The english register of Godstow nunnery, near Oxford : written about 1450 / edited with an introduction by Andrew Clark.

The cronicle [The Chronicle is in French.] Of the hows and Monasteri of Godstow makyth mensyon how that place wace fowndyde fyrst by reuelacyon in thys wyse in wynchestre.

Story of the foundation, which took place about 1130. Edyve of Win|chester, a lady dear to God, widow of Sir William Lancelyne, obeyed the warning of a vision, and came to Binsey near Oxford. Here, a voice bade her build a nunnery where she should see light from heaven falling upon earth. Henry I helping, Godstow nunnery was built for 24 nuns, Edyve, foundress and first abbess.

IN wynchester was a lady bore of the worthyest blood of thys reme; dame Edyfe was she callyd; hyr fadyr and modyr had no mo chyldyr, but her onely; and for that, she was more lovyd and cherysshed. She was fayre and comly, and well was with the kyng almyhty; and syth was maryd to a knyht, syr william lavncelne ['Wylleam Launcelene' in the Ex|chequer MS.] . By the grace of god they had thre chyldre to-gedyr, that muche were fayre and euinaunt ['Mult estoint beauz e[t] avenaunz,' ibid.] , oon ['Un fiz jeanoit, que de eux fu ne, a Abindone estoit puz abbe.' This seems to add a John to the list of abbots of Abing|don, probably between Ingulph (died 1158) and Roger (abbot 1175-84).] sonne and too dowhtyrs: the sonne was Abbot of Abendon. Now of the lady y shal yow sey, in whych maner and in whych wyse she lyuyd in goddys seruise. Aftyr the decese of her housbond, ofte to her come by a vysyon that she shulde goo nye to the Cyte that Oxenford was I-callyd, and there she shold a-byde anone to þ^e tyme she se a tokyn of the kyng allmyhty, how and what wyse she shold byeld a place to godes seruise. To bynsey is thys lady come, as in a vysion her was sent in her orisouns; there she dwellyd and muche holy lyfe she ledde. One voyce in a nyht she herd, the whych to her seyd what she shold do:—"Edyue ['Ediz,' fet il, 'sus levez et saunz demorance yalez au lu ou lumer desent au tere du firmament,' ibid.] , Edyue, ryse the up, and, with-oute abydyng, go ye there where the lyht of heuyn a-lyhtyth to the erthe from the firmament, and there ordeyne ye Mynchyns to the seruise of god, xxiiij. of the moost gentylwomen that ye can fynde." And thus was furst thys abbey founded. Now syth is thys lady Edyue to the kynge, henry the fyrst, I-goo; and all him hath shewyd what god in a vysyon her had sende. Whanne

the kynge had herd all that she say wolde, by-twene hem they hathe I-commund [Mis-read 'they hathen and commaund how,' in Dugd. Monast.] how and what wyse they myht brynge thys good dede to an ende. And so be they besy in goddys seruise how they myht best bylde a chyrch in the worshyp of god, and of our lady, and seynt John Baptist. Now is thys lady, dame [folio Ib(13b)] Edyue, the Abbas in her chyrche, and xxiiij. ladys with her. Of hyr too dowhtyrs, the eldeste, Dame Emme was her name, the prioras of thys hows; and Dame Hauis, the secunde dowhtyr, the secunde prioras so longe as she lyuyd. Now byn they to god commendyd, that was of þ^e modyr bor, that for us synners wolde fowchesafe to dye. He us graunt, yf hym plesyde, to hys Joy to come. Amen.

[[NOTE.—In the Latin copy (Exchequer MS., at top of first page of table of contents) is a notice of the foundress which the translator has omitted:—'Tempore regis Henrici primi locus iste cepit esse domus Dei in vigilia paschae per bone memorie dominam Edivam Lancelene, primam abbatissam, que domum istam rexit L. et unum annos et in senectute bona obiit in domino.']]