Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum duodecimum.

EDWARD, tendre in age, thro helpe of seynte Dunstan and of other bischoppes was erecte into the kynge ageyne the wylle

of mony noble men, and specially of Elfritha his stappemoder, whiche laborede to have made Egelredus here son kynge; whiche reignede as iiij. yere. From whiche tyme the felicite of the realme was chaungede and diminute, and a blasynge sterre was [folio 311a] seene in the firmamente, whiche is wonte to portende other a pestilence of provinces other the chaungenge of a realme, and anoon there folowede a derthe of corne, hunger of men, and dethe of bestes. And Alferus prince of the Marches favor|ynge Elfritha, putte awey monkes whom kynge Edgarus hade sette in monasterys, and putte prestes into theyme with theire concubynes. But seynte Dunstan and the erle of Este Ynglonde resiste hym, and expulsede the clerkes. The clerkes so expulsede seide hit was a miserable thynge and honoure that a newe aliaunte scholde expelle olde inhabita|tors of the londe and that hit was not to the pleasure of God whiche hade grawnte that grownde to olde inhabitators. Wherefore a grete cownsaile was kepede at Wynchestre,

where an ymage of the crucifixe in alle spake in this wyse, seyenge the weye of seynte Dunstan to be kepede and holden. But theire myndes not mitigate þerwith, an oþer cownesaile was hade at Calnewic, where the kynge beynge absente for his [An ymage of the crucifix spak.] tendre age, where seynte Dunstan was trowblede soore, insomoche that his men sleyne he escapede from his enemyes with owte hurte by grete manfullenesse, whiche miracle was schewede afterwarde. While this yonge kynge Edwarde wery thro huntynge and returnyd to his stappemoder, he was stryken soore with a knyfe as his stappemoder rechid to hym a pece that he myȝhte drynke; his horse movede and excitede to flee, this kynge hongynge by the oon foote and drawen so after the horse diede at Cornisgate. Whiche beryede at Warham, not

accordynge to his astate, mony miracles were schewede: a halte man hade his goynge to hym, a blynde man siȝhte, and alle diversites of langore were healede þer. That rumor excitede, Elfritha cause of his dethe made haste to visitte hym, whiche cowthe not comme to hym in eny wyse, her horses and bestes on whom sche did ryde schewede that thynge. Wherefore sche did by an other that sche myȝhte not performe in here awne propre person, for Elferus here minister, whiche hade expulsede late monkes from the Marches, and putte seculer men in theire monasteryes, beryede solemnely the body of kynge Edwarde at Schaftesbery. ℞. But in succession of tyme parte of that body was translate to the monastery of Leof nye to Herdford, and a parte to Abindon. And that place at Schaftesbery where his longes or mylte be greene is callede Edwardistowe. Willelmus ubi supra. The seide Elfritha [folio 311b] made ij. monasterys of women for that offense, oon of theyme at Ambrisbury, an other at Werewelle, where sche levynge the

pryde of the worlde did grete penaunce, werynge an heire on her body, and chastisynge hyt with grete abstinence, imprint|ynge in her forehede oftetymes þe signe of the crosse, in whiche place sche restethe. And the foreseide Elfricus escapede not unpunysched, for he was consumede by lyes in the yere after that he had beryede seynte Edwarde the martir. Fulbertus the bischoppe Carnotense was in this tyme a man precellente in the luffe of our blissede lady; whiche made in the lawde of that blissede virgyn, amonge other laudable werkes, these ij. respon|soryes, Stirps Jesse, and Solem justitiæ. Whiche laborynge as in the poynte of dethe that blessed virgyn Mary apperede to hym inquirenge the cause of his drede. To whom he seide, "O goode lady, y truste in thy mercy, but I drede the iugge|mente of thy Sonne." Then sche seide to hym, "Drede þow not, and for a suerte y schalle make the to be holle;" and drawynge furthe here brestes instillede thre dropes of that moste precious hevynly mylke to his face, and so departed.

This bischop recurynge commaundede that hevynly liquor to [Sic.] receyvid in a vesselle of silvyr to be kepede to a memorialle.