Prolicionycion [sic]

¶ Capitulum 12

YOng Edward by help of dunstān / and of other Bisshops was made kynge ayenste the wylle of somme other lordes / Specially ayenste the wylle of his stepdame elfrytha / that fonded to make hir owne sone egelredus kynge a childe of seuen yere old That she myght soo regne vnder the childes name / This edward regned as it were four yere ¶ Ther āfter waned the grace of the kyngdome / For in the fyrmamente was seen stella Cometa / that is a sterre with a bryght shynynge creest / that bodeth alwey pes∣tilence in the prouynce / owther chaungynge of the kyngdome / And long therafter fell bareynesse of feldes / honger of men / and deth of beestes / And Alferus prynce of mercia fauoured Elfri¦tha the quene with al that he myght / and put oute monkes that edgar had ordeyned / and brought ynne Clerkes with concuby∣nes / But dunstan and the erle of eeste englonde withstode hem manly / For the clerkes that were somtyme put oute / rered stryf ageyn / and sayd that it were a wretchyd shame / that a new co∣myng shold put old landesman of her place / That is not plesing to god that graunted the place to the old woner / nowther a good man aloweth it not that may drede that me wolde doo to hym self as he seeth that me doth to other / Herfor was a solempne coun∣seyle made at wynchestre / there the ymage of rode spak oute of the wall / and sayd that dunstans wey was good and true / but yet cesed not the hertes of vnskylfull men / therfor was made a coun¦seylle atte Ryal strete of Calue / there the kyng was absente / for he was yet of tendre age / & there sate in an hygh hows the sena∣tours of Englonde / There dunstan was strongly despysed and

chydde / Thenne the gystes and the beames of the sober al to bra∣ke / and the soler fylle downe / and somme were dede / and somme hurt & maymed for euermore / so all that there wree were dede ow¦ther hurt ful soore / oute take dunstan alone that escaped gracious¦ly and wysely / that myracle brought forth sylence to hem that entended afterward to haue mayntened that qua••ele / The yong Edward cam from huntyng wery and a thurst / and his stepda∣me yaue hym drynke / and the meane tyme / he was stykked with a swerde· Thenne he byganne to prykke his hors with all that he myght thennes for to flee / Thenne his one fote slode oute of the styrope / and he was to drawe by that other foote al aboute the feldes / and thwert ouer weyes and al be bloded and at Cornis¦gate be yaue the sygnes and tokens of deth / than he was buryed vnworthly thre yere at warham / there god wrought for hym m••¦ny myracles and grete / For there grete lyght come downe fro he∣uen / and the haltman receyued his goyng aryght / the dembe man receyued his spoche / the deef his herynge / and the blynde his syght / there all manere seke men toke the state of helthe / By that rumour she that slough hym was meoued and cam rydyng on a beeste that myght not come nyghe the place / for noo betynge / ne for noo cryeng / the beeste was ofte chaunged but it was al for nought / therfor what she myght not done in her owne persone / she dyd by another / For her mynyster Elferus that hadde somtyme putte oute monkes in mercia and brought Clerkes in her stede / he toke edwardes body and buryed it solempny at Septon that is shaftesbury / ¶ R In tyme afterwarde somme of his bodye was translated to leof monaster besydes herforde and somme to Abyndon / The place at shaftesbury / there his longes yet qnaue alle fressh and sounde is callyd Edwardestow / W / vbi supra For this slaughter Elfrytha buylde twey Abbayes of women not for fro Salesbury / One at ambrysbury and another at wer¦wel / she dyde awey the pompe of the world / and dyde long tyme hard penaūce at warwell / and vsed alwey the heer / and fasting and chastysed hir bodye that was full fayre somtyme / Ande al∣way as she myght she croysed her forheede and brest and lyeth bu¦ryed there / But the forsayd Elferus escaped not all maner wre¦che for he was eten all wyth lyse after one yere after the buryng of the forsayde martir / Aboute that tyme was fulbertus in pro∣speryte bisshop of Carnot an excellente man in our lady loue / Among his other noble werkes he made in praysyng of oure

lady the response styrps yesse / and solem iusticie / and this ym••¦ne Chorus noue Ierusalem / On a tyme he was seke atte yate of deth and our lady appered to hym and axyd of hym / wherof he dradde / my lady sayd he / I trust in thy mercy / but I drede full soore thyne owne sonnes dome / drede the nothynge sayd she / and for to make the / the more seker herafter. I shal now make the al hoole / and anone she toke her brest oute of her bosomme and drop¦ped on his face thre droppes of precious lycour of mylke / and went forth hir wey / he was hoole forthwith and dyde that swete lycour of heuen in a vessel of siluer / and hadde kepe▪ it in mynde /

¶Willelmus de regibus libro secundo