Vitas patrum.

¶Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt An∣thonye Abbot / Whyche fyrste was bro¦ughte in to wrytynge. and sente by sa∣ynt Anathase to the bysshopp of Alex∣andrye / And after by saynt Enagrion preest translated out of Greke in to la¦tyn. and put it to this present boke. whi¦che is made of holy faders / And begyn¦nyth in latyn ¶ Igit{ur} Anthonius. &c. Caplm .xxxvi.

[illustration]

SAynt Anthonye born in Egip¦te was come of ryght noble pa¦rētes. as was of noblesse of lig¦nage. as of holy conuersacyon / He was nourysshed soo solytaryly that he kne∣we noo man of the world / but on̄ly his frendes. ¶ Whan he was a lytyll grete that is to wyte in his Infancye. he wol¦de not goo play with lytyll chyld{er}n. but he went in to the chyrche. herynge y^e ser¦uyce of god / And notwythstondynge y^t the chyldren of ryche houses had a cus∣tome to be delicyously nourysshed with dyuers metes / Neuerthelesse saynt An∣thonye desyred them neuer / but was cō¦tent wyth suche as men gaaf to hym / ¶After y^e deth of his frendes he abode fad{er}les in thage of .xix. or .xx. yere. & w^t hȳ dwelled his syster. whom he gouer∣ned & taught in gode dedes & werkes. & th{us} passȳg y^e tyme· vi. mōthes. haūting y^e chirche. he thouʒt how thapostles left

all theyr substaunce and goodes for to folowe theyr swete lorde and mayster Ihesu Cryste / ¶ On a tyme he beynge in the chyrche herde one rede a gospell / Whyche made mencyon how our lord sayd to a Ryche man / Yf thou wolt be perfyghte selle all that thou haste & gy¦ue it to the poore. and come folowe me. And for that thou shalt haue tresour in heuen / ¶ And Incontynent lyke as the holy scrypture makych mencyon. he ga¦ue ouer all his possessions / And thre hū¦dred mesures or acres of londe. whyche apperteyned to hym. he lefte to his ne∣yghbours / to thende that he wolde noo thynge of theyrs. ne of his syster / Al his other moeuable goodes he solde. and to¦ke the money. and gaue it to poore peo¦ple. excepte a lytyll whyche he gaaf to his syster. whyche was of ••as••e aege & more f••ble of complec••nn than he was ¶ And after agayne he retorned to the ••hy••••he / And herde ••adde in the gospel that noo man ought to thynke how he sholde lyue on the morne / And thenne he distrybuted the rysydue of his godes to poore peple. And after that he wold no more retorne home to his hous / But recomended his syster to the vyrgynes / To thende that by theyr good ensam∣ples she sholde be the better enfourmyd in good maners ¶ All his desyre was to enquyre where he sholde fynde ony holy men for to vysyte theym to the en¦de that he myghte receyue some fruyt / Like as the bee gooth fro floure to flou¦re for to gadre some thynge for to ma∣ke his hony & ware / ¶ Emonge the o∣ther there was one solytary man not ferre fro his hous / Whom he ofte vysy∣ted / After y^t he was retorned to his her∣mytage. he gate his lyuynge by the la∣bour of his hondes / consyderynge that he whiche labourith not is not worthy to ete / ¶ Helas he had somoche ryches whyche he had gyuen for goddis sake / For the honour of whom. and in obey∣enge his worthy Instruccyons. he was content afterwarde to labour / & to beg∣ge / ¶ What shal thou doo · thou cursyd auaricyous man. whyche wolt no thyn¦ge gyue for goddis sake / Vneth & with grete payne woldest thou nourysshe a poore persone one hoole daye / ¶ Take ensample on saynt Anthonye / whyche lefte al for to be a poore beggar / Yet of that he wanne wyth his grete laboure / he kepte for hym but brede for his sus∣tenaūce / And the remenaūt he gaaf to the poore / He gouerned hym soo honest¦ly. that he was merueylously biloued of all his bredern / ¶ Of al theym that he vysyted he helde to hymselfe some ver∣tue / Of that one he wanne contynence & chastytee. of an other gladnesse. of an other mekenesse & lowlynesse: of a no∣ther studye & pacyence / And fynably he had the fayr vertue of charytee / whyche is the maystresse of all vertues / And in suche wise he profited fro vertue to ver¦tue. that emonge alle his bredern there was none lyke to hym / ¶ The deuyll of hell enuye to mankynde. seenge the holy lyfe whyche saynt Anthonye be∣gan to lede. was enuyuous. and enter∣prysed to tempte him / ¶ Fyrst he layed tofore his eyen to thende y^t he shold de¦parte out of his hermytage the noblesse of his byrth. his sister whom he had lef¦te alone. thabūdāce of his godes. & of y^e goodes that he myght gete / the dyuerse metes that he might ete. & generally he

presented to him all thynges playsaūt to nature / ¶ And after he shewed hym how it was harde to gete vertue. seen & consydered the freelte of his bddy· And y^t he myghte yet lyue longe tyme / Wher¦fore thenne sholde he be thenne longe in deserte / ¶ All thyse thynges putt he in his mynde for to haue reuokyd hym from his good purpoos / But this not∣withstondyng he ouercame alwaye the deuyll by deuowte prayers and ferme constaunce. ¶ Often tymes he tempted hym in the synne of the flesshe. & that was by cause he was in his yonge aege But by longe fastynges and contynu∣ell abstynences he wythstode it manly / ¶ Some tyme by nyght the deuyll ap¦peryd to hym in the lykenesse of a fay∣re woman / But Incontynente for to wythstonde it. he remembred how hys flesshe sholde rote in wormes hastely / ¶ A nother tyme the deuyll moeuyd & styred hym to lyue Ioyoeusly in lustes of his flesshe and of the worlde / And then̄e anone he wolde bringe to remem¦braunce the paynes and tourmentes of helle. and the Ioyes of heuen / And by this manere he wythstode all the temp¦tacyons of the deuill / ¶ Fynably whan the deuyll sawe that he myghte not o∣uercome the good holy man / He knelyd downe to hym in the semblaunce or ly¦kenesse of a lytyll horryble chylde blac¦ke and howlynge / And also in cryenge sayde to saynt Anthonye / ¶ I haue de¦ceyued many heremytes and holy men but by the I am ouercome and put vn∣der fote / ¶ Saynt Anthonye then̄e as∣ked hym what he was to whom he an¦suerde / I am the grete solycytour of Le¦cherye. the deceyuer of yonge peple· cal∣led the spyryte of fornycacyon. whyche ofte tymes haue tempted the. & alwaye thou hast ouercome me / And whan the gode knight saynt Anthonye herd this ansuere / he began to yelde thankynges to god. of this that he had put hym vn¦der fote. and sayd / My god be thou my ayde and my Protectoure / And I shall neuer fere ne drede myn enmye. ¶ And Incontynent the deuyll whyche was se¦en by saynt Anthonye as a fantasme. vanysshed away / and he sawe hym no more / And thus was the fyrste vyctory gyuen to saynt Anthonye / ¶ But this notwythstondynge he was not well as¦sured / For he knewe by holy scrypture. that the deuyll had diuerse maners for to tempte men / Wherfore he kepte him more strongely then̄e. and put his body in grete suffraunce. to thende that yf he had vyctory in ony thynges ayenst the deuill. he shold not be ouercom by other And for this cause he occupyed his ty∣me in prayers & orysons more than o∣ny of his bredern heremytes ¶ The mo¦ost parte he woke nyghte & daye / he ete but one tyme on the day. and that was after the sonne gooynge downe / Some tyme in thre or foure dayes he ete not but ones. and that was brede & salte. & a lytyll water / His bedde was of Ionc¦kes. and his vestyment of hayre / ¶ Of¦te tymes he laye all naked vpon y^e gro¦unde / And how well that he had longe tyme suche abstynēces. yet were they to hym noo thynge greuous / But though¦te alwaye to be att the begynnynge of his penaunce in encreacyng alway his sayd abstynences / ¶ And for teschewe vaȳglory / he dyde payne to forgete the¦im / And in dede he forgate al the good

dedes that he hadde doone: And enfor∣ced to doo more than he had done tofo¦re / ¶ He remembred alwaye in his her¦te the prophete Helye. that sayde / My god seeth to whom we oughte to be cle¦ne and apparayled to obeye him wyth redy wylle / ¶ He considerynge alwaye also how he oughte to gouerne hymsel¦fe euery daye whyle he lyued / And ha∣uynge noo regarde to the tyme passed / At alle houres he prepared to be in su∣che estate as it apperteyneth to a very¦ry Crysten man and catholyque /

¶Saynt Anthonye then̄e thus lyuyn¦ge departed from his hermytage / And wence ferder from the cyte / ¶ And sen¦ce to one his kynnesman that in certa∣yn dayes he sholde sende hym for to ly¦ue for the sustentacyon of his lyfe / whi¦che kynnesman and frende dyde it gla¦dl•• / ¶ On a tyme it happed that he hy¦selfe came for to v••syte hym / ¶ And af¦ter that he hadd vysyted hym. He lefte hym allone faste shytte / ¶ And the de∣uylles came in grete multytude. why∣che brake vpp the doore / And bete hym soo moche that he had loste his voyce / and his herynge / ¶ And he beynge lef∣te so fore hurte and wounded / that the payne of his woundes surmounted all tormentes of mankynde / ¶ whanne he that broughte hym to ete retourned to him / and founde his doore broken. and hymself halfe deed. he toke hym on his necke. and bare hym vnto his house / He beinge there. the neyghbours & fren¦des came to / and sawe him almoost de¦de· beganne merueyllously to wepe / And so longe endured that fynably for gryef they felle a slepe. excepte he that broughte hym / ¶ The nyghte beynge come / saynt Anthonye lyfte vp his he∣de and sawe hym that broughte hym thyder slepte not / ¶ Thenne he prayed hym that he wolde here hym agayn to his hermytage / And he so dyde in obey¦eng his grete prayers / ¶ And whan he was in his hermytage. he put hymselfe in prayer. the whiche done & fynysshed He began to crye wyth an hye voys in spekynge to the deuylles / ¶ O ye enmy¦es dampned & wicked I Anthonye an here. and am not fledde / And though ye doo to me more martyrdom & payn yet shall ye not conne departe me fro y^e loue of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And yet more ouer he sayd yf al the worlde were aga¦ynst me. I shal drede noo thynge / The deuyll seenge that he had suffred soma¦ny tormentes. merueylled how he was soo hardy to retorne / ¶ Thenne the de¦uyll callyd his cursed dogges & sayde / Ne see ye not how this folysshe hermy¦te agryth & scornyth vs. by cause he ha¦the not be ouercome neyther by the spy∣ryte of fornycacion ne also by betynge Ne by the payne that we haue done to his body / ¶ Make ye redy. for he muste by vs be more pugnisshed than he was byfore / He shall ryght soone ••ete what we ben / And Incontinent was made a grete tempeste. that the hous was bro∣ken on al sydes / And therin entred a in¦numerable multytude of deuylles in di¦uers formes / Some in lykenesse of bul∣les. and other of lyons. of dragons. of wulues. of addres. of serpentes & scorpy¦ons. and the other in other dyuerse for∣mes. as of liepardes / tygres & be••es. e∣che of hem cried after his nature / The lyon cryed in his crye. wyllynge to slee him / & the bulle thretnynge hym wyth

his hornes. / and so euery beeste tormen¦ted hym in his maner / ¶ As towchȳge his bodi he was moche febled. but as to wchynge the soule. he was constaūt & a bydynge in the loue of god. & mocked theym all and sayd to the deuylles / Yf ye haue strengthe there nedyth but one to assaylle me / & yet more ouer he sayde to theym / Yf ye ben puyssaūt & god ha¦the gyue you power ouer me. I am redy y^t ye deuoure me / & yf he hath yeuen to you noo power / wherfore enforce ye so yourself / Knowe ye not well that y^e sig¦ne of the Crosse is the shelde of faythe and a walle inexpugnable for to defen¦de vs agaynst you / ¶ And heryng they grunted wyth theyr teeth of the dyspy∣te that they had of that they were moc¦ked of hym. wythout to haue ony pow¦er ouer hym / ¶ Wherfore our lord why the leuyth not his seruauntes in daun∣geour / Seenge the vyctorye of his go∣de knyghte saynt Anthonye / came for to vysyte hym / Descendynge as a lygh¦te in to his habytacyon / ¶ After why∣che lyghte receyued. all his paynes and soores were heelyd / And his hous why¦che was al to broken was Incontynent made agayne ¶ Saynt Anthonye kne¦we thenne that god was come to com¦forte him / And beganne to crye / O my god / O good Ihesus where were thou whan I was thus scorged all this daye why camest thou not atte begynnynge for to heele my woundes and soores / ¶ The voyce ansueryd / Anthonye I was here / But I taryed thy vyctorye / ¶ And now bi cause thou haste strong¦ly foughten. I shall alwaye helpe the / And shall make thy name be renom∣med thorugh oute all the worlde / The whyche voyce herde. He aroos vp. and was more stronge and constaunte to praye god than̄e he was tofore / ¶ And he was atte that tyme .xxxv. yere olde ¶And after whan̄e his vertues began to growe / He came to an aeged fader whyche dwelled nye to hym / of whom is spoken tofore / Prayenge hym that they myghte dwelle togyder / ¶ Neuer∣thelesse by cause that he shold not com¦playne of his olde aege / And also by¦cause that he had not be accustomed to be conuersaunt wyth ony persone / Sa∣ynt Anthonye desyrynge to lyue solyta¦ryly / And takynge example of the say¦de holy fader. wente alle alone vnto a mountayne / ¶ And in gooynge thyder the deuyll whyche cessyd not to tempte hym. layed in his waye a plater full of syluer / ¶ The whiche saynt Anthonye seenge ouerthwartly. in thynkyng that the sayde plater hadd be layed there by the deuylles crafte / By cause that in y^e waye came not but byrdes and wylde beestes / ¶ And thenne sayde saynt An¦thonye / Goo thou dampned deuyll / thou and thy syluer in to eternall perdi¦cyon / And that sayde the plater vanys¦shed awaye· as fume or smoke depar∣tyth from the fyre / ¶ And after that he sawe a grete masse of golde / And for fe¦re therof he fledde to the mountayne / Lyke as he wolde haue eschewed a gre¦te fyre / ¶ And after that he had passed a grete flood. he founde a castell in de∣serte full of venimouse beestes / In whi¦che he abode as a newe hoost / ¶ And Incontynent as he was lodged. all the beestes fledde awaye / ¶ Then̄e he stop¦ped then tree with stones And layed as moche breed therin as shold suffyse hȳ

for .vi. monethes / ¶ Now it was soo y^t the brede of Thebayde endured longe as the space of a yere or there abowte / Neuer after he wold not departe ne spe¦ke to man of the worlde but twyes on̄∣ly in the yere / And toke his sustentacy∣on vnder couuerture wythoute to speke to theym that broughte to hym the say¦de sustentacōn / ¶ Many freres desyrȳ∣ge to see hym. waked all the nyghte at his doore / the whyche ofte tymes herde voyces sayēge to saynt Anthonie / Whe¦refor puttest thiselfe in our habytacles Goo out of our boūdes / For thou shalt not mow suffre our temptacyons / And they had supposed that it had ben men that hadd entred by ladders / Wherfore they loked wythin the caue thrugh the c••euyces / And by cause they saw no per∣sone. they estemed that the•• were deuil∣les that soo spake to hym / ¶ Thenne they were aferde in suche wyse y^t they cryed for helpe to saynt Anthonye. and then̄e he came nyght to theym. & wyth his worde be comforted them in sayen¦ge / ¶ Blesse ye you and be assured. Le¦te the deuylles deceyue themself / ¶ Sa¦ynt Anthonye alwaye lyued in encrea∣cyng his vertue & prudence / ¶ On a ty¦me came some persones to hym. of whi¦che some supposed to haue foūde hym deed. but by hymself he sayd syngynge To my wyll god enhaunsyth hymself And all his enmyes ben destroyed / and al they that hate hym fleetofore his fa¦ce. like as smoke is consumyd soone. so sone faylle they / And lyke as ware mel¦••yth ayenst the fyre soo perysshe they y^t ben synnars tofore god / And more ouer he sayd / All folke haue assaylled me in the name of our lorde. and I haue vain¦quysshed theym / And thus in that wyl¦dernesse he was bi y^e space of twenty ye¦re / ¶ And by cause that many desyred to see hym for to folowe his maners & his doctryne. came some in to his hous and brake it by force / But whan they sawe hym they were amerueylled how he was soo hoole of his membres / For he was not swollen by his longe aby∣dynge enclosed. ne by his fastynges. ne by tormentes of the deuyllis / And his vysage was not pale ne chaunged but he was as a yōge persone. also clene of all his membres. as he neuer hadd ony harme / He neuer laughed / And wyth al his myght he kepte hym fro synne / He neuer for ony praysyng of y^e peple was the more prowde / ¶ Many by his pray∣ers were delyuered fro deuyllis & theyr power. His wordes were alwaye vertu¦ouse· He comforted y^e desolate. He taug¦hte alway the symple & Innocentes. he appeasyd alway they that were angry To all he shewed that no persone shol¦de loue ony thynge more than his crea¦tour or maker / ¶ To good peple he she¦wed the glorye eternall and the meke∣nesse of god / And how god y^e fader had noo feere to sende his sone to take oure nature to the ende for to redeme vs fro¦the paynes of helle / ¶ Also he counsey∣led euery man not to leue tēporell thyn¦ges /

¶ On a tyme in the conntree of A••se∣noytayns. as he wolde goo and vysyte his brethern and his felowes / he passed the ryuer of Nyle / wythoute hauynge ony harme of y^e cokadrylles and other beestes that were there / ¶ In that pla¦ce he confermed in vertue grete nombre of his brethern. In suche wyse that ma¦ny

monasteryes were reedyfyed / ¶ On a daye he beynge wyth his bre∣thern / They requyred hym to gyue to theym some Rules for to gouerne the∣ym in vertue / Whyche he gaaf to the∣ym many / ¶ Fyrst that they solde com¦forte eche other / And that whyche they hadde goten by science. they sholde she∣we eche to other / ¶ Also that they shol¦de neuer haue wyll to leue theyr estate of Heremyte. But to kepe it in encrea∣synge of vertues / ¶ For mannes lyffe was but an Instaūt / as to the regarde of the lyfe eternall ¶ After that he had proposed this / He made by a manere of taryenge a lytyll scylence / ¶ And after in merueyllynge of the bounte and lar¦gesse of god. he beganne to saye agayn thyse wordes / ¶ O my brethern consy∣der ye that in this mortall life. marcha¦undyses and rewardes ben egall / For the seller receyueth for his marchaundi¦se but thynge Iuste of the byar / Ne in lyke wyse the seruaunt but his Iuste de¦seruynge of his lorde / ¶ But the glo∣rye of the euerlastynge life maye for vy¦le and lytyll pryce be boughte / ¶ It is not wreton that oure dayes excede not thre score and ten yeres. or foure score yeres / And yf we lyue lenger. It is but labour and sorowe and myserye ¶ For in that aege. a man retorneth to the sta∣te of Innocencye / ¶ But in that other worlde we shall liue perpetuelly / Thē∣ne we shall not enhabyte the erthe. but the heuen / And the body that we shall leue corruptyble we shall take agayne Incorruptyble / Therfore my brethern be noo thynge greuyd ne anoyed / For the shorte passyons of this worlde ben not condygne ne worthy to the perpetu∣elly of heuen / ¶ Yf ye haue lefte ony li∣tyll londe or possessyons / Be not dys∣playsaunt ne sory therfor / For god shal yelde to you for it an hundred fold mo¦re / ¶ They that shall haue left the go¦des of this worde for to serue god. shall haue an hundred folde more in that o∣ther worlde / ¶ Also oughte they to con¦sydre. that woll sette theyr herte in ouer moche louynge the rychesse of this wor¦lde / That in thende they shall lede the¦ym in to helle / ¶ We oughte noo thyn¦ge to loue. but that oonly whyche we maye here wyth vs after oure dethe / ¶ Oughte we not thenne to loue that thynge that shall cause vs to goo to he¦uen / That is to wyt. Sapyence Chas∣tyte. Iustyce. Fastynge. Prayer. ••esy∣nesse on the poore. Ferme faythe. Pacy¦ence ayenst yre / And generally to loue god and our neyghbour as ourselfe / ¶ Consydre that we ben the seruaun∣tes of god / and that we owe to hym ser¦uyce. as to hym whiche hath created vs ¶ Lete vs not reioyce vs of our lyf. for yf we ben in helthe in the mornynge / Yet we be not sure to liue to euyn / And yf in this manere we ben besye for our helthe. we shall neuer synne / ¶ We oug¦hte also to flee hate and euyll wyll aga¦yn all persones / And aboue all thynges loue of wymmen / ¶ We ought promp¦tly and benygnely to forgyue and par∣donne eche other / ¶ Tofore oure eyen we oughte to sette two thynges / that is to wyte the laste daye of oure lyfe. why¦che is the dethe / And the nyghe Iuge∣ment of god / ¶ And yf for the loue of god we woll kepe vs from synne / Or att leest for drede of thyse two thynges we oughte to absteyne vs /

¶Ferdermore sayd saynt Anthonye. I praye you my brethern. loke neuer be∣hynde you / But goo alwayes right fo¦urth the good wayes / that ye haue be∣gonne / ¶ For he that puttyth hys hon¦de to the plough / And lokyth behynde hym / He is not worthy to haue the Re∣ame of heuen / ¶ Leue the Grekes why¦che gone in to straunge londes / and pas¦sen ouer the see. for to gete the scyence & cunnynge of vayne thynges / ¶ We haue noo thynge to doo. to goo hyther¦ne thyder / ¶ For the Reame and regy¦on that we pretende to haue / Lyke as god wytnessyth in the gospell is wyth∣in vs / ¶ Ne doubte not that yf our sou¦le be not maculate or spotted. ne defoy∣led wyth synne / That in her shall be the fountayne of alle vertues / ¶ Thē∣ne it is of necessyte that it be good /

For it is created or made of a mayster / whyche is souerayne good / that is god oute Creatoure and Maker / ¶ Lete vs consydre the wordes of oure Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste. sayenge ¶ Doo ye soo that ye haue the herte clene to the god of Israhell / ¶ And in lyke wyle sayth saynt Iohan / whiche sayth / ¶ Doo ye soo that your wayes be ryghtfull pure and clene / Gouerned by the faythe of god / ¶ Now for to doo soo it byho¦uyth vs for to kepe vs from the spotte of synne / ¶ We oughte souerainly and ••••atly for to kepe vs from yee or w••a¦the / ¶ For whanne the man is angry / Wyth ryght grete payne maye he doo ony werke agreable or playsaunt vnto god / By cause that yre or wrathe em∣pessheth and lettyth vertue / The why∣che is none other thynge but god /

¶Yet after also sayd saynt Anthonye to the Relygyouses / My lytyll chyldren kepe you from vayne wordes. and fro pryde / ¶ Some there ben that enter∣pryce and avaunte theym to doo well / But they folowe not the dede whyche they enterprysed and purposed / ¶ O¦ther there ben that clothe theim and a∣raye theym wyth vestymentes of Rely¦gyouses / and folowe Relygyon / to the ende to seme and appyere good / But within their hertes they ben wulues en¦raged / And ben werse thanne deuylles ¶ For vnder the shadow of good / they done Infynyte harmes and euylles /

¶ After y^e holy fader saynt Anthonye shewed to theym some fallaces or dis∣ceytes whyche the deuylles done in dy∣uerse maners and mockynges / In say¦enge that often tymes the deuyll shew¦eth him to the holy men in lykenesse of men / In blaundysshynge theym and flaterynge theym wyth fayte and swe¦te wordes / And in praysynge theyr es¦tate and constaunce / ¶ And often ty∣mes promyseth that / whiche they may not gyue / That is the glorye and Ioye of heuen / ¶ For to eschewe suche Illu∣syons and mockynges / Whanne they ben felte comynge Oughte men to en∣seygne and blesse theym wyth the syg¦ne of the Crosse / And Incontynent it shall tourne in to noughte / ¶ For by the meryte of the passyon that our soue¦reyne lorde and Redemer Ihesu Cry∣ste suffred in the Crosse / Alle suche Il∣lusyons or mockynges sha••••lese theyr strengthe and vertue / ¶ He sayde also that some tyme come some Illusyons or deceyuynges. whyche cause terrour & drede to theym that the deuylles admy¦nystre theym. And that done they for

to takē awaye from men theyr mynde ¶But agaynst suche Illusions or scor¦nynges byhouyth to haue stedfaste fay¦the / And soo shall it be wythstonde ly∣ghtly / ¶ For to knowe thenne the dyf∣ference of good and euyll angellis / It oughte to be knowen / that whanne the good angell comyth / Hys chere and re∣garde is swete and amyable or louely ¶ And by cause he desyreth but peas / He makyth none noyse ne clamoure / And his voyce is not herde / ¶ He gy∣uyth Ioye and exultacyon to synnars / ¶For oure lorde is wyth hym / whyche is welle and fountayne of alle good / Incontynent also as oure soule seeth hym / yf it were to hym possyble. he sho¦lde breke the membres of the body / and wold goo wyth the good angell whan he is there presente / ¶ The benygnyte of the same aungell is soo grete / that yf he caused ony drede atte y^e begynnynge for his grete lyghte. Incontynent he takyth awaye from the man all drede and fere / ¶ Ryght soo dyde Gabryell to Zatharye beynge in the Temple / & also with the Shepeherdes / whanne he shewed the Natyuyte of Ihesu Cry∣ste. ¶ But of the euyll Aungelles / the countenaunce and chere is crimynell & dredefull / ¶ His entree horryble· The∣yr mocyon and waye is Inconstaunte / As of fooles or of theues / ¶ And In∣contynent as they ben tofore men. the soule fe••eth and dredyth / ¶ Alle the fy¦ue wyttes ben trowbed / And feere of de¦the folowyth / ¶ Desyre of shrewdnes: Lachednesse of vertue / And wekenesse of courage. ¶ Thenne whanne to the vnderstondynge comyth a thoughte or a presentacōn in lykenesse of an angell After the drede. presentyth hym Ioye Hope in god. and charyte / ¶ We ough∣te veritably to byleue that this comyth from god / Whyche sendeth to vs his ayde and socoure / ¶ In suche wyse Abraham the Patryarke seenge god. re¦ioyced him / ¶ In lyke wyse saynt Io∣han Baptyste beynge in the wombe of saynt Elyzabeth his moder / Whanne the gloryous vyrgyne Mary moder of our Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste came to vysyte her / He whyche was not yet bor¦ne· reioyced hym merueyllously / ¶ By whyche it apperyth that the good aun¦gell atte his comynge gyueth consola∣cyon and comforte / And makyth the persone to be assured. As he dide whan he shewed the ryght Ioyeous Natyuy∣te of our Sauyour Ihesu Cryst to the same gloryous vyrgyne Marye. in say¦enge to her / ¶ Marye be not aferde. for thou haste founde grete grace towarde god / ¶ And the contrarye by apperyn∣ge and represētacions of euyll angellis haue be many tymes deceyued the gen¦tyles and Paynems / ¶ But we Crys∣ten men ben preseruyd. By cause that god hath taken awaye from the deuyl the domynacyon and power that he hadde vppon vs. whanne he sayde to hym ¶ Goo thou abacke Sathanas / It is wreton that thou shalte adoure and worshipp thy god / and oonly shal thou serue to hym / ¶ By thyse same wordes whiche god sayde to the deuyll He toke his power from hym /

¶There is also gyuen to vs power to saye to hym whan he wolde tempte vs Goo abacke Sathanas ¶ And Incon¦tynent he shall be vaynquysshed / And shall departe from vs / ¶ After saynt

Anthonye prayed they that they shold not be curyous to doo myracles / to the ende / That yf they or one of theym by the vertue of our lorde made ony / they sholde not renne for that cause in to dampnable vyce of pryde and of vay∣ne glory / ¶ In lyke wyse he defended to theym: that they sholde not dyspyse that one the other. But exhorted theim that they sholde payne theymselfe to le¦de togyder good lyfe and honeste /

¶ Also sayde he for to doo and make myracles is not in oure power / But in the power of god / ¶ For he sayth in y^e Gospell in spekynge to his dyscyples / ¶ Gloryfye ye not yf the deuylles ben subgett to you. but reioyece ye you that your names bē wrete in heuen. ¶ Here it is to be noted. that they that done mi¦racles and prodygees by arte magyke / Wythoute to haue the gyfte of the gra¦ce of god. whan̄e they shall crye to god ¶ Haue we not dryuen awaye the de∣uylles in thy name / And many other vertues haue ben done in callynge the / and makynge Inuocacyon to god the blessed and very Iudge / ¶ To theym that he knowyth that heryth not hys sygne / He shall ansuere to theym / Cer∣tayne I knowe you not / for ye ha••e ne¦uer myn enseygne / ¶ After god shall say to theim / Goo ye a backe from me for ye haue ben alwaye euyll chyldren of Inyquyte / ¶ Saynt Anthonye sayd afterward / By cause it is harde to kno¦we the comynge of the good angell or euyll / ¶ We oughte to praye hym that it playse hym to gyue to vs scyence to conne dyscerne / ¶ For after the scryptu¦re we oughte not byleue euery spyryte / ¶ On a tyme the deuylles came to sa∣ynt Anthonye / Whyche sayde to hym. ¶ Anthonye we come to shewe to the oure lyghte / And Incontynent saynt Anthonye closyd his eyen. and wolde not see theym / But putte hymselfe to prayer his even closyd / And anone the lyghte of the deuyllis quenched /

¶ A nother tyme they came and songe tofore hym / And spake togyder of ho∣ly scrypture / But that notwythstondȳ¦ge saynt Anthonye stopped his eeres /

¶ A nother tyme they made his mona¦stery to tremble and shake / But he in his thoughte abode vnmoeuable / And prayed to god constauntly / ¶ Ofte ty∣mes they came spryngynge and syflyn¦ge tofore hym wyth an hyghe voyce.

¶ But Incontynent as he retorned to god. theyr noyce and tempest torned in¦to lityll noyce / that vnneth sayde saynt Anthonye myghte here it.

¶ On a time cam̄ one whiche had his body wonderly grete and sayde he had the vertue of god / The whiche demaūded of saynt Anthonye what he wolde haue of hym / ¶ And whanne he sawe hym soo grete. He armyd him Inconty¦nent wyth prayer / And toke the sheelde of fayth / By whyche anone he became as lytyl as half a fote ¶ A notherey me came the deuyll in fourme of a Relygy¦ous man & broughte to hym and sayd to hym / It is tyme that thou ete / thou haste ouerlonge fasted / Take corporell refcceyon. to thende that thou be not se¦ke / ¶ Anone after saynt Anthonye by∣helde hym. and sawe that his face was pale / And putt hymself to prayer / And thenne the deuyll wente his waye by y^e wyndowe. lyke vnto fume or smoke / ¶ A nother tyme he presented hym gol¦de

for to dysceyue hym / But he neuer wolde loke on it / ¶ A nother tyme ca¦me the deuyll & knocked atte the doore of his monastery. & whan saynt Antho¦nye went out. he sawe hym soo grete. y^t him semed y^t his heed raughte to heuen ¶Then̄e saynt Anthonie demaunded hym what he was. and what thyng he soughte / And he ansuered that he was callyd Sathanas / And that he came thyder. by cause the Relygyouses dyspy¦sed hym / And alle Crysten men cursyd hym / ¶ And saynt Anthonye ansuerd that it is well right and requysyte that all Crysten folke despyse & curse hym / ¶ For ofte by his temptacyons he bro∣ughte theym in hate / the one agaynste a nother / ¶ Where vpon the deuyll an¦suered· that he dyde not. But they the∣ymself were angry togider / ¶ And mo¦re ouer the deuyll sayde to hym / That the myghte and puyssaunce of the de∣uylles was faylled by the moyen of the passyon of Ihesu Cryst / And that they had noo more noo cytee ne other place for to enhabyte in / By cause the name of god was reclamed and named in al townes and cytees / And also in deser∣tes. whyche ben enhabyted by Relygy∣ouses and heremytes / Thenne saynt Anthonye hauynge the grace of god with him ansuered prudently / ¶ I by¦leue not that thou weneste to saye trou¦the / For thou arte the capitayne of lesȳ¦ge and of fallaces ¶ But thou art con¦strayned to saye this sentence. whyche is true / ¶ Certaynly Ihesu Cryste pry¦ued the of alle thy strengthest and ver∣tues syth the tyme that thou lostest thy beawte of an aungell by the spotte of thy synne / ¶ And Incontynent that sa¦ynt Anthonye had achyeuyd his pray∣er / The sayde deuyll vanysshed awaye

¶Saynt Anthonie sayde thenne to his relygiouses / My brethern drede not the Illusyons of the deuyll / ¶ For god whyche hathe putt from vs the deuyl∣les / And that aybdyth wyth vs / As lon¦ge as we ben in grace / He shall kepe vs from theyr dyuerse temptacyons /

¶ Lete vs sette oure charge to resyste & wythstonde theyr tytulacyons and ca∣uyllacyons as moche as we maye / For whanne they knowe that oure though¦tes ben vayne. freeyll and Inconstaunt They putte theym in. to the bodyes of men / ¶ And as theues. houndes. & wul¦ues enraged. they rauysshe body & sou∣le / ¶ Iob by his stedfaste fayth ouerca¦me the deuyll / ¶ And Iudas was the contrarye / ¶ The pryncypall thynge and moost necessarye for to vaynquys∣she and ouercome the deuyll. is to take playsaunce in spyrytuell thynges / and to haue contynuelly his herte to god / ¶ This vertue makith the deuylles to flee. as the smoke vanysshyth awaye / ¶ Therfore my brethern sayde saynt Anthonye yf ony vysyon come to vs / it must hardely be demaunded. who is he that presētyth hym tofore vs / & whens he comyth / ¶ And yf it be the aungell of god / The drede that we had shall to urne Incontynent in to Ioye / ¶ But & yf it be the deuyll / And yf he be dema∣unded of a deuoute soule / Incontynent he shall departe / ¶ After that sa∣ynt Anthonye had made his exhortacy¦ons / Eeuery one of the brethern was merueyllously enioyed / And after they enforcyd theym to gete vertues / ¶ And they that hadd hadde tofore but lytyll

faythe were confermyd· and hadd per∣fy••ghte fayth / ¶ And the other toke a∣waye all folysshe oppynyons from the¦yr thoughtes / In suche wyse that after they dradde not ony temptacion of the deuyll / But were more abasshed how saynt Anthonye hadde theym soo high¦ly Instruct or taught theym to knowe dyfference of the good aungell and of the wyckyd and euyll /

¶ In the tyme that Maxymyan per∣secuted the Crysten people / Saynt An¦thonye lefte his monastery. sayenge to his brethern / Lete vs goo wyth our bre¦thern martyrs / To thende that we ben martred wyth theym / Or att leest that we see theim suffre martyrdom / ¶ By the whyche wordes it appyereth many festly that thenne was saynt Antho∣nye martyr in wyll / ¶ And whanne o∣ny was broughte tofore the Iudge. He comforted theym in sayenge / that they sholde not feere the dethe / But sholde be constaunt or stedfaste in the faythe / ¶ The Iudge seeng the constaunce of saynt Anthonye & of his felowes. was hon••••bly an angryd. And dyde doo for bede that noo Relygyous sholde abyde in the towne but yf they sholde kepe y^e lawe / ¶ Thenne alle the Relygyouses went away / But saynt Anthonie sette noo thynge of his menaces and threte¦nynges / And shewed his Scapularye / to the ende that he sholde be the better knowen for a Relygyous man / ¶ And on the moune he shewed hym in a why¦te vestement tofore the fa••e of the Ti∣raunt / To the ende that he was desy∣rynge to be of the nombre of the mar∣tyrs / y^t whyche by the wyll of god was kepte and preseruyd from the y••e of the Tyraunt / And retorned to his monaste¦ry in makynge lene and castisynge his body of more sharpe fastynges & pray¦ers contynuelly thanne tofore / ¶ Nexte his flesshe he ware the hayre / And ther vpon a vestement of hayre namyd Me¦lote. ¶ He bayned neuer his body ne ne∣uer wysshe his fete / But by necessytee whanne he passed and wente thorugh the water / ¶ Neuer man sawe his bo∣dy naked / but whanne he was deed.

¶ Longe tyme after that saynt Antho¦nye was closyd in his monastery. not wyllynge to speke to ony persone / ¶ A prynce of chyualrye. named Martyny∣an hadde a doughter. whyche was me∣ueyllously vexed of the deuyll. ¶ Soo wolde the sayde Maxymyan goo to sa¦ynt Anthonye. for to praye hym that he wolde make his prayer to god. that it playsed hym to heele and guarysshe his sayd doughter / The whyche Mar∣tynyan arryued there and prayed hym that he wolde open his doore / ¶ But for what prayer that he cowde make / He wolde neuer opene it / But went vp¦on hyghe / And saynt Anthonye sayde to hym / ¶ O man wherfore demann¦dest thou ayde or helpe of me / Whanne I am mortall as thou arte / Yf thou by¦leue in Ihesu Cryste. whom I serue Praye to him. And after thy fayth thy doughter shall be guarysshed and hee¦lyd / ¶ The sayd Martinyan gyuynge faythe and credence to the wordes of sa¦ynt Anthonye called vnto the name of god ¶ And Incontynent his dough¦ter was heelyd and guarysshed /

¶ Many folkes also whyche went and slepte tofore the doore of his sayde mo¦nastery were guarysshed of dyuers ma∣ladyes

¶ And saynt Anthonye seenge that from alle partyes people came to hym / for to recouuere helthe. He wente from thens in to the hyhest partyes of Thebayde / Where as he was not kno¦wen / ¶ And by cause that by the occa∣sion of the grete miracles and wonders that he dyde and wroughte by the ver∣tue of oure lorde / he sholde not entre in to the synne of exaltacyon and vayne glorye / And also that men shold not re¦pute nor Iudge hym for an holy man / He tooke of the breede of his brethern / for to goo in to the hyghest partyes of Thebayde / ¶ And wente tyll he came to a grete ryuer. On the ryuage or ban¦ke wherof / he herde a voyce comynge from heuen / Whyche sayde / ¶ O An∣thonye whether goost thou / ¶ Saynt Anthonye as accustomyd to here suche voyces / Ansuered. that he wente from hys monasterye / By cause that the pe∣ople lefte hym not in peas / ¶ And the voyce ansuered vnto hym / ¶ Yf thou goo thyder as thou haste enterprysed for to goo. thou shalte haue more pay∣ne by the halfe thanne thou haste hadd ¶ But and yf thou wolte haue peas / Goo in to the deserte whyche is here wythin / ¶ Saynt Anthonye ansueryd that he knewe not where it was / And thenne the voyce sayd to hym. that the¦re were Sarrasyns. whyche haue ben accustomyd to lede marchaundyses in to Egypte ¶ Anone after saynt Antho¦nye aperceyued theym. And prayed the¦ym to lede hym wyth theym in to the sayde deserte / The whyche they dyde gladly / ¶ And whanne they had goon thre nyghtes / they fonde a moche hygh mountayne / Atte the foote wherof was a fayre well and fountayne / And abou¦te the same was a lytyll felde in why∣che were palme trees in lytyll quantyte ¶ And whanne saynt Anthonye sawe that place / He knewe well that it was the place. whyche was shewed to hym by the voyce on the ryuage or brȳke of the Ryuer. ¶ Thenne he tooke the bre¦de of his felowes / In recommaundyng theym to god / And abode there alle alo¦ne / ¶ After that his brethen hadd kno¦wlege of the place where he was / Thei sente hym alwaye his pytaunce / And by cause he sawe well that it was gre∣te payne for to brynge to hym his sus∣tentacyon / Sente to one of his Religy∣ouses that he sholde brynge to hym a shouell or a spade. wyth two forkes of yren. and some whete / ¶ The whyche brother soo dyde ¶ And anone after / he founde couuenable londe to laboure in the mountayne / The whyche he sewe wyth whete / ¶ And it multeplyed soo gretly / that he gadred ynough for to susteyne his lyffe / Wherof he was mo∣che Ioyeous and gladde / Seenge that he myghte lyue wythoute gyuynge to ony persone ony payne or traueylle /

¶ And bi cause that some folkes came thyder / He augmented and encreacyd his laboure in the lytyll londe for to gy¦ue Refeccyon to the comers to hys her∣mytage / ¶ And whanne the corne was grete / The beestes that were there ete it ¶ He dyde soo moche that he tooke o∣ne / ¶ And in spekynge to all the forsa¦yd beestes he sayde to hym / ¶ Wherfo∣re doo ye to me dysplaysure. syth that I doo none dysplaysure to you / Goo ye fourth in the name of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / and come noo more hyther /

To the whyche wordes the sayd beeste and all the other obeyenge departed all fro there abowtes / Thus lyued saynt Anthonye long wythin the pyttes & fos¦ses in the same moūtayne / ¶ And whā somtyme his brethern sente to hym oli¦ues. or of the oyle. or other fruyte. for to susteyne his olde aege / he wolde none /

¶ In y^e mountayn he had many bata¦ylles. not oonli ayenst the flesshe. but al¦so ayenst the deuylles whyche ofte bro∣ughte to hym suche tempeste. that it se∣med that all the moūtayne were ful of men of armes / ¶ Who well consydreth the wonderfull lyfe of saynt Anthonye he is worthy of grete praysynge / Seen¦ge his perseueraunce in abydyng so lon¦ge tyme in one place solytary wythout seenge ony persone / But on that one si¦de wylde & cruell beestes· and the deuyl¦les on that other syde / whyche came to bete & tormente hym / ¶ And neuerthe∣lesse he was neuer in wylle to leue hys hermytage / But abode alwaye in hys fe••me purpoos to serue god· considryng y^e sayeng of the prophete Dauyd / Who someuer shal haue very fayth & stedfa¦ste hope in god. shal neuer haue empe∣shement ne lettynge y^t may noye hy /

¶ On a nyghte as he woke in sayeng his prayers came aboute hym al y^e wyl¦de beestes of the deserte. whyche enfor¦ced theym for to byte hym / Then̄e sa¦ynt Anthonye sayd to theym. Yf ye ha¦ue lycence to noye me / come to me & de¦uoure me / And yf ye be come hyther. by thentysement of myne aduersarye goo fro me· I am the seruaunt of god / And Incontynent lyke as they had ben hun¦ted they fledde awaye /

¶ A nother tyme as saynt Anthonye made a tresse for to make a lytyll bas∣ket / For his custome was to gyue some¦thynge to theym that broughte to him of theyr goodes / A beeste hauynge the face of a persone. and the Resydue of an Asse· drewe from his hondes the sa¦yd tresse / And Incontynent as he sawe that / He blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And sayde I am the serua∣unt of god / Yf thou be sente to me in his name / I shall not flee from the / & anone he vanysshed a waye / ¶ Other moo grete thynges dyde saynt Antho∣nye. as it shall appyere here after /

¶ His brethern on a tyme prayed hym that he wolde come and see them / And by cause that vppon the waye beynge bytwene his hermytage and the place where as were his brethern was noo water / He dyde doo charge mete & wa∣ter vppon a Camell for to susteyne the necessytees of hym and theym that we¦re wyth hym / ¶ Whanne they were at the myddyll of the waye / theyr water faylled / ¶ And they had soo grete thur¦ste that they were well nyghe deed / by cause of the grete heete that there was / ¶ And lete theyr Camell goo acte the aduenture of god / ¶ And the good sa∣ynt Anthonye moeuyd wyth pyte wen¦te behynde his felowes And put hym∣selfe to prayer / The whyche done / so∣daynly apperyd a fountayne / of why∣che they were alle refresshed and eased ¶ And anone after they sechynge the∣yr Camell for to gyue to hym drynke fonde him casuelly bounden wyth his corde to a grete stone / ¶ Theyr waye accomplysshed & at ende / saynt Antho∣nie & his brethern came to the monaste¦rye where as were his brethern / ¶ And

anone they came hastely to hym. In en¦bracynge and kyssynge hym / Lyke as he hadde be theyr owne fader / Anone after he beganne to comforte theyr sou¦les / In praysynge the auncyentes and aeged / And in exhortynge the yonge to vertuouse lyuynge / ¶ And amonge o∣ther thynges he sayde to theym they sholde ofte rede the lyues of the good auncyent or aeged faders / To the en∣de that by their vertues they myghte be encyted and styred to lyue well. And to wythdrawe from dooynge ony maner euyll /

¶ One named Froncho y^e whiche was of Palestine was tormented of a deuyl in suche wyse that wyth his teeth he de¦trenched and bote his tonge / And with that he enforcyd him to put out his ey∣en / ¶ He was broughte to saynt Antho¦nye. to the ende that he myghte recou∣uer his helthe / Saynt Anthonye sayde vnto hym that he sholde goo in to E∣gypte / And anone he sholde be guaris∣shed and heelyd / ¶ He gaaf noo fayth to his ansuere / But abode. prayenge that he wolde heele hym ¶ Thenne he sayde that there he myghte not be hee∣lyd / ¶ Froncho byleued in his wordes And as soone as he came in to Egyp∣te he was guarysshed and heelyd /

¶ A vyrgyne of the regyon Trypoly∣tane was seke of a sykenesse the moost horrible that hath be seen / Fro her nose thrylles. her eyen. & her eeres came oute Incessaūtly humours & ordures so styn¦kynge. that it was an horryble thynge to beholde and see / For the sayd fylthes as soone as they felle on the grounde they torned in to wormes / ¶ Her fren∣des and parentes desyrynge her helthe and hoping to obteyne the same by the moyen of saynt Anthonye. putt theym on the way for to lede her to him / And in gooynge they founde sone some re∣lygyouses. whyche wente for to see sa∣ynt Anthonye / ¶ And soo they prayed theym that they myghte goo wyth the¦ym / ¶ And soo longe they wente togy∣der y^t they came vnto a good man na∣myd Paphonce / to whom Maxymyen had doo pulled out his eyen for the na∣me of Ihesu Cryst / ¶ They beyng the¦re arryued. the relygyouses made y^e pa∣rentes & the mayde to abide there with the good holy man / And they went for¦the to saynt Anthonye. & recounted to hym the caas of the poore mayde / In prayenge him that she myghte come & entree in to his monasterye / ¶ Saynt Anthonye wolde in noo wyse that she sholde entree. but sayde to the relygyou¦ses / ¶ Goo ye forth thyder. yf the may¦de be not deed. ye shall fynde her all ho¦le & guarisshed / ¶ And yet he sayde / no¦ne ought to come to me for to recouuer helth / ¶ For to giue helthe to seke men apperteyneth to the Sauyoure of the worlde / Neuertheles he sayd. As I pray¦ed vnto god. the helthe of his doughter was shewed to me / ¶ Then̄e they wen¦te where as y^e mayde was wyth her frē¦des in the house of saynt Paphunce / & there founde her alle guarysshed /

¶ Two brethern walkynge for to goo see saynt Anthonye. in walkynge that one deyed for thurste. & that other laye stratched on the erthe. & abode the dethe ¶ Saynt Anthonye that knowynge bi Reuelacyon of god. callyd tweyne of his brethern / whyche were comen thy∣de to hym / And sayde to theym thus /

¶ Goo ye hastely in the waye that le∣dyth men in to Egypte / And also take wyth you a botell wyth water / For ye shall fynde a brother deed for thurste / and a nother nyghe exspyred / ¶ The space of the waye was wel a Iourneye thens / ¶ Incontynent they wente and founde alle true that saynt Anthonye hadde sayde / ¶ They buryed the deed man / And broughte that other wyth theim / ¶ Yf ony demaūde or aske whe¦refor saynt Anthonye shewed not the Reuelacyon tofore the dethe of the bro∣ther / It maye be ansuered that the ques¦tyon is inpropre / ¶ For the Iugement proceded of god. and not of saynt An∣thonye / In soo moche that god wolde that the one shold deye / And that other sholde by saynt Anthonye be restored to his helthe /

¶ On a tyme as saynt Anthonye was prayeng to god sawe the soule of saynt Ammon religyous in Nytrye borne in to heuen by many angellis. syngynge melodyously / ¶ A nother accompany∣ed wyth a good man namyd Theodo¦re wolde passe the ryuer called Licuim / And by cause they myghte not passe y^e ryuer wythout they sholde doo of theyr clothes & be all naked / Saynt Antho∣nye prayed the sayd Theodore. that he wolde goo abacke. to the ende that he sholde not see hym bare / That notw^t¦stondyng saynt Anthonye beyng asha¦med for to vnclothe hym. by the grace of god. he was sette ouer on that other syde of the ryuer / Theodore passed the ryuer after hym. & was moche admer∣ueylled how soo hastely saynt Antho∣nye was passed ouer / And toke hym by the fete. & swore that he wolde neuer le¦ue hym. tyll he had tolde to hym how he had passed wythout to be wete / Sa∣ynt Anthonye seenge that saynt The¦odore constrayned hym. and made him to swere that he sholde neuer shewe to none byfore his dethe / ¶ Thenne he sa¦yd to hym. that by the grace of god he had be soo sette ouer the ryuer myracu¦lously / ¶ A nother man namyd Arche¦laus a knyghte requyred hym to praye god for one namyd Polycrasse dough∣ter of Publius. a deuowte vyrgyne. the whyche had a passyon in the stomacke and in the raynes comen to her by ouer moche fastynges & longe orysons. Sa∣ynt Anthonye prayed god for her. and Incontynent she was guarysshed & ho¦le / ¶ A nother tyme he was prayed to goo in a shyppe with his brethern. In y^e whiche he alone felte a fowle stinkyng stenche / All the relygiouses sayd that y^e infeccyon proceded of fysshe and ••oten fygges that were in the shippe / But sa¦ynt Anthonye sayde that it was a no∣ther thynge / ¶ And thus as they spake beganne a chylde to crye. whyche was bydde wythin the shyppe / hauynge a deuyll within his dody. ¶ Anone in the name of god bi saȳt Anthonye he was chacyd oute of his body / ¶ Thenne knewe alle the relygyouses that it was the deuyll that he felte soo stynkynge / ¶ A nother was bronghte to hym soo seke that he ete his superflue digestyon And ••e wyste not whether he was to∣fore saynt Anthonye or not / ¶ Saynt Anthonye made theym to goo to pray¦er that had brought hym / And he hym¦selfe also prayed alle the nyghte vnto god for the helthe of the poore pacyent The whyche seke man at y^e begȳnyng

of the daye for the grete payne that he felte / Smote and bete fowle saynt An¦thonye. whyche alle the nyghte hadde had compassyon nyghe by hym in pra¦yer / ¶ The Relygyouses beynge ther∣of moche angry. repreuyd sharpely the∣ym that had broughte hym / ¶ But sa¦ynt Anthonye swetely and mekely an¦suered / that the yōge man whyche was lyke hadde not done it / ¶ But the de∣uyll whyche by the cōmaūdement was soo constrayned to departe from hym / had so smeton hym / ¶ Anone after the seke persone was alle hoole. and gua∣rysshed / And came and enbracyd & kys¦sed saynt Anthonye / ¶ A myracle.

¶ On a tyme saynt Anthonye beynge in prayer lyke as he was alwaye acus∣tomed to doo. tofore that he toke his re¦fracōn was rauysshed of angels / & was born more hye than the regyon of thay¦re / The deuyllis folowyng after stroue by cause he was born hyer than the say¦de regyon / And the angellis seenge the sayd contradyccōn. asked of the deuyl∣lis wherfore they enforcyd to lette him seen that in him was noo sporte of sȳ∣ne / ¶ Thenne the deuyllis began to re¦counte the synnes that saynt Anthonie hadd done in the tyme of his yonge ae¦ge / Incontynent the angellis made the¦ym to be stylle. in sayenge y^t they shold noo thynge speke of the synnes of hys yongthe. but yf he hadd done ony syth that tyme that he was relyygyous and professyd & consacred to god. that they shold saye theim and none other / The deuylles accusyd hym of many fals ac¦cusacyons and lyes / ¶ And the angel∣lis seenge that the deuyllis accusid him oonely of fallaces. bare vpp saynt An∣thonye more hyghe than̄e the deuyllis were / ¶ And anone after they brough∣te hym agayne to the place where they had taken hym / ¶ Thenne saynt An∣thonye consyderynge the multytude of enmyes that we haue in this worlde. & soo many in the ayre. as in the erthe / The whyche alwaye a wayte to hurte vs. beganne to waylle and wepe / And soo contynued all the nyghte wythout to ete or drynke / ¶ And to this purpose sayth saynt Poule thappostle / We haue not oonly bataylle agaynst the flesshe onely / But also agaynst the deuylles. dwellynge in the Regyons of the ayre. ¶ Lete vs then̄e take the armes of god To the ende that we maye resyste and wythstonde oure enmye whan he shall assaylle vs / That is for to saye / That we lyue wythoute synne / And soo the deuyll shall not mowe accuse vs afore god / ¶ The nyghte after folowynge saynt Anthonye herde a voyce the why¦che cryed. Anthonye. Anthonye come oute / and see what that I woll shewe to the / Incontynent he aroos / ¶ And whanne he was oute of his Celle. lyfte vpp his eyen to heuen / ¶ And soo do∣ynge he sawe in the ayre a Monstre soo horryble grete / that his heed semyd stretchyng vp to the clowdes / ¶ He sa∣we also some hauyng wynges the whi¦che wolde flee vpwarde on highe / But y^e grete Monstre smote theym downe with his hondes. & threwe theym to the erthe. of whom some he brake all in pe¦ces / And other ayenst his wyll flew vp in to heuen / ¶ And anone as he had se¦en this. the voys sayd to hym y^t he shol¦de considre wel what this vision sygne¦fyed / ¶ Anone he knewe well y^t it was

the deuyll whyche made theym to falle that had sinned in this worlde / ¶ The other were gode soules whiche styed vp in to heuen. whom the deuyll myghte not greue / ¶ Saynt Anthonye seenge the sayde vysyon. and many other moo encreacyd and augmented alwaye hys lyfe from good to beteer / ¶ And how be it that he shewed thyse Reuelacōns to some ryght good persones / He dyde it not by noo vayne glorye / neyther for auauntrye / But was soo meke. That in exhortynge the clerkes. the Deakens and the preestes to praye god / ¶ He de∣syred to lerne of theym / And to that en¦tent ofte tymes he demaunded or axed of theym counseylle / ¶ To alle Bys∣shops and preestes / in bowynge his he∣de by humylytee he demaūded theyr be nedyccyon / ¶ And lyke as it is comyn∣ly sayde / From a Ioyeouse herte proce∣deth a Ioyeouse vysage / He had a play¦saunte vysage and aggreable to euery man / In suche wyse that amonge an hundred Relygyouse persones. by his honeste maners he sholde lyghtly haue be knowen / Though a man hadd ne∣uer seen hym / ¶ His face was alwaye in one astate. as well in prosperytee as in aduersytee / ¶ Aboue all other thyn∣ges he hated the conuersacyon of Ma∣nychyens / Heretykes scysmatikes / and Ar••yens / As to theym that were enmy¦es and aduersaryes of the fayth of god ¶ And yf of theyr se••te came in to the mountayne / He made theym to be cha¦cyd thens sayeng / That they were wer¦se thanne the serpentes of the deserte /

¶ Also the companye of lyghte / that is to saye of Crysten men / ought not to be accompanyed wyth derkenesse. that is to wyte wyth Heretykes and Infy∣delis / ¶ A woman came on a tyme to hym / Requyrynge hym that he wolde praye to god for her doughter / whyche was traueylled wyth a deuyll / And In contynent that he had made to god his prayer / the deuyll lefte her doughter pe¦asybly / ¶ A nother tyme came to hym two Phylosophers on hyghe on the mo¦untayne / The whyche by subtyll dys∣putacyons supposyd to haue ouercome hym and dysceyued / ¶ Whan he sawe theym. he Iudged theym to be Payne∣mes. and sayde to theym / I wonder of you that ben soo wyse how ye come to me from soo ferre / for to see a man fo∣lysshe / To whom they ansuerde that he was noo foole / but he was ryght wy¦se / ¶ Saynt Anthonye ansuered to the¦im that he was a fole / by that they had loste theyr labour and waye / And yf it soo be that I be wyse lyke as ye saye / And for to loue wysdom it is vtylyte & prouffyte / Folow ye that ye alowe and prayse And soo ye shall doo your due∣te / ¶ For thoose men ben to be praysed whan they ensyewe the good and wy∣le men / Yf I had goon to you. I wolde haue folowed your lawe / Thenne syth ye ben come to me. Come and folowe my fayth and be ye crystenyd / Then̄e the Phylosophers wente theyr waye /

¶ Other came to hym in mockynge him by cause he was noo clerke ne let∣tred / To whom he askyd the whyche had be fyrste or the wytte. or the scryp∣ture / And yf the scryptures were by the wytte and vnderstondynge / Or yf the wytte and vnderstondynge came of the scriptures / ¶ They ansuered him· that alle the scryptures proceded and were

made by the vnderstondynge / Thenne sayd saynt Anthonye / He that hath vn¦derstondynge good and hoole. nedyth not to be lettred by scryptures / ¶ And in this manere he delyuered theym all confused /

¶ Constantyn the Emperour and his two sones. Constante & Constanciyus wrote to hym on a tyme in salewynge hym. To the ende that it myghte play¦se hym to wryte some thynge to theym for theyr comforte & consolacōn ¶ Sa¦ynt Anthonye seenge y^e lettres was not abasshed / ne chaunged noo thynge for the salutacyon of soo grete lordes / But as Inmobyle & canstaunt. not wyllyn∣ge to beholde the sayd lettres. called to hym alle his brethern. and after sayde to theym / ¶ The kynges of thys worl¦de sende to vs lettres. whiche semeth to be thynge merueyllous. And herof we maye be gladde / ¶ For alle men not∣wythstondyng they haue dyuers dygny¦tees & lordshyppes ben borne and deye the one wyth that other / ¶ And therfo¦re we oughte to honoure the scryptures & lettres pryncypally suche as god ha∣the wryten to men / as ben the cōmaun¦dementes of the lawe / And bi cause the¦re is none conuenyence amonge kyn∣ges and Relygyouses / I woll not ta∣ke the lettres that the kynges sende to vs / For I knowe not the scyence & ma¦nere to salewe theym be lettres / ¶ In the ende the brethern prayed hym that he wolde wryte agayne to the sayd kȳ¦ges / In admonestyng theym to flee the vyces. and to ensiewe the vertues / And soo he wrote to theym in this manere /

¶ Ye kynges I counseylle you that ye kepe the Crysten lawe / But I praye you / Wene ye not that your puyssaunce temporell be grete / For that is but a ly¦tyll thynge to the regarde of the puyssa¦unce of god / ¶ And therfore ye oughte not to be prowde / ¶ Esteme of yoursel¦fe. that ye be noo thynge more thanne other / For assoone and as well shall ye be Iuged of god. as the moost poore of the worlde / ¶ Wyth this I praye you y^t ye ben pyteuous and debonayr toward your subgettes / Hauynge cure and besy¦nesse to doo Iustyce as well to the poo¦re as the ryche / ¶ Consydre ye that the¦re is a kinge aboue you eternall. not o∣only vpon you but vpon al mankynde ¶ Thise lettres seen by the sayd pryn∣ces tofore namyd. thei were gretly com¦forted. ¶ And the fame & renōmee of saynt Anthonye was ouer all the coun¦tree publysshed and knowen /

¶ After that the Paynems & Genty∣les were confused of theyr argumentes And the kynges comforted by his let∣tres / He retorned in to the mountayne / in whyche he had many vysyons / by y^t whyche he knewe and by reuelacōn all that was done in Egypte / And sent to the bysshopp of Egypte. namyd Sera∣pyon / Emonge the whyche he sawe a moche pyetable caas / and worthy of so¦rowfulnes / whiche was this / ¶ He be∣ynge wyth his brethern sette / lyfte hys eyen vpp to heuen wayllynge and we∣pyng / ¶ And a lytyll whyle after that he had seen the reuelacōn. whyche was shewed to hym / ¶ He sette hym on his knees. prayenge to god that it sholde not come ne happen / ¶ And soo doyng he shedde oute grete teeres in merueyl∣lous habundance and plentee / ¶ Wher¦fore y^e brethern that were there present

trembled and quoke / ¶ And questyned him what reuelacyon he hadd hadde / ¶ Ha haa my chyldren sayd saynt An¦thonye / The fayth of cristendom shall in shorte tyme be subuerted / The men semblable or lyke to beestes / Iumentes or fooles / Whiche shall destroye the go¦des of the chyrche / ¶ I haue seen the aulter of oure lorde enuyronned or clo∣sed wyth mulettes / The whyche wyth theyr fete haue broken the aulter / And thyse thynges ben cause of my wayl∣lynge / ¶ Two yeres after was pub¦lysshed and shewed the cursed secte of the Heretykes Arryens / The chyrches were pylled / And the sacred vessellis vi¦lypended or dyspysed wyth the Sacra∣mentes of the chyrche / by the pollute or defoylled hondes of the Ethnycyens & Iu••ydelis / And Paynems dide and ma¦de in Alexandrye sacrefyces to ydollis / made wyth theyr hundes / In makyng to theym adoracyon and prayer. as to theyr goddes / in offrynge to them bow¦es of palmes / whyche ben in the sayd co¦untree a ryghte grete ydolatrie / ¶ And the Crysten men were constrayned to dod in lyke wise suche Insolences with the A••yens / In suche wyse that there was noo dyfference bytwene the one & the other / ¶ The courage sayd sayne Anthonye sholde haue abhomynacyon and horrour to reherse the horrible and detestable synnes that were done / ¶ Is it not a thynge well abhomynable afo¦re god. that y^e vyrgynes and matrones were shamed and vylonyed / and were not ashamed to lese theyr vyrgynyte / ¶ The blood of crysten people was by cruell occysion shedde wythin the chyr∣ches / In suche wyse that the aulters we¦re alle deyed and sprynkcled wyth the blood /

¶ A lytyll whyle after this heuy and desolate Reuelacyon. saynt Anthonye had a nother Reuelacyon ryght Ioyo∣us / Of whyche he comforted his Rely∣gyous sayenge / ¶ My chyldren be not sorowful / For after this persecucyon of the chyrche of god / The crysten people shall be releuyd / And the chyrche shall be broughte hoole in his honoure / And all they that shall kepe well the fayth. in this persecucyon. shall be tofore god more shynynge than̄e the bryghtnesse of the sonne / ¶ False satellytees perse∣cutours of y^e faythe of god shall be cha¦cyd a waye / And Relygyon shall be en∣creacyd and augmented / ¶ And therfo¦re my brethen and frendes take to you and haue stronge and grete faythe / to the ende that ye be in ony wyse sub∣uerted / ¶ For theyr doctryne is not of the appostle / But of the deuyll sembla¦ble or like to Iumentis or fooles & ben¦te beestes / ¶ Soo many Reuelacyons were shewed and made to saynt Antho¦nye / And soo many men guarysshed & heelyd by his prayers / that wyth grete dyffycultee maye not wel be put in wri¦tynge / ¶ And therfore we oughte well to consydre the grete fayth that he had to god / Whanne he suffred by hym soo grete quantytee of myracles to be ma∣de / ¶ It is wreton yf we haue ferme faythe and we saye to one mountayne That he departe and moeue out of his place / It sholde remoeue and doo it /

¶ Noo thynge is to vs Impossyble. as ferre as we demaunde or aske thyn∣ges lawfull and helthful / ¶ Neuer for ony prayer was it of duke or ony prin∣ce

Saynt Anthonye abode not longe oute of his monastery / ¶ And he sayde to his Relygyouses / That lyke as fys¦shes vpon the drye erthe. anone deyen Ryght soo the Relygyouses by longe a¦bydyng wyth the Seculers. anone shal be deed by dedely synne ¶ Saynt An∣thonye wrote to Balencuis Heretyke Arryan / the whyche was gouernour of the countree of Egypte vnder Nestor / that he sholde not trowble ne vexe the Crysten people. But to ceasse of his ty∣rannye / ¶ Balancuis dyspysed his let¦tres / And dyde many oultrages to the messager / ¶ And wyth that he comma¦ūded that he and his Relygyouses shol¦de receyue his dyscyplyne / ¶ Anone af∣ter he beynge wyth the sayde Nestor in the pryncypall towne of Alexandrye. called Cher••um. An horse the moste me¦kest of all the other / And vpon whyche the layde Nestor. whyche was lorde of Egypte rode moost vpon. smote the sa¦yd Balancius downe to the grounde / and ete his thyghe / And thre dayes af¦ter he deyed. Wherof alle they of Alex∣andrye were admerueylled / And sayde that it was by cause he had dyspysed y^e enseynementes and techinges of saynt Anthonye ¶ Some other knyghtes ca¦me to hym / the whyche he admonested to leue the honoure of the worlde / And that they sholde goo wel ferre for to ge¦te blessydnesse and honour eternall whi¦che neuer shall haue ende /

¶He counseylled the Iudge / that for lo¦ue ne hate they sholde nor Iudge / But they shold haue alway the drede of god tofore theyr eyen / In consyderyng the comyn Prouerbe / ¶ Suche Iugement as they Iuge. Lyke Iugement sholde they haue / ¶ Thenne who that shall Iuge ryghtfully after Iustyce / He shall haue the rewarde of Iustyce /

¶ Saynt Anthonye after that he had lyued an hundred and fyue yeres. shew¦ed his dethe to his Relygyouses / Why∣che were therfore so heuy and sory that they beganne to wepe in kyssynge hym and enbracynge by grete charytee / And after he began to enforme theym with many eseynementes & doctrynes / And emonge alle other / that they sholde not be ennoyed ne greuyd to haue begonne the estate of Relygion / ¶ But alwaye sholde be constaunte. and perseuere in vertues / ¶ Secondly he sayde to theim that they sholde haue alwaye in theyr entendement and remembraūce the ho¦ur of dethe / For by that they sholde dys¦spyse the worlde / ¶ Thyrdly whanne they sholde see the Arryens persecute y^e chyrche / Lyke as it hathe be shewed by Reuelacōn / That they shold haue sted faste faythe. in folowynge alwaye the tradycyon and lyfe of holy faders /

¶ After he retorned in to a place solyta¦ry wyth one his frende / And toke leue of his Relygyouses. in salewynge the∣ym and gyuynge his benedyccyon /

¶And it is to wyte that he deyed not in Egypte / Where as was the custome to burye y^e dede bodyes in clothes of no¦ble martyrs and other persones. wyth∣out to put theyr bodyes in therth ¶ Of whyche custome saynt Anthonye hadd ofte repreuyd the bysshops of the coun∣tree / To the ende that they sholde cor∣recte theyr subgettis. In sayenge to the¦ym / That our lorde had be buryed vn∣to the thyrde daye in a Tombe closed / ¶ For whyche saynt Anthonye dredin¦ge

that they wolde not soo doo to hym wolde not deye in the sayde countree of Egypte / ¶ He seenge the houre of hys dethe to be nyghe / He callyd two of his Relygyouses. and sayde to theym / My chyldren / God hathe late boden me to come to hym / Wherfore I goo the wa∣ye that owe to goo / That is to the de∣the / ¶ It is longe tyme syth I desyred to see the heuenly thynges. I recōmen∣de me to your prayers / ¶ After he ad∣monested theym in this manere / Kno∣we ye the estate that ye haue taken / Ye haue seen many temptacyons of the de¦uyll / And they maye be ouercome /

¶ Desire ye alwaye to be wyth Ihesu Cryste. ¶ Remembre ye of myn admo¦nycyons and doctrines / And flee ye the cursyd Heretykes / For they ben enmyes of Ihesu Criste / ¶ Besye ye yourself to kepe the commaundementes of god

¶ And see ye wel to yf ye loue me that my body be not borne in to Egypte to the ende that it be not kepte vaynly in honoure / ¶ For. for this cause I am to men to deye with you / But ye shall co∣uere my body soo pryuely in the erthe / that none knowe my sepulture but ye oonly /

¶ After he made his Testament & or∣denaunce of his laste wyll / By the whi¦che he lefte to saynt Athanase bisshopp a vestyment of heyre namyd Melote / whyche couuered hym from the shold{er}s vnto his thyes / ¶ Vpon the whyche he had ofte tymes lyen wyth a mantel. in maner of a sclauynt / the whyche the sa¦yd bysshop hadd gyuen to hym all ne∣we / ¶ Serapyon a nother bysshop had that other vestyment lyke to the other / And the brethern Relygyouses had the heyre / ¶ His Testamente accomplys∣shed he sayde to theym / Fare well my frendes / Anthonye gooth his waye / He shal be no longer wyth you in this wor¦lde / ¶ And thyse wordes sayde / alle his brethern Relygyous beynge there pre∣sent. And wepynge bytterly for the oc∣casyon that they sawe his deth soo nye kyssed him / ¶ And Incontynent he ren¦dred his spyryte to god / The aungellis that were there receyued it singyng me lodyously / ¶ And notwythstondynge that euer he hadde frequented or vsyd by the space of an hundred yere. or the∣re abowtes the desertes / And neuer had be bayned ne wasshed / And that he had not ete ony delycate metes / Yet neuerth¦elesse his flesshe and skyn̄e was as pre¦cyous & as fayre / and more clene than̄e ony myghte be seen /

¶ By the ensample of him ye see how god enhaceth theym. whyche deuowtly serue hym / ¶ Notwythstondynge that he hadd dwelled in deserte His fame & renommee was soo grete in Yytalye. in Spayn and in Fraūce. that none was lyke / ¶ And in hym hathe be verefyed the worde of our blessyd Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Criste / Sayenge that he that mekyth hym. shall be exalted / As he hath be thorugh alle the worlde / In whyche in dyuerse partyes and re∣gyons ben yet done myracles withoute nombre. to the praysynge and exaltacy¦on of his gloryous name / As well vp∣on the bodyes of mankynde / As vppon the brute beestes and vnresonable / In suche wyse. that emonge alle the other gloryous sayntes / He is ryghte deuout∣ly adoured and prayed vnto /

¶ Lete vs thenne praye hym deuowtly

that it playse hym to praye to god for vs myserable synnars / to that that his worthy playsure be to gyue vs ferme & constaunt wyll and affeccyon. to dyspy¦se by his ensample this present worlde in suche manere / that fynably we may obteyne the reame of heuen /