[Liber festivalis]

De sancto thoma epō Ca••tuarien̄.

[illustration]

GOod men and wymmen soche a day ye shall ha∣ue se••••t Thomas day that was slayne for the righte of hooly churche and the lawe of this lon¦de. This hooly mā seint thomas was borne in the Cite of london & his ••a∣dir was callid Gilbert that was shryue of lon∣don. Than aftyrward he ordeyned hym selfe & yode in to 〈…〉〈…〉e hooly lon¦de & there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was take & putte in p〈…〉〈…〉 Than co¦me a worshippefull wo∣man to hym and sryde yif he wolde ••lighte her his trouthe to wedde her she wolde helpe him and

bryng hym oute of dis∣sese and he dede so Thā come gilbert home in to Englond and whanne this woman sawe her ty¦me she come aftyr and mette in london at the churche of poules Thā Gilbert made the bishop̄ to criston her and aftir ward for to wedde hem to gedyr and gilbert ga¦te seint Thomas on this woman. So whan scho was with childe she dre∣myd in a nyghte that she come to seint poules chir¦che but whan she wolde haue gone ynne she thou¦ghte her wombe was so grete that she myght not in to the churche by noo wey Thanne on the mo rowe she wente ••n to her confessour and tolde him all the dreme than seyde he dame be glad & than¦ke god highely for thou haste a childe in thy body that all holy chirche shal be to litill to resceyue him Thanne was she glad and thankyd god hi∣ghely and so sone aftyr this childe was borne & was callid thomas. thā he wexed a man and so he was a man in all degre for he serued the kyng manly and serued god worthely and deyde fore the lewis of hooly chur∣che mekely I may well sey he serued the kyng manly for whan he was made chaunceler of En glond this londe was so full of outeland men and so sore ouer sette with hē that ther myghte no mā goo by the wey vn rob∣bed. But in short•• ty∣me aftyr Thomas with his wysdome and his manhode he drofe them oute of this londe that all the people myghte goo vn robbed. Thomas wa•• also manly in repey∣ryng of the kynges ma¦neres that were lette dou¦ne and destroyed and in specyall the kynges pa¦leyse in london at west∣mestre that was all lette falle downe But betwe∣ne

Estye and witsonty de thomas made to repay¦re hit a yene for he hadde there so many workemen of diuerse craftys that a man shulde onethe here his felowe speke for don¦nyng of strokys. He was also manly in dedis of armes for there as the kyng hadde many Ca∣stellis and townes oute of his hondis and he spē¦te moche good to gete theym and shedde moch blode for gete hem a yene at the furste and they we¦re holde oute of his hon¦dis Than thomas with his witte and wisedom gete hem a yene Also whan he was in the kyn¦ges werres of fraunce he quyte hym so manly that whanne the kyng of en¦glond had exiled tho∣mas the kyng of fraun¦ce was his chefe helpe & socoure Also thomas was as manfull in his a∣ray for he was clothyd in the beste and richeste clothe and furre that my¦ghte be founde And al∣so his repayre to his ho∣se sadeles brydele s••hon•• as bryghte as any siluer he was also manfull in his housholde for hi•• hall was euery day in some•• cheson strawed with gr••¦ne ruschis And in wyn∣ter with clene hey fore to saue the knyghtes clothis that sate in the flore for de ••awte of place to sitte o•• for there come so many euery day to ete of his mete and drynke for he wolde haue of all maner of deyntes that myghte he founde in thi•• londe

In so moche that the kyng hym selfe many ty¦me vnwarned come to Thomas to mete bothe for loue that he had to Thomas and also to see the aray and also re∣uell that was in thomas housholde for there sp••ke so moch people worship¦pe by Thomas. And where fore more trewer and also better loue that thanne was betwene

the kyng and thomas while hit laste was neuer betwene to men. where for I putte this ensam∣ple Hit happid that hit fill in a colde wynter as the kyng and Tho¦mas come rydyng to ge¦dyr in to chepe side at lō¦don the kyng was ware of a pore man that was well nere nakyd & had no clothis and was sore a colde Thanne seyd the kyng to thomas hit we¦re a grete almesse dede to yeue to this pore man be¦tyr clothes Sire seid tho¦mas of soche ye shulde ta¦ke hede Thanne had tho¦mas on a clothe of good scarlet and well furryd with riche furre than the kyng leyde hōde on this clothe and wolde haue pullid hit from thomas for to haue yeue it to this pore man but thomas hel¦de hit faste and thus they wrastelid longe in so mo¦che that they were like to fulle to the grounde. but at the laste be fauour tho¦mas suffered the kyng to take his clothe of and than the kyng caste hit to the pore man and bad hym renne a wey faste & selle hit and bey hym o∣thir and yf thou be sette hit well thou mayste fare the better euer whiles thou leuyste Than tho∣mas fayned hym selfe wrothe but in his hert he was welle a payde that his roue was so well be∣fette Thanne the peple meruelyd gretely furste what was betwene the kyng and thomas but whan they saw what hit mened the people were glad and had grete spor¦te there of. This I sey to shewe ensample howe well they louyd to ge∣dyr thus thomas serued the kyng manfully. also we muste lerne of oure hooly patron seynte tho∣mas to serue god deuou¦tely. whanne he serued god full deuoutly for as sone as he was made arch bishoppe of Caunterbu∣ry

a none he tourned his leuyng in to better le∣uyng and thoughte to serue the kyng of heuē as well as he hadde the kyng of this worlde be fore. Thanne a none he leyde a wey scarlet and riche furrys and wered clothe of myddell pryse and caste a wey silke and send••ll and weryd here nexte his body that was righte harde and a bry∣che of the same hame si∣de in the whiche was so moche vermyn that hit was an horrible sighte to see but this knowe but li¦till people. Also euery wedenysday and freyday he made his confessoure to bete hym with a rodde on the bare body lyke as a childe is bete in scole Also he vsid euery day to wesche ttre pore men∣nes fete knelyng one the grounde and thanne he yaffe eche of hem foure pennys And also mo∣che more penaunce he v∣sid in preyng and wa¦kyng that were to mo∣che to tell at this tyme. Thanne whan thomas was in the abbey of poū¦teney vpon a day whann he hadde seyde masse he knelid downe be for the Auter in his preyour••s than the Abbote of the same place had to speke with him and stode vn¦dyr a pilour and abode thomas And he sawe howe oure lord The s•• criste appered to Tho¦mas and tolde him how he shulde be slayne in caū¦terbury in his owne chir¦che for his sake and bad hym be stedfaste and hol¦de forthe as he hadde be gonne Than come tho∣mas oute of his chapell and a none the Abbot fill downe to the groun∣de and Sire ye may blis¦se the tyme and the hour that euer ye were y borne and also blessid mute sho be that euer dyd bere you for to haue soche a visita∣cione as I haue herde yow haue.

Thanne se••de thomas I charge the that thow tell hit neuer to no man whyle y am a lyue no mo¦re he dede but whan tho∣mas was dede he tolde it opynly to all the people Thus I may well sey that thomas serued god deuoutly. Also he dyed for the lawe of holy chur¦che mekely for whann he sawe the kyng be gan to make lawes to ouer sette hooly churche and soche law is as wolde haue de∣stroid the londe. Than thomas putte hym selfe forthe and repreuyd the kyng of his misse dedis thā was the kyng wroth •• made a parlament at northampton & for tho∣mas wolde not sette his seile to the cursid law is that the kyng & his sory counsell had ordeyned & made a none they callid hym a traytour to the kyng & exiled hym ou¦te of his londe. Thanne thomas wēte to the king of fraunce for socour and helpe and full goodly & mekely he res••eyued hym and all his clerkys and founde hem all moste vij yere all that they be ho∣uyd Thanne grete disse¦ses & greuaunces thomas had of the kyng of en∣glond and all he suffered mekely Than by tretice & coūsell of the 〈…〉〈…〉 & of the kyng of Fraunce there was made a faynti loueday betwene the king & thomas But whan the kyng shulde haue kyssid thomas he wolde not for he seyde he had made his a vow he wolde neuer kis¦se hym but bad hym go home to his churche bol¦dely Than by the coun∣sell of the kyng of fraū¦ce & bidding of the P••∣p•• thomas come home to Caunterbury Than were there iiij. cursed kny¦ghtes of leuyng y^• thou¦ghte to haue had a grete thanke of the kyng and made her a vowe to ge∣dir to s••e thomas And so on child remasse day all

moste at myghte they co∣me to caunterbury in to thomas hall Sire Rey∣nolde ••eriston Sire willi am ••racy Sire Richard breton & sire he we mor∣ley Thanne Sire Rey∣nolde berystō for he was bitter of kynde a none he seyde to thomas the king that is he yonde the see sente vs to the & bad that thou shuldeste a soyle the bishoppe that thou cur∣siddiste than seyde Tho¦mas seris they be not a cursed by me but by the 〈…〉〈…〉 & I may not a soyle that he hathe cur∣sid well seyde Reynolde than we see thow wolte not do the kynges byd∣dyng and swore a grete othe by the eyon of god thou shalte be dede. than cryde the othir knyghtes sle sle & they wente dow¦ne to the courte and ar¦myd hem Thanne pre¦stis and clerkys drowe hem to the churche to thomas and spered the dores to hem. But whā thomas herde the knygh¦tes armed and wold co¦me in to the churche and myghte not he wente to the dore and vn barred it & toke one of the kny∣ghtes by the honde and seyde hit be semythe not to make a castell of holy churche & toke hem by the honde & seyde come ynne my children in god∣dis name Thanne for it was myrke that the my∣ghte not see nor knowe thomas they seyde where is the traytour nay seyde thomas no traytour but archebishoppe Thanne one seyde to hym fle fore thou arte but dede. Nay seyde thomas y come not to fle but to a byde.

Ego pro deo mori parat•••• sinn et pro defensione iusticie et ecclesie liberta∣te I am redy to dye for the loue of god & for the fredomme & righte of ho¦ly churche Thā reynold with his swerdes poynte put of thomas cappe &

smote at his hede & cūtte of his crowne that it hō∣ge by like a dische Than smote a nothir at him & smote hit all of than fill he downe to the grounde on his knees & elbowes & seyde god in to thy hō¦des I putte my cause & the righte of holy chur∣che & so deyde Than the iij. knyghte smote & his halfe st••oke fell vpon his clerkis arme that helde thomas crosse be fore him & so his swerde fill down to the groūde & brake of the poynte & he seyde go we hens he is dede And whā they were at the dore goyng whert broke wē∣te a geyne & sette his fote to thomas necke & thru∣ste oute the brayne vpon the pam ••t Thus for ri¦ghte of holoy churche & the lawe of the lōde tho¦mas toke his dethe.

Thanne how this mar¦terdome was knowen in iherusalem ye shall here. ther was an abbey of mō¦kes in the whiche that sa¦me day & the same tyme that thomas dyed a mō¦ke lay at the dethe than for he was a good holy man of leuyng his ab∣bote bad hym yf hit we∣re not to god displesaunce whā he were dede he shul¦de come a yene & tell him how he ferde & so whan he was dede he come ayen & tolde his abbot whan he dyed an angell brou∣ghte him be fore god & as he stode there he sawe a bishoppe come with a grete company of angeles & othir seintes & he stode be fore god at his iug••••∣ment & his hede droppid downe of blode of woun¦des that he had▪ thā seid oure lord to him thus hit be semythe a man to come to his lordis court & a none oure lord sette a crowne on his hede and seyd thus to him As mo¦che as I haue yeue to p••¦tir & to poule so moche ioye I graunte the And the monke seid here by I knowe well that this

is the grettiste Bishopp̄ in Englond & is slayne for goddis sake & wete ye well that I go to euer lasting blisse. This tol¦de the patriarke of iheru salem sone aftir that tho¦mas was dede ther come in to Englond aftir pe¦ple to fighte a yen the he thyn men

[Narracio]

Also ther was a bir∣de that was taughte to speke & cowde sey seinte thomas as she had her de othir pilgremes speke moche of seint thomas & it happid on a tyme this birdde sate with ou¦te his cage & there come a sparhawke & wold ha¦ue slayne him & anon the birdde cryed on seynte thomas helpe. & a none this sparhauke fill doune dede than seint thomas of his grete grace & good¦nesse herd the birdde & woste not what she men te moche more he wold haue herd & moche son¦ner he wold here a cristē man or cristen woman y^t cryed hertely to him▪ for helpe & socour

[Narracio]

Also there was a man that thomas loued pas∣sing well in his lyffe. & hit fill so that this mā fill sike on a tyme & come to seint thomas tombe pre¦yng him of socoure and helpe & a non he was ho¦le but aftir he be though t•• him •• his sikenes was encresid to his soulis he le & so wente a yene pre∣yng thomas y^t yf it we¦re more mede to his sou∣le to be sike thā hole that he myghte be sike a yene & so he was & thankyd god & seint thomas thā whanne the kyng herd howe god wroughte so many miracles for seinte thomas he wente to caū∣terbury barefote & wol∣warde & all moste nakid saue a feble cote to bynde his body ynne goyng in the fenne & in the lake as he had ben a pore man in this londe preyng to

seinte Thomas of forye¦uenesse of his trespace. & at the tombe he made all the couent by and by to yeue displyne on his bar•• body with a yerde & there he dampned all sory cu¦stumes and false lawes that was cause of the de∣bate betwene thomas & the kyng be fore & graū¦ted the churche her fre∣dome a yene and wente his wey. Thanue these iiij. knyghtes whan they herde howe god hadde wrought for thomas they were full fory of her cur∣sed dedis and cursed the tyme that euer it hap¦pid so with hem and lef¦te all her londes and wen¦te to ihe rusalem in to the hooly londe to werre on goddis enemyes But william tracy was lettyd by the wey and fill sike and rotyd all his body in so moche that hym sel fe with his owne hondis caste a wey his owne fle∣sche lompe mel•• and so dyede an horryble dethe And the othir thre also dyede in a piteuous deth sone aftyr. And thus with ynne iij. yere aftyr thomas dethe they dyed all foure but as longe as they leuyd they cryde e¦uer mercy to god and seinte thomas and so I hope they hadde