to me but only that shyneth in the beme And by cause thou offredesâ— thy selfe hertely to suffre tho peynes paciently for my sowle Therfore they were frely wyth drawe fro the by shewyng of my preserce And therfore doughter that hast soo trewely ouercome by my vertue and not by thyne thou hast deserued there by more grace of me thenne thou wenest Wherfore fro this tyme fortherward I shall shewe me to the more famulyerly and more homely than I haue doo before After tyme this vysyon was ended she was belefte in so moche plente of swetenesse that noo penne may wryte it to the full There belefte in her herte syngulerly amerueylous swetenesse of that worde that our lord callyd her his doughter Whan he called her myn owne doughter katheryne â–ª Soo that she prayed her confessour Mayster ReymouÌ„d whaÌ„ that euer he wold calle her he wold vouche sauf to calle her on the same wyse that euyr her swetenesse myght therby be renewed in her sowle Fro that tyme fortherward oure lorde Jhesu her spouse was wyth her ryght homely for he apperyd to her ofte tymes other whyle hym self allone other whyle he brought oure ladye his blessyd moder wyth hym ¶ Other whyle saynt Domynyk ther whyle both to gyders ¶ Also somtyme he brought wyth hym Marie magdalene Saynt Johan the Euaungelyste Saynt Poule the Appostle and other moo suche as he lyked But for the more party he came hym self allone and spake wyth her as homely as a frende wolde speke wyth his moste homely frende In soo moche that bothe to gyders wolde walke vp doune in her chamber as two relygyous men or two clerkys seyng psalmes or howres to gydres And this she be knewe ofte tyme afterward to mayster Reymound her confessour full ferefully O now was this a merueylous thynge O what this was a merueylous shewyng and an homely that neuer hath be herde afore Neuertheles maydens ye nede to be in no doubte therof
ther she lay doun femyng to all that euer were aboute hyr drawyng to the deth Thenne was mayster Reymond called other of hys feleshyp for to see the wound thyng whan they were come they wepte sore by cause they wend she shold had depted froÌ„ theÌ„ for they saw hir neâ— so feble nygh so to the deth ¶ Neuertheles within a whyle after she resorted agayn to more strengthe and receyued mete and thenne she spake eftsones to maister Reymound and sayde to hym as she sayd a fore that she may not longe lyue but yf god shewe a newe miracle Thenne Mayster Reymound called to gyders all her chyldren both men wymmen prayng theym wyth wepyng there that they wold all wyth one voyce praye to our lord that he wolde vochesaf to graunte vs this holy mayde katherin our ghostely vertuous Moder and oure maystres the whiche lythe in passing for to abyde wyth vs a whyle in thys lyf for to conferme vs in more vertue Alle they graunted with one voyce that they soo wold than they wente all wyth Mayster Reymound to this holy mayde â—yeng in transyte sayeng suche wordes weylyng and wepyng Moder we wete well that thou desyrest to bee wyth thyne spouse wyth our lorde Jhesu cryst but thy mede and thy rewarde is reserued fro the all auf haue rewthe on vs whome thou forsakest moder And leue vs not so freell wythout better enformacion of vertu in this wretchyd worlde We knowe well also thy well byloued spouse whom thou louest wyth soo grete a desyre wylle nothynge denye the that thou askest therfore we beseche the praye to hym that he vouhesauf graunte the to vs for a tyme lest thou passe fro vs. And we no thyn ge or lytyll edefyed by thy good lyuyng For though we praye as wel as we coude We drede vs lest he wyll not here vs for oure wretchyd lyuynge for certayne we ben ryght vnwurthy to be herd ThenÌ„e therfore that hast louyd oure helthe and that soo tenderly and feruently praye the for vs and wynne our lord that we mowe not leue that in this lyf tyll we ben more edefyed in ghostely vertu many suche wordes they sayde amonges theim wyth grete wepynge To whom this holy maide answerd ye knowe well that I haue forsake myn owne wyll ne I desyre neuer but that that were to goddes wyl all be it I haue desyred your helthe wyth all myn herte yet I knowe well that he that whiche is your helthe and myn can better ordeine for you than one creature can praye for you his wyll therfore bee done in all thynges Neuertheles yet I shall praye gladly that he vouchesaf for to do that hym semeth beste Whan she hadde sayd this word we wente a syde for a tyme beyng in grete sorowe vnto the tyme we knowe an answer The next day afterward she called mayster Reymounde to her sayd me semeth fader that our lord hath condescendyd to your prayers and I hope ye shold soone haue your wylle entent â–ª as she sayd so it was sone after For vpon the morowe the whiche was vpon a sonday she receyued crystis body in the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter of her coÌ„fessour his hondes ryght as in the sondaye bifore she was brought in greate febylnes by her rauysshyg after tyme she hadde receyued that blessyd sacrament Ryght so in this sonday she was gretly strengthed by her rauysshyng after that blessyd sacrament the whiche was grete merueyle to all that were aboute her To whom Mayster Reymound said I hope that oure lord hath accepted our teres coÌ„desceÌ„dyd to our prayers though thei ben vnwourthy ThenÌ„e wythin a litil time afterward she was so quikly reuiued that none of theÌ„ all was in doubte but that she shold lyue that god had grauÌ„ted fulli her desire O almyghti god fader of mercy what wylt thou do for thyn trewe seruauÌ„t welbeloued children thou coÌ„descendist so benigly to thyn synfull seruauntis mayster Reymound thenne asked her for the more sykernes wheder the passyoÌ„ of tho wouÌ„des contryned alway as they dede in her body She answerd in this wise Oure lord â—hu hath herd your prayers and thefore tho woundes tourment not now my body as they â—yde but rather they comforte me and strengthe me Loo maidens here now ye knowe what evcellent of grace this holy maide hadde and also ye mowe lerne that oure lord vochesaf to here synnes whan thry asked ony thyng that longeth to sowle helthe ¶ Yet shall I telle you another merneylous thyng that as me semeth it passeth all other that I haue rehersed yet And so shall I make an ende of this Chapytre by the helpe of god ¶ After tyme that our lord hadde receyued her soule in to his blyssyd wound off his syde and there shewed her the mystery est of the gloryous trynyte thenne came our glorious lady his gloryous moder gloryous vyrgin marye and fulfylled her wyth the gloryous mylke of her gloryous brestes and tetes After came mary magdalene and comynyd wyth her ful homely of her reuelacions that she hadde whan she was in desert and other while thyse thre come togydre and gaue her many blessyd comfortable wordes Yet wanted she not the comforte of other saytes and the apperyng and namely of saynt poule the Appostle and saynt Johan theuangelyst and saint domynyke and saint Thomas dalquino And oftetymes saint Agnes of whom she hadde onys a reuelacion that sholde be her felawe in the kyngdom of heuen as it shall be declared afterward by the helpe of god But now I shal telle you two notable poyntes that befyll to this hooly mayde whan she hadde any vysyons of saynt poule the apostle it befil iÌ„ the fest coÌ„â—sacioÌ„ of saiÌ„t poule that this holy mayde was so merueylously rauysshed out of her self That her thought that her spyryt was drawe vp to heuen soo ferforth that thre dayes and thre nyghtes she was vnmeuable wythout bodly felyng soo that it semed that she was fully dede But there were somme that vnderstode better her condycion and sayde that they supposed she was rauysshed wyth saint poule in to the thirde heuen At the laste by the thre dayes ende she was reforted to her bodly feling But the spyryte was so comforted with that reuelacions that she stoode longe â–ª tyme afterward as she hadde be half a slepe and yet she slepte not In the mene whyle Fryer Thomas her fyrst confessour and another felowe of his whiche was called fryer donat of Flerence hadde a desyre to goo for to vysyte an hooly here myte in deserte but fyrst or than they wente thei come to this holy mayde houâ—â— and founde her in on holy sompnolente and by cause they wolde excite her they asked her whether she wolde go wyth theÌ„ to deferte for to vysyte that holy man She answerd to theym in the same hooly slepe and sayde ye notwythstondyng that she wyst not what she sayd by cause that she
myght worshypfully and parfy tably be wedded and to what prosone Hyr moder supposed that for the grete wysdome that hyr doughter had she sholde haue be wedded to somme man of grete kyneede where for she besyed hir fast aboute the bodely apparayll and araye of hyr doughter and taught hyr to wasshe ofte hyr face and to kembe ofte hyr hede and to make hyr fayre here and to voyde alle thynge that sholde be dyshoneste or sholde make foule hyr face or hyr necke That whan ony man came to aske after hyr for maryage she sholde be the more semely and fayrer Thys holy mayde was alle of another purpose and had made another vowe Alle be it she shewed it not to hyr fader ne moder wherfor vtterly she thoughte noo thynge to do as hyr moder bad hyr touchyng suche curyosyte She besyed wyth alle hyr strengthes to plese god but no man in that wyse And whanne hyr moder hadde aspyed that she had no wylle to that maner of lyuynge she was dysplesed and clepyd to hyr Bonauenture hyr other doughter whyche was late I wedded before And bad hyr trete soo hir suster that she myght araye hyr in bodely apparayll as the manere was of wymen in that contre that sholde be maryed and doo as she hadde bad hyr doo to fore Hyr moder knewe welle that Katheryne loued Bonauenture fulle tenderly and supposed that she sholde be broughte in to that more lyghtely by hyr suggestyons thanne by ony other And soo she was as ye shalle see after For by suffraunce of oure lorde she was broughte so Inne thorough speche and example of hyr suster Bonauenture by many maner wayes that at the laste she assentyd to hyr besynesse in apparaylle of hyr body after the wylle of hyr moder not wythstondynge that stably she kepte hyr purpose neuer to haue husbonde But after the grauÌ„te to hyr sustre and folowed hyr wylle in suche araye she maad soo moche sorowe whanne that she was confessyd therof wyth terys and sobbyng that eche body shold suppose that she hadde do somme greuous synne She vsed ofte to be confessyd generally and alway whaÌ„ she came to the poynt she accused her selfe full harde wyth wepyng sore sobbyng But the confessour alle be it he knewe that a vertue it is of god and lowely sowles to see in them self defaute where none is And where it is but lytyll it semeth hym full grete Neuerthelesse for asmoche as she accused her self and demed her worthy euerlastynge payne for that synne sauyng the mercy of god There he asked her whether she purposed or wylled in all that tyme to do agaynst her vowe She sayde nay for it came neuer in her herte Also he asked agayne whether she dyde it to the plesaunce of ony man In speciall or to the plesaunce of all men She answerd and sayde ther was none somoche payne to her as to be holde men or to be seyne of men or to be there men shold fynde her wherfore when her faders men that lerned dyers crafte in her faders hous came to ony place or chambre where she was she fledde as faste awaye as adders hadde come to her soo that all men wondred She wold neuer goo to the wyndowe ne to the dore of the how 's to see how men wente by the waye ThenÌ„e he sayd why deserued ye that dede whiche was but for a bodely ornamente euerlastyng payne namely whan the apparelle was not to excessyuely She answerd and sayde that to excessyuely she loued her suster And as her thought more thaÌ„ god as at that tyme wherfore she wepte wythout remedye and dyd harde penauÌ„ce Her confessour wold haue replyed agayne and sayde Alle bee it ther was somme maner excesse of loue it was but lytyll And that dede as of him self was not I doo for noo wycked or euyl entencion but for vayne plesaunce of her for the tyme and that was not agaynste the precepte of god She herde how her confessour replyed she lyft vp her eyen to god And wyth a lowde voys cryed and sayde A my lorde god what ghostely fader haue I nowe whiche excuseth my synnes and wyth a sore grutchynge agaynst her self she tourned to her confessour and sayde Fader thynke ye that this wretchedfull and mooste vnworthy creature of god whiche hath receyued of my maker of nought soo many gracyous yeftes wythout my labour And wythouten ony meryte shold occupye ony tyme in arraye and vayne apparelle of this roten flesshe whiche myght or induce a dedely synne I wene she sayde helle suffyseth not to punysshe me hadde not the pyte of god doo gracyously and mercyfull wyth me After thyse wordes her confessour durst nomore speke of that mater But than after that he besyed him to knowe yf that blessyd sowle had euer in her lyf be kept wythouten ony spotâ—e of dedely synne Soo that she hadde kepte fully hole her vyrgynyte both of body and of sowle Not only from the synne of flesshely steryng but also of alle maner of synne ¶ And after that he knewe how vertuous and how clene a sowle she hadde This wytnesse and recorde he bare of her conuersacion and both sayd and wrote that he coude neuer perceyue ne fynde nother by her generall confessyon ne speciall confessyon as ofte as euer she was confessyd â–ª And that was ryght ofte that she hadde offendyd agaynst the precepte of our lorde But yf it were that is tolde afore the whiche he myght not suppose it were agaynste the byddynge of god Ne he trowed none dyscrete man wold suppose it And also he sayde that he founde her euer soo clene fro venyall synnes that vnnethe he coude perceyue bi her cotydyan confessyon ony maner offeÌ„ce It was openly knowen not only to her confessours that knewe her conscyence but to all that were conuersaunt â–ª with her that neuer or seldon she offended in worde For eyther she occupyed her tyme in prayer and contemplacion or ellis in good edyficacion of her neyghbours And as for her tyme of slepyng vnnethes she wolde grauute to her a quarter of an houre And whan she sholde ete her mete â–ª yet it may be called a mete euer she prayed and thought holy medytacyons thynkyng of the thynges that she hadde lerned of our lord in her sowle More her confessyon Mayster Reymound bereth a trewe recorde of her for the tyme that he knewe her and hadde cure of her conscience that it was more payne to her for to ete her mete than it was to an hungry man for to be wythdrawe from hys mete And a grete tourmente it was to her body after tyme she hadde ete than it was comÌ„ely to a fenerous man in rennyng offhis feuer And this was one of the causes why she wolde ete her mete as it shall be declared wythin forthe for to tourmente and put in payne her body In what maner of trespaas myght suche a sowle be occupyed that alwaye was occupyed soo wyth our lord god
vp of hyr bedde not wythstondyng that she was seek hir self of the feuers and other dyuers passyons and sayd to hyr felawe Goo we and see we how srere Reymond dothe fare And hyr felawe answerd sayd that it was no nede though it were nede yet was she more seker than he Neuerthelesse yet she come to hym and axyd how he ferd Anone whan he sawe hyr he meruaylled gretety sayd to hyr as feâ—illy as he myght speke Aa lady why come ye hyther ye be agrete dele seker than I am Thanne she began to speke of the goodnesse of our lord as she was wonte to do and of oure vnkyndnesse ayenst hym Wyth that mayster Reymond hir confessour arose vp out of hys bedde gretely comforted by hyr wordes and sate in an other bedde besyde hauyng no mynde yet of the wordes that the holy mayde spake to hym at euen afore All this whyle she contynued in spekyng of the kyndenes of our lord and of oure grete vnkyndenes Sodeynly in tyme of hyr deuoute comunycacyon came to hys mynde a clere consyderacyon of hys synnes that hym thought he stode afore the ryghtwys Jugement to be condempned to the peyne for his wycked lyuyng ryght as a theef that stood before a temporall Juge Hym thought also that he sawe in hys soule the grete benygnyte the mekenes of our lorde that gracyously delyuered hym fro the peyne that he was worthy for to haue not onely that but also he clothed hym wyth hys owne clothes ther he was naked and had hym in hys holy how 's and fedde hym and nourysshed hym and accepted hym to hys seruyce and ther to by the synguler grace of hys ende Loo the goodnesse hys deth vnto lyf hys drede vnto hope hys sorow vnto ioye hys shame vnto worshyp By thyse consyderacioÌ„s clerely knowynges and syghte of hys soule the wyckettes of the wyndowes of his harde herte were broken vp opened and the wellys ryuers of wepyng terys aperyd plenteuouly by cause that the foundament the grounde of hys trespassys were shewed so clerely to hym in so moche that he wayled that he was aferde laste by suche grete plente of sorow hys herte his brest wold haue to barst Whan thys holy mayde saw that she was styll suffred hym a whyle to be fedde wyth hys owne terys for therefore she came Wythin a whyle after he cessyd lytell lytell and bethought him meruayllously of this newe grace thynkyng also of hys petycyon the whiche he axed of this holy mayde the day before wyth that he torned to hyr sayd is thys thy bull that I spak of to you yesterdaye She answerd sayd ye laynge hir hondes vpon hys sholdres seyeng thus haue in mynde fader of the gracyous yeftes of our lord And soo wente home to hyr chambre and he abode stylle wyth hys felawe gretely edyfyed comforted Another tyme the same mayster Reymond had another excellent token of thys holy mayde wyth out ony axyng afore Hit happed on a tyme that thys holy mayde was vysyted by dyuers sekenes laye seek in hyr bedde And sent after hyr confessour desyryng to comen wyth him pryuely of other newe reuelacyons the whyche our lord had shewed her grete sekenesse beganne to speke of the goodnes of our lord and of the reuelacion that he shewed hyr that day He heryng so grete reuelacyonâ— and wonderfull shewed to hyr and to none other that euer he herde of hauyng no mynde of the grace that our lord hadde gyue hym afore by prayers of this holy mayde He bethought hym of somthynges that she rehersed and sayd to himself thus whether it be all trewe that she seyth Whanne he had thought thus he loked sodeynly in hyr face and saw that hyr vysage was transformed in to mannes vysage berded the whyche vysage behelde hym stedfastly and made hym sore aferde Hit was to his syght a semely longe vysage of myddel age not hauynge to long a berde but of a resonable assise coloured after whete shewyng in his syghte a mageste after the mageste of oure lord Jhesu and myght in no wyse for that tyme see none other face but onely that face Of thys syght he had so grete a fere that he lyfte vp his armes and began to crye and sayd Oo who is he that loketh vpon me To whome this holy mayde answerd and sayd He that is seeth and beholdeth you wyth that worde that dredefull face vanysshed awaye and the maydens vysage appyred to him clerely Thys was no feynyng thyng but a trewe as he recordeth bereth wytnes in hys wrytynges He recordeth also for the more confyrmacyon of that myracle that after that sensybly vysyon he hadde soo clere a knowyng wythin hymself im his sowle by ghostly Illumynyng of the mater that the holy mayde spak to hym of the whiche he wyll not pupplyche it openly That hym thought he felt in experyence that thyng the whyche our lorde sayd to hys dyscyples whan he behote them the holy ghoost seyeng to theim thus Et que ventura sunt annunciabit vobis That is whan ye haue receyued the holy ghost he shall shewe thynges that ben to come Loo For the mystrust that he hadde to her wordes oure lorde of his gracyous goodnesse wouchesauf to teche hym clerely by him self he afterward for to bere wyttenes to other that hir reuelacions weren ben trewe pryntyng stedfastly in his mynde the grete graces that he shewed to Saynt Thomas of Inde for he that wolde not be taught enfourmed by open tokenes of gracyous gyfte the whyche he receyued by this holy mayde he was taught and enformed by example of suche a disciple that was mystrowyng as he was For after tyme he had receyued a gracyous token of conpunccyon of our lord a fore by merytes of holy prayers of this holy mayde yet he contynued in mystrust of hyr reuelacyons that they were not trewe Wherefor our lord himself shewed hym self openly to his outeward wyttys that he myght therby knowe by open experyence that he spak in hir so that it may be sayd that he shewed him thenne to mayster Reymond the whiche mystrowed as he dyd som tyme to saynt Thomas of Inde by bodely felyng And ryght as he cryed afterward sayd this worde Deus meus et dominus meus That is my god my lord So may thys mystrowynge renuwed saye after thise two vysyoÌ„s of this holy mayde that she is was the veray spouse and the veray discyple of our lord god All these ben rehersed to you maydens that ye sholde be in no doubte ne despyse the reuelacions and the vysyons the whiche ye shall here by the helpe of god afterward Alle be it that no wytnes may be founde of recorde saue she allone but that ye sholde here hem rede hem vnderstonde hem with reuerence And also that ye may lerne ther by holy examples doctrynes the whiche our lord hath shewed
in suche a vessell by kynde seke bryttell But by grace meruaylously made strong and precyous And thus I make an ende of this chapytre All thoo thynges the whiche mayster Reymond was taught enfourmed of this holy mayde he hath declared them openly in this chapytre Outake one thyng that he was charged by hyr to kepe it pryuely of a certeyn reuelacion as it is rehersed a fore ¶ Of a noble doctryne whyche our lord gaf to hyr in her begynnyng and of other doctrynes in the whyche he founded hyr maner of lyuyng Capitulum x SYth it so is that the grounde the foundament of trust and byleue touche the reuelacyons of this holy mayde by the helpe of god is declared in the chapytre that goth afore Therfore now I shall procede forth shewe you the spyrytuall edyfycacyon of this same mayde And by cause that trewe sowles feythfull ben fedde and edyfyed by the wordes of our lord Therefor I shall telle you shewe you a notable doctryne of the whiche this holy mayde was taught of our lord him self Thys holy mayde tolde to hyr confessours amonges whom mayster Reymond was one that in the begynnyng of hyr vysyons our lord appyred to hyr whan she prayed sayde to hyr in this wyse Knowest thou not doughter who thou arte and who I am yf thou knowe well these two wordes thou art and shalt be blessyd Thou art she that art not and I am he that am Yf thou haue the veray knoweleche of these two thynges in thy soule thy ghostly enemye shall neuer dysceyue the. But thou shalt escape gracyously all his snares ne thou shalte neuer consente to ony thyng that is ayenst my commaundementes and preceptes But alle grace alle treuthe alle charyte thou wylte wynne wythout ony hardenesse And now is this a bryef worde and a grete in maner Infynyte and endeles Oo this is a grete wysdome expressyd vnder fewe syllables Whether this be not that leng the that brede that heythe and that depthe the whiche saynt Poule desyred for to haue wyth all sayntes I trowe yes Oo dere maydens consydereth beholdeth meruayllously this Incomparable tresoure the whiche is founde in this holy maydes breste For our lord Jhesu that vndeceyuable trouth seyth to this holy mayde thus Yf thou knowe thyse two thynges in thy sowle the fende shall neuer deceyue the Me semeth it is full good for you to make here thre tabernacles or dwellyng places vnto the worshyp of god that excellent doctouâ— the whiche tâ—ched the vnderstondyng of thyse fruytfull wordes Another to the loue and deuocyon of this holy mayde Katheryne The whiche receyued the holsom doctryne of this fewe fruytfull wordes And the thyrde to the ghostly tresoure of valour of all tho the whiche fynden lyf in this fewe fruytfull wordes In the vnderstondyng of thoo fruytfull wordes now be founden had ghostly rychesse so plenteuously that it shall no nede be to alle tho that haue soo founde this ghostly rychesse for to begge of other A whether this bryef fruytfull sentence be not trewe where it is sayde Art not thou she that is not I troweyes Euery creature is made of our maker Jhesu cryst of nought So ferforth that yf our lord Jhesu cryst oure maker wolde cesse for a tyme be it neuer so lytell fro conseruacyon of hys creature that he hath made Anone that creature shold torne in to nought whan soo euer a creature doth synne the whyche synne in hym self is nought Ne of hym self he may noo thynge do or thynke that is ought As Saynt Poule seyth And that is meruaylle for he may not be ne haue beyng of him self ne yet be conserued of him self in his beyng And therfore the aposâ—le sayd Qui se existimat aliâ—uid esse cuÌ„ nichil fit ipse se seduciâ— That is he that wenyth he be ought he is nought he decey ueth hym selfe Seâ—st thou not mayde how noughty a creature is A creature made of nought euer of him self â—owyng to nought by synne maketh him self noughte as Saynt Austyn sayd for he may noo thyng do that is ought by hym self but rather that is nought as oure lorde sayd Sine me nichil poâ—â—stis sacere That is wythout me ye may do ryght nought the whyche nought is synne Therfore ye may wel clerely know by this that a creature of hym self is nought And that knewe well Sayntâ—s afore thys tyme the whiche by knoweleche of this veray wysdom excluded veraâ—ly out of theyr sowles alle manere of synne What manere of Inflacyon of synne may entree in to suche a sowle the whiche knoweth hir self nought How may she be ioyfull in vayne glorye of ony good werke that euer she dyd the whiche knoweth wel I nough that suche good dedys come neuer from hir but fro god How may suche a sowle enhaunce hir selfe by pryde aboue other that holdeth hyr self nought How may a sowle that thus settâ—th hir self at nought Inwardely despyse other other haue enuye to other How may ony creature haue vaynioye in outwarde rychesse that now hath dyspysed all his owne ioye of hym self I trowe suche a creature is taught by the wordes of our lord endeles wysdom where he sayd Siego quero gloriam meam gloria mea nichil est That is yf I seek myn owne ioye my ioye is nought Also how may suche a creature that knowed hym self in no wyse his owne but onely his that made hym see of alle outwarde thynges this is myne syth he hym self is not his How myght make suche a creature to haue delectacyon in flesshely synnes that euery day restreyneth hym self by suche manere consyderacion of nought Loo maydens by this bryef fruytfull wordes thou art nought ye may consydere that all maner of synne is and may be excludeth That other bryef fruytful worde that oure lorde sayde to this holy mayde is this I am he that am whether this bryef fruytful worde be a newe worde ye forsothe bothe newe olde This is that olde worde that our lorde sayde to Moyses in the sussh the whiche semyd brennyng whan he sayde Qui est misit me That is say to the chyldren of Israel He that is sente me to you Hit is also now a newe worde by cause it is newe reherfed to this holy mayden in lyke wordes that she the whiche by the fyrst bryef fruytfull sentence was I taught to knowe hir self nough sholde lerne by the nexte fruytfull sentenâ—e to aske our lorde ought the whiche is the endeles welle of all essencyall beyng By thyse bryef fruytfull sentencys may ye knowe that a creature is nought of hym self For all that he hath of vertue and of beynge cometh of god maker of all creatures Almyghty god maker of al creatures hath onely of hym self and of none other endeles perfeccyon of essencyall beynge For he myght neuer forme and make all thyng of nought but yf he had an Infynyte vertue of essencyall beyng in hym self
Wherfore alle that euer oure lorde Jhesu that souerayne mayster taught his spouse in tho two bryef sentences as it is rehersed afore is no thyng ellys but this that she sholde knowe hir self as she is and our lord verayly as for hir maker in the depnes of hir herte and thenne she sholde be blessyd In the same wyse I fynde I wryten that he sayd to saynt Kâ—theryne the virgyn and marter Whan he vysytre hir in prysone Doughter knowe me for thy maker Of suche manere of knoweleche cometh all maner of perfeccyon and all ordynate settyng of the sowle What is he that may not loue so large and so free a gyuer wyth all his herte and all his sowle what is he that is not styred euery day more and more to loue suche a lorde that fyrst er thanne he made his creatures he loued hem not for theyr deserue and meryte but onely by his Infynte goodnes ¶ What is he that ferth not and dredeth contynually to offende in ony maner of wyse soo grete and soo dredefull a maker soo myghty and soo large a gyuer soo gladsom and soo free a louer What is he that may not gladdely suffre all manere of dyseases for suche a lorde of who me he hath receyued and receyuyth day by day and hopeth to receyue wythoute ony deubte soo manyfolde goodnesse What is he that sholde be wery or tormented by sekenes to please so amyable a lorde What is he that endeyneth to kepe reuerently and louyngly in hys mynde the blessyd wordes that suche a lorde wouchesaue to hys creatures ¶ What is he that wyll not gladdely obeye to the commaundementes and pretho thynges that the sowle loueth the whiche desyre may not be hadde wiwout werke soo ferforth that in as moche it loueth soo moche it werketh And yet neuertheles it trusteth nought in her owne werke as in her owne self but only in our lorde that worched in her The cause of this louely desyre is noothynge ellys but the very knoleche off god that he is aulterd therfore amonge all other merueylaus thynges of this holy mayde she helde that doctryne the whiche our lord taught her syngulerly to bee worshy pâ—ed To the whiche wurshypfull doctryne yet shall I adde more to For but yf I be gretly dysceyued all they come out of the fyrst notable doctryne Ofte tymes this holy mayde was wouÌ„t to comyn and to speke to tor confessoure Mayster Reymound of the worthynes and condycions that our lord loued off a sowle And she sayde that suche a sowle perceyued not ne seeth not ne loued her self ne none other sowle ne hadde none mynde of none creature This was a full hard word to Mayster Reymound for to vnderstonde and therfore he prayed this hooly mayde for to declare it Thenne she sayde a sowle seeth her selfe that she is verely nought of her self and knoweth perfyghtly that all the goodnes wyth alle the myghtes of the sowle is her maker ¶ She forsaked viteâ—ly her self And alle creature and hedeth her self fully in her maker our lord Jhesu in soo moche that she sendeth fully and pryncypaly all her ghostely and bodely werkynges in hym In whom she perceyued that she maye fynde all goodnes and all perfection off blessydnes and therfore she shalle haue none wyll to goo out from suche inwarde knowleche of hym for nothynge And of this vinte and loue that is encresed euery daye in suche a sowle She is transfourmyd in a maner in to oure lord that she may neyther thynke ne vnder stonde ne loue ne haue no mynde but god or ellys in god she maye not see her self ne none other creatures but onely in god Ne she may not loue her self ne none other but only in god Ne she maye not hane mynde in her self ne of none other but only in god ne she maye haue no mynde but only in her maker Ryght as a man that is vnder a water and swymmeth vnder the water nether seeth ne touched nothyng but water and that is vnder the water And thynge that he is aboue the water he neyther toucheth ne seeth of that that is aboue the water it shy neth vnder the water for that he may perceyue and yet none other wyse but in the water And as they maye byshewed in water as longe as he is voder the water Ryght so fareth it of a sowle that is hyd in the loue of god ¶ All this she lerned of our lorde that dyuyne loue the whiche neuer teched errour to his meke dyscyples ne gyueth theym cause to coueyte ony thynge wyth out hym For euer her ghostely excersyse in is hym ¶ Another tyme this holy mayde reher syd in presence of her confessour Maister Reymound and to many other that wer called to clennes of lyuyng A full notable doctryne and a vertuous the whiche is good for pure maydens to knowe Who 's chast lyuyng is full speâ—yally to god And the more ye ben met ner to god by swete meke maydenhede the sonner ye maye vnderstonde that vertuous doctryne And it is this that a sowle the whiche is vertuously I mette to god as it is rehersed afore As moche as it hath of the loue of god Soo moche it hath of the hate of her owne sensualyte For of the loue of god naturally cometh hate of synne the whiche is do ne agaynst god the sowle theâ—fore consyderyng that the rote and the begynnynge of synne regneth in the sensualyte there pryncypally is roted She meued and storyd hyghely and holyly wyth alle her merytes agaynst her owne sensualyte not for to vtterly destroye the rote For that mayr not be longe the sowle dwelleth in the body lyuyng in this lyffe But euer it shall be lefte a rote namely of smale venyall synnes Wherto accordeth ryght well saynt Johan whan he sayth thus Si diximus quia peccatuÌ„ non habemus ipsi nos seducimus c. That is yf we saye that we haue noo maner of synne in our sensualytes namely of venyall synÌ„es â–ª we desceyue oure self And by cause she maye not vtterly destroye that rote of synne thus in her sensualyte as it is sayde afore She conceyued a grete displesaunce agaynst sen sualyte and of her sesuâ—lyte The whiche dyplesaunce spyngin vp an hooly hate and a dysplrsyng of her sensualyte by the whiche the sowle is euer wel kepte fro her ghostely ennemyes ¶ There is noo thynge that kepeth the sowle soo stronge and soo syker as doth suche an holy haâ—e and that felt well the Appostle whan he sayde Cum infirmot tunc forcior sum et potens ¶ That is whan I am feble and syke in myn sensualyte by hate of synne Thenne I am the stronger and myghty er in myn sowle Loo fader of suche hate cometh vertu and of swete febylnesse and sykenesse cometh â–ª strengthe And of suche displesaunce cometh plesaunce ¶ Suche holy hate fader haue euer with you For it shall make you meke and euer to fele meke
desyre entred all hole in to hys blessyd wounde where I founde moche swetnesse and knowleche of hys godhede ¶ And yfye wystye wold meruayll that myn herte for gretnesse of that ioye and loue to barst not And ye wolde be astonyed how I myght lyue in this lyf wyth suche a grete passyng hete of loue Also another thynge befyll hyr the next yere se wyng vpon the same day as she was a boute to receyue the blyssed sacrament of the aulter whanne the prest helde the blessyd sacrament in hys handes afore hyr and taught hyr for to say thus Lorde I am not worthy that thou sholdest entre in me Thenne whan she had de receyued hym hyr semed that as a fysshe entred in to the water and the water in hym ryght so hyr sowfe entred in god and god in hir And soo she felte hyr self all I drawe in to our lord that vnnethe she myght come home to hyr chambre And whan she was come home she layde hyr doune vpon hir harde bedde leyng long tyme styll and moeuyd not At the last hyr body was take vp in to the ayre and stode the re a whyle to gyder as thre wytnessys bereth recorde the whiche names I shall tell you afterward Thenne afterward she came doun and lay vpon hyr bedde alle weyke and feble and spake softely many blessyd swete wordes And hye contemplatyf wordes that it steryd hyr felawes to wepe the whiche herde them And amonges thoo swetr wordes she prayed for many folke and for som̄e specyally by name namely for hyr confessour that was that same tyme in the same momente in the chyrche and thought for that tyme on no thynge that sholde styre hym to deuocyon But sodeynly by hyr prayer he felte a meruayllous deuocyon that neuer he assayed afore consyderyng and meruayllyng how that newe grace camto hym soo sodeynly that houre whyle he thought thus sodeynly came to hym one of this holy maydens felawes and sayd Trewely fader Katheryne hath moche prayed for you this day suche an houre Thenne anone he knowe that suche a newe denocyon came to hym at that houre by Katherynes prayer And he axed of hyr felawe what she prayed she tolde him that she prayed for him and for other that oure lorde wolde wouchesauf to graunte them euerlastyng lyf and that she putt forth hyr honde and prayed hym for to graunte that Thenne she took doune hyr honde ageyne semyng to hir al sore and wyth grete syghenge she sayde thus A lord worshypped mote thou be for that was euer a comyn terme in hyr mouthe for to saye whan she was seek sore trauaylled Whanne hyr confessour herde this he wente to her and prayed hir tille hym all hyr vysyon She as meke obedyent mayde tolde him all the hole bysyon as it is sayd afore and whanne she came to that mater where she prayed for specyall frendes she sayd to hym Fader whanne I prayed for you and for other that our lord wolde wouchesauf to graun te you euerlastyng lyf with that I hadde a comforte that it sholde so be and forthwyth I asked a token of our lord that I myght knowe it sholde be so not for none Incredulyte but rather for a notable memorye Thenne he prayed me that I sholde stoetche out myn honde I dyde so and he putte in my honde a nayle and closed the nayle soo faste wyth Inne myn honde Thenne I felte a grete peyne in myn honde as though an yren naylle hadde be smyten thorugh myghtely wyth an hamour soo that me semed to mynowne syght thought it be Jnuysyble to other I haue a marke of Crystys woundes in myn honde ¶ Also for contynuance of mater I shall tell you another meruayllos thyng lyke to thys that befylle in the Cytee of Pyse As mayster Reymond hyr last confessour bereth recorde In a tyme thys holy mayde came to the Cyte of Pyse and other many wyth hyr amonges whome mayster Reymond was one the whyche holy mayde was receyued in to a worthy mannes place of the same Cyte besyde a chappell of Saynt Crystyane In the whyche chappell mayster Reymond sayde masse at the holy maydes prayer and ther he houseled hyr after hyr desyre as she vsed to be contynuelly whanne she hadde receyued that blyssed sacramente she was anone rauysshed fro hyr bodely wyttes and all that tyme mayster Reymond and other moo abode tyll she hadde do for to here of hyr somme ghoostly comforte as they were wonte to do after suche rauyssheng Sodeynly as they behelde hyr the body that laye prostratr vpon the grounde was reysed vp and she kneled vpon hyr knees stretchyng vp hyr armes hyr hondes wyth a clere shynyng vysage Whanne she had so long kneled wyth closyng and styf armes at the laste she fyll doun sodeynly as though she hadde be dedly wounded and anone sone after she was restoryd ageyne to hyr bodely wyttes Thenne she sente after mayster Reymond hyr confessour and sayde to hym preuely thys wordes Fader I do you well to wete that by the mercy of god I here now in my body the markys of the blessyd woundes of oure lorde mayster Reymone thenne axed hyr how that myght be and how it stode with hir in tyme of hir rauyssheng she answer de and sayde I sawe our lord fastned vpon the crosse comyng a doune and beelyppyng me wyth a grete lyght By the whyche gracyous vysyon the sowle was so gretely steryd to me wyth my lorde that the body was constreyned by strengthe of the spyryte to aryse Thenne out of the holes of hys holy woundes I sawe fyue rede bemys come doune from hym fastned vpon my body and was cause why that my body was all forstoeyned Wyth that I cryed to our lord and sayde A a lorde god I beseche the that these woundes appyre not in me to the syght of men outward Thenne sodeynly whyle she sayde thyse wordes er thenne thoo rede bemys were fully come doune to the body changed hir colours out of rede in to a meruayllous bryghtnesse and in lykenes of a pure lyght they restyd in fyue placed of my body that is vpon the hondes the feet and the herte Thenne mayster Reymond axed hir whether ony of the bemys come to the ryghte syde She sayde nay but onely vpon the lyfte syde vpon my herte mayster Reymond axed hyr eftesones felyst thou ony maner of sensyble pryne in thoo places She answerd wyth a grete sygheng sayde I suffre soo grete a sensyble sorowe in all tho fyue places and specyaly in my herte that but god shewe a newe myracle it is Impossyble to me for to lyue longe tyme to gydres in this body This worde marked well mayster Reymond hyr confessour and espyed where he coude see in hir ony maner tokenes of peyne Whā she had told that she wold say they depted a sonder out of that chappell they went to gyders home to theyr Inne the holy mayde went to hir chambre
aske a remeuyng awaye of his deth but rader an hasti ende of his deth the whiche our sauyour declared full openly afterward whan he sayde to Judas Quod facis fac cicius That is frend that thou shalt doo doo it anone ¶ Neuertheles though it soo were that the forsayd paynes full drynke of his desyre were to hym ryght greuous for to drynke yet as ryght an obedyent chylde to the fader he sayde thus Veruntamen non sicut ego volo sed sicut tu Fader I desyre that myn wyll be not fulfilled but thy wyll offeryng hym self redy by thâ—se wordes for to suffre dayly of his payne full desyre as longe as it lyked to hys fader soo that the fyrst wordes where he sayd Transfer hunc calitem c. Fader a voyde this paynfull fro me he vnderstode not for to haue a voyded his passyon that was to come But the passyon of hys desyre afore by suffryng the deth for helthe of mannes sowle for to be endyd Thenne sayd mayster Reymond Moder comynly after exposicion of doctours our lord sayd tho wordes as a veray maÌ„ and hede of all hys chosen bothe fâ—eel and strong whos sensualyte naturelly drede the deth that he myght by example to all bothe to freel folk and to strong folk that they dyspeyre not all be it they felte they re sensualytâ—e kyndely dredyng the deth Here to this holy mayde answerd and sayd that the actes the dedys of our sauiour yf they ben wysely consydered euery creature after hys consyderacyon may fynde in them ghostly felyng as it is spedefull to hys helthe And therfore syth it is soo that feble freall creatures fynden in tho wordes comfort ageynst theyr feblenesse it were ryght necessary thenne that perfyt folk myghty shold fynde also ther Jnne coÌ„fyrmacyon of theyr strengthe the whiche myght not be but by thys exposycyon afore â–ª Therfore it is better that it be expowned in many maners so that al may be comforted ther by theÌ„ne in a maner of wyse for one maner of folk allone Whanne mayster Reymond herde this he helde hys peas meruayllyng of hyr grete wysdom grace that she had for he her de neuer that exposycyon afore ¶ Another exposycyon of the same wordes by the same holy mayde Mayster Reymond founde wryten in a book that hir fyrst confessour wrote they ben these In a tyme whan she was rauysshed she lerned of our lord that the prayer the whiche he made a fore hys passyon whan he â—watt bothe blood water seynge thus Transfer hunc calicem â— That is fader remoue this peynfull passion fro me He prayed thenne for them whome he sawe afore that wolde haue no parte of his passion the whiche was to him peynfull passyon And by cause he loued ryghtwysnesse he put a condycyon and sayd VeruÌ„tamen non mea voluntas That is neuthelesse fader be not my wyll fulfylled but thy wyll and yf he had not putto suche a condycyon it wolde haue folowed ther on she sayd that all folk shold haue be saued After tyme thenne that he had thus prayed he was herde as saynte Poule sayd for hys reuerence Exauditus est ê“pter suam reuerenciaÌ„ In exposycion of this wordes of saynt Poule comynly doctours vnderstonden the same It had be ellys meruaylle but that the same sone of god sholde haue be herde Also she sayd another tyme to mayster Reymond taught hym that the passyons whiche our our lord god Jhesu Cryst ve ray god and man suffred for the helthe of mankynde were so myghty that it were impossyble ony man in erthe for to suffre but that he sholde dye it were possyble many tyme yf that he suffred them For ryght as his loue that he had thenne hath yet to mankynde vnestymable vncomperable Ryght so hys passyon that he suffred by constreynyng of loue allone was vnestymable Who wolde beleue that the thornes of hys crowne sholde perysshe in to the brayne Or that the bones of a quyk man sholde be drawe out of they re ioyntes For the ê“phete sayd of our lordes passyon thus DinumeraueruÌ„t omnia â–ª ossa mea That is they tolde nombred all the bones of my body So thenne it may be proued that the pryncypall cause of hys passyon was loue the whiche he shemed for mankynde And it myght not be shewed more conuenyently than by hys passyon By this it semed that the naylles helde hym not vpon the crosse but hys loue onely Ne the strengthe of man ouercame hym â—ot but loue How were men so stronge for to holde hym that at a worde of hys mouthe they fyll doune to the grounde whan they came for to take hym Suche hyghe wordes conuenyent wordes of our lordes passyon this holy mayde coÌ„myne wyth mayster Reymond And yet she sayd more that she had experyence in hyr body of som maner of passyon that Cryst suffred on the crosse â–ª Of all she wold not say for that was Impossyble to ony erthely creature But specyally by cause of the grete loue that she had to our lord to his passyon the most peyne that she suffred was in hyr herte soo that it semed to hyr other whyle that hyr herte was to braste cutt a sondre fro that one ende to that other And for thys grete peyne of loue she was oftymes dede to all mennys syght Of thys bare wytnes many one the whiche were presente whanne she dyed for the loue of Crystys passyon allone Here of was mayster Reymond in grete doubte But for to put awaye that doubte he thought to comen wyth this holy mayde serche the sothe of hyr whether it were so or no. Whanne he axed hyr this She for grete wepyng coude gyue none answer long tyme to gydre but at the last she sayde Fader wolde ye not haue grete pyte compassyon of a sowle that were delyuered out of a derke pryson to lyght and after tyme it had see so mery a lyght eftesones to be reclused ageyn in the same derke prysone I am that same wretche that thus happed me by the ordynaunce of god for my synnes Then ne mayster Reymond axed hir where hir sowle was fully departed fro the body To whome she answerd sayd thus That the feruent fyre of dyuyne loue of ghoostly desyre was so moche in hyr herte for to lyue with our lord endelesly whom she loued That though hyr herte hadde be of stone or of yren it must nedys to breste Therfore fader vnderstondeth thys for trouthe that myn herte of myn body was thenne vndo opened fro the ouermost partye to the nether onely by the strengthe of pure loue so that me semeth yet I fele the markys of that syssure in myn herte By this ye may knowe that the sowle was fully for that tyme deê‘ted fro the body and sette in the presence of god where I sawe the preuytâ—es of god that is vnâ—efull for
ofte tymes bycause of hys greate sotyll wytte he loued soo moche therto that he made party in the same Cyte and grete enstaunce bytwene neyghbore and nyghbore wherof came a grete enmyte preuy morderyng the whiche came by hym slyly and by his mayntynaunce At the last mene persons came bytwene for to make peas but he answerd euer soo wylyly that he rought neuer whether there were peas or none as it semed to theym that herd hym and alwaye he was glad to make vnpeas that he myght and to be avengyd after his desyre That herd this holy mayde katheryne she desyred to speke wyth him for to sece that euyll hatered but he fledde her assone as he knewe that she came to hym Ryght as the serpent wolde flee from hym that sholde charyne hym At the laste an holy man the whiche was called Fryer wyllyam of Englond a fryer austyn he spake soo to hym that he grauntâ— hym that he wolde gladly speke wyth that hooly mayde and here her But he sayd he wolde nothyng doo as she wolde counseylle hym Soo thenne he kepâ—… his promys and he went to the holy maydes hous the same tyme that mayster Reymound was there But that holy mayde was not therin by cause she was gone a lytyll byfore to procure the helthe of soules In the mene whyle that mayster Reymound was therin there came a messanger to hym sayd that Nannes was at the dore and wolde speke wyth katheryn wherof mayster Reymound was glad for he knewe well that the holy mayde had ofte tymes desyred that And wyth that he went and welcomed hym and tolde hym that she was out prayed hym that he wold not thynke loÌ„ge for she wolde come anone And thenne thei went to this holy maydes chapel whan they hadde sytte a whyle there he thought longe and sayd to mayster Reymond Thus I behete frere Wyllyam that I sholde come hyder here this holy lady Katheryne speke therfore syth she is out occupyed I may nought abyde here wherfore I pray you excuse me to hyr for I haue moche thyng to do mayster Reymond was heuy here wyth that she was so long for to occupye the tyme tyll she came he axed hym of the maner of pees the whiche he knewe To whome this Nannes answerd â–ª Syre I shall tell you the sothe for to thou that ben a prest a relygyous man and to this holy mayde of whome I here a grete name of holynesse I shall not lye but saye the sothe Therfore what that euer I saye to you I am not in wyll to do by your counseyll Sothe it is that I am he the whiche that letteth the pees by twene him him and that pees that pees And yet it semed by my dedys that it am not I that lette it by cause it is done by other but I maynteyn them pryuely ther to for yf I allone wold consente to haue pees al shold be well cessyd But I purpose in no wyse for to consente therto wherfore it nedeth not for to counseyll me preche me for I shall not consente in ony maner wyse Loo now I haue tolde you that I haue hydde from other tarye me no lenger and holde you apayed yet mayster Reymond prayed him to reherce it ageyne for to occupye the tyme and he wolde not at the last by the dysposycyon of god the holy mayde was come Inne Whan that Nannes sawe hyr he was ryght sory But mayster Reymond was gladde As soone as she sawe that erthely man she toke him wyth an heuenly charyte sat doun to gydres and axed him the cause of hys comyng Thenne he rehersed to hyr all that euer he sayd to mayster Reymond wyth the last negacyon This holy mayde beganne thenne to shewe him what peryll he stode Inne soo that she touched hym ouer all but as a deef serpent he stoppyd the erys of his herte that he wold not here hyr counseylles that consydered this holy mayde anone She sat styll torned Inward prayed our lord in hyr herte axed hys gracyous helpe Whan mayster Reymond aspyed how ghoostly she was occupyed for hym He occupyed hym wyth somme wordes hopyng in the mene whyle of som helpe of oure lorde by hir prayers wythin a whyle aft Nannes sayd to them bothe thus Loo I wyll not be so vnkynde but that I wyll do nye all that euer ye wyll byd me but somwhat I shall graunte and thenne wyll I goo fro you I haue made foure debatys whiche contynued yet Of that oo debate I wyll gyue you leue do wiâ—h all as ye will cesse it as ye wyll with that he roos vp wold haue go out and in the rysyng he sayd to him self thus O lord what comfort may this be that I fele now in my soule of that worde that I spak of pees and soone after he sayd more A a lord god what vertue strengthe may that be that holdeth me and drawed me now I may not go hens ne I may not denye no thynge O who is that that constreyneth me now O who is that that holdeth me now wyth this he wept sore sayd I am ouer come I may not wythstonde it Thenne he kneled doun on his knees to the holy mayde and sayd wyth wepyng chere Holy mayde I shall do what euer thou bydde me do Not onely of this mater but also of all other what that euer it be I knowe well now that the deuyll hath hadde me bounde in hys chayne hyder to but now I shall do what euer ye counseyl me to do counseyll my soule how it may be deliuerd out of the fendes poure I praye you Att these wordes the holy mayde torned to hym sayde I thanke god brother that thou hast perceyued what peryll thou stodest Inne of the mercy of our lord wherof I spake fyrst to the but thou â—ettysâ— lytell therby And thenne I spak to our lord he herde my prayers Therfore now good brother do penaunce for thy synnes by tymes leste a sodeyne trybulacyon fall vpon the Thenne anone wyth grete contrycion he was shryuen of mayster Rymond of all his synnes afterward by helpe of this holy mayde he made pees wyth all folk also wyth god by counseyll of mayster Reymond But wythin a fewe dayes after he was take by the Justyce of the Cyte put in a streyte pryson and it was a comyn saynge that he sholde be behedyd Thenne mayster Reymond herde that he came to this holy mayde wyth a sorowfull cheâ—e and sayd Loo moder all the whyle Nannes serued the fende he had no dysease but alwaye â—speryte And after tyme now he is torned to god all the world is ageynst hym where of I am a ferde by cause he is yette but a yong brauÌ„che lest he be all for broke by this tempest and so fall in despeyre I praye you therfore praye for hym to god that he whom ye haue delyuered from
greate pestylence contynued in the Cyte of Sene as it is rehersed afore there was an holy recluse in the Cyte of Sene and was called ScuÌ„s that louyd the whiche was touched wyth that same pestylence whan this holy mayde perceyued that she ordeyned that he sholde be brought to the hous of our gloryous lady gloryous vyrgyn mary the whiche was called also the hous of mercy where she her self wyth her felawes vysyted hym and ordeyned for althynge that was nedefull for hym in his sekenes and at the laste she came to him her self and tolde hym preuyly in hys ere and sayde thus Fader drede you not for thou shalt not deye for this sekenesse att this tyme but she wolde telle not thyng of this to Mayster Reymound and to her felawes the whiche prayed her to praye for hym that he sholde lyue For it semed to them that she was in doubte off his lyf as well as they were and therfore she ordeyned for hym medycins for to be heled by wherfore Mayster ReymauÌ„d and alle her felawes were sory by cause all they louyd that holy man for his gode lyuyng Thenne at the laste his sekenes encresed more and more and drewe faste to the deth as it semed wherby al that sawe hym supposed he shold deye and prayed for the good passage of his soule And also the holy man wende he sholde haue deyed right anone In that same poynt of deth this holy mayde came and rouned in his ere saide to him the second tyme fader drede you not for thou shalt not deye at this tyme for this sekenes he vnderstod her wel all be it that his wyttes were in party dystrauÈt alienyd fro hym for the greuousnes of the payne he gaue more credence to her wordes thenne he dyde to his actuall payne of deth so it fyll afterward that the holy maydes wordes oâ—came the dedes of kynde nature Neuertheles he contynued in suche transite passyng the comyn tyme of other mani dayes to gyder but at the last as the spirite was in passyng as it semed The holy mayde came and sayde nowe the thyrde tyme in the seke mannys ere thus I charge the spyryte in the name of oure lorde Thesu Cryst that thou passe not Anon the spyryte resorted quycly agayn to the body And thenne the holy man toke strengthe to hym and ros vp and asked mete soo wythin a lytyll time he was all hole and lyued Afterward that the holy mayde was passyd out off this world many yeres that holy man that was called ScuÌ„s bothe in name and in dede After tyme he was hole he tolde to Maister Reymound and to other more what the holy mayde sayd to hym in tyme of his sekenes preuyly in his ere And he felte the myght of her vertuous wordes wherby the spyryte was called a gayn that was in the poynt of passyng And he afermed it to all folke that it was none naturall cause that restoryd hym agayn to his lyf but only the myght of god I shewed by his spouse katheryn To whom folke gaue credence by cause he lyued in grete vertu of holynesse and was knowen a famous man in the Cyte of Seene by xxxvj yere to gyder wythout ony repreue in hys lyuyng ¶ Ferthermore maydens I shalle telle you of another myracle that this hooly mayde wrought in mayster Reymound After tyme that the grete pestyleÌ„ce was soo breme in the Cyte of Seene as it is rehersed a fore that alle folke fledde by cause that it was soo infectyf Soo that men and wymmen deyed wythout comforte and counseyll and kepyng mayster ReymouÌ„de bythought hym that he was bounde to loue mennis soule castyng none peryll for his one bodely dethe by enfection of that pestylence purposed hym to goo aboute the Cyte and vyseted seke folke and comforted theym and dyde it in dede Neuertheles by cause he was alone in party in so grete a Cyte for to visyte and comforte the seke that vnethes he myght haue tyme or space for to ete to reste He was soo sente after fro one hous to another ¶ Soone after in a nyght it befyll he toke his reste and was wakyng at a certayn hour for to serue god He felte a greuauÌ„ce of a pestilence both in hys grynde or flancke and for fere he durst not aryse but lay styll and by thought hym off the passage out of this worlde he desyred gretely that it hadde be daye that he myght goo and speke wyth this holy mayde katheryne or thenne he were more seke In the mene whyle he hadde a feuer and the hede ache as the maner was off that pestylence sekenes soo that he was gretely payned and tourmentyd But yet he sayde his matyns as he myghte whan it was daye he called to hym hys felawe and wente to gyder as he myght to the holy maydes hous and founde her not at home for she was out to vysyte a seke body ¶ In the mene whyle hym thought she was soo longe and he so seke that he myght no thynge doo but lay doune there in a lytyll bedde prayeng all tho that we ren in the hous that they sholde sende for her assone as they myght She was sent after and came anone and perceyued that he was sore seke she knyled doune afore his bedde and crossed hym on the forhede wyth her honde And thenne she began to praye as she was wont to done in her soule Mayster Reymound behelde how she was rauysshed a fore hym hopynge of somÌ„e synguler grate for the prouffyte of his soule or of his body abode her long as him semed within a half an houre afterward or there aboute he felte all his body sterid to avomite wening that he sholde haue caste But yet was it not soo but hym thought that out of euery â–ª parte of his body was pulled out wyth a maner of vyolence somme maner of corrupcion And so began to wexe better at ese than he was yet or than the holy mayde was fully restoryd agayn to her bodely wyttes he was all hole saue a lytyl fevylnes bylefte in hym After tyme thys holy mayde hadde purchased of our lord that grace of the helthe she seâ—yd of that rauyshyng and badde her felawes shold ordeyne somme mete for hym whan he had receyued mete of her holy hondes she badde hym lye doun and â—este a whyle he dyde soo as she badde hym And whaÌ„ he awoke he was as stronge as though he hadde not be seke ThenÌ„e the holy mayde sayde vnto hym fader gooth and laboureth now for the helthe of sowles thanketh almyghty god that hathe delyuered you fro this parylle he went forthe to his custumably besynes and thanked god that hadde gyue suche vertu to hys blyssyd mayde Suche a lyke myracle our lorde wrought by this holy mayde to Fryer Bertylmewe in time of the same pestylence But yet that myracle was the more bi cause her long time was oppssid in that sekenes than Mayster ReymouÌ„d
And by cause it was in all wyse lyke ellys therfore I passe ouer and reherce it not But I wolde ye vnderstood may dens that this holoy mayde shewed not oonly the dyuyne myracle of curacion in tyme of pestylence but also in other tymes and yet not only in the Cyte of Sene but also in other places But therfore one I shall declare at this tyme wherby ye may vnderstonde all other yf ye take hede wytely therto ¶ It befyll soone after that the general pestâ—lence the whiche is rehersed afore the many folke both men and wymmen as well relygyous and seculer But specyally certayn mynchis of the Cyâ—â— of â—yse herde of the famous name of this holy mayde katheryn desyreden to see her and here her speke And by cause it was notlefull for theym to goo oute and seke her therfore they prayed her as well by lettres as by messengers that she wolde vouches â—f to come to â—yse seyeng to her that there she myght wynne many a son le the whiche sholde be to oure lord greate worshyppe Albe it that this holy mayde eschewed alwaye for to go fer about the contre yet she was soo ofte prayed wyth soo many messengers or messages that she was almoste constrâ—yned therto by prayer of lettres messages Thenne she had a recource to prayer as she was wont to done and asked our lorde mekely declaracion of that doubte that she stode in and what she sholde doo somme off theym that were counseyllers to her saide that it was best for her to goo and somÌ„e sayde nay wythin a fewe dayes afterward she had an answere of our lord as she beknewe afterward to mayster â—eymound that she shold not tarye but algatys she sholde goo to speke wyth hys seruauntys and his spouse dwellyng in the same Cyte of Pyse Thenne as a tâ—ewe obedyencer by leue of Mayster Reymound her confessour she wente to Pyse whome folowed afterward Mayster Reymound wyth a certeyn of hys bredren for to here confessyons For many ther were that came to her whaÌ„ they herde her speke soo â—eruent wordes of loue were steryd therby to contrycion And leâ—t they sholde be lette fro trewe conuersacyoÌ„ falle agayn in to the fendes snares after suche coÌ„puccion she wold beidde theim go to confession be shryue without ony taryeng And by cause her confessyon was ofte tymes delayed for defaute of confessours therfore ofte tymes she desyred that she myght haue confessours by her to whom she myght sende suche repentaunce And therfore Maister Reymound and his two felawes hadde power of the pope by bull for to here and assoyle all tho that were enduâ—ed to confessyon by this holy mayde WhaÌ„ she came to Pyse she was receyued in a burgeys hous that was called Gerardus the whiche Gerad vpon a daye brought wyth hiÌ„ a yonge man of xx yere of age alle seke of the feuers to this holy mayde besechinge her that she wolde praye for his helthe for he tolde her that he was vexid xviij monethes to gyders wyth the feuers soo that it was none daye but that he hadde it And therto it was so myghty to him that it hadde brought hym soo lowe and that is well sene by hys chekes and by hys body Andâ—â— myght neuer by none medecyn be made hoole Thenne the holy mayde hadde grete compassyon in herte of that yonge man she asked hym how longe it was a goo that he was shryue of hys synnes and toke penaunce he sayd not many a yere therfore it is sayde she that our lord hath yeue the this â—oorge for thou hast not purged thy soule by holy confessyon soo longe tyme. Therfore sone goo forthe anone to confession and cast out that venim the whiche enfecteth alle thy body whan he was confessyd and â—ame to her agayne she put her holy honde vpon his sholders and sayd to hym thus Goo sone in peeâ— of our lord â—hesu cryst for it is his wyll that thou be nomore vexed wyth tho feuers as she sayd it was fro that time forward he was not vexed therwyth Within fewe dayes after he came again to the holy mayde and thanked her of her curacion and sayde openly afore aâ— folke that he hadde neuer the feuers sythe she a voyded it by the vertu of our lord â—ff this bereth wytnes Mayster Reymound for he sawe that myracle And other wytnesse there were ynow by Gerad the childes moder and many other afterward the yonge man puplychid that miracle by all â—â—e contree suche another byfyll in the Cyte of Seene but moche more â–ª merueylous by cause the sikenes was more perylous ¶ There was a suster of penaunce of saynt Domynyke in the same â—yte off Seene that was called Gemina the whiche loued well this holy mayde she had a sekenes of hir throte the whiche was called the sâ—ynce by contynaunce of tyme the sekenes encresyd soo that it made her throte soo streyght that vnethe she might drawe her brethe â–ª but almoost ofte tymes was strangelyd Thenne she wente to this holy mayde prayed her as she myght speke seyenge thus moder I shaldeye but ye helpe me this holy maide hadde soo grete compassyon of her that she toke her holy honde and crossed her throte â–ª ¶ And anone wythout ony taryenge tâ—e sekenes avoyded and soo she that come wyth grete sorowe went home wyth grete gladnesse And tolde it soone after to her confessour But by cause somme what I haue tolde you of curacions done to the body by this holy mayde to diuerse persones therfore I shall telle you now of a grete notable myracle that our lorde wrought â—i this blessyd holy mayde ¶ It befyll that this holy mayde wente in a tyme fro Pyse to Auyoun wyth whome wente two good deuoute yonge men that wrote the lettres that this holy Mayde wolde sende The one was called Neryus that afterward â—as a deuoute recluse And the other was caâ—led Stephene that was afterward a monke of the charterhous And a good vyrtuous lyuer therto to the same â—yte of auyoun wente alsâ— mayster ReymouÌ„d ¶ It happed whan they were entred in to the Cyte of auyoun the forsayd Neryus was seke wyth a merueylouâ— sykenes in his bowellis that he myght haue none reste neyther nyght ne daye But cryed and wayled ofte tymes and he might not lye in his bedde but creped about on hondes and on feet and sought reste and yet myght none fynde This was tolde to the holy maide and she badde mayster Reymound sende afleches to helpe hym For other comforte wolde she none gyue mayster ReymouÌ„d dyde soo and there was none leche that myght ese him but rather he was the more payned I trowe for that ende allone by cause our lord wolde worke that myrarle in his spouse katheryn At the last leche said to maister ReymouÌ„d that they myght not prouffyte in hym And therfore they hadde none truste in his lyffe ¶ Whan Mayster Reymound hadde tolde this to his
callyd all hys meyne and axed of them whether they hadde putte ony â–ª wyne of vernage in that vessell All they sayde naye they knewe no wyne there in thre monthys a fore and more And it hadde be a grete meruayll that wythoute them ony lyquor had be putte ther Inne Thys was afâ—…rward notefyed to the neghboures aboute and all they sayde it was a myracle as it was The messenger came ageyne wyth a grete meruayll gladdenes bryngyng wyth hym a botell of vernage and tolde all the myracle as it was soo that all thoo that herde it thanked our lord that wrought suche a myracle in hys holy mayde Katheryne and many one aftward whan this holy mayde was hole came for to see hyr seyeng wyth grete meruaylle suche wordes how may this be that drynketh noo wyne by myracle By suche wordes of the people this holy mayde caught grete sorowe in hir herte as she knowleched afterward to mayster Reymond And wyth suche sorowe and waylyng she prayed to our lord in hyr sowle more thenne in hyr mouthe seyeng suche wordes A good lord why suffrest thou me to be so tormented in herte that I shall be to all folke shame and reproue All other seruauntes of thyne may lyue among the people saue I allone O good lord who axed of thy myldenes wyne I by Inspyracyon of thi grace haue kept me fro wine long tyme And now I am made to all people for wyne in sâ—orne and reproue I praye the lord for thy grete pyte make that wyne for to vanysshe awaye that this same whiche is deuulgyd amonges men now cesse Our lord of hys mercy herde hyr prayer and made the vessell of wyne to decrece so that sodeynly ther it semed full to all mennes drynkyng the whiche drank therof of deuocyon by cause of the myracle it was decrecyd to the lyes and so all tho that praysed it afore for myracle helde ther peâ—s afterward for shame â–ª And mayster Reymond and other moo of hyr ghoostly chyldren were ashamed of theyr grete praysyng afore But the holy mayde was Jocunde and gladde thankyng our lord hyr spouse that hadde delyuered hyr of suche open praysyng of men ¶ Now I praye you maydens taketh he de how oure lorde kepte this holy mayde from vayne glorye and sette hyr in a perfyte grounde of mekenesse by thyse two myracles By the fyrst he gaue hyr mater to worshyp him that wrought that myracle wythout hyr wetyng in that that he fylled the vessell of wyne By the secounde he gaue hyr mater to folowe hym in mekenes in puttyng awaye of vayne glorye the whiche was putte vpon hyr By the fyrst our lord shewed what vertue of myracle she was endowed wyth By the secounde he shewed what wysdome she was fulfylled wyth For there that mekenes is there is wysdom Neuertheles yet the secouÌ„de myracle in emptyng of the vessell was gretter thenne the fyrst in fyllyng of the vessell that semed well by a simylytude that Saynt Gregorye makyth in hys dyaloges betwyne the vertue of pacyence shewyng of myracles whether he seyth that the vertue of pacyence passeth shewyng of myraclee Why thenne may not the vertue of trewe mekenes the whiche is neuer wythout wysdom passe with out ony comparyson shewyng of myracles the whiche come as well by pryde as by mekenes A bestely man may in no wyse perceyue this and that is no meruaylle For Saynt Poule sayde that prudence of the flesshe is in no wyse subiecte to god Loo maydens now haue I tolde you what myracles our lord shewed by his spouse Katheryne in vnlyfly creatures and thus I make an ende of this chapytre The wytnesse of this chapytre also ben expressyd afore wyth Inne this chapytre there that the myracles ben declared ¶ Of the ofte receyuyng of the holy sacrament of the aulter and of the meruaylles whiche our lord dyd to hyr touchyng the holy sacrament and other relyques of sayntes Capitulum xij IT was knowen to all that knew this holy mayde whyle she lyued in erthe what excellent loue she hadde in reuerence and deuocyon aboute the worshypfull sacrament of the aultre Oure lorde hys flesshe and hys blood so that for the often receyuyng therof hit was a comyn seyeng among the people that Katheryne the holy mayde was houselyd euery day and lyued ther by allone wythout ony bodely mete And all be it that they sayd not alwaye trouthe yet I suppose they tolde it mekely gyuynge honour to god that euer apperyth meruaylous to hys chosen Neuertheles be cause she receyued it so ofte all be it that it were not euery daye yet ther were somme that grutched wyth all ageynst whome may be brought wytnes ynough of holy faders that they dyd the same But fyrst I shall tell you what the vse was of holy chyrche in olde tyme. Saynt Denys seyth in a book that he made de ecclesiastica Jerarchia that in the begynnyng of holy chyrche the feruoure of the holy ghoost was so haboundaunt in the hertes of feythfull creatures bothe men and woÌ„men that they receyued the sacramente of the aulter euery daye Furthermore the doctryne of holy chyrche techeth this that euery feythfull man is bounde in no dedely synne yf he haue actuell deuocyon it is not only lefull for hym but also merytorye for to receyue that excellent worshypfull sacramente Whoo thenne durst forbede suche a feythfull persone and suche an holy lyuer in ony maner wise for to wynne so ofte grete mede in receyuynâ—… of that worshypfull sacramente Trewely I doubte not therof but that suche a creature had grete wrong yf it be denyed whan it is mekely vxed But yf they wolde say vtterly that it is not lefull to no creature be he neuer so feythfull ne neuer soo perfyte ne deuote for to receyue that blyssed sacramente ofte To this I shall tell you what answere this holy mayde gaue to a bysshop in presence of mayster Reymond that sayd these wordes aforsayd to hyr Alledgyng for hym the wordes of Saynt Austyn where he seyth thus Euery day for to receyue the sacrament of the aulter nother I prayse ne blame it â–ª to this obyeccyon answerde this holy mayde in this wyse to the bysshoppe Fader yf Saynt Austyn blame it not Ye alled ge that holy doctour ageynst youre selfe Ouermore now shall I tell you what Saynt Thomas Aâ—uyne seyth of thys doubte whether it be spedefull to a crysten man ofte tymes or euery day for to receyue the sacrament of the aulter He answereth thus therto that ofte receyuyng of that blyssed sacrament encrecyth the deuocyon of hym that receyueth it but it lessyth other whyles hys reuerence that he sholde haue to that blyssed sacramente Therfore euery feythfull Crysten man sholde haue bothe reuerence and deuocyon to that blyssed sacramente And whan he feyleth that hys reuerence is lessened by ofte receyuyng of that blyssed sacramente he sholde absteyne a whyle that he myght go therto afterward wyth more reuerence And yf
thus to hym ¶ Fader vnderstondeth his for treuthe This pope Urbanis veray Crystys vycarye in erâ—he and for dâ—â—ence of this treuth preceth putteth you â—orth as ye wolde for the feyth of holy chyrche ¶ All be it that mayster Reymond vnderstode this well afore yet she made hym the strenger and more stedfast in his laboure for whan he was moost in dysâ—ase he had hyr wordes in mynde and so he tooke the holy obedyence vpon hym But a latell a fore that he went this holy mayde coÌ„myned wyth hym tolde hym foure houres or fyue to gâ—ds of the reuelacyons comfortes that oure lorde shewed to hyr but a lytell afore and whan she had do â–ª she sayde this wordes ¶ Fader now goth our lord spede you for I trowe we shal neuer in this lyf speke so moche to gyder as we haue do nowe And lyke as she sayd so it was For or thenne mayster Reymonde came ageyne she was passed out of this world furthermore by cause that she wolde fully take hyr leue of hym she went ê‘sonally to the same place there he shold take hys Galey ¶ And whan they began to rowe she kneiyd doune prayed and afterward blyssed the Galey wyth wepyng chere and sayd pryuely that other herde to mayster Reymond ¶ Thou lone shalt go saue for the crosse shall kepe the but thou shalt neuer see thy moder in this lyf ¶ And as she ê“phecyed soo it was for ther were many enemyes in the â—ee yet they went saue awaye from them and also in the mene tyme that he was oute this holy mayde passyd out of this worlde ¶ But fyrst or that I tell of hyr blyssed passyng out of this world I shall reherce to you the wytnes whiche were att hyr passyng and knewe of the myracles that our lord shewed here in hyr passyng ¶ The names of the wymmen that were most contynuell wyth hyr beÌ„thyâ—e ¶ Allexe of Sene syster of penauÌ„ce of Sâ—yÌ„t Domynyk the whiche was a ê‘fyte dyscyple of this holy maydes folowed hyr in all asâ—yte of penauÌ„ce as nygh as she coude so that this holy mayde or thennâ— he sholde passe tolde hyr alle hyr preuytees ordeyned hyr for to be a moder to other after hyr dyssece ¶ Thys same Allexe enfourmed mayster Reymonde whan he was come home and other of thys holy maydes passyng for she lyued not longe after ¶ The seconde wytnes was Francysca of Sene this Francysca had a deuoute soule to god to this holy mayde with an hertely loue wherfore whan hyr husbounde was dede she toke the abyte of penaunce was made syster of Saynte Domynyk ¶ Thys Francysca enfourmed mayster Raymonde whan he came home and many other folke of this maydes passyng and thenne she deyed soone after Allexe ¶ The thyrde wytnes was Lysa hyr cosyn the whiche I wyll notte commende all be it she was ryght trewe by cause she was this holy maydes brothers wyf where by shold beholde suspect in her wytnes amonge men ¶ further more there were many men in hir passyng the whiche beren trewe recorde othyr bussed ende ¶ But foure in specyall I thyÌ„ke to reherse here the whiche were ryght vertuous men ¶ The fyrst was called frere Sanctus the whiche was bothe holy indede in name This holy man forsoke all hys kynne and came to Cyte of ene Where he lyued vertuously xxx yere and more an ancheres lyfe ¶ And when he herde speke of this holy mayde he was styred to speke wyth hyr and so he dyd for to be enfourmed of hyr ¶ And at last he thout that it was better to walke oute of his cell for to wynne soules thenne for to be so enclosed And so he dyd by counseyll he went oute and folowed thys holy mayde and wan soules to Cryste but specyally he was presente wyth hyr at hyr passyng ¶ Thys holy man enfourmed mayster Raymonde also whan he came home of the passing of this holy mayd and soone after he dyed ¶ The seconde witnes of men was a yong man in age but he was olde in vertu the whiche was called Barductyne ¶ Thys yong man forsoke all hys kynne and folowed this holy mayde and was with hyr tyll that she passyd whome she loued yettenderly by cause he was a mayde that was no meruaylle for it is semely that oo mayde sholde loue another ¶ To whome this holy mayde sayd chargyd hym that he shold be gouerned by mayster Raymondis couÌ„seyll ¶ For this cause I trowe she did it in as moche as she knewe well of god that he sholde not long lyue after hyr soo that he dyde of tesyk but fyrste he contynued longe therynne and was amended by medycines but at the last he dyde theron And by cause that mayster Raymonde drede hym that the ayre of Rome sholâ—e enfecte hym he sente hym to Sene where he passyd out of this worlde and they bere wytnes that were at hys passynge that whan he sholde passe he loked vp into heuen and began to smyle soo wyth that smylyng he passyd So that after tyme he was passyd the tokens of gladnes appyred in hys face I trowe it was therfore by cause he sawe hyr whome he loued soo charytably come after hym ¶ This Barductyne also enfourmed mayster Raymonde whan he came home of thâ—s holy mayde passage ¶ The thryde wytnes of men was also a yong man the whiche was called Stephen that was one of this holy maydes wryters the why she wrote bothe hyr letters that she sente and also hyrbook that the holy ghost endyted by hyr The whiche yong man this holy mayde called to hyr whan she sholde passe and sayd thus Sone it is the wyll of god that thou be a monke of the Charterhous and therfore I charge the that thou so doo As she bad hym so he dyd and lyued euer afterward a ê‘fyt lyf for he had-no felawe of ê‘feccyon in that Relygyon and assone as he was professyd he was made Pryor of the same hous that he was shorne Inne ¶ And afterward he was made Pryour in another place of the same ordre at melayne visitour of the ordre This yong man Stephen wrote certeyn thynges that happed in the passyng of this holy mayde eÌ„tfourmed afterwarde mayster Raymonde of the same whan he came home The fourthe last wytnesse of men that were at the passyng of this holy mayde was one the whyche was called Raynerus the sone of a worthy man Landocte of Sene. Thys man after tyme that this holy mayde was paste was a deuoute recluse that euer afterward lyued a blyssed lyf he was also one of the wryters of hyr lettres of hyr book that the holy ghoost endyted by hyr He was the fyrst of men that forsoke hys kynne folowed this holy mayde by cause he knewe hyr vertuous lyuyng of longe tyme therfore mayster Reymond called hym to hym and made hym a specyall wytnes
the delyueraunce of them whiche were acombred and vexed wyth fendes C x ¶ Item of the yefte of prophecye And how by that yefte she delyuerd many meÌ„ and wymmen fro perylles bothe of body and of sowle C xj ¶ Item of myracles whiche oure lorde wrought by this holy mayde and vyrgyn in herbes breed and wyne And other thinges that hadde none lyf C xij Item of the ofte resceyuynge of the holy sacrament of the aulter And of myracles the whiche oure lorde dyde to hyr touching that holy sacrament and other holy relyques of saintes Ca xiij  HEre begynneth the thyrde parte wherin is rehersyd Capitulum j the deyeng of this holy mayde and vyrgyn myracles that were I shewed after her deth And fyrst of the wytnesses whiche were present at hyr passyng and enfourmed the auctur of this boke whiche and what they were Cap ij ¶ Item of the merueylous thynges whiche befyll a yere and half to fore the deth of this holy mayde and vyrgyn And of the martyrdome that she suffred bodely of the wycked fendes wherof at the laste she hadde her bodely dethe C iij ¶ Item how this holy mayde and vyrgyn desyred to be vnbounde from the body and be wyth cryst And that is preuyd by a deuoute prayer whiche she made And is put in the ende of another boke whiche she made and what is in that boke generally and shortely it is wryten in this boke wyth the same oryson c iiij ¶ Item of the time that she passed and whan she passed out of this worlde and of the sermoÌ„ whiche she made to her gostely dyscyples and susteren tofore her passyng And how she informed them in generall and in speciall how they shold gouerne theym whan she were goâ— And of a vysyon whiche was shewed to a matrone in the houre of her passyng Ca v ¶ Item of tokens and myracles whiche oure lorde wrought after hyr dethe of this holy mayde and vyrgyn bothe tofore her beryeng and after that is to saye of myracles whiche were knowe And for many that were not knowe Cap vj ¶ Item of the myghty and stronge paciens whiche this mayde and vyrgyn shewed openly from her fyrst age and yonge in to her deth by the whiche vertu clerly it preuyd that ryghtfull she is worthy to haue the name of holynesse in goddes chirche in erthe â–ª whan she is made so fayre and gloryous in goddes chirche in heuen and in this chapytre is a recapitulacion of all that is sayd to fore For worthynes and also for werynes of reders And also for yf eche man may not haue al thys legende they may haue the substaunce of this martyr tofore her compendyously rehersyd in the last chapytre ¶ The fyrst chapytre of this fyrst parte is of the progenye of this holy mayde vyrgyn gloryous saint katheryn of sene and of other maters whiche befyll touchyng her or she went out openly abrode And of her fader and moder and of the condycions of theym CapituluÌ„ primuÌ„ IN the cite of Geene in Italye and of the prouynce of Tuskane ther was a man his name was Janes or Jacob and his fader was callyd in the comyn speche of the contree Beuencasa This James was symple vertuous wythout fraude or deceyte to ony man dredynge god and fleyng alle euyll After the deth of his fader and moder he toke a wyf of the same Cyte her name was lapa She was a woman wythout suche malyce that is vsed amonge men that ben now in our tyme all be it that she was full besy aboute that longeth to houshold and about meynye and seruauntes as it was knowen openly to all that knewe her whyle she liued here in erthe whan they bothe were ioyned to gyder in matrymonye and lyuyd vertuously in symplycite suffycient habondaunce they hadde of temperall godes and they bothe of gentyll and commendable byrthe Our reuerende lorde blessyd lapa graciously fulfylled hyr plentuously wyth the birthe of chyldren as an habondaunt vyne in the hous of Jacob whiche was her husbond For eche yere almost she conceyued and bare a sone or a doughter and ofte fythes ij sones or two doughters After tyme this Jacob was passeth out of this worlde Lapa his wyf as for a synguler laude and commendacion rehersyd and saide to mayster Reymonde the confessour of this holy mayde and vyrgyn and glorious martyr katheryn that she was euer of soo lyke dysposycion and soo moderate in worde that what occacion euer came or trouble or trybulacion he exceded neuer in speche by hasty ne angrye worde but whan he saw ony of his meyny greued or herd hem speke angerly or bytter wordes anon he comforted eche of theym wyth a glad â—here and sayde in the maner of that contree A brother good day be to the be not troubled speke not suche wordes which falleth ne semeth not vs to speke ¶ And in speciall lapa his wyf wherseth that whan on a tyme one of his neybours dysesyd hym wrongfully asked hym a grete somÌ„e of monye whiche he owed not by none reason â–ª and soo moche he vexed hym that symple maÌ„ wyth the might of other frendes and supplanted hym wyth grete wronges that he brought hym to the losse of alle his godes And in alle this tyme this good man myght neuer suffre in his presence a man to curse hym wronge ne to speke of hym harme in noo wyse In soo moche that he blamed his wyf Lapa wyth softe wordes and sayd suffre dere wyf the good day be to the for our lord shall shewe hym therrour he shall be oure defendour whiche wordes were founde southe afterward for the veryte was shewed openly as lyke to a myracle And he for payne that he hadde in his conscyence delyuerd agayne how moche he hadde errid in his wrongfull persecucion to the good man Jacob Thyse wordes sayde Lapa to mayster Reymonde to whos wordes he yaue full truste for as it was knowe to all that knewe her she was of soo moche symplenesse at her age of xxiiij yere that though she wold haue lyed she â—â—wde not haue feyned suche a lesyng And soo was the commyn testymonye of alle tho that knewe her husbonde Jacob that was he a man ful symple by Innocencye and ryghtfull alwaye fleyng from euyll Also this good mannys softenes in speche was soo vertuous that alle his meyny namely wymmen dame sels taught in his soole myght not speke ne here noo worde that were not semely or dyshoneste In so moche that one of his doughter whiche was callyd Bonauentura was wedded to a yonge man whiche was callyd Nycolas of the same Cyte wyth whome were conuersaunt many other yong men of hys age by cause he hadde nother fader ne moder And thyse men and he wythout ony refreynynge of tongue spake eche to other â–ª and he wyth other And they wyth hym foule wordes of dyshoneste mater This Bonauentura att the laste toke therof soo grete an
dyd so to who me thys mayden gaf none clere answer by cause she wolde nethyr lye ne telle the trouthe Wyth that the moder wente to thys maydens hede and took of hyr kerchyfe wyth hyr owne hondys And so ê‘ceyued that hyr here was cut awaey ThaÌ„ne was the moder sorowfull in hyr herte bycause hyr fayre here was cutte awaye waylynge and cryenge in thys wyse Aa doughter what haste thou doo Anone the mayde keuered hyr hede efte sones and wente a syde To the crye of her moder came bothe the fader and the chyldren meruayllyng what it myght be Whanne they knewe the cauâ—â— of hyr cryeng they were hugely ameuyd ageynste this maide of the whiche trouble was begonne the secounde bataylle ageynst this mayde more sharper than theÌ„ne was the fyrst But yet to thys mayden our lord gaff the vyctorye that thoo thynges whyche semed lettyng to hyr holy purpose was to hyr grete helpe meruayllously for to knytte hyr to our lord more myghtely Therefore they pursued hyr openly rebukyng hyr and thretyng hyr in worde and dede sayeng thus Thou wretched creature trowest thou for to escape thus that thou shalt not fulfyll our wylle because that thou hast cutte awaye thyn here hyt shall growe ageyn wyll thou nyll thou and though thyn herte sholde to breste yet shalt thou haue an husbonde And thou shalt neuer haue reste vnto the tyme that thou haste consented to our wylle And wyth that they made an ordynaunce that Katheryne shold nomore haue no pryue chambre by hir self to dwelle Inne but that sholde openly be occupyed in the comyn seruyce of the how 's So that the place and tyme of prayeng and vnyeng and knyttyng to Jhesu hir spoufe sholde vtterly be wyth drawe from hir And also that she shold see hyr self so moche the more in despyte that she was made a comyn seruaunte After thys ordynaunce thys holy mayde was putte to alle manere fylthe besynesse and the fowle of the kechyn Suffryng euery day repreues and euery day also wronges and rebukyng and dyspytable wordes were multeplyed ageynst hyr that moste of alle ouercomen wymmenys hertys For as hyt was supposed hyr fader and hyr moder and brethern hadden fonde a yong man of whos kynrede they weren gretely well apayde And therefor they steryd and Inpugnyd hyr the more sharpely that she myght the sonner be bowed to theyr consent But where that oure ghostly enemye the fende by whos wyckednes tretcherous werkes all thyse thynges were wrought doune wende for to wyth drawe thys mayde from hyr clene purpose There by the helpe of god she was made moost strengest for she was in noo wyse meuyd ne stered of alle that was doone to hyr But she made hyr a pryue chaumbre by helpe of the holy ghoost in hyr owne sowle fro the whyche pryue chaumbre she made an ordynaunce in hyr self neuer for to go out for no manere of besynesse And so it was done in dede that she the whyche fyrste hadde an outward chaumbre assygned to hyr somtyme stood wyth out and somtyme wente oute But afterwarde whan she had made hyr selue in hyr sowle a pryue chaumbre that myght not be take from hyr of no creature in erthe she went neuer out Thes ben tho heuenly vyctoryes that may not be taken awaye fro crystis specyall in erthe ouercomynge wyth out ony doubte alle stylly enemyes As holy wrytte seyth Regnum dei infra nos est That is to saye the kyngdome of heuen is wythin vs. And also the prophete Dauyd seyth That all the ioye of our lordes doughter is wythin forthe Wythin vs wyth out ony doubte there is a clere vnderstondyng a frâ— wylle and a retentyf mynde Wythin vs also is the gracyous Infusyon of the holy ghoost the whiche maketh perfyte these ghoostly myghtys rehersed afore and ouercometh and throweth vnder foot alle outward aduersytres Wythin vs yf we ben trewe vylners of vertue dwelleth that ghest the whyche sayde and seyth Confidite ego vici mundum That is trusteth feythfully that ye shall ouercome your enemyes for I haue ouercome the worlde that grete enemye In this blessyd lord thys holy mayde Katheryn trustyd so hyghely that she made hir wyth Inne hyr self a chambre by hys helpe for whos loue she charged not for to lese the chambre made of mannes handes wythout forth ¶ But now one thynge shall I saye that mayster Reymond the confes sour of thys holy mayde beryth recorde of that whan that he sholde walke outward by cause other whyle of grete outward besynesse and occupacyon that nedys must be done Thys holy mayde oftymes warned hym and sayde that he shold make wythin hys sowle a pryuee celle of whyche pryue cell he sholde neuer goo out And alle be it that he vnderstonde hyr not but so ouerly so lyghtely Yet neuerthelesse afterwarde whan he consydered more wyttely hyr wordes The wordes that Saynt Johan sayde in the Gospell felle in hys mynde where it is rehersed of crystys dyscyples in thys wyse Hoe autem non cognouerunt discipuli eius primum Sed quando glorificatus est ihesus tune recordatisunt That is crystys dyscyples knewe not alle thynge of hym as touchyng hys passyon fyrst but onely But after tyme whan he was reysen fro deth to lyue and gloryfyed thanne they knewe more openly and clerely And soo in the same manere wyse bothe to mayster Reymond hyr confes sour to tho other that were conuersaunt wyth hyr it happyd meruayllously that they perceyued more openly and clerely bothe her dedys and hyr wordes afterwarde than whenne they were wyth hyr presently ¶ Yette shall I telle you of another holy conseyt and a blessyd ymagynacyon of thys holy mayde that the holy ghoost taught hyr by the whyche she ouercome alle wronges and despytes as she tolde pryuely to hyr confessour axyng of hym mekely how she myght be perfytly gladde amonge soo many despytes And thanne she brake out and sayde that she hadde suche an ymagynacyon in hyr self that hyr fader represented our lorde Ihesu Cryste oure sauyour and hyr moder oure blessyd lady Saynt Marye And hyr brethern and other many of the housholde betokeneth the holy appostles of oure lorde and other dyscyples of hys And for thys blessyd ymagynacyon she serued hem alle the more gladdely soo that they were alle a meruaylled therof And by thys blessyd ymagynacyon she wan another grete profyte and as oftr as she serued and made mynystracy on euer she hadde in mynde hyr hyr spouse Ihesu Cryste Whome hyr thought she serued And soo she beyng in bodely kechyn was alle waye wyth that holy place that is callyd Sancta sanctorum And as ofte as she serued atte mete soo ofte she fedde hyr sowle wyth the presence of oure sauyour A hyghe and rychesse of endeles counseyll by how many dyuers and meruayllous wayes delyuerest them that trusten in the from alle maner dyseses and bryngest them in to the hauen of
cause I made avowe also that I shold neuer take husbond but hym alone Therfore now syth I am come by the sufferaunce of oure lord to a more perfyght age and knowleche and vnderston dyng wytte wete ye ryght well this is the same purpoos whiche is soo myghty and stroonge in myn sowle that it were more possyble hard flynt stones rather to be made nesshed than myn herte shold be wythdrawe fro this holy pnrpos and therfore the more ye laboure aboute thys thynge the more tyme ye lese Wherfore I counseyll you that ye leue of alle maner suche tretyng of weddynge as touchyng myn persone For therin shall I neuer fulfylle your wyll by cause that I sholde rather be obedyent to god than to man therfore yf ye wylle haue me suche one in your hous that I now serue god in this purpoos and for to be a commyn seruaunt to serue you all I am redy in all that I can or may to doo you seruyce gladly And yf ye wylle receyue me but for this cause that ye wylle putt me out of your hous I doo you well to wete that in noo wyse myn herte may be wythdrawe fro this holy purpos ¶ I haue an husbond and a spouse cryste Jhesu soo rychely and soo myghtely that wyll not suffre me in noo wyse to lacke no thyng But he wyll mynystre to me all that me nedeth Whan she hadde sayde alle thyse wordes alle that herde her speke fyll in wepyng and by cause of her plentnously syghynge and sobbynge they myght for that time gyue none answer They consyderid to the holy purpos of thys holy mayde the whyche they myght not wyth saye ne wythstonde they behylde also how styll the mayden had I kepte her how clene how pure vnto that tyme how bodely she declared her consciens by wordes of grete prudence also ouer more they sawe openli that she was rather diposed for to forsake her faders hous than for to breke her holy purpoos and soo they hadde nomore truste of her weddyng wherfore it lyked theym better for to wepe than for to gyue her answer Wythin a lytyll whyle after whan they hadde cesyd all her wepynge the fader that loued her soo tenderly had dredde of god and dred god soo hyghely hadde mynde of the coluer that he sawe and of many good dedes of the whiche she vsed The whiche dedes he gretely merueylyng gaue her suche an answere and sayde Dere doughter god forbede it that we sholde ony thynge wylle or desyre agaynste the wyll of god For the whiche wyll and fro the whiche wyll we knowe well thys holy purpoos cometh fro Therefore it is soo that we ben taught by longe experyence And now openly we see that thou art not steryd herto by the lyghtenesse of chyldhode but by feruent charyte of god Make thy vowe therfore frely and doo as the lyketh and as the holy ghoost techeth the ¶ And fro this tyme forward we shall neuer lette the from thyn holy purpoosne thyne ghostely excercise but only praye for vs besely that we maye bee made worthy to the promys and the byheste of thyn ghoostely spouse whom thou haste chose by his specyall grace in thyn tender age ¶ Thenne he tourned hym to hys wyf and to his chyldren and sayde none of you from this tyme forward be to my ne dere donghter greuous None be soo hardy from this tyme forward to let her in ony wyse to suffer her to serue her spouse freely and she to praye for vs be sely We myght neuer haue founde a better husbond to her thenne he is the whiche vochesauf to be so nere of our kynde for to wedde our doughter and haue her to wyf Therfore we haue none cause to pfayne vs sythe it soo is that we haue receyued now for a dedely man ▪ vndedely god and man to be her spouse ¶ Whan the fader hadde sayde thyse wordes wyth wepynge and wyth weylyng bothe of theym selfe and also of other that herde theym and hym speke and namely of the moder that louyd this mayde in maner flesshely then̄e this holy maide Katheryn ioyefully thanked oure lorde that brought her to this vyctorye and also her fader and moder wyth alle maner of lowenes dysposyng her self to vse profytably the lycence that was graūted to her And this is the ende of this chapytre ¶ But now I wylle ye knowen that redyn or heren this booke that Mayster Reymound confessour to this holy mayde knewe neuer by reuelacion of the fader that sawe the coluer the whiche restyd on this blessyd maydens hede for the fader was deed or thā Mayster Reymoūd knewe this blessyd mayde But he knewe it by reuelaciō of Cosyns that dwellyd in the faders hous the whiche cosins recorded and bare wytnes that the fader sawe suche a culuer wyth her ofte tymes And therfore he hadde her in greate reuerence and he wold in noo wyse that she hadde be lettyd or troublyd ¶ Of the vysyon that she sawe of saynt Domynyk bothe mayster Reymound her confessour afore hym knewe it by tellyng of this holy mayde And whan mayster Reymound examyned her of the wordes that she sayde laste to her fader moder and brederen and how she byhad her in her pesecucions she tolde hym alle by ordre mekely as it was ¶ Of the hardenesse of her bodely penaūce of afflyction what persecucion she fuffred therfore of her moder Capitulū vj WHan this deuoute mayde hadde receyued so large a lycence that was graunted her of longe tyme desyred afore She beganne ryght quyckely for to dyspose merueylously alle her lyf to the seruyse of god ¶ Att the begynnyng she asked to haue a lytyll chambre to her self and so had de it wherin she purposed to tourmente her body wyth penaunce as in a wyldernesse that she myght haue the more fredome of sowle for to serue our lord How moche and how harde penaunce she vsed in tourmentyng of her body And how grete loue she hadde in seyng of hyr spouse in that lytyll chambre there maye noo tongue suffre to telle Neuertheles I haue rehersed som what in generall of her grete penaunce And now I purpose to telle you maydens in speciall vnder fewe wordes the hardnesse of her penaunce soo that ye of the grete vertuous herbes of her holy lyuyng maye taste somwhat of the fruyte that growen aboute the herber bothe of the fyrst and of the laste And for the condycions and the kyndis of the fruyt it shall be declared by the helpe of god afterward And the cause why that in this place is rehersyd som̄e what of her fruyte full vertuous lyuing is for nothynge ellys But for the maydens sholde be the more able and redyer to ghostely excercyse In this lytyll chābre that was graunted her ofte tymes she consydered swetely the ghostely werkis of our old faders of Egypte And in ghostely werkys was to her soo moche the more merueylous and that
she myght whome she had first in grete repreue and soo she accused her self wyth spekynge and tokens makyng asked her mercy and forgyuenesse of her trespaas as she myght speke and soo she was shryue and hoselyd and passyd out of this worlde wyth grete contrycion Whan she was passed out of this world thenne our lorde shewed to this holy mayde her sowle in soo grete bryghtnesse and fayrnes that as she knowleched afterward to her confessour it myght not be tolde ne spoken wyth mannys tongue Yet was not that the fayrenesse that she sholde haue in blysse endelesly but oonly the fayrenes that she hadde in her first creacion and in receyuyng of her baptysme And thenne sayde our lord to this hooly mayde loo dere doughter by the I haue receyned this soule that was loste is thys not a fayre soule and a semely Loo is he or she that wyll not doo her besines for wynnyng of suche a fayre sowle yf that I am the most souerayn fayrnes of whom cometh alle maner of vertues fayrnesse was so oucome thrugh loue of fairnesse of manÌ„ys soule that I wold come doun froheueÌ„ to erthe shedde my blode for to rauÌ„som it moche ye thenne shold laboure so eyther for other the so fayr a creature be not lost for this cause I haue shewed the this soule that thou may the more her afterward be â—â—erid for to wynne soules to me and also that thou may stere other to the same grace This holy mayde thenne thanked our lord for his blessyd reuelacion prayng hym mekely wyth alle the affeccion of her sowle that he wolde vouchesaf to gyue her that grace euer afterward that she myght see the fayrnesse of euery soule of all tho the whiche been conuersaunt wyth her so the more be steryd for to winne her helthe the whiche grace oure lorde graunted her and sayde by cause thou haste despised for myn sake all maner of flesshely conuersacion and art knytte to me in the spyryte the whiche am the moost souerayn spyryte and also haste prayed soo besely and soo deuotily fore this sowle therfore now I gyue thy soule clere syght by the whiche thou mayste perceyue and beholde bothe the fayrenes and the fylthes of euery soule that is present afore the So that as thy bodely wittes afore this tyme haue perceyued the condycions of bodyes ryght so from this tyme forward thyn ghostely wyttes sholde perceyue and consydere the conditions of the spyrytes not only of tho the whilche ben I presented to the but also of all other for whos helpe thou shalt praye though they neuer be presented to thy bodely syght ¶ The grace of this gyfte was euer after ward soo spedefull in this holy mayde that fro that tyme forward she perceiued more clerly the qualytes and dedes â–ª of the sowles of theym the whiche aperyd afore her than of her bodyes so ferforth that in a tyme Mayster Reymound her confessour complayned to her of somÌ„e that grutched vppon her by cause that she suffred many dyuerse persones to knele afore her wolde not byd theym stonde vp To whom she ausâ—terd in this wyse God knoweth fader that I am occupyed aboute the consyderacion of her sowles that I perceyued nothyng in maner of outward dedes Thenne asked her confessour of her and sayde whederâ—ye see her sowles To whom she answerd thus Fader vnder confessyon I shewe to you that after tyme our sauyour hadde I gyue me suche a grace that I sawe the fayrnesse off myn sufters soule the whiche was ordeyned to be dampned for her trespaas by his right wysdom he delyuerd mercyable by mym prayers shewed me afterward He fayrenes ther apperyd afterwar vnnethe afore me but that I sawe the condycions of theyr sowles and therfore fader I am syker if ye hadde onys seen the fayrenesse of a resonable sowle ye wold suffre an hondred tymes bodely deth if it were possyble for the wynnyge off a soule there is nothyng in wis worlde that maye be lykened to her fayrnesse whaÌ„ here oÌ„fessour herd this he prayed her that she wolde vouchesaf to tell hym all the processe how she come to suche a reuclacion Thenne this holy mayde tolde him al the processe as it is reherced afore all bee it though she tolde it but shortly and me kely of the trespas of her seke suster done agaynst her But her confessour afterward enquyred the sothe of that odyous cryme of her susters the whiche knewe theÌ„ both well ynow Ferthermore to the more coÌ„fyrmacion of thyse thynges that benrehersed a fore maister Reymound her coÌ„fessour recordeth of her that he was ofte tymes a speker bytwene her the pope gregori xj For she was an ytaly coude vnd stonde none latyn the pope Gregorye coude vnderstonde none ytaly therfore Mayster Reymound her confessour that coude bothe was a speker bytwene them Amonges alle other communycacions that this holy mayde communyd wyth pope Gregory she complayned her of the court of Rome And sayde that the that paradyse sholde be of vertu ther she founde stynche of cursed vices thenne the pope asked her by her confessour how longe she hadde be in the courte To whom she answerd sodenly wyth a meke boldenes to the pope in this wyse to the worshyppe of almyghty god I dare well say that I perceyued moche more the stynche of synne the whiche is vsed in the court of Rome at home in myn owne cyte there as I was borne thenne they that hath sinned and synne euery daye Thenne the pope after this answere helde his peas And was merueylously astonyed but her confessour maister Reymound merueylously marked he wordes and wyth what auctoryte they were spoken to suche a wourthy prelate Also ofte tymes it befyll bothe to mayster Reymound her confessour and to other that folowed that holy mayde in to dyuerse countrees where neyther she ne they came afore that ther come to her and to hym many vnknowen persons semely arayed for to comin with theym of vertu semyng as though they hadde be vertuous folke But in trouthe they encombred wyth wretched synnes whos synnes she perceyued anone wherfore she wolde neyther speke to theym netourne her face to theym And whan she sawe that they abode loÌ„ge Thenne she brake out a lytyll her voyce more than she was wonte to doo and sayde to theym suche wordes Fyrst we shold amende our lyf fro synne and goo out of the deuyles seruyce and thenne to speke of our lord WhaÌ„ she had said suche wordes she wente fro theym assone as she myght goodly And afterward her confessour and her felawes founde it sothe that they were e ncombred wyth wretched synnes in the whiche synnes they coÌ„tynued wythouten repentaunce Another tyme also she spake wyth a woman the whiche woman semed an honest womaÌ„ but in soth she was the concubyne of a man of holi chirche and that was grete pyte As they spake togyders the wymmen myght not loke vpon the
For thou shalt not eshewe shun the company of men and wommen as thou were wonte to do but rather for theyr soule helthe thou shalt put the to all maner of laboure to thy power and myght Of thys maner of lyuyng many one shold be sclaundred and so of many thou shalt be ageyn sayd that the thoughtes ef theyr hertys may be knowen by theyr wordes but loke thou be in no wyse aferde ne troubled for I shall euer be wyth the delyuer thy sowle from treucherons tonges and lyers Therfore werke myghtely that the holy ghoost shall teche the for by that I shall delyuere maÌ„nes sowle out of the fendes power and by mediacion of my specyall grace I shallede them to heuen Whanne our lorde had sayd thyse wordes and often tymes had rehersed to hyr the same comfortably as touchyng that poynte Where our lord sayd to hyr that she sholde not be a ferdene troubled She answerd as she beknewe afterward in contessyon Thou aâ—t my lord my god and I thy wretched seruaunt euer more thy wyll be done but haue mynde of me good lorde god after thy grete mercy helpe me and thus vanysshed cessyd this vysyon Thys holy mayde bethought hyr kepte well in hyr herte wha this gracyous chauÌ„gyng sholde be in tyme comyng Fro that tyme afterward fro day to day the grace of oure lord Jhesu encreced in hyr herte the holy ghost habounded in hyr so moche that she hyr self was astoned therof wext feble in body sayd as the propheet sayd thyse wordes Deficit caro mea et corpus me um deus cordis mei et ê‘s mea deus ineteâ—nuÌ„ That is my body my flesshe sebled deâ—ailleth but good lord by the gouernour of myn herte my parte wythoutenende And eftesones she sayd as the same ê“pheet sayd in another place Memor fui dei et drlectata sum exercitata sum et deficit spiritus meus That is I haue mynde of my lord god haue therin grete delyte I hauÌ„ce me in the ghostly delyte therfore my spyrytes strengthes of my body wexen feble and defayllen This mayde wext seek in body for the loue of our lord and hir sekenes had no remedy but by weping waylyng therfore she wept wayled euery day yet by suche wepyng and waylyng she myght not so cour hyr sekenes Than our lord put in hyr herte that it sholde be good for hyr as for a souereyn cemedye to hir sekenes oft tymes to be housled that so she myght receyue that lord that she loued by sacrement of the autre Of whom she myght not yet be fulfylled fully in thys lyf as she shold be in heuen blysse And netheles that was cause of more loue encrece of gretter sekenes But yet for a tyme it made satys faccyon by the vertue of the feyth to the ser â—yse of hyr charyte that brenned contynuelly in hyr herte by in sufflacyon of the holy ghoost After tyme she had in custome to be comuned houseled as it were euery day all be it though she were oft tymes lette by sekenes of body and soo for besynes that she had of mennes soules She had suche a desyre ofte for to be house led that but yf she were hyr body sholde suâ—â—â—â— grete peyne in maner it sholde feble defayll right as the body had parâ—â— of the haboundaunce of the spyryte by affluence that habouÌ„ded fro wythin forth Ryght so it myght not be but yf it had be perâ—eyner of the anguysshe dysease that the spyryt suffred Thys mater shall be de daâ—d more largely by the helpe of god afterward For now I shall tell you of the meruayllous lyuyng that she leued as touchyng hyr body mayster Reymond recordeth thus of this holy mayde as he knewe well by hyr confessyon also by wrytyng of hyr confessour afore hym that after tyme she was vysyted by the forsayd vysyon she had so moche plente of graces ghoostly comfortes and namely whan she had receyued our lord Jhesu in the blessyd sacrement of the autre that it reboundyd in to hyr body by a copyous affluence that the kyndly consumpcyon of dygestyon in hyr body had no place but it chauÌ„gyd so the kynde of hir stomake that the receyuyng of mete was not now ned full to hyr for she myght not receyue mete wythout grete torment of the body yf she shold algates â—te hir body suffred ryght gret peyne for it myght haue no kyndely dygestion but nedys it must by vyolence come out ageyne that she etc ther that it went June It is not lefull to wryte wyth a penne how ofte how many peynes this holy mayde suffred for receyuynge of bodely metes This maner kynde or condycyon of lyuyng in the begynnyng was to many folke bothe to them of the houshold to other that were conuersaunt wyth hyr so Incredyble that they named this synguler gyfte of god eyther a temp tacyon or ellys a sottyll dysceyte of the deuyll In to this errour fyll mayster Reymond hyr confessour as other dyd that wende she had be disceyued of hyr enemy the whiche oftymes transfygured hym self to an aungell of lyght for to deceyue soules â–ª And therfore he bad hyr etc hir mete euery day gyue no credens to suche desceyuable vysyons that wold lett hyr fro hyr mete Thenne sayd this holy may de to hyr confessour that she founde well by experyence that she was more hole in body whan she receyued no bodely mete thaÌ„ whanne she receyued it Yet for all suche excusacyons he wold not cesse of his precepte but badde commaunded hir that she shold ete Thenne she as a trewe doughter of obedyeÌ„ce obeyed to his byddyng ete hir mete vnto the tyme bi sekenes she was almost dede Thenne she called hyr confessour mayster Reymond and sayd to him thus Fader yf I be to moche fastyng were I cause of myn one deth were I a sleer of myn one body he answered sayd yes Thenne she askyd eftesones whether it be grete synne to be dede bi etyng or by abstinence he sayd by etyng Thenne she sayd sythen it is so that ye see me wexe feble and nere to the dethe by etyng as ye knowe well by experyence why wyll ye not fobede me etinge as ye wolde forbede me fastyng in suche a caas To this resoÌ„ he coude not answere but by cause he perceyued that she was nyghe to deth by euydent tokens he sayde to her doughter doo as our lord taught the For they ben merueylous thynges to me that I see our lord werke in the Many grutchynges ther was in the housholde agaynste her for this merueylous lyuyng by cause they knewe not the gracious werkynge of god in her And therto also they stered her confessour mayster Reymound to repreue her albe it it was ofâ—â— tymes agaynst his wyll and what grete dysese she suffred of other there
ofte tymes to mayster Reymond But the vertue of hyr pacyence wythout ony comâ—yson passyd hyr sekenes as I shall declare by the helpe of god afterward in the last chapytre of the thrydde ê‘tye Whan hyr faders soule was delyuered out of the body this holy mayde smyled full manerly sayd now wold god I were as ye ben And all that tyme other wepte she shewed gladnesse of chere for she myght none other wyse do For she sawe hys blessyd sowle whan it passed out of the body how it was receyued in to endelesse blysse wythout ony taryeng of the whiche she was ryght gladde a lytell afore she had exê‘yence of the same ioye as it is rehersed in the chapytre afore this See ye not maydens how wysely the prouydence of our lord was wrought in this maydens fader Our lord myght yf he had wold haue purged his soule in many maner of wyses made hym able Inough to ioyes as he dyd to the thefe that hynge on hys ryght syde but he wold not wythout som payne that this mayde sholde suffre as she axed for hir encrece of hir more ioye the whiche payne was euer afterward swete to hyr as hyr semed not wythout cause for she wyst well that hir swetenesse shold euer encrece aftward hyr by grace in blysse by ioye and therfore she myght in no wyse calle the payne of Ilica passio but a swete peyne This holy mayde tolde puely to mayster Reymond that by long tyme aft hir fads deth his soule appyred oftymes to hir thaÌ„kyng hir for hir grace that he receyued by hir also tolde hir many puy thinges gaue hir warnyng of the assaillyng of hir enemy therto kepte hir from al ghostly euelys Ryght as I haue tolde you maydens of a myracle shewed to a ryghtwysmannys soule So shall I tell you now a myracle shewed to a synfull mannes sowle ¶ There was a man dwellyng in the cyte of Sene the whiche was called Andrewe a full ryche man of oute wordely thynges of the world but full poure off inwardly heuenly thynges he was a vitioê° maÌ„ for he neyther dred ne loued god But an hasarder and a cursed blasphemer or a swerer of god and of his sayntes wythin a while afterward that maÌ„ was take wyth a sykenes and lay done in his bedde soo seke that euery man and leche sayde he was deed That perceyued hys curat and come to hym for to comforte hym that he sholde beshryue and take penaunce and make his testameÌ„t as the maner was in the countre whan he hadde herdde how the preeste counseylled hym he despysed bothe hym and his couÌ„seyll his wyf consydered that hauynge zele and loue to his soule she wente after all maner relygyous folke both men and wymmen for to stere hym to god But yet for all her counseyll they myght not bowe hym to confession and contrycion of his synnes neyther wyth thretinge of endeles paynes ne wyth rewardes of endeles ioyes Thenne eftsones his curate came to hym dredyng lest he sholde haue deyed for defaulte of counseyll and sayde to hym as he sayd fyrste addynge therto many more holsom wordes Yet alwaye that wretched man dispised hym afterward as he dyde afore bothe hym his wordes ¶ At the last he fyll in despeyre and in to the synne of the hooly ghost â–ª and so he drewe faste to the deth This was afterward tolde to Frier thomas this holy maydes fyrst â–ª confessour And he wente to this holy mayde hous pursuyng for to constrayne her by al the vertu of obedyens and of charyte for to praye to our lorde that he wolde vochesaf to socour the wretched soule that it bee not dampned wythouten ende ¶ But whan he came to this holy maides hous he founde her rauysshyd fro her bodly wyttes and as longe as she was so occupyed he durste not occupye her ne durst not long abyde out of his hous by cause that myght drewe fast vpon hym wherfore he charged a felowe of here 's that was that tyme wyth her the whiche was called katheryn as she was for to charge that holy mayde in goddes behalue and his whan she were restorid agayn to her bodely wyttes that she wolde praye for suche a mannys sowle that lyeth in passyng she sayd she wolde so whan the holy mayde herde that she had soo greate compassyon of his soule that she prayed our lord â–ª anone deuoutly besechyng hym entyerly that the soule shold not perysshe whiche he boughte wyth his precious blode To whom our lord answerd sayde thus his wyckednes hathe asserued payne as an horrybly blasphemie For he hath not only blasphemid me and myn sayntes wyth his mouth But also he hath throwen a table in to the fyre for despyte of me in the whiche was paynted the ymage of myn passyon And the ymage of myn blessyd gloryous moder and of other sayntes And therfore it is worthy by ryghtwysnes that he brenne in endeles fyre ¶ Thenne she fyll downe prostrate with wepyng to the feet of our lorde and sayde lord yf thou wylt consydere narowe to the synnes of men who may escape endeles dampnacion wherfore comest thou downe to be born of a gloryous mayde for to suffer tourment of cruell deth only for to wayte after mennys synnes and to punysshe theym horrybly to endeles payne why tellest thou me this and the synnes of a lost man that barest vppon thyn sholders all maner of synnes whether I am come to the now for mercy or for ryghtwysnes haue myn lord blesfulle what thou saydest to me whan thou puttest me forthe for the helthe of many mennys sowles I haue none other refresshinge in this lyf But for to see myn neybours tourned to the And for the alone I suffer paciently thyn absence yf thou gyue me not this ioye what shall I than doo Good meke lord put me not awaye fro the yelde me myn brother graciously that is now obstynat in herte ¶ Thus she prayed contynuelly fro the begynnyng of the nyght vnto the graye mornynge all that tyme wepyng wythout ony slepe dysputyng wyth our lorde alwaye for the helpe of that sowle Oure lord aledgyng ryghtwysnes to gyue to hym vengeaunce for his synnes And the hooly mayde asking mercy at the last our lord of his endeles mercy gaue her an answere and sayde dere doughter I shall shewe hym myn grace for whom thou hast prayed to Andrewe and sayde Dere chylde whi wylt thou not beshreue of the tres pas that thou hast done to me loke thou beshryue for I am redy for to forgyue the thyn synnes Thenne was his harde herte souple by grace that he cryed wyth a grete voyce to his meyny aboute hym sayde sende for the preste for I wyll byshryue For my lord Jhesu crist hath warned me that I shold beshryuen ¶ Whan his meynye perceyued that anone they went for the preste the preste came and he was perfyghtly confessyd to hym and made his testament wyth
the deuelys poure by your prayers helpe him also defende hym from his aduersaryes Thenne she sayde to mayster Reymond why be ye sory for him for whome ye sholde be gladde Now be ye seker that our lord spareth him wyll relesse hym from endeles payne by that temporall payne Fyrst whan he was in the worlde the worlde loued that was hys And now he is passyd out of the worlde the worlde begynneth to hate hym Fyrst our lord reserued for him endeles payne but now of hys mercy he hath chaunged hys endeles payne in to temporall payne And of hys desperacyon be thou noo thynge in doubte for he that hath delyuered hym of helle wyll delyuer hym gracyously out of thys peryll and as she sayde soo it was For wythin a whyle after he was delyuered out of pryson though he hadde grete losse of hys temporall goodys where of thys holy mayde was no thyng sory but was ioyefull and sayde that our lord of hys mercy hath do awaye fro hym the poyson that he was poysoned wyth And at the last he had so many trybulacyons and hys deuocyon encrecyd so moche that he gaf to this holy mayde a fayre paleys of his vnder his letter and seale that was two myle wythout the Cyte Of the whiche paleys she sholde make a monastery of sustres of penaunce Thenne this holy mayde by specyall lycence and auctoryte of hyr holy fader the pope Gregory the xj made there a monasterye in the worshyp of our lady to all hyr ghostly doughters and called the monasterye the monasterye of our lady And Nannes that man the whyche this holy mayde conuerted was gouerned ghoostly by mayster Reymond and lyued after a blyssed lyf Abouen all these maters yf I wolde reherce all the conuersyons of euell lyuers all the roburacyons and the strengthes of seek folke All the comfortes of desolate folke or them that were in trybulacyons all the exortacyons of them that were in ghoostly perellys the whiche our lorde hath meruayllously wrought by hys spouse this holy made I myght make many grete bokes Who coude telle how many wretched synfull lyuers she hath delyuered out of the fendes bondys How many obstynate folke she hath brought ageyne to theyr owne knowleche How many she had made forsake and despysed the worlde And how many tempted folk in fonle synnes she hath delyuerd out of the fendes daunger by hyr prayers and doctrynes Neuerthelesse ye shall saye as saynt Jerome sayd comendyng our lady I myght say that yf all the membrys and lym̄ys of my body were torned in to tongues they sholde not suffyce for to tell all the fruyte of soules that this holy mayde hath purposed to heuen by the helpe of almyghty god mayster Reymond bereth this trewe recorde that he sawe a thousand or moo bothe of men and wymmen comyng doun fro the mounteynes and other vyllages longyng to the shyre of the Cyte of Sene comyng for to see and here this holy mayde as though they hadde be called by an Inuysyble trompe the whiche not onely by hyr wordes but also by hyr lokyng were styred to compunccyon for to be confessyd of all theyr synnes wyth grete contricyon so theyr went two confessours of whome mayster Reymond was one as he seyth hym self and they confessyd hyr synnes wyth so grete contrycion that eche man myght well knowe that there was grace gyuen of god in her hertes that was not onys ne twyes but oftymes Wherfore the forsayd Pope Gregorye that was that tyme hadde soo grete ioye and delyte of the wynnyng of soo many soules that he graūted by bull to mayster Reymond and to hys felawes that all thoo the whiche wolde come and vysyte this holy mayde and after desyren for to be shreuen they sholde here them assoylle them as moche as the bysshop of the dyocyes myght do Therfore mayster Reymond bereth recorde and seyth that there came many synfull wretches to hym and to hys felawes the whiche were neuer shreuen a fore of the synnes the whiche they were shreuen to hym and to them And they stode ofte tymes fastyng fro the morow tyll euen by cause of grete concours of people and yet they myght not suffyce for to here all that wold be shryuen All that tyme this holy mayde prayed and thanked our lord ioyefully that the fende hadde loste hys prayer There is no penne that can expresse the ioye of hir herte that she had that tyme of wynnyng of soules Thus moche is rehersed in this chapytre of the ghostly meruayllous thynges that our lord wrought by hys spouse This holy mayde Katheryne aboute the helthe of mannes soules ¶ Now shall I tell you in the next chapytre what god wrought for hyr aboute the helthe of bodyes so shall I make an ende of the next chapytre The wyttenesse that nedeth to be rehersed in the ende of this chapytre ben rehersed a fore in the same chapytre and that suffyceth ynough ¶ Of somme myracles done in hyr lyfe by hyr aboute the lyf and helthe of mennys bodyes Capitulum viij I Shall tell you maydens a wonder meruayllous thyng And yette it is lyght and esye to them Inough wyth whome is founde none vnpossybylyte Lapa this holy maydes moder was a womman of grete symptenesse and Innocencye Yet she hadde for that tyme lytell affeccyon to Inuysyble thynges And therfore she was sore aferde to dye and passe out of this worlde She caught a bodely sykenes and it encreced day by day more and more Whan this holy mayde this vnderstode She prayed to our lord deuoutely for hyr that he wold wouchesauf to socour hyr moder wyth helthe that brought hyr forth and nouryshed hyr She hadde an answer anone from heuen that it was beste for hyr for to passe now out of this worlde or thenne she haue more aduersytees that ben to come As soone as she wyste this she went to hyr moder and sayde to hyr wyttely suche swete wordes Moder yf our lord swete Ihesu wyll calle you to hym out of this worlde dyspose you to be confourmyd to his blyssed wyll and beth noo thyng sory ¶ Thenne the moder desyryng not for to deye prayed hyr doughter to praye for hyr that oure lorde wolde wouchesauf to graunte hyr bodely he le and speke nomore to hyr of hyr deth Thys holy mayde prayed thenne our lord hertely and feruentely that he wold wouchesauf take hir nought out of this worlde in to the tyme she knewe that hyr wylle were more confourmed to hys wyll ¶ Our lorde graunted hyr hyr axynge and suffred hyr moder to be seek for a tyme and not for to drawe to the passage of deth And thenne this holy mayde was made mene betwene god and hyr moder for to praye that one and exhorte that other Our lord she prayed that he wolde not take hyr ageynst hyr wyll And hyr moder she exorted and admonysshed wyth swete wordes that she sholde confourme hyr and consent to the
wyll of god Neuerthelesse though in maner she bowed our lord to hyr prayers yet she myght not enclyne hir moder wyll by hyr exortacyons ¶ Thenne our lord spake to hys spouse Katheryne and sayde Telle thy moder that she hath now no nede to passe out of this worlde but tyme shall come that she shall desyre for to deye and then̄e she shal not haue it and that was sothe ¶ Hyt befyll that she lyued in to a grete age and sawe many aduersytres in hyr dayes as well of persones as of theyr goodys in so moche that she sayde ofte tymes in heryng of many folke suche wordes Whether our lord Ihesu hath put a soule in my body that it shall neuer be delyuered thens So many chyldren and doughters grete and smale yong and olde ben dede and I may not deye ¶ Now I shall cesse of this mater and procede forthe in the fyrst mater that I began Lapa this holy maydes moder was of so harde herte that she wolde in no wyse dye ne by confessyd ne thynke in noo wyse on hyr soule he le ¶ Thenne oure lorde for to appyre more meruayllously in hys spouse Katheryne denyed in maner as it semed hys fyrste graunte And suffred Lapa to drawe fast toward the deth wythout confessyon Whan this holy mayde perceyued that she lyfte vp hyr eyen to heuen wyth wypyng terys sayd to our lord thus A a lord god ben thise thy behestys that thou hast graunted me that none of my faders houshold shold perysshe is this thy mercyable byheste that saydest my moder sholde not passe hens ageynst hyr wyll I see well now that she shall dye wythout sacramentys of holy chyrche Therfore I beseche the by alle thy mercyes that thou suffre me not to be deceyued and that I goo not hens a lyue vnto the tyme thou haste yolde to me my moder reuyued in soule and body ¶ These wordes and these meruayllous cause herde thre wimmen of Sene that were present ¶ Whan hyr moder as it semed by syghte and felyng was dede soo that they were aboute for to go home ageyne to theyr howses leuyng Lapa there for dede yf it had not ben that the holy mayde prayed as she dyd and therfore they abode the lenger Of the maners of these wymmen I shall tell you afterward ¶ Thys holy mayde contynued long in prayers at the last our lord herde hyr prayers gracyously and quyckened the soule and the body ageyne of Lapa that she lyued afterward vnto the tyme she was foure score yere of age and nyne wyth grete torment of herte for many aduersytres that she suffred as it was prophecyed to hyr afore by hyr doughter this holy mayde ¶ Of this myracle were wytnesse one Katheryne and Angelyna sustres of penaunce and also Lysa this holy maydes cosyn they were present whan Lapa was leyde forthe for dede and herden how this holy mayde prayed to oure lorde thus Lorde ben these thy behestys that thou behote me as it is sayd afore Of the remeynaunt of hyr age whan she was restoryd ageyne to lyf bare wyttenes many one Lo ye maydens here may ye knowe of what meryte this holy mayde was wyth our lord Ihesu that delyuered hyr faders soule out of purgatory and reduced hyr moders soule in to hir body ageyne meruayllously ¶ Another meruayllous thyng shall I tell you It happened that ther was a comyn pestylence of bocchys reygnyng in the Cyte of Sene soo that it oppressyd bothe men and wymmen yong and olde to the deth that comynly they dyed wythin two dayes or thre at the ferthest the whiche sekenes feryd many a man ¶ Thenne mayster Reymond wente aboute to vysyte seek folke and comforted them in god no thyng chargyng of the Infeccyon of that pestylence touchyng hys bodely deth soo that he myght wynne soules Whanne he hadde so vysyted them for werynes that he had in goyng aboute he restyd hym in a chyrche of our lady where to he hadde a grete deuocyon and namely for the persone of the same chyrche was a blessyd lyuer and well knowen wyth thys holy mayde Katheryne the whiche persone was called Syr Mathewe ¶ It befyll fewe dayes after that mayster Reymond wente out by the morowe for to vysyte seek folke as he was wonte And as he came by the chyrche of our lady for deuocyon that he hadde to our lady in that place and also for affeccyon that he hadde to the persone syr Mathewe he wente for to loke how he ferde Sodeynly whan he was entred in to the chyrche he sawe syr Mathewe bere vp in to hys chambre semynge as he hadde be dede by vyolence of that pestylence For he hadde lost bothe colour of hys face and strengthe of hys body and also hys speche ¶ Thenne mayster Reymond axed of other aboute what hym eyled They answerde and sayd that the nyght afore aboute one after mydnyght he was vppe for to vysyte a seek body And wyth Inne lytell tyme afterward he was take wyth the pestylence Here of was mayster Rymond ryght sorye folowed hym vp to his chambre as other dyd and then ne satte doun by hym Wythin a whyle after whan he was layde in hys bedde he recouered his spyrytes ageyne and callyd mayster Reymond to hym prayeng hym of confessyon and so was shryuen clene of hys synnes as he was ofte wonte to do After tyme that he was assoylled mayster Reymound axed how it stode wyth hym and he answerd and sayd ageyne that it greued hym so sore in hys grynde or in the flanke that it semed to hym his thygh wolde falle awaye and not onely the thygh but also the hede fareth as though it were departed in foure partyes by payne and ache that he suffred ther Inne Thenne mayster Reymond touchyd tastyd hys poūse and founde well that he hadde a passyng feuer Wherfore he had hys menye that they sholde bere hys water to leches and so they dyd But mayster Reymound folowed soone after to knowe verayly what the leches wolde saye To whome the leche sayde thus Thys man is take wyth the pestylence and therfore I drede me that the how 's of our lady shall wante and lacke a good persone ¶ Thenne axed mayster Reymond whether he myght be holpe by ony maner remedye of medycynes he sayd that he sholde assaye But he hadde no grete trust in noo medycynes by cause the sykenes was ryght greuous Thus mayster Reymond departed from hym wyth grete sorowe euer prayeng by the waye to our lord in hys soule that he wolde wouchesauf to saue hys bodely lyf Yet a whyle for hys example to many ¶ In the mene whyle this holy mayde herde saye that syr Mathewe was seek whome she loued tenderly for hys vertuous lyuyng Anone she wente home to hym and as soone as she sawe hym she cryed to hym and sayd ¶ Aryse vp syr Mathewe aryse vp for shame is it now tyme to lye a bedde Sodeynly thenne atte hyr callyng
the feuer and the bocche wente away fro hym as though he hadde neuer hadde hem and thenne he roos vp wythout ony taryeng goodly soo that in hys rysyng he sayde smylyngly and ioyefully that the vertue of god restyd in that holy mayde ¶ Thenne the holy mayde wente awaye and fledde the preysyng of men But as she went out of the how 's the mette wyth mayster Reymond To whome mayster Reymond sayd full sorowfully ¶ Moder whether thou wylte suffre this man to dye that is so dere and profytable to vs. Alle be it that she wyst well ynough what she hadde to done yette she sayde to hym of mekenes suche wordes Fader what wordes be these whether ye wene I am god that may delyuer men fro deth ¶ Thenne sayde mayster Reymond to hyr ageyne wyth a grete spyryte for sorowe that he hadde of hys deth Saye this to whome that thou lust but to me tell no suche thynges that knoweth how our lorde dothe wyth the. I knowe well that what that euer thou axyste of god thou shalte haue ¶ Thenne this holy mayde bowed hyr hede to hym and smyled And at laste she loked vp wyth a gladde chere vpon hym and sayd Be of good chere fader for he shall not dye at thys tyme. ¶ Wyth that was Mayster Reymound gladde he knewe well that god hadde gyue hyr grete grace soo he departed from hyr and wente to syr Mathewe for to loke how he ferde Whome he founde syttyng in hys bedde and wyth gretr ioye rehersyng the myracle of the holy mayde ¶ To whome Mayster Reymound sayde in confortynge of hym that the holy mayde tolde hym Syr Mathew sayd thenne to mayster Reymond What trowe ye she hath do he sayd he wyst ne◠for she tolde him no worde therof Syr Mathew wyth that aroos vp out of his bedde sat doune by mayster Reymound and tolde hym all the hole gladly how the holy mayde was there and sayde to hym as it is rehersed afore Soone after syr Mathew ete and dranke none seke mannis mete but hole mānys mete and that was a grete merueyle he was mercy and gladde that vnne the he myght speke a worde that same daye in the morowe Of this myracle were wytnesse one Fryer Nychol that came wyth Mayster Reymound and other prestes and clerkes of the hous of our glorious Lady gloryous vyrgyn Mary xx or there aboute But now I praye you maydens taketh hede that infydelyte off curyous hertes dysceyue you not in this myracle Somme wyll saye to you perauenture that it is none greate merueyle though a man be helyd of suche a comyn sekenes as is the feueres and pestylence for all day suche a thynge happeth To whom it may be asked agayn what merueyle that was whan our lord heled petre his wyffes moder of the feuers al day it happeth that men ben delyuered of the feuers be it neuer soo greuous why is it than of petris wyffes moder rehersed for a myracles in the gospell But now taketh hede ye curyous vntrowyng hertes take hede whether it be not he the whiche heled this man Mathewe that heled petris wyffes moder In helyng of petre wyffes moder he commaūded that her feuers sholde goo fro her and soo it dyde anone wythout ony taryeng ▪ And she thenne arose vp and mynistred our lord at mete ¶ Ryght soo in this miracle it was the same lorde that spak in the holy maydes breste the whiche heled petrys wyffes moder and soo syr mathewe was bothe off the fruers and also of the pestylence What was the cause trowe you trewely for the mynystracion that he sholde shewe to our lorde in tyme comynge for wynnyng of soules soo thenne the entent folowyng is cause of the miracle that goth byfore therto he was made so perfyghtly hole that he ete forwyth hole mete and mennys mete as thought he hadde not be seke afore now I sythe I haue tolde you of the myracle done to the helthe off bodyes I shall telle you a nother by the helpe of god ¶ A lytyl beside the Cyte of Sene there was a deuoute woman that was one of the susters of penaunce of saint Domynyke the whiche herd and sawe moche off the vertuous lyuyng of this holy mayde she drewe moche to her afterward and was vnder the coūseyll of this holy mayde dyde her reuerence as to her moder After it befyll on a day that this deuout suster was on hye on a solier of her hous for certayn thynges that she hadde to do And sodenly the solyer fyll doune the woman vndernethe ▪ alle the raftre treys brosed so her that she was drawe out halfe ded or soone after to be deed At the laste by the helpe of god she was broughte to bedde and began to reuyue and felte that payne of her herte brosour complayned her sore wyth wepyng and weylyng Leches than were sought to do the besynes for to hele her ▪ but yet for all her lechecraf she myght not tourne her in her bede without helpe of other Whan the holy mayde katheryn herde therof she had compassion in herte of the suster and came to her and comforted her in penaunce and in her dysese But whan she perteyued that her dysese was soo passyng payne to her She touched the places of her body that were paynefull as though she wolde anoynted theym wyth her hondes Of the whiche touchyng the suster was well apayed supposyng faythfully by the mercy of god that it sholde bee to her grete ese She hadde not so soone touched her syde but that she was all hole as though she hadde felt afore none payne Thenne the seke suster prayed her that ▪ she wolde touche the oder syde as she dyde the syde by cause the holy mayde thenne supposed that it was ese to her She dyde soo as she badde her in the same wyse her dysese went a waye in that place after her touchyng as it was in the other syde soo thenne at the laste the holy mayde touchyd ouer all her body there she felte dysese and all dysese was clene a voyded At the laste whan she was alle hole she tourned her aboute by her self wythouten ony helpe that all myght see verely by her tokens that she was fully hole Neuertheles yet she helde her peas tyll tfe hooly mayde was a goo leste she sholde haue troubled her mekenes yf she hadde tolde it her ī presence but afterward she told it bothe to leches to neyghbours and sayde thus katheryne the doughter of Lapa hath heled me by her touchyng All they hadde me rueyle therof and thanked god that hadde gyue suche gracious vertues to the holy mayde katheryne For they wyste ryght well that the holynes might not come but of god therfore they thanked hym This myracle Mayster Reymound knewe by tellyng of other But now I shall tell you of anther that mayster Reymound him self knewe and sawe it ¶ In that tyme whan the
vnnethe seâ—ue foure to theyr mete and ther were in nombre of persones xvj Thenne Johan wente to this holy mayde knowleched hyr neglygence all sory shamefast seyeng that ther was no brede but a lytell that vnnethes wolde suffyse to foure eche of them to resteyne a lytell To whome this holy mayde sayd A suster god for gyue it you why haue ye so neglygently brought vs to this last nede myght ye not haue warned me as I bad you well we ll byd goddes seruauÌ„tes go sytte doun Thenne sayde the mynyster that ther was but a lytell brede yet byd them sytte doun sayd this holy mayde to hir and serue them wyth that lytell and bydde them begynne wyth that lytell tyll that god ordeyne more After thyse wordes the holy mayde prayed whyle they etâ— Johan fulfylled hir byddyng deuyded to euery man a lytell and they as hongry folke gredy by long fastyng ete fast wenyng that they sholde nomore mete haue And also the suposed that that lytell brede sholde soone be do But alwaye they hadde ete ynough and yet the brede myght not defaylled And thenne they axed what the holy mayde dyd it was tolde that she prayed Thenne they sayd all by vertue of hyr prayer our lorde fedde them as he fedde fyue thousand men wyth fyue louys and so they thanked god Whan they hadde all ete yet ther was suche plente lefte that poure folke had ynough ¶ Now yette shall I tell you of another myracle that mayster Reymond bereth recorde of the whyche was done after tyme that this holy mayde was passed out of this worlde in to the blysse of heuen In a tyme hit happed mayster Reymond by counseyll of the Pryour of the freres and the couent wolde doo somme solempne reuerence to the hede of Saynt Katheryne this blyssed virgyne after tyme that it was translated out of the Cyte of Rome to the freres that dwelled at Sene. He sette a daye and bad to mete all hyr ghostely chyldren that she had nourysshed in vertue In the whyche day the freres were fully auysed to gyue hyr a solempne reuerence and also to fede that day all hyr ghoostly chyldren Whan the day was comen and the solenpne was done The frere that kepte the botrye of the couent loked what brede he hadde for the Couent and for the gestys and he founde scarsely ynough for half the Couent And thenne were there in Couent fyfty or there aboute and of gestys twenty whan the Pryour herde here of he was sory Neuerthelesse yet he serued the gestyn fyrst wyth that lytell and thenne the Couent wyth a lytell quantyte among them all and yet belefte ynough Soo thenne eueryche of the Couent and of the gestys hadde plenteuously ynough of that vnnethe as them semed that lytell nombre of louys myght hadde suffysed fyfe a fore Whan they had all eten the Pryour and the Couent came thyder ther mayster Reymond satte wyth the ghoostly chyldren of that holy mayde Saynt Katheryne and rehersed a fore them all that myracle Thenne sayde mayster Reymond these wordes Loo frendes this holy mayde Saynt Katheryne in the day of hyr solempnyte wyll not leue vs wythout somme myracle wyth whome she was so famylyer whyles she lyued in erthe Ofte tymes whan she was wyth vs lyuyng in this lyf she shewed this myracle among vs And therfore for to shewe vs that she now accepteth oure obseruaunce this daye done to goddes worshyp and to herys she hadde shewed the same myracle eftesonys after hyr passyng wherfore yelde we thankyng te almyghty god Yet furthermore our lord shewed meruayllous thynges by his spouse Katheryn in vnlyfely thynges as in floures where in she hadde ofte tymes grete delyte by cause she florysshed in vertue hyr self And in other vesselles of houshold that were lost destruyed and of thoo meruayllous thynges I shall tell you ¶ Thys holy mayde was somme tyme in the Cyte of pyse herborowed in a worthy mannes how 's of the same Cyte the whiche man loued well this holy mayde After tyme she was ther a whyle she was gretely feblyd in body by ofte excesse of spyryt in rauyshyng so that as it semed mayster Reymond and other moo that sawe hyr She was brought nye to the deth wherfore mayster Reymond was fore aferde lest she sholde haue dyed he bethought hym what remedye he myght ordeyne for to restore hyr to lenger lyf and he wyst neuer what he myght ordeyne for hyr as for egges and wyne and also other letuaryes he knewe welle that she myght not ete Thenne he came to hyr and prayed hyr that she wolde receyue a lytell suker in hyr water that she drynketh to whome she answerd thus Fader I see well that ye wyll take awaye fro me that lytell lyf the whiche is left in me by suche swete drynkes for I doo you well to wete that all swete thingiâ— to me dedly Thenne mayster Reymond and the souerenys of the how 's bethought hem to gydres what remedye they myght ordeyne ageynst hir feblynes At the last it came to mayster Reymond mynde that he hadde see that ofte tymes feble folke hadde be wesshen somme tyme wyth vernage aboute the temples in the pouses of the body and so were restored of strengthe and gretly comforted Thenne mayster Reymond sayde to the souereyne of the hous thus Syr sethe it is soo that we may not putte noo comfortable remedye wythin hyr body lete vs â–ª vse somme remedye wythout on hyr body Thenne sayde the souerayne of the how 's that he had a lytell besyde hys how 's a neyghboure that hadde a vessell of vernage to whome he sayde he wolde sende to for to haue a botell full therof for he knewe well that he sholde haue it full gladly A messenger was sent to hym and tolde him how this holy mayde was feble wherfore he praied in his maystrys behalf that he wold wouchesauf to sende hyr a botell of vernage To whome the neyghboure answerd thus that he wolde sende hym all redy but certeyn he sayde hys vessell was emptyd and therfore he prayed hym to holde hym excused for I wote well in all my how 's is no drope of wyne and that I am ryght sory fore Neuerthelesse to be seker come and see and thenne bere wytnesse of the trouth to my frende as thou seest Thenne forthwyth he took the messenger wyth him all ageynst the messengers wyll and brought hym to hys wyne seler and shewed hym that same vessell of vernage the whiche vessell semed by outwarde tokenys that it was voyde many day afore yet neuerthelesse the good man dyd more for to see the trouthe that it was voyde he drewe out the spygot that was in the vessell and drewe it out in hys presence that he sholde see that there was noo wyne Inne As soone as he hadde done soo the vernage came out and ranne vpon the grounde plentuously he was sore astonyed and stopped the vessell ageyne and
wolde be wyth hym and delyuer hym from all peryll And whan he doth ony thyng that he sholde not do I shall gyue hym warnyng she sayde for to amende Thyse wordes she sayd often tymes to tha last ende of hir passyng but the last worde that she sayd was this Domine in manus tuas comnendo spiritum meum And so that blyssed soule paste out of the body and was is complyd knytte to hir spouse Ihesu whom she loued so hyghly wyth an Indyuysyble and perpetuell on hede or vnyon The yere of our lord a thousand threhondred foure soore the nyne and twenty daye of Apryll the whiche was in the cyte of Rome and fyll vpon a sonday about the houre of tyerce that same and the same houre the sowle of this holy mayde appyred to mayster Reymond that was that tyme in ferre contreys and not by open bodely apparycyon but by mentall apparycyon seyng to hym in his soule suche wordes of comfort Drede the not for I am here for the I am in heuen where I may helpe the and defende be seker therfore drede not for I am here for the Wyth the whiche coÌ„fortable wordes mayster Reymond was in maner astonyed ameruaylled what it myght be wenyng that this comforte hadde come from oure blyssed lady moder of mercy by cause he stood a fore an ymage of heres and sayd an Aue maria But yet neuertheles he was aferde to thinke so by cause him thought he was vnworthy to haue suche a comfort of hyr And so what it myght mene or what it myght be or whennys it myght come he nyst neuer But afterward in heryng of another reuelacyon of this holy mayde shewed to a deuoute matrone he vnderstood the better what it myght mene soo whens it myght come Of the whiche matrone I shall tell you The same tyme whan this holy mayde passyd out of this worlde there was in Rome a deuoute matrone that was called Semya the whiche hadde two men to hyr sones to whome she was euery daye bothe moder and seruant in makyng of theyr mete Thys deuoute matrone after tyme hyr husbonde was dede she purposed euer after to serue god and visyte by pylgrymage holy sayntes of Rome and she continued many yeres She hadde also in custome for to ryse at mydnyght and praye and afterward for to take a lytell rest syttyng or lenyng wyth hyr hede that she myght be the more quycker on the morowe erly for to go hyr stacyons of Rome It befyll soone after that whan this holy mayde Katheryn was come to Rome this deuoute matrone took knowleche of hyr and was often tymes edyfyed by hyr good exhortacyons and soo hadde a good ghoostly affeccyon to hyr and was ofte tymes homely wyth hyr in hyr how 's almost euery daye Neuertheles a â—ytell afore this holy mayde deyed she came not to hyr bycause of certeyn besynes that she hadde to done what for hyr pylgrymages and the purueyaunce of mete for hyr sones And therfore she wyst not that this holy mayde passyd Thys deuoute matrone Semya arose vp atte mydnyght as she was wonte for to doo and praye a longe tyme to gydre she purposed for to reste a lytell by cause she wolde vp by tymes on the morowe for to here nasse and thenne for to be besye aboute hyr chyldren mete She dyde soo but euer she was trayueylled in hyr slepe that she sholde O wretche the fende hath deceyued the she â—se vp thenne and wente about for to seke in paryshe chyrches where somme hole masses were aseyeng as she wente she herde a beâ—le rynge to a masse in an how 's of Nonnys she was gladde thenne thyder she wente and lefte hyr wortys vnpy kyd vnwashe for hast and shytte hir do â—e bare the keye wyth hyr whan she came the masse was in the begynnyng wyth that she sayd to hyr self thus Now I wote well the fende hath not deceyued me as I wende Neuertheles as moche as she wyste well that the mete of hyr sones myght not be redy or they came home to mete she was sory but for the comforte that she hadde in hyr masâ—e she commytted all to god prayeng hym that he wold wouche sauf to kepe hir that day fro heuy wordes of hyr chyldren the whyche were growen men for she was sore aferde to dysplease them soo she herde forthe all the hye masse whan the hye masse was done as she wentâ— home she mette wyth hyr sones comynge homward to mete seyeng to hyr thus Moder hye you faste for it is tyme to go to mete She answerd ageynefull esely and sayd Good sones abydeth a whyle ye shall go to mete anone Whanne she was entred in to hir hous she founde hyr mete all redy ynough and the wortys all redy in the potte well soden at the full she was than astonyed than ked our lord that she had herde hyr masse and so badde hir sones sytte done to mete in the name of Jhesu thynkyng in hyr self that after none she wolde go vysyte the holy mayde Katheryne all the mete tyme she thought moche in that vysyon how it was coÌ„fermed wyth so grete myracles In the mene whyles hyr sones commended theyr mete sayd that it was beter sesoned that tyme than ony mete that they hadde eten afore many a daye but the deuoute matrones â—erte was alwaye vpon the vysyon seyeng wythin hyr selfe thus O moder Katheryne and crystis spouse Yet for all thys she wende not that she hadde be dede And whan hyr sones were a gone hadde etâ— she wente to Katherynes hous and knockyd at the dore herde none answere it was sayd hyr of the neyghboures there about that she was walkyd out for to vysyte holy places yet in treuthe hir susters were wythin waylyng And wolde not suffre none to entre in to the tyme they hadde axyd counseyll how they shold beâ—y the body At the last it was determyned amonges them that on the morowe the body shold be ladde to the frere prechours there for to do the seruyse as god wold ordeyne by counseyll so it was done But as soone as the body was come to the chyrche the people folowed for to touche hir fetâ— or hir clothys so that bothe the freres also hir sustres and other of hir dysciples were aferde lest they sholde haue borste toren hyr clothys therfore they sette the body wythin the chauntell of a chapell that was endued in the worshyp of Saynt Domynyk What that fyll afterwarde I thynke to declare you in the nexte chapytre by the helpe of god Casuelly whyles thys was adoyng Semya the Matrone came Inne the mene tyme and axyd what that noyse and concourse of people myghte mene Hyt was tolde hyr that Katheryne of Sene was passyd oute of thys worlde hyr body was in the chyrche wherfore the people gadred soo faste for to see it Anone whanne she herde
recommende her sekenes to the merytes of the holy mayde vyrgyn in as moche as she herde speke of the grete myracles that our reuerend lord almighty god wrought in her trusting fully that they sholde be holpe by her merytes Soo that by her steryng exortacioÌ„ many were holpe Thenne it fyll in a tyme that off the chyldren of that worthy Lady dame Jone sodenli as he went vpon an hye steire fyll doune hedelyng a fore thys Lady his moder Soo that she wende as it was lykely to be that the childe eyther was ded or ellys sholde haue caughte a mayme therby all the dayes of his lyf after Wyth that this lady the moder of the chyld cryed to this holy mayde and virgyn gloryous saint katheryn off Sene thus gloryous saynt katheryn off Sene to the recommauÌ„de myn chylde she had not soo soone sayd soo â–ª but that the chylde stood vp wythouten ony harme lesse or more for he was as hole thenne as euer he was a fore Thenne the moder thanked our reuerend lord almighty god and this holy mayde and virgyn gloryous saint katheryne of the blessed myracle ¶ Also there was another woman the whiche was a generall launder and lyued by that maner of besynes that was cally d bone Johan i. bona Johanna In a tyme as this woman shold goo to the Ryuer ther besyde and wasshed clothes It behapped her that she sholde wasshe a quylte and in the mene tyme she helde the ton ende vnder her armes whyle that the other ende was a wasshyng It behapped that the heuyer ende in the water drewe doune the lyghter ende vnder her armes and soo fletted feer wythin the Ryuer â–ª Whan she perceyued that she wyste well yf it were lost she myght not paye therfore by cause she was ryght poure She thaÌ„ a rechyd after the quylte for to haue it agayn and sodenly she her self fell in to the water soo that the water bare her ferre wythin wyth that she bethought her of gloryous saint katheryn and sayde thus O thou gloryous saint Katheryne helpe me now in this nede This worde was not soo sone I sayde but that she was holpe in soo moche that she was lyfte vp aboue the water and toke the clothe and came to lond wythout helpe of man whan she was recouereude she was sore astonyed merneylyng how that myght be that she was so soone holpe thenne she conceyued wel that it thus by the helpe of our reuerend lord almyghty god and this holy mayde and virgyn gloryous saint katheryn of Sene ¶ Of another myracle now I shall tell you of the whiche Mayster Reymound bereth witnes as it was told him It befel on a tyme whan Mayster Reymound was come to the Cyte of Rome vppon a daye whan this holy maydens virgyn body shold be traÌ„slated as she prophecied longe afore whyles she lyued as it shall be declared afterward that her fylle seke thenne came to hym a physycion that was called Mayster James of saynt Mary the rounde vpon a daye whan this physycien came to visyte Mayster Reymond And for to gyue hym medycyne he tolde Mayster Reymound of a yonge man that was called Nycholas a worthy mannys sone of Rome that was passyng seke off a sekenes that is called the quynauncie soo that euery leche sayd by nature he myght notlyue For to all mennys syght he drewe faste to the deth This perceyued Alixa a suster of penauÌ„ce of saynt Domynyke in as moche as she knewe well that the fader and the moder loued this holy mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saynt Katheryne Whan she lyued came to this yonge man and brought wyth her a tooth of this hooly mayde and vyrgyn gloryous saynt katheryne that she kepte alwaye for a relyke The whiche tooth she put in that yonge mans mouth She hadde not so soone doo soo But that the posteme that was wythin brake and the mater fyll out off the childes mouth wythin a whyle after he was hoole thanked oure reuerede lord almyghty god this holy mayde vyrgyn gloryous saint katheryn Also afterwar he tolde that myracle openly to all that world here it Soo that in a time whan mayster Reymond prechyd he tolde that myracle to the peple as he herde off other Whan that yonge man herde hym speke therof the whiche was at the sermoÌ„ for that tyme he stode vp openly and saide to Mayster Reymound thus Syrye saye sothe for I am the same that this myracle was shewed to Many mo myracles were shewed by our reuerend lorde almyghty god of this hooly mayde and virgyn whiche ben not wryton in this boke But they myght be knowen wythouten ony wrytyng openly ynoto by the ymages of waxe that were offred vp to her sepulcre soone after she was buryed Neuertheles of one myracle I shall telle you that Mayster ReymouÌ„d bereth recorde of It befyll soone after that this holy mayde and vyrgyne was buryed that quene Johan of Cecyly sent in a tyme Reynold of vrsyne wyth a grete host off armyd folke to the Cyte of Rome for to make Pope vrbane the vj eyther for to put hym out of the Cyte or ellys for to slee hym â–ª All be it the Romans hylde wyth the pope as trewe chyldren wyth the Fader Of the whiche Romans somme of the comyn peple were take of thoo scismatykes and crruelly punisshed somme were bounde to a tree soo to deye myscheuously somme were ledde to a felde and I payned wyth certayn infirmytes and instrumentis of yron soo for to take her bodely deth But as many as asked helpe of this holy mayde and virgyn gloryous saint katheryn of sene preuily in her herte or openly in worde wyth deuoucion Thei merueylously and sodenly were vndo of her hondes wythout ony helpe of ony man ¶ Of suche myraclis that were many the whiche ben not wryten in this boke Loo dere frendes thê° endeth this chapitre where ye maye see many fayr myracles by the whiche ye may vnderstonde that this hooly mayde and virgyn was and is a dere spose of our lord reuerend lord almighty god I will thê° make an ende of this boke saue by cause holy chirche commendyth more the vertu of pacience thenne shewyng of myraclis as saint Gregrye sayth therfore I thynke to wryte to you a chapytre of the vertu of pacience that this holy mayde and virgyn hadde wherin ye maye gader flonres and fruyte to encrece of your vertuous lyuyng by the helpe and socour of our reuerend lord almyghty god swete Ihesu Cryste Qui cum patre et spiritu sancto viuit et regnat deus per omnia secula seculorum Amen ¶ Of the myght and stronge paciens whiche this holy mayde and virgyn gloryous saint katheryn of Sene shewed openly from her fyrste yonge age vnto her deth bi the whiche virtu clerly is prouyd that ryghtfully she is worthy to haue the name in godes chirche of erthe whan she is made soo fayr and so glorious in
passage by prayers other holy exercyses in commēdyng of hyr sowle to god He came thre freres wyth hym mo to be present att the passyng of this holy mayde But whan she was passyd as it semed One of the freres took so grete sorowe therfore that by vyolence of hys wepyng a veyne of hys brest was all for brosyd where wyth he caught a coghe spatte gebettes of blood Thenne was that another sorowe to them that stode aboute for bothe they wepte for the holy mayde that was so passyd And also for hir brother the whiche was not shappely to lyue long after in that payne Thenne sayde frere Thomas hir fyrst confessour to that seek frere wyth grete feyth and trust Brother I wote well this holy mayde is in grete reputacyon afore god for hyr good lyuyng Therfore take hyr honde and putte in the same place of thy sekenes And I doubte not but that thou shalte be hole And anone forth wyth he dyd so and so he hadde helthe the whiche he tolde afterward to al that wolde here if Ther was also a ghoostly doughter of herys that was present thenne the whiche was called Alyxa passyd out of this worlde sone afterward Moother were that came Inne for to see whether she was passed or not and ther was none that coude suppose otherwyse There were also two other specyall wyttenessys that were aboute for to ordeyne for the body that it sholde be beryed And bothe were susters of penaunce of Saynt Domynyk that one was called Katheryne as she was the whiche was hyr felawe longe tyme afore And that other was hyr cosyn Lysa and thus I make an ende of thys chapytre ¶ Of somme myracles wrought gracyously by thys holy mayde aboute the helthe of sowles Capitulum vij YF I sholde reherce alle the myracles that our lord shewed by this holy mayde I myght rather make a grete book of them than for to comprehende hem in oo chapytre But by cause I wolde put awaye dulnesse of them that sholde rede or here this legende of this holy mayde I am aboute asmoche as I may vnder fewe wordes for to comprehende them in one chapytre that they myghte knowe vnder fewe wordes how grete they ben the whiche I passe ouer lyghtely therfore in as moche as the sowle passeth the body in worthynesse I shall begynne of tho myracles the whiche were shewed of our lord by hyr aboute mennys sowles and after that of the bodyes As touchyng for the fyrst whan that Jamys or Jacob the fader of this holy mayde perceyued that hys doughter Katheryne was alle gyuen to serue and to please our lord as it is rehersed in the fyrste partye of thys legende euer he loued tretyd hyr reuerētly and louyngly for bedyng all folk of hys housholde that none be soo hardy for to lette Katheryne hys doughter in ony maner wyse what that euer she wyll haue done Thys is a grete cause why that the doughter loued the fader And therfore she commended specyally hyr faders helthe oft tymes to oure lord And he had suche a truste in hys doughters prayers that he supposed well she myght haue of god what she wold for hys helthe Sone after the fader sykened laye doune in hys bedde all seek Whan this holy mayde hys doughter perceyued that anone she prayed to oure lorde hyr spouse for the helthe of hyr fader And it was answerd to hyr of our lorde that the ende of hys dayes of this worlde were come and that it were not spedefull for hym for to abyde lenger in this lyf Then ne she wente to hyr fader vysyted hym and examyned hym how he was dysposed in hys sowle and founde redy wylfully to passe out of this worlde hauyng no luste for to abyde lenger wherefor she thanked our lord hyghly But thenne she prayed our lord eftesones that syth it so is that he hadde gyuen hyr fader so grete grace for to passe out of this worlde wythout synne that he wolde wouchesauf to graunte hym also for to flee to heuen wythout payne of purgatory Of this she hadde an answere in this wyse that ryghtwysnesse must nedys be kepte and therfore it were no ryght but Impossyble a sowle to haue the clerenesse of endeles ioye wythout perfyte purgacyon a fore For all be it thy fader hath ben in hys dayes of good lyuyng among alle other wedded folke also do many good thynges that I am well pleased wyth and specyally as touchyng the Yet neuerthelesse it may not be sauyng my ryghtwysnesse But that hys sowle must be purged by the fyre for to brenne out the duste of erthely conuersacyon the whiche is hardened endured in his soule Thenne sayde this holy mayde to our lord thus My dere welbeloued lord what may I suffre that my fads sowle by whom I haue be so tenderly nourysshed haue had so many cōfortes in hys lyf that it be not tormented in suche paynes I praye the lord for the goodnesse that euer thou shewdest to mā kynde suffre not hys sowle to goo out of hys body vnto the tyme it be perfytly purged oo waye or other that it nede not in no wyse the payne of purgatory After suche wordes our lorde shewed hys mercy meruayllously as though he had obeyed to the voyce of hys mayden All be it that the bodely strengthes of hir fader Jamys beganne for to defaylle more more to the deth warde Yet hys soule passed neuer out of his body vnto the tyme that holy dysputacion betwene our lord alledgyng for hym ryghtwysnesse And the holy made axyng grace mercy ▪ And at the laste after long dysputacion the holy mayde sayd to our lord My welbeloued lord yf thys grace may in no wyse be goten or graunted without som maner of ryghtwysnesse suffre that ryghtwysnesse fall on me for I am redy to suffre al maner of peyne what euer thy goodnesse wyll ordeyne for delyueraūce of my fads sowle Thenne our lord graunted hyr grace sayd Loo doughter for the loue that thou hast to me I shall graunte the thyne axyng I shall delyuer thy faders soule fully out of payne But thou shal be suffre a payne for hym as long as thou lyuest the whiche I shall assygne the. This holy mayde thanked our lord and sayde Good blessyd lorde be it to me as thou haste ordeyned After that she wente to hyr fader as he laye a deieng she comforted hym meruayllously of hys endeles helthe that he was ryght ioyefull she went not from hym vnto the tyme he was passyd out of this worlde And whan the sowle was passyd out of the body anone forth wyth this holy mayde was payned wyth a sekenes in the syde the whiche is called Ilica passyo that neuer went from hir in to the tyme she passyd out of this worlde And ther was neuer tyme afterward but she had the payne as she sayde other bare recorde
in makyng of hyr Legende his felawe also Stephen pryour of the Charterhous These men these wymmen enfourmed mayster Reymond whan he came home of the thynges whyche was done in hys absence as well of tho thynges that she dyd or that she paste as of tho thynges that she shewed dyd in hyr passyng and thus endeth this chapytre ¶ Of meruayllous thynges whyche befyll a yere half to fore the deth of this holy mayden of the martyrdom that she suffred bodely of wycked fendes where of atlast she hadde hyr bodely deth Capitulum secundum AFter tyme the mayster Reymond wente fro this holy mayde as it is rehersed afore by the byddyng of our holy fader the Pope she belefte in the Cyte of Rome and what that our Lorde dede for hyr or that she deyed shewed to other how holy of lyuyng she was and also what ioye he gaue hyr or she passyd out of this worlde I shall tell you ¶ Leue it well maydens whan this holy mayde perceyued that so moche dysease encrecyd in holy chyrche by the scysme that was begonne and perceyuyng also that Crystys vycarye suffred grete dysease she wept day and nyght and prayed to our lord for the pees that he wold wouchesauf to set pees in holy chyrche Thenne our lord comforted hyr in som maner of wyse for the yere afore and an half or she dyed oure lorde gaue double vyctorye to holy chyrche and to Crystys vycarye the pope as well of the castell of Saynt Angell that was in the Cyte of Rome the whiche was in scysmatykes hondes in to that daye as of the people that helde the castell in the name of scysmatykes that were the same daye take and the castell yolde After that our holy fader the pope that myght not dwelle in Rome as he was wonte by cause of the enemyes that were in the Castell of Saynt Aungell knowe this he cam to this holy mayde axed hir counseyll what he sholde do Thenne she gaue hym counseyll that he shold go bar-foot all the people of Rome wyth hym to the mynster of Saynt Peter thankynge our lord god wyth good deuocyon of that grace and of that benefetys the whiche he had do for them Thus holy chyrche beganne to quyken and the holy mayde hadde therof grete comfort But soone after hir sorowe began to encrece eftsonis for that the fende myght not do by strayn gers he assayed for to do by them that were of the Cyte of Rome He made a dysoorde bytwene the people of the Cyte the pope That perceyued this holy mayde she prayed to our lord that he wolde wouchesauf put to hys mercyable honde and suffre not that cursyd synne be done And as she prayed she sawe the Cyte full of fendes styryng and excytyng the people to kylle theyr ghoostly fader and cryed horrybly to this holy mayde all the whyle she prayed seynge to hyr thus Thou cursed wretche thou arte aboute for to lette vs therfore we shall slee the wyth an horryble deth To whome she answerd no worde but prayed more besyly and more feruently axyng of our lord that he wold wouches auf for the worshyp of hys holy name and for remedye of all holy chyrche that thenne stood in grete meshyef kepe hyr hys vycarye wythout harme and not for to suffre the peple do suche a synne and so to put awaye the fendes fro theyr purpose the whiche steryng the people ther to She hadde an answere of our lord and it was this Doughter suffâ—e this peple that euery day blasteme myn holy name for to falle in to this synne that I myght soo dystruye them for theyr cursed wretchydnesse for my ryghtwysnes axyth that I shold no more suffâ—e theyr wyckydnes Thenne she prayed more feruently wyth suche wordes and sayde Mekest and myldest lord thou knowest well how thy spouse holy chyrche is dyseased tormented almost thorugh out all the world and that is routhe Thou knowest well also how sewe helpers and defenders she hath and therfore now yf they slee thy vy carye as they ben in purpose hit shall not onely be greuous to this people of Rome but to all Crysten people Thempre therfore good blyssed lorde thy ryghtwyse honde and dyspyse not thy people that thou haste bought soo deâ— wyth thy precyous blood but torne thy mercyable honde cesse this myshyef In this prayer she contynued many dayes to gyder as she wrote to mayster Reymond by a letter euer our lord alledgyng his ryghtwysnes and she axyng his mercy and in all that tyme the fendes cryed hoâ—â—ybly vpon hir as it is rehersed afore so that she was feble for afflyccyon that but yf our lord had kepte hyr strengthe hyr herâ—e shold to borste at last she sayd to our lord these wordes Lorde syth it â—â— so that this mercy may not be graunted wythout ryghtwysnes I beseche the despyse not my prayers but what maner of payne these people sholde haue put it on my body and I shall glad dely â—eceyue it for the worshyp of thy name and for the sauacyon of holy chyrche Thenne our lord alledged nomore hys ryghtwysnes but helde hys pees gaue hyr the vyctorye and fro that houre forthward the grutchyng cessyd of the peoplâ— by lyâ—â—ll and lytell but hyr passyons encreced so ferforth that serpentes of hell had power of god and tâ—rmented hyr body cruely that it were vncredyble a man for to byleue it but yf he hadde seen it as they sayden that sawe it and were ther pâ—esente whanne hyr body auâ—tyshed all be it that they sawe not the serpentes They fretted and deuoured so that maydens body that therin be lefte but bones without skynne as though it had ben consumed and wasted by long lyeng in the erthe and yet neuertheâ—â—â— she walked prayde as she was wonte the whiche was to many folke a wonder thyng for she semed rather a wonder thyng to loke vpon then ne a naturell thyng Hyr tormentes of payne encreced contynually by the whyche she was consumed and yet she cessyd not from prayer but she prayed â—ore feruently and more lenâ—er thenne she was wonte Hyr ghoostly chyldren whom she hadde nourysshed in vertue were that same tyme and they sawe openly the markes of the strokes that the â—endes of helle gaue hyr in hyr bodye and they myght do therto no remedy for two skylles One was for they wyste well hit was the wyll of god whome they myght not wythstonde Another cause was for they sawe hyr gladde and ioyfull in hyr paynes and the more that she prayed the more was hyr bodely payne But yet wolde she not cesse therfore and the tormentours of helle faylled not but that they cryed vpon hyr alle that tyme and sayde to hyr thus Cursed wrâ—tche thou hast euer be ageynst vs and therfore thy tyme is come we for to be auenged vpon the. Thou haste putte vs oftâ— tymes from our praye and therfore we