Here begynneth the kalendre of the newe legende of Englande

De sancto Adriano abbate & confessore.

SEynt adryan was abbot of the monaste¦ry of viridian / that is a lytle fro napuls And for his ••••••tue / and cunnynge vita¦lian / the pope wolde haue made him ar¦chebussope of Caunterbury / & he of me∣kenes refusyd it for his escuse desyred y^t saynt Theodre myghte be elected ther∣to / & so he was vpon this cōdicion that he shulde accom∣pany seynt Theodre into Englōde and he assentyd and so refusynge the honoure he toke the laboure / And when he came into Englōde he had cōmyttyd to hym the rule of the monasterye of seynt Augustyne of Caunterbury and there he gadered a great multytude of dyscyples & taught them metyr astronomye arythmetryke / & also dy¦uynite / & many of his dyscyples coulde greke & latē tōge as well as theyr owne / & he with seynt Theodre taught y^e tewnes of syngynge in y^e churche of Englond which afo¦re theyr tyme was onely vsed in Kent / & he passed out of this worlde full of good werkes / & good exaumples the .v. I••••s of Ianuary / in the yere of our lorde God seuyn hundred ••••iii. & lyeth in his monastery at Caūterbury And after his deth shypmē of Englōde which were lyke to haue ben robbed by pyratis ī y^e see by prayer to seynt Adryan were delyuered / he reysed a man fro deth / & he appered to one / & bad hym shewe seynt Dunstane y^t he dwellyd ī houses y^t were well & sufficiētly couered / but y^e moder of almyghty god & he / & other her seruauntes lay open to y^e heuyns wherfore anone seynt Dūstane repay¦red the Churche of our Lady / and vsed moche to be the∣re in contemplacyon / and on a nyght as he was there in prayers he sawe euydently our Lady & seynt Adryan in

the sayd Churche laudynge & honourynge our Lorde.

¶De sancto aido siue Aidano abbate.

A Man of Irlonde callyd sedia / and his wyfe prayde certyen holy men to Praye for theym that they mought haue a Chylde / & after they had prayed / they bad the man & his wyfe goo whom & in the nyghte folowynge the husband sawe a bryght sterre falle into the mouthe of his wyfe / And she sawe a bryght mone falle īto y^e mouth of her Husbōde / & after they had a sone whom they callyd Aidus / or Aidanus / And when he came to age / he & his felowe Molassus entendyd to goo on Pylgrymage / & they wiste not whether / And by Inspyraciō of our Lord they bad .ii. great Trees grow¦inge therby tell them what they sholde do / And anon the two Trees fell downe oon towarde y^e Northe / & y^e other towarde the Southe / And so the Chyldren deuyded / & seynt Aidus came into the countrey of Lagmenciū / & an An̄gell brought hym to the place where he wolde be / and he went vppon the water to a place where two chyldren were drowned / & by his prayers he reysyd them to lyfe / & after he came to seynt Dauyd into Wales / & was w^t hym a longe tyme / and there for haste as he went to the wood he lefte his boke open behynde hym / & though it rayned in other places / it rayned not vppō his Boke / And seynt Dauyd as he was by the seesyde blamyd hym for leuyn¦ge his Boke behynde hym / wherfore anon he lay {pro}strat before seynt Dauyd / & of mekenes wolde not ryse tyll he were bydden / And seynt Dauyd retournyd whom & for gate to bydde hym ryse / & so the flowe of the see came / & as he lay y^e see rose aboute hym & touchyd hym not / And

when seynt Dauyd myssed hym he was moch heuy / and sent Bretherne for hym / & they founde hym lyenge in the bottome of y^e see / & drewe hym vppe into theyr shyppe &c. And on a tyme whē seynt Aidus went fro seynt Dauyd into Irlonde / he forgate his Cymbale behynde hym in Wales / & when he had nede of it / it was sodenly brought ouer the see to hym / Wherfore he thanked our Lorde / & a nother tyme seynt dauyd sent for hym / & he went to hym And when he shulde goo agayne into Irlonde / he asked seynt Dauyd how he shuld gette ouer the see / and he bad hym goo to the see syde / & ony beest that he founde go on hym to his Monastery / And he foūde a beest lyke a Hor¦se & on hym he went ouer the see into Irlonde / & then the Beest wente agayne into the see / He was a great gyuer of Almes / and fastyd .l. dayes. and .l. nyghtes to gedyr / & he dyed in great Age full of good Werkes & vertues the day before the fyrste kalendas of Marche. And at seynt Dauythys he is callyd moadoke / and there his Feest is kepte with great honoure.

¶De sācto Aidano episcopo & confessore.

THere is a monastery in y^e Ile of hii which of ol∣de tyme belōged to Brytayne nowe callyd En¦glōd / & the pyotys gaue it to y^e scottys because they were firste cōuertyd by them / And se y^t Aidā beynge busshope was sent fro y^t Ile to preche to y^e people of En¦glonde / and he taughte noon otherwyse but as he lyuyd hym selfe / what so euyr was geuyn to hym by the Kynge or Rychemen / He gaue it to poure men / he went on foote to Preche and Rode not withoute great nede / All that were in companye with hym shuld Rede or Praye / And when he was at dyner thoughe it were with the Kynge

as it was seldome he wolde goo fourthe and praye / he wolde alwaye reproue Rychemen when they offendyd / and not forbere theym for fere / nor for theyr Auctoryte / he gaue oyle to a preest which was called vtta as he was goynge to fette enflede doughter to kynge Edwyn to be maryed to kynge oswy / And bad hym if any tempest to∣ke hym in the see / that he sholde caste the oyle into the see And it shulde ceasse / and so it prouyd / and when penda had thoughte to haue burnyd the Cytie of bamburghe for y^t he coulde not wyn it by streyngthe / he leyde moche wood / and hey nyghe to the towne / and seynt aidan then beynge in y^e Ile of Ferne to myles fro thens when he saw the Fyre aboue the Cytie wallys prayed to our lorde for helpe / And by his prayer the wynde chaūged / and so the towne was saued / & he dyed the day before the kalendas of Septembre the yere of Grace .vi. hundred and .li. and was buryed a lytle fro the sayd Cytie / And now parte of his relykys be at Duresme and parte be had into Scot¦lande / and twyse the house wherein he dyed / which was adioynynge to the churche was saued / when the churche & all y^e strete were burned / & venerable bede y^t wrote his lyfe seyth of hym that he was a great louer of peace / and charyte & was an ouercomer of Ire & couetyse / a dispy∣ser of vaynglory / a reprouer of proude men / and a com∣forter of syckemen and poore men / and that as farre as he coulde lerne this blessyd man omytted nothyng 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he lerned by y^e euangelystys or {pro}phyttys to be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fulfyllyd it in that he coulde / howe be it in y^t he kepte 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Estre at the due tyme / Bede prayseth hym not / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 prayseth hym for he seyth {per}case he knewe it not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 kepte it on a sonday / but he praysyth hym that 〈…〉〈…〉∣pynge of his Ester / he beleuyd / nor worsh〈…〉〈…〉

other thynge but as we doo / that is to say the Redempci¦on of mankynde by the Passyon / Resurreccyon / & Assē∣cyon of the medyator betwixte God & Man / our Lorde Ihesu Criste / And in the lyfes of Seynt Oswalde / and Oswyn kynges / And of Seynt Cuthbert dyuerse thyn∣ges thynges be spokyn of this Blessyd man.

¶De sancto Albano martire.

SEynt Albon dwellyd ī the Towne of verolame that now is callyd seynt Albons / And in the ty∣me of y^e {per}secucyō of dioclesyan seynt Amphibell came into Brytayne and lodged in the house of seynt Al∣bon / and exortyd hym to be cōuerted / And shewyd hym sumwhat of the beleue of our lorde / and he gaue lytle cre¦dence to his techynge / And the same nyght seynt Albon sawe a vision y^t betokened the Misteryes of y^e Incarna¦ciou / Passyon / Resurreccion / & Assencion of our Lorde as in the Legende apperyth / And in the mornynge he as¦ked of seynt Amphibell what his visyō betokened / & whē seynt Amphibell had declared the hole misteryes therof how our Lorde suffred Passyon and Deth / And how he Rose agayne and assendyd to Heuyn / he sayd it was all trewe that he sayde / And anon he Beleued / and was Cristened / And thenne he was complaynyd on that he was Cristened / Wherfore he was sent for / and was Ta∣kyn as he was prayenge before a Crosse / And so he was broughte to the Iudge / And there constauntly he con∣fessyd y^t he was a Cristēmā / And so he was put ī prison / & there he lay .vi. Monethes / & in all y^t tyme there felle no rayne And therfore y^e people thynkynge y^t y^e god y^t Albō worshypped {pro}hibited y^e rayne / toke hym out of prysone /

and wolde haue lette hym goo / And he seynge that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wold haue let hym goo prayde our Lorde that his mar∣tyrdome shuld not be lette / And opynly dyspysyd theyr Idollys / and soo he was had with great vyolence to be behedyd / and as he went a ryuer that wolde haue lettyd theyr passage by his Prayer dryed vppe / and oon of the Knyghtys that drewe hym to his marterdome seynge y^e great Myracles that our lorde shewyd for hym was cō∣uertyd / & seynt Albō was behedyd the .x. kalēdas of Iuli the yere of our lorde god .CClxxx.vi. And anon the eyen of hym y^t strake it offelle owte / & he was buryed at seynt Albons / & sumwhat the Legēd leuyth it for a dowte whe¦ther he lye now at seynt Albons or at ely / but it semyth to be the more lyke y^t he shuld lye at seynt Albons / And in y^e legend apperith how kynge Offa repayred the monaste¦ry ofseynt Albons / And how the heresy of Pelagian̄ be∣gan at Bangor / and how it was extyncte.

¶De sancto Aldelmo episcopo & confessore.

SEynt aldelme was of kynne to Iue kynge of we stesaxōs / & ī his youthe he {pro}phyted moch ī cōnyn¦ge / & after he was made monke at malmesbury & so preest / & then Abbot / And his fame went so ferre y^t it came to y^e pope Sergyus / & he sent for hym to Rome / & whē he had sayd masse in y^e Church of lateranēse & helde y^e vestemēt behynde hym to haue takyn it to one of his ser¦uaūtis / & none was there / it hōge vppō a sonne beame a longe tyme / a womā y^t was w^t Chylde defamed y^e Pop•• therw^t / And saynt Aldelme herynge y^t was moch heuy & cōmaūdyd y^e chylde which was but .ix. dayes olde ī y^e na¦me of our lorde Ihesu criste to shewe if y^e Pope were his fader & he sayd nay / And so the Pope was delyuerd of y^e

cryme / And seynt Aldelme brought w^t hym fro Rome an Alterstone which by the way brake / & with his prayer & blessynge it was made hoole / And as it is sayd the same stone is yet ī the priory of Briton now callyd Bruton he was a great wryter of Bokes / & meynteyned moche the due kepynge of Ester / he neuer went out of his Mona∣stery without a great cause / he gaue great almes & wold stonde in y^e water thoughe it were froste / & snowe tyll he had sayd a hole psalter / And after he was made busshop of Shyryburne and in great age full of good werkes he went to our Lorde the .viii. kalendas of Iune. in the yere of our Lorde .vii. hundred & .ix. and lyeth in his monaste∣ry at Malmesbury.

¶De sancto alredo Ep̄o & confessore.

When seynt Alrede was in his Cradell his fa∣ce shone lyke the sonne / And in his chyldehod he had the spirit of {pro}phecy / And tolde y^e very day of the deth of the Busshop of yorke / & he was in so great fauoure w^t Dauyd kynge of Scottys y^t he was seconde to hym whiche a Knyght en∣uyed much w^t great hatred insomoche y^t somtyme in pre∣sence of y^e kynge he wolde speke opprobrious wordys to hym / & he toke all paciently so y^t the Knyght meruaylyd & toke penaūce & askyd hym forgeuenes / & he tolde hym that he ought to loue hym the more / for by his hatred he encresyd the more in y^e loue of our lord / And by hym his paciēce was prouyd / And he was so meke that thoughe he were hurte he was not moche troubled therwith / and if any accused hym he was not prouokyd to vengeaun∣ce / and he dyd alway good for euyll / and when the kyn∣ge wolde haue made hym busshope he for••oke it & entred

into Relygyon at ryeuall which is of y^e ordre of cisteaux and was mayster of the nouyces / & a Nouyce that was vnstable was by his prayers twyse brought agayne to y^e Monasterye when he was goynge away / and when he was made Abbot oftymes he counceyled his Bretherne that noo foule worde shulde goo out of theyr mouthe ne any detraccion / or othe / And he refourmyd the hole coū∣trey of gallway / and wrote the lyfe of Seynt Edwarde Kynge & Confessoure and dyd many other thynges / he was of great abstynence / and wolde moche rede in Bo∣kes that shulde moue compunccion / and he had great sy¦kenes ten yeres before he dyed and toke it in great paciē¦ce and wolde no fysyke and oftymes was visityd with Aungells / and he knewe the veray daye of his Deth / he sayde to his Bretherne that after he entered into Rely∣gyon / he neuer fret in malyce / nor detraccyō w^t any {per}son that for any cause taryed with hym tyll nyghte / and y^t he had louyd alway peace / & Broderly loue / & his owne espi¦rituell quietnes / & he wente to our lord y^e day before y^e fir∣ste Idus of Ianuarye in y^e yere of our lorde god a.M.a hūdred .lxvi. and dyuers thynges be here omytted &c.

¶De sancto Amphybalo martire.

WHen seynt Amphibell had cōuertyd seynt Al¦bon / seynt Albon aduertysed hym to go oute of the Cytie / & so he went into wales & after when seynt Albon was martyred & a great multytude of people sawe a bryght Pyller as¦cende fro his toumbe to heuyn / they mere conuerted and sent for seynt Amphibell to instructe theym in y^e feyth / & the messengers foūde hym in Wales prechynge to y^e peo¦ple /

and in the meane tyme a noyse rose in the Cytie that some of the Cytye wolde goo w^t Amphybell ouer y^e see & caste away y^e worshyppynge of theyr goddes / wherfore a great company of the people furyously went to hym & when they founde hym they boūde his armes and made hym goo before theyr horses barefote / and in the way he helyd a syke man / Aud when men of verolame met hym they put hym to cruell Martyrdome / And many seynge his constaunce were conuerted / wherfore they were put to deth in his syghte a.M. persones whome he cōmytted ioyously to our Lord / & as he was stoned he was ī pray∣er / & sawe our Lord w^t many aūgelles & seynt Albō was amōge them & a voyce sayd y^t he shuld be with his discy∣ples in {per}adyse / And so Aungels toke his sowle to heuyn / And all y^t dyd any thynge ageynst hym were greuously punysshed by y^e hāde of god / & y^e people seyng y^e terryble punysshemēt y^t folowid were all cōuertyd / & many went to Rome to do penaūce / & he was buryed at Radbourne & lay there longe ••yme vnknowen / And by reuelacion of seynt albō his body was foūde / & brought to seint albōs.

¶De sancto Anselmo archiepiscopo.

SEynt anselme was borne in y^e Cytie of Augustā in the moūtes of Alpey / and ī his youth he came to the monasterye of Becceuse in Normandye / And there he was .iii. yeres vnder lamfranke / & lyued a Religious lyfe / & whē lamfrāke was takyn to y^e rule of y^e monastery of cadomence anselme was made Pryour of Becceuse / & he abstractid hys mynde fro y^e worlde & wor¦dely thynges & gaue hym holly to study & cōtemplacyon And he assoylyd many doutes in scripture / that had not

ben assoyled afore his tyme / And he absteynyd so moche that all glotony was extincte ī hym so that he had no hū∣gre nor desyre of etynge as other men haue / a yonge bro¦der of frowarde maners enuyed hym / & he suffred hym all that he mought / not brekynge the rules of the religiō a longe tyme wherby at the laste the chylde began to lo∣ue seynt anselme / and wolde here his monycions and at laste take his correccyons and an olde broder that longe had enuyed hym when he lay syke / cryed out and sayd y^t two wood wulphes were betwixte his armes that wolde strangle hym / and seynt Anselme herynge that / made y^e signe of the Crosse / and so they wente away & then glad¦lye he toke penaunce / Seynt anselme wrote many Bo∣kes / & the Deuyll had great enuy to them / & somtyme he tere them in pecys / And he shewyd by dyuerse / godlye ex¦aūples y^t chyldren shulde aswell be Instructyd by feyre meanes / as by rygoure / And after he was made Abbot he vsed moche contemplacyon / and appoyntyd other ap¦prouyd men to haue rule vnder hym / & he was dylygent in receyuynge of gestys / And after he came into Englōd where after the deth of seynt Lāfrāke he was made arch¦busshope of Caūterbury in the tyme of wyllyam Rufus which was a great tyraūte & oppresser of the Churche / And by cause seynt Anselme namyd Pope vrban as Po¦pe / The kynge toke great displeasour / And anon dyuer¦se of the Busshoppes gaue vp theyr obedyēce to Seynt anselme / And after when he had asked thryseleue of the Kynge to goo to Rome / the Kynge bad hym leue y^t pur∣pose / or go his wey without Retournynge / and after he went to Rome / and there he had a decre for makynge of Busshopes y^t they sholde not be made by geuynge of a staffe / and as he came homewarde he sawe in vyfyon y^•

••l the seyntys of Englond complayned to our lorde of y^e Kynge / And our lorde gaue a burnynge Arowe to seynt Albon / & he sayde he wolde take it to a wicked spiryt that was a taker of vengeaūce for synne / And so he threwe it into the Erthe lyke a comet sterre by which vision seynt Anselme knewe y^t the kynge was deed / And after he ca∣me into Englonde / & by deseyre of Kynge henry the furst he went agayne to Rome to chaūge the decre / & when y^e Kynge knewe the Pope wolde not chaūge it he seased y^e Busshopryche of Cauterbury into his handys / And af∣ter y^• Kynge and he were agreed / And the kynge lefte y^e olde custome of makynge of Busshoppes by geuynge of a staffe / and in the yere of our lorde a.M.a hundred &.ix. full of good werkys / he went to our Lorde the .xi. kalen∣das of Maii / and lyeth at Caunterbury.

¶De sancto Audoeno ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt audowen was archebusshpe of Roane / & after he was chosē / he wolde not p̄sume anon to take it vppō hym / but went fyrste into Spayne / And there prechyd to the people / and by his prayer they hadde abundaūce of Rayne that were before .vii. yerys w^toute / And he went to our Lorde the .ix kalendas of sep¦tember / and was buryed in Roan / And .xxx. yerys after his body was found vncorrupte / And in the tyme of kyn∣ge Edgare foure clerkys came to his courte / And tolde hym that they had brought w^t them the Relykys of seynt Audoen / And when he doubtyd / and marueylyd therat they sayde without it appere by Myracles that it is soo let theym be punysshed / and put out of the Realme / and the Kynge sayde that it belonged to Spyrytuell examy¦nacyon / and not to hym / And bad them tarye tyll the Ar¦chebusshope odo came / And whā y^• Archbusshop came y^e

Clerkes {per}seuered in that oppynyon / and prayde that it mought be tryed by y^e shewynge of almyghty god / And so a Lepour was brought furthe / & with deuoute prayer the Archebussope made a Crosse ouer hym with Bones that they brought / And anon he was hoole / and a man syke of the palsey with y^e hede / and with deuoute prayer made in the name of seynt Audoen was also made hoole And so y^e relykys with great honoure were had to Caū¦terbury / and the sayde clerkys seynge y^e place were ma∣de Monkes & they endyd theyr lyues in y^e seruyce of our Lorde and of seynt Audoen / & in his Lyfe be many nota¦ble thynges of his vertues counceyles / and myracles.

De sancto Augustino episcopo & confessore.

SEynt gregory sawe englysshe Chyldrē to sell at Rome & when he had lerned y^t they were callyd Angli / & y^t they were not Cristened / he sayde it was great pyte y^t the spyryte of Derkenes shuld haue so feyre People / for he sayde they were well callyd Angli / quasi angeli / And so he had great desyre to haue prechid y^e seythe to them hymselfe but y^t the people of rome wold not suffre hym to go so ferre / & therfore whē he was ma∣de Pope he sent seynt Augustyne & many other into En∣glonde as he had lōge desyred / & they toke w^t them inter∣pretours out of Fraunce / and they landyd in the Ile of Tannet / and Ethelbertus was then kynge in Kent / and he had maryed a Lady of the Kynges blode of Fraunce which was Cristened / And whē they shuld mete y^e Kyn∣ge they brought before them a Crosse and an Image of our Lord / And when seynt Augustyne had made a lōge sermon to y^e Kynge / of the power of our lorde / of his pas∣syon

/ and resurreccyon / & of the entent of theyr cōmynge that it was to haue hym forsake Idollys / and beleue in our lorde / and so to come to an euerlastinge kyngedom / the Kynge fayde bycause they were come fro farre coun∣tres to shewe hym that they thought was best / he wolde receyue theym fauorably / and mynystre to theym suche as they neded / but as to chaūge his beleue / that his aun∣cestoures had so longe kepte / he wolde take respyte the∣rein / and so he appoynted theym a lodgynge in Caūter¦burye / and gaue theym lycence to conuerte as many as they coulde / and after the Kynge seynge theyr blessyd ly¦fe / & Myracles that they dyd / was conuerted / And seynt Augustyne was made archebusshope of Caunterbury / of the Busshope of Arelatense / and anone seynt Augu∣styne sent to rome to seynt Gregory certayn interrogaci¦ons wherto seynt gregory answered at great lēgth as ī y^e Legēde apperyth / & also seynt Gregory wrote dyuers goodly Epystles to the Kynge ethelbert to the quene / to seynt Augustyn•• & to seynt mellyte / & amōge other thyn¦ges he dispraysyth moche the vse in some contreys that women do not norysshe theyr owne Chyldren / and exor∣teth theym to do it / and seynt Augustyne with the helpe of the kynge Ethelberte had a great metynge with the Busshopes / and clergye of Wales / to refourme the tyme of kepynge of Estre / & dyuerse other thynges that they vsed agaynste the good ordre of the Churche / and to ha∣••e theym charytably by cōmon assent / mynystre the wor¦de of god to the people / and they Refused / and whenne Seynt Augustyne hadde helyd a blynde Man in pro∣uynge that theyr Tradycyons were not good / yet they toke lōger respyte to a nother day / & at y^t day they retour¦ned w^tout makynge accorde / by cause seynt Augustyne

rose not to them when they came which they Iudged to be of pryde / and many of the famous monasterye of Bā¦gor wherin were .xxi. hundred Monkys were there at y^t day / wherfore moch parte of thē were after destroyed by Ethelfrydus kynge of Northamhumbre a pagā bycau∣se it was shewyd hym they came to praye for a Kynge y^t was his enemy / And seynt Augustyne went to yorke on foote to Preche / & there he helyd oon of the Palsey / and there he cristened aboue .x. thousande people / And as he went fro thēs he helyd a lepoure / at Cerne in dorset shy∣re our Lorde apperyd to hym / And famylierly spake to hym / and conforted hym and sayde he was with hym in all that he dyd / and in the place where our Lorde stode he sette his staffe / and there sprange vppe a fayre Welle whenne he was at Cumpton in oxforde shyre it was she∣wyd hym y^t the lord there wolde not pay his tythes / & af¦ter as he was goynge to masse / he cōmaūded y^t no man accursed shulde abyde within the Churche / And anon a deed Body arose and went into the Churcheyarde / and seynt Agustyne went to hym and askyd what he was / & he sayde he was somtyme Lorde of that maner / and be∣cause he wolde not pay his tythes / he was Accursyd by the Curat / and so he Dyed / And anon the curat by com∣maundement of seynt Augustyne rose / and there assoy∣led hym / & so they fell agayne to Asshes / & when he that denyed payment of his tythes had seen this / he fell dow∣ne to the foot of seynt Augustyne / and confessyd his offē¦ce & euer after was discyple to seynt Augustyne / he went alwayes on foot somtyme barefoot / and with longe kne¦lynge he had great calles on his knees / and in his tyme kynge Ethelberte made seynt poules Churche in Lōdō •• he made two Busshoppes oon at London & anoder at

Rochester & he went out of this world the .vii. kalendas of Iune & lyeth at Caūterbury / & he was translatyd in y^e yere of our Lorde god a.M.lxxxxi. the thyrde day before the natyuyte of our Lady.

¶De sancto Bartholomeo monacho.

SEynt bartylmew was borne in the prouynce of whithe / and in his youth he sawe w^t his bodelye eye our Lady / seynt Peter & seynt Iohn̄ euāge∣lyst / & our Lady with a plesaunte countenaūce bad hym kys the steppes of her sone and aske of hym mercy / and whē he lay {pro}strate / and cryed thryse haue mercy on me / our Lorde answeryd I haue mercy on the / and for euer shall haue mercy on the / and after he entred into relygy¦on at Duresme / And as he knelyd before the crucyfyx he sawe in spyryte the crucyfyxe bowe downe to hym / and take hym in his armes & kysse hym / And he lyued in gre¦te humilite / & obedyence / & suche werkes of god as other Bretherne dyd forgette or coulde not doo he wolde per∣fourme for he wolde sey that oon Brother shuld euer hel¦pe fourthe a nother / And after by monycyon of Seynt Cuthberte he wente to the Ile of Pharnense / for that place he sayde was ordeynyd for hym of God / and the∣re he lyuyd a Strayghte / and Blessyd lyfe many yerys And a lyfe of great exaūple in his dyet Fastynge / Pray∣enge / and in his apparell / And he was of suche reueren∣ce / and goodly demeanoure that Ryche proude men we¦re aferde to appere afore hym / And at his desyre wolde ••ote tymes cease fro hurtyng of poure men / And he was full of Charyte to syke men / & poure men & alwaye coū∣ceylyd theym to lede theyr lyfe in Pacyence the Deuyll hadde great malyce to hym / & apperyd to hym somtyme

lyke a Lyon / lyke a Bulle / or lyke an Ape / and ones he laye so heuy vppon hym and helde his Throte so harde that he had well nere fayled vnder hym / and as he cryed oure Lady helpe / he was delyuered / And he was wonte to saye that the wycked spyryt was but frayle / and lyke Smoke and soon wolde be ouercōme / And on a nyghte he sawe seynt Cuthbert come vysybly to the Aulter / and make hym redye to saye Masse / And he helpyd hym to Masse to the ende / And the Ile of Pharnense is full of Byrdys that be callyd seynt Cuthbertys Byrdys / And one of theym hadde loste her Byrde in a Rocke / and she came and pullyd seynt bartylmewe by the Skyrte / and ledde hym to the place / And soo he toke out the Byrde / and anone they wente into the water / and he knewe the tyme of his Deth .ix. yere before he Dyed / And he dyed on mydsomerday / & lyeth in the Ile of Pharnense. &c.

¶De sancto Benedicto cognomento Biscop.

SEynt benet Byscop was of noble Blode of En∣glonde / and hadde great possessyons geuyn hym by Kynge oswy which he refused / and entred into Rely∣gyon in the Ile of lyxmense / and whenne he had ben the¦re .ii. yeres / he wente to Rome / and came agayne with Seynt Theodre whenne he came into Englonde / and broughte with hym many Relykys / And after he made. two Monasteryes / one of Seynt Peter / and anoder of Seynt Paule where venerable bede was broughte vp∣pe / And he was Mayster to venerable Bede / and fyue tymes he was at Rome / and alwey retournyd with mo∣che Rycheses of heuenly thynges / and he studyed alway to prophyt theym that were vnder hym / both in werke &

exaumple / And he yeldyd vp his spyryt to our Lorde the day before the Idus of Ianuary / the yere of our Lorde seuyn hundred and thre.

¶De venerabili Bede p̄sbitero.

UEnerable bede was borne in Gyrwence a lytle fro y^e ryuer of Tyne / And he was brought vpe vnder seynt Benet Busshope in the monaste∣ryes that the sayde seynt Benet made by the Ryuers of Tyn and were / And after he had attayned great cūnyn¦ge in lyberall scyence he gaue hym to study of scrypture And he lernyd Greke / and Latten tonge of the discyples of seynt Theodre / and seynt Adryan / And as he encrea∣syd in cōnynge and wisdome / he encreasyd also ī the dre∣de of our Lorde / And amonge .vi.C. Bretherne that we∣re in bothe monasteryes what so euer any of theym had in vertue it was hoole in this blessyd man / & in the .ix. ye∣re of his age he toke Dekon / and at Thyrty prechyd of seynt Iohn̄ of beuerlay / and all that tyme he gaue study to Rulys of his Relygyon and to Scripture / and was alway Redynge / Wrytynge / or Techynge / And many came to hym to be assoylyd of doughtys in Scrypture And those that myght not come sent to hym by Wrytyn∣ge / And his fame was spronge soo farre that it came to Rome / And the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wrote to his Abbotte coylfryde to sende hym to Rome to assoyle certeyn doughtis there in Scripture / but whether he went or not it was not exp̄s∣syd / And .vii. wekes before his deth he had great desease in his stomake / and drewe his breth thycke & notwithstō¦dynge he lost not his study / And all that tyme besyde his duty he sayde dayly certeyne deuocyons / And he askyd

of our Lorde that he that had geuyn hym grace to ha•••• cunnynge & vnderstondynge of his wordys / y^t he wolde geue hym grace to come to the euerlastynge welle of cū∣nynge in heuyn / And thanne he teurned to his bretherne and sayd to them that he couetyd to be dissoluyd & to be with our Lorde / And prayed them if he had any thynge laboured for them / or prophytyd in any maner to y^t chur¦che of god that they wolde therfore haue hym in remem∣braūce in theyr prayers and lyuynge / vppon heere with hooll mynde / & mery Countenaunce he made a specyall Prayer to y^e holy Goost / And as he sayd (Gloria patry & Filio et spiritui sancto) with y^e namynge of y^e holy Goost he yeldyd vp his spyryt the .vii. kalendas of Iune with so swete a Sauoure that all that were presente thoughte they had byn in paradyce / And lyeth nowe with the Bo∣dye of Seynt Cuthbert / And in the legende appere two causes why he was callyd venerable Bede / & not seynt Bede that for shortnes be here omytted / And some men adde therto a nother cause that his om••lyes were of such Auctoryte that they were redde in his lyfe / And then he was callyd venerable Bede / And not seynt Bede for it hadde not ben cōuenyent / And so that name that he had geuyn hym in his lyffe cōtynued after his deth. &c.

¶De sancto Benygno ep̄o & confessore.

AFter seynt Benygne had ben many yerys a Busshope in Irlande he was warnyd by an Aungell that he shuld leue his owne Coūtrey And lyue in Deserte / and soo he lefte Irlonde / and came to Glastonbury / And there he founde seynt Patryke / & he bad hym goo forthe and set his staffe in the grounde

and if it were y^e place that was appoyntyd for hym by ou¦re Lorde it shulde growe / And soo he went fourthe with one Chylde / and came into the Ile of Ferramoure And there he sette his staffe in the Groūde which grewe and bare leuys / And that place lackyd water / And as y^e chyl∣de was fettynge water farre of and slepte by the way the deuyll stale away his vessell / Wherfore when he awoke he was very heuy / And chargyd hym that had takyn it awaye in the name of god whom his Mayster benygne dyd worshyppe / that he shuld brynge it agayne / And thē y^e Deuyll had no power to kepe it ony lōger but brought it agayne / And when his Mayster harde therof he pray¦de hertely to our Lord / and an Aungell apperyd to hym and bad hym sende his Chylde into the Eest parte of his Celle / and byd hym sette his staffe in the grownde / and he shulde haue water / and soo he dyd and hadde Water in suche habundaunce that a Ryuer is rysen therof whe∣re was none before / And he mette with the Deuyll on a Brydge / and askyd hym what he dyd there / And he say∣de he came to deceyue hym and he toke hym / & with his staffe all to bete hym / and after he threwe hym into a de∣pe Pytte where to this Daye no man dare come / for it is sayd it hath no bottom / & he shewyd y^e Bretherne y^e very houre of his deth and in theyr handys lyftynge / vp his eyen into Heuyn / he yeldyd his sowlle to our Lorde the thyrde nonas of Nouembre / And in the yere of our Lor∣de a thousande foure score & aleuyn his body was takyn vppe & borne to the Churche of Glastonbury / And the Abbot with one of his Bones blessyd the people and dy∣uerse of theym were helyd of theyr diseases.

De sancto Bernaco abbate & confessore.

SEynt bernake was of noble Blode & fro his you the kepte the commaundementys of God / And had great Ryches whiche he forsoke and wente to Rome / and there by his Prayer he dystroyed a cruell Monstre that had dystroyed moche people / And when he began to be moche magnyfyed of the people he with∣drewe hymselfe pryuely and came to lytle Brytayne and there dyd many myracles / and eftsones eschewynge the prayse of the worlde he came alone to the Seesyde / and when he founde no Shyppe redy he cōmytted hymselfe to our Lorde / and vpon a stone he came ouer the See in to Northwales and there he droue away wicked spryry∣tys fro a place that he enhabyted in the whiche afore his tyme was inhabytable / And he punysshed his Body w^t great fastynge ofte / vigyllys / and sharpe Clothes / And that he kepte fro hym selfe he gaue to poure men / He ma¦de somtyme Hartys to drawe in the chare / And a wulfe to kepe his Cowe / And on a tyme when his Cowe was taken away by the kynges commaundement the water y^t she shuld haue ben soden in wolde in no wyse be hoote wherfore the kynge came to hym on his bare feet / And as¦ked forgeuenes And he forgaue hym and afore them all reysyd the Cowe agayne / And for the Kynges souper of water he made wyne / and of stonys Fysshe / And in y^e mornynge the Kynge discharged his place and all ther∣to {per}teynynge fro all exaccyons And he went to our Lor∣de the .vii. Idus of Apryll.

¶De sancto Birino ep̄o & confe••••ore.

SEynt birine was made Busshope by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ho∣noryus and wassente into Englonde to Preche the worde of god in tho partyes where it hadde not ben prechyd afore / And when he was on the see he re∣membred that he had forgotten behynde hym his palle y^t he was wonte to mynystre the blessyd sacrament vppon And so he armyd hym selfe with faythe / and went out of the Shyppe into the see & went vpon the water / & fet his palle & came agayne to the Shyppe & foūde it standyng styll vnto his cūmynge agayne which before went a gre¦te course / And many in the shyppeseynge that Myracle were conuertyd. And so .xxxviii. yere after the cōmynge of seynt Augustyne he came into a porte amonge the peo¦ple of the westsaxons that were then all Paganes / And there he helyd a woman that myght neytherhere nor see And cristenyd the Kynge kynegylfus and seynt Oswal∣de the Kynge that then was come into tho partyes to ma¦ry the Kynge kynegylfus doughter was his godfader & both the Kynges gaue to seynt Byryne dorchestre to ma¦ke a Busshoppes see therin / And putte therin two Cha∣nons seculers / And in the tyme of Wyllyam conquerou∣re that see was translatyd to Lyncolne by the Busshope remyge / And in the tyme of Kynge steuyn the Bussope Alexaunder put Chanons reguler into Dorchestre / and bede de gestys Anglorū wrytyth y^t after so y^t byryne had conuertyd moche people / & buylded many Churches he dyed & was buryed in Dorchester & y^t he was after trans¦latyd to wynchester by hedda the busshope / & thereupon was great sute bytwixte Wynchestre / & Dorchestre for his Body & the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••rote downe a Bulle to enquere the trouthe / And it apperyth not in the Legende what en¦de it toke / but it semyth to be the more {pro}bable oppynyon

that he lyeth at Dorchester for it was prouyd that myra∣cles had be doon in his name at Dorchester.

¶De sancto Bonifacio ep̄o & martyre.

SEynt bonyface was borne in Englonde / & whē he was but fyue yere olde / he wolde heresermōs and dylygētly enquere what shulde be prophy∣table to hym for the lyfe to come / And after he entered in∣to Relygyon at huntstell / And there he opteynyd great lernynge in holy Scripture / and gaue all men exaum∣ple of good lyuynge so that his name was spred ī all mo∣nasteryes / And vppon great delyberacyon he askydly∣cense of his Abbot to preche to paganes to cōuerte them to y^e fayth / And after he went to Rome And there he was honorably reseyuyd of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gregory the seconde & was made Busshope / And after he cōuertyd moche peo¦ple to the faythe in the countreys of Fryson / Turynge / Saxony / and Hesson / And diuersemen of Englonde he rynge his fame came out of Englond / and assysted hym moche in Wrytynge / Redynge / and Prechynge / And af¦ter he sent to Rome and made reporte to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of that he hadde doon / And when he hadde Buyldyd dyuerse Monasteryes & Chyrches he went to Rome hymselfe w^t a great Cumpany of dyscyples and there moche people cam to here his doctryne / And Charlemayne Kynge of Fraunce made hym after Busshope of Magunce / And anon he destroyed Heresyes there / And enducyd y^e Peo¦ple to kepe the synodales after the Lawe of the Church•• whiche afore his tyme were in tho partyes nyghe forgo••¦••on he wrote a Letter to Ethelbalde kynge of Englond praysynge hym moch in that he was a great geuer of ab••••

••••••es / And y^e he punysshed offenders / louyd peace / & defē¦dyd Wydowes & Orphanes but that he lefte his Wyfe & lyuyd in aduoutry / He reprouyd hym moche / & shewyd hym exaūples of dyuerse Kynges y^t for y^• vyce were gre∣uously punysshed of almyghty god / & the sayd ethelbald bycause he folowed not his Counceyll was slayne by a Tyrant / and was buryed at Repyngedon̄ / And when saynt Bonyface was of great age he lefte his Busshop∣ryche to lullo a man of approuyd maners & sheuyd hym that his tyme of Resolucion out of this worlde drewe ne¦re / And anon after he went into y^e coūtrey of Frysons / & there he cōuertyd many thousand is of people / And buyl¦dyd Churches / and made a Monasterye & ordeynyd to them a Busshope / And on a tyme as he with his compa∣ny was lodged in a Medowe in tentys Theuys suppo∣synge them to haue moche Ryches murdered them / and for theyr stufe the theuys daryed so y^t one of them kyllyd another / And at laste a fewe that were lefte a lyue lokyd in the Fardellys & founde nothynge but a fewe Relykys & Bokys / And lullo brought his Body to a Monastery that he had made a lytyll fro Magunce / he dyed in y^t no¦nas of Iune / in the yere of oure Lorde god seuen Hun∣dred .lv.

¶De sctō Botulpho abbate & cōfessore.

AFter the sanxons had cōquered this realme of Englonde / and after y^e Faythe was somwhat receyuyd but that it was moche grosely / ma∣ny noble men of Englonde sente theyr Chyldren into ol∣de Saxony to be more fully Instructe in the Feythe & in Holy conuersacion / Amonge whome Botulphe and

his broder adulphe were sent thyder which anon sought for a Monastery / and entered into Relygyon where bo¦thulphe amonge parfyt men was reseyuyd to be a may∣ster / And after he dysposyd hym selfe to cum agayne in∣to Englonde / And .ii. Systers of the Kynge of South englonde / which were also sent into those partyes to ler∣ne vertues sent by Bothulphe to the Kynge theyr Bro∣der / And desyred that he shulde gyue to Bothulphe a cer¦teyn grounde to buylde a Monasterye vppon / And he agreed therto / And so he buyldyd a Menasterye in a de¦serte callyd Ikanhoo which then was full of wyckyd spi¦ritys / And by his prayers & with the sygne of the Crosse he droue theym all away / And anone he gaderyd dyscy∣ples / and that he had lernyd by yonde the see he shewyd to his dyscyples dylygentlye / He hadde no pryde nor fro¦warde maners but in all thynge he was humble / & meke he dyd many Myracles in his Lyfe / And he had the spy∣ryte of prophecye / and shewyd thynges y^t were to come as though they had ben paste / And when he was sykely¦ke Iobbe he was pacyent euer spekynge for the helth of soulys / & of y^e Ioyes of heuen / And admonysshed his bre¦therne to obserue the rule of theyr relygyon and he went fro the Pryson of this Lyfe the .xv. kalendas of Iune / & was buryed in the Monastery that he had made which after his Deth was destroyed by Danes / And after a p̄¦ste by commaundement of seynt Ethelwolde wolde ha∣ue takyn vppe his Relykes / and they wolde not remoue tyll he toke vppe also y^e relykes of seynt adulphe / and the hed of seynt Botulphe was sente to Ely and his Bodye with the bodye of seynt Adulphe were had to thorney.

¶De sancto Bregwino ep̄o & cōfessore.

SEynt bregwyn was borne in saxonye & he was chosen of god in his moders wombe / And for lo∣ue of the great lernynge that fro y^e tyme of seynt Theodre flowryd in Englonde / he lefte his owne Coun¦tre & came into Englōd / And anon he prophyted moche in holy Techynge & heuynly wisdome / And at last forsa∣kynge this deceytfull Worlde / he assocyatyd hym selfe to a college of Monkys / and he was Busshope after seynt Cuthbert / And shone soo clere in vertuous werkes that euery man myghte se in his steppys the wey to lyue ver∣tuously / And y^e thyrde yere after he was made Busshop he went to heuyn the .vii. kalendas of Septēbre / & lyeth at Caunterbury / A man without reuerence set his corne vppon seynt Bregwyns toumbe / and anone it was thro¦wen a good space of / And the seconde tyme it was spar∣kled all the pauement wherfore his shryne was after had in more reuerence / And a lame man that went of all fou∣re at his toumbe was made hoole.

¶De sancto Brendano abbate.

SEynt brendane was borne in the weste parte of Irlonde / And his Moder when she was w^t chyl¦de w^t hym sawe her bosome full of shynyge gold And hyrtetys Shynynge with a merueylous bryght∣nes whiche vysyon Ercus the Busshope enterpretyd to sygnyfye that she shulde bere a Chylde of great holynes And in the nyght when he was borne Ercus the Bussho¦pe sawe all the prouynce illumyned with a great lyghte And aungells fleynge aboute in whyte vesture / And the Busshope nourysshyd the Chylde / and brought hym vp in holy lernynge & as y^e Busshope & the Chylde were to¦gether

a man came faste rennynge for fere of his enem••¦es / And the chylde bade hym goo to a stone therby & fe•••• nothynge / And whan his enemyes came they stroke the stone takynge it for the man / & the man for the stone / and when they knewe the meruaylous werke of God therin they toke penaunce / & to theyr deth lyued with the Bus∣shope Laudynge / and praysynge our Lorde / And after seynt Brendan shewyd the Busshope that he wolde goo lerne the Rulys of the holy Faders of that Ile / And the Busshope assentyd thynkynge that that mocyō came of our Lorde / And whē he had byn with a nother holy Bus¦shope an Aungell bad hym wryte a Rule / and soohe dyd whiche contynueth to this day / And after he lefte y^e worl¦de / and was Fader of .iii.M. mōkys / and he made .xiiii. Rulers ouer theym / and lyuyd hymfelfe in an Oratorye with them / and after he saylyd many longe wayes in the See / and escapyd many peryllys in that iourney by the speciall assystaunce of our Lorde / and when he had ben fourthe .vii. yere he retournyd agayne to his Monaste∣ry / and there his staffe was leyde vppon a Chylde that was deed / & after .iii. dayes he rose agayne to lyffe whē .ii. kynges varyed / & entendyd to haue destroyde others cuntrey & by his entreatyce wolde not ceace by his pray∣ers they were made in such case that they coulde not goo out of y^e place where they were / wherby they knewe they¦re defaute / and lefte theyr enterpryse / And he went oute of this Worlde full of good Werkys / and great Myra∣cles the .xvii. kalendas of Iune / at cluenarca.

¶De sancta Brigida virgine.

SEynt bryde was borne in Irloude / & her moder when she was with Chylde with her was solde in bondage to a wiche and she caste vppe all the mete that she reseyuyd of the wyches / And he perceyuyd it & sayd that he was vnclene / and that the Mayde was full of y^e spirit of god / and coulde not take his mete / and so he gaue her a Cowe of her owne with whose Mylke she was fedde / She was full of Pyte / & hadde great cō∣passyon to pore men and gaue all that she had to theym in Almes in her youth she gaue Butter to pore men / And whenne the wich which was her Mayster was angrye therwith by her prayer it encreasyd agayne / And he se∣ynge that / was conuertyd and gaue her .xii. Kyne / and made her free / and sent her to her fader & after her fader thoughte to sell her agayne bycause she gaue pryuely to poure men all that she myghte gette / And offerd to selle hyr to the Kynge / And when the kynge askyd of her why she gaue awaye her faders swerde / she sayde she had ge∣uyn it to our Lorde / and if he askyd of her the Kynge & her father both / she sayde she wolde gladly gyue theym both vnto hym / and then the Kynge gaue her aswerde to gyue her Father / She was euer ententyfe to a hoole clēnesse / & sobrenes / And euer encreasyd fro vtue to vtue And she prayde to our Lorde y^t some deformyte myghte falle vppō her / y^t no man shuld aske her in maryage / and anone ••on of her eyen wente out / And when she was ma¦de a Nonne her eye was hole agayn / Certeyne Ale y^t she made of a stryke of malte seruyd moch people all y^e vtas of ester / she helyd Lepours men syke of y^e Palsey / blynde obcessyd of deuyllys / a vgyn y^t was blynde prayde seynt

Bryde to blesse her eyen y^• she myghtse / & she dyd so Ar¦anon she had hyr syghte / & thē she prayde her to close her eyen agayne for the more y^t a man is absent fro y^e world the nerer he is to God / And then seynt Bryde closyd her eyen agayne / and on a nyght in frost & snowe whē other slepte / she went into a Ponde wepynge & prayde / And so she thoughte to haue perseueryd / but y^t oure Lord other / wyse dysposyd / And she knewe when her tyme to passe out of this worlde drewe nere / And aboute y^e yere of our Lorde fyue hundred and .xviii. she went to our Lorde in the kalendas of February.

¶De sancto Brythuno abbate.

SEynt brythune was borne in Englōd / and was Discyple to seynt Iohn̄ of Beuerlay many ye∣rys / And for his holy Lyfe / and laudable cōuer∣sacion he hadde hym in great famylyaryte before other / And he made him Abbot of deirwodde now callyd Be∣uerley / He was a Louer of vertues / and a persecutor of vyces / A dyspyser of the worlde / and desyrous of y^e kyng¦dome of heuyn / and a dylygent instructour of the flocke to hym commyted a executoure of Iustyce and Pyte / A great gyuer of Almes / And a keper of Hospytalyte and redye to doo all thynges that he myghte please our Lor¦de with all / And he lyued in good Werkys vnto grea•• Aege / And endyd his Lyfe in the Ious of Maii / and was Buryed in his Monasterye / And after the Clergy and the people seynge the great Myracles & Sygnys that our Lorde shewyd for hym by a comyn assent trans¦latyd his Body / and leyde it by his mayster seynt Iohn̄ of Beruerley.

De sctō Bertelmo heremita & confessore.

SEynt bartelyn was sone of the kynge of Kynge of the countrey of Stafforde / & he lefte his coun¦trey and went into Irlonde / & there was in gre∣te famylyaryte with a Kynge of Irlonde / And there by entysynge of the Goostly enemy / he gate the Kynges doughter with chylde and pryuely brought her into En¦glonde / And in a Forest she traueylyd where bothe she & the Chylde were kyllyd with Wolfes / which he accomp∣ted to be his defaute wherfore he dyd great penaūce ma¦ny yerys / and the Deuylle temptyd hym to make of sto∣ne Brede / and to the contrary he made of Brede a stone that yet remaynyth at Bertesmesley / and after he wente with seynt Guthlake fro kependon / to Croulande & the∣re he lyuyd with hym many yerys in great penaunce do¦ynge / And when seynt Guthlake was goon oute of this transytorye Lyfe / And seynt Bertelyn hadde seen hym Buryed he retourned agayne to his Fader / And he ga∣ue hym y^e groūde where staff is now Buyldyd thē beyn∣ge growen with Busshes / & breerys to lyue therin a soly¦tary Lyfe / but his fader knewe not that it was his sone / And after his faders deth a Kynge that enteryd the Re∣alme by myght wolde haue takyn the grounde fro hym vnder coloure of lawe / and offerde to ioyne batayle ther¦fore / And by an Aungell that was his champyon he de∣fendyd it / and after that the Kynge and all the people lo¦uyd hym as theyr owne Father / And he aduoydynge tē∣porall honoure / Lefte that place and Lyued in Deserte placys in prayers & vygyll & endyd this Lyfe y^e .v. Ious of September / And at Stafforde our Lorde hathe she ••••yd for this holy man many great Myracles.

De sancto Cadoco ep̄o.

SEynt cadoke was sone to Kynge gūdlens / and before his byrthe there were seen in the Chaum¦ber where is moder was .iiii. Laūpes at .iiii. cor∣ners of the Chaumber with a great lyghte / And when he was borne an Aūgell bad the Kynge take a holy Ere∣myte which on the morowe shulde come vnto hym to cry¦sten his sone / And the same Nyght of his Byrthe all the Cellers were founde full of Oyle and Hony / And when he came to age in vyle habyt he vsyd to be at the Church And at nyghte he toke a lytell Brede and Water / and all that he had he gaue to poure men / And when he was de¦syryd to play he wolde go to the Churche and pray cry∣enge out of the blyndenesse of man that euer couetyd trā¦sitorye thynges / and forsoke thynges euerlastynge / sey∣inge that when the dredefull day of our Lord shall come laughynge shall be tournyd into waylynge / and waylyn¦ge into Ioye / This blessyd man was a man of great per¦feccyon / And had synguler gracys of oure Lorde as in his Lyfe apperyth which be here omyttyd / he was thry∣se at Iherusalem / and .vii. tymes at Rome / And by the gyfte of our Lorde he spake in dyuerse langages / And by his prayer a Quene that was Barayne conceyuyd & had a sone that after was his successoure / by his prayers a great Derkenes fell aboute a Kynge that wolde haue dystroyed his Countrey so that the Kynge myght se no∣thynge / And when the Kynge repentyd hym the lyghte came agayne / He conuertyd moche people in Scotlan∣de / & there reryd a gyant that had ben many yerys deed & was in Hell / His monastery was in wales .iii. myle fro conbrydge and as he was comynge fro seynt myghellys moūte in Cornewalle and was very drye / he strake his

staffe in the groūde & a fayre watersprange vp / & therby is a Churche buyldyd in honoure of his name / & after by the porueyaunce of god he was made Abbot of beneuen tane beyonde y^• see / & he was sodeynly had thyder by aū¦gels / and there he was namyd sophye / And after he was made Busshope there / And as he was seyinge masse he was stryken to the deth by company of a Tyraunt that came to destroye the Cyte / and he had grauntyd to hym of our Lord that who so euerbeynge in trouble callyd to hym for helpe / our Lorde shuld delyuer hym / And soo he yeldyd his spirit to our Lord y^e .ix. kalēdas of February.

¶De sancto Carodoco.

SEynt carodoke was borne in wales / and in his youth he went to Lernynge / & after he was in ser¦uyce with the Prynce of south wales / & there he had the kepynge of two Greyhoundes / & for Lesynge of them the kynge thret hym with great Punysshement of deth / And then Carodokesayde he wolde serue a May∣ster that wolde geue a better rewarde to his sernauntys And so he went to Landanense / and there he toke orders and after went to seynt Dauythys / and there he toke or∣der of preesthod / and encreacyd fro vertue to vertue / the Deuyll on a tyme apperyd to hym vysybly in lykenes of a man / & he knew hym & feryd hym nothynge / & y^e deuyll offeryd hym his seruyce / And he sayde he wolde none of his seruyce / And after he was in the prouynce of Rosen∣ce / at the Monastery of seynt Ismaell / & there the see by his prayers went fro the Monasterye a great space / and he knewe by reuelacyon as he was at masse y^e certeyne daye of his Deth / & he dyed of the Ares in y^e yere of oure Lord a.M.a.C. & .xxiiii. & is buryed at seynt Dauythis &

many yerys after his body was founde vncorrupte / And when a monke of malmesbury of deuocyon wolde haue cut of oon of his fyngers for a Relyke / He closyd his han¦de and drewe it awaye wherfore the Monke ferynge as∣kyd mekely forgyuenesse.

¶De sancto carantoco.

SEynt carantoke was sone to Kynge keredicus / And when y^e people wolde haue made hym kyn¦ge he fled awaye rather folowynge the wyll of God thē the fauoure of the people / & a whyte doue wente before hym to a place where he made a Churche / after he went into Irlande for loue of seynt Patryke about .xxx. yere before seynt Dauyd was Borne / and he dyd many Myracles / And wyther soo euer he went / an Aungell in lykenes of a doue accompanyed hym / and Daylye / and nyghtlye he sayde Innumerable of prayers / And when he hadde conuertyd moche people in Irlande / he came agayne into his owne countrey at Keretyca / And there our Lorde gaue hym an Aulter that no man coulde tell of what Coloure it was / and he put it into Seuerne and badde it goo before hym thyder as oure Lorde wolde he shuld fynde it / And after at the desyre of Kynge arthour he kyllyd a Serpent / And the Kynge of his Aulter wold haue made a table / and what so euer he set appon it was caste a way / and then it was caste into the see / And there as it came vppe / the Kynge gaue hym the twelfyth par∣te of the grounde / and there he made a Churche / and af∣ter by monycyon of an Aungell he went agayne into Ir¦lande / And there in great Age full of good werkys he went out of this worlde the .xvii. kalendas of Iune / and

is Buryed in a Cytie callyd chernac.

¶De sancto cedd episcopo & confessore.

SEynt Cedd / and thre other Prestys were sente by Oswy kynge of Northamhumbre with pea∣da Kynge of mydle Englonde which hadde mar¦ryed his Doughter to Instructe hym and his people in the feythe / And the sayde peada was Crystenyd before / by the Busshope fynanus / And there seynt Cedd with his companye conuertyd moche people to the Faythe / & after he was takyn fro thens by kynge Oswy / And was sent to Sabertus / Kynge of Eest saxons to Preche the Feythe there / And when he had there conuertyd moche people he resortyd into his contrey / And there the Bus∣shope Fynanus made hym Busshope of eest Englonde / And then he went agayne and gatheryd a great compa∣ny of dyscyples / and taught them regular discyplyne as theyr rudenesse myght bere / And he resortyd ofte īto his coūtrey of Northamhumbrorum / And the Kynge there gaue hym a grounde to make a Monasterye whiche he callyd lestyngey / and he enfourmyd his dyscyples there after the manner of the Monasterye of Lyndyffernens that he was brought vppe in / And before he beganne the foundacyon he Fastyd / and Prayed that the Grounde myght be clensyd fro the olde synnes / And there he went to oure Lorde and lefte his Broder cedda Abbotte after hym / and it is not knowen what daye / nor what yere he Dyed.

¶De sancto Ceddaep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Chadde broder to seynt Cedd was dyscy∣ple to seynt Aidā / And he was sent by Kynge Os¦wy to Caūterbury to be made Busshope of yor∣ke / And bycause the see of Caunterbury was voyde / he was cōsecrate by wyne Busshope of westsaxons / For at that tyme there was no Busshope in all Englonge lau∣fully made Busshope but wyne / And anon he gaue gre∣te dylygence to Redynge / Prayinge / and in humylyte / & went on Prechynge in his dyocyse on Foot / and not on horsbacke / And when seynt Theodre tharchebusshope was sent frome / & sayd he was not duely cōsecrate / he an¦sweryd mekely y^t if he thought he was not duely cōsecra¦te he was cōtentyd to resygne / And he seynge his humy¦lyte sayde he hought not to leue his Busshopryke / but ra¦ther to haue his eleccyon confermyd / And after he was desyred by wlferus Kynge of Marshlonde to be Bus∣shope there and in Lyndesey and so he was / And he had a see in Lychefelde / and in a place two myle fro thens he was wonte to be ofte in Prayers / And the Kynge gaue hym a certeyne grounde in the Prouynce of Lyndesey where he made a Monastery callyd barwe he was full of the drede of god in soo moche that when he harde any contraryous weder he woldelye prostrate in prayer for hym and for the people for fere of Punysshement / for he callyd it a Thretnynge of God and feryd that punysshe¦ment shulde ensue / And a lytyll before his de{per}tynge oute of this worlde oon of his Dyscyples herde a swete voy∣ce of Aungellys syngynge that cam fro heuyn downe to the house where seynt Chadde was in prayer / And they taryed there nyghehalfe an our & after they went agay¦ne

to Heuyn / And the Aungellys shewyd hym that the .vii. Daye folowynge he shulde departe out of this worl∣de / And then he admonysshyd his Bretherne that they shulde kepe Loue and Peace amonge theym / and kepe the rulys of theyr Relygyon / and in the .vii. Daye whiche was the .vi. nonas of Marche as the Aungell hadde she∣wyd hym / he gaue vppe his soule to our Lord as the Aū¦gell had shewyd hym.

¶De sctō Claro presbytero & martyre.

IN the tyme of the gloryous Kynge Edmonde a man of orchester callyd Edwarde and his wyfe prayed to our Lorde with great deuocyon that they myght haue a Chylde that shulde be obedyēt to his wyll / And so they had a sone whome they callyd clare / & they instructyd hym in lernynge / And when he came to age they porposyd to haue maryed hym wherfore he fled ouer the see into Normandy / And there he helyd an Ere¦myte that was sore woundyd / and wente to a Monaste∣rye where seynt odebert was / And after he was desyred by the Eremytys to shewe theym howe they myght saue theyr soullys / And he bad theym here the wordys of our Lorde y^t seyed he y^t wyll folowe me let hym forsake hym selfe take his Crosse & folowe me / & also loue thy Lorde god with all thy Hart & Mynde / & thy Neyghboure as thy selfe / And he sayd to loue God aboue all thynge is to withdrawe thy mynde fro all erthely thynges & to put all his hooll Entente besyly in oure Lorde / & after he wente aboute moch {per}te of Fraūce and buyldyd a Monasterye

at wicassyno / and there he lyued only with Rotys of Er¦bys / and after of malyce he was behedyd the .iiii. daye of Nouember / And he bere his hed to his Monastery / and there he lyeth Buryed where our Lord hath shewyd for hym many myracles.

¶De sctō Clytanco Rege & martyre.

SEynt clytanke was Kynge in south walys / and kepte Iustyce and peace amonge his subiectys And a virgyn that was Doughter to a myghty man Louyd the yonge Kynge / and sayde she wolde ne∣uer be maryed but vnto hym / and oon of the Kyngys ser¦uauntys kendlyd with the Fyre of lybydyousnes which carnally louyd the sayde damesell herynge that answe∣re of malyce / as the Kynge was by a Waters syde in his prayers and deuocyon abydynge / a company of Hūters kyllyd hym traytorously / And when they wolde haue re¦mouyd hym ouer the water his Body was so heuy that it wolde not remoue tyll by goodnes of our Lord it was hadde to a place that our Lord shewyd vnto them / And in the nyghte folowynge a Pyller of Fyre was seen ascē∣dynge fro his Toūbe to heuyn / where a Church is buyl¦dyd in the honoure of his name.

¶De sancto Colfrydo abbate & confessore.

SEynt Colfryde was made Abbot in the monaste¦rye of seynt Paule by the Ryuer of Tyne / And also in the Monastery of Seynt Peter .v. myle

••o thens whiche were foūdyd by Seynt Benet byscop / And he was a man of great wytte / and great dyscressy∣on and feruent ī Loue of Relygyon / And by desyre of the Kynge of Pyctes he wrote an Epystell to hym of the ty∣me of obseruaūce of Estre for in tho dayes were dyuerse oppynyons therin / And also for the tonsure of Clerkys / And whenne the Epystell was redde before the Kynge and his Lordys it was of suche Prophytte Truthe / and profounde sentence / and soo hoole grundyd in scrypture that the Kynge knelyd downe / and thankyd our Lorde that hadde sente hym suche a werke out of the Londe of Englonde / And after moche Spyrytuall exercyse in te∣chynge / Fastynge / and Prayenge in his decrepit age he went towarde Rome / And by the way at Lingonas he was buryed / He dyed the .vii. kalendas of octobre in the yere of our Lord seuyn hundred and syxtene / And in his Iourney dayly he sayd twyse y^e Psalter besyde his hou∣res canonycalle / And euery daye Masse excepte one day whenne he was on the See / And thre Dayes before he dyed.

¶De sancto Columba abbate & confessore.

SEynt columbe was borne of noble Blode in Ir∣lande / And he came into great Brytteyne into y^e Northe pyctes to preche to theym the worde of God the yere of oure Lorde fyue Hundred .lxv. And the south pyctys were before that tyme conuertyd by seynt Ninian / And whenne he hadde couuertyd theym to the faythe he made a Monasterye in the Ile of Hii / he was

a man of Aungellys aspecte and of great Eloquence / he suffred no houre to passe but he was Prayenge / Redyn¦ge / or Doynge some good werkys / He had the spyryte of prophecye / and shewyd thynges to come / as thoughe they hadde ben paste / He was on a tyme accursyd wron∣gefully / And whē he came to the coūceyll seynt Brendan rose to hym / & dyd hym reuerence / & he was blamyd for that he dyd reuerence to a man accursyd / And he sayd he sawe a bryght Pyller of Fyre before hym / and Aūgellys accompanyenge hym wherfore the other began to Ho∣noure hym / he sawe a great companye of blacke Deuyl∣lys come to his Monasterye / And by his Prayers they were all dreuyn a waye fro thens / & they wente streyghte to a nother Monastery / and brought thyder Sykenes / and Pestylence / and kyllyd many / and Appuls that we∣re Bytter by his prayer were made swete / his Face was oftymes seen veray bryght Shynynge / And on a tyme he was very mery countenauncyd / And anon very he∣uy / and by great instaunce he shewyd the that our Lord longe tyme before hadde promysyd hym that that Daye he shulde haue you to Heuyn wherfore he was gladde and by Prayer of odermen / and to prophyt to other ou∣re Lorde shewyd hym that he shuld tary foure yerys len¦ger / wherfore he was Heuy and thre Dayes he was in a Chaumber without mete / and drynke / and was cōforted by Aungellys and harde there many great Secrecys of god shewyd vnto hym / and his voyce was somtyme her¦de farre of / that to theym y^t were present was but smalle And he dyed in the Ile of Jona the .v. Ide of Iune / and in y^e Monastery there he was buryed with great honou¦re / and many notable thynges be here omyttyd.

De sancto Columbano abbate et confessore.

SEynt Columbane was borne in Irlande / And whenne he in his youthe hadde prophyted mo∣che in vertue he entendyd to forsake the worde / And toke leue of his Moder / and his company / And his Moder wolde in no wyse assent to his goynge / but stou¦de on the Tbressholde / and Stoppyd his waye / And he sayde Moder haue ye not harde the wordys of our Lor¦de / that sey the he that louyth his Fader and Moder mo∣re thenne me / he is not me worthye / And anone his Mo∣der wepte / and waylyd / and laye prostrate and sayde She wolde neuer assent / And he wente ouer Her and prayde Her be merye / and sayde She shulde neuer see hym agayne in this worlde / And so he wente to the Mo¦nasterye of Benechor / And there he was made Monke / And when he was .xx. yerys of age / He wente into Fraū¦ce / And there prechyd the worde of God / And he hadde meny Bretherne / and if any of his Bretherne hadde ony¦thynge in propre / he shulde be put oute of theyr compa∣nye / and no man durste Speke to other a hasty worde soo that they lyuyd an Aungellys lyfe / And in a wylder¦nes callyd vosague he made a Monasterye / He made also dyuerse other Monasteryes in Fraunce / And in Al¦mayne / And in some of theym as it is sayde they Amyt∣te none but Irysshe men / Nyne yere he and his Brether¦ne hadde none other mete but Rootys / and Herbys / and then an Abbot by monycyon of our Lorde sente them me¦te / And a Monke that broughte it sayde if it be the wylle

of god that they shulde haue it / the Horse shall goo to the Monasterye the streyght way without ledynge / & so he lette theym goo in the wyldernes at large and they went streyghte to the Monasterye of seynt Colūbane he was wonte to say that they y^t seruyd oure Lord shuld not pe∣rysshe & so it prouyd / for oftymes when he & his Brether∣ne lackyd they had helpe of our Lord in so moche y^t som∣tyme theyr barnys were sodenly fyllyd with Corne som∣tyme mete was sent sodēly / somtyme brede multyplyed / And somtyme Byrdys were sent sodēly fro heuyn y^t no∣ne suche had ben seen / And for Iustyce he suffered great {per}secuciō / & he departyd this worlde aboute y^e yere of our Lorde syx hundred & .xv. the .ix. kalendas of Decembre.

¶De sctō Cuthberto ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt cuthbert was a Kyngessone of Irlonde / And at his byrthe the House was full of a heuēly lyght wherfore a holy Busshoppe thankyd out Lorde / & desyred to haue the bryngynge vp of the Chyl∣de / And after y^e deth of the Busshop seynt cuthbert went with his Moder into Bretayne to Seynt Columbe and by the waye his Boke fell into the see and a Fysshe swa∣lowyd it vp / And whan they landyd caste it vp to theym safe to Londe / And after his Moder lefte hym with two Busshoppes that were her bretherne in Scotlāde / and went to Rome / And the chylde in the nyghtys wolde be in prayer in a Hylle where he droue a waye the Deuylle with his staffe / And theyr steppys be seen there yet / And as he was kepynge Bestys on a nyghte beynge in pray¦er he sawe y^e sowle of seynt Aidane had into heuyn & ther vpon he lefte the kepynge of Bestys & entryd into Rely¦gyon

at y^e monastery of maylros / where anon he was ly¦ke to his felowys ī redynge / syngynge / prayenge / & wor¦kyng / & after in y^e monastery of Rypō he was put into y^e offyce to receyue gestys / & there he receyuyd an Aūgell as a geest / And anon he wesshed his feet / and gaue hym water to his Hādys / & wēt to fet hym brede & ar he came agayne the Aungell was goon leuynge behynde hym ī the House ameruaylouse swete sauoure / And thre louys of Brede which were whyte as a Lylye / And they sauou¦ryd lyke Roses y^t neuer noon suche had ben seen in y^t coū¦trey / & fro y^t tyme fourth he was oftymes vysytyd with Aūgellys / And whē he was made Abbot of lyndyffernē¦se oftymes he argued with his bretherne of theyr Rule & sufferyd somtymes Iniuryes of theym pacyently / But neuerthelesse he wolde a noder tyme gyue the same mo∣nycyon as he dyd before / tyll by lytell and lytell with so∣brenes he brought them to reformacyon / He was a man of great pacyence / and hauynge troubles he neuer bere the more heuy Countenaunce / He vsyd suche cōtynuall knelynges / that he had great drusyd Flesshe vppon his knees / and he toke so lytyll hede to his Body / that some yere he chaungyd his Shone but ones / No man wente fro hym without comforte the sorowe that they brought went not with theym fro hym / And at a Coūceyle in pre∣sence of the Kynge / and of y^e archebusshope Theodre he was made Busshope of Lyndefernens though he moch refusyd / But the Kynge on his knees desyryd hym to ta¦ke vppon hym / And anon he defendyd the people to hym commyttyd with dylygent prayers and techynges / and as he taught he dyd / And at his departynge oute of the worlde he sussered great sykenes pacyētly / And venera¦ble Bede was with hym in his sykenes / And he yeldyd

vp his spyryte the .xiii. kalendas of Apryll in the yere of oure Lord syx hundred .iiii. score and seuyn / and .xi. yere after that he was Buryed his Body was founde hoole more lyke to be a slepe / then to be deed / and his senewys were flexyble and his Clothis vnhurte / And also in the yere of our Lorde a Thousand a hundred and foure / his Body was agayne foūde vncorrupte / And he lyeth now at Duresme in the latter ende of seynt Cuthbertys Lyfe is made mencyon of many Kynges in Englond that ha∣ue lefte theyr Kyngdomes / And some entered into Rely∣gyon / some went on Pylgrymage to Rome or otherwy¦se made a blesyd ende as in the Legende apperyth.

¶De sctā Cuthburga regina & virgyne.

SEynt cuthburge was Syster to Ibe kynge of westsaxones / And alfryde Kynge of Northam∣humber herynge the fame of her beauty & vertu¦sent Ambassatoures to her Broder / desyrynge to haue her in maryage / And when her Broder had shewyd to her the message / she Answeryd that if she myght lyue af∣ter her owne Appetyte there shulde no Husbonde in all Bretayne please her / but she sayde she wolde not be dys∣obedyent to hym if he otherwyse ordeynyd lest it shulde be a dysobedyens to god puttynge her truste only in our Lorde and so she was maryed / And whan her Husbond & she came into the Chaūber / she shewyd hym her purpo¦se of kepynge virginyte / and exortyd hym therto in such maner with such great charyte / & mekenes that he was therto cōtentyd / And so she lefte all pompe of the worlde and buyldyd a Monasterye in wymburne and there she punysshed her Body with fastyngys / and watchyngys /

and vsyd cōtynuall prayers / and was very meke to god and man / and in her monasterye she gatheryd many vir¦gyns / And whenne she knewe that her tyme drewe nere to go out of this worlde she exortyd her systers to consy∣der desceytfulnes of the worlde / And with all dylygence to kepe theyr hert / for of that lyfe procedyth / And to loue all that our Lorde which is theyr spouse Louyth / and to hate all that he hatyth and to loue eche other / and alway to desyre the euerlastynge Lyfe / and when she had made theym a longe exortacyon she chaūgyd thys lyfe the day before the kalendas of September.

¶De sancto Cinigaro heremyta.

SEynt cinigar was sone to the Emperour of Cō¦stantynople / and to the Empryse lucyna / And when he shulde haue ben maryed to a great kyn¦gys Doughter / he wente a way pryuely in poure appa∣rell / And the Emperoure sent messāgers after hym / but our Lorde sauyd hym fro theym / And soo he came into Fraunce / and so to Englonde and with all his dylygens he entendyd to kepe a solytary Lyfe / and beynge in that porpose he came into somerset shyre / And by monycyon of an Aungell he came to a place now callyd Cūgresbu∣ry he were the heer / and dylygently kepte Fastyngys / & Prayers / and euery mornynge he stode in the water tyll he had sayd thre Pater nosters / And at .ix. of the cloke he refresshyd hymselfe with harley Breed / The kynge Iue gaue hym the terrytorye about Cungresbury / And the∣re he made a tēple of .xii. Chanōs / & by reasō of his great Myracles there was suche great Resorte to hym that

for his more quyetnes / he lefte that place / and went into Wales / And in a place shewyd to hym by an Aungell / he made an Oratory / and after he went on pylgrymage to Rome / & so to Iherusalem / And at Iherusalem he chaū¦gyd his Lyfe / And as it is sayde his Company brought his Body with theym into Englonge to cungresbury.

¶De sancto Dauyd ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt dauyd was sone to the Kynge of Nortwa¦les / And his moders name was Nūnyta / And as seynt Patryke was in the vale of Rosyn whe¦re is nowe seynt Dauithis / An aungell apperyd to hym and sayd that that place was not ordeynyd for hym / but for oon that shulde be Borne .xxx. yerys after / And when seynt Patryke was therwith astonyed that he was soo abiectyd for oon not yet borne / an Aungell shewyd hym beynge in Wales all the lande of Irlande and tolde hym that in that Countrey he shulde suffre moche for our Lor¦de / And that our Lorde shulde be with hym in all that he dyd / And when the Chylde was Borne all y^e place whe∣re he was shone with a great clerenes / And a stone at y^e feet of Nonyta in her traueyle gaue place to her Feet as if it had ben waxe / And in y^e same place a Churche is ma¦de / And when he was at scole his felawes sawe a Doue with a golden byll fleynge before his face / and Techyn∣ge hym / and he helyd his Mayster that was blynde / He made .xii. Monasteryes / and came to Glastonbury and made the churche / And with his blessynge puryfyed wa∣ters at Bath and made them contynually to be hote and holsome to be wasshed in / when brede poysonyd was ser¦uyd to hym he Blessyd it / and gaue oon parte to a Ly∣tyl

dogge which strayghte way dyed / & a nodre parte he gaue to a Crowe which also Dyed / & y^e thyrde {per}te he ete hym felfe & had no hurte / an Abbot vpon a Horse that he borowyd of seynt Dauyd and trustynge on his Blessyn¦ge rode on hym ouer the See safe on a tyme whenne his dyscyples and he had sufferyd a great wronge / He sayd to theym that he that wyll serue oure Lorde shall suffre trybulacyon / but he may not be ouerome with euyll / but he muste ouercome euyll with goodnes / for he sayd if ou∣re Lorde be with vs who shalbe agaynste vs / he wolde haue all his discyples laboure seyinge with the appostell he that wyll not laboure / shall not ete / and as they labou¦red they other prayed or thought some thynge plesaun∣te to almyghty god / and they lyuyd with Breed and Le¦kys / & toke Mylke for theyr drynke / & whē laboure was doon they wolde be Prayenge / redyng / or wrytynge / he wolde take no thynge of theym that shulde be resceyuyd amonge theym into Relygyon / and after by monycyon of an Aūgell he went to Iherusalem with seynt Thely∣ans and seynt Patrone / And there they prechyd agayn∣ste the Iewes and strengthyd many in the faythe / And euery man vnderstode theym in theyr owne tonge / and there he was made an Archebusshope & y^e patryarke ga¦ue hym an Aulter / a staffe / a belle / & a cote coueryd with Golde wherby great Myracles haue bē don / And whē he was come home agayne / He was desyryd to Preche agaynste the Heresye of Pelagyen / and as he stode amō¦ge the people he had a Chylde that he hadde Reysyd by the way fro deth to Lyfe ley his napkyn vnder his feet & standynge therupon he began to Preche / And as he pre¦chyd the grounde that he stoude on rose with hym lyke a Hyll wheruppon a Churche is buldyd / And by his pre¦chynge

the people were confermyd / And all the Clergye toke there doctryne at hym / And he was as a Father to all the people / And he knewe the verye Day of his Deth And at his departynge our Lorde apperyd vnto hym w^t a great company of Aūgellys / And he sayde to hym Lor¦de take me with the / And so he wente with oure Lorde in the kalendas of Marche and he was Buryed at Seynt Dauythys / and oure Lorde hath shewyd for hym many Myracles bothe in his lyfe / and after his Deth / And fou¦re hundred and .xxi. yere after his departynge out of this worlde his Body was translatyd to Glastonbury as in the latter ende of seynt Patryckys lyfe apperyth.

¶De sancto decimiano heremyta & martyre

SEynt Decymyan otherwyse callyd Dekeman was borne in the west parte of Walys and when he was paste yerys of Chyldhode he suffred not his mynde to be vagarant / But kepte it vnder discyply∣ne / And when his felowes wolde goo on hūtynge / he wol¦de goo to the Churche and pray / he sette not his pryncy∣pall intent to great connynge / but to good Lyfe and con¦templacyon / and after for that he moughte the more quy¦etly serue our Lorde / he thoughte to leue his Countrey / And soo he dyd and whenne he came to Seuerne he had no Shyppe to goo ouer / And vppon a borden of Rod∣dys that he made / he came ouer into Englonde nygh to the Castell of Dorochester where was thenne a great wyldernes and there he lyuyd with Herbys / & Rootys

with Fastyngys and Prayer / and vsyd the heer / And y^e lesse that he was vysytyd with men y^e more he was visy∣ted w^t Aungellys / & a cursyd man for enuy that he had to his holy Lyfe stroke of his hed / and he toke vp his heed & bare it to a well that he was wonte to wasshe his Heed in / and there he was foūde and was buryed honorably.

¶De sancto Deusdedit archiep̄o.

SEynt deusdedyt was of the Countrey of West∣saxones in Englonde / His very name was Fry¦thona but for his great merytys the people chaū¦ged his name / and caullyd hym Deusdedith that is god sent hym / And after the Deth of the Archebusshope hono¦ryus / he was made archebusshope of Caūterbury / And he was a Louer of vertues / a destroyer of vyces / a dyly∣gent sower of the worde of god / And was busy in pray∣ers / fastyngys / and in gyuynge of Almes / And with gre¦te studye laboured for the people cōmytted to hym / And after that he had takyn the Ordre of preesthode / he had alwayes his mynde fyxyd to our Lorde / and refresshyd poure men / Clothed the nakyd / vysytyd the syke / & had perseueraunt Loue to god / and to his neyghboure / and was full of the spyryt of wysdome / and mekenes / and y^t that seynt Augustyne / seynt Laurence / seynt Mellytus iustus / & Honoryus succedynge one after a nother had begon / this Blessyd man by Prechynge / Admonysshyn¦ge / correccyō & hygh charyte more fully stablysshed / and whē he had brought all thyngys to good ordre in y^e yere of our Lorde god syx. hūdryd .lxiiii. in the Idus of Iuly

he went to our lorde / And lyeth at Caūterbury.

¶De sancto Dubry con ep̄o & confessore.

THe moder of seynt Dubryce had no Husbonde wherfore her Fader whiche was a Kynge in Wales perceyuynge her to be with Chylde in great woodnes caste her into y^e water in a vessell of glas¦se / and as ofte as she was caste in / she was brought agay¦ne safe to Londe / And thenne her Fader caste her into a great Fyre / and in the mornynge whenne they thoughte she had ben all to brent they founde her safe / and her sone newe borne in hir armys / and not one heer of hyr hurte / And the Kynge herynge therof sent for theym / And as he kyssyd the Chylde / & the Chylde with his Hande tou∣chyd the kynges Face / anon he was made hooll of a gre∣te desease that he had in his Mouthe / & when he was set to lernynge he prophytyd so moche therin & in good ma∣ners that men of great cūnynge came to here hym / amō∣ge whom was seynt Thelyans / Sampson / Aidanus / & many other / and after the Kynge made hym Archebus∣shope of the Cytie of Legyons / And in the yere of oure Lord .v.C. & .xii. he went out of this worlde / and now he lyeth at Landanense / & in his Legende be dyuerse good∣ly thynges of Kynge arthur of Stonthynges / and of dy¦uerse Myracles here omyttyd.

¶Desc••ō Dunstano archiep̄o.

SEynt dunstane was borne of noble blode of En∣glonde of the countrey of westsaxons in the tyme of Kynge Ethelstane in the whiche tyme the lyfe

of obedyence was lytell desyred / And the name of an Ab¦botskaresly knowen / seynt Aldelme archebusshop of caū¦terbury vncle to seynt Dunstane commyttyd hym to the kynge Athelstone / of whom he was moche cherysshyd / & somtyme he vsyd Prayers / some tyme Iudged causys of the people / And so he vsyd hym selfe that he dipleased no man that lyuyd well / As he was makynge avestemēt for a preest / his harpe without touchynge sownyd y^e (an¦tiphone gaudent in Celis) And though all the company thought it was by veyll cōnynge yet he toke it for a war¦nynge that it was the wyll of our lord that he shulde lyue a harder lyfe / And after certeyn malycyous persones by entysement of the Deuyll persuadyd the kynge to beleue that Dūstan dyd nothynge by the helpe of god / But by wichecrafte & so he lefte the courte / and went to his vncle elphegus Busshope of wynchester & there he toke order of preesthode / & was made Monke at glastonbury / and there as he was workynge in a forge the deuyll apperyd to hym lyke a woman to tempte hym / And he by spyryt knowynge who it was toke hym by the nose with his ho¦te Tongys so sore that he cryed out so terrybly that it fe∣ryd all the Inhabytaūtys in the towne / The deuyll had great enuy to hym because of his blessyd lyfe / and he had suche especyall grace that he knewe euer in Spyryte the leest thynge that the enemy dyd / And euer he had the vic¦torye / And he lyuyd .vii. Kynges dayes Athelstan / Ede•• Edred / Edwyn / Edgare / Edwarde the martyr / & Ethel drede his Broder / he was in suche fauoure with Edrede that he preferryd hym aboue all Men in soo moche that there was nothynge doon in the Realme without hym & he dyd Iustyce and equyte in all the Realme / And after the deth of Edred he reprouyd Edwyn of his abhomyna¦ble

auoultre wherwith the Kynge toke displeasure and banysshyd hym the Realme / and so he taryed in Flaun∣ders all the dayes of Edwyn / and there he lyuyd a bles∣syd Lyfe in the Monasterye of Gandanense / And after the deth of Kynge Edwyn kynge Edgare brought hym agayne with great honoure / And after the deth of Odo archebusshope of Caūterbury elsynus which longe had labouryd for it / by corrupcyon of money was made Ar∣chebusshope / wherefore as he was goynge towarde ••o∣me he dyed of Colde in y^e snowe / And shortly after seynt Dūstane was electyd archebushope / And he fet his pall at rome / and the fyrste daye that he came home and was howselynge the people / sodeynly a Clowde came ouer y^e Churche and a whyte Doue was seen descende vppon hym / And after on a tyme he came to Kynge Edgare & reprouyd hym for kepynge of a Nonne / And when the Kynge wolde haue had hym syt downe by hym / he sayd he wolde not be frēde with hym to whom our Lord was Enemy / And the Kynge herynge that was aferde / And anon knowlegyd his offence and askyd penaunce & for∣gyuenesse / And seynt Dunstane gaue hym in Penaunce that he shuld not were his Crowne of .vii. yere / and that he shulde faste twyse euery weke / whiche Penaunce the Kynge dyd / And after seuyn yere he were his Crowne agayne / whiche Penaunce doynge was great Ioye to all y^e realme / And this blessyd man full of good werkys wente to oure Lorde the .xiiii. kalendas of Iune / And he was Buryed at Caūterbury / and after was translatyd to Glas••••••bu••y / And he prophycyd that great and lon∣ge Punysshement shulde falle vppon the people of En∣glonde by estraūge nacyons and that there in the ende of dayes the mercy of our Lorde shulde fall ••ppon theym.

De sancta Eauswida virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt eauswyda was doughter to y^e Kynge son to kynge ethelbert Edbaldus / And fro her you∣the she forsoke the pompys of the worlde / and en¦ducyd her Fader to make her an Oratorye at Folkstan that she myghte in virgynyte serue our Lorde / And as y^e oratory was in buyldynge / the kynge of Northamhum∣brorū which was a paynym / desyryd to haue her in ma∣ryage and her Father counceylyd her therto / and pray∣syd the Kynge moche / And she sayd if he coulde in the na¦me of his goddys make a beame of her Oratorye which was to shorte longe I nough she wolde assente to hym / if not she desyryd to be let a lone / And the kynge trustyn∣ge in his Goddes gladly assentyd / And when he hadde longe Prayde / all was in vayne that he dyd / and soo he went away with shame / And thenne the virgyn Prayed in the name of oure Lorde / And anone her Prayer was herde / and the Bame made longe Inoughe / And so the Kynge departyd / And by her prayer water came agayn¦ste the Hylle fro a Towne callyd Swecton to her orato∣ry / And it came by a noder Ryuer and yet Ioynyd not with it / foure Bretherne of great Ryches denyed to ge∣ue Dysmes to seynt Eauswyda / And after many yerys. iii. of theym were compuncte / and aduertysyd the .iiii. to goo with them to her sepulcre to doo penaunce / and ma∣ke satysfaccyon / and he denyed it / And anon the Deuyll enteryd into hym / And soo his Bretherne bounde hym And broughte hym to her Aulter / And anone he was made Hoolle and Payed his Tythes / And she wente

fro this present lyfe the day before the kalēdas of septem∣ber And bycause her church was dystroyed with the see her bodye was brought to Folkstane.

¶De sancto Eata ep̄o & confessore.

WHen seynt Oswalde had opteynyd the kyngdomes of Deyre & Bernysshe / & had sent for seynt Aidan to instructe his people in the feythe of our Lorde / seynt Aidan toke .xii. Englysshe chyldren to Instructe whereof ••ata was oon / which anon folowyd the exaumples & techynges of his maister And after he enteryd into Relygyon / and was made ab∣bot of May••rose otherwyse callyd menrose / And thenne he shewyd to his Bretherne moo tokyns of mekenes and charyte then he dyd before / And he made many monaste¦ryes / and gaderyd many dyscyples wherof seynt Cuth∣bert was oon / And after he was made Abbot of lyndyf∣fernens that nowe is callyd the holy Ilonde / And after he was electyd Busshope of hagustaldēse w^t great glad∣nes of all y^e people he was busy ī prayenge / dylygēt in ex¦ortynge y^e people / & ententyffe to geue Almes / And what soeuer he knew by the holy goost was to be don besyly / & deuotlye he wolde se it to be doon / And he endyd this ly∣fe of a sykenes callyd the Dyssentory by longe / and gre∣uous contynuaunce / And lyeth at Hagustaldense / Tho¦mas archbusshope of yorke wolde haue translatyd hym to yorke / And on the nyghte before he wolde haue trāsla∣tyd hym seynt Eata apperyd to hym and tolde hym that he had attemptyd to do that that was not the wyll of our

Lorde shulde be doon / And so he cessyd that enterpryse.

¶De sancta Ebbavirgyne & abbatissa.

SEyntebba was syster to Kynge Oswy / And she forsoke the worlde / and all the pleasure therof / & was made a Nonne of seynt Fynan Busshope of Lyndyffernense / and after she was Abbes of the Mo¦nastery of Coludy now callyd coldynghm .vi. mylys fro Berwyke / And it is enhabytyd with Monkys of Dur∣ham / And she made a noder Monasterye vppō 〈◊〉〈◊〉 callyd Ebbcester / which was destroyed by Danes / And seynt Etheldred was her dyscyple / & though seynt Cuth¦bert fro his youth fledde the company of women as Pe∣stylens / yet he wolde speke with this blessyd Woman / & tary with her to informacyon of her / and of her company certeyn tymes / And she went to our Lorde .iiii. yere befo∣re seynt Cuthbert the. viii. kalendas of September and was buryed in her Monasterye / And after her Mona∣sterye was destroyed for synne & wretchydnes as it was shewyd to her it shuld be / And her Relykys were hadde to the Churche of our Lady / A yonge man that hadde a Bone in his Throte wasshyd his throte at her well and receyuyd helthe / And wiste not where the Bone beca∣me / she helyd dyuerse that were mute blynde obsessyd of Deuyllys / and of dyuerse other diseasys.

¶De sancta Edburga virgin•• & martyre.

SEynt edburgh was doughter to Kynge Ethel∣bert and she was great graūtmoder to Seynt Myldrede / And after seynt Myldredis deth she toke the rule of y^e Monastery & was made Abbasse / and amonge the wauys ••o the worlde she confortyd her selfe with holy scrypture / prayers / and geuynge of Almys / And all the pleasure of this worlde she dyspysyd / she re∣putyd Golde and Syluer but oonly for ornamentys of y^e Churche and for other thynges / for deuyne seruyet as donge / And couetyd to be dyssoluyd / and to be with our lorde / And she endyd this lyfe in the Idus of december / And lyeth now at Caūterbury / she helyd a Chylde that was mute / & a these that toke wytnesse of her that he was not gyltye / And prayde god if he were that he shulde ne∣uer goo ferther / Anon expyryd a wrytynge of hers after her Dethe was vnauysydly throwen into the Fyre with other scrowes / an it wolde not burne.

¶De sctā Edytha virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt edyth was Doughter to Kynge Edgare / And her Moder mulstrudys after she was bor∣ne enteryd into Relygyon at wylton / where she was made Abbesse / And Edyth beynge in kepynge of her moder / by assent of the Kynge Edgar her Fader al∣so enteryd into Relygyon vnder her Moder / And she was moche mouyd and comfortyd therto by the blessyd

lyfe of her Aunte callyd also edyth which in tho dayes ly¦uyd a blessyd Lyfe in Polles worthe / as she dyd at wyltō she was full of Pyte / and compassyon / and the more dyf¦formyte of sykenes that she saw in any creature the more charytable and helpynge she wolde be vnto hym / And vnder her vtter apparell that was sumwhat precyous she were the heer / And seynt Ethel wolde sayde vnto her that suche apparell was not the way to please her spouse And then she shewyd hym the trouche what she were in∣wardly wherfore he was gladde / consyderynge that all was oon purpure and sacclothe so that the mynde be cle∣ne / And after she was made ab••esse of thre monasteryes Wynton / Barkynge / and another / But she sent spiritu∣ell moders for her to euery place / and taryed her selfe in obedyēce vnder her moder / and seynt Edyth vsed alway whatso euer she dyd to make a Crosse ••her forhede / and seynt Dūstane whē he came to halow a Church of seyn••¦nys that she had buyldyd / seynge her soo ofte make Cros¦ses in her forhed prayde our lord that that thumbe shuld neuer rotte that made so many Crosses / And at y^e masse he had knowlege geuyn to hym by our Lorde when she shulde dye / And he sayde the wretchyd worlde was not worthy to haue such a lyghte / And he was present at her deth / which was the .xvi. kalendas of october aboute the yere of our Lorde .ix.C. fourscore & .iiii. And she lyeth a•• wyltone in the Church of seynt Denys that she had ma∣de / & .xiii. yere after her de{per}tynge she apperyd to Seynt Dunstan / and tolde hym it was the wyll of oure Lorde that her Bodye shulde be translatyd / And it was truthe / and no illusion / She tolde hym that he shulde fynde all her Bodye vncorrupte / as it was vncorrupte fro Lyby∣diousnes & Glotony / And that her Feet / Ieu / & Haudys

which in her youthe she had mysusyd were corrupte ex∣cepte her thumbe that she had vsyd to Crosse her with / & he founde all as she sayde / A monke of Glastonbury bol∣dly cut of a pece of her Cote / And it happenyd to touche her Body and the Blood folowed as if she had ben alyue And an••n he fell prostrate and wepte for his offence and when he r••se agayne the blod was go••n.

¶De sancto Edmundo ep̄o & confess••••••.

SEynt edmonde was borne ī abyugd•••• ••n seynt Edmondys day the kynge / and martyr / And af∣ter hym he was callyd Edmonde / hys Fader en¦teryd into relygyon / And his moder lyuyd a blessyd lyfe ••he were the here & a haberieouvppon it / And she taught her sone to kepe vyrgyn••te and to were the heer / and e••e¦ry holyday or he e••e he sayd the hooll ••auyth••is Psalter And especyally he auowyd hymselfe to oure Ladye / he vsyd to Faste euery Frydaye Brede and Water / And he was so broughte vp in vertue that ī maner naturally he forsoke all euyll / our Lorde apperyd to hym lyke a chyld And (iesus nazarenus rex iudeorū) was Wrytten in his forhed / And after that tyme he toke in vse euery oure to remember sumwhat of the Passyon / as he was studyin¦ge arythmetryke / his moder then latlye deed apperyd to hym and made in her ryght hand .iii. serklys / And wrote in theym the Fader / the sone / and the holy goost and bad hym fro thens forthe take hede of tho fygures / The he∣rys of his hed and berde / for great abstynēce went away he wolde hexe no Seculercausys / He wolde make coue∣naunte with his seruauntys that they shulde be ••lene of

theyr Bodyes / or departe his seruyce he had such honou∣re to holy scrypture that he neuer openyd the Byble but be kyssyd it / his olde herys if they were leyde in the Fyre wolde not burne / As he studyed in the nyght his candell fell vppon his byble and it burned not / And he was elec∣tyd Busshope of Caunterbury or he were ware / And he sayd but that he dred that he shulde haue dyspleasyd al∣myghtye god if he had refusyd he wolde neuer haue ass••¦tyd / he was all tymes redye to forgeue them that had of∣fendyd hym / And to take theym agayne into famylyary¦te / And some aboute hym sayde he gaue therbye occasy∣on to the people to offende hym / And he sayde our Lord dyd not resy••••e / And seyde that the punysshement of of∣fensys is to be referryd to hym and not to be doon by mā This blessyd man had great trouble & dyspleasure for y^e lybertyes of the Churche wherfore he toke counceyle of other prelatys what was to be doon therin / And it was thought that he shuld admonysshe the Kynge / and other offenders to ceas•• / And so he dyd / and the Kynge toke a day of aduysement / And at y^t day no amendement was had and yet pacyently he taryed many dayes / And whē he sawe there was noon admendement he gaue sentence into other offenders / And sparyd the Kynge / And when he sawe that yet they were not compū••te / he thought bet∣ter to geue place to theyr malyce then to do the streyght∣nes of the lawe specyally seynge the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 legate was then in Englonde and myght percase haue adnullyd all that he had doon wherfore he wēt ouer the see to pōtinia¦cum / And there he fell syke / And so he wente to fasyacum And promysyd to be there agayne at pontiniacum in the feest of seynt Edmonde Kynge & martyr / And so he was to be buryed and there he lyeth / And at his departynge

he had suche great honour and feruour to the sacrament of the aulter that it may be exaūple to other men / At his toumbe Blynde men haue recoueryd theyr syghte / La∣me men theyr goinge / dome men theyr speche / deffe men theyr herynge / Men obsessyd of deuyllys haue ben dely¦ueryd / And deed men haue ben reysyd fro Deth to Lyfe / And in the yere of our lorde god a Thousande two hun∣dred and fyftye. the monkes at pontynyacense cut of his Arme for what concyderacyon it is not knowen / and af∣ter the Myracles cessyd.

¶De sancto Edmundo rege et martite.

SEynt edmonde was borne in saxony / And was sone to the kynge Alcmunde whiche was of kyn¦ne to offa kynge of eest Englonde / And as kyn∣ge Offa hauynge no chyldren was goynge to Iherusa∣lem / he went by kynge alkmūde / And there seynt Edmō¦de gaue hym suche dylygent attendaunce that he lykyd hym moche / And when he departyd he shewyd to Edmō¦de a Rynge / and bad hym if he sent to hym by y^e tokyn / y^e he anon shulde execute that he desyryd / And when Kyn∣ge Offa at the arme offeynt George fell syke to the deth he delyueryd the Rynge to his seruauntys / and bounde theym by an othe that they shulde delyuer it to Edmon∣de / And take hym with theym / And make hym kynge of ••est Englonde / and so they dyd / And anone he was hum¦ble / & benygne to his subiettys goynge in y^e veray ryght way of a Kynge / And was a fader to wydowes and or∣phanes / And to all men that were de••tytute a specyall re∣••uge and helpe / And after in the tyme of the persecucyon

of the danes for that he wolde not forsake the fayth of our Lorde he was taken by the Danes hunguar / and hubba and was bounde to a stocke and shot with arrowes so y^t he was lyke to an Irchyn / And when they sawe that in all that marterdome he cryed vppon our Lord / they stro¦ke of his hedde / and hyd it in a wood / And when the war¦re was sumwhat appesyd / crysten men sought the hedde in the wood / And asoon of them cryed to anoder where arte thou / the hed answeryd thryse here here here / and so it was founde / And a great Wolfe kepte it bytwyxte his Leggys / And so it was takyn vp and leyde to the Body And was buryed honorably / And after when his Body was remouyd he was founde vncorrupte / And his Hed was growen agayne to his bodye / And nothynge appe∣ryd of the Cu••tynge but a lytell redde serkyll aboute his necke / After when swanus kynge of Danes destroyed y^e Countrey / and blasphemyd seynt Edmonde and askyd a great Trybute of the people / they feryd moche / And a Monke that then was very deuoute to seynt Edmonde / went to seynt Edmonde wasshyd his body and kembed his hed as he had ben a Lyue / And prayed hym of Helpe And he spake to hym famylyarlye / and bad hym goo to swanus And commaunde hym in his name to ceasse / & when the monke had soo doon / and it nothynge auayled but y^t he had moch a doo to skape with his lyfe / the same nyght the Kynge swanus was kyllyd amonge his peo∣ple with seynt Edmondys swerde & no man knew howe Wherfore kunt that was swanus sone fro thensfourthe delt more mekely with seynt Edmonde / And made a dy∣ke aboute his groūde dischargyd it of all trybutys / And made a Chyrche ouer his Body / and enduyd it with gre¦te possessyons.

De sancto Edwardo rege & confessore.

SEynt Edwarde was sone to kynge Etheldrede And for fere of the Danys he was sent into Nor¦mandye & there he wolde be ofte at the Churche in prayers / he was Chast of Bodye / trewe of dede / and of lytell speche / He wolde vysyt Monasteryes / and accō¦pany hymselfe with those Monkys that he sawe moost vertuous / And when he sawe howe he was destytute of all worldly helpe / his Father ded his Brother kyllyd his Moder maryed to his enemy with deuout prayers he cō¦myttyd hym hooly to oure Lord / And after the Dethe of Kynyte he was sent for and was chosen Kynge & enoyn¦tyd with great gladnes of all the people / And anone all thynges were broughte in good ordre the Clergye dyd theyr dutye / the people dyd theyr duetye / and Monaste¦ryes kepte theyr relygyon / He was neuer seen enflamyd with pryde or angre nor dyshonestyd with glotonye / He was neuer the meryer for gettynge of money / nor the so∣ryer if he lost it / He sawe oon of his seruauntys stele his Treasure and yet he wolde not dyscouer hym / but after thryse cōmynge bad hym beware his stewarde / By coū∣cell of his Lordys he toke to Wyfe the doughter of good∣wyn a Blessyd vyrgyne And they Lyuyd chast all theyr Lyues / At the tyme of Leuacyon he sawe the Kynge of Denmarke as he was commynge into Englōde to war¦re drownyd in the See / He repayryd the abbey of west∣mester / & newely enduyd it for Redēpcyō of his aduowe to Rome / He sawe y^e Deuyll sytte vppon Money y^t his coūcell had gaderyd of y^e cōmōs / & he causyd it to be re∣payed / at westin our lorde shewyd hym selfe Bodely to hym at masse / and with his ryght hāde blessyd hym w^t y^e sygne of y^e Crosse / As y^e Kynge & y^e Erle goodwyn sate at dyner the Erle prayde God that if he were Gyltye of the Dethe of Alerude the Kynges Broder that a pece

of Breed whiche he entendyd to Ete shulde neuer goo thrugh hym / and the Kynge blessyd it / And anone as he wolde haue etyn it he was stranglyd therwith / And as they sate at dyner he dyed / He sawe the seuyn slepars tur¦ne theym on the lefte syde that longe a fore had lyen on y^e Ryght syde whiche betokenyd great trouble to come in the worlde / seynt Iohn̄ euangelyst sent hym a Rynge by two Pylgrymes whiche he had before that ryme gyuen to seynt Iohn̄ in Almys / in lykenes of a poure man / And he sent hym worde that within syx monethes he shuld de∣parte this worlde / and so he dyd / our Lorde shewyd for hym many Myracles in so moche that the water that he wasshyd in helyd many persones of dyuerse sykenes / all his dayes was full peace in Englonde / and Immedyat∣lye after his dayes rose great trouble / He dyed y^e yere of our Lorde god. M.lxvi. the Daye before y^e fyrste nonas of Ianuary / And he lyeth at westmester .xxxvi. yere after he was buryed his Body was founde vncorrupte

¶De sancto Edwardo rege & martyre.

SEynt edwarde Kynge / and Martyr was sone to kynge Edgar / And after his Faders deth by helpe of seynt Dunstane / & of seynt Oswalde he was made Kynge as his Fader commaundyd / But yet his mother in lawe Alfryth coueytyd to haue her Sone ethelrede Kynge / & as seynt Edwarde was Goynge to corffe Castell w^t a smalle company to se his Broder ethel rede / & came by his moder ī lawe she offerd hym Drynke & causyd hym to be kyllyd traytorously as he was dryn∣kynge the .xv. kalendas of apryll in y^e yere of grace .ix.C. foure score & one / And in y^e nyght folowyng a lyght cam into y^e Chaūber where his body lay y^t helyd a blynde wo¦man y^t kepte hym / And y^t knowyn y^e quene Alfrythe hyd

his Bodye a yere in vyle placys / And by a bryghte bea∣me that shone there as the Budye a laye / it was knowen & was takyn vppe & buryed at warreham by the people of that prouynce / And when his myracles were knowyn he was takyn vp agayne & was founde vncorrupte / & was buryed honorably with dyuerse Busshopes at the mona¦stery of Septon / His syster Edyth and her Moder wul¦strude beynge present / & as it is sayde the quene Alfryth for her penaunce made the Monasteryes of wharwell & Malmesbury / And enduyd them with great possessiōs.

¶De sctō Edwino rege & martire.

SEynt edwyn was sone to Elle kynge of Northā¦humbre and deire / And by Etherfryde that had maryed his suster Acca / he was put oute of his Realme / And soo he fled to rad wolde Kynge of eest En∣glōde / And what by threttys & promysse of rewardys he was lyke to haue ben delyuerd by Kynge Radwolde to his broders handys / And as he was in great Heuynes therfore / a man cam to hym & tolde hym if he wolde pro∣myse to be cristened he shuld not be delyueryd to his bro¦der but restoryd ageyne to his Kyndome / And when he had made promes to be crystenyd / the man set his ryght hand vppon his heed / and bad hym whē that sygne cam to hym not to dyffer to be cri••tenyd / and that doon he va¦nysshyd away / And so the kynge Radwolde chaunged his mynde and after kyllyd Ethelfryde in Batayle / and sette Seynt Edwyn in his Kyndome / And after the kyn¦ge Edwyn maryed Alburghe doughter to kynge Ethel∣••ert vppon condycyon y^t he shulde nothynge doo to lette her kepe the cristen feythe & he assentyd / And seynt pau∣lyn

was assygnyd to be with her / And after the kynge of westsaxons vnder treason sent a messynger to the Kyn∣ge edwyn which with a venemyd Knyfe sholde sodeynly haue kyllyd hym / And when y^e kynge was sauyd by mea¦nes of a feythfull seruaunte of his that put hym selfe by∣twene the Kynge and the stroke / The kynge prepayryd warre agaynste that Kynge that had wrought that trea¦son / And promysyd seynt pawlyn if he spede well in that Iourney he wolde be crystenyd / & a doughter y^t he had thē newely borne he comyttyd to our Lord & to be in y^e ke¦pynge of Paulyn / & he crystenyd her & callyd her eāfledā which was y^e fyrste y^t euer was Crystenyd ī tho {per}tyes / & after he sped well in his Iourney & had the victorye & ne∣uertheles he dyfferryd to be crystenyd / And the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bo¦nyface wrote a Letter to hym to exorte hym to it / & after seynt paulyn by spyryt knewe the tokyn aforesayd & leyd his Ryght hāde vppō his heed / & bad hym remēber y^e to∣kyn / & then he sayd he wolde counceyle with his Lordys and so he dyd / And oon of theym sayd veryly thys feythe that we haue kept is of no vertue nor prophyt but veyne & the newe is y^e better / and all the other were of y^e same op¦pynyon And so the Kynge hymselfe dystroyed the Idol∣lys and was crystenyd at yorke on Ester day / the yere of our Lord .vi.C. & .xxvii. And all the people folowyd his ex¦aumple / And seynt paulyn was made Archebusshope of yorke And anon seynt Edwyn had such feruoure to Cry¦sten Relygyon that he enducyd the Kynge of eest Englō¦de to be Crystenyd / And soo greatpeace was in his Re∣alme that a Chylde myghte haue goon fro the oon See to the other withoute Hurte / and brasen Uessellys that the Kynge sette vppe at commen Wellys for ease of the people noo man durste take awaye. / And after he was

kyllyd in batayle by penda kynge of Marchelonde / and cedwalla kynge of Brytons the .iiii. Ide of October in y^e yere of our lorde .vi.C. and .xxxiii. And his Hedde lyeth at yorke in the Churche of seynt Petyr that he began / & seynt Oswalde his successoure perfourmyd it.

¶De sancto Edwoldo confessore.

SEynt Edwolde was broder to seynt Edmonde Kynge and martyr / And he was a deuoute folo∣wer / and very heyer of vertues to his Broder / He hard gladlye spirituall Doctyre / he worshyppyd the Churche / he helpyd the nedye / And had alway the plea∣surys of the worlde suspecte / And by lytell and lytell he lefte the pompe therof cleerly / And he couetyd moche to kepe the lyfe of an Anker / wherfore when all y^e people af∣ter y^e dethe of his Broder wolde haue made hym Kynge he prayde to our lord to sende hym coūceyle / & it was she wyd vnto hym y^t he shuld seke a sylue•• well at which well he shuld fynde such a place as he desyred / but it was not she wyd hym in what countrey y^e well was / And so he ga¦ue all that he had to poore men / and pryuely lefte his coū¦trey / And when he had sought many prouyncys & coulde not fynde the sayde well / he cam to Septon and there a Shepherd tolde hym where he shulde fynde the Syl∣uer well / And when he came thyder he set his staffe into the grounde / And therof grewe a feyre tre / and there he made a Celle / And hyred the shepherde to brynge hym thryse in the weke barly bredde / and somtyme mylke / & gaue hym for euery tyme .i.d. And bad hym neuer dysco¦uer hym / for if he dyd he shulde lose his rewarde / And af¦ter the shepherde dyscoueryd hym / And thenne when he

came to hym nexte / he gaue hym a peny and tolde hym it was y^e laste that euer he shuld haue of hym / And when y^e shepherde cam to hym the next tyme / he founde hym de∣partyd fro this worlde / he dyed the .iiii. kalendas of sep∣tember / And was buryed in his Celle .iiii. myle fro the Abbey of Cerue / And after he was hadde to Cerue by seynt Dūstane and seynt Ethelwolde / And with the wa¦ter of his welle dyuers haue ben helyd of theyr dyseases

De sancto Egberto monachr••.

SEynt Egbart was borne in Englonde / And he went into Irlande to the Busshoppes fynauus and colniauus to lerne cunnynge and good ly∣uynge as dyuerse other of Englonde dyd in tho dayes / And there in the Monastery of Rathemaell he was stry¦ken with the pestylence / And when he thought he shulde haue dyed he began to remembre his lyfe past with ma∣ny terys and great compunccyon for his synnes / And be sought almyghty god if it were his wyll that he myghte yet Lyue and make amendys for his neclygencys / And therupō for y^e more restraynynge of his owne affeccyon he aduowyd y^t he wolde neuer come in Englonde where he was borne / & y^t if sykenesse lettyd it not he wolde day¦ly sey the hoole saulter / and euery weke faste oon daye & nyght / And his felawe that was then also syke of a syke∣nesse wherof he dyed / by reuelacyon knewe his petycy∣on / and tolde hym that he was herd of all almyghty god And whē he was hoole he thought to haue goon into ger¦mania fro whens Englysshe men came to preche to them the feythe for some of them then were paynymmys / & af∣ter

one of his bretherne shewyd hym that his master bay¦fylus lately deed apperyd to hym / and shewyd hym that it was not the wyll of god that he shulde goo into germa¦nia but that it was the wyll of god that he shulde go to y^e Monasteryes of seynt Columbe to set them in good or∣der / And when he was twyse warnyd by the sayde Bro∣der therof / And moreouer that he shulde not goo though he wolde / yet he beleuyd hym not but made redy his cō∣pany and his shyppys / and when he was apon the see a contraryouse wynde / & tempest rose agaynste hym wher¦by he knewe it was not the wyll of oure Lorde y^t he shuld goo theder / wherfore he sent thyder seynt wyllybrorde & aleuyn other / And he wente into the Ile of Hii in the scot¦tyshe see to the sayde Monasteryes of seynt Columbe to set theym in good ordre / And there he was gladlye recey¦uyd / And there he taughte theym the veray Catholycall waye of lyuynge / And brought theym to kepe the due ty¦me of Ester / And he departyd fro this worlde the yere of our Lorde .vii.C. and .xxix. the .viii. kalendas of Maye which then was Ester day / on which daye he had sayde Masse / and kepte the feest of Ester after the due ordre.

¶De sancto Egbino monacho.

SEynt egbyne was borne in Brytayne / And af∣ter his deth his Moder enteryd into Relygyō & was made a Nunne of seynt sampson / & whē he harde y^e wordys of our Lorde in y^e gospell seyinge y^t he y^t wyll not renoūce all thynge may not be his dyscyple / he forsoke all thynges & was made a mōke in y^e monastery of Tanrake where seynt wynwalogus was / & as seynt winwalogus with seynt Egbyn thē beynge deken wēt to sey masse a myle fro y^e monastery a pore lepourfull of so∣rys prayed them of helpe / & he sayd if he had not theyr hel¦pe

he shulde dye / for he sayd his nostrellys were brennyd with the fyfth of his sykene•• so that he coulde not conty∣nue / And then Egbynus toke hym vppe in his armys / & seynt wynwalogus with his hāde wolde haue clensyd y^e place / And the poore man sayd not soo but that he wolde with his conge clense it / And than he mekely assayed to do it / and when he thought to haue easyd the poore man it was the sone of god our Lorde crist Ihesu / And a mer¦ueylous ston fell into his mouthe / And as seynt Egbyne helde our Lorde in his armys he lokyd vp and sawe be∣uyn open / and a crosse apperyd vppon the hed of our lor¦de / and Aūgellys came to mete hym / And so he assendyd seyinge vnto theym bycause ye haue not refusyd me in my trouble I shall not refuse you in the kyngedom of he¦uyn / And so he was receyuyd into heuyn / and seynt win∣walogus arettyd it to y^e merytys of seynt Egbyn for his great obedyence / And seynt Egbyn referryd it to seynt wynwalogus for his order of presthode / And after seynt Egbyn went into Irlonde and there made a Churche & helyd a lame man / & reysyd a Chylde fro deth / and when he was nyghe foure score yere olde & thre / he yeldyd his spirit to our lorde the .xiiii. kalendas of Nouember.

¶De sancto Egwino ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt egwyn was of y^e Kyngys blood of mars∣shes / & lyuyd a Relygyous lyfe at worcestre & le∣uynge all pleasure of Tēporall thyngys / He to∣ke order of Presthod / & gaue hym all to lyue a cōtēplatyf lyfe / & by holle assent of y^e Kynge ethel drede / & of his peo∣ple he was made busshop of worcestre / & after y^t he vsyd moche p̄chynge / & here prouyd the people of theyr vnlaw full matrymony / And other synnys soo terryble that of

malyce they rose agaynste hym with feyned tales & putte hym out of his see / And complaynyd of hym not only to the kynge but also to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And so he disposyd hym selfe to goo to Rome / And thoughe he knewe he had not offendyd the worlde yet for offencys doon to almyghty god he fetteryd his Leggys to geder and lokkyd the fet∣ters / and threwe the key into the ryuer of auyn / And soo he wente feterd to Rome / & there as he was prayenge in seynt peters Church / he sent his seruauntys to bye mete And the key was founde in a fysshes bely that his seruā¦tys had bought / And so he vnfetteryd hym selfe / And y^t Myracle fyllyd all Rome & moche people cam to se hym and to haue his blessynge / And the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 herynge of his great laboryouse Iourney / and of the sayd myracle sent for hym / And had hym in great famylyaryte / a herynge the cause of his commynge he sent hym Downe ageyne to his see / And the kynge herynge his myracles and ver¦tues was very gladde and restoryd hym agayne to his see / And gaue hym a grounde wherin he foundyd the ab¦bey of Euyshame / And he buyldyd it in a place there as our Ladye apperyd to hym / and also to a shepherde / and for foundacyon therof he went agayne with off a Kynge of est Englonde / and with kenred kynge of Marshes to rome / And had great auctoryte fro the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the foū∣daciō therof / he alway were the heer / and say often in as∣shes and were a gyrdell with knottys next his bare skyn and with drewe his mynde holly fro y^e worlde / & worldly thynges / And gaue hym to contemplacyon / redynges fa¦stynges and vigyllys / and especyally to prechynge / and when he had ben longe syke / And alwayes thankyd our Lorde therof / He callyd his bretherne to hym & shewyd theym the very perfyght way of good lyuynge / and exor¦tyd

them to beware y^t the worlde deceyuyd theym not / & so full of good werkys / he lefte this present lyfe aboute y^e yere of oure Lorde seuyn .C. & .xx. the thyrde kalendas of Ianuary / And he lyeth at euesham / & our lorde hath she∣wyd for hym many myracles bothe in his lyfe / and after his deth.

¶De sancta Elfleda virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt Elfied was borne in Englond / And when her moder was with chylde w^t her / she sawe ī her slepe a thynge lyke a shynynge beame of lyghte¦nynge descend vppon her Hedde / And it taryed there a longe tyme / And whē she was borne the more she grew in age the more she wantyd the Ambycyousnes of all fles¦shelye pleasures / And after her faders deth her moder by her faders wyll gaue his mansyon that he dwellyd in cal¦lyd clare to the monasterye of Romsey and after her mo¦der toke a noder husbonde / And then as is ofte seen in su∣che case enfled lakkyd oftymes that that she nedyd wher fore Kynge Edgare remembrynge the good seruyce of her fader put her to the monastery of Romsey vnder the Abbesse merwenne / & she louyd her as her owne dough∣ter / And broughte her vppe in all vertue / And on a tyme her candell fell oute / and the fyngers of her ryght hande gaue lyght to all that were aboute her / & when she was therfore the more honouryd of her systers she studyed to be therfore the more Meke / & obedyent / And after when she was made abbesse no man can tell the almes that she gaue / nor the prayers / & wepyngys that she vsyd aswell for her selfe as for the people / & on a tyme when she was with the quene she went in the nyghtys into the water & was there in prayer / And on a nyghte the quene seynge her goo furthe suspectyd it had ben for incontinence and

folowyd / & whē she sawe her goo into y^e water sodēly / she was astonyed & went in maner oute of her mynde & tur∣nyd in agayne cryenge / & coulde take no reste tyll seynt Elfled prayed for her seyinge lorde forgyue her this offē¦se / for she wiste not what she dyd / And soo she was made hoole / & whē she was reprouyd as a waster of y^e goodys of the monasterye certeyn money that she had geuyn in almys by hyr prayer was put into the Baggys agayne & when she had lyuyd many yerys in good lyfe / she went to our lorde the fourth kalendas of Nouember aboute y^e yere of our Lourde .ix.C. and .lix.

¶De sancto Elpheger archiep̄o & martyre.

SEynt elphege was borne in Englōde and in his youthe he was so apte to lernynge of cōnynge & vertue that his fader & moder marueylyd at his capacyte / & let hym to scole / and after his Faders deth he forsoke his enherytaūce / and his moder y^t louyd hym ten¦derly he lefte / And enteryd into relygyon at deherst and he prophyted to all men that he colde / And those that he coulde not prophet to / he studyed y^t he hurtyd theym not and after he cam to bathe where he lyuyd a merueylous lyfe of penaunce / And there a great cōpany of Monkys anon resortyd vnto hym / And when there was great va¦ryaunce bytwyrte the clerkys and monkys for eleccyon of the busshope at wynchester seynt Andrew apperyd to seynt Dunstane and bad hym chose Elphegus / And soo he was electyd / And after when seynt Dunstane knewe he shulde dye he prayed to our lorde y^t Elphegus myght be his successour at caūterbury / And so he was at this ty∣me Danys moche oppressyd this Realme / And this bles¦syd

man wolde preche to them the worde of god / & wolde redeme theym that were in captyuyte / and fede theym y^t were oppressyd with hunger / And after when the Cytie of Caunterbury was destroyed by Danys thrughe coū∣sell of helpe of Edryke the traytoure / whome the Kynge had put in great auctoryte / And bycause the Kynge put his broder to deth for his offencys he went out of the cour¦te and confeterd hymselfe with danes / and they bese∣gyd the Cyte of Caunterbury / And when they had won∣ne it they dyd Merueylouse great cruelte to the people wherfore seynt Elphegus offerde hymselfe to them / and bad them spare the people and take hym / And so he was taken and put in pryson / And there he lay tyll the offen∣ders were so punysshed with sykenes by y^e stroke of god y^t they toke hym out of prysone & cryed hym mercye / and he forgaue them and blessyd Brede and gaue it to them And anon they were hoole / and when they were hoole y^e rulers askyd of hym if he wolde haue his lyfe and lyber∣te thre thousande marke / And because he wolde not gre∣ue the people to leue the Money he denyed it / And soo he was put agayne in cruell pryson and there the Deuylle apperyd to hym lyke an Aūgell of lyght and perswadyd hym to go out of pryson by many exaūples / and soo he fo¦lowyd hym / and when he had brought hym amonge wa¦ters in the derke nyght he lefte hym and then he knewe it was the crafte of the enemye wherfore he lyftyd hys myn¦de to our Lorde and cryed for helpe / And anone a yonge man in bryghte shynynge apparell apperyd to hym and had hym goo agayne to receyue the Crowne of martyr∣dome and when he came to the pryson and there he was truellye takyn / Betyn. / And foule Stynkynge Donge was caste vppon hym / And thenne Seynt Dunstanne

aperyd to hym / and comfortyd hym / And at the laste he was betyn with stones / And his owne godson with a ha∣chet stracke hym in the Hed / and soo martyryd hym the .xiii. kalendas of Maii / & the punysshemēt of god felle vp¦pō the offenders so y^t some kyllyd theymselfe / And some went madde / many fledde to the see and theyr Shyppys were drownyd about a .C. and .lx. Shyppes / And after when Kunt came into Englonde and sawe great puny∣shement fall vppon hym and his pleople he toke councey¦le of some Englysshemen y^t toke his {per}te / & they thoughte it was for the wronge don to seynt Elphege / And soo by theyr counceyle he promysyd that when he had peace / he wolde brynge the body of seynt Elphege to caūterbury And .xvii. yere after he foūde his Body vncorrupte And brought it to Caūterbury honorably as he had {pro}mysed.

¶De s••tō Erkenwaldo ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt erkenwalde and his syster Ethelburghe / comonly callyd Alburgh were borne in that par¦te of Englonde callyd Lynsey / And seynt Erken¦walde was conuertyd to the feythe / when seynt Augusty¦ne came into Englond and was dyscyple to the Bussho∣pe Mellyt / And his syster folowed the exaūple of her bro¦der / And when she was Cristenyd she was callyd Ethel¦burghe / And seynt Erkenwalde foundyd the Monaste∣rye of Chertesey for hymselfe where he was Abbot / and Barkynge for his syster / And after he was made bussho¦pe of London by seynt Theodre Archebussope of Caun¦terbury / And when a beame that was ordeynyd for the

monastery of Berkynge was to shorte / he and his syster Ethelburghe drew it in length / & made it longe ynough / And as he was goynge on Prechynge in a chare oon of the whelys went of / and yet the chare went vpryghte / he shewyd the very day of his deth / and vnto his laste ende he comfortyd the people besylye with the worde of god / And he Dyed at barkynge / And there was at his deth a meru••ylous swete Sauoure in all the house / And as he shulde be brought to London the water rose at Ilforde / and wolde not suffer theym to passe tyll the people fell to prayer / And anone the Water deuydyd / and so•• they went thrughe / And all the Candellys that were out lygh¦tyd agayne by themselfe / And so he was buryed at seynt Poulys in London / And was leyde in leed in a Coffyn of wodde / And it was coueryd with a Palle of small pry¦se many yerys / And after in the tyme of Wyllyam Con∣queroure the Churche of poulys / and great parte of lon∣don was Brent / And neuerthelesse the sayde palle and se¦pulcre was not h••rte wherfore the people gaue Laudys to our Lorde / And thoughe that that punysshemēt came to theym bycause they had not doon condygne honoure to the sayd blessyd Relyquys / And after the Churche of Poulys was newe buyldyd by thre Busshoppys of Lon¦don oon after a noder / And by a hoole Deuocyon of the people his Body was trāslatyd to a more honorable pla¦ce in the yere of our lorde god a Thousande a hundred & xl. the .xiii. daye of Nouember / And when the place that was newe made was to lyttyll for the Chest of leed whe••¦in his Relykys lay fyrst / y^e people for that neclygence we∣re sory / And anon the stone waxyd more holow / and ga∣ue place to y^e blessyd relykys / And after at his shryne we¦re doon many great myracles as in the legēde apperyth

at great length which be here omyttyd.

¶De sancta Ermenilda regina.

SEynt ermenylde was doughter to Ercomberte kynge of kent / & of seynt sexburghe his wyfe she was dysposyd to all pytye & cōpassyon and ende¦uouryd herselfe with a moderly pytye to helpe the neces∣sytes of euery man / & there was in hyr alway oon stable∣nesse on Benygnyte / on Charyte / on desyre to Heuynly thingys She was maryed to wlferus / son to penda kyn¦ge of Marshyes which after his Faders Deth was cry∣stenyd / & by her exortacyon / & good maners she tamyd y^e wylde people and brought theym to the feythe / & thruste downe Rebellys myghtyly / And she ceassyd not tyll the Idollys / & worshyppynge of deuyllys with the helpe of the Kynge was clene put a way / & Chyrchys were buyl∣dyd for Dyuyneseruyce thrughe all the Realme / & they had a doghter callyd werbuxga / And after the deth of y^e Kynge / the quene Er••••enylde & her Doughter enteryd into Relygyon at Ely vnder her moder sexburghe / & so for our lord she forsoke all the pleasurys / and loue of the worlde / And punysshyd her body with abstynence pray∣ers and lamentyngys / and shewyd her selfe moost lowe of all folkys / and she endyd her lyfe full of good werkys in the Id•••• of February / And a man that was bounden with I••••••s prayed at her tumbe at masse for helpe / and at the gospell the Irons were strykyn fro his arme with such a vyolēce that they flewe to the A••ter that all m••n myght see.

De sancto Esterwino Abbate.

SEynt esterwyn was mynyster to kynge Egfry∣de / And he lefte the / Temporall armoure / & toke Espyrytuall armour / & enteryd into Relygyon vnder his vnkyll Benet busshope in the Monasterye of seynt peter / but for all the kynred / he lokyd not to be any¦thynge the more honowryd / But he was anon foo meke that he wolde wynnow / and thresshe with the bretherne mylke Kyen & shepe / And be with theym galdlye in the Bakhouse & Kechyn / & in all other busynes of the Mona¦sterye / And after seynt Coolfryde abbot of the monaste∣rye of seynt paule / in the yere of our Lorde .vi.C.lxxxiii. electyd hym beynge in the monastery of seynt Petyr and made hym Abbot there / And whē he was Abbot he was of the same mekenes that he was before so that when he sawe the Bretherne worke / he wolde put to his hande as they dyd / And he was a man of great strengthe of fey∣re speche mery and lyberall / And he ete of the same mete as the bretherne dyd / and laye as they dyd / And when he shulde dye / he kyssyd all the bretherne in tokyn of peas / And instructyd theym with many Blessyd monycyons / he wente to oure Lorde of the great Syknes in the No∣nas of Marche.

¶De sancto Ethelberto rege & confessore.

SEynt ethelbert was y^e thyrde kynge of Kent / but he was the fyrste that wente to Heuyn / And all that seynt Augustyne dyd to the Encreasynge

of the faythe may be also attrybutyd to this blessyd kyn∣ge for as farre as to man apperyth / if he had not holpen seynt Augustyne & other werkes in the werke of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 lor¦de lytyll frute had come to the Londe of Englonde / And when he was cōuertyd with great benygnyte he ••••••yd other kyngys that were his subgyetty & or his felowys to become crysten / And those that beleuyd he l••uyd as hys bretherne and kynysmen and felawys to the kyngdome of heuyn / And in all his realme Chirchys were bu••••yd & placys of Idollys destroyed or tournyd into Churches By counceyll of seynt Augustyne he made the Churche of seynt sa••youre in Caunterbury / And without the wal¦lys of the Cytle he made a monasterye in the honoure of seynt peter and poule whiche was a place of buryall for Kynges and busshoppes / he buyldyd a Church of seynt paule in london and there was thē made a Busshoppys¦see / And he made a Churche of seynt Andrewe at Roche¦ster where was also made a noder Busshoppyssee / And he was founder of Ely thughe seynt Etheldrede bycau∣se she repayryd it / is takyn for foundres / his realme stret¦chyd to humber / And yet he shewyd hymselfe poore and meke as thoughe he had had nothynge / It was a glory∣us thynge to see hym that hadde rule and domynyon in great countreys to serue poore men / And to see hym that kynges feryd to drede the preestys of our Lorde as this blessyd kynge dyd / And he was a great exalter of vertue a fulfyller of the commaundementys of god / & of werkys of pyte / And he went to our Lorde the syxte Kalendas of marche / And when his feest was on a tyme not halowed nor the place where he laye adhournyd with lyghtys as it was wonte to be he apperyd to a preest that of deuocy on lay there all nyght / and blamyd them of theyr necly-

De sancta Ethelburga virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt ethelburgh cōmonly callyd seynt Alburgh was borne in the prouynce of lyndesey / & fro her youthe she abhorryd the bodely pleasurys / & the flaterynge of the worlde / And the auncyent enemy enuy∣enge her werkys styrryd her owne fader agaynste her so that he was a cruell psecutor of her / wherfore she went ofte to a Chapell where she was crystenyd / And commyt¦tyd herselfe to our Lord with deuoute prayer & a••••lyccy∣ons / & it is sayd y^e grasse is alway grene there as she wen¦te to the sayd chapell / And after when she shuld haue ben maryed she lefte her Fader & Moder / & with oon mayde went her waye pryuely / & by the waye the mayde fell in so great a drynes that withoute helpe she was lyke to Dye wherfore seynt Alburghe prayde for helpe to our Lorde And anon a feyre well sprange vppe that is there to this day / And when certeyne werke was assygnyd to her by her hostes in Herueste / she went to prayer and her werke was don without leyinge any hande to it / and her fader by her was conuertyd to y^e feyth / & after her broder seynt Erken walde of his patrymonye made for her the Abbey of Barkynge where she was abbesse / & there she subdu∣ed the Body to the spyryte w^t contynuell Fastyngys / vy∣gyllys & prayers / & she p̄chyd to the systers perseuerant lye / and after was seen an Image bryght shynynge in y^e Dormytory of the systers / & bryght shynynge cordys we¦re seen stretchynge into heuyn wherwith the sayd Ima∣ge was pluckyd vppe / And anone after seynt Alburghe de{per}tyd this worlde y^e .v. Idus of october about y^e yere of our Lorde .vii.C. & .vi. & so it apperyth to be for her y^t the sayd Image was shewyd / her monastery hath ben often tymes p̄seruyd agaynste paganys by especyall myracle somtymes wylde bestys at y^e yatysferyd y^t enemyes so y^t

they durst not come in / sometyme the offenders were so∣deynly strykyn / some with woodnes / some with blynde∣nes / and some with Deth / And dyuerse Myracles / oure Lorde hath shewyd for this gloryous virgyn.

¶De sancta Etheldreda virgine.

SEynt etheldrede cōmenly callyd Seynt Awdry was doughter to anna Kynge of eest Englōde / And agaynste her wyll she was maryed to Ton¦bert kynge of the south Gyrwyes where is the Ile of ely / And when she came into the Chaūber she comyttyd her virgynyte to our Lorde / And as her husbonde lokyd in to the Chaūber it was lyke as if all the chaūber had ben on fyre / And so he bad her fere no more for he wolde not touche her / for he sayd our Lorde was hyr defender / and shortlye after he dyed / & she was maryed ageyne by her frendys to Egfryde kynge of northamhūbrorū & .xii. ye∣yerys she was with hym not as a wyfe but as a Lady / & for her holynes he worshyppyd her moch & promysyd to y^e Busshope wylfryde great gyftys to make her agree to hym in matrymonye / And the Busshope cōtrarye wyse exortyd her to kepe virgynyte / And at laste by assente of the Kynge she enteryd into Relygyon at Coldyngham vnder Ebba aunte to y^e kynge / And when the kynge re∣pentyd hym / & wolde haue fet her fro the monasterye she cōmyttyd her to our Lorde / And with to systers went in to a Hyll / & there our lorde brought y^e see about theym / & preseruyd them there beynge in prayers with oute mete or drynke / & when the Kynge sawe that / he went away & repentyd hym of gis presumpcyon / and after she went to Ely y^t was geuyn to her by her husbonde tonbert / & the∣re she repayryd a Monasterye / & gaderyd many susters¦gence

y^t they had not don as was wonte to be / And that doon the preest wakynge sawe hym goo into his toum∣be agayne.

¶De sancto Ethelberto rege & martire.

SEynt Ethelbert was Kynge of eest Englonde / And when he had in his youthe moche prophy∣tyd in lernynge / he gaue not his mynde to volup¦tuous pleasurys / but to Prayers / almys dedys & other good werkys / And when his felowys were at Playe / he wolde be at Churche / & after the deth of his Fader Kyn∣ge ethelrede / he was made Kynge / & was profounde in counceyll ryghtwyse / and mercyfull in Iudgement / & so¦ber ī wordys / He wolde spare his subgyettys / and resyst prowdemen / And after by hoole assent of his cōmons he was desyryd to marye / and for loue of Chyldren he assē∣tyd therto / And he refusyd the doughter of a great Con∣sulle / bycause her Fader was a man full of fraunde / and dysceyte / & alienatyd fro Truthe / And at the laste it was concludyd that he shuld goo to off a Kynge of mersshes And when he was goynge the Erthe quoke / & the sonne waryd derke so that oon of them myght scarcely see a no¦ther / And when all a boute hym were a frayde & meruey¦lyd what it shuld betokyn / He sayde let vs doo that is in vs / & humble our hartys to almyghty god / & praye that he put awaye the derkenes both of Body and soule / and that he send vs y^e lyghte of his clerenes / And so they laye prostrate & prayed / And anon y^e Derkenes went awaye And then he wente forth in his Iourney / & when he cam into the kyngedome of Marshes he had a meruaylouse dreme y^t as he stode w^t his counceyll he thought his hou∣se fell downe / & anon he sawe a goodly tree that he neuer sawe any lyke to it / & that certeyn {per}sones were he wynge

at the tree to cut it downe / & a streme of blood folowyd of theyr hewynge / & he thought he hymselfe was a byrde / & that his wyngys were blody / & he sawe a bryght beame bryghter then y^e sonne com out of y^e south which ascēdyd into heuyn / & he thought y^t he flewe into the toppe of the tree & sawe all that was in the firmamēt / & herde a songe of great melody / & some thought it shulde betokyn y^e exal¦tynge of his kyngdome / & he sayd how so euer our Lord wold dyspose of hym he wold take it pacyētly / & when he came to Kynge off a by counceyll of the quene for amby∣cyon of hys kyngdome / And to enhaunce theyr owne blo¦de his hed was stryken of the .xiii. kalēdas of Iune as ap¦peryth in his legende at great length / And when the vir∣gyne alfryde whome he shulde haue maryed knew ther∣of she bade his seuaūtys goo into theyr coūtrey for they∣re mayster was behedyd / & taught of the holy goost / she sayde to hir moder thy sone shall not lyue .iii. yerys / & thy kyngedome shall not be stabled / & thou shalt not lyue in the confeffyon of god ouer thre moneth••s / thou shalte be takyn with a Deuyll / & ete thyn owne tonge / and dye an euyll deth and it folowyd as she sayd / and therupon that blessyd virgyne auowyd to entre into relygyon at crow∣lande / & fro the tumbe there as the yonge kynge was bu∣ryed a bryght beame wente to heuyn / And when Kynge off a herde therof ••e feryd greatlye & toke penaunce / and after his body was broughte to herforde / And by y^e way a blynde man recoueryd his syghte / & a longe tyme was seen euery nyghte a bryghte beame vppō his sepulcre / y^e kynge Mylfryde made a goodly chyrche ouer hym / and endewyd it with great possessyons / And was the fyrste kynge that made there a Busshoppyssee.

callyd wakerynge to ramesey where they lye to this day & that trāslacyon was made the .xvi. kalēdas of nouēber.

¶De sancto Ethelwoldo ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt ethelwolde was borne in wynchester / & his moder when she was w^t chylde w^t hym sawe two visions which signyfyed y^t she shulde bere a chyl¦de of great {per}feccyon / & when his norse hauynge the chyl∣de in her armys wolde haue goon to y^e Chyrche & coulde not for great tempest / sodenly she was broughte into the Chyrche & wiste not how she came thyder / And when y^e chylde came to age he was set to scole / & he had a quycke witte / & what so euer he lernyd he kepte it in memorye / & kynge ethelstane herynge his famesent for hym to haue hym abyde w^t hym / & causyd hym to take order of preest∣hod / And seynt Dūstane and he And oon Ethelstane we¦re made Preestys on oon daye by Seynt Aldelme / and he sayde y^t two of them shulde be Busshoppes / And the Thyrde shuld geue hym to Uoluptuousnes & make an euyll Ende / And soo it prouyd of the sayde Ethelstane And after seynt Ethelwolde went to glastenbury & there was made a mōke vnder seynt Dunstan where euer he coueytyd to y^e hyghnesse of vertue / & though he was mo¦che cherysshed & belouyd of all men / he ranne not therby in any peryll of Pryde / but kepte hym alwey in humyly∣te / And after Kynge edrede gaue hym a Place in abyng¦don / where he renewyd the Monastery of Abyngedon And put therin monkys / & there he was Abbot / and after by cōmaūdement of Kynge Edgar seynt Dūstan made hym Busshope of Wynchester / & there he put in monkys & also at hyde / & he made a place of Nonnys at Wynche∣ster / & he made Peterburgh & thorney & wente aboute all monasteryes to set them in good order & to cōforte good men / & to correcte theym that were obstynate / & he neuer

punysshed any of cruelnes but for loue / He was a fader & a shepherde to Relygyous men / a defender of virgyns a comforter of wydowys / a receyuoure of pylgrymys a refressher of poure men / a helper of pupyllys & orphanys & when a great derth was in all Englonde / he solde the Ornamentys of his Churche / & the plate to helpe the pou¦re people / & he had cōtynuall sykenes so that many nygh¦tys he slepte nothynge / And he neuer ete Flesshe but twy¦se / onys by cōmaūdemēt of seynt Dūstane & a noder ty∣me in the sykenes y^t he dyed of / His Candell burnyd vp¦pō his boke tyll it wēt out / And yet it hurtyd not his boke It is red of hym in Cronycles that when he was at gre∣te feestys which began in Englonde at the commynge in of the Danys he wolde ete no other thynge but Breed / & wolde drynke water / And he went to our Lord in the ka¦lendas of August in the yere of our Lord .ix. hundred fou¦re score and foure / and he lyeth at wynchester where our lorde hath shewyd for hym many Myracles / a man and a Chylde that were blynde at his tombe receyuyd theyr s••gh

¶Desctō Felice ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt felix was borne in Pyes a cytie of Burgū¦dye / & there was made Busshope / & in the tyme of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 honoryus / & of honoryus Archebus∣shope of Caunterbury leuynge his owne countrey & the pompe of the worlde / He came into Englonde to preche the feyth of our Lorde to suche people as were not then cōuertyd / he was a man of great lernynge / & y^t he taught he fulfyllyd ī good werkys / & the Archebusshope honory us at his cōmynge reseyued hym moche charytably / but whē he knewe his entēt was to {per}seuer ī p̄chynge he was moch more glad / & so he wēt into y^e {pro}uynce of est Englōd

the yere of our Lord .vi.C.lxxiii. And after y^t she enteryd into Relygyon she neuer ware lynnen / she ete but onys on a day She was dylygent to vigyllys / & prayers / & be¦fore her deth she had a great swellynge in her Throte / & in her cheke wherin she moche delytyd / & sayde it was a great goodnes of our Lorde / if that peyne myghte put a way the peyne y^t she was worthye to haue for her pryde / and offencys in werynge golde & precyous stonys abou¦te her necke when she was yonge / And when a surgeon had Cutte the sore place / and that Easyd her for a tyme the thyrde day after the peyne came agayne / And she yel¦dyd her soule to our Lorde the .ix. kalendas of Iuly after she had ben abbesse .vii. yere / & whē she had lyen .xvi. ye∣rys her Body & all her clothys were founde vncorrupte And her necke was hoole & a tokyn apperyd of the Cut∣tynge / & after the monasterye was destroyed by Inguer & hubba / & was renewyd agayne by seynt Ethelwolde by helpe of y^e kynge Edgar / A man that had ben a great vserer & full of••ynne & was in great syknesse entēdyd to serue god in relygyon at Ely the resydew of his lyfe an•• the Kyngys mynysters prohybytyd it & sayde he was a thyfe / & also in the Kynges det / Wherfore he was had to London / & there he was put in prysone / & on a ny••••t ap∣ryd to hym seynt Benet / seynt Awdry / & her suffe〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sexburghe / And seynt Benet onlosyd hys Irons & y^e Myracle knowyn he was let goo / & so he enteryd into re¦lygyon as he before purposyd.

¶De san••tis Ethelcedo & Ethelbricto martyrybus.

SEynt ethelberte that was conuertyd by Seynt augustyne had Issu Edbalde / edbalde had two sonnes E••men••ed & Ercōberte / Ermented had

Issu theys blessyd martyrs Ethelrede / & Ethelbricte & a doughter callyd dōpuena which was maryed to y^e kyn∣ge of Mershyes / & after the deth of theyr fader & moder bycause they were then but yonge they were put to the ke¦pynge of Egbert sone of the sayde Ercombert to brynge vp / And therupon a cursyd man callyd thūnir y^t had gre¦te rule vnder the kynge ferynge y^t if they lyuyd they shul∣de be gretter in fauoure w^t the kynge then he / enuyed thē moch / & tolde the kynge many false talys of them / & sayd if they Lyuyd they wolde put hym oute of his Realme & Coūceylyd y^t kynge to let hym Kyll them pryuelye / and when y^e Kynge for drede of god / & loue y^t he had to them wolde in no wyse assent / at laste when the sayde Cursyd man euer callyd on the kynge / and he on a tyme w^t dyssy¦mylynge voyce sayd nay / y^t cursyd man toke boldenes & on a nyght kyllyd them both / & buryed them in the Kyn∣ges house / & when the kynge rose in the nyghte he sawe a grete lyghte in the heygth of the hall wherat he meruey∣lyd moch / & dred for the chylderne & callyd thūnir / & whē he had lernyd of hym how it was / he feryd greatly y^e Iu¦gement of god / & sent for his coūceyll spirituall & tēporall & by coūcell of them all he sent for dompuena theyr suster And for the deth of her bretherne she askyd asmoch groū¦de in the Ile of tenet as her Hynde wolde goo aboute sey¦inge she was so commaundyd by oure lorde / And when the hynde hadde goon a certeyn space and all the people folowyd her Thumnyr founde a great deffaute at the kyngys graunte & wolde haue stoppyd it / & forthwith as he had spokyn y^e worde / he fell of his horse & brake his nec¦ke & he was buryed in y^e same place / and a great rocke of stonys were caste vppon hym / & it is callyd Thūnerslane to this day / & after by Ethelrede y^t was kynge Edgares sone these gloryouse martyrs were trāslatyd fro a place

where then regnyd the blessyd Kynge sygbert whiche before that tyme for fere of Redwarde hadde fledde into Fraunce / And there he was crystenyd / And then came agayne into his countrey / and after made a monasterye by councell of seynt felyx and toke tonsure and there ser∣uyd our Lorde / And in short tyme seynt Felyx cōuertyd all the people / and was made Busshope of y^e Cytie of do∣minoke / And the kynge sygberte by helpe of seynt Felyx made scolys for bryngynge vp of Chyldren in all y^e coun¦trey / & he went to our Lord full of good werkys the .viii. Idus of marche / and was buryed in thesame Cytie / his Relykys were broughte to Seham which was after de¦stroyed by Danys / And then his Relykys were brought to Ramsey where they lye at this daye.

¶De sctō Flacrio heremyta & confessore.

SEynt fyacre was borne of noble blod in Irlande & bycause he desyred moch to kepe a solytary lyfe he lefte his countrey / and his Frendys and went into Fraunce / and so came to seynt pharao Busshope of Meldees / And when he knewe the entēt of his commyn∣ge he cherysshyd hym moche / and gaue hym a certeyne grounde in the wood of Brodyle farre fro the recourse of people where he buyldyd a monastery in honoure of our Ladye / & there dayly he encreasyd in vertues / And that he sparyd fro hymselfe / he gaue it to pore men / And with only touchynge of his hādys with helpe of god he helyd many men of dyuerse sykenes soo that his fame sprong•• farre / And bycause great people resortyd to hym / the bus¦shope at his desyre gaue hym as moche Grounde adioy¦nynge to his howse as he coulde with his owne laboure

dyke aboute in a day to make a gardeyne apon / & he thā∣kyd hym moche / And when he came home / he made his prayers & drewe his staffe after hym / & w^t towchynge of the staffe the groūde voydyd & waxyd holowe lyke a dy∣ke / & all the Trees in the cumpasse fell downe / And a wo¦man seynge the Dyke meruaylyd greatlye / & tolde y^e bus¦shope therof / & sayde y^t the Heremyte was a Wytche & a enchauntour / & not the seruaūte of god / And came agay¦ne to hym & presumptuously spake to hym cōtumelyous wordys / & chargyd hym in the Busshopys name to ceas¦se his werkee And he herynge y^t was heuy / & sate downe vppon a stone which waxyd softe & holowe to hym lyke a sete which remaynyth there to this day / & by towchyn∣ge therof dyuers syke men haue ben helyd / And when y^e Busshope sawe the Myracles that were doon / he louyd seynt fyacre moch the better / & was euer after y^e more fa∣mylyer w^t hym / & neuerthelesse seynt Fyacre prayed to our Lord y^t if any womā euer came into his Monastery y^t she shuld fall in some sykenes / & so it prouyd after of dy¦uerse womē / He went out of this worlde y^e .xv. kalēdas of Septēber aboute y^e yere of our Lorde .vi.C. & .xxii.

¶De sancto Finano ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt finane was borne of the people of Arades and seynt patryke prophecyed that he shulde be a holy Busshope / wherfore his frendys in truste of seynt patrykys wordys at a souper brought hym thre vessellys of smalle Ale / & by his blessynge it was turnyd into wyne / After he was cōmyttyd to the busshope Col∣man to enfourme / And as he on a tyme wolde haue be∣tyn hym an Aungell helde his hande styll vppe in y^e ayre wherfore he sayde he wolde no more bete hym / And after

a holy abbot also refusyd to haue hym to his dyscyple for he sayd he was gretter of merytys then he / & sayd he shul¦de be a holy busshope / & thē y^e Chylde sayd a holy bussho¦pe was Commynge owt of Brytayne y^t shuld be his ma¦ster & so there was / & he went w^t hym to his busshopryke callyd maguns where he was made monke / He helyd a man y^t for his synnys had a legyon of Deuyllys / Hedrā¦ke poyson / & it hurtyd hym not / after he wente to Rome where he was made preest / & was there .vii. yerys / As he p̄chyd at Rome of enuye they range y^e bellys & blewe the Organes / & his voyce was harde aboue thē all wherof y^e people thākyd our lord / He cōuertyd moch people abou∣te Italy / & there the hande of a Kynge y^t wolde haue cru¦cyfyed hym stake fast to the Crosse tyll he & all the people were penytent / & were conuertyd / then he went to his ow¦ne Coūtrey / & was made Busshope / & in Irlande he dyd so many Myracles y^t no man can tell / He was syke a ho¦le yere lyenge in his bedde / And when his tyme drewe ne¦re he reyseyuyd the blessyd Body of our Lord the fourth Idus of September / And he was buryed in Scotlan∣de at cumgham at a place that after his name in welche is callyd Kylwynny.

¶De sancto Foillane ep̄o & martire.

SEynt foyllane busshope / & martyr was borne of noble blood in Irlond / & he made his blood mo∣re noble by his good lyuynge / and lyke to the pa¦tryarke Abraham / He lefte his owne countrey and his carnall Frendys / And went into Fraūce / where he was

Instructor to seynt geretrude / and she gaue to hym and to his broder vltan a grounde callyd folse to make ther∣in a Monasterye to receyue pylgrymes / And vltan was made ruler therof / And seynt Foyllan styll remaynyd to Instructe seynt Geretrude / & on a tyme asseynt Foylla¦ne with thre felowys went to see his Broder vltan a my∣nyster of the Deuyll met theym by the waye and promy∣syd to brynge them to a good lodgynge vnder coloure y^t he myght murdre theym / And seynt Foyllane by the ho∣ly goost knowynge his purpose gaue hym selfe to pray∣ers / and comfortyd his bretherne to be stronge in our lor¦de / And so the sayd Cursyd man with his company stra∣ke of theyr heddys the day before the kalendas of Nouē∣ber / & leuynge theyr Bodyes in a vyle place / solde theyr Horsys and apparell / And when seynt Geretrude mer∣uaylyd of his longe taryinge she sent to y^e monastery for hym and his Broder vltan sent her worde that she shuld by her wysdome expoūde his vysyon / as he was in pray¦er he thought he sawe a whyte doue with blody wyngys fly vppe to Heuyn / And more he sayde he knewe not of hym / werfore anon she and all the bretherne and fusters ••ell to prayer / & by an Aungell it was shewyd vnto her / y^t he was Martyred / And that she shulde fynde hym by a tokyn that our Lorde shulde shewe hyr / And so she went furthe and founde hym and his felowes. lxxviii. dayes af¦ter theyr martyrdome by a bryghte shynynge crowne y^t apperyd ouer theym / And the same day of his fyndynge seynt Fursee / his broder dyed / and he was buryed in the sayd Monastery where our Lord hath shewyd for hym many myracles.

De sctō Fremūdo Rege & martire.

A Chylde of .iii. dayes olde prophecyed that off a thenne a Kynge of Englonde in his age shul∣de haue a sone callyd Fremunde / that shulde conuerte hym and his Moder with all the cuntrey to the Feythe of our Lorde / And that in his youth he shulde he∣le lepourys / and blynde men / And that at his byrthe shul¦de appere a bryght beame ouer the house / And as he say¦de it prouyd in euery thynge after / When the kynge off a waxyd olde he made seynt Fremunde kynge though he moche refusyd / And a yere & a halfe he occupyed as Kyn¦ge norysshynge poore men / encreasynge peace / and put∣tynge downe of Rebellys / then he lefte all that honour / & with two clerkys went pryuely in a lytell shyppe without sayle into the see trustynge in the helpe of our lorde & not in the wynde / And in the .v. day they came into a Ile cal∣lyd Ilefage where no man before his tyme durst dwelle for fere of Deuyllys / And there he lyuyd vnknowen .vii. yerys by Rootye & Erbys / And his Apparell appeyryd not in all that tyme / after his goynge away fro his Cun∣trey the Danys came into the Lāde / And when they had martyryd Seynt Edmonde / his Fader was verye sore aferde / And sent messangers for his son / And when they had foūde hym and shewyd hym the entente of theyr mes¦sage / he gaue hym selfe to prayer to knowe y^e wyll of our Lord therin & by an Aungell he was admonysshyd y^t he shulde goo w^t them / And the Aungell shewyd hym y^t he shulde haue y^e victory / & that euery man y^t he toke w^t hym to the batayle shuld appere a .M. men / & soo he went into his Contrey where he foūde his Fader ouercome w^t the Infydelys / And then he with his two felowys / and .xxii. other that came for hym / Wherfore euery oon of theym

apperyd a thousande men as the Aungell sayde kyllyd. xl. thousande paynymes / And incontynent after the vyc∣torye he went to prayer and thankyd oure Lorde / & then a Cristen man callyd Oswy that had ben in great fauou¦re with his Father / which had forsakyn the Feythe for y^t he was promysyd by the Danes to be Kynge / strake of his Hed the .v. Idus of May / And the blood that fell vp¦pon hym / burnyd hym with suche intollerable Hete that anon he fell prostrate / and cryed mercy / And the Hed spa¦ke & forgaue hym / And then he toke vppe his owne Hed and bare it to a place betwene Huchyn / and Harburbury and there he wesshyd his Hed in a well that sprange vp there by his prayer / And after he was had to a place cal∣lyd of churche where he was buryed and laye there .ix. ye¦rys / And then he was remouyd by monycyon of an Aun¦gell gyuyn to thre Maydens y^t were all thre made hoole of theyr dyseasys to a place bytwene Charwell & Brad∣moure / And there he laye vnknowen many yerys tyll it was shewyd by an aūgell to a pylgryme at Iherusalem where he laye / And then he was takyn vppe by seynt Be¦ryne honorably / and as seynt Beryne was ledynge hym to the nexte Monasterye as the Pope had cōmaundyd the Pylgryme in his commynge whome / At redyke his Relykys stoude styll & wolde no ferther / Wherfore seynt Beryne went to Rome and shewyd it to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / & re∣tournyd agayne with the Popys bullys & there buryed hym in y^e same place honorably the .v. kalendas of apryll And now i these dayes oon of his armys / and oon of his Rybbys / & a parte of his Iawe lye at Dunstable / And the resydue of his Bodye lyeth at Croprede.

De sancta Frideswida virgine.

SEynt frydeswyde was borne in Oxforde aboute the yere of our Lorde seuyn Hundred and fyftye And after her Chyldehod was paste she lyuyd with wortys / barley Brede / and Water / After by assent of her Fader and Modershe was made a Nunne / And by her exaumple .xii. other noble virgyns enteryd also in to relygyon / And by the helpe of the Kynge she made a Monasterye / where she lyuyd in Fastyngys / and conty∣nuell Prayers / a Hundred tymes on the Daye / & as ma∣ny tymes of the Nyght she prayed knelynge / the Deuyll enuyed her / And to haue deceyuyd her he apperyd lyke our Lorde with Aungellys / and bad her come and wor∣shyp hym whom she had longe seruyd / And by Spyryte she knewe hym and dyspysyd hym / And so he went awey with a great stenche / and she contynued in prayer quyet¦lye and without fere / And thenne the Deuyll mouyd the Kynge alger to desyre her to his voluptuous pleasure so that the Kynge sent his seruauntys for her & when they coulde not haue her assente to come to the Kynge / And wolde therfore haue takyn her by Strength / they were anon strykyn Blynde / And by desyre of all y^e people that came to that spectacle she made them see agayne / And y^e same nyght an Aūgell apperyd to her and bade her goo to Chamyssyde / And there she shuld fynde a Bote and a yonge man prepayryd by our Lorde to conuey her / for the Kynge wolde come to take her awaye / & so she wente to Chames and in an houre space with two Susters she was conueyed in the sayde bote .x. myles / And sodeynly the bote & y^e rower were gon / & there they lyuyd in a wyl¦dernesse .iii. yerys in great abstynēce / vigillis and pray∣ers / And when the Kynge in the Mornynge coulde not

fynde her in a great Ire he studyed to destroy the Tow∣ne wherfore when he came to the north yate / He was stry¦ken blynde / and for his offence as it is sayde it is prohy∣bytyd to Kyngys of Englonde to come within the Tow¦ne of Oxforde to this day / And after .iii. yerys she came agayne and made an Oratory at thornbury by Oxforde there by her Prayers sprange a feyre welle / On a tyme when she came to Oxforde all the people met her / And a fowle lepoure prayed her in y^e name of god to kysse hym and so she dyd / and anon he was made hoole / as she was praynge an Aūgell tolde her that she shuld dye the .xiiii. kalendas of nouember / And so he went fro her and lefte her seke of the Axes / And when her strength was moche goon fro her / she sawe seynt Katheryne and seynt Cecy∣lye / whom she had euer moche worshyppyd / And as she cryed to theym I come Ladyes I come / she went to oure Lorde the sayd .xiiii. kalendas of Nouember / And anon came a great Lyght into the house that fyllyd all the hou¦se / And the towne full of a goodly swete ••auoure / And she Lyeth in Oxforde.

¶De sancto furseo abbate & confessore

SEynt furse was borne in Irlonde / And was bro¦der to seynt Foillane He was feyre and chaste of Bodye / deuoute in mynde / full of Grace & good Werkys / And fro his youth he was brought vppe in ho∣ly Letters / and lernynge of Relygyon / And on a tyme when he was seke and was seyinge his euynsonge a gre¦te derkenes fell aboute hym / And he was brought in ma¦ner as he hadde ben deed / Then he sawe thre Aungells

come to hym / And he herde theym synge (ibunt sancti de virtute invirtutem) and other merueylous swete songes And after Deuyllys before our Lorde leyde many thyn∣gys agaynste hym / and the Aūgellys defendyd hym fro theyr accusacyons / and fro great terryble Fyres that he sawe / and fro all other daungers excepte that he had ta∣kyn a gowne of oon that was a synner to Praye for hym And the Deuyll threw that man vppon hym which bur∣nyd his shulder so sore that it was seen vppon hym euer after / Then the Aungellys bade hym loke into the worl∣de / And he sawe the worlde lyke a great Ualsy / wherin were foure Fyres / And the Aungellys sayd that tho Fy∣res consume all y^e worlde / The fyrste is y^e fyre of lyinge in that that men at theyr Baptysme promyse to forsake the Deuyll and all his werkys and do not / The seconde is y^e fyre of couetyse when men set the loue of the worlde befo∣re the loue of Heuenly thyngys / The thyrde is the Fyre of discencyon when men fere not to offende theyr neygh∣boures for veyne thynges / And the fourth fyre is of wyc∣kydnes when great men fere not to robbe and spoyle po¦re men / And as he lokyd vp he sawe a great company of Aūgellys in heuyn & harde them synge (sanctus sanctus sanctus dn̄s deus sabaoth) & therby he was moch cōfor¦tyd & sayd it was great ioy to here y^t heuēly songe / & then two holy Busshoppys that lately were gon to heuyn ap∣peryd to hym y^t he shuld goo to the worlde ageyne wher¦fore he was very heuy / And they shewyd hym y^t there is no sacryfyce more acceptable to our Lord then pacyence & myldenes of herte wherby all Aduersyteys / & Hurtys in truste of the resurreccyon to come be gladlye takyn / & many goodlye thynges / & notable lernyngys be in y^e vy∣syon

of this blessyd man y^t for shortnes be here omyttyd / A yere after that he was come to hymselfe / as he was sy∣ke an Aungell apperyd to hym & sayd he shulde yet lyue. xii. yerys in prechynge the worde of god / And so he came to sygybert Kynge of eest Englonde / of whome he was gladly receyuyd / And at knoberesburgh he made a Mo¦nasterye / & when so euer he talkyd of his vysyon though it were colde wynter he swette for fere / And after he lefte the cure of y^e Monasterye to his Broder seynt Foyllane and he went into Fraunce / & there made a Monasterye at Latynyacum / He lefte this worlde the .xvii. kalendas of February / and lyeth at perona & .iiii. yere after his bu∣ryenge his Bodye was remouyd & was foūde vncorrup¦te / He departyd about y^e yere of our Lord .vi.C. & .xxxvi.

¶De sancto Gylda abbate & confessore.

SEynt gylda was a Kynges sone of scotlande & in his youth he was lernyd in the Artes lyberall / af¦ter he went into Fraunce & there he was .vii. ye∣re / and fro thens he came into Brytayne where many sco¦lers resortyd to hym / He fastyd lyke an Heremyte / And euer was busye in Prayers & were the heer / & he lyuyd w^e Barly breed made with asshes / & dranke water / & neuer eete Flesshe / And in the nyghtys he sayde certeyne Pray¦ers in the water takynge his slepe vppon a stone / And y^e Heuenly rewardys were alwayes in his desyre / And he taught his dyscyples to despyse all y^t was trāsytorye / on a tyme as he prechyd in y^e Coūtrey of Epydane his voy∣ce was stoppyd sodeynly / & when all the people meruey∣lyd therat / he bad them all goo out of the Church that he myght knowe whether any of them were y^e cause therof And at laste Nunnyta moder of seynt Dauyd then beyn¦ge

with Chylde was founde in the Churche / and then he sayd that she shuld haue a blesshyd Chylde / that no man in his tyme shulde be lyke to / And y^t for presence of y^t bles∣syd Chylde / his speche was stoppyd / And so seynt Gylda went into Irlande & there he cōuertyd moch people / And after when kynge arthure had kyllyd his broder ho well he came into Brytayne / & there he forgaue kynge Arthu∣re y^e deth of his Broder And he dwellyd by seuerne / & the¦re he buyldyd a Chyrche where he was moche in prayer He wrote a Boke of the foure Euangelystys y^t was had in suche honoure y^t the people durste not open it / And the people thought ther was no accorde fully made bytwixt enemyes but apon y^t boke / And after he came to glaston∣bury / And not farre fro thens he buyldyd a Chyrche vp∣pon a Ryuer where he lyuyd an Heremytys lyfe / After he felle syke wherfore he sent for the Abbot of glastonbu∣ry & desyred that he myght be buryed in his monasterye And so he went out of this worlde the fourth kalendas of february in the yere of our Lord .CCCCC. & .xii. & a gre∣te lyght was seen about his Body / And he lyeth at Gla∣stonbury.

¶De sancto Gilberto confessore.

SEynt gylbert was borne at sempyngham / and ī his youth he was so abiecte ī his faders House y^t the seruauntys dysdeynyd to sytte with hym at mete / and at Scole he lytyll prophytyd / And so he wente into Fraunce / and there he toke degre of Mayster / And when he came ageyne into Englonde he began the ordre of Sempyngham of men and women / He labouryd all

that he coulde for the helthe of so wllys / And to all that he coulde he prophytyd in worde / dede / and exaumple / And his father lykyd his conuersacyon so well that he presen∣tyd hym to the chyrches of sempyngham & tyryngton on a tyme ther fell a lyghte temptacyon bytwyxt hym / & his hostys doughter / And the nyght folowynge he thought in his slepe that he had put his hāde so ferre in her bosom that he coulde not plucke it oute agayne / wherfore he fe∣ryd greatly & lefte that place / And after that virgyn was oon of the .vii. that he began his relygyon vppō / And all that he had aboue his necessary lyuynge he gaue to pore men after he was made preest / & then went to Rome to y^e pope engeny to haue the Relygyon of Cisteux assygnyd to haue rule of his Monasteryes / And the Pope wolde not assent therto / ne yet the Cysteux / And then the Pope orderyd y^t he shulde appoynt men therto hym selfe / And so he dyd / And in that Iourney he was moche famylyer with seynt malachye Busshoppe of Irlande / and with seynt Bernarde / And to his Bretherne he appoyntyd y^e ruell of seynt Augustyne / And to the Susters the rule of seynt benedycte / and what so euyr he myslykyd in eyther of the Rulys he refourmyd / and sent his Rule to Rome where it was cōfermyd / he made .xiii. monasteryes wher¦in at his deth were aboute seuyn Hundred Bretherne / & fyue hundreth Susters / he louyd all his placys lyke mo¦che / and put lyke dylygence for the one / as he dyd for the other / His rydynge apparell was symple / And his com∣panye honest / He absteynyd alwey fro flesshe but in gre¦te sykenes / In lent and Aduenthe absteynyd fro Fysshel He hadde at his table a dysshe that was callyd y^e dysshe of Ihesu wherin he put mete for pore men not of the refu∣se

but very good / and after dyner hevsyd Redynge / pray¦er or medytacyon / he were in Wyntre / and Somerlyke many clothys / And he electyd one of his dyscyples to be his mayster & was to hym obedyent / and toke the habyt of a chanon / A man with werynge of his sockys was he∣lyd of the gowte / Also fyre fledde fro the house where he was prayinge and hurte it not / And in the yere of our lor¦de god a thousande a hundred foure score and .ix. the day before the Nonas of February full of good werkys / and good exaumples he went to our Lorde / and was bury∣ed honorably in the monastery of Sempyngham which he had foundyd.

¶De sancto Godrico seruo dei & heremita.

THe fader and moder of seynt Godryke dwellid in Norfolke in a Towne callyd Walpole they were pore of worldlye substaunce / and Ryche in vertues deuoutly prayinge to our Lord y^t they myght haue a chylde apte to his seruyce / And so they had a sone whom they callyd Goderyke / And in his youthe he was a marchaūte vsynge / Feyrrys and Markettys / he went to seynt Andrewys in Scotlande / & soo to Rome & came whom with marchauntys by water / And went into Bry¦tayne / Flaunders / and Denmarke / & wan moche good And .xvi. yerys he expendyd in suche busynes / And after he went twyse to Rome oon tyme he went by seynt Gyle / And the other tyme he toke his moder with hym whiche went barefote / And when he came whome at the laste ty∣me he solde all that he had & gaue it to poore men & lyuyd at caerlyle vnknowyn / Wher many folkys began to wor¦shype

hym wherfore he went into a wood / & lyuyd there with herbys & frutys & had no house / after he founde an olde heremyte / and eyther of them callyd other by his na¦me & yet they neuer had herde of other before / & he taryed with hym tyll the other Heremyte dyed / And then seynt Cuthberte apperyd to hym & bad hym to go to Ierusalem and be crucyfyed with our Lord / & then to come agayne to a wood callyd fynkale a lytyll fro Duresme / And in y^t Iourney he toke no sustenaunce but drye barley breed & water / And he chaungyd not his clothynge nor wasshed theym / ne chaungyd his shone tyll he came there so y^t sto¦nys & grauell were growyn into his feet so greuouslye y^t the flesshe & bonys myght scarcely hange to gedyr / And at fleme Iordane he chauugyd hym & wyshe his Here / & fro that tyme he were no shone / Then he retournyd agey¦ne to fynkale / & by the ryuer of were he made a lytyll hou¦se where he dwelled vnknowen dyuerse yerys / & lyuyd w^t Leuys & Rotys / & after he began to Laboure to get hym mete by his laboure / he dyggyd the grownde & sewe it / & made a Gardeyne / he neuer lay in Bedde but on y^e groū¦de with a here vnder hym / & a stone vnder his Hedde / of all thyngys he eschewed Idelnes and wolde eyther be in Prayer / medytacyon or Laboure / He wolde stonde in y^e water thoughe it were Froste / & snowe sometyme a mo∣neth together in the nyghtys tyll the mornynge / & when his teth chakyid ī his heed / he wolde sey thys is greuous but y^e fyre of Hell is moche more greuous / & in the coulde wynter he wolde go barefote so y^t his feet sumtyme were cut so greuously y^t a man myght put ī his fynger / he cho∣se y^e pryor of Duresme to be his mayster / & wolde not spe¦ke w^t any man w^tout lycēse of hym .iiii. dayes in the weke

sonday / mōday / tuesday / & fryday & also in festys & in ad∣uēt & fro septuagesyme to Ester he kepte scylence / & after he began to enhabyt y^t place / He neuer went out of it but thryse / he had dyuerse tymes great fowle deseasys of By¦les / & of other fowle mater in all his Body w^t intollerable payne / & yet he wolde take no medycyne / for he fayde he was worthy to suffer payne for his offencys / & wolde ma¦ke oon to rubbe his sorys w^t salte / & when he had ben .xi. ye¦rys in wyldernes such a great swellynge toke hym in y^e fa¦ce & in all the Body y^t he coulde scarcelye he knowen / & he had great inwarde peyne as though wormys had consu¦myd hym which he alweyes toke in pacyēce / & when his tyme drewe nere he callyd y^e bretherne / & they leyde hym vppon a here with asshes & put on hym a stamyn & a cow¦le / for he was a lytell before made monke at Duresme / & so he went to our Lord y^e .xii. kalendas of Iune in y^e yere of our Lorde god .M.C.lxx. & many great myracles y^t our Lord hath shewyd for this blessyd man / & the great temp¦tacyons y^t he had of y^e goostlye enemye which ofte he ap∣peryd to hym to haue deceyuyd hym som tyme lyke a pyl¦gryme / sometyme lyke a woman & some tyme moche ter¦rybly in lykenes of dyuerse bestys / & howe w^t the sygne of the crosse he had euer the vyctory / And how our Lady & dyuerse other seyntys many tymys apperyd to hym and cōfortyd hym for shortnesse be here omyttyd.

¶De sancto Grimbaldo abbate & confessore.

ALfrede kynge of weste saxonyssente into Fraūce for a Monke callyd grymbalde & made hym Ab∣bot in a Monastery y^t he had newely made ī wynchester & there seynt grymbalde gaderyd a great cōpany of mō∣kys & taught thē diligētly letters & good maners he gaue

great almys / he was deuoute ī prayers / & oftymys vsyd vygyllys / & full of good ensaumples / in great age he lefte this worlde / & went to the Euerlastynge rewarde in He∣uyn the .viii. Ide of Iuly aboute the yere of oure Lorde. viii.C. foure score & .viii. & was buryed in his monasterye at wynchester that now by chaunce is callyd hyde / whe∣re he is hadde in great honoure.

¶De sancto Gudwalo ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Gudwalle was borne of noble Blood in y^e partyes of Brytayne / And in his youthe he was put to lernynge / & when he came to age he was made preest & after Busshope / & he abhorryd all worldly thyngys / And what so euer came to hym prosperously of the worlde he turnyd it to the honoure of god / and at last seynge that his bysshopryke was in maner as a cheyn to bynde hym to the worlde / He lefte it to a dyscrete man & went to a Monasterye in his dyocesse / And nyghe to the Monastery there was a great Rocke lyke an Ile / and y^t see went nyghe aboute it where seynt Gudwale cōtentyd with oon felawe made hym a lytyll House in the stone / & when he lackyd water he strake his staffe into the Rocke & by his prayer a feyre wellsprange out therof / After he gatheryd there a Hundred & foure score Bretherne y^e see was so nygh the Monasterye that the grownde was ve¦rye lytell for so many {per}sonys wherfore he went to the see syde / & set his staffe in y^e groūde & chargyd the see in the name of our Lord Ihesu crist y^t it shulde not passe that marke / & the see obeyed vnto hym / On a tyme he sent his discyples into a place where great rayne fell in all the cō∣trey & by his merytes there felle none in y^e wey where his

discyples were / he helyd a wolfe y^t had hurte his fote & cō¦maūdyd hym he shuld neuer doo hurte to any creature & that he shulde euer after ete Hey lyke an Oxe & so he dyd on a tyme a pore man askyd of hym almes / & bycause he had no other thynge at hande he gaue hym a Horse / and when the seruauntys on the morowe grudgyde at it the∣re came a noder Horse lyke to y^e same Horse ī euery thyn¦ge / & yet was not the same whom they toke & put to wer∣ke / seynt Myghell the arcaungell apperyd to hym & tol∣de hym the veray daye that he shulde leue this worlde / & anon as he was gon / seynt Peter & seynt paule apperyd to hym & cōfortyd hym / And he dyed the .viii. Ide of Iu∣ne / And when his bodye was leyde in a weyne to be cary¦ed to a certeyne place to haue ben buryed the Oxen were made vnmouable / & coulde not goo nor styre / Wherfore by a cōmen assent two wylde kyne were put into the wey¦ne / And they went streyght to an Ile callyd Plecyt / whe¦re he was honorably buryed / & after many yerys for fere of enemies the people of that Ile fledde a wey into dyuer¦se countreys / And the Brederne seynge other men flee to¦ke the Body with them & went into Fraūce to Cleremoū¦te where the blessyd Relykys were leyde / And there our Lorde hath shewyd for hym many Myracles.

De sancto Gundleo rege & confessore.

SEynt gundleus was sone of the kynge of southe Brytons / & after his faders deth he deuydyd his Realme in seuyn {per}tys / And gaue his syx brether¦ne theyr porcyons & they all obeyed to hym as to theyr su¦peryor / & he had a sone callyd Cadoke / & as he & his wyfe lay in theyr bedde an Aūgell apperyd to them & sayd our Lorde wolde y^t they shulde turne them with all theyr her¦tys

to his seruyce & he shewyd theym y^t in the mornynge they shuld goo to a lytyll hyll by a ryuer syde / & where as they saw a whyte oxe stāde there they shuld abyde / & in y^e mornynge y^e kynge lefte his Realme to seynt Cadoke his sone & went to y^e sayd hyll / & as y^e Aungell had sayd there he foūde a whyte oxe & there he made a churche & lyuyd ī great abstynēce / He were the here ete barley brede wher¦of the thyrde parte was asshes & dranke water / He wol∣ryse in y^e nyghtys & bathe hym ī y^e water / & he wolde lyue on ī his owne laboure / & after his sone seynt Cadoke thē beynge Abbot of nancarbanense came to vysyte hym / & seynt Cadoke sayd y^• the kyngedome of heuyn is not pro¦mysyd to them y^t begyn well / but to theym y^t {per}seuer / & for lacke of water seynt Gundleus prayed & strake his staffe into the grounde / & anon a feyre well sprange vp / & when his tyme drewe nere he sent for seynt Dubryce Bussho∣pe of Landauēse / & for his sone Cadoke / And when they had comfortyd hym / & howselyd hym / he went to our lor∣de the .iiii. kalendas of apryll / & Aungellys haue ben ofte seen visytynge y^e place where he was buryed / & dyuerse men haue ben greuously punysshed for wronge doynge to his Chyrche.

¶De sancto Guthlaco confessore.

SEynt guthlake was borne in the tyme of ethelre∣de Kynge of marshes & he was of the kynges blo¦de / & at his byrthe a hāde was seen at y^e dore lyke the hande of a redde man which was of a heuenly colou∣re makynge a crosse vppon y^e dore / & when he was .xxiiii. yere of age he gaue hym selfe to Actys of chyualry / & defē¦dyd hys Father myghtely agaynste his enemyes / & bette downe castellys / & townys & in his moost cruelty he was also mercyfull & wolde geue to his enemyes y^e thyrde par¦te

of y^t he geet / And after he consyderyd y^t the glorye of y^e worlde was but as smoke / & a vapoure of small abydyn∣ge / wherfore he caste away his Armoure / & went to repē∣don / & toke orders geuynge hym to monastycall lernyn∣ge / & he wolde drynke nothynge y^t myght be occasyon of dystemperaunce / And after he went to crowlande where then no man durste enhabyte for fere of wyckyd spiritis / & there he lyuyd a blessyd lyfe & sufferyd great temptacy¦ons / & persecucyons of wyckyd spiritis as in y^t Legende apperyth at great length / & he was ofte delyuerd owte of trowbles & temptacyons by seynt Bartylmew whom he had in synguler deuocyon / on a tyme two Deuyllys in lykenes of men came to hym & {per}swadyd hym to faste not two or thre dayes but by hole wekys / & put hym ī mynde of Moyses & hely howe they fastyd / & of the fastyngys of olde fathers of sythye / & thē he knewe they were wyckyd spiritis / wherfore he made his prayer & anon they vanys¦shed awey / & then he toke his sustenaunce of Barley bre∣de as he was wonte to do / This blessyd man had suche a hoole entent to god y^t there was neuer in his harte but py¦te & charyte / & in his mouth there was nothynge but our lorde Ihesu Peas / mercy / & forgyuynge / He was neuer seen angry / prowde / or heuy but alwayes īoon sobrenes On a tyme he sawe two deuyllys wepe / & when he askyd them y^e cause why they wepte / they sayd bycause he p̄uay¦lyd so ofte agaynste thē / & so he made y^e sygne of y^e crosse & anon they vanysshyd away / y^e busshope hedda as he was goinge to seynt guthlake praysid moch y^e strayghtnes of his lyfe / & oon of his chapleyns sayd y^t he had seen many Heremytes some good & some euyll / & if he had ones seen hym he sayd he coulde tell whether he were so good as y^e fame rāne vppō hym / & whē he cam to seynt guthlake he

by spyryt knowynge his wordys askyd of hym howe he sayd by y^t man y^t he spake of y^e day before / & then he was abasshyd & fell downe askynge hym forgyuenes / & thē y^e Busshope made hym preest / he had a suster callyd pega / whom he wolde not see ī this lyfe to y^e entēt they myght y^e rather mete in the lyfe to come / & when his tyme drew ne¦re he shewyd his discyple Bertelyn therof & bade hym y^t he shulde praye his suster to se hym buryed / & then Berte¦lyn prayed seynt Guthlake to shewe hym who he was y^t he had seen euery day syth his fyrste cūmynge to hym spe¦kynge w^t hym Mornynge & euenynge / & he sayde y^t euer syth he came to y^t wyldernes he had an Aūgell to cōforte hym & to helpe hym in his tēptacions / & that shewyd hym thynges to come w^t other great secretys y^t it was not lau¦full to speke & bade Bertelyn kepe it secrete & not to shew it to any {per}sone but to his suster Pega & to a holy Anker callyd Egbert / & when he had thus spokyn there came a swete smell out of his mouthe as of Rose flowrys or Bal∣me / & fro mydnyght to the mornynge was a great lyght seen in all y^e house / & then he sayd to his dyscyple y^t his ty∣me was come / & lyftynge vp his Ien & his hādys into He¦uyn he slepte ī our Lorde aboute y^e yere of grace .vii.C. & .vi. & aboute a yere after his deth his body was remouyd & was foūde vncorrupt w^t all his clothys / a kynge callyd Ethelbalde which was wrongefully put out of his Real∣me & had be moche famylyer with seynt gutlake in his ly¦fe came to his tumbe & prayed deuoutly to hym for helpe & he apperyd to hym & tolde hym y^t within two yerys he shuld be restoryd to his kyngdō & so he was & thē he buyl¦ded crowlāde & endewyd it w^t great lōdes & many lyber∣tyes as he hadde promysed to seynt Guthlake in his lyfe that he wolde doo.

De sancta Helena regina.

Seynt helyn was doughter of cloell kyng of grete brytayn / & ī tho dayes y^e senate of romesēte cōstā¦cyus which had subdued to thē y^e coūtrey of spay¦ne to subdue also to them brytayne / now callyd Englōde And cloell ferynge y^e great wysdome of cōstancius anon assentyd to pay y^• olde trybute & theruppon constancyus toke y^e sayd helyn his doughter to wyfe & had by her con∣stantyne whiche after the deth of his fader went to rome with great power of brytayne / & toke his moder w^t hym & put downe maxencyus y^e tyraūte / & was made Empe∣roure / after he was cōuertyd to y^e feyth & also Crystenyd by seynt syluester / wherfore his moder praysyd hym y^t he had lefte y^e worshyppynge of Idollys but she thought he shuld rather haue receyuyd the feyth of y^e god of y^e Iues which she had thē receyuyd / then to receyue y^e feythe of a man crucyfyed / & there vppon a tyme was appoyntyd be¦twyxte them to haue bothe lawes disputyd / at which day by the {pro}founde argumētys of seynt Syluester & also by myracles y^t our lorde shewyd in {pro}ue of the feyth seynt He¦lyn & all y^e docturys of y^e Iues y^t she brought w^t her were cōuertyd to y^e feyth / & when she was crystenyd she encou∣ragyd her selfe to enlarge y^e crysten feythe all y^t she could & went to Iherusalem with a great power where she foū¦de y^e holy crosse with y^e thre naylys & the crybbe y^t our lor¦de was leyed on & {per}te of y^e hey / & our Ladyes smokke / & she made monasteryes where our lord sufferyd his deth & passyon there as y^e holy crosse was foūde & at Bethelē & in many other placys / After she went to ynde she made many churchys & brought with her y^e Bodyes of the thre kynges of coleyne / & she broughte with her {per}te of y^e holy crosse to constantynople after she went to rome & grewe

to suche hyghe charyte y^t she was as a moder to all perso¦nys / And after when she laye syke she sawe heuyn open & our lord standynge with a great multytude of Aūgellys with his Crosse meruaylously shynynge which comfor∣tyd her moche / She went to our Lord the .xv. kalendas of septēber / & was honorably buryed by y^e Pope w^t great wepynge of all y^e people / & as it is sayd her body was trās¦latyd to constantynople / & now it lyeth at venys.

De sancto Henrico heremita.

SEynt henry the heremyte was borne in denmar¦ke / And on a tyme when all thynge was ordey∣nyd y^t he shuld haue ben maryed our lord prohy∣bytyd hym to be maryed / & bad hym kepe hym selfe clene & inmaculate fro this worlde / & that he shuld goo into the Ile of Coket / & so he came to tynmouth / & there he had le¦ue of the pryor to go into the Ile of Coket / And certen ye¦rys he lyuyd with brede & water / & after he ete but thryfe ī a weke & thre dayes in y^e weke he kept o•• cylence / On a ty∣me as he wolde haue goon to duresme but y^t he hadde no bote to goo ouer the water of were he made his prayer & a bote of the ferther syde brake that y^t it was tyed with & came ouer to hym / & so he went ouer therin / His frendys herynge where he was sent to hym / & mouyd hym to co∣me agayne into his coūtrey seyinge there were dyuerse solytary placys in y^t countrey more apte to lyue a solyta∣ry lyfe in then that / & somwhat for affeccyon to y^e coūtrey He was mouyd therto / & in the nyght folowynge he ma∣de his prayers before y^e crucyfyx to knowe y^e wyll of our Lorde with great deuocyon / & the Crucyfyxe spake vnto hym & bad hym perseuer strongly in y^t he had begon / & y^t he shuld not leue y^t Ile to thende of his lyfe / & he herynge that laye prostrat & besought our lorde y^t he shuld not ha∣ue

power to goo though he wolde / & anon a great swel∣lynge felle into his knee which grewe so greuous y^t as he sate agaynste y^e sone / wormys came oute of it / & he wolde take them vppe & byd them goo in agayne to that y^t was theyr Inherytaūce & lyue of y^t that had norysshyd them / & the more greuouse y^t the desease grewe / y^e more gladde he was yeldynge euer thākyngys to our lord / & thoughe the sykenes waxyd moche greuous / yet he wolde be alo∣ne abydynge the werynes of all y^e longe nyghte without helpe / And whan y^e houre of deth came he toke the bell ro¦pe in his hande to rynge y^e bell & so de{per}tyd / & a monke he rynge y^e bell rynge ranne thyder & foūde hym deed syttyn¦ge vppon a stone with y^e bell rope in his hande & a Can∣dell standynge by hym lyghtyd with a heuenly lyghte / & when his body was clēsyd fro y^e fylthe anon it was why∣te as snowe nothynge apperynge of the fyrste desease / & his face shone with such a bryghtnes y^t he coulde scarsly be knowen / He dyed in y^e yere of our Lorde a thousande a hundred and .xx. the .xvii. kalendas of February & lyeth at Tynmouth not farre fro the body of seynt Oswyne.

¶De sctīs Hewaldo nigro & Hewaldo albo mtibus.

WHen seynt wylly brorde with his felowes had cōuertyd moch people in fryselōde to y^e feyth two blessyd men borne in Englonde whiche were both callyd Hewalde / & that had longe tyme ben in Irlonde went into olde saxonye to p̄che there y^e worde of god & for dyuersyte of theyr here y^e oon was callyd y^e blacke Hewalde / & the other y^e whyte Hewalde / & when they came into Fryselonde they were Harbored with a husbāde man of whom they desyred y^t they myght be cōueyed to y^e ruler of that coūtrey to do a message to hym & he {pro}mysyd thē they shuld so be & when

they had taryed w^t hym a certeyn tyme y^e harbarouse peo¦ple herynge y^t they were of a noder relygyon & that they vsyd moche prayers & dayly dyd sacryfyce for they sayde dayly masse / they suspectyd y^t if they shuld speke w^t theyr Ruler they shuld cōuerte hym to y^e crysten feyth / & so all y^e {pro}uynce lyke to folow leuynge theyr olde lawe / wherfore they kyllyd them bothe the .v. nonas of October the why¦te hewalde by shorte martyrdome / & the blacke hewalde by longe cruell tourmentys / & caste them into y^e Ryuer of Ryne / & when the ruler herde therof he was very sore an¦gry y^t they wolde not let them speke with hym & sendyn∣ge thyder kyllyd all tho barbarous people y^t had kyllyd y^e blessyd martyrs & also burnyd the towne / & y^e Bodyes of the sayd blessyd men went .xl. myle ageyne the streme to a place there as theyr felowys were / And a bryghte shynynge beame was seen euery nyght there as the Bo∣dyes lay & so they were takyn vppe & buryed honorablye lyke gloryous martyrs / and after pipinus y^e frenshe kyn¦ge remouyd theyr Bodyes to Coleyne & in tho partyes theyr feest is halowyd with great deuocyon.

¶De sancta Hilda virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt hylda was doughter to hereyce which was neuew to kynge Edwyn / & when kynge Edwyn was cōuertyd by prechynge of seynt paulyn / seynt hylda was also cōuertyd / & anon she lefte her scler habyte & de∣creed to serue our Lord She went to y^e kynge of eest En¦glond to whom she was of kyn desyrynge hym to helpe y^t she myght go to her suster hereswida into fraūce y^t was a Nōne in y^e monastery of Cale / & when she had ben a yere aboute y^e purpose / seynt A••dan brought her agayne into her owne countrey / & there she was made Abbesse at the Monastery of herthey whiche was foūdyd by a blessyd

Woman callyd bega y^t was the fyrste Nōne y^t euer was in the {pro}uynce of Northamhūbre / After seynt Hylda foū¦dyd the Monastery of streneshalch now callyd whytbye And as she had by coūceyll of holy men orderyd her fyrst Monastery with reguler discyplyne / so she orderyd this monastery and taught them prety abstynence / and other vertues / & especyall to haue peas & charyte / And she was of such great wisdome y^t not only pore men but also kyn∣gys & pryncys wolde aske coūceyll of her / by her prayers a great multytude of serpentys y^t feryd her susters soo y^t they durste scarcely come out of theyr sellys were turnyd into stonys / her seruaūte by her cōmaūdement bad a gre¦te flocke of gees y^t destroyed the Corne of her Monaste∣rye to go into a certeyn grounde y^t was enclosyd / & with¦out taryenge they went thyder before hym as they were bydden / And when she came thyder she bade theym goo where they wolde / And oon of the Byrdys y^t was deed she reysyd to lyfe & bad her goo after her felowys / and so she dyd / And by the wyll of our Lorde she had great con∣tynuell sykenesse .vi. yerys before she dyed / & in the .vii. ye¦re by great inwarde peyne she lefte this worlde y^e .xv. ka∣lendas of December / And a Nonne in a Monastery cal¦lyd Hacanos which seynt Hylda a lytyll before her deth had foundyd / & that was .xiii. myle fro thens as seynt hyl¦da was / sawe her sowle borne into Heuyn with a great company of Aungellys.

¶De sancta Hildelitha virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt hyldelythe was Abbesse of Barkyng next after seynt Alburgh / & lyuyd vnto great age ī ke¦pynge of reguler obseruaūcys / And by her exor∣tacyons & good cōuersacyon she couragyd all men to He¦uenly thynges & next to seynt Alburgh her feest is solemp¦nysed

at Barkynge in great honoure seynt Hyldelythe was not oonly had in honour with seynt Dūstane seynt Ethelwolde / & seynt elphege but also of many other olde holy Faders / her holynesse is cōmendyd / & it is wryttyn of her y^t she was full of Charyte / a techer of vertue / a gy∣uer of good exaūples in vygyllys / fastyngys / benygny∣te / & mercye / & that she w^t great dylygens {pro}uydyd for all other y^t they nedyd bothe in Body & sowle so that before god & man / she lyuyd without offēce / more apperyth not of her lyfe nor of her myracles but y^e thre blynde Women that came all at oon tyme / oon to seynt Alburgh / a noder to seynt Hyldelythe / And the thyrde to seynt Wulfhylde receyuyd all thre theyr syghte.

¶De sancto Honorio archiep̄o & confessore.

SEynt honorye was discyple to seynt Gregory & after seynt Iustus he was electyd to be archebus¦shope of Caūterbury / & he was cōsecrate by pau¦lyn archebusshope of yorke / & the Pope honoryus sent to hym a pall w^t his letters wherin he decreyd y^t whether of the archebusshope of Caūterbury or yorke dyed furste y^t he y^• ouerlyuyd shulde haue auctoryte to make a newe & not to goo at euery tyme to Rome by so great iourneys And this blessyd man made seynt Felyx busshope of eest Englonde which conuertyd all the Coūtrey to the feythe & when seynt Edwyn was deed / & all the Coūtrey of nor¦thamhūbre was trowblyd with Paganes / seynt paulyn and the quene Ethelburghe which was wyfe to Kynge Edwyn went to seynt Honorye / & he made seynt paulyn Busshope of rochester / & the quene Ethelburghe a Non¦ne at a place callyd lymmynge where she had foundyd a Monasterye vppon the groūde y^t she had of the gyfte of

her Broder kynge Edbalde / where she was Mother to many virgyns & wydowys / This blessyd man made pa¦rysshys / ordeynyd clerkys / & p̄chourys / & bad them that they shulde instructe the people aswell by feyrenes & pa∣cyence as by hygh doctryne / so y^t the rude people myght be broughte to the loue of almyghty god aswell by swete techynge / as by sharpenes & drede / & our Lord so adour∣nyd this blessyd man with pure feythe & goodlye conuer¦sacyon in many sygnys & vertues y^t he shone in this Real¦me of Englonde as a lanterne & put away errours & cō∣uertyd many paganes to the feythe / releuynge the wret∣chydnes of the people with prayer & consolacyon / so that his lyfe shone lyke glasse to all y^t wolde loke in it / he was strayght & harde to hymselfe / & lyberall to y^e pore people seruynge our lord ī humylyte & charyte / he went out of y^e prysone of this worlde y^e day before the kalendas of octo¦ber in the yere of our lorde god syx Hundred fyghtye and thre / & lyeth in the monasterye of seynt Peter and paule at Caūterbury & many yerys after when his Body was remouyd there was so goodly as wete sauoure that all y^t were there p̄sent gaue thākynges & laudys to our lorde.

¶De puero Hugone a iudeis crucifixo.

IN the yere of our Lorde a .M.CC. & .lv. aboute y^e feestys of seynt Peter & paule / y^e Iewys of Lyncol∣ne stale a cristen Chylde that was aboute the age of .viii. yerys callyd hugh / & they put hym ī a secrete house & fed¦de hym .x. dayes with mylke y^t he myght abyde y^e gretter turmētys / & thereupō they sent to all y^e townys in Englō¦de, wherein were any Iewys to haue some of thē to be at y^e

sacryfyce of this Chylde which they entendyd to crucy∣fye in despyte of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / And when they were gaderyd they appoyntyd a Iuge as for Pylat / & so they Iugyd Hym to deth / And then they bet hym soo that the blode folowyd / they crownyd hym with thorne they spyt vppon hym / and mockyd hym / and euery man pryckyd hym with his Knyfe / they gaue hym to drynke Gall / And with great opprobryes & blasphemouse wor∣dys with gnasshynge of theyr teth they callyd hym Ihe∣sus the Cursyd prophet / And after they Crucyfyed hym / And with a spere thruste hym to the Herte / And when he was deed they toke his Body fro the Crosse and vnbo∣welde hym for theyr enchauntementys / After when they leyde his Bodye into the grounde / the groūde wolde not kepe it but caste it vppe agayne / wherfore they were mer¦ueylously aferde / And threwe hym into a Pytte / After y^e moder of the Chylde which made great sorowe / and dy∣lygentlye enqueryd for hym harde say that he was seen laste at a Iewys house pleyinge with Iewys chyldren / And so she went sodeynly into the House / And there she founde the Chylde / and vppon that suspeccyon the man that owyd the House was takyn / And he confessyd the murder / wherupon .xviii. of the Rychest of the Iewys of Lyncolne y^t assentyd to y^e martyrdome of y^e sayd blessyd chylde were drawyn & hangyd / & the chanōs of Lyncoln̄ askyd the Body of y^e sayde Chylde & buryed hym lyke a gloryouse martyr.

¶De sancto hugone ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt hugh whē he was but .viii. yere olde was set to Reguler discyplyne & was euer broughte vp in vtue / he neuer knewe pleasurys of y^e Worlde nor lernyd

any maner of disport{is} / after he was made a Chanon regler in a monastery in Grāmiople where his fader lyued vnder reguler discipline: & as lōge as his fader lyued he wiped his shone & made his bedde & was dylygent to hym in all other thyng{is} / & after for zele of a streyghter Religion he entred in¦to relygiō in y^e ordre of Chartuc & there he was made prest And whan he was at Masse he ordred hymself as if our lor¦de had ben visibly there present / and he vsed moch vigylles fastyng{is} and scorgynges ofte fasted brede and water / and weer the heere as the vse of the Relygion is and after when he was made proctour he thought in his slepe that he that made hym prest came to hym & opened his bely with a Ra∣ser and cut fro hym a thyng lyke a bylle of fyre and he neuer after felt temptacion of the flesshe / but that he myght lyght¦ly despyse / After by desyre of kynge Henry the seconde he was sent into Englande to be Pryor of Wythm̄ thoughe he moche refused it and on a tyme whan he came to the kyn¦ge for certeyne thynges that they neded / and the kynge ga∣ue hym lytell comforte but fayre wordes / one Gerarde that came with seynt Hugh•• sayd to the kynge that he wolde go home agayne into his Countre / and tolde the kyng that he sawe well that al that he gaue for his soule helth he thought it loste / and seynt Hughe bad hym leue suche wordes or hol¦de his peace / and then he spake to the kynge in suche sobre & charytable maner y^t when he had doon the kynge enbraced hym and sayd verayly he shuld neuer go from hym / but y^t he wolde kepe hym and take counsell of hym for the helth of his soule / & anone he gaue to seynt Hughe all that he asked / one a tyme when the kynge was in great {per}ell of the see / he had great truste in y^e prayer of seynt Hughe and of his bre∣therne / and as it is sayd he aduowed that if he came safe to

lande he wolde make hym a bysshop and forthwith the tem¦pest ceasyd when the buyldynge was done at Wytham he wolde euer be occupyed in prayer redynge medytacyon or in some spirituell collacion or exortacion / he wolde neuer lye in his bedde wakynge but eyther ryse & go to prayer or īme¦diatly slepe agayne / and when y^e bysshop of Lyncoln̄ was translated to Rome seynt Hughe was elected therto / And he sayd he wolde in no wyse take it vpon hym w^tout assent of the hedde house / and when that was opteyned he wolde nat yet agre tyll he was aserteyned of the hole assent of all the Chanons of Lyncoln̄ / and then the Dean of Lyncoln̄ & the chyef of the Chapiter came to hym to wytham / & when they had herde hym speke they all desyred hym with great ī¦staunce & deuocōn to take it vpon hym / & then he assented y^e firste nyght that he came into his Bysshopryche he harde a voyce say to hym in his slepe Egressus es īsalutē ppli tui in salutem cū xp̄o tuo: And after seynt Hughe accursed y^e kyn¦ges chyef Forster for doynge agaynst the lyberte of y^e chur¦che / wherfore y^e kynge toke great displesure and that mater nat yet determyned the kynge desyred of hym for one of his clerk{is} the noīacion of a Benefyce that was then voyde and in the gyft of seynt Hughe & he denyed it / wherfore the kyn¦ge was more angry and sent for hym / and when he came he founde the kynge syttynge amonge his lordes & the kynge wolde nat suffre any of them to ryse to hym / & yet neuerthe¦les when he had harde his answeres & his saying{is} y^e kynge was cōtented / & when he de{per}ted cōmytted hym to his pray∣ers & euery yere ones or twyse he wolde be at wytham and kepe his sell / & somtyme when he came furth by reason of y^e famylyer spekynge w^t our lorde he had two bryght beames came fro his face / a voyce bad a clerke thre tymes y^t he shul∣de

go to the bysshop of Lyncoln̄ & byd hym speke to the Ar¦chebysshop of Caūterbury that tharchebysshop togyther with hym shuld more dilygently helpe to reforme y^e clergye for our lorde was greatly displeasyd w^t theim Curat{is} were made y^t were vnable / & benesyc{is} were set to ferme for tempo¦rall {pro}fyte nothynge regardynge the helth of the soules / ne yet the cōforte of pore men / And when y^e clerke made doute how the bysshop shuld byleue hym bycause of his youth the voyce said when he had shewyd to the bysshop that / that he shulde se before the Bysshop as he was at Masse he shuld byleue hym: And so he went & dyd his message / and as the bysshop was at Masse he sawe the Hoste when it was lyft vp bytwyxt the bysshoppes handes tourned into the veray body of our lorde Ihū criste / & it was lyke a lytell childe mo¦re beauteous then man can tell / and when he had shewyd this to the bysshop he bad hym kepe it close and aduertysed hym that he that had seen suche thynges shuld neuer busye hymselfe in the worlde / but that he shuld entre into Relygy¦o•• and so he dyd and lyued a blessyd lyfe when kynge Ry∣charde went into Fraunce to warre vpon the Frenche kyn¦ge / seynt Hughe and the bysshop of Salysbury denyed to gyue any thynge to the Kynge for they sayd they were nat bounde to helpe hym / but oonly within the Realme / wher∣fore the Kynge was meruaylously angry and cōmaunded to sease all that they hadde / But there durste noo man me∣dell with seynt Hughe for fere of the punysshement of god / then afterwarde he went ouer the See to the kynge / and when he came before the kynges presence where he was at Masse / the kynge loked vpon hym with an Angry counte¦naunce / and wolde nat speke to hym and thenne he went to the kynge and toke hym aboute the necke / and hadde hym

kysse hym for he sayd he had deseruyd it / and the kyng mer¦uaylynge his constaunce smyled and kyssed hym: And at that masse tyme the kynge {per}ceyued right well that he was a holy man & when an Archebysshop kyssed the kynge for the pax the kynge rose and kyssed seynt Hughe / And after masse he admonysshed the kyng that he shuld take hede to the helth of his soule & how he dyd inwardly / And when y^e kynge tolde hym that he thought his conscyens was clere / but it were for hatred to his enemyes / he said there was a cō¦men sayinge that he kept nat his wedlocke & also that he to∣ke nat hede to make good curat{is} / and when he had admo∣nysshed the kynge of dyuerse thyng{is} he gaue the kynge his blessynge & so departed / and when he was goon the kynge sayd that if there were many such Bysshoppes there durst no prynce do agaynst theym: And when the kynge shortly after had a great victorye of the Frenche kynge he arected it to the prayers of seynt Hugh / he helyd two {per}sons y^t were obsessed w^t deuylles after he fell syke of a greuous Axes / & when he shuld be houseled he went bare fote in a heere with a Coule and met the sacrament / and made longe prayer & amonge other thynges he sayd that for loue drede or hate∣red / or for any other cause he neuer wyttyngly went fro the truthe / And in the yere of our Lorde god .M.CC. and syx in the octaues of seynt Martyn y^e Bysshop he went to our lorde / as he was in caryinge to Lyncoln̄ foure tapres bur∣ned contynually by the way that neuer went out / At bykles¦wade by his meryt{is} a man was made hole that had broken his arme / and at staumforde a cordoner whiche had great deuocion to seynt Hughe bysought almyghty god that he myght dye & go to heuyn w^t hym / & so beynge confessyd & howselyd he dyed fourth with and seynt Hughe was cary∣ed

fourth to Lyncoln̄ & was there buryed honourably.

¶De sancto Iohē de Bridlyngton̄.

SEynt Iohn̄ of Brydlyngton̄ was brone in y^e Coū∣te of yorke by the seesyde / and in his youth he was set to lernynge by his Fader and moder / & he put nat his mynde oonly to haue cūnynge / but also to heuynly thynges somtyme when he was at Oxforde he wolde leue the sophystycall argument{is} & lyft his mynde in prayer to o^r lorde / and for his cūnynge and vertue a great riche man to¦ke hym to be maister to his children nat oonly to teche them cūnynge but also to eschewe vyces / & when he was about y^e age of .xx. yeres he consydered the deceytfull flateryng of y^e worlde wherfore he entred into Relygyon at the Monaste¦rye of Bridlyngton̄ where he was anone meke obediēt shy¦nynge in Charyte dispysynge the worlde rygorouse in ab∣stynence endewed with Iustice vsynge vigylles and pray∣ers & w^tout cessynge seruyng our lord / & there he was cho∣sen to be precentour and so almonyser and then suppriour & after when the pryor resygned he was chosen to be pryor & he refused it and sayd that knowynge his ignoraūce he had leuer suffer great payne then to take it vpon hym / and so a nother was chosen and after his dethe seynt Iohn̄ was eft∣sones elected by hoole assent / and then trustynge in the mer¦cy of our lorde consyderynge that the greatter labour shall haue the greatter rewarde he toke the charge vpon hym / In whiche offyce he kept the vygylles with the Couent in the nyght / And also the seruyce in the day and fedde y^e hun¦gry / clothed the naked comforted theym that were in heuy∣nes appesyd stryffes and norysshed loue so vsyng actiflyfe

that he forget nat contemplatyfe / & somtyme when he was at masse he was in so hyghe deuocyon that he coulde nat ab¦steyne fro wepynge / and that he reputed to his feblenes of∣ten tymes he wolde admonysshe his bretherne to be ware of temptacyons and to exclude women fro theyr company / he wolde alway dyne and soupe with the bretherne in the fray¦tour without great company of straungers caused the con∣trarye / he lay in the Dortor and wolde weer no furre but of lambe / On a tyme one of his bretherne openly afore moche company spake euyll and vngoodly wordes vnto hym and he answered nothyng agayne / and when one of the compa¦ny meruayled therat he sayd it was nat best where was to great a fyre to ley to more styckes / but he sayd by good dy∣lyberacion the mater shuld rightwell come to reformacion / and so though he was of Colerike complexcion by grace he subdued nature to reason / and agaynst theym that wolde trouble his Churche he was armed with great constaunce and on a tyme nat ī angre but charitably he sayd to a great mannes seruaunte that entended to do great wronge to his Monasterye that he shuld beware y^t for his maysters plea¦sure he went nat hymselfe to helle and tho wordes toke su∣effecte in that man that in the mornyng he sayd whyle he ly¦ued he wolde be a frende to the house / & so his mynde chaū∣ged and the varyaunce ceased / our Lorde shewyd for hym many myracles he appered to men in the see that were in {per}∣ell and saued theym in lyke maner as it is redde of seynt Ni¦cholas / and they after knewe hym by the Fygoure that ap∣pered to theym in the see / By his prayer a woman that by lykelyhode of age dispeyred to haue children cōceyued and had two doughters & one of them had a great deformyte in her face / wherfore he hadde the Father that when he came

home he shuld ley his thumbe vpon the place so deformed & he in the meane tyme wolde praye for her and he dyd so and within the space of an houre the deformyte went away. Al∣so by his blyssynge whete in his barne encreased ten tymes asmoch as it was / after he fell syke of the sykenes / and then he called his bretherne and exorted theym to kepe humyly∣te vnyte obedience and charite / and theyr statutes Reguler nat to breke the leest obseruaunces of theyr Relygion / and bad them when he was gone they shuld electe a nother tha shuld ordre and norysshe the bretherne and they shuld wel∣se that he had nat habundaunce of Ryches / and that yet he was out of dette / In his sykenes he toke Fysyke for he say¦de he wolde do that was in hym for his helthe and thre day∣es he was vysyted with Aungellys / And when he had ben Pryor .xvii. yeres he went to heuyn In the yere of our Lor∣de a Thousande thre hondred .lxxix. And lyeth in his Mo∣nasterye for whom our lorde hath shewyd innumrable my¦racles.

¶De sancto Ioseph Ab arimathia.

WHen our Lorde Ihesu Criste was crucefyed Io¦seph Ab Arimathia asked of Pylate the bodye of our Lorde / and leyde it in a clene Sendell / and put it in a Sepulcre that no man had ben buryed in as the Euangelyst testifie & the Iues heryng therof put hym in a derke Pryson that had no wyn¦dowe and Annas and Cayphas locked the dores and after when they had thought to haue put hym to deth they sent

for hym to the pryson and before theyr cōmynge on the sa∣terday at nyght our lord apperyd to hym w^t a great bryght¦nes as he was in prayer & foure aungellys lyfted vp by y^e hou∣se that he was in and our Lorde sayd to hym I am Ihesus whom thou hast buryed / and then Ioseph sayd lord if thou be he shewe me the monumēt that I put the in and our lord toke hym by the hande and ledde hym to the sepulcre & fro thens he brought hym into his house at Arimathe after the Iues sent for hym & asked of hym howe he came out of pry∣son and he tolde them as byfore apperyth / and then they let hym goo / & he became disciple to seynt Phylyp & of hym he and his sone Iosefes were baptised and he was a messēger fro Ephese bytwyxt seynt John̄ Euangelyst and our La∣dye and was at her de{per}tynge with other disciples he was a Constaunte precher of the worde of god as he had herde of our lorde and of our Lady and conuertyd moche people after he with his sone Iosefes went into Fraunce to seynt Phylyp / and he sent Ioseph and his sone with .x. other into Brytayne / & at last they came to a place then called Inswy∣tryū nowe called glastonburye / and thyse verses be made at Glastonburye of theyr cōmynge. Intrat Aualloniā duo dena caterua viro{rum} / flos Arimathie Ioseph est prim{us} co{rum} / Iosefesex Ioseph genit{us} pr̄em cōmitat̄ / hiis aliis{que} decem¦ius glastonie {pro}priat. And after by monycion of the Archaū¦gell gabryell they made a Churche or oratory of o^r Lady / & there they lyued a blessyd lyf in vigylles fastyng{is} & prayers And two kynges seynge theyr blessid lyfe though thy were paynymes gaue to eueryche of theym a hyde of lande whi¦che to this day be called the .xii. hydes / and there they dyed and Ioseph was buryed nygh to the sayd oratory.

¶De sancto Iltuto abbate & confessore.

SEynt Iltute was sone to a noble knyght of kyn to kynge Arthur and in his youthe when he was put to lernyng what soeuer he ones herde of his may∣ster he euer bere it away / after he went to kyng arthur whe¦re he was honourably receyued / then he went to y^e kyng of Morgan / and there he was in suche fauour that he was as the seconde to hym / and after heryng that the grounde ope∣ned and swalowed vp his seruauntes for doynge wronge to seynt Cadoke he askyd forgyuenes of seynt Cadoke / & then by counsell of seynt Cadoke: And also by monycion of an Aungell that bad hym that he shuld neuer loue transito∣ry thing{is} he left the world / And of Dubrice bysshop of Lan¦daffe he toke ordres then he made a Churche where he ly∣ued a blessyd lyfe in fastyng{is} and prayer / he wolde laboure his owne handes / and nat trust to the laboure of any other in the nyght{is} he wolde be prayng in the water on his knees halfe the nyght / seynt Sampson paulyne gyldas and Da∣uid were his disciples with many other in so great nombre that he appoynted fyftye alway to be in prayer / whenne the great wawes of the see troubled y^e Monasterie by his pray¦ers the see withdrewe his course and lefte the groūde drye a great spase whiche so enduryth to this daye & a fayre welle of Fresshe water sprange in the same grounde so beynge¦nyghe vnto the salte water / The kynges bayliffe troubled the Monasterye greatly / wherfore he meltyd away lyke waxe and the kynge herynge therof was angry and wolde haue kylled seint Iltute / wherfore he flede and hydde hym¦selfe a yere in a Caue where euery daye he had brought to hym of the prouysyon of our Lorde a barly lofe and a pece

of flesshe / Theuys that on a nyght stale his hogges in the mornynge came agayne to the gates of the Monasterye / & when they wolde nat yet beware / but stele agayne the nexte nyght they were tourned into stones that be there to this day / In the ende of his lyfe he went into lytell Brytayne / And there he dyed the .viii. Ide of Nouembre and lyeth at Dolence.

¶De sancto Indracto & sociis eius martiribus.

SEynt Indracte martyr was a kynges sone borne in Irlande / and he with .ix. Felawes and his suster Domynyke went into Brytayne / and there they made an Oratorye and lyued a strayght lyfe in the seruyce of god many yeres / he had a water with certayne Fysshes therin and thoughe one were taken dayly the nombre my∣nysshed nat tyll one of his felawes stale one of theym / and then they mynysshed and heseyng that thought it was nat the wyll of god that he shuld tarye any lenger there / and so with his .ix. felawes he went to Rome and after retourned to Glastonburye to worshyp seynt Patryke for in tho day∣es Irysshe men came moche to Glastonburye for loue of seynt Patryke / & as he wolde haue retourned into his coun¦tre he with his compan•••• ••••ere martyred at Shapwyke in theyr beddes by mynysters of ••ue Kynge of Westsaxons that thought that they had hadde moche Riches & the kyn∣ge as he rose in the nyght thre nyghtes togyder sawe a cle∣re shynynge beame ouer the place were they were hydde in a depe dyke and so they were Founde and conueyed hono¦rably to Glastonbury / and they that martyred theim were taken w^t deuylles so wodely that they ete their owne flesshe a woman that byfore that tyme by no maner of prechynge wolde be conuerted when she sawe the beame that the kyn¦ge

sawe vpon the blessyd saynt{is} she was conuertyd & foure score {per}sons were also conuerted by the reporte that she ma∣de of that that she had seen.

¶De sancto Iohē Beuerlaco Ep̄o & confessore.

SSeynt Iohn̄ of Beuerley was borne in Englāde & in his yonge Age he was cōmytted to seynt The oder Archebysshop of Caunterbury to instruct / & he enformed hym in holy scripture / and when he was well instructed he prechyd in the countre in small vyllages to y^e people / and when Cata the bysshop dyed he was made bys¦shop & gaue ordre of presthode to venerable Bede / he vsed euery Lent to prouyde some pore impotent persone that he myght do charyte vpon / & one that was so {pro}uyded whiche was mute fro his natiuyte he helyd / also w^t his blessynge he helyd a Nonne y^t w^t lettyng of blode in vncōuenyent tyme was at the poynt of deth / after the deth of Bosa Archebys∣shop of yorke he was electetd thyther / and when he came to great age he lefte his Bysshopryche and went to his Mo∣nasterye at Beuerley there he lyued a blessyd solytarie lyfe & he dyed in the yere of our lord .vii.C. & .xxi. in the Nonas of Maii / for whom our lorde hath she wyd many great myra∣cles / he helyd two blynde children & two women that were contracte / & in the yere of o^r lord .M.CCC. & .xii. oyle came out of his tumbe tyll thre of the cloke of the next day y^t helyd many blynde men / kyng Ethelstan̄ prayed vnto seīt Iohn̄ that by his prayer some euydēt tokē myght ap{per}e y^t of right Scotlāde shuld be subiect to Englande / & therupon w^t his swerde he strake vpon a rocke of stone by Dūbarre in scot∣land / & it waxed holowe w^t y^e stroke an Elne depe which cō∣tyenuyth to this day / as he was praying this lyf in y^• porch of seīt Michell{is} of york y^e holy gost apperid to hȳ ī lykenes

of a Doue more bryght then the sonne beame / and when y^e people in the Churche meruayled at the lyght one of the de∣kons went to the porche & sawe the bysshop there in prayer and with the hete of the holy ghost his face was stryken so that the skyn shranke togyther / and then seynt Iohn̄ han∣deled his cheke / and made it hole and bad hym kepe that vysyon secret.

¶De sancto Ithamar Ep̄o et confessore.

SEynt Ithamar was of the countre of Kent & was bysshop of Rochester and as Bede wytnessyth he succedyd to seynt Paulyn and was in vertuous ly¦fe and cūnynge lyke to his predecessour / and after his de{per}∣tynge out of this world almyghty god shewyd for hym ma¦ny myracles dyuers that were vexed with the Axes / & that had sore iyen by his prayers were made hole / A childe that w^t great feblenes was become dombe & deffe at the tumbe of seynt Ithamar receyued {per}fyte helth and he lyeth at Ro∣chester / he helyd a bysshop of Rochester of a great desease that he had in his iyen / & therfore in y^e fourth Ide of Iune he remouyd his Relykes and put theym in a newe cheste / & at that day his seruyce is kept / in remembraūce of that my∣racle and of other that our lorde shewyd for hym.

¶De sancto Iuone Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt yue was a Kynges sone borne in the Cytie of Fryane in {per}syde and there he was made bysshop / af¦ter he was made Archebysshop of Asitanda where he was dylygent for the helth of the people to hym cōmytted tyl for

the synnes of the people there fell suche a derth that the Fa∣ther ete the sone the moder the doughter & the prelat{is} theyr subgettes / wherfore seynt yue with .xi. felowes relygyous went to Rome / and by councell of the Pope they seuered in to dyuerse coūtres / & seynt Iue with Sythyo his neuewe and Inthyo his kynnesman aboute the yere of our lorde six hondred came into Brytayne now called Englande into a towne called Slepe thre myle fro Hūtyngdon̄ / & there en∣ded his lyfe seruynge almyghty god in fastynge and pray∣er and other good werkes and lay vnknowen many yeres vnto his tumbe was foūde by a husbondman w^t his plough And then he by reuelacion shewyd to a smythe who he was and what was his name / wherupon he was translated to Ramsey as he appoynted to be / the yere of our lorde a thou¦sande & one / in the .viii. kalend of Maii / and the .iiii. Ide of Iune his translacion was cōsecrate / & cōmaunded to be ha¦lowed / out of his tumbe spryngyth fayre water y^t hath gy∣uen helth to man•• people / A childe toke of the water to seth mete & it wold in no wyse be made hote though it had great plente of fyre & o^r lord hath shewid for hym many myracles

¶De sancto ywyo confessore.

SEynt ywyo was of noble blode of the Brytons & was brought vp in the Ile of Lyndefernens and was disciple to seynt Cuthbert In his youth he to¦ke orders or his fader or moder were ware / and of seynt Cuthbert he toke Dekon / he prophyted meruaylous∣ly in cūnynge so that profoūde clerkes had hym in great re∣uerence / he was oft in the Churche at prayer / and as to the world he was nat studyous what shuld fall on the morowe

he endeuoured hym self to helpe the necessyte of euery man the beste he coulde / he gaue almes to the pore / he forgaue theym that had offended hym / he clothed the naked and cō∣forted them that were ī heuynes / as he was helpyng seynt Cuthbert to masse a pore man that was syke of the Axes ca¦me lenynge on his staffe to offer & to kysse seynt Cuthbert{is} hande and seynt ywyo seynge hym toke hym by the hande to helpe hym and anone he was hole / whiche he arected to the holynes of seynt Cuthbert and nat of his owne / he gaue a man syder to drynke and anon he was hole of a desease y^t he had longe had / after dredyng y^e vayne glorie of y^e world he went into lytel Brytayne / & there he helyd one of the pal¦sey / and there he punysshed his body with oft vigylles & fa¦stynges & gaue example of mekenes and of all vertues and the daye byfore / the daye byfore the Nonas of Octobre he passed to our lorde / he lyeth now at Wylton̄ / and in the Le¦gende / in the lyfe of seynt Edyth it apperyth how his body was brought thyder.

¶De sancto Iustinano martire.

SEynt Iustinan was of the noble blode of lytell bry¦tayne / & after he was made preest he herde a voyce that bad hym leue his countre / his kynred and the house of his fader & so he dyd & with certeyne felowes went into the see ia shyp made of ledder and roddes / & besought almyghty god that it myght brynge hym to a place where he myght lyue a solytarye lyfe / and so he came into a lande called Corm̄ / where many by his example forsoke y^e world and yet he was eftsones warned to leue that place / and so he went into the see and as the wynde droue hym / he came into an Ile called Lemonia / and the fame of this holy man

came to seynt Dauid / the whiche was very glad of the cō∣mynge of such a holy man / and sent messengers for hym / & receyued hym honorably chewsynge hym to be his ghostly father / and on a tyme wyckyd spirit{is} in the lykenes of men shewyd hym that seynt Dauid was syke and had sent for hym / wherfore anone he toke shyp with theym / and on the see he perceyued they were wycked spirites and no men / & thenne he lyfte vp his herte to almyghty god and began the psalme Deus in adiutorium meum intende. And when he came to this verse Confundātur & reuereantur qui querūt animam meam: they vanysshed away lyke blacke crowes / and left hym in the see and on a stone that rose fro the bot∣tom of the see he was brought saufe to lande & founde seynt Dauid in good helth. The deuyll seynge he coulde nat pre¦••ayle agaynst hym by any maner temptacōn styred his ser¦uaūtes agaynst hym with suche malyce / that they despysed his doctryne and stroke of his hedde and he toke his hedde in his armes and bare it vpon the see / into a place where he was buryed / & there as his hedde fell sprange a fayre welle / and the water therof helyd a man that was poysoned / and they that kylled hym were stryken leper and dyd great pe∣naūce all theyr lyues in a hylle that yet is called the lepours hylle / after seīt Dauid brought his body to Menonia now called seynt Dauid{is} / where he buryed it honorably.

¶De sancto Iusto Archiep̄o et confessore.

AFter kynge Ethelbert & his people were conuerted to y^e fayth by seynt Augustyne he sent worde ther∣of to Rome to seynt Gregorie / & y^t there was moche corne & fewe werkemen wherfore seynt Gregorie alway diligent

for Englande sent seynt Iuste / and thre other holy Faders Mellite / Paulyne / and Rufyne / into Englande to assiste seynt Austyn in ghostly werkes and instructyng of the peo¦ple and seynt Austyne made hym bysshop of Rochester / Af¦ter he was dryuen out of his see by Edbald that was kyng Ethelbertes sone and by the thre sones of Sabert kynge of est saxons whiche were Apostatase as in y^e lyf of seynt Mel¦lyte apperyth / wherfore he wente into Fraunce / and when Edbald was cōuertyd by seint Laurence he came agayne / and aftre seynt Melyte was deed seynt Iustus was made Archebysshop of Caunterburye / he endeuoured hymselfe all that he coulde to magnyfie our lorde amonge the poeple by fayre speche by thretenynges by promes of euerlastyng Ioye by fere of payne in all Charite / and he conuertyd mo∣che people to the fayth and was a man of great merytes as apperyth by letters that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bonyface wrote vnto hym wherin he conforted hym to preche by the wordes that oure lorde sayd to the prechours I shall be with you vnto the en¦de of the worlde and he sent hym a palle / and gaue hym au∣ctorite to make other bysshoppes where nede was / he went out of this wrold the fourth Idus of Nouembre / and was buryed at Caunterbury / and when he shuld be translated / as soone as his tumbe was opened ther was a goodly swe∣te sauour and as for other myracles it is nat moche matery all where the good lyfe suffycyently apperyth.

¶De sancta Iuthwara virgine & martyre.

SEynt Iuthwara virgyne fro her youth serued out lorde in good werkes {per}seueraūtlye / and was veray dylygent to serue pore pylgrymes that came to her fathers

house / her moder ī lawe sought oftymes occasions agaynst her and with watchynges / fastyng{is} / and longe prayers she waxed pale coloured and after her fathers dethe her moder in lawe vnder coloure of medysyne aduysed her to ley new these to her tetes to helpe the sykenes of the brest / and so she dyd mystrustynge no thynge / And afterwarde / her moder in lawe tolde her broder called Banam y^t she was w^t childe & bad hym loke on her brest{is} & he shuld fynde mylke in them & therupon afore moche people in great hast he demaunded of her who had goten her with childe / & she therwith astony¦ed denyed & sayd she was nat w^t childe / & then her broder as he was taught opened her brest{is} / & when he sawe mylke a∣boute theym in a furyous wodnes with his swerde he stra∣ke of her hedde / & she toke vp her hedde afore all the people / & bare it to the churche & there as her hedde was stryken of sprange a fayre welle & atre by myracle grewe vpon the sa∣me welle whiche many yeres after with great wynde was blowe downe vpon y^e next house so that y^e bowes stopped y^e cōmyng in / wherfore the owner of the house wolde haue cut away the bowes and anone the tree Rose vpright agayne and toke a yonge man with it that was aboute to haue lop∣ped it so that he was fayne to crye for helpe / whiche all the people referryd to the merytes of seynt Iuthwara / At her sepulchre a knyght that was lame and went with staues re¦couered his helthe.

¶De sancto Kebio Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Kebius was borne of noble blod in Cornewa∣le and after he had studyed .xx. yere in his countree he went to Hillarie bysshop of Pictanens and was with hym

l. yeres where he gaue blynde men theyr syght clensyd Le∣pours / helyd men that had the palsey that were dombe or y^t were obsessyd with deuylles / and there Hillarie made hym bysshop / after by monycōn of an aūgell he retourned agay¦ne into his countre / & therwith his company he lodgyd in y^e kynges medowe & as the kynge was cōmynge to haue dry¦uen theym away his hors fell sodenly deed vnder hym & he with al his company were stryken blynde and by prayer of seynt Kebius they were all helyd agayne / and then the kyn¦ge gaue hym two churches / fro thens he went to seynt Da¦uid{is} and so into Irlande where the seruauntes of a Ryche¦man toke his calfe & bonde it to a tre and wolde nat delyuer it / but after by prayer of seynt Kebius bothe the calfe & the tre pulled vp by the rotes came fro the ryche man to the da∣me whiche seynt Kebius had ordeyned for an olde man y^t was his kynnesman y^t could ete none other mete but myl∣ke / after the ryche man wolde nat suffer hym to abyde w^tin his lande / but remoued hym diuerse tymes & was very gre¦ouse vnto hym / and euer an aungel she wyd hym what he shuld do / and in a vessell that had no lether he went ouer y^e see into an Ile called Monie where he sent one of his disci∣ples to a smyth for fyre & he wolde none gyue hym without he wolde bere it in his bosome / & so he dyd without hurte / & on a tyme as the kynge was on huntynge a gote for socour fledde to seynt Kebius / and the kynge folowed & bad hym let her goo or ellys he sayd he wolde put hym out of that pla¦ce / then he answeryd y^t it was nat in his power to put hym out of that place / but in the power of god but he sayd if the kynge wolde gyue to god and to hym asmoche grounde as the gote wolde go aboute afore his hounde & come to hym agayne / he wolde let her go wherto the kynge assented and

she went aboute the Kynges Castell and came agayne to the man of god / wherupon the kynge though he somwhat resysted at length gaue hym the Castell accordynge to his promesse / and the .vi. Idus of Nouembre full of good wer∣kes he went to our lorde.

¶De sancta Keyna virgine.

SEynt Keyne virgyne was doughter to the kynge of Breghenoke in the West parte of great Brytay¦ne and nygh of kyn to seynt Dauid / and awnte to seynt Cadoke / when her moder was with childe with her she sawe in vision her bosome full of myrre and balme / and her tetes shynynge of a heuenly lyght and she thought that in stede of a childe she was delyuered of a fayre wyght / and when she was first borne her face was somtyme whyte lyke snowe / somtyme bryght shynynge lyke the sonne at her ye∣res of maryage she forsoke all mariages aduowynge to ke¦pe virginite / & lyued in a desert beyonde seuerne / where by her prayers serpent{is} that byfore y^t tyme had made the coun¦tre Inhabitable tourned into stones seint Keyne made ma¦ny oratours & after she went to seynt Myhellis mount and there she met with seynt Cadoke / & by monicion of an Aun¦gell she went into her countre agayne and dwellyd at the fote of a Hylle / where by her prayers sprange a fayre welle wherby many haue ben helyd / she saw in her slepe a beame of fyre descende there wher as she lay on a bare pauimēt w^t grene bowes vnder her & two aungelles appered vnto her & one of them Reuerently dyd of a heer that she had vsed to weer & appareylled her with goodly apparell / & bad her be redye to go w^t them into y^e kyngdome of her fader / & when she gladly wold haue folowed theym she awoke felyng her

selfe seke of the Axes / and then she called seynt Cadoke to her and tolde hym she wolde be buryed in that same place / whiche she sayd she wolde in spiryte ofte vysyte / before her deth she sawe a great company of Aungelles redy to take her soule with great Ioy without feere or parell / and when she had tolde theym that stode aboute her therof she depar¦ted the .viii. Idus of Octobre / and anone her face was of a coloure lyke red roses and a swete sauour was aboute her that all that were there thought it lyke a Ioye of Parady∣se / and seynt Cadoke buryed her in her oratorye where she had lyued a harde and a blessyd lyfe many yeres.

¶De sancto Kynedo confessore.

THe fader and moder of seynt Kynede were of ly∣tell Brytayne / but seint Kyned was borne in gre¦at Brytayne in the tyme when kynge Arthur rey¦gned and his lyfe is so full of the meruaylous gre¦te power and goodnes of almyghty god that I leue to wry¦te of it in this lytell kalendre / & refer it to them y^t lyste to rede the hole Legend how he was immediatly after his byrthe caste into the water preserued in a lytell crybbe in the great wawes of the see / and was taken vp out of the see by birdes and in his youth dyd souke on a belle that had a lytell thyn∣ge lyke to a tete / which sauoured to hym of dyuers maners as Manna dyd to the children of Israell: and howe he had nat the fylth y^t other children naturally haue / & how a man & his wyfe founde hym & brought hym to their house / wher¦fore y^e byrdes destroyed their house & their best{is} so y^t they we¦re fayne to bere hym agayn / how he was aft fed w^t a hynde y^t fylled y^e sayd bely w^t her mylke / & how an aūgell apperyd

ofte to hym and tolde hym what mete he shuld vse and that the harder that it was the better it was for hym / And howe he went fro that place by monycion of an Aungell after he had kept an Heremytes lyfe there .xviii. yeres / and how his seruaūt forsware hym self vpon the bell wherupon he went madde & went vpon the water to seynt Dauides then called Meniuia where he lyued lyke a beest .vii. yere with herbes and rotes his heere couerynge hym lyke a beest whiche af∣ter by prayers of seynt Kyned was made hole agayne and many other thynges appere in the Legende / whiche be he∣re omytted he went to our lorde in the kalend of August.

¶De sancto Kenelmo Rege & martire.

IN the yere of our Lorde god Eyght hondred & xix. Kenulphus kynge of Mershes forsoke the worlde & left his sone Kenelmus a yonge childe to be kyng after hym & when his suster Quen∣dreda / whiche was desyrous to Reygne coulde nat by any meanes poyson hym she enduced Aschebercus that had y^e rule of hym by great rewardes and by promes that he shul¦de be felowe with her in the rule of the Realme to assent to kyll hym and so he ledde y^e yonge kynge yet beynge of .vii. yeres of age into a wodde as for disporte of huntynge / and as the childe slept his ruler made a pytte to burye hym in: & when the childe awoke he tolde hym he shuld nat lye there but in a place ferther of / & that he shuld se that it was trewe that he sayd he strake his staffe into the grounde whiche a∣none grewe / and after sprange therof a fayre Asshe that is called seynt Kenelmys asshe / Then y^e cursid man had hym into a depe valey in the wodde called Clent / and there as it

is sayd the yonge kyng sayd Tedeū / & when he came to the verse. Temarty{rum} candidatus &c. The cursyd man vnder a thorne strake of his hede / and there buryed hym and ofty¦mes a bryght beame was seen descende vpon y^e place whe¦re he lay at which place a Cowe vsyd oftymes to be / & coul∣de nat be kept away frothens / and when she came home she gauerwyse asmoche mylke / as any of the other / after his deth Quendreda toke the rule vpon her / and then no man durst speke of the yonge kyng nor seke hym for fere of quen¦dreda tyll a byll was brought by a doue to the pope Leo as he was at masse at rome of this effect ī Englysshe In clent in Cowbach vnder a thorne lyeth kyng Kenelme his hedde of shorne / & so the pope sent Legates & Cardynalles to wyl¦fryde bysshop of Caunterbury & other bysshoppes of En∣glande y^t they shuld remoue hym & so he was taken vp and there as he lay sprang vp of fayre welle / & as his suster loked out of a wyndowe vpon a sawter boke to haue by enchaun¦tement letted his buryenge sodeynly her iyen fell vpon the boke whiche boke is yet to shewe / & there she dyed mysera∣bly: one that was blynde & a nother dombe fro theyr Naty∣uyte by merytes of seynt Kenelme were made hole / and he lyeth at Wynchecome.

¶De sancto Kentegerno Ep̄o et confessore.

THe moder of seynt Kentegerne was borne in the north {per}te of Brytayne / & her fader beyng a pay∣nym she by herynge of Sermons was cōuerted how be it she was nat cristened & heryng y^t our lady beyng clene vgyne had a child by a folisshe p̄sumpcōn she desyred in lykewyse to haue a childe in virginyte wherupon she ma¦••e

dyligent prayers / & after she was with child & though of ••routh it was by company of man yet she toke it on her othe ••hat she knewe nat how nor when / & her fader heryng y^t she was with childe accordynge to his lawe had her to a hyghe hyll / & there threwe her downe to haue so torne her to peces & she lyftynge her herte to o^r lorde / made her prayers & was saued without hurte / & then her fader thynkyng she was sa∣ued by wychecrafte put her into the see in a lytell shyp of le∣ther w^tout ore wherī she was brought to lāde more swyftly then a sayle coulde haue dryuen her and ī a place called Col∣lenrose she was delyuered without helpe / & the same tyme of her delyueraunce seynt Sarnan harde aungelles synge in the Eyre / wherfore in the mornynge he went thyder and founde the moder with the childe whome he brought to his house / and cristened theym both and there the childe profy¦ted moche in lernynge and vertue so that seynt Sarnan lo¦ued hym moste of all his disciples wherfore his Felowes en¦uyed hym in somoch that they kylled a byrde that seynt sar¦nan louyd & leyd it by assent to Kentegern̄ / & he makyng a Crosse vpon the byrde reysed it agayne to lyfe / he reysed al¦so seynt Sarnans Coke fro deth to lyfe / whiche he was ex¦orted to do by seynt Sarnan by instygacion of his enemy∣es / & yet alway his good & vertuous lyfe was a norysshyn∣ge of more enuye to his enemyes / wherfore he lefte that pla¦ce and went to a place called Glascu / and in y^e way he went thurgh the water of Mallena that deuyded to hym lyke as dyd the redde see to y^e children of Israel. at Glascu he lyued in great abstynence / and was there made bysshop / and he vsed to weer the heere / and laye in a holowe stone for his bedde / with some asshes caste vnder hym / and the tempta∣cyon of his flesshe by grace was clerely taken fro hym / and

he gaue all his goodes to pore men / & absteyned fro flesshe and wyne and fro all that myght distempre hym / alway he had a Manuell in his hande redy to do his offyce when ne∣de requyred / he caused wylde hartes to go to ploughe / and a wolfe y^t kylled one of y^e hart{is} he caused to supplye his pla∣ce and to bere the same yocke that he dyd / he went on fote to preche and euery Lent he went to some deserte place and lyued there with herbes and rotes / and somtyme by especy¦all grace he fasted al the Lent / he vsed oftymes to stande in colde water tyll he had sayd the hole Psaulter / In his Iu∣gementes he alwayes consydered the mater and nat the {per}∣sone / he made an Abbey wherin were .ix.C. and .lxv. monk{is} whiche he deuyded in thre {per}tes so y^t alway some were in the Quere / when he was at dyuyne seruyce somtyme a whyte doue / somtyme a bryght beame where seen descende vpon hym / on sher thursday he wold wasshe the fete of pore men and lepoures and kysse theym / he conuerted moche people to the fayth in his Dioc / he destroyed Idolles & made chur¦ches and {per}ysshes / he was seven tymes at Rome & shewyd to seynt Gregory all his lyfe and he confermed his Eleccion supplyinge therwith that that lackyd in his consecracion / & when he was .C. and .lxxxv. yeres olde he dyed without pay¦ne in y^e Idus of Ianuarii syttyng in hote water as he was taught by an Aungell / and dyuers of his bretherne went in to the same water as he appoynted theym to doo / and they dyed furth with without payne and went with hym into the kyngdome of Heuyn / he lyeth at Glascu where our Lorde hath shewyd for hym many myracles.

¶De sancto Kyliano cūsociis suis martirib{us}.

SEynt kylyan was borne of noble blode in scotlā¦de / And as he studyed in his youthe for cūnynge he studyed also for vertue / and at laste he enteryd into relygyon / where he lyuyd in great obedyence with watchyngys and instaūte prayers / The bretherne seyn∣ge his perseueraunce in vertue electyd hym into the rule of the Mouastery / & though he knewe well it wolde som¦what mynysshe his deuocyon / yet for lowe of Charyte & for the profet of other he toke it vppon hym / and after his fame sprange farre wherfore he ferynge the fauoure of y^e people myght be a let vnto hym deuysyd howe he myght leue his owne cūtrey & lyue ī some other cūtrey where he myght haue lytyll knowlege & be reputyd of a small blod wherupon he toke certeyne of his bretherne with hym y^t had lyke feruoure as he had / and came into great brytay¦ne fro thens to Fraunce and so to almayne that is callyd¦est Fraūce to a towne callyd wirtzburghe / And after he went to Rome / and there he had auctoryte to preche and was made Busshope / after he retournyd to wyrtzburgh where he connertyd the duke / and all the countrey to the feythe / And when he had lernyd that the Duke had ma∣ryed his broders wyfe yet neuerthelesse for a tyme he for¦bere / and wolde not speke to the duke therof leste it shuld haue made trouble at his newe conuersyon but when he sawe he was strengthnyd in the feythe he admonysshed hym therof Streyghtlye wherfore the quene when the Kynge was goon to batell martyryd seynt Kylyan & all his cōpanye and buryed them with all theyr Bokys in a pryuy place / & made a stable ouer theym that they shulde neuer be founde / And when the kynge came home she tol¦de hym that they were goon on pylgrymage / the cursyd

men that put them to deth fell madde and cryed Kylyan kyllyan why doest thou so burne vs / And not longe after the quene was takyn with a Deuyll / & she sayde she was worthy to haue tourmētys for she tourmentyd the ryght wyse men and furthwyth she dyed / a Preest herde Chyl∣derne saye seynt Kylyan doth many signes / he muste be takyn vp for he lyeth not in a cōuenyent place / And when he toke no hede to theyr sayinge the nexte nyghte he was stryken blynde / and he harde a voyce saye to hym with∣out thou beleue thou shalt not see / And then he sought for them / and when he came to the place where they were he sent for the Archebusshope of Magunce and tolde hym where they lay / And then he had his syght ageyne.

¶De sanctis Keneburga Regina & abbatissa & desctis Kineswida & Tibba virginibus.

SEynt kyneburgh & kyneswyda were doughters to kynge penda a cruell pagan that was Kynge of Marshes / And neuerthelesse his Doughters were crystenyd / Kyneburgh was maryed and notwith∣stondynge by assent of her Husbonde she enteryd into re¦lygyon / & so leuynge carnall Chylderne she had in shorte tyme many spyrytuell Chylderne / she made a Monaste¦rye callyd dormuncastre not far fro y^e Ryuer callyd ven∣where she was made abbesse / And with what dylygens she norysshed the sowlys to her cōmyttyd / And how wa∣kerye she was to kepe the cōmaūdemētis of our lord & to kepe her holy porpose ī Relygion / no tonge can tell seynt Kyneswyda lyuyd in virgynyte / And after the Deth of

seynt Kyneburgh off a Kynge of cest saxons wolde haue had kyneswyda to his wyfe whiche he attemptyd not on¦ly with feyre Speche / but also with thretes / And bycause she wolde not assent all her Frendys were agaynste her wherfore she prayed dylygentlye to oure Ladye for hel∣pe / and our Ladye apperyd to her & comfortyd her / and sayd ther was nothynge better for her than to kepe her Immaculate as she was borne / & nothynge more noble thē to take her sone to be her spouse / & more over she bade her not to fere for she sayde she wolde praye for her / and therupon seynt Kyneswyda takynge boldenes sent wor∣de to the Kynge y^t in no wyse she wolde assent / And there upon the Kynge consyderynge her blessyd lyfe and seyn¦ge y^t he & all his Rychesse were despysyd of a yonge may¦de lefte the worlde & went to Rome & there he enteryd in∣to Relygyon / Seynt Tybba that was kynneswoman to seynt Kyneburgh / and kyneswyda lyued many yerys a blessyd solytary lyfe / And after her deth she apperyd to a holy man on seynt Lucyes daye and tolde hym that on that daye she yeldyd her sowle to heuyn / And in the yere of our Lorde a thousande and fyue the relyhys of the fay¦de blessyd women Kyneburghe / Kyneswyda / and Tyb¦ba were translatyd to Peterburgh / and there theyr feest is Halowyd the Daye before the Nonas of Marche.

¶De sancto Lamfranco archiep̄o.

SEynt lamfranke was borne in the Cytie of pape¦der / and in his youth he forsoke his faders succes¦syon gyuynge hym to studye / And when he had atteynyd hygh seculer lernynge he came into Norman∣dye / and there he was takyn with theuys and was cob∣byd of all that he had / wherupon he went to the abbey of Beccense in Normandye as to the porest house he could here of / and there he founde the Abbot bakynge of Bre∣de / and his handys were myrye to stoppe the Ouen / and there he enteryd into Relygyon / and lyuyd in profounde humylyte / & obedyence / On a tyme as he redde the lectu∣re the presydent founde a defaute at his redynge & bade hym amende it / and he redde as he was commaundyd / and yet he hadde redde better before / but that he dyd to shewe hym selfe obedyent / For the euyll maners of the Bretherne he thought to leue the Abbey and lyue in De∣sert and vsyd vnder coloure of a medesyn to ere Erbys to proue how he myght endure with them / And on a nyght a kynnesman of y^e Abbottys lately decessyd apperyd vn∣to hym / and shewyd hym the purpose of Lanfrāke / and tolde the Abbot it was not good for hym y^t he shulde goo frō hym / And when the Abbot with great wepyngys she¦wyd this to Lamfranke he sawe his coūceyll was dysco¦ueryd / wherfore he thought it was the wyll of god that he shuld tary / & so he dyd & was made pryor there / & after Abbot of Cadonyence / This blessyd man came into En¦glonde with wyllyam conqueroure / and was made Ar∣chebusshoppe of Caunterbury & dyd many notable thyn¦gys in thys Realme / He gaue great Possessyons to the Chyrche of Rochester / and restoryd seynt Albons to the fyrste estate / As he satte by the Kynge at a solempne feest

a Rayler seynge the kynge syt ī gloryouse apparell seyd lo I se god / lo I se god / And seynt Lamfranke remem∣brynge the hystorye of Herode aduertysyd the kynge y^t he shuld not suffer such wordys spokyn to hym that belō∣gyd only to god but that he shuld commaunde hym that speke them to be betyn / so that he shulde neuer after dare speke such wordys / and so it was don / He was a man of great lyberalyte / and as it is sayde gaue yerely in aknes fyue hūdred poūdys / And he was a man of a quycke spy¦ryt and recoueryd many thynges that were wrongfully holden fro his Chyrche / And oftyn tymes seynt dunstan apperyd vnto hym & cōfortyd hym she wynge to hym the crafty purpose of his enemyes / He was dyuerse tymes at Rome where he was had in great fauoure of the Pope / when it happenyd hym at any tyme to be at beccense he wolde not vse hym selfe but as he had ben pryour / he was profounde in humylyte large in almes / a great helper of pore men a defender of pupyllys and a comforter of wy∣dowys / And with sobernes he refourmyd the Monkys of Caunterbury / that had vysd before hys tyme Huntyn¦ge / Haukynge / and such other wanton disportys / and in the .xix. yere after he had ben busshope the .v. kalendas of Iune he Dyed and lyeth at Caunterbury in a Chyrche which he in his lyfe buyldyd.

¶De sancto laurencio archiepiscopo.

SEynt Laurence was archebusshope of Caunter∣bury next after seynt Augustyne / And after seynt Ethelbertys deth / y^e Kynge Ebbalde his sone fell to Ido¦latry / And also toke his faders wyfe / & in lykewyse after

sabertus Kynge of eest saxons was deed / his thre sōnes fell to Idolatry which was great trouble to the feyth so that mellyte Busshope of London / and Iustus Bussho∣pe of Rochestre were put oute of theyr Busshoprykes / which by assent of seynt Laurence went into Fraunce / & seynt Laurence thought to haue folowyd but that seynt Peter the same nyghte that he wolde haue departyd as he laye in y^e Chyrche of seynt Petyr and Paule apperyd vnto hym and bette hym with roddys bycause he wolde forsake the flocke of god which he had takyn the charge of & admonescyd hym that for the people of our Lorde he shulde tary vnto the Deth lyke as he dyd / And so he went to the Kynge Edbalde and shewyd hym how he was be∣tyn of whom & for what cause / And so the Kynge recey∣uyd the feythe / And also lefte his aduoultrye / And after seynt Laurence conuertyd moch people in Scotlāde to the Feythe / and in the way thyther warde he went ouer y^e see drye fote / And a holy Busshope of Irlande came thy¦der to hym / & herynge his Oppynyon of the kepynge of Eester confermyd hym therto / and taught his people to folowe the same / And after he retournyd into Englonde and reysyd a Chylde where he was lodged fro deth to ly¦fe / And in the yere of our Lord god .vi. hundred and .xix. the thyrde nonas of Februarye he lefte this worlde / & is buryed by seynt Augustyne.

¶De sancto Lethardo ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt letharde was assygnyd to come with the Quene Berta / when she shuld be maryed to kyn¦ge Ethelberte yet beynge a Paynym to be her le¦der / doeter / and preseruator in Uertue and to defende

her fro the Idolatrye then vsyd in Englonde / where he suffred great opprobryes and laughyngys to skorne in doynge y^e seruyce of god which he vsyd to doo in an olde Chyrche of seynt martyn nygh to Caūterbury in which Chyrche the quene and her seruauntys that were cryste∣nyd vsyd to here dyuyne seruyce / At the toumbe of seynt Letharde a blynde mayde receyuyd her syght / as a man that with the palsey was lame fro the myddle downe war¦de was prayinge for helthe at his tumbe / he apperyd & sayd the people in theyr sykenesse pray with grete deuo∣cyon for helth / but when they be hoole they forgette y^e be¦nefaytys of god / And anon be vnkynde and turne ageyn to synne / And when the sykeman faythfully promysyd to amende / seynt Letharde sayd of the oon legge thou shalt be hoole that thou mayste knowe the goodnes of god / & y^e other shalbe as it was y^t thou waxe not vnkynde / and so it was doon / This blessyd man was the precoursoure of seynt Augustyne / and made the waye redye for hym to y^e bryngynge in of y^e feythe wherfore he is right moch to be had in honoure by Englysshemen.

¶De sancto Macuto ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt machute was borne in great Brytayne on Eester euyn in a noble Monastery in the vale of nantcarwan where his moder came to kepe vy∣gyllys / And he was baptyzyd by seynt Brendan y^t was Abbot of the sayd monasterye & .xxxiii. men Chyldren we¦re borne y^e same nyght of womē that came to bere his mo¦der cōpany / and fro his youth he was vertuous / & when his felowys were quakynge for colde he swette & leyde a wey his Clothys which was of a brennynge Charyte y^t

was in hym / On a tyme the see flowyd there as he laye & slepte and the groūde where he laye rose lyke an Ile and so he was sauyd Seynt Brendan seynge y^t the holy gost was with hym aduysyd hym to be preest / and he sayde he was not worthy to take that offyce neuerthelesse after he assentyd / And when he was made preest a whyte Doue was seen descende vppon his shoulder / He saylyd moche with seynt brendane in his Iourneys / and in his compa¦ny with the sygne of the Crosse he droue away a serpent that hadde kyllyd .iii. Chylderne / In lytell Brytayne he was made Busshope of alethys / And when he shulde be consecrate at turone a whyte doue was seen descende vp∣pon his necke as he helde downe his hedde to bencdyccy¦on / he vsyd gret watchynges / fastynges & prayers / And when he rode by y^e waye eyther he talkyd of god or pray¦de / there was no tyme but he Prophytyd to other or to hymselfe / He vsyd euer a sharpe Heer vppon hym / and was a grete precher to the people / he went to Rome with seuyn dyscyples / and chylderne that he foūde there to be solde he bought thē & cristenyd thē / In y^e waye homewar¦de as he was ī great perell of y^e see seynt peter apperyd to hym & sauyd hym & all his cōpany when he was .Cxxxiii. yere olde he dyed the .xvii. kalendas of december / & was honorably buryed at perdma / where all his Relykys lye excepte his hed and his ryght hand which lye at alethys / He helyd oon that was deffe / dome / and lame / He reysyd a chylde that was drownyd / And by his prayers blynde woman recoueryd her syght / For the wretchydnes of the people he cursyd them / and went into Andygauya & was there .vii. yerys durynge whych tyme was great drynes and derth in lytell Brytayne / And when he was desyred

to come agayne to blesse the people as soone as he came the rayne fell and great plenty folowed in all the countre.

¶De sancto Maglorio Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Maglorye bysshop was borne in great bry∣tayne / he was Felowe to seynt Sampson & was his successoure / by an Aungell he was admonys∣shed to leue his bysshopryke and to lyue a solytary lyfe and so he dyd / he helyd an Erle that was lepre / wherfo∣re he gaue hym the one halfe of a Certeyne grounde to the whiche grounde incōtynent came many byrdes with great plente of fysshes / & therfore the Erle by counsell of his wyfe toke y^t groūde from hym and gaue hym the other half / and then the byrdes and fysshes came thyder and left the other. And then the Erle perceyuyng that he had done amysse ga¦ue to seynt Maglorye the hole grounde / and then the byrd{is} and fysshes came indifferently to bothe {per}tes / He was a cle∣ne virgyne and lyued with barley brede and lekes / Euery wednysday and fryday he fasted and punysshe his body w^t the heer / he neuer dranke wyne ne syder / somtyme when y^e bretherne were aslepe he wolde go pryuely to the seesyde / & there wake in prayers / On eester euyn as he watched in y^e Churche an Anugel appered to hym and shewed hym that his tyme drewe nere to go out of this worlde / and heferyn∣ge it had ben an Illusion made instaūte prayer / and when the Aungell had thryse affermed the same he receyued of y^e Aungell the blessyd Sacramente / and after that tyme if there were nat y^e greatter lettynge he vsyd euer to saye this verse. Unam pecii a dn̄o hanc requirā vt inhabitē in domo dn̄i &c. And he went to our lorde / the .ix. kalendr of Nouēbre

De sancto Malichia. ¶De sancto Malichia Episcopo & confessore.

SEynt Malachie was borne in Irlande amonge barbarous people / and as a fysshe is in the salt see and is nat salt / so was seynt Malachie good amō∣ge euyll people / he went to a man that lyued a solytary lyfe seruynge our lorde in fastyng{is} and prayers and of hym he toke his example of lyuynge / and in shorte tyme had many disciples / and there he toke the ordre of presthode. The bys∣shop cōmytted to hȳ his auctoryte to p̄che vnto y^e rude peo∣ple whiche he dyd with great fauoure / and what so euer he sawe out of good ordre he spared nat to reproue theym of it He had great loue and zele to the seruyce of god / & honoure to the Sacramentes of the Chuche and went to a holy bys¦shop called Malcus that was borne in Irlande & brought vp in Englande and that had ben a monke at Wynchester / to lerne at hym that he taught nothynge / but as the Chur∣che cōmaūded / after he was made bysshop of Cōnereth in Irlande / where anone he {per}ceyued that the people were be∣stely and rude / Cristen men in name and nat in dede / they payed no tythes they lyued out of laufull matrymony they made no confessions / there was no man to enioyne penaū∣cene to aske it / they made more noyse in the Churche then the precher or they that sange / wherfore to refourme thyse people he put hym selfe in Ieopardye as a good Sheperd and admonysshed theym of theyr defautes openly / and al∣so secretely / he wepte vpon theym tenderly / nowe he spake sharpely and anone more easely / And whenne henothynge preuayled he humbly watched in prayer for them to our lor∣de when they wolde nat come to the Churche he wolde go in to theym lokynge who he myght wyn to our lord / when

euyll wordes were sayde to hym he spake fayre / and when he was wronged he toke pacyence / and so with goodnesse he ouercame euyll. Thus were the people reformed / Chur¦ches were buylded the lawes of the Churche receyued the Sacramentes duely mynystred / & the people went to con∣fessyons and toke penaunce after the deth of the Archebys¦shop Celsus he was made Archebysshop of Archemacan / and yet he wolde neuer haue seruaunt ne house of his owne he went in maner a wayes aboute the parysshes prechynge the worde of god and leued of the Gospell / Other prelates toke Lordshyp in the Clergye / and he made hymselfe ser∣uaunte to all men / After he gaue vp the Archebysshopry∣che and went to his parysshe agayne / Thenne he wente to Rome & there the Pope toke a Myter fro his owne hedde / and set it vpon his hedde / and also gaue hym a stole and a phanon / Fro thens he went to Clareuall to seynt Bernar∣de / and leuynge with hym foure of his disciples / he went in to Scotlande where our Lorde shewyd for hym many my¦racles / and after he went into Irlande and there he helyd a monke of the great fallynge sykenesse. Thenne he went a∣gayne to Scotlande and so thorughe Englande to Clare∣ualle to seynt Bernarde / And there he dyed the .iiii. Nonas of Nouembre In the yere of our Lorde god a Thousande a hondred and .xlviii. and Seynt Bernarde wrote his lyfe wherin be many notable thynges.

¶De sancta Margareta Regina Scocie.

SEynt Margaret Quene of Scotlande was dou¦ghter of Edwarde outlawe sone to Edmonde Ir¦neside / And she by prouysion of god was Mary∣ed to Malcolyn̄ kynge of Scotlande she delyted more in good werkes thenne in possessions or ryches / Oft∣tymes she called her children afore her and admonysshed theym to loue and drede our lord / and dayly she prayed for theym that they myght pleas hym / she enduced the kynge to do Iustyce with mercye and to gyue alines & in her day∣es the kynges seruaunt{is} durst nat take any thynge fro pore men or otherwyse hurte theym / She reproued the people of Scotlande in y^t they begann at Lent so that they myght faste .xl. dayes besyde the sondayes / and that theyr prestes sange nat masse after the custome of the Churche / and that the people were nat howseled at Ester that they kept nat y^e sondayes / and that they maryed theyr moders in lawe and susters in lawe & she reformed theym in thyse poynt{is} / The kynge seynge the holy ghost was with her helped her fore∣warde in all that she went aboute / She serched where she myght fynde pore people to do almes vpon / on the nyght{is} she sayd Matens of the Trinite / of the holy crosse / & of our ladye / the Dirige and the Psalter / And thenne she vsed to wasshe .vi. pore men / and then she toke rest In the mornyn∣ges she refressed .ix. orphanes and serued theym knelynge And afore dyner the kynge and she serued .CCC. pore peo¦ple / her boke fell into the water and lay there a daye and a nyght without hurte she knewe the deth of her husbonde / & sone that were slayne in Batayle whiche she toke pacyent∣ly she dyed the .iiii. Idus of Iune / & lyeth in the Churche of the holy trinite / that she had buylded in the same place whe¦re she was maryed.

¶De sancta Maxencia virgine & martyre.

SEynt Maxence was doughter to Marcolane sō¦tyme kynge of Scotlande / & fro her youth she en¦tended to kepe virginite after a prynce called max¦encius was a pagan desyred her in maryage wherto he had her fathers assent and she perceyuyng that fledde to a chur¦che and cōmended her virginite to oure Lorde / And after with an olde man and a Mayde she fledde secretely / and came into Fraunce into a place called Pontis / and as it is sayd in the way thyder she went ouer the water of ysara w^t∣out bote / and the sayd the prynce made suche serche that he founde where she was / and when he coulde by no mean ha¦ue her assent / in a fury he toke her by the heer and stroke of her hedde & after kylled both her seruaunt{is} / and she toke vp her hedde and bare it to the place where she now lyeth / and ouer her is buyldyd a godly churche / where our lorde hath shewyd for her many myracles / kyng Charles that reyned in tho dayes loued her churche moche / & gaue many great thynges to it.

¶De sancto Mellito Archiep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Gregorie was moche dylygent for the conuer¦tynge of the people of Englande to the fayth / and al¦so to haue the people well ordered / after they were conuer∣ted wherfore he is moche to be honoured by Englysshmen after kynge Ethelbert & his people were cōuerted by seynt Augustyne he sent worde therof to seynt Gregorie as in the lyfe of seynt Mellytapperyth and then seynt Gregorie sent Mellite / Iuste / and Pallyne with dyuerse other into En∣glande

to preche to the people / and Mellite in y^e yere of our lorde .vi. hondred and foure was made bysshop in the pro∣uynce of Eest saxons nyghe to Thamyse where London is metropolys and by hym that prouynce was conuertyd / and the Churche of seynt Paule that was made by kynge Ethelbert is the bysshoppes see / and after the deth of kyng Ethelbert and of kynge Sabert theyr children / whiche we¦re Idolatrours wold haue ben houseled as they saw other were / but they wolde nat be Cristened / and bycause seynt Mellite wold nat housell them they banysshed hym out of the Countre / and so he and seynt Iustus went into Fraun¦ce / but shortly after the sayd Idolatrours were slayne ī ba¦tayle / Mellite and Iustus came agayne / and after the deth of seynt Laurence / Mellite was made Archebysshoppe of Caunterbury / He had the gowte and after his deth he he∣lyd a woman of the gowte / By his prayer moche parte of y^e Cytie of Caunterburye was sauyd fro fyre / He dyed the eyght Kalend of Maii in the yere of our lorde god six hon∣dred and .xxiii. he lyeth on the right hande of seynt Augusty¦ne / and for this blessyd man our Lorde hath shewyd many myracles.

¶De sancto Melone Episcopo.

IN the tyme of Ualerian the Emperour Mello then beynge a Paynyme was sent out of great Brytayne to Rome to paye the trybute / and as he harde Pope Stephan preche he was conuer¦ted / and gaue all that he hadde to pore folkes after he recey∣ued

of the Pope ordre of presthode and vsed moche fastyn∣ges and vigylles / and as he was sayinge masse the Pope and he sawe an Aungell on the ryght hande of the Aulter / that when masse was done gaue hym a bysshoppes staffe / and sayd vnto hym with this staffe thou shalt rule the peo∣ple of rethomagense in the {per}ties of Nestrie / and so hauyn∣ge y^e popes blessynge he toke his Iourney & in the way at Antisioder holdynge the sayd staffe in his hande he helyd a man that had his fote cutte in two partes with an axe / and whenne he came to Rothomagense faythfully fulfyllynge that he was appoyntyd to / and full of vertues and myra∣cles he went to our lord / and lyeth at Rothomagense.

¶De sancto Melore martyre.

MElianus duke of Cornewayle fader to seynt Me∣lorie was kylled by his owne broder called Rynol¦dus whiche toke vpon hym the Dukedome / then he toke Melorie with hym into Cornewayle be∣ynge of the age of .vii. yeres / and thought to kylle hym the∣re / and there he was desyred by the people that he shuld nat kyll hym / but that he shuld stryke of his ryght hande & his lefte fote and lette hym go / and so it was done / Thenne he had a hāde and fote made for hym of syluer / & was put to a Monasterye in Cornewayle where he encresyng in all ver¦tue & lernyd scriptur to his age of .xiiii. yer{is} & y^e hande wold open & shyte as it had ben of flesshe & bone aft Cerialtanus

that had the rule of hym at the desyre of the Duke cutte of his hedde / in the Kalend of Octobre / And as his sone was berynge of the hedde to Rynold by the waye he fell downe of a walle and brake his necke / And thenne his Fader toke the hede to bere it to the Duke / and by the way whenne he was nyghe deed for drynes the hedde badde hym sette his staffe in the grounde / and there he shuld fynde a welle and so he dyd / and the staffe waxed in to a tree and a fayre welle sprange at the rote thereof / And natwithstandynge whenne he hadde refresshed hymselfe he bare the hedde furth / and the Duke receyued it gladly and bad hym go to a hylle the∣re bye / & all that he sawe he wolde gyue hym for his rewar∣de / and whenne he came thy der he was stryken blynde and forthwith dyed and his flesshe melted awaye lyke waxe at the fyre. The body of seynt Melorye was .iii. tymes bury∣ed & euery tyme it was founde agayne aboue the grounde / wherfore by a hole counsell he was layde in a wayne and .ii. wylde bulles were put in it & they stode styll w^t it in a place that the people lyked nat: And whenne the people assayed to remoue it and coulde nat they buryed it there honorably The hedde was brought to Rynolde / and whenne he had towched it the thyrde daye after he dyed / and thenne it was buryed by the bysshoppes and the Clergye with the body / and nowe his relykes be at Malmesbury.

¶De sancta Milburga virgine.

Bynge Ethelbert that was Conuerted by seynt Au¦gustyne was great graunt Fader to Dompneua that was moder to seynt Milburgh / and she was doughter to Merwalde Kynge of Mersshes / the whiche

with the sayd Dompneua his wyfe in y^e latter ende of theyr dayes by assent lyued Chaste / and seynt Milburghe ente∣red into Relygyon / and in a Monasterye that she founded in the Ile of Thannet she was moder and maystres to ma¦ny virgyns / She gaderyd in lykewyse many susters in a Monasterye that she founded called Wenloke. The plea∣sures of the worlde a mortall spouse and carnall Children were vyle in her syght / a kynges zone thought by vyolence to take her & to marye her / wherfore she knowyng his com¦mynge fledde ouer a ryuer / and whenne she was paste the ryuer rose sodeynly and stopped his passage. By her pray∣er geese that destroyed her corne wente a waye without re∣tournynge of theym or of any of that kynde as she waked fro slepe vnaduysedly she caste her vayle fro her / and the sonne beame bare it vp so that it came nat to the grounde / She reysed a Childe fro deth to lyfe and as she was in her prayers for the childe / there was a greatlyght seen aboute herlyke as she hadde ben in the myddes of a fyre / She dy∣ed of the Axes and was buryed in her Monasterye: In the Legende is a goodly Pedegre fro kynge Ethelbert to this gloryous virgyne and to dyuerse other / And also a goodly storye howe the sayd kynge Merwalde her Fader was cō¦uerted by Edfrede a holy preest / and also a goodly vysyon that he had afore his conuersyon.

¶De sancta Mildreda virgine et Abbatissa.

SEynt Mildrede was suster to seynt Milburghe and her moder sent her ouer the see to a place cal∣led Calum in her seculer habyte to lerne / where in shorte tyme she ouer passed all her felowes in me∣kenes and vertues / a yonge man of noble blode and of kyn to the Abbesse laboured to haue her in maryage / and the ab¦besse was of counsayle with hym / and whenne the Abbesse sawe that by fayre meanes she coulde nat opteyne her pur∣pose she threte the virgyne and bet her / and when that coul∣de nat moue her fro virginite / The abbesse in a woodnes put her in a hote brennynge ouyn and shet the mouthe / and whenne they thought that she had ben burned flesshe and bone she was founde all hole vntouched of fyre as her myn∣de was vntouched of flesshely pleasure / yet this ceased nat the malyce of the Abbesse / but she bette her pulled her by y^e heer and trede vpon her and alwaye the virgyne cōmytted her virginite to our Lorde / After she sent worde to her mo∣der how she was entreated and she sent for her and the vir∣gyne hauynge none other shyfte went pryuely to the see / & the Abbesse herynge therof sent company to brynge her a∣gayne and the shyp that stode vpon the drye groūde by her prayer was anone taken vp with the see and so she escaped and came into an Ile called Ippleffec / and as she sette her fote vpon a foure square stone her fote sanke into the stone as it hadde bensnowe / after by seynt Theodre she was ma¦de abbesse to .lxx. nonnes / On a tyme the deuyll as she was prayeng blewe out her candell and an Aūgell lyght it agay¦ne / She dyed the .iii. Ide of Iulye her successours whiche was called Edburgh toke vp her body to remoue it to a mo¦re honorable place and founde it vncorrupt more lyke to sle¦pe then to be deed: After her monastery was destroyed and

was made a parysshe churche / & her Relyk{is} were brought to Caunterbury but whether they lye in the church of seynt Augustyne / or of seynt Gregorie the Legende leuyth it in doute and dyuers myracles be here omytted / On a nyght as she was in prayer the holy ghost appered to her lyke a¦boue & satte vpon her hedde w^t his wynges compassynge her hedde lyke a crowne with suche a lyght that she myght skarsely be seen the space of an houre.

¶De sancta Modwenna virgine & abbatissa.

SEynt Modwen was borne in Irlande / and by prechynge of seynt Patryke she entered into Re∣lygyon / and fro thens she gaue her self to lernyn∣ge & to despyse the vanytes of the worlde to kepe her herte stedfast with all dylygence to punysshe her bodye with fastynges and vygylles no thynge she put byfore the loue of god hauynge great desyre to the Ioyes of heuyn w^t contynuell feere of the paynes of hell and her broder by her example forsoke the worlde and after was made a bysshop She made a monasterye and there lyued with her brother with rawe rotes gettynge her lyuynge with her owne la∣boure / many noble matrones came to her quenes and vir∣gyns to here the worde of god / Eyght virgyns Ioyned them selfe to her wherof seynt Bryde and orbila were in the company / and when Orbila for her youth fered to take the rule of the monastery vpon her seynt modwen / put the gyr¦dell aboute her / and brethyd vpon her and anone her heere waxed hoore and she was lyke an olde woman / and thenne

she toke the rule of the Monasterye with good wyll / She caused a wolfe that had kylled one of her calues to folowe the cowe and kepe her and other wolfes of that kynde vse to do so to this day / A great thefe called Glunelach kylled .viii prest{is} that seynt Patrike had sent to vysyt seynt Modwen and she herynge therof went thyder with .xlix. nonnes to bu¦rye theym / and Glunelache with .xlix. theuys mette theym and thought to haue rauysshed theym / but when they wol∣de haue layde handes vpon the virgyns they fell sodeynly a slepe and slept .ii. dayes and the spyryte of seynt Modwen and Glunelache were ledde with an Aungell into heuyn & hell / & when Glunelache came to hymselfe agayne he was cōuerted and his neue we also & lyued a good and a blessyd lyfe / A holy bysshop called Cheuyn was brought in beleue by craft of y^e deuyll y^t Glunelach y^e thefe / by prayer of seynt Modwen shuld haue his place in Heuyn / and that all was in vayne that he had done in the seruyce of god / wherfore the bysshop thought to destroye her and her Monasterye / and as he was cōmynge therto she had knowlege therof by our lorde / and so she met hym and shewyd hym that his ene¦mye had deceyued hym greatly and anone he sawe the de∣uyll that brought hym to y^e temptacyon lyke a blacke Ethy¦ope / wherfore he toke great repentaūce: Then seynt Mod¦wen to the entent she myght the more surely conferme hym in our lord / put her staffe into a welle y^t she vsed oftymes in the wynter to stande in tyl she had sayd a hole Psaulter / she drewe her staffe after her agaynst y^e hylle / & the water folo∣wed the staffe into y^e toppe of the hylle / wherupon he dep{per}ted & lyued after a blyssed lyf: On a tyme when she entended to go into Englāde she lacked a shyp & at her prayer y^e groūde reysed it self vp about her lyke an Ile & so cōueyed her & her

company ouer the see into Englande / where she and seynt Edith that was suster to kyng Edgar rered Ositha y^t was drowned fro deth to lyfe / She went thryse to Rome for re∣myssion of her synnes and she dyed in Irlande the thyrde Nonas of Iulii / after whose deth great varyaūce was by∣twyxt Englysshemen / Irysshemen / and Scottes for her bodye / and the bysshop Counceyled theym that eyght men shuld take vp her bere / & that countre that our Lorde wolde haue theym go towardes shulde haue the body / and by the wyll of our lorde they went streyght towardes Englande & so she was brought into Englande / and lyeth at Andreseia After her deth she apperyd to one of the Nonnes after com¦pleyne and tolde her that she herde some of the susters spe∣ke in tyme of scylence and that her body yet beyng amonge them vnburyed she meruayled that they forget her doctry∣ne and reguler obseruaunce / and bad them nat to breke the leste obseruaūce lest by lytell & lytel they fell into greatter de¦faut{is} sayinge vnto the suster that she appered vnto that she shuld make her redy for after .vii. dayes she shuld come vn∣to her and so it was done.

¶De sancto Neoto abbate & confessore.

SEynt Neotus comonly called seynt Eed was the kynges sone of west Englande & of Kent / and when he came to age he forsoke the pryde & pompe of the worlde & was made a monke at Glastenbury vnderseynt Dunstan̄ where he ascendyd to hygh perfyte relygion he was so lytel of stature that at masse he had a thynge vnder his fete / but he was full of vertues and good maners Eloquent of spe∣che discrete of wordes and of great lernynge beynge bylo∣ued

of all men and to the entent that he wolde eschewe the recourse and fauour of the people he went into Cornewale where he lyued .vii. yeres in a wyldernes / whiche after his name is called Neotstoke / after he went to Rome and was there honorably receyued of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Martyne / fro thens he retourned into his owne coūtre / where he made a monaste¦rye / and was ofte vysyted with Aungellys / he had a water that had thre Fysshes in it / and if he toke one euery day yet alway there were thre Fysshes / He tolde the kynge Alfred his broder / that for his pryde and tyrauntrye he shulde be put out of his Realme and be as an outlawe / but he sayd by his prayers he had opteyned of our Lorde that he shuld be restored agayne / and shuld cōuerte his enemy to the fayth & it {pro}ued after ī euery thyng as he had sayd. By seynt Ede the kyng was correct / tyrauntrie tourned into sobernes the worshyppyng of deuylles abated and the people of our lor¦de moche encreasyd in all the countre he lefte this worlde y^e day before the kalend of August and pa••••e of his Relykes lye at Ramsey / & the other {per}te at seynt Edis: after his deth he apperyd dyuers tymes to his broder kyng Alfrede com¦fortynge hym in his trouble / and by his helpe he had great victorye agaynst the Danes.

¶De sancto Niniano Ep̄o.

SEynt Ninian in Englysshe called seynt Trony∣on was a Kynges sone of great Brytayne & anone as he had passed his yer{is} of childhod he had great deuocion to be in the Church / & had great loue spirituell to his Felowes / he was Sober in diet difcrete of wordes be∣sy in Redynge sadde of maners absteynyng fro pleys and

alwayes laboured to subdewe the body to the spyryte / He went to Rome on Pylgrymage where he profyted moch in lernynge / and was in synguler fauour with the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and he grewe in all vertue / & charite after the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made hym bysshop and sent hym into the weste parte of Englande to preche the worde of god / and in the waye homewarde he came by seynt Martyn and seynt Martyn knewe by reue∣lacion that he shuld profyte to moche people / And when he came thyder as he was sent the people receyued hym Ioy∣ously and toke hym as a veray Prophet / whereby his pre∣chynges examples and myracles he conuertyd all the peo∣ple / And he buyldyd the firste Churche of stone that euer was buyldyd in Brytayne he conuertyd also the Southe pictes where he dyd many myracles and if a man thynke of the lyues of seynt Dunstan̄ / seynt Cuthbert / seynt Mod∣wyn̄ / seynt Goderyke / seynt Ninian and suche other he shall thynke it right lytell that is done by the people / for the loue of god in thyse dayes a disciple of seynt Tronyon that hadde offendyd fe••ynge punysshement toke seynt Trony¦ons staffe and went into the see in a lytell shyppe / and ano∣ne with a sodeyne tempest he was dryuen so ferre into the see / that he wyst nat what to do / wherfore he was conpunct and in his herte asked forgyuenes and cryed to seynt Tro∣nyon for helpe / & sodenly the wynde tourned and brought hym safe to lande / And when he came to lāde in testefyinge of y^e myracle he prayed o^r lord y^t the staffe myght growe: & when he set it into the groūde forthwith it grewe & had rot{is} & new barke w^t goodly armes & braūches / & at y^e rote therof spraynge a fayre welle / wherof y^e water is very holsome for¦syke men / he dyed in y^e .xvi. Kalend of Octobre: & lyeth in a Churche y^t he made of newe in y^e honour of seynt Martyne

A childe that was borne with great deformytes to the great heuynesse of his father & moder at the tumbe of seynt Tro∣ny an resceyued perfyte helth & two lepous wasshyd theym at seynt Tronyons welle and theyr flesshe was made clene lyke the flesshe of a Childe.

¶De sancto Odone Archiepiscopo.

SEynt Odo was sone of a Paynym of the blode of y^e danes y^t came in w^t Hynguar / & bycause he vsed mo¦che to speke to his fader such thyng{is} as he had lethed at ser¦mones of the Cristen fayth his fader corrected hym cruelly And also disheryted hym / wherfore he lefte his fader & mo∣der & came to a Duke a noble man in kynge Edwyns hou∣se & he receyued hym Ioyously / There he was baptyzed & lerned both latentunge and greke tunge / whiche fro the ty¦me of seynt Theodre was moch vsed in Englande after he toke ordres & was made Dekon / & so he taryed dyuerse ye∣res & was after made preest / By his prayer the Duke was made hole of a great sykenesse as he was goynge towarde Rome / And after he was made bysshop of Salisbury and fro thense was electyd to be Archebysshop of Caunterbu∣ry / whiche he wolde nat take vpon hym tyll he was made monke / and so he entred into Relygion / and when he was Archebyssop he reproued the kynge of his abhominable ad¦uoutrie and the women that the kynge kepthe toke theym / and burned theym in the face with yron & abanysshed them the Realme. To reforme certeyn clark{is} that erred in the sa∣crament of the Aultre affermynge it to be a fygure of y^e pas¦syon of our lorde by his prayer as he was at masse at y^e bre∣kynge of the Hoest very blode ran out therof into the Cha∣les

/ and the clerkes seynge it were conuerted / and then the blode went agayne into the nature of wyne / By his prayer there felle noo rayne in his Churche all the whyle it was in buyldynge whiche was thre hole yeres / He was alway ad∣uersarye inflexible agaynst synne / The pleasure or Ioyes of the world ne yet thretes coulde nat fere hym neyther lette hym fro doynge Iustyce / he prophesyed that seynt Dun∣sta•• shuld be Archebysshop after hym and so he was / he dy¦ed the fourth Nonas of Iulii and lyeth at Caunterbury.

¶De sancto Odulpho confessore.

SEynt Odulphe was borne of noble blode in Fraū¦ce and he forsoke his frendes and went to the Bys∣shop of Traiectense / where he lyued dyuerse yer{is} in vigylles / fastynge / prayeng / and holy redynge / he cōuer¦ted the Frysonnes by his prechynge: He set nought by any Erthly thynge so that after this lyfe he myght haue euerla¦stynge rewarde in heuyn: By his prayer the fyre ceased fro his ••e•••• / and he dyed of the Axes y^e daye byfore the Idus of Iune / at his deth was a swete sauoure that comforted all y^t were present / his Relykes were after brought to London the tyme of kynge Kinite / and fro thens they were conuey∣ed to Enesshm honorably / and though he was neuer in En¦glande whyle he was a lyue / yet bycause his Relykes be in Englande he is put into the Legende.

¶De sancta Ositha virgine & martire.

SEynt Osithe was doughter to kynge Frethewalde and she was bytaken ī her youth to seynt Modwen

to Instructe / seynt Modwen bytoke her to seynt Edith / & she on a tyme beynge at Pollesworth sent a boke to Osyth to seynt Modwen / & on a brygge she was blowen with y^e wynde into the water and drowned / and when she had lyen deed thre dayes by monycion of an Aūgell seynt Modwen went to the brygge nat knowynge wherto / where she met with seynt Edith and there by theyr prayers she was Rey∣sed fro dethe to lyfe / After she was maryed by her frendes agaynst her wyll to the kyng of Estsaxons / and a longe sea¦son by certeyne excuses she kept her husbonde fro the Acte of matrymony / and when he had fully purposed to receyue no ferther excuses sodeyn tydynges came to hym that a har¦te was founde nygh to the paleys / and in the tyme that the kynge made taryeng dyuerse dayes about his huntynge / the virgyne sent for two bysshoppes & was made a Nonne And when the kynge retourned and knewe therof though he was greatly moued / yet he suffred her and gaue her the towne of Chychensen / and in the yere of our lorde godsyx C. & .liii. Danes came into the coūtre of Estsaxons / & bycau¦se seynt Osith wolde nat do sacrifice to their Idoll{is} she was beheded / & she bare her hedde to y^e churchedore / & there fell downe & her fader & moder buryed her at Aylesbury / wher she lay many yer{is} tyll seynt Osith ap{per}ed to asmythe & bad hym remoue her relyk{is} fro Aylesbury to Chychēsen & so he dyd / & the bysshop of Lōdon layd them ī a goodly Shryne & the bysshop of Rochester there beyng p̄sent was helyd of a sykenes y^t he had longe tyme had / Shypmen had stollyn a pece of Marble of the porche of seynt Osithes Churche & theyr shyp was made vnmouable tyll they cōfessyd the tres¦pas & brought it agayne / she helyd a woman that was con∣tract and a childe that was dombe and deffe.

De sancta Osmanna virgine.

SEynt Osman̄ was of noble blode in Irlande / and fro her youth in her herte secretly as a chosyn ves∣sell of almyghty god she byleued in the faythe her Father & moder beynge gentyles / And when they sawe y^t by no compulcion they coulde remoue her fro the faythe of our lorde Ihesu criste they thought to marye her so that by that way she shuld forget our lord & his beleue & hate cristen men / & she {per}ceyuynge y^t fled w^t one mayde ouer the see into a wodde by y^e Ryuer of Lygerim where she lyued with ro∣tes & leuys of trees and made her clothes of Russhes & lon∣ge grasse and she was founden by a wylde bore that fledde to her for socour when she was hunted by a bysshoppes ser¦uauntes / And when they wolde haue kylled the bore theyr knyues wolde nat entre into his flesshe / and then they went to y^e bysshop & tolde hym they were by wytchyd / wherupon the bysshop went to her & foūde her very stedfast in y^e fayth And she sayd to hym y^t she desyred nothynge more then to be cristened wherof the Bysshop was veray glad / & when she was made Cathecumynablyde mā receyued his syght And then the bysshop left with her a seruaunt to be her gar∣dener that she myght haue Erbes to lyue with / and the de∣uyll moued that man to say oftymes euyll wordes vnto her to angre her therwith / and promysed hym a great rewarde therfore / & when he had assented he was sodeynly stryken blynde & so he came to repentaūce. The sone of the Quene of spayne cursed his moder / whiche was a pagan bycause she prohibyted hym to gyue almes / & therfore he loste bothe his speche & his syght / and the quene seyng that for sorowe fell out of her mynde / and by seynt Osmāne they were both made hole and so full of great myracles she went to our lor∣de the fyfth Ide of Septembre.

De sancto Osmundo Episcopo & confessore.

SEynt Osmunde was bysshop of Salysbury and in his youth he put hym selfe to lernynge and to ke¦pe the cōmaundementes of the Faders / he was of the kynges blode and dayly in presence of his prynce / & yet he wolde here the causes of pore men Pupillis and wydo∣wes / He gaue great almes to pore folke and endowed the Churche with great possessions abiectyng hymself vtter∣ly fro all temporall thynges / and he that wyll accompt his lyfe by ordre / one thynge after a nother shall playnely se y^t our lorde alwayes ledde hym by the streyght pathe gyuyn¦ge vnto hym the cōnynge of {per}feccion / wherby he myght de¦serue the kyngdome of heuyn / and so at the laste as an ap∣proued seruaunt and faythfull werker in the vyneyarde of our Lorde wysely expendynge his talentes he was cōmaū∣ded to entre into y^e Ioye of his lord yeldyng his soule to he¦uyn the daye byfore the nonas of Decembre / and was bu∣ryed at Salysburye / A childe that was drowned at Salys¦burye at the tumbe of seynt Osmunde was restored to lyfe agayne. On a nyght a Clerke called Thomas that as he thought went to bedde in good helth when he awoke of his slepe he felt his senewes dryed vp and one of his legges dra¦wen vp to his buttockes / and the thirde nyght after that he had prayed for helth at seynt Osmunde stumbe he thought in his slepe that he sa••e seynt Osmunde appere vnto hym and that he toke hym by the fote & drewe his legge streight & in y^e mornynge he was perfyghtly hole / he was Canony¦sed by Pope Calixt the thirde in the yere of our Lorde god. CCCClvi. at whiche Canonisacion the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beynge of great decrepyt age and in great feblenes sodeynly was ma¦de stronge and all men meruaylynge that knewe his feble∣nes he mynystred solemply the dyuyne seruyce / and other

thynges necessarye in his owne person and for this blessyd man our lorde hath shewed many and innumerable myra∣cles.

¶De sancto Oswaldo Archiepiscopo.

SEynt Oswalde in his youth eschewyd all wanton¦nes and gaue hymselfe to werkes of perfeccion af∣ter he cōmytted to his vnkle Odo archebysshop of Caunterbury to lerne cōnynge and good maners / & when he had opteyned great connynge in scripture he was made Chanon at Wynchestre and after dean / And when he coul∣de nat remoue they there fro theyr olde euyll Customes he went to Floriacum where seynt Benet lyeth & there he was made monke and profyted moche in vertue / The deuyl ap¦pered to hym as he was in prayer and made dyuers fereful noyses to haue made hym cease of prayer / somtyme rored lyke a Lyon / somtyme lyke a serpent / and he stronge in the fayth feryd hym nothynge / and the deuyll seyng that went away and came agayne lyke an Aungell of lyght / wherfo∣re anon he made the sygne of the Crosse knowynge veray∣ly that if it were a good Aungell it wold nat discontent hym and if it were a wycked spirite he myght nat abyde it and so it proued / for the deuyll seynge the sygne of the Crosse va∣nysshed awaye lyke smoke / He was of lytell slepe sobre in dyete discrete in spekynge and busy in prayenge how pacy¦enthe was meke / sobre / and benyuolent in clene pure chary¦te is aboue mannes estymacion to shewe / Seynt Odo he∣rynge his fame was veray glad and thankynge our Lorde sent for hym aswel bycause he was in great age as to instru¦cte other in reguler disciplyne / wherfore they of Floriacum

were veray sory / yet bycause they durste nat disobey so ho∣ly a Father they sent hym ouer and byfore he came to Caū∣terbury the Archebysshop was deed / thenne he went to his vnkle Oskyltellus at Dorchester / and when he was made Archebysshop of yorke seynt Oswalde by meanes of seynt Dunstan̄ was put into y^e rule at Dorchestre / & at westbury he gathered .xii. monkes and instructed them with holsome monycions & set theym a warke to watche / faste / & praye / af¦ter he had made a Monastery where the Erle Aylwyn by monycion of an Aungell had made a Chapell & the Erle ga¦ue vnto that Monastery great possessyons / an abbot that was of seynt Oswaldes makynge feruent in his relygion / but euer moche harde & cruell to his subiectes dyed / & as he lay on the bere he toke his spirite agayne & reysed hym selfe vp & sayd he was ledde to Iugement by seynt Benet & that by the prayers of seynt Oswalde his syn̄es were forgyuen hym & shewyd them that were there present that he was re∣uyued agayne to shewethe holynes of seynt Oswalde / and so he was howsel••d and lyued halfe a daye and then dyed / he buylded a Monastery at Wynchester and a stone y^t was appoynted to that werke wolde nat remoue by any maner connynge / And when seynt Oswalde came thyder he sawe the deuyll sytte vpon the stone mockynge theym that labou¦red & with the sygne of the Crosse he droue hym away / and then fewe men remoued it y^t .lxxx. coulde nat remoue byfore He was bysshop of Worcestre / & after by cōpulcion of kyng Edgare & seynt Dunstan̄ & by hole assent of the Clergye he was made Archebysshop of yorke / he chaunged seynt Albo¦nes Elye & Beamflet & .vii. other places fro clerk{is} to monk{is} he fed euery day .xii. pore mē & gaue them money / he knewe that he shuld dye the daye byfore and that nyg••t he went to

Churche and kepte the Quere & the resydewe of the nyght he expended in laudynge of almyghty god and in the mor∣nynge was howseled & anelyd and gyrded a lynnen clothe aboute hym and wasshed the fete of pore men dryed theym and kyssed them as he was wont to do & after the .xv. Psal∣mes he sayd Glia patri &c. And as he payed the pore men / & was seyinge & spūisancto he yelded vp his spirit in the yere of our lorde .ix.C.lxxxxii. the day byfore the Kalend of Mar¦che / & as he was had to y^e churche a whyte doue & a bryght beame were seen descendynge vpon hym & he was buryed at yorke & .xii. yeres after his deth he was remoued to Wor∣cestre as he wylled to be / where he lyeth now this daye / our lord hath shewyd for hym many great myracles both in his lyfe and after his deth.

¶De sancto Oswaldo Rege & martyre.

THe quene Acta moder to seynt Oswalde / after her husbonde kynge Ethelfryde was slayne in batayle by kynge Edwyn fled with seynt Oswalde / & other of her children into Scot••ade and there seynt Oswalde after the Counsell of his moder was Cristened / after with small cō∣pany he came to recouer his right & enherytaunce agaynst Cedwalla kyng of Dei•• and Bernysshe that had slayne in batayle his broder Daufride kyng of deir̄ & Osryke kynge of bernysshe / and when they shuld go to batayle he set vp a Crosse & made y^e people knele downe & pray for helpe ī their rightwyse quarel / & so w^t small cōpany he had y^e victory in a place called Deuysborne ayenst y^e sayd Cedwalla y^t a right myghty & cruell kyng / & by y^e sayd Crosse / & also in the sayd place where he made his prayer that is called Heuynfelde / great myracles haue be done / after seint Oswalde sent into scotlande / where he was Baptysed desyryng to haue seynt

Aydane the bysshop to Instruct hym and his people in the fayth / And when seynt Aydane was come the kynge gaue hym a bysshoppes see in the Ile of Lyndesernense / & anone the people were conuerted Churches were buylded & Mo¦nasteryes founded. This blessyd man beyng instruct with worde and example of seynt Aydane nat oonly atteyned a full hope of an Euerlastynge kyngdome / but also of Erthe¦ly kyngdomes he had more lordshyp then any of his aunce¦stours / for he atteyned nat oonly the kyngdom of Deir and Bernysshe / but also all the Nacions of Brytayne / wherin then were .iiii. dyuers speches bryttysshe / scottysshe / englys∣she / & of the pictes he toke in his domynion / He was a great gyuer of almes and wolde suffre no Cristen man go open∣ly on beggynge / As he & seynt Aydane o•• Eester day satte at dyner a great multitude of pore men came to aske almes and the kynge hauynge no other thynge redy at hande ga∣ue theym a dysshe of syluer with mete therin / & the bysshop seynge his great charyte / toke his hande and prayed to al∣myghty god that that hande which was so redy to gyue al∣mes shuld neuer Rotte and his prayer was herde / On a ty¦me he prayer for his people that were moche vexed with pe¦stylence and shortly after he hym selfe / had the same desease wherupon thre Aūgelles appered vnto hym and sayd that he shuld nat dye of that sykenes / and that his people by his prayer shuld be delyuered therof and so they were / More∣ouer the sayd aungellys shewyd hym that he shuld be mar¦tyred and the daye and place / where it shuld be & sayd they wolde be there with hym at that tyme & so vanysshed away & after that there was neuer in his dayes pestylence in Eng¦lande / fro that tyme he abode his ende Ioyously / and with great deuocyon with almes / and teres redemed his necly∣gences

/ and as it is sayd fro Matens to day he wolde be in prayers / and where so euer he satte he wolde holde his han¦des vp to praye and to gyue thankynges to our lorde / & af∣ter he was slayne in batayle by kynge Penda in a place cal¦led maseyfelde seuyn myles fro Shrewysbury the .viii. no¦nas of August as it was shewyd hȳ byfore & as he was slay¦ne he was in prayers deuoutly prayeng for hym & for y^e peo¦ple / his relykes haue ben oft remoued / his hed lyeth now in y^e Monastery of seynt Cuthbert one of his armes at Bam¦burgh / and the other at Peterburghe his body and bones at glouerma where Etheldrede duke of Mershes made a churche ī honour of his name: at Faruerhm̄ a nother chur¦che is buylded to his honoure / where great myracles haue ben done a thefe that robbed that church was sodeynly stry¦ken blynde in the Lengende is a goodly Pedegre fro Ida that was the firste Englysshe kynge in Northm̄humbre. The kyngdome of Deir̄ streched fro humbre to tyne / & the kyngdome of B••rnyshe strechyd fro tyne to the Scottys∣she see that in Scotlande is called forth whiche two kyngdo¦mes were dyriuyed out of the kyngdome of Northamhum¦bre as it apperyth in dyuerse Cronycles.

¶De sancto Oswino Rege & martyre.

AFter the deth of seynt Oswalde kynge and mar∣tyr Oswy his broder succeded vnto hym in y^e kyn¦gedomes of deyre & Bernyssh / and after this bles¦syd seynt Oswyne kyng and martyr / y^t was sone of kynge Osrik kynge of deyre whiche of longe tyme for fe¦re of Cedwalla kynge of brytons that had kylled his fader had ben as an outlawe with the West saxons / herynge that

kynge Oswalde was deed by coūsell of his frendes came a¦gayne to deyre & by assent of al y^e people of deyt he was ma∣de kyng of that coūtre / & the sayd Oswy was put out therof and reygned oonly in Bernysh / seynt Oswyne was a man of great charite he was as a staffe to feble men a fote to hal∣tyng men / an Iye to blinde mē / & as a fader to wydowes & orphanes / also he was beauteous of vysage hygh of statu∣te mery of countenaūce / sobre of maners and very lyberall wherfore he was byloued of all men great & smal. The kyn¦ge gaue to seynt Aydane a horse / & when a pore man asked almes of hym and he had none other thyng at hāde to gyue hym he gaue hym the sayd horse / & when the kynge herde therof he was descontented & sayd to the bysshop as the sat at the table togyther that a worse horse then that wolde ha∣ue serued to haue gyuen in almes. To whome the bysshop sayd what is it that ye complayne whether is the sone of a maare more byloued with you / or the sone of marie our lor¦de Ihesu criste to whom this horse is gyuen / & they kynge herynge that felle downe to the bysshops fete & asked hym forgyuenes promysyng feythfully that he wold neuer after be dyscontent what soeuer he gaue of his goodes y^• to pore people of our lord / After at y^e same dyner y^e bysshop & when he was asked why he wept he answered y^t y^e kyng shuld nat longe lyue & said he had nat foūde afore so meke a kyng & y^• the wycked people were nat worthy to haue such a kyng / & when he had Reygned .ix. yeres the sayde Oswy kynge of Bernyssh with a great host came agaynst hym / and when he sawe his people moch lesse in Nombre then y^e people of his aduersarye Remembrynge the wordes of seynt Aydan he sayd to his people that he wolde nat put theym in parell / for his tytle / but wolde put hym selfe in the handes of god /

And so caused theym to retourne home agayne & with one man he fledde to the Erle hunwaldus to whom he had gy∣uen great possessions and he traytourusly discouered hym to his enemye / and then he sent Ethelwyn stewarde of his house and cruelly martyred hym and a kynght that was w^t hym also that hadde rather dye thenne to lyue without his mayster in the yere of our Lorde god .vi.C.li. as it was pro¦phecyed by seynt Aydane that he shuld be / And he was bu∣ryed at Tynmouthe / where after he was buryed there / the people had that place in suche reuerence that all the countre made it a place of theyr buryall / a Countes that had great deuocion to seynt Oswyne by lycence of the bysshop toke of his heere for a Relyke & nat of mystrustynge / but to she∣we the merytes of this gloryous kynge and martyr / She threwe parte of the heere into a fyre / where it lay by the spa∣ce of an houre and burned nat / he helyd a woman that was bynūme in all her body / and saued a knyght that with his horse fell fro a hyghe hylle / he appered to one in pryson and badde hym go to Tynmouth forth with his handes and fe∣te were lowsed and the dore vnlocked / and so he went as he was bydden / he helyd two blynde women and cured one of the palsey / he gaue herynge to two deffe men / and delyue∣ryd a mayde that was vexed with a spirite / He appered to a woman that a hole yere was vexed with a deuyll and tol∣de her dyuers synnes that she hadde nat ben confessed of & of an A••uowe that she hadde broken and exorted her to be confessed counceyllynge that she shuld neuer vse the crafte to sell ale and that for those causes she was cōmytted to the power of the deuyll / and when she was hole she tolde this tale with great wepynge.

¶De sancto Ondoceo Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Ondorēs fro his youth lyued vertuously and full of good werkes with fastyng{is} / vigylles / & pray∣ers he went to Rome & fro thens went to seynt Dauid{is} & cō∣mynge by the churche of seynt Theliani he toke certeyn Re¦lykes with hym & theuys that wolde haue robbed hym by∣cause they thought he had had great Ryches were stryken blynde / & by his praye they had theyr sight agayne when he was made bysshop / and as he was goynge by the waye he desyred of certeyn women that were wasshynge of butter / to haue a vessell to drynke in / and when they answered som¦what disdeynously that they had nothynge but butter he to¦ke a pece of y^e butter and made it lyke a bell and dranke wa∣ter of it and the bell yet contynueth in the church of Lauda∣nense lyke pure golde / as a kynge was huntynge a harte y^e harte came to the man of god for socour & the kyng seynge that myracle asked of hym forgyuenes and gaue hym all y^t groūde / after he left his bysshopryke & made a Monasterye nygh to the water of Wey where he gathered a great com∣pany of bretherne & lyued a blessyd lyfe many yeres / he dy∣ed the .vi. nonas of Iulii.

¶De sancto Paterno Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Paterne was borne in lytell Brytayne / & he left his erthly enherytaunce coueytynge to be hyer of the kyngdome of heuyn / and heryng of his mo∣der that his fader had forsaken his owne countre & lyued a blessyd lyfe in Irlande he purposed to go to hym / and .viii.C.xlvii. monkes in tho dayes purposynge to leue lytell bry∣tayne & to come into great Brytayne folowed hym chew∣syng hym to be theyr leder / & so they came into great brytay¦ne where he made a Monastery in a place called Maurita¦nia

/ And leuyng his bretherne he went into Irlande to his Fader / where by oonly syght of hym two kyng{is} and theyr hostes were accorded that byfore were in great malyce pre¦pared to batayle: then he retourned into brytayne to his bre¦therne & there he founde a brother that he left behynde hym in lytel brytayne whiche coulde nat lyue without hym wher¦fore in truste in our lord and in the vertue of seynt Paterne he came out of lytell bratyne vpon a stone that Rose fro the bottom of the see sauffe to the sayd Monastery / Seynt da¦uid / seynt Paterne / & seynt Telam by monycion of an Aun¦gell went to Iherusalem. And there they preched none lyke theym syth the Apostellys and the holy ghost so werked in theym that euery man vnderstode in them his owne speche as they dyd of the appostellys & there they were made bys∣shoppes by the Patryarch and there was gyuen in rewar∣de to seynt Patrone a Cote wrought with golde & a staffe and after they retourned into Wales deuydynge the coun∣tre into thre Bysshoprykes / A kynge in wales called Caro¦dancus subdued lytell brytayne / and there y^e people shewyd to hym that / but he sent for seint Paterne they coulde nat be contented to be subiect to hym / & then the kynge went ouer to hym and desyred hym to come thyder for instructyng of the people and so he went where he suffred great {per}feccyon pacyently. When Sampson bysshop of that prouynce a ho¦ly man went aboute his diocyse to gather a certeyn trybute and came by Cyte nygh wherunto seint Paterne had buyl¦ded a Monastery one of the monkes of the bysshop coūcey¦led hym that for {pro}uynge of the humylyte of the holy man y^t came late out of brytayne he shuld sende for hym / & that the messenger shuld brynge hym in the same estate that he foū¦de hym & the bysshop takyng the coūseyll symple sent forth

a messenger and he founde hym with his one hose on / & the other of / and when he had tolde his message seynt Paterne knowynge what was to come went with hym / & when he came byfore the bysshop the monke that gaue the counseyll laughed at hym & forthwith he was taken with a deuyl and fell to the grounde / then the bysshop Sampson {per}ceyuyng that the monke was the cause of that temptacion asked for gyuenes for hym / wherupon seynt Paterne droue away y^e deuyll & made hym hole / wherfore the bysshop discharged hym of all suche payment{is} / After at a synode seynt Paterne had great trowble of some that enuyed hym / & at laste a full peace was made & yet ferynge that suffraunce myght {pro}uo¦ke Ire or hurte his humylyte he lefte that coūtre / & went in to Fraunce where he slepte in our lorde the .xvii. Kalend of Maii. Thre yeres after his deth fell no rayne or dewe in y^t countre / wherfore the people remēbrynge y^t seynt Paterne went out of the countre for iniuryes done vnto hym by a ho¦le assent went into Fraūce to fet his body▪ & when they coul¦de nothyng gette / but oonly a bone of one of his armes / yet all theyr company coulde nat remoue it / wherfore they we∣re meruaylously troubled. Then a noble man of the cyte of Guenet sayd y^t seynt Paterne in his lyfe had asked of hym oftentymes a grounde to make a Churche in / & y^t he wolde nat graunt it: but nowe he was contented / & that sayd they toke the bone lyghtly & bare it with theym to y^e sayd Cyte y^t was his bysshoppes see / & there it lyeth in a church made in the groūde of the sayd nobleman In his lyfe one of his ser¦uaunt{is}▪ y^t went to ouer se y^e woddes was kylled w^t theuys & byheded / wherfore seynt Paterne heryng therof went to the wodde & called y^e seruaūt by his name & asked where he was / & he answered here I am / & then he went to the place

there as he harde hȳ speke & leying y^e hed & y^e body togyther lyftyng his ••yen into heuyn he blessyd y^e deed body / & forth∣with he rose vp hole / And therupon a myghty man in that coūtre came to the bysshop & sayd they were his mynystres that dyd it & ferynge that the vengeaūce of god wolde pre∣uent hym asked mercy and gaue hym a parte of the groun- & he benyngly forgaue hȳ seying to hym y^t byfore his deth¦de he shuld please our lorde / and that he shuld be buryed ho∣norably in holy buryall.

¶De sancto Patricio Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Patrike was borne in Brytayne now called Englande / & in his youth he was taken prisoner / & was put to kepeswyne / & a .C. tymes in the daye / & as many tymes in the nyght he prayed after by an Aungell he was shewyd that he shuld fynde a certayne thyng there as a hogge Roted whiche he shuld take to pay his Rraun∣son / & so he was delyuered out of bondage as he was goyn¦ge home by his prayer his felowes founde mete y^t had ben longe w^tout / & be ra••ted .xxx. dayes by cause his cōpany offe∣red all their mete to theyr Idolles as he slept the deuyll tem¦pted hym strongly & lay vpon hym thre dayes & thre nyght{per} lyke a stone y^e he coulde nat remoue / & then he cryed hely hel¦pe twyse / & hely came and delyuered hym then y^e deuyll say¦de that after that daye he shulde haue no power ouerhym / And our lorde put fro hym all torpoure and heuynes / & his strength clerely restored agayne vnto hym. In his slepe he thought that one brought hym a letter & in the begynnynge was wryten her est vox hībmensiū. And as he was redyng of it in the same moment he harde a voyce of many I••faū¦tes of dyuerse Countrees in Irlande saynge we praye the Father that thou come and walke amonge vs / and then he

thought it was the wyll of god that he shuld preche in that coūtre. Therupon bycause he wold lerne scripture he went to the bysshop of Antisiodorense & was with hym .xl. yeres redynge & fulfyllynge holy scripture / after he was w^t seynt Martyne .xl. dayes / and of a holy Heremyte he had a staffe that our lord had in his owne hande which is called y^e staffe of Ihesu / and this day the staffe remayneth in his Cyte in Irlande & of a bysshop called Amotus he was made Bys∣shop / & so he went to Rome where he was in great fauoure with the Pope Celestyn: and he sent hym into Irlāde to cō∣uerte the people there to the fayth / in the yere of our Lorde. CCCC xxv. And when he came to the see a lepour desyred to go ouer with hym & his company wold nat assent / wher¦fore seynt Patryke threwe his Aulter into the see / & the Le∣pour syttynge therupon folowed the shyp tyll they came in to the Countre of Lagyne / Then he went into the coūtre of Anathaylt where the people wold nat receyue hym / wher∣fore the see destroyed al the countre. Then he went into the North {per}te of Irlande to y^e man where he was in bondage / and there he sawe moche people abydynge his cōmyng for they had herde by {pro}phetes that suche a man shulde come / & yet the kynge Loegar̄ cōmaunded them to put hym awaye & when a fyers dogge was tourned to hym to haue deuou∣red hym he was anone made vnmouable lyke a stone. Thē a gyaunt wold haue kylled hym whiche also was made vn¦mouable & by the p̄chynge of seynt Patryke was cōuerted / Then the gyauntes brother that was a man of great age / whiche was called Russeynge his broder cōuerted faught agaynst seynt Partryke & he asked hym what he ment of y^t age to dispose hym to fyght & asked hym whether he wolde byleue if he made hym yonge agayne and he sayd ye / then

seynt Patrike put hym to prayer & anone he was made in y^t state of a fayre yonge man / wherfore he & his sones & many other were cristened / & then Patrike asked of hym whether he wolde lyue any longer in this worlde or streyght way to go to heuyn & he desyred to go to heuyn / & so he receyued y^e sacrament & went to our lorde / As he was sayinge Masse a wytche caste downe his Chalys & forth with the grounde opened & Swalowed hym vp / A great tyraunt called Ma¦gnil & his companye Feyned one to be deed that seynt Pa∣tryke attempt to reyse hym / & so to be deceyued / & whē they sawe that he was deed in dede they sayd amonge them selfe verayly this is the man of god / & anone Magnil was con∣uerted & baptysed & was redy to take penaūce / & then seynt Patrike sayd that he coulde nat Iuge hym / but god shulde Iuge hym / neuerthelesse he had hym go to the see takynge nothynge with hym / but a vyle vestement and there to goo īto a shyp of one skyn without guyde or ore / & that he fetter his legges togyther & throwe y^e kney into the see / & to what place souer the wynde brought hym there to serue god / and when he had {pro}mysed to do it seynt Patryke areysed y^e mā that was deed & y^e same day he went to y^e see as he was byd∣den & came into an Ile called Mannā where he foūde two holy Byshoppes / and they meruaylynge had pyte on hym and toke hym vp gladly / & he taryred with theym there and after was made a bysshop & was a great man in that coun¦tre / where there is a cyte called the cyte of Magnil the bys∣shop to this day. Our lorde was with hym in all y^t he went aboute he was a great confounder of Enchauntours / and by his prayers he put awaye snowes & derkenes that they had made sodeynly by helpe of the deuyll / land one y^t was moche malycyous to hym was sodeynly lyfted vp into the

Eyre and lette fall agayne / wherof he dyed myserably & an Erthquake sodeynly came & fered a kynge y^t meynteined y^e sayd Enchaūtour / wherby the kynge came to repentaunce He reysed a man to lyfe that hadde ben deed .x. yeres. This was his dayly lyfe he sayd euery day the Psaulter w^t .CC. prayers & dayly sayd masse he taught disciples p̄ched to the people & euery houre he marked hymself with a. C. crosses In the begynnynge of the nyght he sayd .CC. psalmes and CC. tymes he knelyd / and fro the Cokkes crowyng he sto¦de in water tyll he had sayd his prayers. Then he toke slepe lyeng vpon a bare stone & a nother vnder his hedde. Often tymes he sawe heuyn open / & our lorde Ihesu stondyng w^t his Aungellys in heuyn / wherfore his herte alway brenned in an vncom{per}able fyre of the loue of god / He was a Clene & irgyne in body and spirite / & he chaunged this lyfe the .xvi Kalēdr of Apryl / And after one oppynion he was buryed in the Cyte of Dimense in Irlande / but in the latter ende of y^e Legende it is sayd y^t after he had cōuerted Irlāde he came into y^e Ile of Aualony & was ther .xxxix. yer•• & y^t at this day seynt Patrike & seīt benygne disciple lyeth both ī one Shry¦ne on the southe syde of the hygh Aulter at Glastonbury.

¶De sancto Paulino Ep̄e & confessore.

SEynt Paulyn came into Englande with seynt Au∣gustyne and conuerted kynge Edwyn / whiche was kynge of Northm̄humbre & moche {per}te of all the countre / in the yere of our Lorde .vi.C. and .xxvii. And the people there had such Feruour and desyre to the fayth that .xxxvi. dayes fro mornynge to Euenynge he baptysed the people ī y^e wa∣ter of Gleni / whiche is in the kyngdome of Bernyshe for at that tyme there were no fontes. He baptised also many in y^e water of Swala that is in the kyngdome of Deyre / & also

in the prouynce of Lyndesey in Lyncoln̄ and in the water of Trent six yeres whiche was all the dayes of kyng Edwyn he contynued in prechynge & baptisynge the people / & kyng Edwyn made for hym a bysshoppes see in yorke & there be∣gan to buylde for hym a Churche of stone ī honour of seynt Peter / & byfore it was Fynysshed he was martyred & seynt Oswalde that succeded hym buylded the resede wetherof / He made dyuerse Churches one in Lyncoln̄ / where longe after that it was decayed yerely were done myracles / and when Iustus y^t was bysshop there was deed / seīt Paulyn̄ made Honorius bysshop there / He was of a longe stature / somwhat stowpynge of blacke heere & lene faced venerable & also terryble of coūtenaūce / & after y^e good kyng Edwyn was martyred seynt Paulyn̄ left Iame his Deakon at yor¦ke & came īto kent w^t the quene Ethelburgh y^t was wyfe to kyng Edwyn & brought w^t hym a goodly Crosse & a Cha∣leys of golde y^t yet be to shewe in kent / He was made bys∣shop of Rochester by honorius & y^e said Iames lyued to the tyme of venerable Bede / & in y^e yere of o^r lorde .vi.C. & xliiii. the .vi. Ide of October he chaūged this lyf / & lyeth at Roche¦ster where he left his palle / A woman y^t had longe cōtynued in synne on a tyme as she was goynge to offer to hym was stopped at y^e first gresse dyuers tymes / & she sawe nothyng wherby she was moche cōpuncte & prayed y^e monk{is} to pray for her & was cōfessyd / yet neuerthelesse she fel agayne & af¦ter wher she was syke she was meruaylously sore aferde of the harde Iugemēt of god / & was confessed to y^e bysshop & sent offrynge to seynt Paulyn̄ seyinge if seynt Paulyne re¦ceyue myne offryng I am forgyuen if nat I shal haue euer lastynge payne And when it was sent thyder he receyued it that had firste refused for he regarded nat the offrynge / but there ••entaunce of the woman.

¶De sancto Petroco abbate & confessore.

SEynt Petroke was borne in Cumber and was a kynges sone & fro his youth he was a folower of y^e Appostellys / He was sober meke feruent in Chari¦te & redy to all merkes of relygyon / And when he shuld ha∣ue ben made kynge he forsoke the pompe of the world / & to¦ke with hym .lx. Felowes & entered into Relygyon / after he went into Irlande & was there .xx. yeres / where he profited moche in lernynge & entendynge to go agayne into his coū¦tre founde a shyp redy there that he had left without keper. And whan he came into Brytayne he founde there men la∣bouryng that spake harde wordes to hym / & whether it we¦re to tempte his holynes or to restreyne theyr drynesse they bad hym make a welle of swete water in a Rocke that was therby & he dyd so / & then he harde of a holy man called Sā¦pson & y^t he ledde therby a solytary lyf in great streyghtnes w^t barley brede ī fastyng{is} & prayers / & when he sawe Sam¦pson he prayed our lorde y^t he shuld nat remoue tyll he had spoken w^t hym & his prayer was herde & sāpson therby was boūden tyll they had saluted eche other & nygh to Sāpson he made a Monastery & lyued theyr .xxx. yer{is} ī great fastīg{is} prayers and colde restreynyng glotony and vnlaufully mo¦cyons / all which tyme he lyued in suche innocencye y^t he dyd nothynge y^t he wolde nat haue done to hym / After .xxx. yer{is} he went to Rome & came agayne into Cornewayle wherin a great tempest to cōforte his discyples he sayd the tempest shuld cease y^e next day. And whan it dyd nat so he was heuy aud repented hym self moche of the p̄sūpcion y^t he had sayd otherwyse then as it folowed / wherfore the thirde day after he went to Rome agayne & so to Ier••m / and there he toke purpose to go into ynde / & after had come w^t great labours

to the Est occean there he foūde a vessell mete oonly for one man / wherby he went into an Ilande where he lyued in cō¦templacion .vii. yeres / & al that tyme he was fedde with one fysshe / and afterwarde by an Aungell he was conueyed in the same vessell into the West parte of brytayne / where afo∣re that tyme had ben a Cruell kynge that had gathered ma¦ny venemous serpentes to punysshe felons & men that had offended / and when he was deed his sone wolde none of y^• crueltye so that one of the serpentes for hunger kylled a no∣ther tyl one terryble serpent preuayled that kylled man and beste / whom seynt Petroke droue into a wyldernes where he shuld hurte no man / & by his prayer byfore all the people he reysed a man fro deth to lyfe / & when he shuld dye he cal∣led his disciples and instructed theym how they shuld kepe {per}fyght Relygyon aduysynge theym that they y^e had forsa∣ken the wordly busynes shuld also eschewe all desceytfull plusures of the world / & that they shuld thurst downe all an¦gre & hatered fle fr•• lyes abanysshe enuye / & to p̄pare their hertes to be the temple of the holy ghost / and so full of good werkes and blessyd myracles he chaunged this lyfe the day before the Nonas of Iune.

¶De sancto Pirano Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Pyran was borne in Irlande & in his youth he went to an Ile called Clera / where he lyued in great abstynense & holy werkes .xxx. yeres After he went to Rome / where he was made bysshop / & seynt Pa∣tryke bad hym go byfore hym into Irlande to preche to the people / and that he shuld buylde a monastery by the Ryuer of Waram there as he shuld here his Cymbale soūde with∣out touchynge / & so it was done. By his prechynge y^e fayth

encreasyd moche in Irlande & by his exaumple many were styred to the loue of god & forsakynge all wordly thynges folowed oure lorde amonge whom was Brendane whiche made hym a place nat ferre fro seynt Pyran / a childe by in∣stygacion of the deuyll put out the fyre that was vnder the Lycour to make drynke for the monkes / wherupon seynt Pyran sayd there shalbe no fyre be in this place tyll our lor∣de send it fro aboue & the next daye y^e childe was kylled in a woode with wolfes / And when Geran that was mayster of the childe came to seynt Pyran he made his prayers and forth with fyre fell into his bosom whiche he dyd bere with∣out hurtynge of his clothes / and when they shuld go to sou∣per Geran sayd he wolde nat ete tyll his childe came a lyue to hym / and then by praye of seynt Pyran the childe rose fro deth & ete with theym / A kynge toke fro the moder of seynt Pyran and kynges doughter called brunet whom she had to brynge vp & kept her in his castell as a bond woman / and when seynt Pyrane spake to hym for her he sayd he wolde nat delyuere her / ••onlesse a byttour in the mornyng waked hym of his slepe whiche he thought had ben vnpossyble & y^e same nyght fell a great snowe aboute the Castell & there as seynt Pyrane / & his company was fell none and in the mor∣nynge a byttoure came to the Castell & with noyse that she made wakyd the kynge / and then the kynge lay prostrate at the fete of seynt Pyrane and cryeng hym mercye delyue red the damosell vnto hym. Neuerthelesse after he reputed that he had delyuered her / and when he wolde haue taken her agayne he founde her deed / wherfore he was moche an¦gre and sayd he wolde put seynt Pyrane fro that place and he sayd to hym that he was nat god / & that that place was nat his / but almyghty godes. And when the kynge beynge

veray angry was gone fro hym he sawe his castell on fyre / and the Quene hauynge .ii. sones lefte that sone that she lo∣ued beste byhynde her for hast whom she cōmytted to seynt Pyrane / & when all the Castell was burned the childe was sauffe / & then the kynge greatly marueylyng came to seynt Pyrane & sayd he wolde gladly do whatsoeuer he bad hym do & offered to hym his two sones to serue god / And when the kynge was gone he Reysed brunet agayne fro de••h to lyfe / Our lord shewyd for hym many other myracles: The uys y^t were lyke to haue ben taken cōmytted them to seynt Pyrane and sodeynly a fyre Rose in the woode bytwixt the theuys and theym that wolde haue taken theym / so y^t they saued theym selfe and came to seynt Pyrane & taryed with hym all his lyfe: He reysed dyuerse fro deth to lyfe that we∣re drowned and also otherwyse deed / He went vpon y^e wa∣ter / he ceased the fyre by his blessynge / He multyplyed mee¦te that fedde moche people / he tourned water into wyne / Two kynges at his monycyon wolde nat cease fro Batay¦le / wherfore by his prayer a great wodde that was bytwixt theym sodeynly felle downe and stopped them / so that they coulde nat mete togyther / In all his lyfe he neuer ware but bestes skynnes fro flesshe and flesshely desyres / He ab∣steyned strongely and fro all that myght dystemper hym / He toke lytell slepe & was oft visyted with aungell{is} / he ma∣de many prestes / and clerkes and was .CC. yere olde or he dyed hauyng lytell sykenes neyther loste toth ne yet appey¦red of his syght / He made of his enemys his frendes & dyd good for euyll / He hadde mercye and pyte vpon his neygh∣boures / and he moch laboured with his owne handes y^t he myght gyue that he wanne in almes / He punysshed his bo∣dy with fastynges / and vigylles in colde / hungre / & thurste

dylygently kepynge charite / chastyte / and hospitalite. He was alway fro his youth prayeng redynge techynge or do∣ynge some good werkes / and was humble gentyl in speche wyse sobre & mercyfull he omytted nothynge of the cōmaū∣dementes of god he fedde the hungry / gaue drynke to the thursty / receyued them that were harborowles / clothed the naked / he taught the bretherne to loue togyther to direct y^t Iye of theyr mynde to Almyghty god and alway to desyre the kyngdome of heuyn after he called his disciples and tol∣de theym it was the wyl of god that he shuld go into Corne¦wayle and shewyd them of many great troubles that shuld come into that countre and prayed theym to praye for hym that after his deth he myght fynde our lorde meke and ple∣saunte vnto hym / and when he came into Cornewayle he made a house where our lorde shewyd for hym many my∣racles / & when he knewe he shuld de{per}te this transitory lyfe called his disciples and prechyd to theym many thynges of the kyngdom of heuyn and caused his graue to be made & goynge into it de{per}ted with great bryghtnes the thyrde no∣nas of Marche & lyeth iu Cornewayle nygh Seuerne fro Petrokstowe .xv. myle and fro Monshole .xx. myle.

¶De sancto Richardo Ep̄e & confessore.

SEynt Richarde was borne ī the diocise of Wigorn̄ at the wyche: and in his youthe he eschewyd daun∣synges and vayne playes / He forsoke twyse to be maryed and went to stodye at Oxforde Bonanye and Au∣relian / where he profyted moche both in lawe Cannon and in dyuynyte after he was made Chaunceler with seynt Ed¦munde Archbysshop of Caunterbury & was to hym veray

constaunte in all his troubles that he had for the lyberte of the Church in which offyce he refusyd to take ony ma∣ner of rewardys and dyd Iustyce to ryche / and pore not regardynge the personys of grete man / or small / & when he was Chosen busshope of Chichestre the kynge Henry the thyrde wolde ī no wyse assent to his eleccyon but kept hym fro his Landys / and goodes and so he went to Ro∣me and there he was consecrate by the pope Innocent y^e fourthe after he retournyd towardys Englonde & in the cōmynge home he vysytyd the Relykys of his Mayster seynt Edmōde / And when he came into Englonde he suf¦fred many great rebukys / and Iniuryes in great pacy∣ence a longe tyme Tyll after great sute he was restoryd to his possessyons / This blessyd man after that he was made Busshope went aboute his dyoces prechynge / visy¦tynge and mynystrynge of the sacramentys / He was fro thens more feruent in prayer / more lyberall in almes gy¦uynge the more dylygent aboute poore men / and his de∣meanoure was y^e more meke / he made a place y^t preestys that felle in Pouerte myghte be releuyd in / A great man whom he had accursyd for wronge doon to his Churche came to hym / & he receyuyd hym famylyerly & bade hym to dyner sayinge for that tyme he wolde assoyle hym / & that after that tyme the sentence shulde reuyue onlesse he made amendys in that he had offendyd agaynste the the Churche sayinge also if partyes do varye for any thynge that they clayme ryght in / yet they ought to shewe chary∣te to eche other / for if a man clayme y^t that is his he maye not yet withdrawe fro god that that is his whiche is cha∣ryte / He sought for poore men as he went in vysytacyon / and wolde aswell with his owne presence as with his al∣mes

comforte them / He herd confessyons / he assoylyd pe¦nytentys / He gaue counceyll to them that axyd for it / He strengthed men that were feruent to serue god / and mul∣typlyed brede y^t fedde moche people & reysyd a Chylde y^t was deed borne / this blessyd man as he was prechynge by the Popes auctoryte for helpe of the Holy lande / dyed at douer the thyrde nonas of apryll and was brought fro¦thens to chychestre where our lord hath shewyd for hym many myracles.

¶De seruo dei Roberto abbate venerabili.

SEynt robert was borne in the prouynce of yorke he toke order of preesthod & had a benefice which he forsoke & enteryd into Relygyon at whytby / after by lycence of his Abbot he went to fontes where Ry¦charde pryor of seynt mary of yorke had buyldyd a Mo∣nasterye & there no man lyuyd Idle but gaue hym to la∣boure / the bretherne went hungry to theyr table / and we∣ry to bedde / they lyuyd without murmure / or Heuynes & in great feruoure they laudyd our Lorde / after seynt Ro¦bert made a newe Monasterye / and there he was made abbot / He neuer rose fro his table fullysacyate / he fasted euery lent Breed and water / At an Estre tyme when he had no appetyte to ete he sayde he thought that if he had eten Brede with butter he shulde ete it / and whan it was brought consyderynge that he had somwhat assentyd to his concupyscence / he wolde not ete it but sent it to the ga¦te to poore men / where an Aungell lyke a yonge man w^t a bryght shynynge face toke y^e dysshe / & anon vanysshyd awaye / and when the dysshe was askyd for / it fell sodeyn¦ly

vppon the Borde before seynt Robert / He sayde dayly besyde his dutye .C. & .l. psalmes / As he went by newe ca∣stell he sawe the Deuyll amonge moche yonge people / & by compulcyon he shewyd seynt Robert that ne had ben his cōmynge he had made the husbonde at a pompyouse Bryde as to haue ben slayne by his enemyes / And there vpon shulde haue folowyd great murdre / And by his cō∣mynge he sayd all his purpose was stoppyd / On a nyght he thought he sawe the Dedyll amonge his Bretherne & that he toke a Nouyce that was not stable / & pullyd hym into his Basket with his Hoke / & in the mornynge seynt Robert enquyred for hym / and he was ren his weye and accōpanyed hym to the theuys where shortlye after his heed was stryken of / he was ghostlye fader to seynt Godryke And when he dyed seynt Godrykesawe thre Aungellys bere his soule to Heuen / And seynt Godryke sayd that of the purueyaunce of god a blessyd woman of Hastynges wente with hym in oonsorte / & oon rewarde into Heuyn He dyed the yere of our Lorde a Thousande a Hundred and .lix. the .vii. Ide of Iune for whome oure Lorde hath shewyd many great myracles / A dome man that hadde lōge ben at seynt thomas for helpe was bydden by seynt Thomas that he shulde goo to the newe Monesterye to seynt Robert & there he shulde be helyd and soo he was / a Knyght sawe in vysyon many Deuyllys goo towarde y^e newe Monastery & he thought a Monke in whyght ap∣parell came out of the Monastery and with his crosyer lyfte vppe / prohybytyd them y^t they shuld goo no ferther and he thought that with theyr stryuynge a Crosse that was nygh to hym was throwne downe / and so it was as¦apperyd when he sent thyder in the mornynge.

De sancto Rumwaldo.

THe moder of seynt rūwalde was doughter to kynge pēda which was a paynym and she was Crystened / & was maryed to y^e kynge of northā¦humbre that was a paynym / and she prayed hartelye to our Lorde that her body shulde neuer be defoulyd with a man eschaungyd fro his lawe / and when she came into y^e chaumbre she tolde her Husbonde that she wolde neuer accūpany with hym tyll he was crystenyd / and by y^e wyll of our Lorde he assentyd / And aftre as he / and the quene which was great with Chylde were goynge to her fader She was delyueryd in Tētys in a medowe besyde buc∣kyngham callyd Suttun / and anon as the Chylde was borne he cryed I am a cristen man thryse / and he sayd he wolde not haue to his godfaders the Ryche prowde men of y^e worlde but chase to his godfaders two holy Prestis Wyderynus / and Edwoldus / and he shewyd a Holowe stone that he shulde be crystenyd in / and when moch peo¦ple coulde not remoue the stone he bade wyderinus / and Edwoldus in the name of our Lord to brynge it / & anon they brought it without dyffyculte / And so he was cryste¦nyd and was callyd Rumwalde as he appoyntyd / And anon he prechyd to the people the hyghe mysteryes of the Trynyte howe they were thre personys and one god / & of the Artycles of the feythe / and of the .x. commaundemē¦tys / and specyally of the Loue to almyghty god & to our neyghbour / & exortyd the people to do penaūce for theyr synnys which is to leue theyr euyll Lyfe & to make amen¦dys for y^t they haue offendyd with Fastynges / prayers / & Almesdedys / & aduertysyd the people to loue & honour eche other / not to accuse other / not to detracte other / not to stele ne to be forsworne / And when he had made a long

sermon & approuyd it by grete auctorytes of Scripture He sayd it was not for hym to lyue in this worlde / and so aftre thre dayes his spiryt went to heuen y^e thyrde nonas of Nouembre / & as he had appoyntyd his bodye lay oon yere there as he was borne / & two yerys at Brakley and then at Buckyngham where he lyeth at this day / theyse Townys at that tyme were not so namyd but after they were callyd accordynge as he had namyd them & our lor¦de hath shewyd for hym many myracles.

¶De sancto Sampsone ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt sampsone was borne in great Brytayne / & our Lord shewyd in vysyon to his moder callyd anne whiche was bareyne & that lyuyd with her Husbōde a blessyd Lyfe in fastyngys / & prayers that she shuld haue a sone whom she shuld call Sāpson y^t shulde be great with our lorde & worthye to haue order of preest¦hod when he was .vii. yerys olde he was commyttyd to seynt Iltut and he sayde he shuld be a great Busshope. / & profyte moche in the chyrche of god / and when he toke de¦kon & preesthod / and also when he was made busshope a whyte doue was seen descende vppon hym / & the hyer de¦gre y^t he toke y^e streyghter lyfe he ledde ī all his lyfe he ne¦uer ete flesshe / the celerer that was neuew to seynt Iltute which was desyrous to be Abbot aftre his vncle / feryd y^t seynt sāpsone shuld haue it / wherfore he put a great poy¦son into his chales / & he blessyd it & dranke it without hur¦te & as the Celerer abydynge in his malyce shulde be hou¦selyd by seynt Sapsone on a sonday / the Deuyll enteryd into hym / & vexyd hym sore / & by seynt sampsone he was

delyueryd with water and oyle that he blessyd and gaue hym / by the Daye he labouryd / and prayed / And on the nyghte he redde scripture & vsyd medytacyon / and when he toke slepe he lenyd to some wall / and neuer slept ī bed∣de / His fader was syke and sayd he shulde neuer be hole nor receyue the sacramētys tyll he sawe his son sampson and though he was ryght lothe to goo / yet by counsell of seynt Iltute he went vnto hym which was moche glad∣de of his cōmynge / and confessyd hym to hym of a great hed synne that he had longe kept close / after both he & his wyfe with all theyr chylderne betoke them to the seruyce of god / With the sygne of the crosse he kyllyd a great ser¦pent after the sayde Celerer compleynyd that he had wa¦sted the Houy and when the busshope Dubryee thought to proue it / Sampson made the sygne of the Crosse ouer the vessellys / and anon all the vessellys whiche he hadde afore geuyn in almes were fyllyd agayne full of Hony / af¦ter he was Abbot thre yerys / Then he wente into Scot∣lande / where he dyd many great Myracles and instruc∣tyd the people / and when he came whome dubrycyus by commaundement of an Aungell made hym Busshope / & so he went into lytyll brytayne / where he foūde a man at the seesyde lokynge for oon that as it was shewyd hym by our Lorde shulde come fro be yonde the see that shuld hele his wyfe that was a lepoure and his Doughter that was vexyd with a Deuyll / and soo he helyd theym bothe And there the quene had great malyce vnto hym / and ga¦ue hym Puyson / And after that turnyd a wylde Lyon to hym and he escapyd both and by his worde the Lyon dy¦ed / and the Quene seynge that Myracle askyd hym for∣gyuenes / euery Lent he wolde be in some secret place fro

recourse of people / He departyd fro this Lyfe the fyth ka¦lendas of Auguste / And lyeth at the Monasterye of dolo which he had foundyd in lytle Brytayne as he had doon dyuerse other Monasteryes / This blessyd man had su∣che grace that euer as he was at masse he had Aungells to assyste hym / and to mynystre to hym in the sacryfyce.

¶De sancta Sexburga regina & abbatissa.

SEynt Sexburghe was Doughter to Anna kyn¦ge of eest Englonde / And she was maryed to er∣combertus kynge of Kent / and hadde Issue Eg¦bertus / and Lotharyus / whiche were after Kyn∣gys and two doughters Ermenylde / and Erkēgode she was in that hyghe degre meke / and poore in spyryte / she ruled her Ryches / it rulyd not her / she was good to them in hygh degre / and also in lowe degre / Seldome it was that she was seen amonge the people / & often in the Chur¦che / she enducyd her Husbonde to destroye all Idollys that were in his Realme / And crystendome was brought in thrughe all the Realme / and at her desyre he made dy∣uerse Monasteryes / She taughte her Chyldrenne dy∣lygentlye to drede God / and to kepe his commaundemē∣tys / And when the Kynge was dede she enteryd into Re¦lygyon at Ely vnder her suster etheldrede / whiche lyuyd there a Blessyd lyfe ī great Fastynges / watchyngys & la¦boure / And in great mekenes she folowyd the example of her suster / where after her deth she was made abbesse

and then she was moche dylygent by cause she knewe she had more cure and charge then she had before / and she en¦dyd this present lyfe the daye before the Nonas of Iulii aboute the yere of our Lorde .vi.C. and .xl. and was bu∣ryed by her Suster.

¶De sancto Swithuno ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Swythune was borne in the tyme of kyn∣ge Egbertus which was the .viii. kynge fro kyn¦ge kynegelfe that was cōuertyd by seynt Byryn¦ne / and after he had taken ordre of preesthode / He ende∣uouryd hymselfe to preche y^e worde of god catholycallye and truely to vse werkys of pyte & to correcte theym that lyuyd inordynately after the deth of Helynstane whiche was busshope of wynchester he was chosen busshope the¦re / And he made Churches of newe and repayryd tho y^t were decayed / and when he went to halowe any churche he went not with great pompe / but went on his bare fete To his feestys he callyd not Ryche men but poore men & euer he callyd vppon synners to do penaūce / And encou¦ragyd men that lyuyd vertuously to perseuer in vertue / he neuer toke a full meale but moderatly for sustenaunce and after longe vygyllys / & great labourys that he shuld not all fayle he toke a lytyll slepe / He made the brydge at the eest ende of Wynchester / And as he was lokynge vpō the werke a woman came bye with egges in a basket and by the neclygence of the werkemen her Eggys were bro¦kyn / wherfore she wepte and made sorowe / And the Bus¦shope hauynge pyte with his ryght hande blessyd the bas¦ket / & all the Eggys were hole agayne / he was euer busy

Psalmes and spirituell melodye / and with all dylygence he kept his herte in all clennes and {per}seuered in kepynge of the cōmaudementes of our lorde to his departynge out of this worlde whiche was the syxth nonas of Iulii / in the yere of our lorde god .D.CCC.lxii. And he was translated / in the yere of our lorde .D.CCCC.lxxi. in the Ide of Iulii. And the same daye of his translacyon our lorde shewyd for hym many myracles / A thilde contracte fro his byrth was helyd There blynde wymmen had their syght: The yrons of one in pryson brake / and the man was delyuered / A man syke of the palsey was helyd / and .xxv. other were also made hole of dyuers sykenes.

¶De sancto Thatheo confessore.

SEynt Thathe was sone to a kynge in Itlande cal¦led Thathalius / & fro his yonge age he kepte hym self vndefowled fro al vyces / and when his Fader and moder sawe hym despyse all worldy thynges they set hym to scole where he profyted so moche in vertue & cōnyn¦ge that of all the countre yonge folkes came to here his Do¦ctryne / and after when his fader was syke and he was cal∣led to haue taken the charge of the Realme an Aungell ap∣pered to hym and aduertysed hym to kepe his firste purpo∣se / and nat to coueyt the desceytfull enheritaūce of this worl¦de / for he sayd all that we se shall shortly vanysshe away w^t heuynes and {per}ell / and so on y^e mornynge with .viii. felowes he went into Wales in a shyp without sayle or ore / & when̄e they were come ouer as they were restynge theym in a tow¦ne therby he sent one to tye the bote that he came ī / where y^e messenger founde a harte holdynge the rope and sauynge

the bote fro drownynge & then the harte was ledde to seynt Thathe where by y^e power of god he lay downe on y^e groū¦de & stretched out his hed and made sygnes that he shuld be kylled & so he was to make mete for the bretherne / After at the desyre of the kynge called Cradoke / he gathered many Scolers and made a Churche of the blessyd Trinyte & by counseyll of the Bysshop of Landaffe he sette in it .xii. Cha∣nons / The kynges seruaūtes with theyr horses destroyed his grounde / and sodeynly all the horses dyed / & when the kynge herde of it he came to hym and cryed hym mercy / & anone all the horses rose agayne / & then the kynge seynge y^e myracle gaue hym all y^e towne with his owne Palays / the seruauntes of kynge Gundlens stale his cowe & kylled her and seth her in cawdren / & the more it seth the rawer it was and seynt Thathe herynge therof folowed / and by the way founde the prynt of her fote meruaylously prynted in a sto∣ne / and so folowed to the kynges Palays: whereof malyce and in mockage the euyll seruauntes couered the cawdren and made it lyke a sete that when he had syt downe theron he shuld haue ben skalded / and it was to hym when he satte downe harde & sure / & the kyng heryng therof kneled dow∣ne and asked hym mercy / and then he made y^e flesshe & bo∣nes to be layde in the skynne / and the Cowe anone rose vp afore theym all / and seynt Cadoke sone to the kynge seyng that myracle became his disciple / and after many vertuous werkes / vigylles / and abstynence / he yelded his soule too o^r Lorde the seuynth Kalend of Ianuarii / & lyeth in his Mo¦nasterye.

¶De sancto Theliao Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Thelianus fro his youth vsed vigylles / and prayers & gaue all that he had to pore men / he ma∣de hym self lene that he myghte make other fatte / and he was enformed in scripture of seynt Dubryce / And after went to a wyse mā called Paulyn̄ where he accompa∣nyed with seynt Dauid in suche affeccōn that there was by¦twyxt theym but one wyll when wodde lacked at the Mo∣nastery seynt Thelians lefte his stody and went to the wod¦de / where two hartes offered theyr neckes to the yoke / and so they brought home the wodde and seruyd longe after in the Monasterye. This blessyd mā by y^e monycōn of an aū∣gell went with seynt Paterne / and seynt Dauid to Iheru∣salem / and there they were .iii. dayes in contemplacion / and had forgotten all erthly thynges / and after there were thre Cheyres ordeyned for theym and for humylyte seynt The∣lians satte downe in the lowest of the thre Cheyres / And it was a cheyre that our Lorde hadde sytten in / and whenne he knewe that he knelyd downe w^t great reuerence / Then the people desyred hym to preche / and so he dydde / and the people of straunge tonges vnderstode hym / After he was made bysshop and in token of the grace y^t he had receyued there was gyuen to hym a Cymbale whiche helyd dyuerse men and condempnyd them that were {per}iuryd vpon it / and euery houre it sowned withoute to wchynge tyll wretchyd synners presumptuously towched it / and so it loste the ver∣tue. This blessyd man as the trumpe of our Lorde perseue¦rantly by worde / and example admonysshed the people to Heuynly thynges / and he lefte this worlde the fyfth Idus of Februarii / And anone there was gret stryfe for his body

bytwyxt .iii. {per}ties / and as the people by comen assent fell to prayer there appered thre bodyes al I lyke / and there was no varyaunce in fauoure coloure / nor vestymentes / and so Landaffe had one of the bodyes / another was had a lytell bysyde Caremerthyne / & the thirde into West wales / whe∣re it is had in great honour.

¶De sancto Theodero Archiep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Theodre was of the countre of Tarse Celi¦cie / and was a man of approued maners & instruct aswell in Latyn as Greke tunge / and when seynt Adryan of mekenes refused to be Archebysshop of Caun∣terbury he appoynted for his excuse seint Theodre / and the Pope admytted hym with that condycyon that he shuld ac¦company seynt Theodre into Englande and he assented / and when they came into Englande anone seynt Theodre went aboute the countre / and taughte the people the trewe way of good lyuynge / and the dewe tyme when they shuld kepe theyr Ester / And he was the firste Archebysshop to whom y^e hole Churche of Englande obeyed: He with seint Adryan taught the maner of syngynge in all the Churches of Englande that byfore his tyme was oonly vsed in Kent he ordeyned scoles aswel for Latyn as greke tūge & taught theym Astronomye Arythmetryke / and also Dyuynyte / & many of his Discyples were as experte intho speches as in theyr owne / he went aboute the Realme and ordeyned bys¦shoppes where nede was and correctyd y^t was nat {per}fyte / when the Errour of Entycet{is} rose at Constantinople seynt Theodre to kepe the Churche of Englande fro that errour gathered all y^e people an Clergye togyther with great dily¦gence

/ and when he founde theym hole & stable in the ••ayth / for instruction of theym that shuld come after hym he wrote a letter of theyr by le••e and sent it to Rome / He knewe by re∣uelacyon how many yeres she shuldelyue / he went fro this transitory lyfe to y^• euerlastyng lyfe the .xiii. kalend of Octo¦bre / In the yere of our lord syx hondred foure score and ten / and in his tyme the Churche of Englande profyted more spyrytuelly / then euer it dyd byfore his dayes.

¶De sancto Thoma Ep̄o Herfordie.

SEynt Thamas of Herforde was borne in Englā¦de sone to Wylliam de Cātslupo / & in his youth he vsed dayly to say Ma•••••• & to here masse / After he went to stody first at Oxford / & then to Parees where he was made mayster / and after he came agayne to Oxforde / where he was made Doctour of lawe / and then Chaunceller of the Uniuersite and after agaynst his wyll / he was made Chaūceller to kyng Henry the thirde / in whi∣che offyce dayly he encreased in vertue and kept him clene fro all rewardes / for pleasure of ryche men or pore he wold nat do agaynst Iustyce / and after the deth of the kynge he retourded agayne to Oxforde and there he stodyed Dyuy¦nyte / This blessyd man was of suche sobrenes that his ser∣uauntes neuer sawe hym excede in mete or drynke / & he pu∣nysshed his body with vigylles / & fastyng{is} / & pryuely vsed to weer the heere / and in the yere of our lorde .M.CC.lxxv. he was made bysshop of Herforde & for defence of the right of his church to his great payne he went to Rome where he was honorably receyued of pope Martyn / & in retournyn¦ge home he de{per}ted out of this world at Florentyn̄nygh the hylle of Flascon / the .vi. nonas of Octobre in the yere of our

lorde god .M.CC.lxxxvii. and .vi. dayes his body was kept and gaue a swete sauoure / and then his flesshe was shauen fro the bones and buryed in the Churche of seynt Seuery there / and his bones were brought to Herforde / Threscore and ten men haue ben reysed fro deth to lyfe by his meryt▪ and .xii. blyndemen recouered theyr syght w^t dyuers other cōtracte / mute / & syke of y^e palsey y^t haue ben also made hole

¶De sancto 〈…〉〈…〉

THe lyfe and hole proses of this gloryous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seynt 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of 〈…〉〈…〉 and of his fader & moder / How his moder beynge a pagan came to London fro fer countres and by the goodnes of our lor∣de was conuerted to the fayth / & how 〈…〉〈…〉 was in fauoure with the kynge and was made his Chaunceller And after Archebysshop of Caunterbury / where he lyued a blessyd lyfe in good e••ample & dedes of charite / and how he agreed at Clarendon to certeyn Articles / which he after reuoked bycause they were agaynst the lyberte of the Chur¦che / and how he was therfore called {per}iured / and of the per∣secucion that he hadde for the lybertye of the Churche / and how al his olde fauoure with the kynge tourned to malyce / How he fledde at Northampton and went to Rome where he was as an outlawe .vii. yer{is} / his kynnesfolke banysshed the Realme for his sake all his goodes and possessions sea∣sed and his frendes tourned to his enemyes / howe he was logged in a place of the Cisteux by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 assygnement and was put out fro thens for fere leste the kynge wolde ha¦ue hurted that Relygion in Englande / & how he went into Fraunce & was there greatly cherysshed & how after by the

meanes of the kynge of Englande / the Frenche kyng tolde hynthe was to wylfull / & so he knew none other but he shul¦de be banysshed from thens / & then y^e Frenche kynge seyng his constaunce toke hym in more great fauour / then he dyd byfore / & how the Archebysshop of yorke was accursyd for that he toke vpon hym to crowne the kyng{is} sone / where it belonged oonly to the see of Caunterbury whiche was cau¦se of more grugge / & how he in the ende was 〈…〉〈…〉 whe¦re & by whom & that the kynge sayd he was nat assentynge to his deth & of the great repentaunce that the kynge toke by cause he had so moch attemptyd agaynst hym / is so openly knowen to most people y^t the spekyng of it in this short trea¦tyse shuld but make the story y^e more darke & nat to open as it shuld be / wherfore I cōmytte the reder hereof y^t is dispo∣sed to se more of this 〈…〉〈…〉 to rede his hole Legē¦de / When 〈…〉〈…〉 in his lyfe lyued moche prayed at his tumbe for helth & had it after his desyre / After when he was hole he consyderyd y^t {per}case that helthe was nat ex∣pedyent to the helth of his soule / wherfore he went agayne to his tumbe & prayed / y^t if that bodely helth were nat to the helth of his soule y^t his sykenes shuld co^• agayne & so it dyd.

¶De sancto Thoma monacho a gallis occiso.

WHen Lowys sone to the Frenche kynge at the de∣syre of dyuers of the noble men of England came with a great hoste into Englāde they founde this blessydmā seynt Thomas at douersyttyng alone in y^e dor∣mytorie a mā of a venerable age meke & sobre / & fro his you the brought vp ī monastical ••uersaciō & al his felowes were fled for fere of y^e Frenchmē / & whē he wold nat by fayr wor∣des

neyther by thretes discouer the Riches of the Monaste¦ry / But also boldely rebuked theym for theyr sacrelege and cruelte / with a swerde in great malyce they martyred hym the nonas of August / the yere of our lorde .M.CC.lxxxxv. and at his Tumbe a man of the Frenesy was made hoole / Foure men had theyr fyght & .v. were reysed fro deth to lyf.

¶De sancta Walburga virgine.

SEynt Walburgh was suster to seynt Willibrord & Wynnybolde / and with theym she went out of En¦glande / & when they came to seynt Bonyface bys∣shop of Maguntinēse he made Willibrord bysshop of Hey∣statense & Wynnobolde entered into Religion at Heydan∣hem / and after theyr deth seynt Walburgh was made Ab∣bes of that Monastery / & had rule of many virgyns: And when the keper of the churche at nyght denyed to gyue her lyght and she toke it in great pacyence there was in the dor¦tor where she went a great heuynly lyghte / that endured to Matens tyme so that al the susters meruayled at it / and she thanked our lorde therof / and attrybuted it to the merytes of her bretherne / and nat of her owne. On a nyght she went vnknowen to a Riche mannes house where a mayde lay sy¦ke / and when the man sawe her he badde her beware of the dogges and she sayd he y^t had brought her thyther shuld sa¦ue her fro y^e dogges / and when he had lerned what was her name he toke her into his house with great reuerence / and when it was tyme to go to reste he asked her where she wol¦de lye and she sayde there as her suster lay syke / where she gaue her to prayers and helyd the mayde / and in the mor∣nynge retourned to her Monastery / and full of good wer∣kes

she went to our lorde the. Kalend of May / and was honorably buryed in the same Monasterye She appered After her deth to Otgare bysshop of Heystatense and bla∣myd hym that he kept the Monastery neclygently and tol∣de hym that she wolde shewe hym such a token that he shul¦de {per}ceyue that he had nat done well to her / and shortly after at the rofe of a house there was settynge vp / y^e North wall fell and feryd theym moche / and then Otgare repayred the Churche and remouyd the body of seynt Walburgh and of her brother Wynnybold to Heystatense.

¶De sancto Walleno abbate.

SEynt Wallene otherwyse called Walthesse was sone to Syrnon Erle of Huntyngdon / & his mo∣der was doughter to the Erle of Northumberlā∣de / & accordynge to his name he was a good thefe for he stale mekely the kyngdome of heuyn kepynge all his Reuelacions and vertues close / when his fader was dishe∣ryted and was deed in Fraunce / seynt Wallene was made Chanon in the Monastery of seynt Oswalde in yorke / and there beyng sexten he was chosen to be Pryor of Kyrkehm̄ and how moche he was in the oppynyon of other men hyer so moche he was in his owne syghte the more meke / As he was at masse on Cristenmasse daye / and he had spoken the sacramentall wordes he sawe a goodly childe more whyte then y^e snowe with a crowne of golde y^t with mylde counte¦naunce touched his face and hedde / whiche oft kyssed hym and blessyd hym / and soo he vanysshed awaye leuynge no∣thynge but the hoste / & he neuer after Remembred that vy∣syon but he wept for Ioy / After fro more streyght lyfe he en¦tered

into Relygyon of Cisteur at wardon̄ / & after he was made Abbot at Mailrose. By his mocyon his kynnesman Symond made the Monasterye of Seynt Andrews in Northampton the Nōnery without the towne and saltery Abbey / Thre gestes came to hym whiche he receyued me∣kely wassynge theyr handes and fete / and sodeynly one of theym was gone / and in the nyght folowynge an Aungell appered to one of the Brethene and sayd he was the geste / that y^e day byfore went sodeynly fro them addyng therto y^t he was appoynted by our lorde to be keper of that place / & sayd the almes and prayers of theyr Abbot dayly ascended byfore our lorde lyke swete encense / he sawe in vysyon the thre kynges do theyr offrynge / & how our lorde was scour∣ged dispysed crowned with the crowne of thorne crucifyed and suffred deth / and how water and blod came out of his syde / and how he rose fro deth leuynge the kepers as deed / and after went into heuyn. On a tyme when the deuyll ap∣pered to hym he toke the Sacrament / and badde hym cur∣sed wretche se his Iugge that shulde sende hym into helle / And thenne he myght abyde noo lenger / but vanysshed a∣waye / He refused to be Bysshop he multyplyed corne and brede that seruyd moch people / and helyd a man of the dro¦pesye he went to heuyn the thride nonas of August: In the yere of our lorde god a Thousande a hondred & thre score / & after he appered to a broder that by temptacōn of the De¦uyll preferred the lawe of the Iewes byfore the cristen lawe And also sayd there was no lyf but this and he shewid hym in vysyon 〈…〉〈…〉 hell and heuyn / and then whenne he came to hymselfe agayne he forsoke all his errours / and ly¦ued a good lyfe and conuerted many people and byfore his

deth sawe our lorde with his bodely lyen.

¶De sancto Walstano Confessore.

SEynt Walstan̄ was borne in the Southe parte of Englande in a towne called Bauburgh / and was of the kynges blode / And whenne he was aboute the Age of .xii. yeres by Inspyracyon of the holy Ghost he forsoke all his Enherytaunce / and his Countree and went into the Northe partes / and put hym selfe in ser∣uyce to a man in the towne of Tauerham / He was a great gyuer of almes in so moche that he gaue nat oonly his ow∣ne mete to poore men / but also on a tyme he gaue his shone to a poore man & went hym selfe barefote / And whenne his dame perceyued it she feyned that she hadde great nede to haue thornes / & caused hym to go to the wodde to fet theym home and by the goodnes of oure Lorde / the thornes were to hym lyke rose flowers hurtynge hym no thynge / And whenne his dame knewe that she cryed hym mercy / and he anone forgaue her / His mayster seynge the sygnes that he dyd loued hym moche / and wolde haue made hym his hey¦re whiche he refused / and wolde no thynge haue in any wy¦se / but oonly that whiche one of his M••ysters keen hadde in her bely at that tyme / and she had a••••er two Calues whi∣che his mayster gaue hym with good wyll / and as he was

after mowynge in a medowe with one of his felowes an aū¦gell appered to hym and shewyd hym that the thirde daye folowynge he shulde departe this world / wherfore he was howseled and toke all the sacrament{is} of the Churche and at the sayd daye he toke his mayster and dyuerse other honest {per}sones with hym / and went to the sayd medowe / and there he wylled that when he was deed his body shuld be put in to a carte and his two oxen to be put in it and to be suffred to go with it where they wold without any leder and there as they taryed he to be buryed / & he had graunted of our lorde that what laborer that called vnto hym for helpe of his de∣sease or for his bestes that he shuld be herde / and so he depar¦ted out of this worlde the thirde Kalend of Iune / in the ye∣re of our lorde a thousande and syxtene / And when he was leyde in a Carte the sayd two Oxen brought hym to Bau∣burgh: and by the way they went ouer a water / & the whe∣les of the carte dyd nat synke into the water / and in thre pla¦ces where they rested sprange vp thre fayre welles / he lyeth in Bauburgh where a Churche is halowed in the honoure of his name / and there our lorde hath shewyd for hym ma∣ny great myracles as well vpon men as vpon brute bestes.

De sancta Wenefreda virgine & martyre.

A Man of great vertues called Bennow came to the fader of seynt Wenefrede & desyred of hym a grounde wherin he myght make a churche to ser¦ue almyghty god therin & he gladly assented and assygned a place vnto hym / & also cōmytted his oonly bego¦ten doughter called Wenefrede to hym to enforme and she herynge his prechynge / and Doctryne purposed secretly

her herte to forsake all the plesures of the worlde / and to ke∣pe virgynyte whiche purpose she durste nat shewe to her fa¦der and moder / but to her mayster & he shewyd it to theym wherwith they were ryght well contented / and after it hap¦pened that when her fader and moder on a Sonday were at Churche Cradoke sone to kynge Algare founde her alo¦ne in her faders house and promysed to her great gyftes to assent vnto hym / and she sodeynly astonyed dissembled w^t hym and sayd that she was sory that she was so euyll appa∣reylled / and prayed hym that she myght go into her Cham¦ber to apparell her more honestly / and when she came into the Chambre she ranne pryuely towarde the churche / and when he {per}ceyued that ī great angre he folowed / and when he had ouer taken her on a hylle / and she wolde in no wyse assent to hym he strake of her hedde / and there as the hedde fell anone sprange a fayre welle / and the stones therof haue redde spottes lyke blode to this day / & the hedde ran downe into the Churche there as they were at seruyce wherat all y^e people were meruaylously astonyed / and her fader and mo¦der made great Lamentacyon / wherupon her mayster ta∣kyng y^e hed went to y^e place where her body lay / where was yet the kynges sone dryinge his swerde / and when he had reproued hym for his wycked dede and he had no repentaū¦ce therfore sodeynly he dyed / and it was nat knowen where his body became / and then her mayster leyde the hedde to y^e body and shewyd the people how she had aduowyd to be a Nonne / and therupon he made his prayer & anone she rose vp as she had ben a slepe nothynge apperyng of the cuttyn¦ge / but oonly a lytell whyte cercle aboute her necke / and the people nat yet conuerted / seynge thyse myracles fell downe to the fete of Bennowe and desyred to be cristened & so they

were / and then she was made a Nonne & kept virginite ac∣cordynge to her auowe and gadered many virgyns / after her mayster went fro her / and euery yere she vsed to sende hym a certeyne p̄sent and lapped it in a lynnen cloth / & lay∣de it in the sayd welle as her mayster had appoynted her to do / and it was conueyed to hym fyftye myles in the water / And yet the cloth was neuer wette / and after her maysters deth by the wyll of our lorde she went to a place called Wyl∣theriacus and the Abbot there by spirit knewe her cōmyng and met her and brought her into the company of virgyns and made her the ruler of theym / where our lord Ihesu cri∣ste appered to her and tolde her that her tyme drewe nere / & in the fourth nonas of Nouembre she yelded her spiryte to our lorde for whom hath ben shewyd many myracles / and now she lyeth at Shrewesburye / whether she was transla¦ted in the yere of our lorde a thousande a .C. and .xxxviii.

¶De sancta Wereburga virgine.

THe Quene Ermenylde moder to Seynt Were∣burghe came by Lyny all descent fro seynt Ethel∣bert kynge of Kent / that was conuerted by seynt Augustyne / & a goodly pedegre is therof in y^e Le¦gende / & Wulferus was her fader. This glorious virgyne despysynge all concupyssence and pleasures of the worlde entered into Relygyon at Ely vnder her Aunte seynt Ethel drede where she shewyd her selfe to be the very meke hand mayde of our lorde / And when her fader was deed her bro¦der Ethelredus made her to haue Rule of all the Monaste¦ryes of Nonnes in Englande / & natwithstandynge she she¦wyd her selfe rather to be a mynystrice then a maystres en∣formynge theym that were vnder her rather by good ••••m¦ple /

then by cōmaundement & her body beynge in Erth her mynde was in heuyn / when she was in the mansyon of We¦dun that is by Hampton certeyne fowles destroyed the cor¦ne wherfore she cōmaunded y^t they shuld be brought home and put in holde / & so they were on fote as though they coul¦de nat haue flowen / & in the mornynge when she had lycen¦syd theym to go away / and one of the mynystres had hyde one of them / Al the flocke came aboute y^e house where seynt Wereburgh was / & wolde nat away tyll she had caused the¦yr felowe to be delyuered / & then they went away w^tout re∣tournynge of theym or any of that kynde / when she knewe that the tyme drewe nere y^t she shuld dye she wylled y^e whe¦re soeuer she dyed her body shuld be had to the Monastery of Hamburgense / & after in the .iii. nonas of February she went to our lorde / & when her body was brought to Try∣kenhm̄ / & was dylygently kept with the dores shet / sodeyn¦ly all the cōpany fell aslepe & men of Hamburgense came to fet away the body accordyng to her wyll / & the dores flewe open so that they toke the body w^tout resystence & buryed it honorably / where many myracles were shewyd for her by our lorde / & .ix. yere after her body & clothes were founde vn¦corrupt & so her body lay vncorrupt vnto the cōmyng of the Danes y^t her flesshe was incyuerate by the goodnes of god rather then her body shuld be vngoodly touched by the in∣fydels her bones were after trāslated to Chestre wher they lye at this daye.

¶De sancto Wylfryde Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Wylfryde was borne of noble blode in Eng∣lande / and in his youthe he gaue nat hym selfe to lyghtnes and wantonnes / but ordered hym selfe soberly in all thyng{is} nat vsyng any chydyng bacbytyng or

stryfe / and when he came to age of .xiiii. yeres he shewyd the Quene Elflede that his purpose was to leue the world & to serue our lorde wherupon the quene sent hym to Lyndefer∣nense where he associated hymself to a College of monkes / & there a sertayne tyme he seruyd our lorde / After he went towarde Rome with seynt Benet Bysshop / & by the waye the bysshop of Lyons lyked hym so well that he wolde ha∣ue gyuen hym great possessions and haue maryed hym to his broders doughter / but that he tolde hym that he hadde purposed a nother way of conuersacion / And when the bys¦shop herde that he sent hym to Rome with great gyft{is} and there in y^e Churche of seynt Andrewe he prayed hertely for remyssion of his synnes / & that he myght haue wysedome and eloquence to vnderstande and shewe the worde of god And streyghtway he {per}ceyued in hymself that a more quyk¦nes of wytte was gyuen to hym / then he had before / and af∣ter he retourned into Englande where kynge Oswy gaue hym the churche of Rypon abiectynge the Scottes y^t wold nat kepe the right Ester / and in tho dayes was great busy∣nes in Englande for the kepynge of Ester / and dyuerse cō∣nynge men and also good men were of contrarie opynyons And somtyme when the kynge kept Estre / the Quene kept Palme sonday / whiche contrauersy at a great counseyll at Whytby was appesed by seynt Wylfryde w^t great reasons and Auctorytes in y^e yere of our lorde god .vi. hondred .lxiiii After he was made bysshop of yorke though he with al his power refused it: and therupon by Instygacōn of the Que¦ne the kynge Egfryde enformyd seynt Theodre archebys∣shop of Caunterbury so sore agaynst ••eynt Wylfryde that he by that wrongfull informacyon put hym out of his see / & then the kynge deuyded in it thre sees Lynde••ernense La∣gustaldens

/ and Candyda casa whiche that tyme belon∣gyd vnto Englonde / wherfore he appelyd to Rome / and when he was goynge thyder on the see the wynde droue hym into Frysya / where he conuertyd many thousande people to the Feyth and there the groūde that before his commynge was drye / and bareyne was aftre plenteuou∣se / and fruteful / And when he came to Rome / he shewyd his cause so charytably y^t he neyther accusyd seynt Theo¦dre / ne yet omyttyd his owne Innocencye and when the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 agathone had herde all his aduersaryes / he resto∣ryd hym agayne to his see / And when he shewyd to the Kynge the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bullys / He set them at nought / and by the entysynge of the Quene he was with great derysyon put into pryson which he toke in great pacyence / and the¦re he helyd the kepers wyfe / and when that keper was lo¦the to kepe hym ony lenger / he was cōmyttyd to anoder ••ryson / And there the fetto••rys wolde not abyde vppon hym / And also •• deuyll enteryd into y^e quene whiche was thought was for the wronge that was doon to seynt wyl¦fryde wherfore he was let goo / And then by his prayer y^e Quene was made hoole / After he cōuertyd many of the Lordys and of the people in the countrey of westsaxons to the feythe / where the Kynge of that Countrey was be¦fore conuertyd and very fewe of his people / Also he con∣uerted the Ile of wyght / The kynge Egfryde was after slayne in Batayle which seynt Wylfrede sawe in vysyon as he was at Masse / & then seynt Theodre sente for hym and cryed hym mercye for that he had so moche assentyd agaynste hym as he had / And shortlye after he was resto¦ryd to his see agayne / and was in peace .v. yerys then he was wrongfully put out agayne / and was at Rome efte¦sones

restoryd / and as he was in the commynge home & by the way was nyghe deed in Fraunce / seynt Myghell apperyd vnto hym & tolde hym he shulde escape that syke¦nes / and that he shulde be restoryd to his see and Dye in peace for he sayd our Ladye had acceptyd his seruyce / & for the profet of other she wolde he shulde yet lyue / and so he was sodeynly made hoole that all meruaylyd that we¦re aboute hym / and after two kyngys were punysshed be¦cause they wolde not suffre hym to be in peace / and when kynge Osrede was made Kynge / he had hym in great fauoure / And when he knewe that his tyme drewe nere he callyd his Bretherne / and bade theym that nothynge shulde seuer theym fro the charyte of god / And that they shulde put awaye the snares of the Deuyll with all dyly∣gens / And as he sayde the verse (Emitte spiritum tuum et creabūtur) he yeldyd his spyryte to our Lord the .viii. kalendas of Maye / in the yere of our Lorde .vii. hūdred and .ix. And was buryed in Rypon in a monasterye that he had newe buyldyd / And after Odo archebusshope of Caunterbury remouyd moost parte of his Relykys to Caunterbury / and parte he lefte at Rypon.

¶De sancto Wiro ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt wyre was borne in Scotlande / And as he encreasyd in age / he encreasyd in vertue / And he wolde not be ouermoche abiecte with aduersyte nor elate in prosperyte / He was not wery ī holy vygyllys He was fedde with prayers / & was mery in fastynges / he was electyd to be Busshope whiche he moche refusyd / & sayd it became hym rather to be a Dyscyple then a may∣ster

/ & notwithstādynge by desyre of the people he toke i•• vpon hym / & then dylygentlye he prechyd to the people & confermyd hys lyfe to his prechynge / After he wente into Fraunce & there lyuyd a blessyd lyfe in good exaumples / and Doctrynes many yerys / and he dyed of the Axes / & was buryed in the Chyrche of our Ladye (intraiecte infe¦riori) And at his buryenge was felte a meruaylous swe∣te sauoure of all that were there present / His feest is Ha∣lowed the .viii. Idus of May.

¶De sancto willibrordo ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Wyllybrorde was borne in the Prouynce of Northamhumbre / his Fader & Moder were bles¦syd folkys / his Moder when she was with Chylde with hym sawe a Mone falle into hyr mouthe that euer encrea¦syd more & more / and made her bowellys bryght shynyn¦ge whiche betokenyd the Holynes of the Chylde that she went with / And his Fader enteryd into Relygyon / And when the Chylde was norysshed he was put to Scole at rypon / & there he made hym selfe monke / after for the mo¦re streyghter lyfe he went into Irlonde / where he lyuyd in great hyghe Relygyon and study .xii. yerys / and after with a .xi. felowes / he went ouer the see to preche to Infy∣delys in the Countrey of Fryson and came to a place cal¦lyd Traiecte / & so he went to Pyppyn then ruler of Fraū¦ce / where he put awaye errourys and conuertyd moche people / & then Pyppyn sent hym to rome / & the pope had knowlege of his cōmynge by reuelacion / wherby he was warnyd to take hym reuentlye / & so he dyd graūtynge to hym all y^t he askyd / & also made hym an archebussop / thē he departyd fro Rome & cōuertyd moch people to y^e feyth

in Fraunce in Fryson / and in Denmarke he cam into an Ile that amonge the Gentyls was in such honoure that they durste not touche any thynge that was in it / ne tou∣che a well that was therin / In the whiche well seynt wyl∣ly brorde Crystenyd thre men / and kyllyd of the be••••ys & ete theym / & when the paganys thought they shulde ther¦fore haue goon mad / or sodeynly dye / they had no hurte / wherfore the paganys shewyd it to theyr Kynge callyd rathbode a cruell man which sent for hym in great anger and askyd why he had defoullyd the holy thynges of his goddys and when he with constant mynde tolde the kyn¦ge that they were no goddys that he worshyppyd but a Deuyll / and that if he wolde not forsake theym he shulde haue eternall peyne / The kynge was admeruaylyd and sayde he sawe well that he set noughte by his manacy•• & cōcyderynge y^t his lyfe was lyke to his wordys thoughe he wolde not be crystenyd / yet he sent seynt wyllybrorde to Pypyn honorably / after pypynnys d••the Kynge char¦les that was Pypyns sone made hym Busshope of Tra¦••ecte / he wolde not doo euyll for euyll / And therfore some tyme oure Lorde toke vengeaunce for hym / He gaue .xii. poore men drynke of his best bottell of wyne / And when they had all dronke the Botell was as full as it was befo¦re / By his prayer a vessell of a To••ne that had but lytell wyne in it was made full / He was of goodly stature / of stable countenaunce / mery / wyse / redye in coūceyle / and stronge in all the werkys of god / and in the .vii. Ide of no¦uēbre he went to our Lord / & was buryed in a Monaste∣rye y^t he had made of y^e blessyd Trynyte / where the tūbe y^t he shuld be leyed in y^t was to short meruelously waxyd longe Inoughe as thoughe it had ben so made for hym.

De sancto Wilhelmo puero & martire.

SEynt wy••lyam the chylde / and martyr was bor∣ne in Engl••nde / and when his m••der was wyth Chylde of hym she sawe in a vysyon •• ••ysshe cal∣lyd a ••uce y^e .xii. red synnys lyke as it had ben sparkelyd with blode / & when she had put the fysshe into her bosom she thought it grewe so moch that her bosome coulde not holde it / and sodeynly it flewe aboue the Cloudys into he¦uen / and apreest that had great grace in expoūdynge of vysyons / sayde she shulde haue a blessyd Chylde that in the age of .xii. yerys shuld goo into Heuyn / And when he was a yonge Chylde it happenyd hym to touche y^e Irōs of a man that was fetteryd / And anon the Irons felle of And when he was but .vii. yere olde he wolde faste thre dayes in y^e weke / and wolde be at the Chyrche in prayer / And after at norwych he was put to askynner to enfour¦me / where on an Estre daye he was taken pryuely by the Iues / and they in despyte of oure Lorde mok••yd hym / & cruelly martyryd hym / they thruste all y^e blode oute of his Hedde with cordys / and then they dyd shaue his Hedde and pryckyd it with thornys / and put hym vpon a Cros∣se and thruste hym into the lefte syde greuously / and so by great Martyrdome he went to our Lorde the .vii. kalen∣das of Maye / and that doon they caryed hym towardes a wood to hyde hym / And a Crysten man came by them & perseyuyd that they caryed a deed man / wherfore they feryd moche and pryuely hunge hym vp in a Tree in the Wode with a corde / and wente to the Sheryfe & for a .C. marke / the Sheryfe causyd the man to be sworne that he shulde neuer dyscouer it whyle he lyuyd / & .v. yerys after when he shulde dye Seynt wyllyam apperyd to hym / & bade hym that he shulde dyscouer hit ferynge nothynge /

And so he dyd / and then a lyghte fro heuyn shewyd vppō the place where he laye / And after on an Eester euyn his Bodye was founde by a Nonne in the wode lyenge at y^e Roote of an Oke in his Cote hosed / and shodde / and his Hedde shauen / and there were by hym two Crowes that attemptyd to haue Torne hym / and etyn hym / But they hadde no power therto / and then he was takyn vp with all the people / and buryed with great Ioye / A man that had ben longe syke was ledde in a vysyon by an Aungell into a goodlye place full of plesaunte Flourys / and there he sawe our Lorde syttynge in a Trone / and innumera∣ble of Aungellys / and Seyntys aboute hym / and on his ryght hande in great magestye was the sete of oure bles¦syd Ladye / and at the Feet of our Lorde he sawe a Chyl∣de aboute the age of .xii. yerys syttynge in a sete of golde and a Crowne of Golde vppon his hedde his Face shy∣nynge bryghte as the sonne / and Aungellys dyd honour to hym / Then he askyd of the Aungell who he was / and the Aungell sayde this is he that in derysyon and oppro∣brye of the passyon of our Lorde the Iues of Norwyche dyd put to deth / and by hym he sayde he shulde be made hoole / And so he vanysshed a waye / and when his spyryte was come agayne to the Bodye he went to Norwyche & was made hoole as the Aungell sayde / & many other my¦racles / our lord hath shewyd for this blessyd Chylde fou¦re that were blynde / fyue that were mute / two of the drop sye / thre bexyd with Deuylls / & men of the fallynge syke∣nes / dome perysshynge in the see feterd & deformyd / & of dyuerse other sykenesse were helyd & delyuered by thys gloryouse martyr.

De sancto Wilhelmo ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt wyllyam was sonne to emme suster to kyn∣ge Stephan / as he was of noble blode / he was al¦so noble of maners / and for his vertue / and good Lyfe he was made tresorer of yorke / he thought nothyn∣ge gretter Tresure then to helpe them that were in penu∣••ye / And after the Deth of the Archebusshope of yorke he was electyd to be Archebusshope / But his eleccyon was lette by the Archedeacon that moch desyryd to be Arche∣busshope / & when the matter was appelyd to Rome y^t po¦pe Eugenye which was of the ordre of Cysteux for fauou¦re to his relygyon made one Henry murdache archebus∣shope wherupon agaynste all ••uyll wordys / & bacbytyn∣gys that this blessyd man had in that behalfe / he toke pa∣••pence for his comforte / and went to his vncle Busshope of Wynchester which receyuyd hym gladlye / & assygnyd all his seruauntys to attende vpon hym / & that he refusyd and went into a place of the Busshoppys where he dyd great penaunce in hyghescylence & quyet maners encrea¦synge his deuocyon with remēbraunce of the great pey∣nys ordeynyd for synne / And of the Ioyes ordeynyd for vertue / and what great peyne shall be ī the latterende to see almyghtye god and to departe fro hym wente neuer oute of his mynde / when Geestys / or straungers came to hym thoughe he were lothe he wolde shewe hym selfe to theym so honorable / merye / and full of grace that he was lyke an Aūgell ī maners / not hauyng ony voyde wordes that myght let his mynde from contemplacyon / And af∣ter the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Engenye / and the Archebusshope murda∣che Dyed bothe in oon daye / And thenne seynt wyllyam was ellectyd agayne by the Chanōs to be archebusshop

And the newe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 confyrmyd the same / and as he was commynge to yorke with the great recourse of people y^e Brydge sanke / and he makynge the sygne of the Crosse all came vp safe / and in fewe yerys after full of good wer¦kys / Almesdedys / Fastynges / and vygyllys / He went to oure Lorde the .vi. Ide of Iune by his merytys a mayde blynde fro her Natyuyte receyuyd syght / thre that were contracte restoryd to theyr goynge / a deffe man had his herynge / a man of the dropsyehelyd / one of the passey / & a Lepoure restoryd to he••the / one reysyd fro deth / and vnto this daye in the place where he lyeth myracles contynue.

¶De sancto wilhelmo martire.

SEynt Wyllyam the Martyr was borne in seynt Iohn̄s towne in Scotlande / and in his youthe he lyuyd a wanton secoler lyfe / and after he was sodeynly turnyd into a newe man / chastysynge his Bo∣dye subduyd his flesshe to the spyryte / He vsyd the crafte of Bakynge / and euery tenth Lo••e he wolde geue for the loue of god to poore men / dayly he vsyd to be at the Chur¦che / and in a mornynge erlye he foūde at the Churche do¦re a enfaunte in poore apparell whom he brought whom norysshyd hym / taughte hym his crafte / and louyd hym syngulerly aboue eny other of his seruaūtys / after he por¦posyd to goo on pylgrymage to the placys where our lor¦de suffred his Deth and passyon / and toke with hym on∣lye the sayde yonge man whom he had brought vp as be¦fore apperyth / and so he came to Rochestre / & as he was goynge fro thens to Caunterbury the sayde yonge man full of the Deuyll in purpose to kylle hym ledde hym oute

of the hyghe wayes & tolde hym that he had lernyd that it was the waye / & when he had broughte hym after his porpose out of all wayes he kyllyd hym with a Hachet / & there lefte hym in the wood wheropon a madde woman that ranne nakyd into y^e woddys came by the place whe∣re the gloryous martyr laye / and when she sawe hym she made hym a garlande of Erbys and put it vpon his hed∣de / and lyke a Woman in that case spake to hym as if he had ben a lyue / and on the nexte daye she came agayne & sayde she wolde haue her Garlonde agayne / and so toke it fro his Hedde and put it ou her Hedde / and fourthwith as it touchyd her Hedde she was hoole / and had her wyt¦tys restoryd and anon was a shemyd of her nakydnes / & knewe that she was made hoole by the merytys of y^e sayd gloryous martyr / And he lyeth at Rochester.

¶De sancto winwaloco abbate & confessore.

SEynt wynwaloco was borne in Brytayne / And his Fader herynge that ther was a place ī Armo¦ryca now callyd lytell Brytayne y^t the great syke¦nes was not in went thyder nygh by the porte callyd bre∣ste / And when a great Tempest toke theym on the See so that his Fader feryd moche / he bade his fader put his truste in oure Lorde that ruleth bothe See / and Londe addynge therto that he shulde loue hym / and feer nothyn¦ge / And that sayde anon came feyre weder / when he was at Scole where he prophyted moche in lernynge / He he∣lyd one of hys felowys that had brokyn his thyghe / And when he harde any poore man anon he wolde go to hym to do hym some good / & if he had nothynge to gyue hym

he wolde wepe for compassyon / and comforte hym with hope of eternall rewarde / Oon of his felowes that enuy∣ed hym tolde hym that he dyssymylyd hymselfe to haue mercy that he had not in dede / wherfore he thankyd out Lorde & sayde broder veryly thou haste the true Iudge∣ment in me & forthwith he helyd a blynde man that was secretly brought to hym / and when his suster hadde her eye pluckyd out of her heed with a Byrde that had eten it he toke the eye out of the Byrdys bely & put it ī her Heed ageyne and it was hoole / with the sygne of the Crosse he kyllyd a serpent that had venomyd a man / and also ma∣de the man hoole / and it is sayde that by his prayer none of the kynde of that Serpent shall come in that coūtrey He reysyd a chylde fro deth / & with his felowys he wente vppon the see into the place where he nowe lyeth / fro the age of .xxi. yerys / he neuer sate in the Chyrche / he was ne¦uer Heuy / nor Angry / neyther greatly mery / But in oon sobernes / euery daye he sayd thryse fyftye psalmes / he ne¦uer weerlynnen / nor wullen / but clothynge of getysskyn¦nes / He lyued with Barley breed myxte with asshes and dranke water / euery seconde / or thyrde daye / he laye vpō rotys & grauell / with two stonys vnder his heed he was neuer Idell fro some spyrytuell Occupacyon / the Deuyll apperyd to hym as he was in prayer ī a meruaylouse ter¦ryble sykenesse / and when he had suffred hym longe / He rebukyd hym that he soo durste trowble the seruauntys of our Lorde / and tolde hym that he shuld haue the more peyne therfore at the daye of Iudgement / and then anon he vanysshed away when he had on a tyme made a blyn∣woman see an Aūgell apperyd to hym / and shewyd hym that all the company of Heuyn desyryd that he shulde be

delyueryd fro this bodely lyfe & come to the euerlastyng lyfe / and then he bade his brederne be redye / for he sayde the .vi. houre after he had sayd masse / oure Lorde wolde take hym fro this worlde / and so when masse was doon before the hyghe Aulter / as he was holden vp bytwyxte two monkys & was syngynge with theym he yeldyd his soule to our Lorde the .v. nonas of marche about the yere of our Lorde .ix.C. and .lix. clene fro any bodely sykenes as he was clene fro bodely syn / and he lyeth in his Mona¦stery of Canraco where our Lorde shewyth for hym ma∣ny myracles / This blessyd man with seynt Egbyne tou∣chyd our Lorde in lykenesse of a Lepoure as in the Lyfe of Seynt Egbyne apperyth.

¶De sancto Wistano rege & martire.

SEynt wistan was son to wymōde Kynge of mar¦shes & of Elflede his wyfe & when his fader was dedde he succedyd & a great Lorde callyd bryth∣farde whiche was the Kynges godfader & also of kyn to the kynge was desyrous to be Kynge / wherfore he desy∣red to marye the Quene thynkynge that by that meanys he shuld the sōner atteyne his porpose & when he had sent messengers to the quene therof she askyd coūceyle of the Kynge her son & he aduertysed her to take our Lord Ihe¦su Criste to be her spouse which wolde gyue her a {per}petu∣ell do werye in the kyngdome of Heuyn to which coūcell the quene ryght well assentyd / where vppon the Kynge shewyd to the messengers the impedymētis of the matry∣monye / And when y^t came to the knowlege of brythfarde he began to cōpasse y^e kynges deth / & desyryd to speke w^t

the Kynge at a certeyne day / & when they mette at a place nowe callyd wistanstowe brythfarde desyred to speke w^t hym secretlye aparte & there as he offeryd to kysse hym w^t his swerde traytorously vnder colour of frendshyp he pa¦ryd his hedde with a dedely wounde / & a nother ran hym thrugh with aswerde in the kalēdas of Iune / & forthwith without taryenge brythfarde went madde so that he ney¦ther had the quene ne yet the kyngedome / & there as the yonge Kynge laye a bryght beame apperyd .xxx. dayes stretchynge into heuyn / & euery yere the same day that he was martyred there as the pyller apperyd is seen amōge the grasse mannes here whiche no man can take awey / & othertymes of y^e yere nothynge apperyth but grene gras¦se / a certen tyme he laye at rependon and fro thens he was trāslated to y^e monastery of Euesham which was greatly endowyd by the Kynge kenrede kynnesman to the sayde gloriouse martyr.

¶De sancta Withburga virgine

SEynt Withburghe was suster to seynt Audrye / & in her yonge yerys she made a monastery at der∣ham where she was made a Nonne / On a tyme whan she had nothynge for her werkemen but only drye bredde / she made her prayers to our Lady / & she apperyd to her in her slepe and bad her put her truste in our Lorde & not moch to care for bodely sustenaūce addynge therto that in the mornynge she shulde sende two of her maydes to a certen Ryuer & there shulde come to theym two wyl∣de hyndes to gyue them mylke / & so it prouyd as our La∣dy had sayde / and the ruler of the Towne herynge therof

vpon this condycyon that she myght haue .xi.M. of vir∣gyns Chosen and delyueryd vnto her whiche they were ryght well contente to do & theruppon in all goodly haste her ••ader sent into dyuerse {pro}uyncys Coūtreys / & callyd to gether & assedlyd all y^e chieffe & chose vyrgyns as well kyngys doughters / dukys doughters as of other nobles & amōges them all Chose .xi.M. of y^e fayrest / & wysestes & sent them with moch noble appareyll & all y^t was necessa¦ry to them vnto y^e foresayde blessyd vyrgyn Ursula whō she receyuyd full gladlye / & benygnely as an heuēly gyfte or sendynge / & by the foresayd Aungell she was also war∣nyd to goo with her sayde felaushyp of vyrgyns vnto Co¦leyn / & that there they shulde haue & receyue the Crowne & Palme of martyrdome shewynge her all the circūstaū∣cys therof / & howe / & in what maner it shuld be / whereupō they toke theyr shyppes which were ordeynyd all redy w^t all that nedyd to them / & so came to coleyne thorughe hel∣pe of almyghty god / holy Aūgellys beynge theyr gydes in moche lesse space then it was possyble to haue doon by any meanys helpe or power / where they were ryghte ho∣norably & gladly receyuyd aswell of the Busshope of that Cytie as of the Cytezyns with many other nobles for in veray ce••tayne the Aungellys which were with theym in all this Iourney takynge vppon theym fourme and lyke¦nes of men went before theym aswell to this Citye as to all other Cityes wherto they shulde goo / and gaue war∣nynge of theyr commynge to the heddes and chefe rulers of the Cytye whiche euermore mette theym on the waye and receyued theym with great gladnes / and reuerence and ordeynyd for them in the best maner that they coulde and at the aforesayde Cytie of Coleyne they taryed & ••••••styd

a certeyne space / And for asmoche as theyr tyme of tryumphe was not yet commen / for theyr enemyes were not yet cōmen thyder they were warnyd agayne by y^e aū¦gell for to goo to Rome there to cōmēde them to almygh∣tye god / our Lady seynt Mary & to the holy appostellys with all other sayntys wheroppon they toke theyr shyp∣pes agayne / & so goynge towardes rome came to the Cy¦tye of Basyle w^t a prosperous cource ī y^e space of .ii. or .iii. dayes which was .viii. dayes Iourney and agaynste the streme / and there they were gladly receyuyd as is before sayd and lefte theyr shyppes there and so wente on theyr Iourney / and pylgrymage to romewarde on fote with¦out Charet / Horse / or Mule to carye theym but went all lyghtly and meryly for they were comfortyd & strēgthed thrugh the famylyer company / & felaushyp of aungellys and other seyntys / & holy virgyns / so that nothynge was to theym heuy or peynfull / in so moche that dyuerse ma∣trones in theyr Felaushyp hauyuge youre Chylderne in theyr Armes went as lyghtlye / and as easely as dyd the other which bare none / & the sayde yonge babes & Chyl∣derne were aswell comfortyd by vysyon of Aungellys & other sayntys as other were / and made therof many euy¦dent sygnes of Ioye & gladnes in theyr maner as they coulde & ferdermore thyse Innocentys / and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Chylderne neyther greuyd nor noyed theyr kepers / nor yet lettyd theym by soukynge vppon them as they were wont to doo / but thrughe the grace / & largesse of ••••••ygh¦tye god / they put theyr fyngers in theyr owne Mowthes and sowkyd out there full swete & delycate nourysshyngs wherwyth they were full well fedde & susteyned / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ouer they neuer wet theyr selfe with theyr vryne nor other

wyse after the maner as chylderne by course of nature be defould but euer p••••re and clene as they that were fedde with Aūgellys food / in this holy & mery pylgrymage all thynge succedyd {pro}sperously better than they coulde thin••ke or desyre / for if they disposyd them at mornynge ••o lod¦ge at suche a cytie / or place / at nyght they came thyder w^t case at theyr pleasure neuer lesynge theyr wey & whereso¦euer they came in coūtrey / or Cytye they encreasyd in nō¦ber / for many {per}sones both Kynges / Busshoppes / Pryn∣ces / Dukys & many other nobles / matrones / & vyrgyns whiche c••sortyd to theym to beholde so wonderfull a spec∣tacle seynge & cōsyderynge how almyghty god wrought in them / & that it coulde not be otherwyse but by his gra∣ce / & goodnes lefte theyr Countreys / Londys / & goodys / dygnytes & all other frendys and I••ynyd them in felaw¦shyp with thyse holy virgyns in hope / & truste to be par∣teners with them of theyr gloryous Thryumphe & vycto∣rye / And so it was doon / for they all suffryd martyrdome with them / Also in this blessyd Pylgrymage Rayne / ne dewe noyed theym / nor any euyll Felawshyp nyghed to them / they were so well / & tenderlye kepte / & defendyd by garde or kepynge sent from aboue hyghe Hyllys / & moū¦taynys wherof some semyd impossyble to passe ascape were to them lyke easy as playne & feyre wayes or pathis the streyght wayes noyed them nor taryed them nothyn¦ge but they passyd all lyghtlye & easly / Also theyr appa∣rayle & Clothys were not enpeyryd nor in any thynge y^t worse for this Iorney lytyll corporall mete seruyd theym they were so well fedde & so delycatlye fulfyllyd w^tinforth ī y^e soules but it was rather tedious & greuous to thē to ta∣ke it / at Rome certen of thyse vgins which were yet vncri¦stenyd

were baptyzed of the holy pope Cyryacus which Cyryacus warnyd by an Aungell lefte his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and all his dygnyte and went to Coleyne with thyse by vyrgyns to be partener of theyr rewarde / and so dyd a holy man cal∣lyd Cesaryus the Busshope of Basyle beforesayde / And at the Cytye of Magunce / goynge from Basyle to Co∣leyne mette with theym the foresayde noble prynce Oly∣fernes the spouse of the blessyd Uirgyn vrsula with his moder / and dyuerse other persones which were Cryste∣nyd / and so went fourth with theym to Coleyne desyryn∣ge to be parteners with theym aswell of theyr laboure & Peyne / as of theyr Rewarde and mede / And when they came to Coleyne they foūde it besette with the cruell bar∣daryes / And the Prynce and Capytayne of theym seyn∣ge thys grete multytude of virgyns merueylynge moch therat commaundyd hastely that they shulde be brought and presentyd before hym / and soo they were / And after many questyons / He beholdynge the foresayde Blessyd vyrgyn Ursula admerueylynge her grete bautye / her so∣ber and stable countenaunce / and stedfaste mynde / anon was takyn and Rauysshyd in the loue of her / but all that was in vayne for neyther for his feyre wordes / and great behestys / ne yet for his cruell thretenynges she ••••lynyd nothynge / nor in any wyse assentyd to hym / but stedfast∣lye / and with bolde countenaunce despysyd hym / not de∣syrynge his fauoure / nor dredynge his malyce / wherfore the cruell tyraunt moche greuyd and anoyed seynge that he coulde in nothynge preuayle by fayre meanys / ne yet by foule caused to be Slayne & martyred before her face many vyrgyns & other of her companye amonge whom

was the noble prynce Olyfernes her owne spouse before sayde thynkynge therby to peruerte her / But for all this she was nothynge mouyd / nor chaūgyd any countenaū∣ce but as she whiche desyryd to be with her veray spouse cryste Iesu not onely feryd not deth / but also affectuous∣lye desyryd it / and longyd sore in her harte for it knowyn¦ge for certeyne therby to come to her purpose and her har¦tes desyre / wherfore the sayde Tyraunte seynge that she wolde not in any thynge enclyne vnto hym after all her cōpany causyd her to be slayne & martyryd ryght cruelly There myghte a man haue seen moche tyrannye exercy∣syd by thyse bochers which as wood dogges / or wolfes thrustynge Innocent blode without pytye / or mercye de¦uoury / and slewe all thyse Holy vyrgyns with all theyr companye in a rage / and furye and cutte theyr Bodyes into smalle pecys / and caste and sparkelyd them ouer all aboute the felde / and amonges theym were Clayne yonge Chylderne in theyr moders wombes / and as it was she∣wyd by reuelacyon they were also receyuyd to the euerla¦stynge lyfe / and parteners with theyr moders of the Re∣warde of martyrdome as Baptyzyd in y^e Blode of theyr Moders wich were slayne for crystys sake / for otherwy∣se they coulde not haue ben sauyd / In the whych we may see the great and Infynyte goodnes / and mercyfull py∣•••• of our Lorde that soweth / and so largely spredyth his mercye / Also thyse In••aūtys with many other persones Men / Women / and Chylderne were not accomptyd in y^e nombre of the .xi.M. vyrgyns but were besydes them to the nombre of .CCCCC. and aboue as it apperyth in y^• hystorye of them in the legende / Also in y^• nombre of the

xi. thousande by vyrgyns was noon ••l••••te / but if she 〈◊〉〈◊〉¦ry pure and chaste for other which 〈…〉〈…〉 virgyns & were noon thrugh the 〈…〉〈…〉 of almyghtye god to whom nothynge is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were putte out & not chosen / after the deth of thyse holy vyrgyne In∣medyatlye al••yghty god not suffrynge thyse cruell Ty∣rauntys to goo all quyte without takynge vengeaūce of the Blode of his holy virgyns which was shed for his lo¦ue sent & put into them such a ••eer y^t with all theyr myght they fl••dde & ran awaye glad to escape with theyr lyues•• for as them thought they sawe cōmynge vppon theym to persecute them / such a companye & so great a multytude of armyd men so terrybly that they thought neuer to ha∣ue escaped / & so they fled ī all haste y^t they myghte where thrughe the wofull prysoners & all desolute the Cytezyns of Coleyne which had lōge tym•• be holden & kepte thrall & in dyspayre of lyfe seynge theyr enemyes chasyd & fled awaye openyd theyr Gates & went fourth all Ioyfull & glad of theyr sodeyne delyueraūce / & cōsyderynge this to be the hande of god thrughe the merytes of thise holy vir¦gyns which they sawe lye in the felde slayne by theyr ene∣myes full dylygently gatheryd the bodyes of them toge∣der / which were full ••yde ca•••• & sparkelyd in pecys and with great honoure & reuerence buryed them / & vnto this day there dare noon burye any other Bodye within the cōpass•• wh••t•• they ben buryed / which myracle suffyseth to declare & make open howe dere & acceptable thyse ho∣lye & blessyd vgyns were to almyghty god & many other myracles appere in the hystory which I omytte for short¦ness / Also seynt Elyzabeth that holy vyrgyn in her reuel••¦ciōs

spekyth moch of thyse holy vgyns which for y^e cause before sayde I leue to speake of / after in {pro}ces of tyme men beynge forgetfull by dulnes of wytte / colde anf drye 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to beleue thyngys which they see not / nor canot cōprehē¦de by theyr blynde Reason / by theyr neclygens put thyse holy virgyns vtterly in oblyuyon / wherfore our lord not sufferyng his deer belouyd vgyns so to be forgotten to his honoure & praysynge pryncipally & to the honoure of the sayd gloryous virgyns & also for our socoure / & helpe many yerys after the passyon of them shewyd by reuela∣cyon the foresayd hyst••••ye to hym that was the wryter & maker thereof / & furthermore the sayde blessyd seynt Ur∣sula dyuerse other of the sayde virgyns apperyd vnto hym as he was wrytynge therof affermynge it to be true as apperyth more at large in y^e sayde legende / there was of the same company of Blessyd virgyns one virgyn cal¦lyd Cordula the whiche when the other virgyns were in theyr martyrdoms hyd hyrselfe all nyghte in the bottom of a shyppe / & neuerthelesse in the mornynge she offeryd her selfe frely to deth & as the other vgyns dyd receyuyd the Crowne of martyrdome / and it is not for any man to thynke that this Blessyd virgyn by y^t lytyll fear ony thin¦ge hyndred her rewarde / or Crowne of martyrdom whē neyther Peter denyinge our Lorde / nor Thomas doub¦tynge of the resurreccion were a•••••••••• fro the honoure to be Apostyll / And parcase thys Blessyd Uyrgyne some∣what hadde presumed by the purpce of her Lyfe and con¦staunce of her feyth to putte a truste in her selfe to suffre Martyrdome soo that it was expedyent for her to be m••¦ked or to lerne to truste in our Lorde and not in her selfe / After many yerys this blessyd virgin Cordula apperyd

vnto a holy woman callyd Hellent••ude beynge & recluse seyinge vnto her I am oon of those blessyd virgyns that suffred martyrdome at Coleyne & lyuyd one nyght after them / & in y^e mornynge offred my selfe gladly vnto y^e deth & so dyinge in our lorde I neyther lefte y^e company of my susters ne yet lackyd lyke rewarde as they had of y^e crow¦ne of martyrdome / wherfore I woll y^t thou shalte in my name commaunde the susters that the nexte daye after y^t they shall haue seruyd all the hoole companye of the say∣de blessyd virgyns that they doo some thynge to my ho∣noure for it is not expedyent for them that I only be lefte vnhonouryd amonge that company / And then the ••eclu∣••e askyd of her what was her name / she bade hee loke in her forhed what she sawe wrytten there and she lokynge vp sawe wrytten dystructlye Cordula whereupon she ma¦de relacyon to the Nounes therof / wherfore in the daye folowynge they halowed her feest accordynge to the say¦de cōmaūdement / a certeyne Abbot desyryd of the abbey of Coleyne y^e body of one of those virgyns promysynge that he wolde sette her in his Chyrche in a Coffer of syl∣uer / And when he had kepte her a hoole yere vppon the Aulter in a Coffer of wood / in a nyghte as the abbot and couent were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 matens they sawe the sayde vyrgyn des∣cende vppō the Aulter and goynge downe she ••••wyd her 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and went thr••ghe the quere y^t all the brethe 〈…〉〈…〉 we / & so she departyd wherop••n y^t 〈◊〉〈◊〉 went to the Coffer and fyndynge nothynge therin wente to the Abbesse of Coleyne and shewyd he•• then of•• And thenne they wente to the place fro whens the B••∣dye was taken and there they foūde it agayne / wherfor••

lawght at it And as he was goynge to dryue a way y^e hyn¦des he fell fro his Horse & streyghtwaye dyed / After full of good werkys & good exaumples she went to our Lord and was buryed at dereham / After that monastery was destroyed by Danes / & nowe ther is a parysshe Churche And in the yere of oure Lorde .ix.C.lxxiiii. in the tyme of Kynge Edgar her Body was translatyd to Ely whiche was then newely repayryd by seynt Ethelwolde / & all the wey in the Nyghtys a bryght sterre folowyd the Bodye nyghe all the nyght longe / & in y^e yere of our Lorde a.M. and .xxvi. her Bodye was remouyd by Richarde the laste Abbot to the Place where it lyeth nowe / And the Bodye & also the clothes were foūde vncorrupte / A munke tow∣chyd her Bodye & foūde it flexyble & hir chekys rodye as roses lyke as she had ben a lyue.

¶De sancta Ursula et vndecim milibus virginu•• martiribus.

THere was in moche Brytayne nowe callyd Englonde a Crysten Kynge whiche hadde a noble and a vertuose Quene to his wyfe and they lyued lō∣ge togeder without ony chylde / wher¦fore they were ryght heuy & at y^e laste thorough contynuell prayers / & good werkys they opteynyd of almyghty god to haue a doughter whom they crystenyd & namyd vrsula & norysshed / & brought her vp in y^e feythe of our lor¦de full vertuosly & gracyously with all theyr myght and

cunnynge which encreasyd soo meruaylously in all ver∣tue & grace and therto was soo feyre that the fame of her was in short tyme spronge ouer all into many Coūtreys and Landes so farre that it came to knowlege of a certen Kynge heynge a Paynym / but he was veray myghtye & of great power and therto veray Harde & cruell / but y^e Quene his Wyfe was ryght noble in all her behauyoure Courteys and Gentyll / and of euery persone bylouyd / This Kynge had a yonge sone callyd Olyfernes Ryght lowly / and Courteys / and they herynge of this Fayre & vertuous yonge Lady vrsula desyryd moch in theyr hat¦tys to haue her to theyr sone in maryage / And anon sente messengers with letters full pleasaunte to the Kynge her Fader / and to the Quene her moder promysynge great gyftys & rewardys if they wolde assente and furthermo∣re ryght harde / and sharpe thretenyngys if they wolde not agree therto / By reason wherof the sayd Kynge her Fader was in great Sorowe / and Heuynes cōsyderyn∣ge the myght / & power of this other kynge / & therto howe harde / & cruell he was & also y^t he was an Infydell / wher¦fore he was ryght lothe to mary his Doughter to y^e sayd Kyngys sone / and also of the other syde he knewe for cer∣teyne that though he wolde agre / yet she wolde not but rather suffre dethe she was so stedfaste in the feythe rely∣gyous and chaste / and thus he beynge in great perplexy¦te and doutfull peryll / the foresayde Blessyd vyrgyne his Donghter was warnyd by an Aungell that she shulde goo to her Fader and bydde hym agree to the other Kyn¦gys requeste and desyre / and that she shulde assent ther¦to / and so shulde she comforte and assure her Fader and peacyfye and make glad the other parte / Neuerthelesse

the abbot askyd forgynes / and desyryd that he myght ha¦ue agayne that Bodye / or a noder promysynge certeyn∣lye that he wolde put it in a goodlye coffer which he coul¦de in no wyse opteyne.

¶De sancta Wlfhilda virgine.

THe great graundefader of seynt Wlfhyde was founde in an Egles neest by Alfryde kynge of weste saxons whiche Crystenyd hym / & callyd hym nestynge because he was takyn out of a nest whō he brought vp nobly / & made hym erle / He had Issu witbur¦dynge which had Issu wlfhelme fader to seynt wlfhylde which with his wyfe after they had dyuerse Chylderne ly¦uyd chaste .xviii. yerys / & then by monycyon of an Aūgell they knewe y^e wyll of god / & had a doughter whō they cal¦lyd wlfhylde / & cōmyttyd her to the nonnes at Wylton to brynge vp / kynge edgare in processe of tyme wolde haue maryed her / & when he coulde by no meanys haue her as∣sent / ne yet haue her to come speke with hym and that he durste not take her out of the Churche / he toke counceyll of her Aunte callyd wenflede / which beynge desyrous to haue her nese exaltyd / dyssymylyd her selfe to be syke / & so the Blessyd vyrgyne came to wharwelle to vyset her Aunte where she founde her not syke but syttynge at dy∣ner with the Kynge in great Royalte / And anon the vyr∣gyn was apparayled in goodlye apparell / and the Kyn∣ge made her to sytte betwen ehym and her Aunte promy¦synge her great Ryches / and to be Ladye of Brytayne / which in her Harte she abhorryd thoughe she sayd it not with her mouthe / And dyssymylynge her selfe to be syke

wolde ete no mete alweyes thynkynge howe she myghte escape / which the Kynge perceyuyd and appoyntyd cer∣teyne knyghtys to kepe her both within the house & with out / and after with her to maydens she went into a secre∣te house / and dyd of her pompyous ornamentys and by a lytell hole an Aungell beinge her guyde / she escapyd / and lyke a poore woman came into a pore womans house in wharwell / and all that nyghte she was sought by the kyn¦ges seruaūtys & coulde not be founde / & in the mornynge she went to wylton whyther the Kynge folowyd and at∣temptyd all that he coulde to haue her speke with hym / & coulde not tyll it hapned hym to mete her in the cloyster wherof he was veray gladde / and toke her by the sleue & she anon pullyd away her arme / and y^e clothe remaynyd styll in the Kynges hande more easely seueryd then if it had ben cut of / and so she went streyght to the hyghe Aul∣ter and commytted her virgynyte to our Lorde / and the Kynge astonyed at the seuerynge of the sleue / and a sha∣myd of his presumpcyon thought that it shulde betokyn / that she the spouse of our Lorde shulde be cleerly seueryd fro hym wherfore he went to her and bade her not feer for he wolde no more lette her porpose but rather be a helper of it / wherupon he gaue her the monasterye of Barkyn∣ge / and newly repayryd it / after of her owne patrymony she made a noder at Horton whiche is lyke farre / that is to save nyghe aboute .xii. myles fro Wylton / Shaftesbu∣rye / Warram / and Hampton / And in euerye oon of them the Kynge gaue her a Churche / Whanne she was profes∣syd a whyghte Doue was seen destende vppon her Hed¦de / with the sygne of the Crosse she helyd a blynde Chyl∣de / And whan Seynt Ethelwolde came to her / the My∣nystres

tolde her that she lackyd Drynke / Wherfore for gladnes of suche a geeste she putte her truste in our Lor∣de and the Uessellys mynysshed not / By meanys of the clerkys of Barkynge / the Quene alstrude moder to kyn¦ge Ethelrede put her out of Barkynge / and the Clerkys hadde the rule / and when she wente fourthe of the gatys she sayde to the Susters wepynge for her departynge that the same daye / and ī the same gate after .xx. yerys she shulde come agayne / and so she went to the Monasterye of Horton where she encouragyd the susters as well pre∣sent as absent by Wordes / Exaumples / and by Messyn∣gers to the desyre of Heuenlye thynges / aftre the Quene was Punysshed as well by Deth of brute Beestys / as of men / and at the laste she her selfe felle syke to whom seynt Alburghe apperyd in poore appareyll with a syklye coū¦tenaunce / whiche she sayde was longe of her seyinge / she shulde neuer be hoole tyll she broughte Seynt Wlfhylde agayne / And so•• she broughte her agayne the same Day as she hadde prophecyed / after that she lyuyd .vii. yerys And was Abbesse of bothe Monasteryes of Barkynge / and Horton / And she sayde she shulde dye on seynt Ethel woldes euyn / And soo she dyed at London the .v. Ide of Septembre / As she was in bryngynge to Barkynge one that Seynt Wlfhylde hadde reprouyd for his Syn∣ne layde hande to the Beere / And fourth with it was soo heuy that it wolde in no wyse be remouyd / And whanne he was Confessyd / and dyd Penaunce he came agayne and helpyd to bere the H••rse as other dydde / In her ora∣torye at Horton a woman receyuyd her Syghte / And as she was admonysshyd she wente to Barkynge with

great dyffyculte in maner crepynge where she receyuyd perfyght helthe.

¶De sancto Wlrico confessore.

SEynt wlryke was borne in contane / that is .viii. myle fro Brystolle / and beynge a preest he vsyd bothe Huntynge / and Haukynge after he wente to halesberge / that is .xxx. myle fro Oxforde / And there of his owne deuocyon / he buryed hymselfe to our Lorde / & so mortyfyed his Flesshe with fastyngys / and vygyllys / that scarcely the skyn myght hange to the Bonys / he ete Breed made of otys / and dranke no maner of Wyne / nor any thynge that myght dystempre / But onlye on hyghe Festys for reuerence of the Feest / On vygyllys he wat∣chyd all nyghte / oonles that sykenes lettyd hym / He slep∣te in no Bedde but lenynge his Heed to a walle / and whē he wakyd furth wyth he went to prayer He weer y^e Here nexte his skynne / and therupon an Haberioyne / On a ty∣me when the haberioyne was to longe he clyppyd it with sherys as if it hadde ben clothe / In the nyghtys he wolde goo into a Uessel of Water / and saye the hoole Psalter wherby he mortyfyed the Temptacyons of his Flesshe whiche he suffered ryghte moche / He sawe Deuylls sytte in Iudgement where they condempnyd hym as one that was in euery thynge agaynste them / And as they drewe hym aboute the Chyrche our Lady delyueryd hym / On a tyme he bette the Deuyll / & wolde not let hym goo tyll he promysyd y^t he wolde neuer come agayne / a wretchyd man not berynge his pouerte pacyentlye had doon to the Deuyll homage / And aftre when he repentyd & was cō∣mynge

towarde seynt Wlryke by the way the Deuyl helde hym faste at a water syde & wolde nat suffer hym go / wher¦fore seynt wlryke knowynge it by an Aungell bad a preest go thyder and shewyd hym the place where it was / & that he shuld caste holy water and brynge the man to hym / and so it was done when he was brought to hym he toke hym by the ryght hande / & the deuyll helde hym by the lefte han∣de and plucked at hym with all his myght / then seynt Wlry¦ke caste holy water / and droue hym away with confucyon / After when y^e man was confessyd and was penytent seynt Wlryke brought to hym the Sacrament / and asked hym whether he byleued and he sayd ye for he sawe the veray bo¦dy and blode of our Lorde bytwyxt his handes / then seynt Wlryke thanked our lorde and prayer that it mought appe¦re as it dyd byfore and so he was cōmuned. The deuyl had power of the body of seynt Wlryke in so moche y^t he strake hym w^t byles & wormes so y^t al his flesshe putrefyed / & som¦tyme he stroke hym with intollerable hete / sōtyme w^t intol∣lerable colde / which he alway ouercame w^t pacyence two ty¦mes his Lanterne went out & was sodeynly lyghted agay¦ne / when he had helyd a man y^t had the deuylin hym he bad hym shewe it to no man / & in his slepe he was blamed that he wolde nat lette the werkes of god be knowen / & so after he wolde shewe theym oonly to Relygyousmen / Aprees•• called Osborne on a nyght sawe in y^e churche a great lyght that made all the churchyarde bryght / and in the mornyng seynt Wlryke asked hym what he sawe / and when he had tolde hym he sayd it is well that thou seest it. It was our lor¦de Ihesu that came to comfort me his seruaunt and I pray¦ed that thou myght se it whiche scarcely I coulde opteyne / Moreouer he shewyd hym what Psalmes he was then say¦inge

/ and where he stode at that tyme / Water with his bles∣synge turned into wyne / wherof a woman that was nyghe deed drauke and furth wich was hole / A lady with all her companye that came to vysyte seynt Wlryke with one lofe were fully sacyat / and of the fragmentes a great company of people that came to haue his blessynge were also refres∣shed as it is sayd aboue .xl. persones / A yonge mayde that was syke thought that in her slepe she went to seynt Wlry∣ke & that he gaue her holy water in a cuppe to drynke wher¦with she was hole / and whenne she wakyd she was hole in dede and she shewyd what maner a man he was and the ve¦ry markes of the place where it was done / As he was at masse he was in doubte whether he put water into the Cha¦leys wherfore he made his prayer with great deuocyon / & whenne his prayer was done / he sawe in the chaleys blode rodye as a Rose as of the lambe immaculate our lorde Ihe∣su criste / whiche whenne he hadde receyued the hoste he re∣ceyued y^• as of a moste delycate grape / He dyd many my∣racles & sygnes w^t holy brede and holy water / and dyuerse that brought hym present{is} and stall parte were punysshed He tolde kynge Henry the firste when he went ouer the see that he shulde dye there and so he dyd / another tyme he tol∣de the Erle stephan that he shulde be kynge and so he was / He shewyd to a preest called Osborne that on the saterdaye at nyght he shulde go to our lorde as he had longe desyred / and so he dyed in the yere of our lorde god a Thousande a hondred and .liiii. in the .x. Kalend of Marche.

¶De sancto Wlsino Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Wlsyne was borne in London / and by assent of his Fader & moder he was made monke at West¦mynster

/ and when he was made preest he shyned in al ver¦tue fyghtynge agaynst the enemye of mankynde with vy∣gylles and prayers / He ouercame the coueytousnes of the worlde with desyre of heuynly thynges & with all dylygen∣ce wolde note the mocyons of his body and spyrit / He was meke redy to helpe his bretherne and fulfylled with charyte encouragynge his bretherne to al vertue in the beste maner that he coulde to wyn̄ theym to our lorde / After by helpe of seynt Dunstane kynge Edgare made hym Abbot of West∣mynster / & then how dylygent he was for the helth of other and how he faught agaynst the enemye of the flocke of our lorde what example he lefte byhynde hym of doctryne / and of good lyfe no man can tell / After kynge Ethelred sone to kyng Edgare by a hole assent of the clergye and people ma¦de hym bysshop of Shyrborne / and all the Lent he wolde be in the Cloyster in fastyng{is} / wepynges / and contempla∣cyon eschewyng the clamore of the worlde / And after Ester he wolde go aboute his Diocise prechynge and techynge y^e people / and dyd great reperacyon vpon the olde temple at Shirborne / In the fyfth yere after he was made bysshop he fell syke and a specyall frende of his sent to hym to know how he dyd / and he sent hym worde agayne that he shulde make hym redye for on the morowe he shulde go with hym to the hyghe Courte to receyue his rewarde in heuyn / And whenne the messanger was gone he prayed the bretherne that they wolde carye both hym & his sayd frende to Shir¦borne / and then lyftynge vp his iy en to heuyn lyke seynt ste¦phan he sayd Ise heuyn open / and our lorde standynge on the ryght hande of almyghty god / and as he sayd tho wor∣des he yelded his spirite to the handes of our lorde.

De sancto Wlstano Ep̄o & confessore.

SEynt Wlstano was borne in y^e Prouynce of War¦wyke And in the Monasterye of Burghe he had his lernynge / He sayd a longe Masse & was oon∣ly content with the offrynges of the people / he was a clene virgyn & a man of great symplycyte & mekenes / He neuer toke excesse of drynke & left etynge of flesshe by this occasy¦on. On a tyme as he was goynge to a certeyne busynes & had appoynted to ete of a goose after masse / as he was at masse / he coulde in no wyse kepe his mynde fro y^e goose y^t was rostynge at y^e fyre / & the sauoure therof was alwayes in his nose / Wherfore he made an othe y^t he wolde neuer af¦ter ete mete of that kynde / after he was made monke at Wy¦gorn̄ where he had dyuerse offyces and at laste was made pryor / He vsed moche fastynges / vigylles / and prayers / & moste cōmonly he toke slepe in the Churche with his boke vnder his hed / euery sonday he vsed to preche to y^e people / Wherfore one reproued hym sayinge a monke shulde kepe his Cloyster / And in the nyght folowyng y^t man in his sle¦pe was brought byfore a Iugge / and was cōmaunded to be beten & so he was so sore that the markes apperyd vpon hym whenne he was awake / And seynt Uulstan̄ herynge therof w^t his blessyng made hȳ hole agayne. Thre dayes in the weke he absteyned fro all mete kepynge also scylens / the other thre dayes he ete lekes and wortes soden and bar¦ley brede. Whenne he was chosen to be bysshop he wolde in no wyse assent to take it tyl a holy man blame•• hym for his obstynacye / and then he toke it vpon hym / The kyng Wyl∣lyam Conqueroure bycause seynt Wlstan̄ coulde speke no Frenche and that he thought he was but of small conynge wolde haue deposed hym / and whenne seynt Lamfranke then Archebysshoppe of Caunterburye at a counseyll bad

hym to sygne his staffe and his synge he sayd he knewe wel he was neuer worthye to haue the ro••e / but he sayd saynt Edwarde by Auctoryte of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 / and by hole assent as well of the clergye as of the people leyde that burden in his necke agaynst his wyl / Wherfore he sayd he wolde resygne to hym wherupon he went to seynt Edwardes Shryne / & there put his staffe vpon the stone that lay vpon seynt Ed∣warde & sayd he resygne v̄to hym / and the stone receyued y^e staffe and hede it fast. And when the kynge and saynt Lan∣franke makynge his prayers attempted to haue pulled out the staffe but it wolde nat remoue / And whenne seynt Wul¦stane toke it / it came lyghtly out wherfore seynt Lamfranke he toke the bysshopryke agayne / He wold haue all his seruaū¦tes here masse / And when he sent any of his seruauntes in any Iourney he wolde enioyne theym to saye prayers .vii. tymes euery daye as clerkes be bounden to do / and he that swere any othe shuld haue a certeyne punysshemēt / He har¦de daly .••. masses and sayd hym selfe the thirde. He helyd a woman and also a man that had deuylles in theym and the woman was after a Nonne and lyued a blessyd lyfe / A le∣pur with the water y•• seynt Wlfstans wasshed in was helyd with his blessynge helyd a Nonne y^t was kynge Heroldes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of a sort 〈◊〉〈◊〉 When he rode he wold begyn y^e Psaul¦ter & nat cease tyll he had done / & one was alway redy to gy¦ue almes / In euery of his townes he had a hous wherin he wold be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 tyl one warned hym y^t it was tyme to go to ••uyce or to go to dyner / When he was at Wygorn he wold

synge hygh masse / & he sayd he wold as gladly resygne his bysshopryke as leue y^t offyce / He wolde be at collecion of y^e bretherne / and when Confessyon was done and benediccy¦on gyuen he wolde departe. There was a man that by no Instaunce wolde forgyue the deth of his brother / wherfore seynt Wlstane cōmytted y^t sayd man to hym whose he was and his body to sathan wherupon he was taken with a spy¦ryte and was not hole tyll he had clerely forgyuen the offen¦ce. He was desyred by Elsyn that somtyme was seynt Ed∣wardes seruaūte to halowe a Churche ī a place where was a tree that letted the lyght of the Churche whiche the sayde Elsyn bycause he vsed somtyme to ete & playe vnder it wol¦de nat haue cutte downe wherfore seynt Wlstane accursed it wherupon it waxed drye / wherfore the lorde cutte it dow∣ne sayinge there was nothynge more bytter thenne Wlsta¦nes curse / and nothynge more swete then his blessynge / In the pene of our lorde a Thousande .lxvii. the .xiiii. kalend of •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 he went to our lord / amd a hondred yere after his body was remoued whiche with his pontyfycall vestymen¦tes was founde vncorrupt / Amonge other myracles y^t our lorde shewyd for this blessyd man / A woman that .v. yeres bowed downe to the grounde was made hole / A child that had his tunge cutte of restored / fyue blynde men had theyr syght / fyue obcessed of deuylles delyuered / 〈◊〉〈◊〉 deed men reysed to lyfe / •••••• lepurs clensed / •••• a tyme within the spa∣ce of thre dayes by merytes of seynt Wlstane .xxxv. were he∣lyd of dyuerse deceases grupynge thankyng{is} vnto ••••••••••••∣tye god and to seynt Wstane.

¶De sancto Edga••e••ege ••t ••••••fessore.

THe lyfe of this blessyd Kynge was founde in the boke that is called Cathologus sanctorū / when the great Legend was nygh fynysshed and by∣cause it coulde not be put in after the ordre of the letters it is ••ette laste of all the seyntes / and in the Kalendre it shall kepe the ordre as other seyntes do after the letter / Seynt Edg••¦rekynge of Englande when he was aboute the age of .xvi. yeres beganne his Raygne in the ••yme of Otho the Empe¦roure at his byrth seynt Dunstane Archebysshop of Caun¦terbury ha••••e the voyce of an Aungell fro Heuyn sayinge peas be to Englande as l••nge as this childe shall Raygne and as longe as our Dunstane shall lyue / He raygned .xvi. yeres & euery yere he foundyd a new Monastery & gouer∣nyd the Realme i•• hygh peas & Iustyce / he subdued y^• kyn¦ge of scotlande / & the kyng{is} in Wales to the nombre of ••yue and dyuers other he compellyd to come to his court & toke a perpetuall ••the that they shuld be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto hym / What by by polycye / and what with fere he refreyned his people fro great outragyous drynkynge and he was so terryble and streyght of punysshement that there was noo pry••••t the•••• in all the Countrey n•• any great Rob••er of the people / He kylled al y^• wylde b••stes in Englande that we••e ••••uenours and lyued by blode / and cōmaunded Guydale kyng ••f ••••••les that he shuld for his ••ribute yerely brynge vnto hym thre Hundred W••lnes whiche he dyd many yeres tyll he sayde there were no m•••• / Euery yere after{is} Ester he 〈…〉〈…〉

serche the see to take Pyratys and r••bbers of the see / And in wynter he wolde go 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by euery prouynce to put a∣way theuys and to serche the Demeaner of great m••n that they breke nat Iustyce / On a sondaye he was dysposyd to go•• on huntynge / and desyred seynt Dunstane to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of masse tyll he came / And whenne the houre drewe nere seynt Dunstane put on his v••••tymentes and lenyd vpon the Aul¦ter and sodeynly fallynge a slepe he was ledde into Heuyn where he harde Aungelles synge Kyrie eleyson .ix. tymes / After he awakyd and taryed a whyle and was rapte agay∣ne and harde theym synge with an hyghe voyce Ite miss a est / wherto was answeryd Deo gratias. Thenne after his clerke came to hym and tolde hym that the kyng was come to whom he answeryd that he had harde Masse / & that he nedyd nat any more to say Masse for that daye / and when the kynge askyd hym why he wolde n••t say Masse he she∣wyd hym his vysyon / & by that occasion he {pro}hybyted the kynge y^t he shuld neuer after go a huntynge on the sonday which monycion y^e kynge toke benygnely & fro thens kept it all his lyfe / This blessyd kynge in many thyng{is} maye be resembled to the great kynge Dauid / for as kynge Dauid was fyrste kynge of Iuda / and after was kynge of all the Lande aswell of Iuda as of Iherusalem / and helde it at his deth peasyblye / So this noble kynge was kynge of all this Realme of Englande / and hadde the hole monarchye therof peasybly / whiche hadde ben byfore tyme deuydyd in to many kyngdomes / and was called Re••pacificus / Also as kynge Dauid was a myghty defender of his subgettes / a subduer of ••••bellys / and so was this blessyd kynge as in his lyfe / And also in Cr••nycles wyll appere / and as kyn∣ge ••au••d moche encreasyd the seruyce of almyghty god /

And appoyntyd dyuers men therto p̄payrynge many thyn¦ges to haue buyldyd the Temple to the honoure of god / so this blessyd man made & repayred dyuerse Monasteryes in this Realme / wherby the seruyce of god was moche en∣creacyd. Also when kynge Dauid had offendyd / and was wherfore reprouyd by the Prophete Natham anone he cō∣fessyd his offence cryed mercy and dyd penaūce in lyke wy∣se when this blessyd kynge had offendyd / and seynt Dun∣stane reprouyd hym therof anone ferynge the Iugement of god he knowlegyd his offence / and dyd seuen yeres pe∣naunce as in the lyfe of seynt Dunstane apperyth in the lat¦ter ende of seynt Patrykes lyfe in the Legende it apperyth that many yeres after the departynge of this blessyd kynge his body was founde vncorrupt / and that when the place that was newly ordeyned for hym was to lytell / Oon pre∣sumptuously attemptyd to make the body mete for the pla∣ce / wherupon incontynent the blode folowed so that all that were there present fearyd greatly and therupon he was ho¦norably leyde in a Shryne by the hyghe Aulter / whiche he had gyuen to the sayd Churche and anone he that so presū¦ptuously had offendyd sodeynly fell downe and expyred A man that was madde / and also a blynde man at the tumbe of this blessyd kyng receyued helth / and he lyeth at Glaston bury / Praye we then to thyse glorious seynt{is} that be in this present Kalendre that by merytes of theyr prayers we may haue grace so to passe by thyse transytorye thynges that af∣ter this short lyfe we may come to the Euerlastynge lyfe in the kyngdome of heuen. Amen.

¶Explicit.

¶Thus endyth the Kalendre of the new Legende of Englande / Emprynted to the honour of the gloriouse Seynt{is} therin conteyned by Richarde Pynson / pryn¦ter to our Soueraygne lorde Kynge Henry the .viii.

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