¶Prologue of saynt Ihero [...]

BLessyd be god our soue­rayn creatour & dyrectour Infallyble. Whyche woll that all mankynde sholde be sauyd. and come to the perfyghte knowlege of trouche / Whyche also to vs hath adressyd our way for to goo in to Egypte / Where we haue seen grete thynges & merueylloꝰ. terryble and profytable to theym that in tyme comyng maye come to the knowlege of theym / And the whiche thynges ben not to vs allonely cause of the sechynge of oure helthe. but also they haue giue to vs occasyon and matere for to wryte hysto­ry right couenable to doctryne of pyte / The whiche doctryne by the fayth of thynges passed and tolde in the same / shall shewe waye ryght ample & large to theim that woll walke therin. And how wel that we ben not couenable ne luffisaunt to telle & recompte soo grete thynges / And is seen not to be thynge dygne ne worthy that folke of lytyl capacyte oughte to entremete to recyte in theyr soo lytyll & feble style suche hystoryes whiche consiste in the excersyte of right hye vertues / Nevertheles bi cause that the feruente charytee of the fretes dwellynge in the holy mountayne of Olyuete / haue ofte tymes requyred vs to wryte to theym and explyke the ly­ues of holy Heremytes and religyouses resydent in the desertes of Egypte. the y [...] grete vertues & verkes of pytee. And the merueyllous strengthe of theyr ab­stynences. whiche we manyfestly haue seen. Hopynge to be holpynge in thys matere. by the right holy and deuowte prayers & orysons of y^e layd requyters. The whyche ben to vs in stede of commaūdement. haue entreprysed this werke / In whiche we desyre not somoche the laude of the style. as we hope the e­dyficacyon in tyme comynge of theym that shall rede this history / By this y^e eche of theim enflam̄ed by thexamples that herin ben conteyned shall be moe­ued & excyted to haue errour of the wicked ordures. fylthes & vayn labours of this worlde· and to excyte hym to reste. of conscyence. and to the werkes of py­te / Thenne maye we saye thus saythe the noble clerke saynt Iherom. in spe­kynge of the sayd holy & deuoute rely­gyous of Egypte. whiche we haue seen And verely haue seen the noble tresour of Ihesu Cryste hydde in vessels humayn / The whyche tresour after we had founde it. haue not wylled as enuyouse to hyde ne couere it. but the same soo founde to the vtilyte & profyte of many / we haue wyll to manyfeste & make comyn / Veritably acertayned that of soo moche that many shall be therby enrychyd. of so moche more shall they mow haue grete mede & meryte / ¶ Thenne at begynnyng of this narracōn we supplye ryght humbly to our worthy sauy our Ihesu Cryste that his prompt grace maye be to vs presented in vertue. of the whiche the same werkes of pyte haue ben doon by the sayd relygyouses of Egypte / Ferthermore we haue seen in the sayd countree of Egypte many holy faders lyuynge in erthe. not the lyfe humayne. but heuenly lyf. as newe prophetes reysed for to shewe thynges for to come· Soo moche were they full of [Page] vertues / In the whiche was all efficace of verytee. as well for to bere wytnesse of the merytes. as for to doo myracles / And noo thynge wythout cause hadde they suche prerogatyf of god / For he y^t in all contempnyth or despisyth y^e worlde· and all his alyaūce / Wherfore sholde he not haue myght & puyssaūce celestyall & dyuyne / We haue seen also som̄ other the whyche were soo ygnoraunte of malyce. that they knewe not that o­ny euyll were done in the worlde. ne also what synne was / But they were all vtterly Inculpable / In theym was so grete tranquylyte of courage & vertue / and soo extreme affeccōn of boūte. that not wythoute cause myghte be sayde to theym / Pees be habundantly to the very louers of the name of Ihesu Cryste / They dwelled in deserte dispersed & separate that one fro that other in diuerse [...]elles & lytyll howses / But by very [...]harite were they ensembled. al [...]ed & v­nyed / And the reyson for whiche they were separate was this / By cause that by ydle wyndes vnprofitable. walkyng in theyr vrages. or by comynycacyons not truytfull. theyr dyuyne & holy con­templacön of that one or of that other be truwbled or letted / And wyth al the­yr herte. and as ententyf to theyr deuo­cyon in theyr secrete places fro daye to daye they abode the comynge of Ihesu Cryste. that is to saye the dethe. In the whyche e [...]he one shall be Iudged after his merytes / And there lyke as very knyghtes armyd of all pyeces of hameys abode the aduersary of all mankynde the fende of helle / They had no manere solyeytude ne besynesse of the lyfe naturell ne of bodyly necessytees. consyderynge the grete promyse charytable of our redemer / by y^t whiche he promysyth to all theym that by very Iustyce wyth all theyr herte shall take payn to gete the reame of heuen· that they shall haue no nede ne necessyte / And for this consyderacōn many amonge hem whā they had ony necessytees they retorned to god· as to the very conduytour infallyble of theym that renne to hym. And anone they haue that. whyche they de­maunde / Some of theym went vppon the water lyke to saynt Peter / Some of theym with theyr hondes sle [...]ve and put to dethe horryble bestes for to see. And they dyde not oonly suche myra­cles but other Infynyte / And suche as by the prophetes & appostles had be done / Thenne it is to byleue that syth y^e tyme the world hath be mayntened as it is now by the holy & deuoute relygy onses, whyche daye & nyghte praye for the vnyuersall helthe / But as it is so y^t the thynges right good ben ofte in ly­tyll quantytee & right dyffycile / Neuertheles al they were in the same [...]. con­dycōus / For they were in grete multy­tude. and also they were perfyte. & of ryight holy lyfe / Some were nygh dwel­lers by citees. and other places in champestres / And other garnisshed wyth vertues were separate & dysperded in the desertes / And as the excersice of men of armes of some prynce is one. they were vnyed in charytee in theyr tyguryes orcelles / And stedfastly armyd with prayer berynge the shelde of faythe for souerayne defence were redi & apparaylled to fyghte agaynste the aduersaryes of our fragylytee / By whyche they tooke by assaulte the reame of heuen / All ge­neralli [Page ii] were aoumed and arayed with vertues swete and peasyble / But alle were togydre alyed and bounde wyth the bonde of charyte. And for Ialousye and desyre for to gete vertues they led & dide dyuerse batayles For euery man laboured and toke payne. that one to be more swete and softe. or more benigne than the other / That one to be mo­re peasyble. and that other right pacy­ente / Yf ony were more wyse than tho­ther / Of soo moche he rendred hymselfe, more humble / and seruaunte of alle the other. In suche wise as he semyd to be moost ygnoraunte / And soo moche sayth saynt Iherom that god hath done to me suche grace to see their conuersacyon. I shall sette my payne after that god shall gyue me the mynde. for to recounte by wrytynge theyr fayre & laudable manere of lyuynge / To the ende that they whiche haue not seen corporally theym. maye knowe theyr ho­ly conuersacyon and good werkes / By the whyche they maye ensyewe and le­de suche a lyfe lyke to theym / And fy­nably maye gete by very pacyence try­umphe and vyctorye in this worlde And in the reame of heuen glory per­durable / Amen /

¶ Of saynt Iohn̄ the Heremyte the fyrst chapytre / whiche begynnyth in latyn Primum igitur /

THe noble and blessyd Doctou saynt Iherom Recountyth of saynt Iohn̄ of Egypte. The whiche was an holy Heremyte and an examplayre of alle vertues. dwellynge in the partyes of Thebaydes in an Heremytage sette in an hyghe roche nygh to the cytee of Lyto / To whyche Here­mytage myghte noo man goo but in grete payne and laboure / The chyrche of that Heremytage was closed and shette / And therin was the sayde Here­myte soo longe tyme. that fro his lx. yere of age tyl he was lxxx. yere olde that noo persone entred in to that chyrche tyll saynt Iherom vysited hym / Neuerthelesse to theym that came thyther for to vysyte hym. he spake to theym thorugh a wyndowe oonly in confortynge theym / And gyuynge to theym spyry­tuell refeccyon / He was neuer seen of woman in the sayd Heremytage / There were but fewe men that sawe hym / [Page] and that not alwaye / But att certayn houres & dayes: He suffred wel that a lityll hows was made wythout his mo­nastery for to lodge & reste theym that came fro ferre regyons & countrees for to see hym / And he hȳselfe allone with in his monasterye ocupyed hym daye & nyght without ony Intermyssion with alle his thoughte & myghte to denowte o [...]yson & prayer / And he was soo agreable to god. that not allonely he had the scyence of thynges presente. but also of thynges to come / And soo hadd he the yefte of prophecie as well in the prouȳ ces & cytees nyghe by. and also in ferre countrees. in whyche he had neuer be To the emperour Theodos [...]en he shewed ofte tymes of his fortunes that he sholde haue of his aduersaryes / & how he sholde haue vyctorye of some tyraū [...]es his enmyes ¶ In a time it happed that the Ethyopyens nyght a cyte na­myd Cyrene. the whyche is the fyrst of the parties. The baydes in the countree of Ethyopye hadd assyeged a knyghte Romayne the whyche had loste many of his peple in bataylle. some slayne. & some take and broughte in capryuyte The sayde knyghte had lytyll peple· & grete multytude of enmyes. feryng for that cause to assaylle the Ethyopyens / [...]ame to the sayd holy Heremyte for to coūseyle what he shold doo / The why the ordeyned to hym day of batayle a­yenst his enmyes / sayenge to hym that yf he soo dyde he sholde opteyne vyctorye. and haue domynacōn of his enmyes / As well of theyr bodyes as of theyr goodes / And soo it happed to the sayde knighte ¶ Another knyght of Rome excercisyng the offyce of a Trybune came to the sayd Heremyte. prayeng him that he and his wyffe myghte speke with hym. To whom he answerd that his wyffe myghte in noo wyse speke wyth hym / And that syth he hadde be Heremyte neuer woman had seen him ne spake wyth him / The sayde knyghte abode styll in his prayers / In swe­rynge yf she sawe him not. that she were in daungeour of dethe / And whan̄e the sayde Heremyte considered his In­portunytee. and also her faythe sayd to hym / Go [...] to thy wyffe: and saye to her. that in this nyghte she shall see me But that she come not hyther / But in her bedde and in her howse I shall speke to her / Thenne wente the sayd Ro­mayne / and consyderynge in his herte the doubtous answere of the sayde He­remyte shewed it to his wife / The whiche of the Incertayntee of that answe­re was strongely greuyd and ennoyed / But in the same nyghte she slepynge sawe a vysyon of a man spekynge to her. whyche sayde to her thyse wordes / O woman of grete faythe for to satysfye thy desyre and wyll I am come hi­ther for to speke to the / Neuerthelesse I admonest and warne the. that frohens fourth thou desyre not to see y^e bodyly vysage of the seruauntes of god / But allone haue thou desyre for to haue cō ­templacyon in thyne herte of theyr vertues in good maners / The spyryte onely gyuyth lyfe. And the flesshe prouffy tyth in noo thynge / I am not hid co­me to the as Iuste ne prophete lyke as thou wenest of me. but for the fayth of thy Husbonde and of the / I haue prayed vnto almyghty god for to gyue to the helthe of all thy sykenesse and ma­ladyes· [Page iii] thou shalt be hoole and guarys­shed / And thou and thy husbonde and your housholde shall be blessyd of god / And be not vnkynde of the benefaytes that god hath gyue to you / But drede ye hym frohenforth / And demaūde not of hym but the sustentacyon of your lyfe. wythoute ony other rychesse / Lete it suffyse to the that thou haste seen me in slepynge / And in tyme comynge herafter desyre not to see my body / Thenne whan this woman was awaked she· recounted alle the caas to her husbonde. In exposynge to hym very ensygnes of his vysage. and clothynge and habyllements of the sayd holy fader. with many other tokenes / By the whyche her Husbonde knewe certaynly the sayd visyon to be true / Wherefore he sore amer­ueylled retorned to the sayd holy fader for to rendre. and gyue thankynges of the thynges afore sayde / The whyche rendred he demaūded of hym his bene dyccyon / And after came Ioyously home to his howse / ¶ In a nother tyme a Prouoste or Capytayne of men of warre lefte his wyffe nyghe her tyme for to chylde. Came for to see the sayde holy fader / And in the tyme that he a­ryued in the place where as he dwelled And the same day she was in grete peryll for her chyldynge / Thenne the holy fader forsayde aduertysed the sayde Prouoste. and shewed to hym how she was delyuered of a fayre sone. and brought fayre a bedde. In sayenge to hym Thou art bounde to gyue thankynges souerayne to god / For thy wyfe whiche was in grete daungeour. is delyuered oute of peryll / But haste the to retorne home. and thou shalte fynde her hoole and guarysshyd wyth her chylde seuen dayes olde. Whom thou shalte name Iohn̄ / And thou shalte nourysshe hym seuen yere in thyne howse. wythoute to haue ony comynycacion wyth the Pay nyms. to thende for to kepe hym from theyr vyces / The whyche seuen yere so passyd thou shalte delyuere hym to so­me holy relygyous man. for to Instructe and teche the Crystyn fayth and doctryne / And thus the holy man as well to peple of the prouynces nygh by him as to straungers. yf they requyred hym gaaf good counseyle. in repreuyng theym of theyr vyces and secrete synnes.

¶He prophecyed the famyne to come / for the synne of the peple. and other persecucyons comynge. In excytynge the synners to penaunce. and amendement of lyfe. And as to Inpotents and Paralytyks whan they were broughte to hȳ he blessyd hem wyth holy oyle· of whyche whan they were ennoynted. they recouered helthe and guaryson of all theyr maladyes / ¶ A Senatour of Rome had a wyfe blynde. whiche exorted him to lede and brynge her to the sayde ho­ly Heremyte / To whom the sayd Se­natour her husbonde answerd. that he wolde neuer see ony wymmen / Then̄e she prayed hym. that he wolde goo to hym / And praye hym to make his o­ryson and prayer to god for her / For by this moyen syngulerly she hoped to recouere her syghte / The same Sena­tour came to this sayde holy man / and after that he hadde made his Requeste He blessyd a lytyll oyle / And sente it to the sayde blynde woman / Wyth why­che she ennoynted her eyen thre dayes And Incontynente she receyuyd her [Page] syghte in gyuynge thankynges to god ¶ Many other dedes worthy to be re­membred dyde this holy man / ¶ The whyche sholde be ouer longe to wryte ¶ But saynt Iherom hathe yet wry­ten one in this boke / By cause he him self was there present wyth syxe other brethern / The whyche togyder came for to see the sayde holy man / ¶ And after they were aryued / And that they had salwed eche other / He receyued theym wyth grete gladnesse / And spake to eche of theym humbly / In admo­nestynge theym to praye to god wyth hym / As it was acustomed to the holy faders of Egypte / whanne ony came for to vysy [...]e theym / ¶ Thenne he de­maunded theym yf ony of theym were a clerke / The why [...]he answerde to him [...]aye ¶ Neuerthelesse he knewe in spytyte of prophecie that one of them was a Deaken / ¶ And by humylytee he re­putyd hymself vnworthy to be with lo grete and persyghte men as his felowes w [...]ee / And hydde hym behynde the­ym / ¶ The holy man seenge the sayde Deaken. whyche was the yongest of theym. And shewed hym wyth his fynger and sayde / Loo this is the Deaken The whiche answered that he was no ne / ¶ Thenne the holy man toke him by the honde and kyssyd hym and sayde / Haa my sonne denye not the grace that god hathe giuen to the. To the ende that thou take none harme for goo­de / And for humylytee to lye / ¶ For a­boue all thynges [...]synges oughte to be eschewed. be it for good or for euyll [...] The whyche Deken receyuyd benygnly his correceyon /

¶ And this done they togyder prayeng god / One of theym had a grete Feuer· In suche wyse that he supposyd to haue deyed / ¶ Thenne he prayed the sa­me holy man that he myghte by hym be heelyd and guarysshyd / To whome he answered / ¶ My frende thou desy­reste to putte from the that thinge whiche is to the necessarye to haue / ¶ For lyke as the body is puryfyed and was­shyd by the Nytree. Whyche is a spece of Salte puryfycatyff / or by other was­shynges / ¶ In lyke wyse also is puryfyed and heelyd the sowle by malady­es and other Infyrmytees corporell / ¶ Neuerthelesse after that he hadd en­fourmed and taughte hym of many enscynements and doctrynes. He blessyd a lytyll oyle / And gaaf it to hym to drynke / By the moyen of whyche. he caste oute sodaynly of his mowthe the humoure causynge the Feuer / And re­tournyd alle hoole· and guarysshyd of his Feuer / ¶ This myracle done thus and after many other Instruccyons. and spyrytuell refec [...]yons to theym gy­uen by the sayd holy fader / He dyde admynystre to theym that was nedefull / for theyr refeccyon corporell / ¶ And in the meane whyle he wythdrewe hym in to his Celle / There beynge solyta­ry by Reason /

¶ For to wryte his abstynence it shol­ne be a thynge merueyllous / For he ne­uer ete tofore Euen / And yf he therme ete. it was ryght lytyll / ¶ Of corpulence he was lene by his abstynence / And he hadde but lytyll heere of his heede & also of berde / As he that was in langour / By cause he ere noo thynge wherof his nature myghte be susteyned / He be­ynge of aege foure score yeres ete noo [Page iiii] mete that was boylled. ne by fyre ne o­ther wyse / ¶ Whanne they hadde take theyr Refeccyons they retorned to him ¶ And they beynge sette tofore hym / He demaūded for what cause they were comen thyder / The whyche answe­red that for the helthe of theyr sowles / they were comen from Iherusalem to hym / And also for to see hym bodyly.

By cause of the merueyllous thynges whyche were of hym to theym recyted / ¶ For more formely is reteyned and re­duced to remembraunce. that whyche hathe be seen. thanne that whyche ha­the ben herde. tolde or spoken /

¶ Thenne the holy man replenysshyd wyth Ioye. in smylynge answered / I merueylle of you my chylderen. that ye haue enterprysyd soo grete a waye. For as ye maye see to me is noo thinge digne ne worthy of praysynge / Certaynly I am a man lytyll and pooer / Hauynge noo vertue that ye oughte to desyre / ¶ And whanne it soo were that after youre oppynyon ye myghte take in vs other Hermytes ony goode ensamples Yet shall not they be suche ne soo gre­te. as ben thoos of the holy prophetes. and holy appostles of god / Whyche euery daye ben recited in the chyrche catholyke / Noo thynge for to gyue ensample of good lyffe to straungers of ferre co­untreyes / But to the ende that eche persone in his owne place and Resydence Haue and may haue wythin him that whyche he oughte to doo and ensyewe. Certaynly yet I merueylle moche more of the entencyon and grete affeccy­on of your labour. Whanne for the pro [...]ffyte of youre sowles ye haue haue go ne soo longe awaye. in passynge dyuerse Regyons soo moche daungerous to walke in / And we other ben soo slouth full. that we woll not parte oute of our Habytacyons accustomed / ¶ But to y^e ende that they sholde not retorne wyth oute to bere wyth theym some fruyte / for the helthe of theyr soules / He enfo­urmyd and taughte theym some ensey­nements / By whyche they myghte es­chewe the synnes of thys worlde /

¶ Fyrste he defended theym. that they sholde not gloryfye theymselfe. to haue ben in soo ferre countrees. for to see the holy faders of Egypte / Of whyche vayn glory or Iactaunce. he gaaf theym by two maners / ¶ The fyrst whanne ony dyde ony abstynence. or enlarged by almesse his goodes to the poore pe­ple / And of the sayd good dedes is ofte gloryouse / Wenynge to be more Iuste thanne the other / In contempnynge or dyspysynge theym that ben not ly­ke to hym / ¶ The seconde maner that the holy fader gaaf to theymis thys / Whanne a man wenyth for his labou­res and vertues to be worthy to haue y^e Reame of heuen / And byleuyth to ha­ue goten the gyftes of grace. and that by his propre merites. and not by y^e prouydence and bountee dyuyne / ¶ Now he muste byleue that who some euer sechyth the glory of the worlde. he lesyth his meryte and rewarde / And therfore sayd the holy man / Lete vs flee vayne glory. pryde and auaunterye / To then de that we falle not from heuen in to helle / As dyde the deuyll enemye of nature humayne / ¶ And after he sayde my chydren be ye dylygente in eschewynge [Page] slowthe and ydlenesse· wythoute hauynge ony concupyscence ne flesshly voluptousytee / to thende yf ony thyn­ge be agaynst god. that it take noo rote in you / For of those rootes myghte co­me lytyll braunches / And in the ende grete trees / That is to saye vayne and vnprouffytable thoughtes / The why­che whanne they shall be in your prayers. shall gyue to you heuynesse and lettynge to serue god deuotely / And youre thoughte shall be wauerynge and va­caunte in worldly vanytees / The desyres vnprouffytable and euyll wylles sayth the appostle bryngyth a man vnto the dethe yf in our hertes thenne be o­ny synnes / And the deuyll whyche is prynce of theym come to theym as the y [...] mayster / The synnes shall gyue hy place / Yf one demaunde wherfore it is that some haue noo pees in theyr con­s [...]yences. It is by cause that now they ben trowbled wyth one passyon and a none after wych a nother. Thenne the reason to this for they haue receyued y^e Prynce of trybulacyon / the whiche ha­the he lodged by his Herbeger. That is synne / Yf thenne we wyll that god be lodged in our hertes. We shall renounce alle concupyscence carnall & flee all synne To the ende that whan the de­uyll oure aduersary and enmye shal come for to lodge / He shall fynde the lodges taken vpp / and that we maye saye The lorde is lodged wythin / The varlettes maye not be here / And whanne by vertues we haue lodged hym / We alwaye shall haue Ioye. charytee. pacience. longamynyce / and shamefastnesse / And we shall here all fruyte of lyfe. soo that we ben good / ¶And to this pour­pose saythe oure lorde to his dyscyples in a parable / ¶ A good tree maye bere noo euyll fruyte / Ne an euyll tree noo good fruyte / And by the fruyte is kno­wen the tree / ¶ Some saye that they renounce the worlde. but they renounce not the synnes / In hauynge the herte clene. and the soule puryfyed from alle spotte of synne / And yf some tyme thei goo vysyte the holy men. to the ende to lerne goode wordes and hystoryes. thys is not to thentente to be the better. but for to recounte theym to other / ¶ And they ben ouer presumptuouse. by cause that they vaunt them to knowe of the yr propre wytt. that they knowe of the holy and deuowte men / And desyre to be reputed doctours and well manerde. by cause they frequented the good men As done Ypocrytes and Papelars faynynge wythoute fourthe by theyr con­uert maners and symple habyllemens to be Innocentes lyke vnto shepe / And wythin fourth they ben lyke vnto fox­es and rauysshynge wulues ¶ It behouyth thenne to consydre. that he is more to be praysed that shynith in vertues and dare not shew theym. than he that techyth theym / and woll not vse theym ¶ Thus thenne my chyldren sayd the holy Heremyte. I counseylle you not. y^t ye vtterly flee the ordres of preesthode / ne also that ouermoche ye desyre theim But I counseyle you that ye labour in getynge vertues· and to leue vyces / He is not to be praysed that labouryth to haue the ordre of preesthode / But he whom god callyth therto / ¶ The pro­pretee of a Relygyous man is to offre [Page v] to god pure prayer / Wythoute to haue in his herte ony spotte of synne / For o­therwyse relygion is noo thynge / ¶ After many enseynements and good doc­tryne by hym gyuen. for to kepe theym from vayne glory / The holy man admonestyd theym not oonly to flee and contempne delycyous metes / But also commaūded theim that they sholde be well waar in takynge theyr refeccōns For fallynge in to desyre. or appetyte dysordynate. But ete sobrely to the sustentacion of theyr bodyes oonly / For in etynge of brede and water a man may synne / As to ete wythoute hungre and thurste for to accomplysshe his appetyte. in obeyenge to his dysordynat wyll / ¶ And this techith vs our sauyour for to kepe vs from voluptuous desyres saynge / Entree by the lityll gate / For the waye is large that ledyth to the dethe / That is to saye that to hym that woll obeye to his sensualyte. the waye is grete and large / But to hym that woll resiste the flesshely affeccyons. the yate is strayte / And this for to doo is besinesse and solicytude necessary / For who that gyuyth hym to the worlde. he hath In fynyte occasions by companyes and o­therwyse. for to be abandonned to syn̄e And therfore sayde Dauyd / I haue wythdrawen me from the worlde. and haue dwellyd in solytude and in place secrete: In abydynge my god. whyche maye saue me. and caste me from my pusyllanymyte / ¶ After that the holy man had admonestyd theym that they sholde kepe theym from Iactaunce & vaynglorye / He recounted to theym an hystorye happened to one of his bred (er)n nyghe to his Hermytage / The whiche was a monke hauynge oonly but one Cauerne or Caue for his hous / he was moche sobre. And lyued oonly of the labour of his hondes / wakinge daye and nyghte in orysons and prayers. Flow­rysshyng in al vertues ¶ It happened by successyon of tyme. that he was pro­wde in hymselfe. gloryfyenge his per­sone / Wythoute to haue consyderacy­on. that his bountee proceded of god But supposyd to haue ben vertuous of hymself and perfyghte / ¶ The enmye of nature whyche slepyth not. seenge his pryde on a daye layed oute his nett puttynge hymselfe in the lyckenesse of a woman. walkynge thorugh the desertes / The same deuylle in sayde lycke­nesse came in the nyghte. and knelyd downe on her knees wythin the Cauerne of the sayd Heremyte sayenge / [...]llas my frende I am soo wery / I praye the that thou wylt herberough me for this nyghte / The nyghte hathe surprysed me / Haue pyte on me. for the wylde bestes shal denoure me. Yf thou suffre me to goo hens from the / And b [...] th [...]se wordes the deuyll constreyned the sayd Heremyte to haue pyte of hym / And by cause he was in lykenesse of a woman By his swete and venemouse wordes / he embracyd the sayd Heremyte to dysordynate loue / In suche wyse that the deuyll moued the poore man to laughe and to playe / And fynably the deuyll approchyd soo nyghe· that he towchyd the berde. the necke and the chinne of y^e monke / And at laste for to leue the cyrcumstaūces. whyche is here noo nede to recyte. the mōke consented & purposyd [Page] in his thought to acomplysshe the syn̄e of the flesshe / And after the consentyn­ge he wolde haue proceded to the dede / Thenne the deuyll cryed a terrible crye And lefte the Monke confuse and in grete derysyon / ¶ Anone after came a multytude of deuylles cryenge abowte the hous. O monke whyche enhaunselte thyselfe to heuen. thou arte fallen into helle. ¶ Consydre that he that humblyth hym shall be enhaunced / And he that hymselfe enhaunsyth shall be mekyd / The poore monke seenge this Illusyon made to hym by the deuyll. As a foole and Inconstaunt. and not thynkynge on god. whiche is all god / And that pardon̄yth lyghtly hym that woll refoume towarde hym by penaunce: begylyd hymselfe yet more / For he lefte his Hermytage. and ladde fourth a se­culer lyffe / And was made a p [...]oye for the deuyll / The whiche thynge he oughte not to doo / but he ought in his courage to wepe and wayle in dooynge penaunce· For to obteyne Remyssyon of his sinne. For yf he hadd soo done wi­thoute doubte. he hadd goten the ye [...]te of grace and pardon of his wyckydnesse / ¶ Also the sayd good Heremyte re­counted an nother Hystorye of a man dwellynge nyghe the cytee of [...]yto. in the partyes of Thebayde. the whiche after he hadd lyued a lewde lyfe. and Infamyd as towarde god and to the worlde He wente and putt hymself in to a secrete place. for [...]o doo penaunce in wepynge and teeres. In whyche he contynued daye and nyghte for to ha­ue remyssyon of his synnes / And ma­yntened hymselfe soo humbly. that he durste not lyfte vpp his eyen to heuen / ¶ After that he had thus contynued a weke in this penaunce / By nyghte ca­me the deuylles in to the place where he was. in cryenge ayenste hym / What doost thou here man Infamed. whiche haste ben all thy lyfe lewde and leche­rous / Wylte thou be now chaste and relygious / Thou whyche haste all thy lyfe lyued in slythernesse of the worlde / Weneste thou to haue space to doo pe­naunce condygne for to haue foryeue­nesse of thy synnes / Thou arte alle re­dy a deuyll like to vs. Retourne and a­chyeue the remenaunt of thy lyfe in voluptuosytee and playsaunce / We haue made redy for the delyces ynough. wilt thou flee thyselfe in the tormentes whyche thou haste begonne / Come agayne wyth vs in to the worlde / Thou shalte haue noo more payne in helle thanne thou haste now / And all this the poore man herde. as vnmouable wythoute o­ny thynge to answert. Anone the de­uylles this seenge buffeted and bete hȳ wyth dyuerse strokes / And lefte hym as halfe dede / But notwythstondynge alle this he departed not fro his place / ¶ On the morne somme of hys fren­des that soughte hym founde hym tormented thus / And demaunded of hym from whens proceded this afflyccyon and punysshment whyche he hadd re­ceyuyd / And after that he had tolde to theym all the [...]as / They prayed hym that he wold lete and suffre hym to be broughte by theim in to his howse. for to recouere his bodyly helthe To whyche he wolde not consente / But abode stylle in his propre place.

[Page vi]¶ Anone after. and the nyghte folowynge the deuylles came agayne / And bete hym more thanne byfore / And neuerthelesse he departed not / Consyde­rynge that more it sholde auaylle hym there to suffre the dethe / thanne to obe­ye to the deuylles / ¶ The thyrde nygh­te came agayne a gretter multytude of deuylles thanne ony tyme tofore / And of theym he was vexed and beten / that there abode noo more but oonly his spiryte. Whyche resysted theym / The whiche they seeynge beganne to crye wyth an hyghe voyse. Thou haste ouercome vs. Thou haste vaynquysshyd vs /

And Incontynente. as they hadde ben huntyd. by the vertue of god they de­parted / And after they neuer retourned to hym / And after the good holy man prouffyted soo moche. that he was re­plenysshyd wyth grace and vertue. In suche wyse that alle the Regyon repu­ted hym soo holy. as yf he had descen­ded from heuen. In sayenge / Loo thys is the mutacyon or chaunge of the ryghte honde of god.

¶ And thus by the examples afore sa­yd we maye know how humylyte and conuersyon is cause of alle good / And by the contrarye exaltacyon and pry­de. of all euyll / And fynably of dysperacyon / ¶ And for to obserue more lyghtly this rule / The sayd holy man tolde a nother example of a monke / the whyche dwellyd in a place more derke and obscure than all the other / In whyche he passed his yongthe and aege in pe­naunce In suche wyse that he was flowrynge in alle vertues / And was soo agreable to god. that he beynge in thys mortall worlde. The aungels were by the Commaundement of god obeyen­ge to / And admynystred to hym by his lyffe / That is to wyte Refeccyon cor­porell / ¶ For whanne his nature was greuyd by hungre / He entred in to hys Cauerne / And there by prouydence dyuyne / The brede was redy sette on the table / of moche more gretter swetnesse thanne the brede materyall / whyche is made in the worlde / And whanne be hadde taken for to susteyne nature / He retourned to prayer. for to Rendre and gyue thankynges to our souerayn lor­de god /

¶ To whyche Heremyte many reuelacyons of thynges to come were shew­ed / But after he fell in to vayne glory for his demerytes / And became slowe and neclygent in his prayers / And prayed not to god soo moche deuowtely as he had ben accustomyd / ¶ And as he was ennoyed to contynue his pray­ers. He therby ranne in to slowthe and Infamye. and in to lecherous though­tes / And neuertheles he soo beynge made his prayers. as he was accustomyd to doo / And entrynge in to his Caue he founde brede as tofore / The why­che was not soo fayre. but fusty and spotted. Thenne he admerueylled and was heuy and sory / By cause this bre­de was not lyke ne soo good. as it had ben byfore / And the thyrde daye after he beynge maculate by vayne though­tes / supposed verily in his mynde to haue seen the ymage of a yonge woman: ¶ And thenne hym semyd that he em­bracyd and also kyssyd her. In ma­kynge fowle attowchynges / ¶ Thys notwythstondyng / the daye folowyng he retourned in to hys prayers / But [...]

[Page]SAynt Iherom saythe. that he saw a nother holy man moche honourable. nyghe vnto the regyon of Thebayde namyd Hor / why­che was fader and abbot of many monasteryes. And was foure score and ten yeres of aege / Hauynge a longe berde and white heeres. and Ioyous after the Iugemente of his face / And to thende that the brethern dwellynge in the Fo­reste had none occasion for to goo ferre for to seche their bodily necessytees / He planted in places nighe the monasteryes trees berynge fruyte. In whyche places tofore he dwelled there hadd neuer tree be planted / And yf he was moche besye for theyr refeccyons corporell /

Moche more wythout comparison had he more affeccyon vnto the spyrytuell refeccyon / It is sayd that charytee be­gynnyth at hymself / He ete not of that whiche his brethern ete / For oonly he vsyd rootes and herbes for his mete. and for his drynke oonly clere water / yf he fonde it in ocupyenge hymselfe al day and nyghte in fastynges and prayers / ¶ Whanne he was come to maturytee and rypenesse of his a [...]ge / An aungell apperyd to hym in a vysyon. sayenge to hym / Many men to the obeissaunte shall bileue the / Grete multytude of peple as thousandes shall be saued by the And after the angell sayd to him. that in tyme to come he sholde haue domy­nacyon. vpon as many men as he had conuerted / And that he sholde drede no manere thynge / For all that he sholde demaunde of god he sholde opteyne /

¶ Whan the holy man had herde alle thys· he wente in to a [...]elle the whyche he hadd made for hymselfe / And there he vsyd for his sustentacyon but coole wortes after that he hadd longe fasted And notwythstondyng that he ne cowde rede ne wryte / Neuerthelesse his bre­thern whom he vysyted in places adiacent and nyghe to his Hermytage. pre­sented to hym a booke / In whyche as he had knowen all by herte he radde lyightly / He had puyssaunce vpon the de­uylles. in chacynge theym oute of the bodyes of men / And by vertue of his prayers he guarysshyd and heelyd the­ym / ¶ Many other Hermytes and relygyous men came to him / Amonge whiche saynt Iherom came. whom he re­ceyued benyngly. and prayed hym that he myghte wasshe his fete. lyke as he had be acustomyd to doo to his ghestis His custome was neuer to receyue hys refeccyon corporall. tyll that he had re­ceyued his maker / ¶ On a tyme amō ge other after that he hadde receyuyd his creatour. saynt Iherom aryued / He exorted his brethern and saynt Ihe­rom to take theyr refeccyon corporell / In whyche refeccyon he spake of god and of his werkes. wythout to speke of ony vanytees. lyke as we doo. After y^e refeccyon take he recounted many hystoryes of holy Heremytes / And fyrst of an holy man whyche was thre yere cō tynuelly wythoute etynge of ony mete / of this worlde / but from thre dayes to thre dayes. an aungel broughte to him heuenly meete / Of whyche oonly he was susteyned and fedde. wythoute ta­kynge of ony other thynge / ¶ After this he recounted to theim a nother historye / In sayenge that he had seen soo holy an Heremyte. To whom the cru­el deuylles came in lykenesse of angels [Page viii] bryngynge a charyott a [...]urned and a­rayed as for a grete lorde / In whyche charyott was one of the deuylles habyl lyd lyke a kynge. the whyche sayde to him / Come now hither good man thy penaunce is accomplysshed / There is now nomore to doo but thou adoure & worshyp me / To the ende that I enhaunce the in this charyott. lyke as Hely was / But the good Relygious Heron thynkynge was admerueyled / & sayde to hymselfe / Eeuery daye I adoure my god / And now he woll praye that I adoure hym / He knowyth well that I serue hym day & nyght wyth all my power / I byleue that this is not my god / And therfore he said to the same deuyl I haue my kynge whom contynuelly I adoure / Wherfore I byleue that thou art not my lorde souerayne / Thenne y^e deuylles sawe his constaunce & humy­lyte wente all awaye confused / Saynt Iherom sayth notwythstondynge the holy man Hor in recountynge this hystorye applyed it to be happed to a no­ther persone than to hym / Neuertheles the brethern affermyd the same Hor. to be it hymselfe / But by his grete humy­lyte. he atrybuted his perfeccōn to a no­ther / Whan ony men came for to dwell with hȳ / he was soo pyteuouse of them that he callyd his bred (er)rn. and dyde the­ym for to make an hous for theym.

There some made mortere. other ma­de tyles / And by cause his brethern se­enge his charytee. enioyed theym to be wyth hym / He dyde not as some done in thise dayes. whiche demaunde grete quantite of money for to receyue some relygyous in theyr hous. but he delyuerde to them at his dyspence and his brethern hous and vtensyles / ¶ On a ty­me it happed that one of his brethern a stonge lyer came to hym. the whyche had rente his robe / to the ende that the good abbot sholde see hym nakyd. for to haue one newe / Then̄e the holy mā knowyng by Inspyracyon his Inyquite & falsenes repreued hym tofore alle his brethern / And neuer after durste he lye tofore hym / And for fynall conclu­syon. he was of soo grete vertues & me rytes· that from all partyes came to hȳ holy and deuoute relygious men for y^e excellence of his vertuous lyfe. In whyche oughte to take ensample alle men of Relygion /

¶ Of saynt Am̄on abbot of thre thousande monkes / And begynnyth in la­tyn. Vidimus autem / Caplm iii.

[Page]REcyteth saynt Iherom of an other holy fader dwellyng in y^e sayd regyon of Thebayde. the whiche was abbott & fader of thre thousande relygious persones of merueylous abstinence. called Thebenesiens. He cōmaunded to the relygiouses to here y^e vestyment large of whiche they couerd theyr heede. and was called Scapulari and to haue an other vestyment. why­che was callyd Frocke. whyche in lykewyse couerde their face whan they sholde sytt at table. to the ende the one sholde not repreue that other if ony ete more or lesse / Those relygiouses helde soo grete scylence in drynkynge & etyng. y^t it cowde not be knowe that yf ony persone were in the place where they toke alwaye theyr refeccōn / And notwyth­stondynge that they were in grete multytude / they were so secrete in then werkes. that the one knewe not the abstinē ce of that other / Neuertheles they were more abstynent of the metes sette tofore theym. than to haue affeccyon to ete ne to drynke. wythout to make of their bely theyr god / ¶ Herupon we oughte to consydre. that it is more grete absty­nence to see mete. and lytyll to ete of it than to be wythoute me [...]e. & not desyre it / In lyke wyse they that ben now re­lygious oughte to rule theim in sobre­nes & in abstynence. in eschewynge en­uye regnynge in cloystre / Also theyr abbot oughte to restrayne theim / And hȳ selfe oughte fyrste to refreyne hymselfe for to yeue ensample to his relygiouses

¶ Of saynt Benon abbot ledynge an angelles lyfe. begynnynge Vidimus & alium. Caplm iiii.

SAynt Iherom recountyth af­ter this. that he & his felowes sawe an other abbot auncyent the whyche surmoūted all men in swetnesse and humylyte namyd Benon. of whom his bred (er)n witnessed that he had neuer sworne. ne made lesynge / Also a thynge whiche is moche to be meruey­led / He had neuer be angry ayenst ony persone lyuynge. ne neuer had spoke y­dle worde / His lyfe was soo peasyble. & of soo grete humylytee. that he was ly­uynge as aungels lyffe / And as saynt Iherom writeth whan he & his felowes requyred him to haue of hym some wordes edyficatyff for the soule. wyth grete dyffyculte myght they gete of hȳ some shorte wordes. whiche he recyted to theym of the vertue of Clemence & swetnesse / ¶ On a tyme he was requi­red of the labourers of the coūtree there by his monastery to praye god. that it pleased hym to chace awaye a beeste. y^e [Page ix] whyche destroyed all theyr labours /

Anone he came to the place where as that beeste was / And cōmaunded hym in the name of god to departe and go fro thens / And that he sholde neuer after do harme to the graynes of that coūtree / And Incontynent like as he had be chacyd awaye by an aungell of he [...] ­uen. he fledde awaye / And neuer after he retorned in to that countree / ¶ Here vpon ought to be noted that scylence is good for to eschewe many sinnes / And pryncypally vnto relygyous persones and to abbottes /

¶ Of the cyte of Exirynque· in y^e whi­che dwellyd neuer heretyke / begynnyn­ge Vidimus autem. Caplm v.

SAynt Iherom sayth after. as he and his felowes came in to the cytee of Exirynque. in the Regyon of Thebayde / wpyche is a cyte full of vertuous men. that noo man maye recounte / And there were so mani relygious wythin and wythouth y^e no­ne myghte nombre / And so many mo­nasteryes that they exceded the houses And there were founde xii. Couentes wythoute other places of deuocyon. the whiche frequented in certayn dayes in suche wyse we fonde. that there ne was gate. tour. ne soo lytyll a place in the cyte. but there was therin an Oratory of relygiouses & monkes syngynge nyghte and daye hympnes & praysynge to Ihesu Cryste / There was founde in y^e towne neuer Heretyke ne Paynym.

All the towne was soo full of Oratories: that there was noo dyfference in prayenge. aswell in y^e stretes as in the chyrche / For alle were as one chyrche & one Oratory / All the cyteyzyns were good Crysten &. catholyke men / For the prȳ cypall maysters & gouernours of the sayd cyte by all the yates of the cyte had also founded Oratoryes. to the ende y^t whan pilgryms or straūge folke came thyder. the. relygiouses beynge in them sholde receyue theym. & admynystre to theim theyr necessytees / Ferd (er)more sayde saynt Iherom. y^t he cowde not recyte y^t. whiche was done to him & to his fe­lowes whan thei entred in to that cytee For they cam̄ to hem lyke as they had ben angels. doyng to theim grete honour. & right humain seruyce. He sayth also y^t they demaūded of the bysshop of y^t place the nombre of the relygiouses of y^e cyte. & also of the virgynes. The bysshop answerd y^t there were x.M. men / & xx.M. virgynes in y^e cite religyous & religiouses. of whom it was inpossible to recoūte thonour & seruyce y^t they wolde [Page] doo to pilgiyms passyng therby / For in lykewyse as saynt Ierom writyth thei rent their mantels & vestyments for to lede theym by force in to theyr howses / for to refresshe theim / In y^e cytee were peple full of dyuers vertues. there some in wordes. other in abstinences· thother in sygnes & myracles / Alas now ben there fewe cytees. whiche studye to ma­ke monasteryes. but eueryche enforcyth hym to dystroy theim. It is grete profyte in a cite to pray god for to haue ther in many chirches /

¶ Of saynt Theon whythe was xxx. yere wythout spekynge / and begyn̄yth vidimus et alium / Caplm vi.

SAynt Iherom sayth y^t he sawe a nother man named Theon nye to y^e sayd cyte in the waye whyche lyeth towarde the desert. y^e why [...]he was an holy man. & bad be ēclosed xxx. yere in his hermytage. wythout spekynge to ony man of the worlde / He was so ful of vertues. y^t he was reputed in the cyte for a prophete / And whan y^e malades & seke peple cam̄ thid (er) fro straunge regyons. vexed & traueyled of dy­uers maladyes. he on̄ly layd his honde vpon their heedes. and of what maldy they were seke. anone they recouerd her helthe / He was of soo fayr manere. soo swete a vysage· & of so Ioyous reuerence & so ful of al grace y^t he semed to be an angel / Some euyll theues entred in to his hermytage / supposyng for to haue fonde there some money / But incō ­tynent as the holy man putt hȳselfe in prayer. y^e theues abode at yate arestyd as they had be boūde wyth cordes. On the morn many persones came to hym as they had ben acustomyd· & wold haue brente those theues / Then̄e the holy man was constreyned to speke. & on̄ly sayd to them / My frendes lete thise mē goo without doyng to theim ony harm̄ For els I sholde lese the grace y^e god hathe gyue to me to guarysshe & hele y^e seke peple. & they durst not ayensay hym wherfor god suffred y^e the theues went theyr waye wythout ony harme / y^e whiche thing considred by the same theues & the grete horrour & enormyte of theyr lyfe. went & rendred themself relygioꝰ in a monastery. & there lyued in penaū ce vnto thende of their dayes. That same holi man was instruct & expert. not only in Egipcyen tongue & Greke· but also in latyn tongue / And for to cōfor­te saynt Iherom & his felowes he wrote to theim in a table the graces & doc­tryne: y^t he hadd / His lyfe was moche strayte. for the mete y^t he ete was ordeyned & prepared wythoute fyre / & whan by nyȝt he went in to desert. many beettes [Page x] acōpanyed hȳ. & for to rewarde hē after y^t he had drawe water. he gaaf to them for to drynke / And for experyence herof mē myght see the paas & way of the wylde bestes. as chieuers. bezes & other aboute his hermytage. ¶ In this history we oughte to note ii. poyntes / y^e one is y^t a man oughte not to take vengaūce of his enmye. whā one may wel doo & take it / And that other is y^t in eschewyng y^e syn̄e of Ingratytude or vnkyndnes. a man ought to gyue & rēdre thankes to theim that haue done to vs seruyce & good /

¶ Of saynt Apolonyen. cōfessour & of his vertues. begyn̄ynge Vidimꝰ & aliū ¶ Caplm vii.

SAynt Iherom sayth y^t he sawe a nother holi man named apolonyen in Thebayde. nye to a cyte named Hermopolis / In y^t whiche cyte as we rede after y^e prophete Ysaye our saupom wyth his intemerate & holy moder & Ioseph came for to dwelle. leuyng the partyes of Iudee / In y^e cyte sawe saynt Iherom the tēple in whiche there had be many ydols. whan our lorde entred therin. but at his comyng all fell in to ruyne / The same holy man had his hermitage in a moūtain. aboute whiche were many monasteries settnye to the said cyte. & the sayd Apolonien was souerayn of v.L.relygioꝰ men ful of vertues / By hȳ were made euery daye in the vertue of our lord many grete merueyloꝰ werkes. Fro y^e tyme of his yongth he was nourysshed in abstynence vnto thage of lxxx. yere. in whiche aege he was whan saynt Iherom cam̄ to see hym / His cōuersacōn was soo good that bi the moyen therof & of his merites toward god. that his discyples were also perfyte as he hȳself / And whan he had be by the space of xl. yere in thermytage. he herde a voys fro heuen sayeng to hym / O Apolonyen by the shall be lost the scyence of the sages of Egypte. that is to saye / that they y^t ben reputed sage & wise amonge the Babilonyens & all their ydolatrye shall be by the broughte to nought & confoūded / Goo in to the coūtree habytable in leuynge thy hermytage / For y^u shalt cōuerte y^e peple forto serue god. to ensiewe good maneres / & leue their detestable vices & dā pnable ydolatries / Then̄e y^e holy man prayed to god y^t he sholde not be tēpted wyth noo vaynglory / whan he shal haue conuerted somoche peple / The voys answerd I cōmaūde the that y^u laye thihonde vpon thy heede. & that y^u caste in to the duste y^e whiche y^u shalt fynde ther the whiche thynge he dyde / And anone he toke a lityll Monstre lyke a blacke [Page] Ethiopien. & cast him in the dust. The whiche monstre cryed / I am y^e deuyl of pryde prynce. & by y^t he knew y^e he had lost all pryde· like as he had put it vnd (er) his fote. This thinge thꝰ done y^e voyse of heuen sayd to hym now goo wyth y^e mē. for all that y^u shal aske of god shal be graūted to y^e wythout fawte. Then̄ he went vnto the places where as dwelled other heremytes / And thise thynges happed in the tyme of Iulyan the tyraūt / Now he had a fosse or a pytt nye by an hermitage. in whiche he abode then̄ in prayenge god incessauntly / And att leest a hūdred tymes a daye he knelyd on his knees / & asmany tymes by nyȝt There he lyued more by heuenly mete / than by bodily. His vestyment was on̄ ly of lyn̄en like y^e frocke of a monke. & that wherof he couered his heede & hys neck was of a nother maner lyke a scapulary / y^t whiche vestymētes neuer payred in desert. but were all his lyfe al hole / The holy mā was in that place as a spiryte liuyng in pouerte / doynge soo many myracles y^e no tongue can recoū te. For his holynes he was hold & reputed of y^e peple of the coūtree as an apostle· or an holy prophete / Al the religiouses & hermytes of the regyons adiacent came to hȳ as to ther fad (er). & gaaf to hȳ their soules for to gouerne / He taughte hem to do wel. to estudie. & to abstynence after her possybilyte / But fyrst in ensewyng the doctryne of Ihū cryst he obserued theim suche as he wold be for to kepe hem. to thēde y^t. they shold not re­fuse. but lyue after his exāple / Sōtyme y^e religyoꝰ persones bē euyll. bi cause y^t her pastour is of euyl lyfe. right at thaposyte. the good shepeherd makyth his shepe good & clene / In y^e tyme aforsaid of Iulyan the tyraūt. y^e boly man Apolonyē herd say y^e one of his bred (er)n was hold prisemer / then̄e he & his bred (er)n ca­me to vysite hȳ. & to cōforte hym / And also admonest y^t in his trybulacyon he shold be constaūt· & that in the daugeour y^t he was in he ouȝte to reioyse. in ye uyng hȳ to vnd (er)stonde y^t in aduersyte y^e vertue is shewed / A Centuryon. y^e is to say a capitain hauȳge a C. men vnder his charge. cam̄ as al enraged to know who had suffred y^e holy man & his felowes to entre within his prison / And he put & closed within his pryson the said holy man & his felowe. & cōmysed many men to kepe hem / But god y^e leuith not his seruaūtes in daūgeour sente at mydnyght an angel merueylously shynyng / Of whom alle y^e kepars were so abasshed y^t they wist not where to be come. & anone they kneled downe on her knees tofore y^e holy men. sayenge that they sholde goo whan it pleysed theym For certenly they had leuer deye for hē than to kepe hē ayenst the wyll of god In lyke wyse y^e sayd Centuryon on y^e morn eerly came wyth his pryncypall knyȝtes in to the pryson / in prayenge y^e sayd holy men for to departe. & gaaf them leue for to goo where they wolde By this we see y^t what soeuer infamye y^t is done to y^e ryȝtfull. yf he hath fayth & hope in god wyth charyter. god shall helpe hem alway. Whā y^e holy men sa­we the grace y^e god had done to hem. al vnyed togid (er) retorned in to thermytage thākyng our sauiour & redēptour. The gode holi mā after admonested alway his bred (er)n to resist y^e tēptacōns of the fē de / & sayd to hem / Yf ye resyst y^e deuyll [Page xi] whiche is heede of al syn̄e. ye shall resyste all vyces / for who resystith the herde he may lyghtly resyst & gainsay y^e mē ­bres / Wyth this he exhorted hem to vaynquisshe eche other / in surmoūtyng e­ueryche his brod (er) in vertues / For he say de y^e eueryche ought to desire to be more perfyte than his neyzbour. & also he sayd y^t the man is more perfyte in ver­tues y^t is not subdued ne vaynquysshed by worldly tēptacōns: for to resyst y^e sinnes & fowle wylles is the begyn̄yng of the yeftes of god / And after he sayd to hem. yf ony of you do ony myracle / therefor he ouȝte not to glorifye hȳself. ne to repute hȳ more worthi than his felowes / Also he ouȝte not shew to y^e peple y^e god hath gyue to hȳ suche grace. For otherwyse he seduceth. deceyuyth hȳselfe. & lesith his reward / & yf the sayd holy man had excellent grace in doctryne yet more grete had he in operacōns. Al y^t he demaūded of god. was to him acorded & graūted. wyth this many reuelacōns were shewed to him. ¶ Amonge the whiche of one of his felowes wyth whom he had longe tyme vsyd. his lyf was shewed to hym y^t he was in heuen in the sete of thapostles. & in lyke glori A nother tyme he prayēg for hȳself to god y^t it wolde pleyse hym tabrdge his dayes. & to brynge hym in to the reame of heuen. God shewed to him y^t he sholde be yet a lytyll tyme in the world for to be an exāple of vertues to many other hermytes. whiche by him shold be enformyd in holy cōuersacōn & as it was shewed to hym. so it happed / For after y^t came to hym many hermytes fro dyuers places & coūtrees. whiche ensewyd hym in doctryne & in vertues. in suche wyse y^e many renounced the world for to folowe him. & made a monastery in y^e sayd moūtain. wher as they lad a lyfe comyn / And those religyoꝰ men wer clene of body & of soule. & notwythstondyng that they were in Egypt. where as habounded syn̄e & malyce. Yet were they vertuoꝰ & reputed as angels / And therby is verefyed y^e sayeng of thapostles. sayeng y^t where as haboūdith syn̄e there also haboūdeth grace. Now ouȝt to be noted that thabycaūts of the sayde Egipte. by theyr grete ydolatry worshiped the oxen. by cause they laboured the feldes by whiche they lyued / & also they worshypped the water of the ryuer of Nyle by cause it watred & aroused y^e regyons of Egypte / In lyke wyse they adoured the erth as the moost fertyle of all other. the dogges also. apes. & dyuerse herbes / And the reyson whi moued hē so to doo. was by cause they sayde. that y^e dyuers ocupacōns that they had. som̄ to ere the londe. & other to nouryssh her dogges & apes. other to plante herbes / & so of other operacōns had be cause y^t they in besines had be lett & empesshed that they went not wyth Pharao & were not drowned wyth hym. whan he entred in to the reed see. wenynge to haue persecuted the chyldn (er) of Israel. whyche had happened to them. yf they had not be taryed by the moyen of the sayd operacōns / And for asmoche as that hadd be cause of her preseruacōn & helth they worshypped hem as godes / After this y^e afore is writen of the doctryne of y^e holi man. now resteth to-see of his werkes & operacōns ¶ Then̄e it is to be noted that amonge his other werkes. he saw in a temple of a cyte nyghe by his her­mytage [Page] an ydolle· whyche sōtyme was by prestes & other peple born in proces­syon for to obteyne vberte & habūdan­ce of rayne / The whiche thyng seenge the holy man & moued wyth pyte ma­de his prayed to god for to take this foule creaūce & mysbyleue fro theim. His prayer soo made they & their ydoll abode all vnmouable in suche wyse y^t they myght not moue ne go froward ne backeward / And were there all y^t day with out departyng frothens / in suffrynge & susteynynge the bren̄ynge of the son̄e / Then̄e the preestes sayd y^t the orysons & prayers of y^e holy cristen man y^t dwelled there by theyr cyte namyd Apolonyus was cause y^t they myght not moeuene depart thens / And yf they were not lo [...]ourd by him. they sholde longe tyme tary & abyde there / And then̄e some of theim sayd. y^t it myght well be trouthe by cause that then̄e he passed forthe by. Neuerthelesse they brought many oxen wenynge for to moue thydoll. but they cowde not make hym for to depart fro the place. fynably they sent to the holy man. & promysed hy that yf he wolde delyuer theim fro the payne in whyche they were. they shold renoūce theyr goddes & byleue in Ihū cryst / Then̄e cam̄ the holy man to theim. & made his prayer. y^e whyche made they were all delyuerd fro theyr trybulacōn / And for this miracle some of theim abode wyth hȳ in his hermytage. & other went in diuerse places shewyng & publysshynge this myracle. by cause wherof they cōuerted hē to the crysten fayth / And anone but ryght fewe dwelled in that regron / but they were cōuerted to the fayth ¶ A nother myracle worthy to be remembred dyde the sayd holy man as here folow­yth / Two townes on a tyme had war one ayenst a nother. bi cause of the boū des & lymytes of theyr londes. of why­che y^t one was crysten & that other paynym / By cause of this dyuysion were assembled of that one part & that other man / men of warre The whyche thȳ ge seenge the holy man was moued by charyte. enforced hym tacorde & appese them togider / Then̄e one whiche was namyd for cheif of the sayd paynyms / & cause of the warr. sayd that neuer he wolde acorde vnto the deth / The holy man answerde. then̄e be it soo in suche wyse as y^e demaūdest / None shall deye but thyself. & thou shalt haue sepulture suche as aperteyneth to the / For y^u shalt be buryed in the belyes of bestes & byr­des. & so it befell / For he was foūde dede alone vpon therth. all detrenched & deuoured with bestes· & all thother wer abasshed how the worde of y^e holy mā was soo verytable / And for that cause they began to drede the god of the holy man. & were alle cōuerted to the crysten fayth leuynge their ydolatrye / ¶ Now shal we speke of a nother myracle. whiche he dyde at the begyn̄ynge whan he rendred hȳselfe in to a cauern or caue wyth certayne bred (er)n / In an holy daye of Ester. he beynge at the table wyth his bred (er)n. after y^e seruyce acōplisshed. in stede of delycate mete he hadd a lytyll drie brede & wortes of chool made with a lytyll salte on̄ly / And y^e seenge the homan sayd / yf we ben the true seruaūtes of god & haue very fayth. we shall opteyne bi our prayers / that whiche we desyre to ete in this holy solēpnyte / Thē ne the bred (er)n by humylite answerd y^t he [Page xii] alone as the moost worthy & vertuous shold make the prayer / & so he dyde at theyr request in prayeng deuoutly / His oryson accōplysshed. & after y^t they had answerd Amen / came sodēly to thate of their hermitage men vnknowe / & as it semyd of strange coūtree charged wyth all metes y^t they myghte desyre / There some had apples of dyuers sortes· ray­syns nottes & figges in grete habūdance / thother had hony tofore the tyme y^t it cowde be made naturelly / mylke grete quantyte. with hoote brede & good.

And whan thei had presented their ye [...] tes. incontynent they went a way as yf they had be sent fro some grete lorde.

¶ Here ought to be noted. y^t suche thynges were none in Egipte. & also they y^t broughte theim were also vnknowe / & were not of y^e mayntene ne of y^e langage of the coūtree / Wherfore it maye su­rely be byleuyd y^t it was a very myra­cle / Whan the sayd relygious men had ete suffycyently. they rendred thāking to god / & kept the residue. whiche endured for theyr refeccyon fro y^t daye of ester tyll y^e feest of pentcost / It is no syn̄e then̄e to ete delycate metes / whan it is take sobrely / And by y^t one is not moe­ued to syn̄e / It happed afterward y^e o­ne of his bred (er)n prayed hȳ to make a request to god. y^t it wold plese hym to gy­ue to hym very humylytee / by cause he was proude & wythout clemence / The holy man anone made his prayer de­uoutly for hym. & incontynent he was so hūble & meke y^t all his bred (er)n merueyiled. In y^e tyme it happed y^t there was grete famine & hūgre in the parties of Thebayde. so grete that they wyst not what to ete. Some wyth theyr wyues came to the holy man / For they knewe wel y^t oftymes by y^e grace of god wyth out mete the relygious were fedd & susteyned / And whan y^e holy man saw hē he doubted no thyng / but had confydē ce in god. whiche had ynough for to nourysshe theim / Now there he had thre baskettes with brede / whiche was suffisaūt for the bodily sustentacōn of y^e re­ligyous men there onely for one daye / Whiche baskets & brede. he dide do sett in the myddes amonge theim / & the benedyccōn made. by y^e grace of god they lyued by y^e sayd brede / by y^e space of fo­ur monethes all they y^t by the constre­ynt of the famyne were come thyd (er) / An other tyme he dide a lyke myracle / on y^e oyles & in whete / in multeplyenge aboue y^e therth had brought forth / The deuyll seeng this. sayd to him. I wene perfytly that y^u art Helyas or thapostle of god / y^e holy man answerde / Wherfore sayst y^u suche wordes / thapostles & pro­phetes. were not they men as we ben / y^e whiche haue lefte vs in theyr place. we nest y^u not y^e god was wyth theim. and now he is wyth vs. he is & shall be al­myghty. yf god be good. wherfore art y^u euyll. lete vs remembre the thynges to­fore wrytt / how they ben worthy of grete remēbraūce. the whiche ben verefied by the wytnesse of the holy man / Thē ne restith now to write of the miracles of the sayd holy man / whiche saynt Ierom sawe / ¶ On a tyme in the presen­ce of y^e sayd saynt Ierom. the holy mā dyde doo brynge to the table y^e basket­tes full of brede / But whan he had distrybuted & sette it vppon the table / And that euery man had take his refeccyon the sayd baskettes were agayn fyllyd. [Page] and full as they were byfore / ¶ A no­ther tyme the relygious bred (er)n walkyd for to see the sayde holy man. Amonge whom was saynt Iherom / And thre dayes tofore the sayd bred (er)n came to y^e place where as the holy man was. the sayd holi man shewed to bis bredern relygyous. that the bredern were comyng fro Iherusalem in to theyr hous / & wha they knewe theyr approchyng· they came ayenst theym in syngynge. some byfore and some after / And in lyke wyse dyde the holy man the whiche also wasshed theyr fete. and dyde to theim many other seruyces. lyke as they were ac­customed. ¶ And saynt Iherom sayth that they neuer ete tyll that they had receyued theyr maker And after theyr re [...] take / some went in to desert / the other abode in wakyng / and ocupyeng theymself al the nyght in holy scrypture. And notwithstondyng that they were out of worldly Ioy. yet had they more e [...]ltacon / than ony man lyuynge in the worlde / For where as is Ioye in to scyence. there is alwaye Ioye / ¶ Neuer was there ony of theym heuy ne sorowfull / The holy man sayd to theim ofte it is of necessytee. yf ye he Iuste & ryghtfull that ye be alwaye Ioyous / Lete y^e paynims layd he wepe and the hethen men & synners / Also knowe ye for cer­tayne that they y^e loue worldly thinges reioyce theim in getynge londes & possessyons / We then̄e that gete. and haue hope to haue the glorye eternall. ought alwaye to be Ioyous / For the glorye & goodnesse that we entende to haue shal be wythout ende / And they that entende the worldly thynges. is but of lytyll endurynge / Wherfore we oughte to be more Ioyous than they that ben worldly. Thus counseylith the appostle. that sayth that we oughte to reioyce vs contynuelly in giuyng thankynges to god wyth all our thoughte / ¶ He gaaf also counseylle that yf ony brother relygyo­us gooth to see one that other / He oug­hte not oonly to praye hym to abyde & tarye / But to constreyne him / Lyke as Abraham in receyuynge the pylgryms Constrayned theym by charyte to soiourne in his house / ¶ He cōmaūded also to his bredern to receyue theyr maker / to the ende that they sholde not wyth­drawe theym fro the grace of god / For in soo doynge they sholde contynuelly remembre the passyon of Ihesu Cryste In lyke wyse he cōmaunded theym expressely to faste the Wenesdaye. by cause that the same daye Iudas machy­ned the dethe of Ihesu Cryste / And in lyke wyse the Frydaye / For that daye he receyued dethe & passion / ¶ The holy man blamed moche the heremytes. whiche had longe heer & berde. and y­ [...]ons on theyr neckes / For he sayd that they dyde not that. but for the glory of the worlde / And also the cōmaūdemente of god is. that fastynge & prayer be done pryuely / For god oonly oughte to knowe the good dedes that we done / ¶ And after saynt Iherom & his felo­wes toke his benedyccyon / And he delyuered to theym some of his burdern for to conduyce theym thorugh the deser­tes /

¶ Of saynt Ammon thermyte / why­che slew a dragon. & conuerted the the­ues. and begynnyth in latyn ¶Que an diuimꝰ / Caplm viii.

[Page xiii]

SAynt Iherom wrytyth that he & his felowes came to a place / where as dwellid saynt Am̄on in walkyng thrugh y^e desert towarde y^e South / They sawe in theyr waye the trace of a grete serpent merueylousli of xv. cubytes of lengthe. the whiche fered theym gretly / But the bred (er)n y^t conduyted theym cōforted theim in exortynge theim to haue good hope sayenge / Ye shall knowe what is our fayth. whan ye shall see the dragon slayn by vs / We haue slayn many bestes. be ye no thing afride. we haue credence in god. whiche hath sayd y^t we shall haue domynacōn vpon y^e serpentes & dragons. & vpon all our enmyes / & what someuer thynge y^t the bred (er)n sayd. saynt Iherom & his fe­lowes were aferde. in prayeng theym y^t they shold goo nomore by the waye of y^e dragon / but sholde goo seke a nother waye / Neuertheles one of hem wythoute drede went fourth the same waye / A nother brod (er) came y^e whiche warned hē & also the brod (er) y^t folowed the dragon y^t they shold goo no ferd (er). for he was so feerfull y^e vneth durst ony beholde hȳ. Finably all they went in to y^e monasterye of y^e brod (er) y^t was therby / y^e whiche tolde to them y^t nye to his hous was a deuoute man moche famous / of whō he was dyscyple. & by whom many myracles had be done & shewed. That same mā was namyd Am̄on / & by cause some theues had done to hym moche payne. in robbyng fro hȳ his brede & his sustenaūce / cōmaūded to it. dragons y^t they sholde kepe the dore of his monasterye to thēde y^t the theues shold haue no power tentre in / The theues cam̄ lyke as they were wont to doo / & whan they sawe the dragons. they wold haue slayne theim / Then̄e y^e holy man aperceyuyd y^t the bestes were almost deed· & blamed y^e theues sayeng y^t ther were of harde & euyll nature. for they dradd not god ne his seruaūtes. by cause y^t they had putt to deth y^e bestes y^t he had cōmysed to kepe his hous After he dide do entre y^e theues in to his hous. & set hem at y^e table & in tyme while they ete. he amonested hem of the helth of her soules / in suche wyse y^t he conuerted hem / And at laste thei were as perfite as y^e holy man whiche had preched to hem / ¶ A nother tyme there was a dragon that destroyed alle the Regyons nyghe by abowte hȳ ¶ And the Inhabytauntes neyghbou­res to the holy man came to him / And broughte to hym the sonne of a Heerd man / The whyche was as deed oonly by the syghte of the sayde dragon / And prayed hym that he sholde praye to god hertely / to the ende that by hys [Page] prayers & merytes the chylde myght be reysed to lyf / Then̄e the holy man blessyd hym. & gaaf to hym of y^e holy oyle and anone he reuyued & came agayne to lyf / And after the holy man went to the place where y^t forsayd dragon was And whan he had fonde. hym he kne­lyd down on his kne [...]s for to make his prayer / & Incontynent that the dragon aperceyued hym he came to hym siflinge. and enforcyng hym by grete Impe­tuosite for taproche the sayd holy man for to deuoure hym / But as he y^e drad hym noo thynge sayd to hym. The so­ne of god att this tyme come for to slee the / And incontynent the dragon cleft in the myddes. and deyed sodenly / Af­ter he was deed he stanke / and enfected all the countree / The habytauntes as­sembled theym. And broughte a grete masse of eithe to laye on hym / But yet they durst not approche the place where he laye deed. but that the holy man we represent. ¶ Herupon we ought to no­te. that whan ony doo to vs dysplaysure. we oughte not to take vengaūce, but wroughte to labour for to conuert our enmye and aduersary. like as this holy man dyde to the theues / ¶ Secondly y^t euery man oughte to labour for to conserue and kepe the comyn wele vnto y^e deth / Lyke as this holy man dyde whā he aduentured hymselfe to slee the dra­gon /

¶ Of saynt Coprete preest and Here­myte / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Erat quidam / Caplm ix.

THere was an holy man in y^e same hermitage named Coprete of lxxx. yere of aege. the whiche in his sayēges & dedes was moche vertuoꝰ. He heled hem y^t were seke. & cha­ced the deuylles out of men̄es bodyes. & dide many myracles / Some he dide us y^e presence of saynt Iherom. whiche for his grete renōmee went to see him. and was of hȳ moche humaynly receyued After y^t saȳt Iherom & his felowes hȳ prayed y^t he wold recoūte to hem of his faytes & his dedes. & also of his merites for whiche he made so many myracles & werkes / Then̄e he recoūted of hȳself & his predecessours / but as touchȳg hȳ self he nas as touchȳg to vertues but a disciple of chaūciens. And y^t sayd he by humilite / First he tolde of a fad (er) named Mucins. whiche fyrste had he heremyts in y^e sayd hermytage. & had beg [...]n fyrst to shewe y^e way of hel [...]h / but at he was heremyte he had [...]e y^e strongest [...]heyf in [Page xiiii] s [...]tree. & suche was his cōuersacōn / It happed on a night y^t he supposid to haue pylled & robbed the hous of a vyrgine sacred / And by cause he myghte not lyȝtly entre in. he moūted vpon the co­uerture & tylyng of the hous· & was the [...]soo longe y^t he slept there / He beynge thꝰ a slepe herde a voys whiche said to him / Lesse euyll man of thy murdres & pylleries. & conuerte the to lede a solytary lyf / And yf y^t so doo I shall make y^e prynce & lorde ouer many knyghtes / & he beynge yet a slepe in his dreme / was shewed to hȳ a grete multytude of her­mytes / And the voys cōmaūded hym y^t he sholde be their gouernour / After the sayde theyf awoke & sawe tofore hym the mayde whiche he wolde haue rob­bed. Then̄e the mayde sayd to him. A­las [...]m frende who are ye. fro whens come ye. & wherfore be ye here come / And the man as wythout ony entendement answerde noo thynge / But on̄ly demaūded that she shold shewe hym y^e way to some chyrche. for he demaūded on̄ly to be in a monastery / The mayde thē ­ne knewe that this came fro god / And broughte him to the chirche. & delyuerd hym to the preest / To whom the sayde man prayed that he myght be cristned knelyng downe on his knees tofore the preest / And requyryng place in whiche he myght do his penaūce Wyth this he demaūded the cōmaūdementes. by the whiche he miȝt walke in y^e way of hel the / The preestes seenge this were abasshed. by cause they knewe hym to be a theyf & full of alle synne. merueyled of this thynge / And this notwystondyng they delyuerd to hym thre the fyrst ver­ses of the fyrst psalme of the psaulter y^t is to say Beatꝰ vir. Sed in lege dn̄i. Et erit tanquā lignū / The whiche verses by hȳ considred said. y^t they suffysid to brȳge a man to euerlastyng lyf / Af­ter y^t he had be thre dayes wyth theym he went in to an hermitage. & whan he was in desert. he ete noo thyng but ro­tes. & kept right dyligently the vertues whiche the prestes had delyuerd & yeue to hȳ. & not on̄ly in wordes· but also by effect & operacōns / And after this he retourned to theim. whiche were moche abasshed how sodenly he was become so vertuoꝰ. in ledyng soo harde & strayte a lyf / & they constreyned hȳ for to dwell emonge theim / Then̄e he wyllyng not to dysobey soiournod wyth theim a weke· y^t whiche passed he retorned in to desert / And was there vii· yere in grete abstynence. & in kepyng holy scrypture / & ete no thyng but brede / & that on y^e son daye / Whiche brede was mynystred to hym by grace diuyne / For whan he ro­se fro prayer. he fonde y^e brede alle redy wythout bryngyng of ony persone / His refeccōn take. he ete nomore tyl the nexte sonday folowyng. After longe tyme he retorned fro desert / & many were by him cōuerted to penaūce. Emong whō a yonge man cam̄ to hym for to be his dyscyple / Then̄e clad hȳ the holy man with thabyte of hermytes. whiche was of the skyūe of a ghote / & after enfour­myd him wyth the rules of heremytes Hrewith he had grete besynesse to bury y^e dede bodyes yf ony had passed out of this worlde / Whā the childe y^t was his discyple saw his spirytuel fad (er) thꝰ bury y^e dede men. in clothyng theim honestli Then̄e sayd he I wolde well y^t my fad (er) shold clothe me thus whan I wer deed [Page] And the holy man sayd to him. so shal I doo. & shall yeue to the asmoche as y^t shal saye it suffyseth / After a lytyll ty­me the childe deyed. & was buried with his fayr fad (er) / And whan he had wrap­ped him in fayr vestyments. he demaū ded him yf it suffised / The chylde that was tho deed answerd tofore al them y^t were presence there ye / & that he had y­nouz. & that his promyse was acōplys­shed / Then̄e all they that were present were moche admerueylled / After y^t the chylde was buryed. the holy fader retorned in to his hermitage / & whä he had be long tyme there. he came ayen to vysyte his bred (er)n. & in cominge it was shewed to hȳ y^t one of hem was in deyeng And by cause it was late. he hasted hȳ for to see him at leest or he deyed. for he was ferre fro the place where the seke man laye / & that dyde he considering y^t our lord sayth / y^t we ouȝt to walke whyle we haue light. For who y^t walketh in lyght / y^t is to say in instyce. he offēdyth not god / & therfore by cause y^e the son̄e declu [...]ed & theuynge came on. He cōmasided to the son̄e in y^e name of god y^t he shold cary & yeue his lyghte. vnto the time that he were com̄ vnto y^e place where y^e seke man was / And anone y^e son̄e taried & abode vnto the tyme y^t he was come / Then̄e the bred (er)n were abasshed & demaūded at his comynge frowhens proceded the tarienge of the son̄e / And he answerd ne remēbre ye not y^t our lo [...]ue sayth / y^t who someuer hath somoche fayth as the greyne of mustard / of whiche of one grayne come & procede infy­nyte greynes. &c· Anone the bred (er)n vn­derstoden. that it was by his merytes y^t the sonne had be fixed in his syege and trone / And whan he was entred to to y^e place where as the seke man was / for whom he had so hasted for to come. he fonde hym deed / And incontynente the holy man Mucyns kyssed hym. in de­maūdyng him / Answere to me my broder / Whether haddest thou leuer [...]e deed wyth Ihū Cryst. or to come & lyue agayn in this worlde / And the b [...]odder ans­werde / Alas my fader wherfore dema­undest thou me this questyon / Thou knowest wel. that it is of necessite. that I be wyth my god / For. for to be in the worlde nys but myserye / Fader hermy­te sayd he thenne to hym / Now goo thy waye then̄e my sone / and praye for me Then̄e the broder layd hym downe a­gayn in the bedde. as he had slepte / Of whyche thynge they that were present were moche abasshed / For they knewe well that he was a man of God & of holy lyfe / And this done the holy fad (er) cladde the corps like as he was acustomyd to burye theym that were deed / & walked all the nighte in prayers / And after the sayd holy man went to vysite a nother broder that laye on deyen­ge / And by cause that this broder do­ubted to be reproued of his lyfe tofore god / Prayed the holy man that he wolde gete of god that his dayes myghte be prolōged / to thēde y^t he myght amē de his lyfe / y^e holy fad (er) answerd / What hast y^t do al th [...] lyf / Hast y^u had no space to do penaūce. y^u woldest neuer lasse thy syn̄es. but alway haste augmented hē. notwythstōdyng sayd y^e holy mā i [...] y^u wylt promyse camēde thy cōscyence & satysfye for thy syn̄es we shal praye god for y^e. & they put bē al to prayer. & anone after y^e holy mā had prayed the [Page xv] lyfe of the brod (er) to be prolōged thre yere Then̄e y^e holy man reysed hym out of his bed. & the frere beyng al hole went wyth him in to deserte / And whā y^e iii. yeres were acōplysshed he brouȝt hȳ a­yen in the place where he had take hȳ. ledyng mo [...]e the lyfe of an angel than of a man. Wherof all y^e bred (er)n were admerueyled y^t he was becom̄ in so perfyte lyf / After y^t the freres wer assēbled he beyng in y^e myddes amonge hem / y^e holy man began to preche of y^e penaūce & cōuersacōn of the sayd brod (er) al y^e nyght And in makȳg y^e sayd sermon. lyke as the brod (er) had be a slepe / he rendred & gaue vp his spiryte vnto the holy sayntes to heuen. & his body was buryed / And after the seruyce done y^e holy man retorned in to deserte / & in goynge thyd (er) oftymes he passed y^e ryuer of Nyle / whyche is a ryuer merueylously grete & depe / & yet he neuer entred therin depper than to his knees. whiche is a thynge moche merueylous / Another tyme the deuyll presēted to hym tresours infinyte. whyche he said y^t thei had be lōging to kȳg Pharao. & were hyd in therth / The holy man Mucyns answerd to hȳ / y^e and thi money be in perdicōn perpetuel / Oftymes he entred in to y^e hous of the bred (er)n there where al y^e dores were shytt & closed / & whā he wold in a moment he made a grete way. And as saynt copret recoūted of y^e holy men tofore sayd. one of y^e felyshyp of saynt Iherom slepte / & myght not byleue this y^t the holy man sayd / & in slepyng he sawe a boke full of lettres of golde. whiche y^e holy fader helde. In whiche was wrote all y^e he sayd / W^t y^t he saw a man ful of grete liȝt whiche sayd to hȳ / Why herest y^u not & takest hede of y^t whiche the holy fad (er) sayth· Why slepest y^u / Anone he a woke & expowned in latyn to his felowes / that whiche he had seen / After this came a labourer holdyng a vessel ful of erth. & a wayted y^t the holy man shold speke to hȳ / That seeng saynt Iherom & his felowes. prayed hȳ y^t he wold say to hem what signefied y^e vessel ful of erth The holy man answerd / y^t it was not necessary then̄e to hem for to know it / dowtyng hȳ to fall in to y^t syn̄e of vaynglory yf he told to hem y^e sygnyficacōn / y^t whiche neuertheles he declared to hem by cause they were come to hȳ fro soo ferre a coūtre in sayeng thꝰ. Syth that we other fad (er)s become in to y^e londe of Egypt. the londe hath be fertyle & full of goodes. & tofore al y^t was sowen the wormes ete it / For y^e labourers were paynyms & infydeles. y^t whiche ben by vs cōuerted to y^e fayth / & come to brynge euery yere of therth. to thende y^t we sholde blesse it. & after they medle it wyth theyr seedes. & saye to them in blessȳge it· Goo forth. be it to y^e lyke as y^u byleuest in god / ¶ He recoūted also a thyng more merueylous by hȳ doon to thexaltacōn of the name of god. lyke as it fo­lowyth / Also as he descended in to y^e cyte nye to his hermitage. he fonde in the sayd cyte a Manychien· a deceyuour of the peple. wyth whom he dysputed of y^e fayth. But by cause y^e sayd manychien was cautelous & subtyll in wordes. to y^e ende y^t the herers shold not be skaūdred in the crysten fayth / The holy mā sayde. all ye make a fyre in the myddyl of the place / in whiche we shal put vs tweyne And I byleue that he shall be brent that hath the worste fayth and lawe / [Page] soo it was made. And incontynent the holy man toke y^e manychyen by y^e honde to lede hym wyth hȳ / the whiche answerde y^t he shold come after / And that it was reason syth he had doo make y^e fyre. y^t he sholde go byfore / Then̄ y^e ho­ly man in the name of god deuyded y^e flam̄e. in whiche he entred in. & abode there the space of half an hour wythoute takynge of ony harme / & that seeng they that were assystent began to saye / O lord god how moche merueyloꝰ werkes & thynges doost y^u in thy sayntes / Then̄e they cōstreyned the sayd many chyententree in to y^e fyre / but he alway reculed & drewe abacke / Fynably they put hym therin. & incōtynent he began to brene / Yet y^t notwithstōdyng he was drawe out ayen / & after dryuen oute of the cyte shamfully. in cryenge that the deceynour shold be brent all quycke / A nother tyme he passed by a tēple wheras the paynym̄s sacrifyed theyr god / & he sayd to theim / Wherfore sacrefye ye to thynges infused / how well trouthe it is y^t ye ben more worthy than your god dis. for ye be or may be resonable / And thꝰ sayenge god enspired theim & cam̄ after him in to desert. & byleued in god ¶ There was a paynym whyche rob­bed cule wortes nye to thermytage of y^e holy man. & bare hem awaye to boylle in his hous / But whan he had boyllyd hem in houres. ther were also greue as they were whan he gadred hem / Then̄ he cam̄ & cried mercy to the bred (er)n. & so he was cōuerted to the fayth / Wherfore how euyl o [...] synful one be: he ouȝte not therfor to haue despayr of his helth· for yf he retorn̄ to god. he shal receyue him to penaūce. lyke as he dide the holy mā Mucyns /

Of saynt Cyr. Ysaye. & Paule. whiche begyn̄yth Adhebat adhuc / Caplm x.

THe holy sayntes. Cyr. Ysaye / & Paule wer of lyf moche solytary & relygioꝰ. As they iii. togrd (er) went in a viage for to vysite one of her bred (er)n / Whā thei had gone iii. dayes Iourney nye to y^e monastery wher he was they were cōstreyned to passe a riuer. on whiche was no bote to passe with. then̄ they sayd lete vs praye togyd (er) to god. y^t he woll gyue vs grace to passe this flode. to thende y^t we may achyue our vyage. & ther prayer made god sent to hem a bote. And thei made asmoche way in an hour as they had doo in iii. dayes / & whā they were aryued alōde / Ysaye sayd. god hath shewed me y^e man whiche we go to see. he comyth to mete vs. For he knoweth our comȳg. Also paul said god hathe shewed me y^t after iii. dayes he shall passe oute of this worlde in to that other / In sayenge thyse wordes [Page xvi] and in walkyng for to goo to the mo­nastery. where as they hoped to fynde theyr brod (er). they encoūtred & mett hym & salewed hem sayeng / Blessed be god that this day hath shewed to me in spiryte that. whyche I see wyth myn eyen And then̄e he shewed to theim al their cogytacōns & the merytes y^t they had anenst god / Anone saynt Poul thus said God hath reueled to vs y^t wythin thre dayes thou shalt deye / & therfore declare to vs by what vertue thou hast be a­greable to our lord. to thende that thou whyche art redy to goo to hym. leue to thy successours some rule & manere. bi y^t whiche they maye haue meryte in their operacōns Then̄e the holy man answered in this manere. I dide neuer thyng of grete meryte / But I haue called alwaye the name of god in my trybulacions / & the grace of god neuer lefte me / for I had neuer necessyte / All y^t I wold ete changels haue brought to me. & al­so I haue had by the boūte of our lord reuelacōn of many thinges whiche haue be done in the worlde / The light of my soule was neuer quenched. I haue seen thangels assystaūt wyth god ma­ny tymes / Also the rewarde of the meri­es of relygious peple. & generally of al y^e heuenly court. I haue seen also the deuyll & his cōplyces put in fyre perdurable. & the rightful men in to glory eternall / And after whā he had by y^e space of iii. dayes cōforted them. he rendred & gaaf vp his spyrite to god / And forth­wyth they sawe the angels whyche bare his soule in to heuen /

¶ Of saynt Helayn whiche begyn̄yth in latyn / Fuit et aliꝰ vix / Caplm xi

SAynt Helain syn the tyme of his yongth was instruct in y^e seruyce diuyne in all chastite & contynēce. And in the tyme y^t he was a chylde. whan y^e fyre was fayled in y^e chyrche. Incontynent he went in to the next hous. & brought fyre in his robe without bren̄yng of it. The whyche thynge his bred (er)n se­yng were gretly amerueyled in desyrynge the perfeccōn of his lyfe / On a tyme he beyng in desert had desire to ete ony And anone after he saw some on a stone / But he considred y^t it was by y^e fallace of y^e deuyll· & ete no thynge therof / but sayd to hȳself / O daūgeroꝰ cōcupiscence· go ferre fro me. for it is wryten y^t we shold walke in gode hope & spirite· & put fro vs fleshly desyres / After this he left y^t place. & went ferd (er) into desert. where as he dyde many sastynges. & a terhe fōde an hepe of aples in y^e way. but he ete none. For he knew the deuyl had [Page] layd theym there. and sayd to hymself It is wrytt. that a mā not on̄ly lyuyth by mete. but also bi the worde of our sauyour / And after y^t he had [...] fasted yet a nother weke. an angel apperyd to hȳ in sayenge / Ete that whyche thou shal fynde. after y^t thou shall be awaked. & trowe noo thynge that this is by the deuyls crafte / And whan he aroos he sa­we a fountayne clere and herbes by. wherof he ete. and after he dranke of y^e fountayne / Those herbes hym thoughte & semyd of so grete swetnes. that neuer had be eten beter mete ne more swete / In that place he fōde a caue. in whyche he abode a certayn tyme / And all y^t he demaūded of god he had ¶ On a tyme he went for to vysite his brethern. & for to helpe theym in their necessytee He bare to them somoche mete / that he bare soo heuy that he might vnethe go And as god wold he sawe wylde asses. passynge by the deserte / To whom he made an exclamacōn sayenge. I cōmaunde you wyld asses in y^e name of Ihesu Cryst & adiure you that one of you come to me & receyue my burthen The whyche wordes sayd one of the asses came to saynt Helayne offrynge hymself wyth all mekenesse & debonayrte. who anone layd his faidell vpon his backe & sate vpon it / And that done he bare hym promptly vnto thermytages of y^e bredern whiche he went for to vysite /

¶ On a nother daye / whiche was on a Sondaye he came in a monasterye for to vysite the brethern beynge theim. & in vysitynge he knewe that they kepte not the solempnytee in theyr chirche or chapell as they oughte to doo on that daye / Anone he enquyred the cause of y^e neclygence / They answerde that they hadd noo preest there / And y^t he why­che was acustomyd to synge there was beyonde a ryuer. whiche was bytwene theym & the celle wherin the prest dwellyd / To whom none of theim durst go for drede that they had of a terryble serpent named Coquodrille. whiche helde him abowte the sayd ryuer / Then̄e the holy man sayd to theym. Yf ye woll I woll goo fetche him / And incontynent he came to the ryuage of the ryuer. vp­on whiche he callid the name of god & anone the serpent was by hym / And he whiche hadde be acustomed to deuoure men. yelded him subget & tame vnto y^e holy man. And bare hym vpon his backe ouer the ryuer, & sette hym on the ryuage / Thenne the holy man departed fro him & came to the preest for to pray hym to come to the bredern / Now was the holy man cladde wyth olde & fowle clothynge. Of whom the p [...]est whyche neuer had seen him byfore was gretly admerueyled. And demaūded of hȳ who. & frowhens he was. and for what cause he was come thider / And after y^t he knewe by his answere that he was an holi man of god. he folowed him to the ryuer / And the preest sayd that the­re was noo boot ne vessell to sett theim ouer / The holy man answerde / be noo thynge in doubte ne aferde. I shall make redy to the a good message [...] / Then̄e the holy man callyd the serpent. y^t whyche approchynge to hym presented hys backe to bere him / And he moūted theron. & after badde the preest for to come by him. sayenge that he sholde no thynge be aferde. But he seenge the terrible beest began to flee & goo a backe / The [Page xvii] other brethren whyche were come thy­ther see [...]ge that were merueyllously affrayed / And after that the sayde beest had broughte him ouer the water agayn he sayde to hym / It is better to the cruell beest to deye now presently. than to doo ony more dysplaysure to the pe­ple. lyke as thou haste ben acustomed /

¶ The whyche wordes sayde. he felle [...]wne deed / The holy man Helayn abode thre dayes to the sayd monastery and taughte the brethern / And also ex­cyted theym to [...] [...]yste and wythstonde dyuerse [...]. of whyche they were defoy [...] [...] [...]spyracōn dyuy­ne he [...] were replenys­shyd wyth [...] / Some wyth Ire / Other [...] [...]aryce and vayne glory. And [...] other had Iustyce · hu­mylytee [...]. ¶ And they se­enge that he [...] their thoughtes began to amende th [...]to / ¶ After this he forse [...]ge that certayne brethern sholde come thyder sayd to the brethern / Ma­ke redy some wottes for hem that shal anone come hyther / And soo they dyde ¶ And assone as they were come he receyued theym honourably / And after he retorned in to deserte / ¶ A nother tyme came to hym a yonge man. whiche prayed hym to be his dyscyple / The holy man shewed to him his labours whiche he sholde doo and bere. yf he wolde be relygyous / And how wyth grete pa­yn myghte he resyste to the temptacy­ons of the deuyll / But of asmoche as he dyscounseyled hym to leue it. somo­che the more the yonge man was en­flammed. and encouraged / Promysyn­ge to endure and suffre all in pacyence / Then̄e he delyuerde for all his richesse to hym a ca [...]erne or a caue faste by his And Incontynent as he was put in / y^e nyght after came the deuyll / and tempted hym in fowle and Infamyd cogy­tacyons / And wyth that they enforcyd theym to hurte and to slee hym / Thys seenge the yonge man. retorned to hys fayre fader Helayn. whyche comforted hym / and broughte hym to his cauerne and made aboute it an hedge. in defendynge the deuylles. that they shold not come nyght to his lodgynge / And ne­uer after dyde they to hym more vyo­lence ¶ And it is rad of hym. that he e­te neuer but heuēly mete. and suche as god sente to hym ¶ On a tyme his brethern came to see hym / But he had nothynge to gyue to theym / And Incontynent came a yonge man whiche broughte myraculously that whiche was ne­cessary for theyr refeccōn / Ferd (er)more sayth saynt Iherom y^t saynt Coprett. of whom is wryten here tofore brought y^e same saynt Iherom / his bred (er)n & his felowes in to a gardyne. after y^t he hadd tolde to theym all thise dyuyne operacions / In whiche gardyne he had palme trees· apple trees. & many other trees. y^t he told them that he had planted there And sayd saynt Coprett y^t he had doo this to thensāple of y^e labourers his neighbours. whiche were acustomed to come fetche of the duste & pouldre & drye erthe in the places. where as the holy fad (er)s dwelled / & sewe / & threwe abrode y^e same erthe vpon theyr londe / Byleuynge fermly y^t it shold be therby the more fertile & habūdant / He sayd ferd (er)more y^t it shold be grete shame to the holy fa­d (er)s there dwellyng. yf the labourers sholde haue in theim gretter fayth than̄e [Page] they seeng that the same fayth was in theim by the holy fad (er)s confermyd /

¶ Of saynt Helye whyche begynnyth

¶Vidimꝰ & aliū senem / Caplm xii.

SAynt Iherom saith that he & his felowes sawe a nother ho­ly fad (er) namyd Helye nye a cite namyd Anthinos· whiche was Metro­polytane in the partyes of Thebayde / & this holy fad (er) was of [...]hage of an. C. & x. yere or there aboute / Whiche in vertue & holy lyf semyd to be egall to He­lye the prophete / This holy man was moche solitary. for he was bi the space of lxx. yere in a deserte soo horryble y^t it maye not well be wryten / And there be was in passynge his lyf solytary in su­che wise. not where the peple of y^e worlde dwellyd / The waye was so harde & sharpe. y^t they y^t came thyd (er) myghte not passe it / y^e place where he lay was so terryble. y^t noo man myght beholde it w^t oute horrour / And whan it came soo y^t his membres began to tremble for a [...] ­ge. he vsed for his mete a lytyll brede & oyle olyue moche sobrely ¶ But in his yongthe he had fasted many tymes a [...] hoole weke wythout ony etynge / The [...] was neuer man sawe hym goo oute of his hermytage. like as other heremytes wytnessen / He had that ye [...]re of god y^t all they y^t went to hym· retorned neuer wythout to haue y^t whiche they demaū ded / And also he helyd & guarisshed hē of all sekenesse & maladyes / & at last finysshed in glory eternall his daye /

¶ Of saynt Pithiryon. whiche begyn­nyth ¶ Redeūtes / Caplm xiii.

IN suche wise as saynt Iherom & his felowes retorned fro the hayde they sawe a moūtayne / vnto the whyche noo man myght goo without grete diffyculte & payne / In y^e sayd moūtayne were dyuerse heremy­te. of whom saynt Pithyrion was fad (er) & abbot. the whiche had be dyscyple of [Page xviii] saynt Anthonye / And after had dwel­lyd with saynt Amon. of whom is af [...] [...]r wryten / ¶ This same saynt Pythi­ryon was of soo grete vertue / aswell in helpyng the seke peple. as in fyghtyng & resystynge the deuylles / Whiche hadd dowble the vertues of the sayd two fa­ders / That is to wyte of the sayd saynte Anthonye. of whom we shall speke herafter. and of y^e forsayd saynt Amon of whom he had be successiuely dyscy­ple ¶ Saynt Iherosme was enseyned & taught of the sayd saynt Pythiryon how he myght resyste & eschewe y^e tēptacōns of the deuyll of hell / ¶ Who some euer woll haue domynacōn & puyssaūce vpon the deuylles. hym behouyth fyrst that he resyste ayenst his synnes & passyons / And whan we shall haue take a waye one vyce or one synne fro our soule / y^e deuyll that tempteth a man of the sayde synne. Incontynent shall de­parte fro the body where it hath ben. His lyfe was moche strayte / For two tymes in a weke he ete but onely / Ne dranke but a lytyll browet made with meele. wythout to take ony other refeccōn. in what aege he was / But our lorde whiche knewe the Right grete and synguler deuocyon that he had in hym and to his seruyce. gaaf to hym aboue nature strengthe and courage to bere & susteyne those ryght strayte and merueillous penaunces /

¶ Of saynt Eulogyon. whyche begynnyth in latyn ¶ Vidimus et alium Caplm xiiii.

AFter this spekith saynt Ihe­rom sayenge / that he sawe an other holy fader namyd Eu­logyon / ¶ The whyche amonge other graces that he had. he knewe al y^e tho­ughtes good & euyll of all theym that in his presence came to the aulter. for to receyue theyr maker or creatour /

¶ Soo it happed on a tyme that some relygiouses wolde receyue theyr sauyo­ur / But the holy man kepte theym fro it, sayenge to one of theym thyse wor­des / O myschaunte man arte thou soo folysshe to come for to receyue thy god. And thou haddest this nyghte wyll for to acomplysshe the synne of Fornycacyon / And he sayde to that other / & thou haste sayde in thyne herte. that it is no more daungeour to admynystre hym­selfe to the table of Ihesu Cryste in dedely synne. than in the astate of grace / And that is alle one. beynge good and euyll / And after he sayde to a nother / [Page] Thou haste sayd in thyself that y^e sa­cramente of the awter maye not Iustefye the / ¶And thenne sente theym a­gayne for to doo penaunce / Reputyng theym vnworthy to receyue the sacra­ment of the awter / ¶Here vpon oughte the preestes to take ensample. whan they prepare and make theym redy to saye masse / And also alle other creatu­res that gone & purpoos to receyue the holy sacrament of the awter /

¶Of saynt Appellen· and begynnyth in latyn ¶Vidimus & aliū presbiterū / Caplm xv.

SAynt Appellen was a forgeur of [...]ren / And that whiche was necessary to y^e bred (er)n he forgyd it to theym / ¶ On a nyght as he was forgynge the deuyll came to hym to lykenesse of a fayr woman. and brought him werke for to forge / Thenne the holy man toke out of his furnays a ba [...]e of yren and caste it in to her vysage

Thenne the deuill made soo terryble a crye that all the bred (er)n were awaked / & therof he had suche a yefte of god / that frothan forthou he myghte take in his bare honde wythout to be brente the y­ren alle hote & hrennynge reed. ¶ And whan saynt Iherom & his felowes came to hym he receyued theym benygnely. and tolde to theym of the maners & lyfe of some of his bredern / ¶ And fyrste of one namyd Iohn̄. y^e whyche was moche olde & auncyen. surmountyng y^e other in holynesse of lyfe and of good maners / And tolde to theym that at y^e begynnyng. that the sayd Iohn̄ came in to deserte. He was thre yere vnd (er) a toche in oryson & prayer wythout lyenge on the grounde ¶ The sayd Iohn̄ slepte not but lenynge / And ete not but on the Sondaye / On whyche day the preste admynystred to hym the holy sacrament of the awter. of whyche he lyuyd onely / ¶ On a daye the deuyll wenynge to dysceyue hym. transfigured hym­selfe to the semblaunce of a preest / And came tofore hym the houre acustomyd In faynynge to gyue to hym the holy sacramente of the awter / But the holy man seenge that it was the deuyll sayde to hym / ¶ O cursyd deuyll why ces­sest thou not to trowble the deuoute soules / How arte thou soo hardy to play & Iape with the holy sacrament of thawter / The deuyll answerd that he supposyd to haue dysceyued hym. as he hadd done a nother / The whyche after that he had obeyed to hym. he became folysshe. and oute of wytte / In suche wyse that with payne and vnethe many holy [Page xix] men myght by prayers and orysons reduce hym agayn vnto his place. & to his former helth / And whan the deuyll had sayd soo. he vanisshed away fro y^e holy man. ¶ Of whom it is radd that by ouer longe beynge in prayer. his po­or fete whyche were contynuelly in reste were broken & roten / And after that he had done this penaunce by the space of thre yeere. thangell apperyd to hym & said / God hath receyued thi orysons & prayers / And sendyth to the worde y^t all thy soores shall be heelyd & guarysshed / Thenne the angell towched hym by the mouth & by the teeth· and Incō ­tyuent he was all hoole & guarysshyd / of al his soores. and replenysshed wyth scyence & wyth all graces in suche wy­se. that he neuer after hadde hungre ne thurste / ¶ Thangell cōmaunded hym after that he shold goo to other places. visytynge his bred (er)n for to comfort the­ym. and tenseyne & teche to them holy doctryne ¶ And on a tyme it happed y^t a man crokebacked came to him to the ende that he myghte recouere helthe / & wolde mount vpon a mare for to ryde thyder / the whyche was gyrde wyth o­ne cengle whyche y^e holy man had made / For gladly euery daye in the weke [...]auf the Sandaye he made cengles / & couerȳges of leues of palme wouen after the custome of the countree / And so as y^e sayd crokebacked was moūted on the mare. he was forthwyth all hoole / by cause his fete had towched the sayd cengle ¶ The holy man was of so grete meryte & vertue / that whan he sente to ony seke people of the brede whyche he had blessed wyth his honde / Yf they ete therof / they were heelyd of all maladyes and sykenesses ¶ He had also this grace that he knewe all the thoughtes of his bredern / And Incontynent wro­te to ther faders and abbottes. how there some ruled theym in synnes & vnclē nesse / And other prouffyted in scyence and vertues / Some were inpacyente & sette noughte by theyr bredern / The o­ther were constaunt and in charyte / ¶He preched to vs to torne our eyen fro thynges transytory. and to fyxe theym in goodes in fallyble & eternall / ¶ Al­so sayd the holy fader. that is of necessite to a man to haue courage manly or vyrile. in leuynge the maners & condy­cyons of euyll chyldren. whyche of the­yr nature ben vicyous. variable and in constaunt /

¶Of saynt Paphunce / and begyn̄yth in latyn ¶ Vidimus et alium monasterium / Caplm xvi.

[Page]SAynt Iherom writith of a monastery after. where in was an holy heremyte named Paphū ­ce strongly renōmed emonge thermites of the desertes / He had dwellyd in thut terest or last desertes of Heracleos. a cyte renōmed in Thebayde / of whom saynt Iherom sayth. That on a tyme he prayed god y^t he wolde shew to whom of the sayntes of heuen he sholde be ly­ke or semblable / Thangell of god an­swerde to hym. y^t he sholde be lyke to a player vpon a symphonye, the whiche by the stretes sought his lyuynge in sȳ gynge / Then̄e he was moche abasshed of thanswere. & went forth Incontynēt for to seche hym where he myght fyn­de hym / Whan he had fonde hym / he asked by of his lyf & of his workes / And he recounted to hȳ how he had alwaye lyued symply in cōmisynge many theftes & other synnes / Paphunce yet asked hym more fe [...]d (er). yf in doynge those theftes he had euer done ony operacyon. or werke vertuoꝰ / The sayd man answerde that he knewe in hym noo good. sa­ue on a tyme his felowes. whiche were theues as he was hadd take by force a virgyn. whiche was sacred to god. and whan he sawe / y^t they wolde haue defoylled her / He thrested emonge theym. & preseruyd her fro corruptynge / ¶ After this he sayde· y^t on a nother tyme that he fonde a woman maryed walkynge wythin desertes. the whyche was all desolate. & was nye deed for hūgre by cause she had not ete in thre dayes. Thē ne he demaūded her for what cause she went soo alone in the wodes. to whom she answerd. that her husbond was prysoner & thre of his children by his euyl gouernaunce / And for to eschewe y^t she sholde not be take. she soo fledde. & not wythstondynge that she gaaf ouer herselfe to the sayd theyf. yet neuerthelesse he dyde to her noo dyshonour. But gaue to her .iii. C. shilinges. of whiche she boughte her husbond & the thre chyld (er)n out of pryson / And the theyf sayd y^t he had done none other good thanne this whiche he had sayd / Thenne the good fad (er) Paphunce answerd / y^t he hymselfe neuer had done suche werkes of chary­te· Sayeng to hym more ouer that god had shewed to hym that he shold haue asmoche Ioye in heuen as he / And therfore he coūseyled hym y^t he sholde leue his euyll lyfe / and conuerte hym to doo well. And Incontynent he caste awaye his [...]oytes & his symphonie. & tourned alle his arte of musyke in to spyrytuell songes. In suche wyse y^t he was thre yere in thermytage wyth the sayd holy fader in fastynges & merueylous abstynē ce / And at laste rendred & gaaf his spyryte wyth thangels in to heuen· ¶And after the sayd saynt Paphunce put hȳ ­self to doo more penaūce & gretter thā he dyde tofore / And yet ayen he dema­unded of god / to what man in erthe he was semblable. y^e voys of heuen answered to hym y^t he was semblable vnto y^e lord of a Brugh nye to his hermytage The whiche thyng herde / he went In­continent for to knowe of the gouernaunce of the sayd lorde / & came in to hys hous / Anone as the lorde had receyued him benygnely / The holy fader demaunded of hym of his merytes. and ver­tues / The whyche lorde wyllyng to he [...]le and hyde his bountee: answered to hym humbly. that he neuer had done [Page xx] any gode dede. The holy fader suffred it well sayenge. that he had reuelacyon that he was semblable & lyke in vertu­es to the holy heremytes. dwellynge in deserte / The lorde knowynge the Reuelacōn made of his lyfe. began tex po­se the manere of his lyuynge / the whyche was gretly to be merueyled / ¶ Fyrste he sayd how wel that his wyte sythe the tyme of theyr waryage was excel­lently fayr & of yonge aege / Neuerthe­lesse for the grete loanges that he hadd other tyme recyted of the louable vertu of chastyte / He had to the same desyred and persuaded her therto syth and after that she hadd hadd by hym thre chyl­dren / That by the space of xxx. yere· durynge the whyche they had contynuel­ly ben playsauntly in maryage that one wyth that other / Yet had they neuer towched flesshely that one wyth the o­ther / ¶ But at suche tyme as they we­re prycked & desyred tacomplysshe the­yr flesshly delectacōns / they haue myg­htly wythstode and resysted theym du­ryng the tyme aforsayd / as they yet done / ¶ Secondly he sayd that all his lyfe he had not cessed to lodge pylgryms And that he hymself went fyrste to re­ceyue theym in / He had neuer dyspysed the poore peple. but had benygnly my­nystred to theym theyr necessytees / In doynge Iustice he spared noo more his chyldren than the estrangers / The go­des of other he neuer retayned / Yf ony dyscorde hadd be moeuyd emonge his men / he neuer cessed tyll he hadd made theym acorded / Neuer man founde his seruauntes doynge ony euyll to other. & his beestes had neuer done ony dōma­ge to the graynes or corne of his neygboure ¶ Who some euer wolde sowe o­ny corne on his lōde. he wolde neuer for bydde it hym. ne also to gadre & take y^e prouffyte / ¶ And more ouer he wolde neuer suffre the riche to offende ne hurte ne greue the poore / But had alway studyed to doo playsure to other / And also of all theym that had pleeted tofore hym. he neuer condempned one / but had constreyned theym tacorde theym­self / ¶ And this seenge the fader here­myte bowynge his heed / gaaf to hym his blessynge / The blessynge of god of Syon be yeue & graunted to the. to the ende that thou mayste eternally see the goodes of Iherusalem all thy lyfe /

¶ And for asmoche said saynt Paphū ce that thou haste acomplysshed thy dayes in vertues werkes & good maners / There abydeth one thynge. whiche is necessary / That is that y^e leue alle thy mouable goodes & herytages / And re­nounce theim in folowyng thy lorde & Instructour Ihesu cryste / And inconty­nent withoute to dyspose his godes the sayd lord with the sayd holi fader wente soo ferre. y^t they came to a ryuer where neuer ony persone had passed wyth­out boote / The holy fader constreyned hym to entre therin / And notwythstondynge the water was moche depe. Ne­uerthelesse they passed it lyghtly. wythout to entree more depe than theyr sy­des / ¶ After they went so longe y^t they came to the deserte / Where saynt Pa­phunce delyuerd to hym a lytyll celle & a lytyll hous nyghe vnto his monaste­rye / In exposynge to hym the Rules of holy conuersacyon and the excersyte of perfyghtnesse / ¶ And after that he duely and suffysauntly Instruct / The [Page] sayde holy fader Paphunce wente hys waye. and constreyned hymself to lede a more straytter lyfe than he had done byfore / And also to doo & make greter abstynences / And y^e payne that he had to for suffred and the penaunce that he had borne & suffred· he reputed ouer lytyll. Seeng y^t they that were in y^e worlde dyde thynges of soo grete vertue / Lyke as dyde they two aforsayd / ¶ After that the lord of whom is tofore spoken had lyued the space of longe tyme in y^e hermytage. in augmentynge & multe­plyenge his perfeccyon / The sayd Pa­phunce beynge there in his celle or ly­till house sawe the soule of the sayd lorde borne by angelles in to heuen sayenge / Blessyd is he whom thou hast cho­sen / For he shall dwelle wyth the / And by that knewe the holy fader. that the sayd lorde was sauyd / ¶ Wherfore the sayd holy fader constreyned himself to doo yet more grete abstinences than he dyde tofore / And in lyke wyse prayed he yet god agayne that he wolde shew to hym to whom he was semblable a­monge the men / To whyche request a voys answerde / Thou shalt be semblable to a marchaūt whyche anone shall come hyder for to vysite the / Wherfore aryse and goo to mete hym / ¶ Anone the holy fader aroos and wente downe for to mete the sayd marchaunt. y^t whyche came fro Alexandrye. and brought fro Theybayde many marchaundyses the whyche he had in thre shyppes whiche was worth of theyr money .iii. thou sande shyllynges or there abowte. And by cause he was a good man: & louyd well relygyon· be broughte to the sayde holy fader ten sackes full of pesen and benes for to make wyth potage / And whan Paphunce sawe hym. he sayd to hym / What doost thou man of god /

What lyfe ledest thou in erthe. or what consolacōn hast thou wyth theym that ben celestyall / Leue vnto erthly & worldly peple the goodes of the world. And doo somoche that thou be marchaunte & solicytour of the reame of heuen. and folowe thy sauyour / The whiche shall calle the in shorte tyme ¶ The whyche thynge soo happed / For the marchaunt folowynge the good admonycyons of saynt Paphunce made to be gyue & dealed his goodes to poore men / seruaun­tes of god / And ledde a lyfe solytarye / And soone after he passed fro this cor­ruptyble worlde / in to the glory of he­uen / ¶ And in lyke wyse after deyed y^e holy fader Paphunce / But yet the an­gell shewed to hym his dethe sayenge / ¶ Come thou holy man blessyd of god Loo here the prophetes whiche hen w^t me for to receyue the. The whyche grace I haue not shewed to the byfore / to the ende that thou sholdest not be proude / ¶ The holy man lyued one day after. and recounted this that sayde is to some preestes. whiche were come thider for to vysyte hym. ¶ And after he ga­ue to theym many techinges / ¶ Amonge all other he shewed to theym / y^t they sholde neuer despyse other. of what estate or what vocacion he was. though he were vycyous / ¶ For in euery ord [...]e of mannes lyfe. there ben two soules pley saunt to god. by doynge some thynges secretly and vnknowen / ¶ And thus may be concluded / that the habyte makyth not the man pleysaunt ne agrea­ble to god / but oonly the clennesse of lyf [Page xxi] ¶ After that the sayde holy fader Pa­pounce hadd gyue to his brethern enseygnements and many other techynges And that he had take leue of theym in grete humylyte / he rendred his soule to god / Whyche the holy angelles bare in to heuen in the presence of the assystences. In syngyng songes and dyctees celestyall /

¶Of the monastery of saynt Ysodore begynnynge in latyn ¶ Vidimus apud thehaidam / Caplm xvii.

IN Thebayde was a monastery and couent of saynt Ysodo­te. playsaunte and gretly renō med / ¶ The relygyouses that were there wythin hadde moche grete and lar­ge howses / ¶ There were many pon­des. gardynes. and trees berynge frute / Wyth this there were all thinges necessary for the bodyly lyfe. In suche wise that they hadd noo nede to goo out for to suche their necessytees to lyue / ¶ Tofore the gate of the sayde Monasterye was an olde man moche prudente / the whyche sayd to all theym that wold en tree / That yf they wold entree ones in they sholde neuer come oute / And that suche was the lawe / ¶ Now there was one thynge therin moche merueyllous / For Incontynent as one was entred. y^e sayde lawe toke none effecte / By cause of his propre wyll wythout constraynt he was contente to abyde there / In suche wyse that he was rauysshed in contemplynge his perfeccyon and holynes that was wythin the sayd monastery / ¶ And that same olde man that kepte the gate hadd a lytyll house· in whyche he receyuyd all theym that came thyd (er). And treated manerly and well.

¶ Ferthermore sayth saynt Iherom y^t whan he arryued there. he myghte not entre therin. But enquyred of the Por­tyer the manere of lyuynge in the sayd monasterye / The whyche sayd to hym and to his felyshipp / That there with in were two auncyente and olde men Whyche oonly hadd power to goo oute and entree in agayne / The whiche were Pourueyours. for to pourueye for the poore lyf of the bredern that were within / Whyche alwaye weren in scylence. makynge theyr prayers. and occupyenge all theyr lyfe tyme in vertuouse ocupacyons to serue god / ¶ Yet was [Page] there more merueylles / ¶ For neuer was there ony of the Relygiouses that were seke there wythin / ¶But whan they sholde deye they shewed theyr de­the that one to that other in the presence of theyr felowes / And rendred theyr spyryte Ioyously to god /

¶Of saynt Serapyon abbot / whyche begynnynth in latyn ¶ Sed et in regi­one, Caplm xviii.

SAynt Iherom sawe in the re­gyon A [...]senoitte a nother deuowte Relygyous man. namyd Serapyon· Abbot and fader of many monasteryes / In whyche were nyghe by .x. Mill Relygyouses and heremytes lyuynge of theyr propre labours / And of that whyche they wanne in the sea­son whan they gadred the corne & grayne [...] / ¶ And they gaue to the sayd Abbot the mooste parte of theyr gayne. by whyche they were nourysshed. and sus­teyned the poore peple / ¶ The custo­tome was suche. not oonly in that Re­lygyon. but also in all Egypte. for to hyre the sayde Heremytes and relygy­ouses in the tyme of Haruest / And eche of theym wanne abowte a foure score mewes or combes of grayne. after the mesure of the sayd countree of Egypte Some more and other lasse. after that the seeson was more habundaunt. plenteuous or sharpnesse & scarsytee / And of the same the moost parte was gyue to poore peple after the ordynaūce and dyscrecōn of theim that were ordeyned to make dystrybucōn of the same corne & grayne / ¶ Theyr charytee was soo grete. that they gaaf not oonly to y^e pore of the same countreye. but they sente shyppes full charged & lade in to Alexandrye for to gyue to prysoners & ne­dy of the countreye. For in Egypte were not poore peple ynoughe for to gyue in almesse the sayd corne & graynes.

¶ Saynt Iherom sawe also in the cy­tees of Mempheos & Babylone a multytude Innumerable of heremytes. the whyche were all full of vertues & gra­ces to god agreable / ¶ In that coūtree it is sayd that y^e places is. where as Ioseph made his grenyres for y^e famyne / And therfore that place is called y^e place of the tresours of Ioseph / Other call it Pyramidas. by cause they had suche credence that suche where shold be ther assēbled by Ioseph in that maner.

¶ Of saynt Apolonyon Religyous & martyr. begynnyng in latyn ¶ Trade hant ergo / Caplm xix.

[Page xxii]

THe .ii. holy olde fad (er)s of whom is tofore wryten in the chapy­tre precedent Recounted & tol­de to saynt Iherom & his felowes. that emonge the sayd heremytes and relygiouses there was one namyd Apolony­on / Whyche for his ryght honeste lyfe was ordeyned in the ordre of Deaken / In whyche estate he was strongly persecuted / ¶ And durynge the sayd persecucōn. the sayde Apolonyon admones­ted alwaye his bredern to receyue mar­tyyrdom ¶ Anone after he was take & put in pryson / And he beynge therin. came to hym the persecutours. whiche were Paynyms / Whyche in mockynge hȳ dyde to hym many Iniuryes / And specyally one namyd Phylemon. whyche was moche amyable & debonayr to y^e peple. & called hȳself seductour & deceyour of the peple / And sayd more ouer y^e he was worthy to be in the hate of al y^e worlde / Whan saynt Apolonyon hadd herde al this. he answerd moche curteisly & sayd / ¶ Alas my frende. I pray to god oure maker. that he haue mercy & pite on the / And that he not Impute to the thyniuryes & shames that y^u dost to me presently / The whiche answer herde by Phylemon. he was heuy & sorowfull in his hert / And moued with suche contrycōn & conpūpcion. that Inconty­nent he declared hymself crysten / And wyth as ardaunte desyre enflāmed of grete charyte came to y^e Iuge. to whom tofore al the peple he began to crye / O wyked Iuge thou trayueyllest Iniustly the poore seruaūtes of god that ben cristen. For they ne doo ne saye ony euyll / The Iuge herynge thise wordes hadd supposed at fyrst that he had proposed suche wordes in Iape / But after bi cause he sawe hym perseuere in the same / he sayd that sodenly he was bycome a foole / Phylemon answerde / Herke & take hede Iuge I am noo foole. but y^u art enraged and out of thy wytte whanne wythout reason. and vnryghtfully haste putt to dethe the good & true Crysten peple / Knowe thou that now I hold & shall holde the crysten lawe. the whiche is necessary to all men lyuynge in thys worlde. ¶ Then̄e the Iuge supposed to haue repelyd him by fayr wordes. But by cause he sawe hym constaunt / he menacyd hym wyth Infynyte tormentes / ¶ The Iuge also moeuyd wyth wrathe agaynst the holy fader Apolony­on / Knowynge that it was by his ex­ortacyon. that the sayd Phylemon had renoūced his lawe. made hym to suffre mani tormentes. & called hȳ deceyuer & begyler / saynt apolonion said to hȳ. ha [Page] Iuge knowe thou thy maker. Certaynly I desyre that thou and all the assys­tents sholde kepe the errour that I kepe & holde / That is to saye that they we­re crysten / And Incontynent that sayd the Iuge cōmaunded that they sholde bothe two be putt in to a fyre tofore al the peple / And soo doynge they two togyder began to praye god soo hye that euery man myghte here in sayenge / O souerayne god Ihesu cryste our protec­tour suffre not the soules to be lost that confesse the openly / But shewe to vs e­uydently our helthe / And Incontynent thyse wordes sayd· descended a clowde full of water. the whiche quenchyd all the fyre / Of whiche the Iuge & the pe­ple were merueylously abasshed. and began to crye in sayenge / O god of Cristen men. now we confesse that thou art almyghty and oonly Inmortall / Ano­ne after cam̄ thyse tydynges to the grete Prouoste of Alexandrye / the whyche as enraged sente for to fetche the sayd Iuge & the two holy faders / That is to wyte Apolonyon & Phylemon. orde­nynge that they sholde be brought straytly bounde lyke prysoners / But in le­dyng theym the holy man cōuerted theym that were come to lede theim / Whyche all they togyder presented themselfe as crysten to the sayd Prouost of A­lexandrye / Thenne the cursed prouost seenge that he myghte not reuoke the­im fro the cristen fayth. he made them alle to be throwen in to the see / And in that wyse they were baptysed in y^e wa­ter / Anone after the see broughte theim to the ryuage all hoole & wythout cor­rupccōn of theyr bodyes / Thenne were they buryed al togider in one sepulture And god shewyth there euery daye many dyuerse myracles on theym that serue & requyre theym /

¶Of saynt Dioscore abbot begin̄yng Vidimus & aliū / Caplm xx.

AFter spekith saynt Iherom of saynt Dyoscore. whiche hadd in his monastery nyght vnto Thebayde .i. C. religyouses or there a­bowte. To whom he cōmaūded expressely that they shold neuer receyue their maker. yf they had ony synnes in their conscyences / Not onely synnes actuell: or in thoughte. but also of theym that somtyme happe by dremynges. of whiche they falle in pollucōns nocturnall / were it by fantasies or by operacōns of wym̄en or bi habūdāce of humours naturell / And he sayde yf somtyme suche pollucōn came wythout to haue ony fā tasye of ony woman in y^e manere / y^t is [Page xxiii] noo synne. But that he take therin no playsaunce after the sayd dreme / For that pollucyon comyth by cause of thabūdance of thumour whyche is wythin the body of the man. ¶ For to eschewe suche pollucyon is necessary fastynge & to lyue sobrely / ¶ He gaaf to his dyscyples a symylytude suche / Whan a man is seke. And the Fylicyen defendyth to hym ony mete / he kepyth his cōmaun­dement / Thenne the relygiouses & all maner of peple that will lyue vertuously oughte to kepe theym to doo thyng that is contrary to the medicyne of the soule / That is to saye that he muste kepe hym fro synne: the whyche makyth the soule seke / And in the ende makyth it to deye. ¶ And to the contrary yf we kepe it clene wythout dedely synne. we shall haue Ioye perdurable /

¶Of y^e monasteries of Nitrye. & begȳ nyth in latyn ¶ Venimꝰ / Caplm xxi.

AFter saynt Iherom and his felowes cam̄ in to Nytrye. a place the most fayr & moost renō med of Egypte. dystaunt fro Alysaun­drie xl. myle or there about. whiche ben escryued to xxx. leukes of Fraūce / There was a cyte namyd Nytrye takynge his name of the sayd region. in whiche growyth the Nytre. lyke or semblable to sonde / Wherof ben wasshen there the clothes / And otherwise it is called an esspyce of salte after Papye / & it is made of water & of therthe in Egypte / And in Palestine it is made of grete hete of the sonne / ¶ In y^e countree were aboute .v.C. monasteryes thone nyghe vnto that other vnder one abbot / Of whom ther some lyued & dwelled togyd (er). other helde them solytarily eche by hymselfe that notwithstōdyng they had alwaye charyte togyd (er) / ¶ And whan saynt Iherom & his cōpanye approched to them All in a grete companye. lyke to a multytude of bees came ayenst theim bryngynge brede & botelles full of water.

And after they broughte theym all singynge in to the chyrche / After wasshed theyr fete & wiped theim wyth to waylles / ¶ And they were not on̄ly serued of bodyly necessytees / But also they were Instructe in humylytee & clemence / ¶ And saynt Iherom sayth that he neuer hadd be in place where he had seen flowe so habundantly charyte & mercy. ¶ Theyr Oratoryes were full of boo­kes in scyence dyuyne / And they vsyd none other thynges in all theyr dayes /

¶ Of a nother place callyd Cecylya & begynnyth in latyn ¶ Post hunc ve­ro / Caplm xxii.

[Page]THere was a nother place towarde that deserte dystaunte fro y^t place tofore sayd x. myle or there abowte / the whyche was callyd Ce­cylia for the multytude of celles and lytyll houses that were there / ¶ The custome of the relygiouses that there dwelled was suche. y^t they spake not thone to y^e other but the saterdaye & sondaye And yf that one came not on that daye Incontynent they thouȝte that he was seke / Werfore that one after that other wente for to see hym / And broughte to hym some thynge for to susteyne & helpe hym to his bodyly helthe / They ne­uer spake togyder but the dayes tofore sayd. but yf it were in prechynge. or in gyuynge doctryne / Whan ony of theim was gretter Clerke or Inspyred more than̄e a nother / And yf ony wolde goo dwelle wyth ony of them / they were so replenysshed wyth charytee. y^t they lod­ged theym Incontynent in theyr howses or cotages /

¶ Of saynt Am̄onion abbot. begyn̄ynge ¶Vidimꝰ quendā / Caplm xxiii.

AMonges the same heremytes & relygyouses saynt Iherom saw one namyd Am̄onyon. to whom god had gyuen all plenytude of graces / & pryncypally he had merueyls us charyte. humylite none lyke. & generally asmoche in pacyence. clemence & benygnyte / Also in scyence & prudence he was moost perfite of theim al / The sayd Am̄onyon had ii· bred (er)n. y^t one na­myd Eusebius & y^e other Eu [...]imius / y^t whyche were not oonly bred (er)n carnalle. but also in lyf. in religyon & in vertues they were germayns / Thise iii. bredern solycyted in theyr tyme the other bred (er)n as the mod (er) thynkyth on her chyld (er)n in helpyng theym not on̄ly to theyr corporall lyfe. but also to the spirituell. as enscynynge theym to vertues & good maners / The same saynt Am̄onion dwelled in a monastery closyd wyth walles In whiche he hȳselfe had made a pytt And it happed y^t a broder transported hymself towarde him for to haue a ly­tyll hous to dwell in thermytage / The whyche answerde to hym that he hadd none. but he made hym to dwell in his monastery. vnto the time he had foūde one / ¶ Sone after he delyuerde to him a lytyll one. the whiche he fonde nye y^e sayde monastery / And yf by aduenture had many come. he had Incōtynent gadred togider his bred (er)n. and in lytyll ty­me had made a monastery /

¶ Of saynt Dydyme why the begyn­nyth in latyn ¶Vidimus inter cos Caplm xxiiii.

[Page xxiiii]SAynt Iherom recounteth of a nother namyd Didyme. y^e whiche was emonge the faders namyd moche vertuouse & debonayr / ly­ke as his vysage shewed well / And su­che grace had he of god. that he roode vpon the scorpyons & other venymous bestes. whiche were there in grete habū dance / By cause of the grete heete of y^e sonne / And slewe theym wyth his fete as lytyll wormes of the erthe. wythout that they dyde to him ony harme / Wherefor in hym was acōplysshed the worde of the prophete sayeng / Thou shalt make thy Iourneye vpon aspydes & basylyks / And vnder the fote thou shalte putt the lyon & the dragon /

¶ Of saynt Crenyon whiche begyn­nyth in latyn ¶ Vidimꝰ / Caplm xxv.

A Nother also whiche was na­myd Crenyon of moche aūcyente aege. as of an .C. & x. ye­re olde / And was dyscyple of saynt Anthonye / The whyche amonge all other vertues that he had. he was humble pe [...]f [...]ghtly / The whiche vertue suffysed to gete the reame of heuen / And wyth­out this vertue none other vertue maye prouffyte to y^e soule / For by that all o­ther vertues ben requyred /

¶ Of saynt Orygene. begynnynge in latyn ¶ Erat autem / Caplm xxvi.

ALso there was a nother called Orygene Dyscyple of saynt Anthonye merueyllous in all operacōns / His worde was edyfycatyff that they whom he endoctryned put in effecte by operacōns all his doctryne /

¶ Of saynt Enagrion. whyche begynnyth in latyn ¶ Vidimus ibi / & cetera Caplm xxvii.

AFter he sawe also in the same place a nother named Enagrion. a man right wyse / the whyche was Instructe of saynt Machairy / Whyche was strongely possessed wyth all vertues / ¶ And aboue all thynge he Instructed his brethern to lyue sobrely Sayeng if they wolde eschewe the fantasyes and Illusions of the deuyll. that they sholde not drynke soo moche wa­ter as they well myghte drynke / Bycause that grete repleccyon of water causyth dyuerse fantasyes in mannes body / By the moyen wherof the deuyll with synne entreth more lyghtly / ¶ Inenfecte the sayd holy hermyte Enagryon and his brethern ete not for all me­tes but oonly a lytyll brede and salte / Wherof they were more contente than we ben of metes. delycyous and cury­ouse /

¶ Of saynt Machayre Egypcyen / be­gynnynge in latyn ¶ Narrabant au­tem / Caplm xxviii.

AFter saynt Iherom Recoun­tyth that somme of the Auncyent faders Recyted to hym a­monge theyr other brethern. there were tweyne named Machayre that one E­gipcyen & dyscyple of saynt Anthonye & that other of Alexandrye / & notwythstōdyng y^e they were of dyuers regyons [Page]

yet were they egall in vertues. and soo grete y^t thei shone in edify cacōn of maners & of good lyf lyke vnto ii. shynynge steires. How well y^e Machary Egypcyen had by synguler grace the vertuoꝰ maners of saynt Anthonye. He beynge on a time in his cell or lytyl hous was perpetred & cōmysed a murdre by some homycides / by reason wherof he was acused & pursued a symple man Innocēt of the caas The whiche seeng be mighte none otherwyse escape went for re­fuge to the sayd Machaire. affermyng by his othe not to be culpable of y^e caas Then̄e thei that pursued cam̄ vpon hȳ & wold haue take hȳ there & haue ladd hym for to haue condēpned hym to dethe / This seeng the holy man prayed & requyred theim y^t or they proceded ony ferd (er) ayenst hym whiche sayd hȳself to be Innocent. wold lede hym to y^e place where as y^e man y^t was slayd was bu­ryed / He beyng com̄ thyd (er) made his prayer vpon the buryel / in prayers god deuoutly y^t it wold pleyse hym to shewe & manyfest the trouth of this thyng / Hys prayer made he cōmaūded the deed mā in the vertue of y^e passion of our blessid sauiour Ihū cryst. y^e he shold declare yf he that was accused whyche there was holde & take had slayne hym or none To whom he y^e was deed answerde y^e he had not done it / ne therin was gylty Thacusers heryng this answere were moche merueyled. & kneled on ther knees to for the holy fad (er) Machairy. in prayeng hym hūbly y^e he shold demaunde of the deed man who had slayne hy / y^e holy man answerd y^e he wold not in [...]ayeng thise wordes. It suffy [...]eth to me y^t thynnocent be delyuerd. For it longyth noo thyng to me y^t the culpable be acused / ¶ A nother tyme came to hy some parentes or frendes of a yonge damoysell. the whiche b [...]arte magyk was conuerted in to a Iument or a mare. as it semyd to all theim y^e lawe her / Incōtynent as he lawe theym / he demaunded for what cause they were come to hym Then̄e they auswerde y^t by their comȳ ge to hym. they hoped y^t by the moyen of his prayers & merytes to obteyne y^e sayd damoysel to be remysed in her fyrste strength & semblaūce / Then̄e he excyted them to pray. & also he made his oryson vnto god. y^t whiche oryson acheued he enoynted the mayde / whyche as sayd is was lyke a mare / The whyche incontynent after ape [...]d to the men in her fyrst fourme. y^t is to wyte in the sē ­blaūce of a mayde / ¶ A nother mayde whiche had the mēbres soo rotes & in­fect y^e wormes might be seen cryng hee flesshe vnto y^e bones. was brouȝt tofore [Page xxv] this holy man· to whom he sayd / O doughter be constaūt. for god hath not ye [...]e to the this sykenesse for to deye. but for thy helth / ¶ Thenne was the holy man Machaire vii. dayes durynge in prayers. and enoyntyng her euery daye And the said .vii. dayes passed she was all hoole & soūde / ¶ Of the same wrytyth saynt saynt Iherom. that an He­retyke Ierasitain / whiche is to saye in langage Egypcyen heresees by his art had deceyued & mocked many bredern of the deserte / And att laste he came to the holy fader Machaire / to whom he made many questyons & argumentes / For he supposyd to haue tourned & de­ceyued hym / ¶ The holy man by fay­re wordes answerde to his argumentes whyche were subtyll / But by cause y^e the holy fader saw. that by hym the fayth of the bredern perysshed / he sayd to the same Heretyke / Wherfor dysputest thou thus ayenst me. for to torn by thy heresye theym that herkene the / ¶ Lete vs goo to the sepuleres of our predeces­sours whiche ben deed / To thende that to hym whiche our lord shall gyue grace for to reyse y^e deed maye by this thȳ ge make clere appere to all theym that shall be present that his lawe is the beste / Thenne they wente to the sepulcres ¶ Thenne sayd saynt Machaire. now calle a deed man. and reyse hym / The Heretyke answerd y^t it apperteyned to him fyrste for to calle to his god / Thē ­ne saynt Machaire felle platte downe in prayer sayenge / O my souereyn lorde and god I byseche and requyre the mekely that it playse the in this houre in the Reysyuge of this deed man here buryed to shewe openly the whyche of vs tweyne hath moost rightfull fayth. Not that I presume soo moche of my­self / that my oryson or prayer be of the enhaūced / But for to encreace and make open the holy lawe / And also for to conferme thoos that ben here presente / And to brynge theym oute of the here­sye of this Heretyke ¶ Incontynent thyse wordes sayde. He called the deed man by the name that he hadd in hys lyfe / The whyche anone answerd and rose / ¶ And after that the brethern vnwounde his couerynge. He shewed him all lyuyng to thoos that were there presente / The Heretyke this seenge was moche admerueyled / And fledde a way for drede of al the bredern / Whiche chaced hym oute of the countreye / ¶ Therfore oughte noo man dyspute the fay­the agaynst the Heretykes. but yf he be Inspyred and taughte of god / By the helpe of whom he maye by myracles more than by reasons verytably preue that whyche he woll mayntene /

¶ Of the vertues of that other saynt Machayre of Alexandrye / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Alius vero sāctus. &c· Caplm .xxix.

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SAynt Machaire of Alexādrye souerayn & more than all tho­ther louyd solytude. He enquy­red curiously of the moost ferre hermitages. tyll y^t he was at y^e ferthest place of al the deserte / Where he fonde al plentenousnes & habūdance of dyuers fruytes & all other good thynges / ¶ There were .ii. bred (er)n. to whom he prayed y^t they shold bryge of the other hermytes thyd (er) by cause the place was moche fertyle & habūdant / The same bred (er)n dreding / & not wythout cause theym y^e they shold brynge to be deceyued wyth tēptacions of the deuyll. by cause y^t in the same de­serte there were many deuylles. & horryble monstres / And answerde to hym y^t they myghte not be broughte thyd (er) / but that they shold be in dangeour to be begyled & deceyued in comynge / Then̄e the holy fad (er) retorned to his bred (er)n / To whom he shewed thyse thynges. why­che he had seen / And by this cause they were moeuyd for to goo wyth hym for to see that same deserte· ¶ The aeged & ailcyent men consideryng y^e daūgeo­urs of the sayd temptacōns. coūseyled y^e yonge men y^t they sholde not goo thyd (er) For the place after theyr oppynyon mighte more be cause to deceyue hem thā to moeue theym to deuocōn. And more ouer the holy fad (er) sayd to theym that y^e places is full of delyces. & yf we vsyd theym / What hope oughte we to haue of the other worlde / Whan we in this worlde shall lyue at our playsure / The yonge bred (er)n herynge thise wordes & fayr remonstraūces. anone concluded not for to goo thyd (er) / The place then̄e wherin as dwellyd the holy fader Machair was called Sycheon. to whyche place was nother waye ne path / And was as ferre from y^e monasteryes of Nytrye a­boute .ii· Iourneyes / They had but ly­tyll water. & yet it was noyous & bitter to drȳke / ¶ On a tyme was presented to hym a clustre of grapes / the whyche Incontynent by charyte he sente to one of his bred (er)n whyche was seke. & he gaue it to a nother. And y^t man gaaf it a nother. & he to a nother / And fro hond to honde it was soo ofte yeuen. y^e fyna­bly it came agayn to hym fro whom it fyrste was departed / And saynt Machair knowȳge their grete loue y^t they had togyd (er). & for to conferme our fayth sa­ynt Iherom rehercith of the sayd saynt Machaire. y^e he herde saye of y^e mouthe of y^e sayd saynt Machaire / y^t the deuyll came to hȳ on a nyght sayeng / Machair aryse y^u. and go we where as y^e bred (er)n ben assēbled in prayer / & incōtynent by the grace of god he knew y^t it was the [Page xxvi] [...]yll. and answerd to hym / O lyar en [...]e of trouth. answere to me presently [...]at haste y^u to doo wyth y^e congrega [...] of y^e holy bred (er)n / The deuyll answe [...] to hȳ / Knowest y^u not well y^t thassē [...] of relygyous people ne theyr dedes [...] neuer made. but y^t we deuylles ben [...]ed therto. come & y^u shalt see our de [...] / Then̄e saynt Machaire put hȳ to [...]yer / in prayenge god y^t he wold lete [...]n know yf his worde were true. & in [...]ynent he sawe lyke lytyl blacke chyl [...] goo & flee by all y^e partyes of y^e chir [...] / Now was y^e custome there suche. y^t [...] alone sayd the psalmes. & the other [...]d· or they answerd / He sawe then̄e y^e [...]e chyld (er)n blacke as ethyopiens. whi [...] deceyned & mocked al the bred (er)n. In [...]he wise whan they towched some bi [...]yen. anone they were a slepe. And yf [...]y towched theim on the mouth they [...]yd to sȳge Tofor some thei shewed [...]m in lyknes of a woman / and in ef [...] bi dyuers scornes many bred (er)n were [...]eyued. in suche wyse y^t some myghte [...]t abide in y^e chirche / To other bred (er)n [...]y sprange vpon their sholds. by can they had none affeccōn ne thȳ kynge [...] their prayers / & this seeng saynt ma [...]aire. made his prayer to god. sayenge [...]y god aryse y^u and chace a way y^e fen [...]s. to thende y^t they appyere not tofore [...] face / ne tofore my bred (er)n. for our sou [...] ben all full of theyr socrnes. lyke as [...]w I apperceyue / His orison made. he [...]lled y^e one after y^t other al the bred (er)n / [...]fore whom he had seen y^e deuylles / & [...]ed them yf in makyng their orrsons [...]i had ben in wyll to doo ony werkes [...]orell. lyke as y^e holy man had seen / [...]ey ansuerde ye / Then̄e the holy man knewe that the vayn thoughtes y^t they had. came of the scornȳges of y^e deuyll. And to this purpoos sayth saynt Ihe­rom. y^t whan the thoughte of y^e man is wel sett in y^e loue of god. it neuer takith ony fantasye whiche is greuoꝰ to hym or cause of syn̄e / ¶ A nother thȳge more merueylouꝰ of y^e said saynt Machaire sayth saynt Iherom / That is to wyte. y^t whan ony of his bred (er)n came to receyue y^e holy sacrament of thawter / Yf they were not clene in theyr cōscyences it semyd to y^e sayd holy fad (er) / y^t the body of oure lorde retorned to thawter. But whan y^e good men came for to receyue theyr sauyour. y^e deuyllis incōtynent retorned bacwarde & ferre ¶ On a nother tyme y^e same saynt Machayire. & that other Machaire his brod (er). of whom is to fore spoken. put theim in a boot for to go vysite one of theyr bred (er)n. & with theym were some noble offycers / called trybunes right puyssaunt & ryche / hauyng w^t theym many chyld (er)n. grete nōbre of horses & Innumerable quātyte of syl­uer wyth other good / Whan one of theym sawe theim in y^e bote cladde w^t pore clo [...]hes. he sayd to theim / Alas bred (er)n y^t ye ben happy / whiche thꝰ despyse the world. & in it soo despysyng were so vyle & poore clothes / Verily it apperyth y^t ye mocke yourself of theim of y^e worlde Then̄e the one ansuerde to hȳ. truely y^u sayst wel. for they y^t folowe god by vertues mocke theymself / But y^e contrary we haue pyte of you. by cause y^t the worlde deceyuynge you mocke you / Then̄e he y^t had aresoned theim whan he was retorned in to his hous gaaf for goddis loue all y^e he had / And after became hȳ self religioꝰ w^t the holy heremytes /

¶ Of saynt Amon fyrst relgioꝰ in Nytrie. whiche begynynnth in latyn ¶ Iniciū sancti / Caplm .xxx.

THe fyrste Heremyte in Nytrye was called Amon. the soule of whom Incōtynent after his dethe was seen by saynt Anthonye borne by angels in to heuen / But for to wryte of his ryght holy lyf we shall begyn at his natyuyte ¶ He was of noble & riche frendes. the whiche ayenst his wyll dide hȳ to be maryed to a noble womā of the coūtree of Nytrye. He beynge layed a bedde wyth her the fyrste nyght of theyr espoussaylles. he made to her many fayr exortacōns. in ercytynge her to the noble vertue of chastyte and of vyrgynyte vnd (er) suche or lyke wordes / My loue by cause y^e wythout fawte thynge corrupte shall fynde corrupcōn / And by the contrary. thynge not corrupt oughte to hope incorrupcōn / Therfore it is more auaylable to vs tweyne togyd (er) hoole to dwelle & entier without flesshly touchynge vs. than y^e one were corrupte of y^e other / Thise wordes herde by y^e dyr­gyne / she consented therto lyghtly. & lyued togyd (er) in honest chastyte & virgynyte longe tyme after y^e deth of theyr frendes. And after y^e holy man went in to y^e nexte deserte to his dwellynge. & assembled many Heremytes / And y^e sayd virgyne abode in her hous. accompanyed wyth many virgyns / After y^t he had be a certayn tyme solytarily in the deserte Some men broughte to hym a chylde enchayned / The whyche had be byten wyth a wood honde besechyng hym to pray for y^e helth of y^e sayd chylde / The holy man ansuerde y^t he had not deser­ued somoche anenst god. that shold en­haūce his prayers / But neuertheles he sayd to theym y^t the helthe of the sayd chylde was in theyr hodes / For whan̄e they wolde rendre to a poore wydowe an oxe whiche they had robbed fro her. theyr childe shold haue helth & shall be al hoole / Of whiche wordes they were moche abasshed. merueylynge by what manere y^e holy mā might know y^e thefte y^t they had done soo secretly / Then̄e they went home & rendred to y^e widow the ore y^t they had stolen / & by the prayer of the holy man y^e chylde was made hole ayen and had his helthe / ¶ A no­ther tyme came some other to hym / of whom he wolde proue the courages /

¶ He sayde to theym that he had grete necessyte of a tonne ful of water / for to yeue drinke to hem y^t disyted hȳ / And prayed & requyred theim that they wolde brynge to hym a tonne full / whyche [Page xxvii] they promysed for to doo and to ful­fylle / ¶ And after that they were de­parted fro him. y^e one sayd to his felow y^e haste promysed the water aswel as I Wherfore y^u shalt doo it be borne to hȳ. yf y^u wolt y^t it be borne / For I haue not but my camell. y^t whiche shal neuer be­re it / That other answerde. y^u knoweste wel y^e I ne haue but an asse / the whiche maye not bere soo moche as thy camell maye / For y^e one is more stronger than the other / To whom that other answered / Doo what y^u wolt. for I woll not slee my camell / Then̄e y^e other sayd / & I shall laye it on myn asse y^t whyche y^u darst not laye on thy camell / But I hope y^t the meryte of the holy man shall make possyble. y^t whiche is impossyble to a creature / The asse anone after y^e he was charged wyth the tonne full of water. bare it to the lodgis of the holy man Amon. also lightly as he had borne noo thynge on hym / And then̄e the sayd saynt Amon in receyuyng the sa­yd water. sayd to the gode man whiche was come thyder for to guyde his beest Thou haste done well for to brynge y^e tonne vpon thyn asse. for the camell of thy felowe is deed / And whā that other was retorned he fonde. that it was true ¶ The sayd Amon was somoche bilouyd of god. that he gate of hȳ singuler graces / & emong thother whan he wolde passe & go ouer the ryuer of Nyle. bycause he was shamfaste to vnclothe hȳ self sodainly he fonde hymself set ouer the ryuer on that other side of the ryuage / Therfore we oughte faythfully to byleue / that to Iuste and good men is noo thynge impossyble /

¶ Of saynt Pyamon. whyche begyn­nyth in latyn ¶ Non autē michi. &c. Caplm .xxxi.

SAynt Iherom recoūtyth in procedȳge ferd (er) in this werke. that this is not a thinge worthy neresonable y^t ony sholde eschewe or leue to wryte the faytes & dedes of the holy fad (er)s dwellȳge in deserte nye y^e see Parthenie. nye to a castell namyd Dyolcho whyche amonge the holy fad (er)s he sawe an holy man namyd Pyamon. whiche had y^e yeft of all humylyte & benygny­tee. & of reuelacōn / ¶ On a time whan he sacrefysed to god. he sawe an angell nye his awter. holdynge a boke in whyche was wryten y^e names of some relygyouses assystent to his awter / & some he wrote not / After y^e sacrefyce done he axed of theym of whom the names were not writen / But by theyr ansuere he [Page] fonde that they were all in dedely syn̄e Thenne he admonested theym to duo contynuell penaunce / And he hymselfe also lyke as he had be culpable as they were· wepte & waylled. And contynued so longe. and vnto the tyme that in callynge theim vnto the holy sacramente of thawter. he knewe by the angel y^t he had wryten theym in y^e boke / that they had done penaūce agreable to god /

¶ A nother tyme he was beten of deuilles. that he might not remeue fro y^e place / Thenne it happed that on a Son­daye that he hadd a custome to receyue his maker / & he was constrayned to be horne of his bred (er)n to thawter / Tofore whiche he lyeng flatte on therth / he sa­we thangell y^e caughte his honde for to lyft hȳ vp / & forthw^t he was hoole /

¶ Of an other holy fad (er) y^t whiche was namyd Iohn̄. begȳnyng in latyn ¶ E­rat in ipis locis / Caplm .xxxii.

THere was in the places aforsa­yd an holy man namyd Iohn̄. a nother than he of whom to­fore is spoken· fulfylled w^t alle grace / Emōge al other he had one suche. y^t all they y^t went to hym. of what trybulacyon they were trowbled. by his worde in contynent they were cōforted / W^t that he heelyd many persones of dyuers dyseses / And saynt Iherom sayth after al thyse hystoryes by hȳ wreton. y^t for doubte of grete peryllis & daūgers whiche thenne were in the waye. he durste not goo in to the hye regyon of Thebayde by Serene. wherof it is wreten here tofore / In the whyche regyon lyke as it is sayd. there were many holy fad (er)s more perfyte in vertues & graces y^t in theym of wham is made mencōn here tofore /

¶ Of y^e peryllis y^t ben on y^e way for to goo to y^e hermytages. & begȳnith in latyn ¶ Sepcies nā (que) / Caplm .xxxiii.

[Page xxviii]SAynt Iherom in gooynge to the hermitages was .vii. tymes in daunger / And in the eyghte god delyuerde hym / ¶ On a tyme he & his felowes were fyue dayes and fyue n [...]ghtes in gooynge. wythoute to haue ony thynge to ete· or to drynke. for to susteyne and mayntene their bodyly lyfe / ¶ Also they were in a valeye out of whyche yssued a salte humour / the whyche by the hete of the son̄e Incontynent was harded as yce / And that yce tour­ned in to salte soo rude and soo sharpe. that it prycked in manere of nedles / of whyche y^e wayes were soo aspre or sharpe and soo dyuers. that not on̄ly the bare fote men that some soo went / but al­so they that shoed with gode and stronge shoes were cutte & broken / ¶ The peryll of whyche waye saynt Iherom myghte vnnethe escape / ¶ The thyrde peryll was in a valeye. where as they were in. In the whiche the groūde was soo softe and moryssh. that they entred vp to the raynes / They seenge theym­selfe soo sonken and lette wythin thor­dure beganne to praye god. in sayenge eche by hymself / My god god saue me / for the waters haue enuyronned and closed me vnto the dethe / I am drowned vnto the botom of the slyme of the erthe. and haue noo strengthe for to so­cour my life / ¶ The fourth was whan thre dayes durynge they were in grete Inundacyons & ouerflowenges of wa­ters that were flowed ouer the bankes out of the ryuer of Nyle / ¶ The fifthe peryll in gooyng by the see syde / where as they were chaced of theues aboute of .x. myle waye / And notwythstondynge that y^e theues dyde to hem none harme neuertheles they made theym to renne / that they were almoost deed for traueyle / ¶ The syxte was in passȳge ouer y^e flood of Nyle. where as they were in grete & merueylous daūger to be slayn ¶ The seuenth was vpon the ryuage of a lake or ponde called Marethse. for they were born by Impetuse & terryble wyndes in a merueylous yle. in y^t why­che they were in a traunse for the grete colde y^t was there / The whiche thynge happend to theym in the dayes of y^t so lempnyte of thepiphanye / ¶ The .viii. was in comynge to the monasteryes of Nytrye. in whyche place they founde a grete stagne or ponde comynge out of y^e water of Nyle. in whiche place were in fynyte nombre of merueyllous beestes. & pryncypally serpents venemous. namyd Cokadrylles / the whyche beestes whan y^e son̄e shone came to the ryuage of the sayd stagne. & laye there lyke as thei had ben deed / And whan they cam̄ nye for to see them. wenyng y^t they had ben deed / Incōtynent they aroos for to deuoure theym. & they wyste not what to do but calle the name of god y^t whiche Inuocacōn made. the sayde beestes Incontynent fledde to wythin y^e ponde as thei had be chaced bi an angel of heuen / ¶ After y^t they were escaped fro y^e sayd places. they went to y^e monastery­es of Hermytes & Religiouses for yelde thankynges to god. whiche for soo grete perylles & daūgers had delyuerd the­ym / In consyderyng the sayd perylles maye clerely & openly be knowen that saynt Iherom ne the other gloryons sayntes haue not wythout to suffre grete & merueylloꝰ paynes & trybulacōns come to y^e reame of heuen / But desiryng [Page] to come to the same / haue ben contente not oonly to forsake the vanytees & delectacyons of the worlde / But also so­me to expose theyr bodies to bere terry­ble and strayte penaūces. And other to suffre horrible tormentes vnto the deth abydynge the retrybucōn of the souerayn rewarder Ihesu Cryste / To whom be attrybued glorye / honour. & puyssa­unce eternally / Amen /

¶ Here folowen the lyues and fayttes of holy faders of Egypte that dwelle­den in Syrye and Thebayde / Lyke as saynt Iherom fonde theym antentye­ly wreten in Greke / And after by him translated in to Eatyn / To whom he adiousted many other dedes of the sayde holy faders / Whyche by other trans­latours had be verytably translated /

And fyrst folowith shortly y^e Prologue of saynt Iherom in y^e lyf of saynt Poul the fyrste hermyte / & the forsayd Prologue begynyth in latin ¶ Ini multos / Caplm .xxxiiii.

MAny aske sayth saynt Iherom who was y^e firste hermyte / Some saye Helye· & other saye saynt Iohn̄. whyche began to prophecye tofore he was borne / Other saye saynt Anthonye / But saynt Machaire & A­mathas discyples of saȳt Anthonye sayen y^t a Thebaien named Poul was y^e fyrste. whiche began y^e lyfe of an hermyte. Not on̄ly y^t in hȳ was begon the name. y^t whiche oppynion approueth saȳt Iherom / But neuertheles for asmoche as it semyth to be a vayn curyosyte for to wylle & desire to knowe who was y^e fyrst. & also y^t in that lyeth noo thynge y^t is somoche helthfull. it is moche bet­ter & more vaylable to dispose & appli [...] hȳ to folow thother gode maners & vertues of y^e holy fad (er)s. than to tarye of a thyng of soo lytyll valewe /

¶ Of y^e lif of saynt Poul first hermyte begȳnyng ¶ Sub decio / ca· .xxxv·

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IN the tyme of Decyen & Valeryen persecutours of the fayth of Cryste. & that Cornelius a [...]t Rome & Cypryan at Cartage excersy­ced theyr wood tyrānye / Many holy & deuoute Crysten men were martred in Egypte & in Thebayde. in suche wise that y^e chirche was for that cause mer­ueylously persecuted / & the name of our blessyd sauyour Ihesu Cryste horrybly dispysed & defouled / ¶ Thenne to this purpose saynt Iherom recountynge .ii. tyran̄yes emonge the other. cōmysed & perpetred by the sayde Cyprian tellyth of a martyr. whom he enforced to endure many tormentes of fyre. whiche coude neuer hurte hym ne doo to hym ony gryef or harme. the whyche thynge the sayd Cypryan bare aygrely / ¶ And by grete cruelte he dyde hym to be enoyn­ted with hony. and dyde doo bynde his hondes byhynde his backe. to thende y^t the bees & flyes sholde sore and longe stynge & prycke hym / ¶ To a nother yonge man whom he cowde not ouercome by tormentes / He dyde doo make a fetherbed well arayed in a fayr gardyn full of reed rooses & floures de lys / nye to afayre rennynge water / To whiche bed he made hym faste. wythout to do to hym ony gryef. in suche wise that he cowde not ryse ne torne on the one syde ne on that other. ¶ And after that eche man was departed. made a comyn woman. whiche was excellent & was per­fyghte in bodyly beaute / whyche enbraced him. and makynge to his body foule to wchȳges & dyshonest. whyche sholde be abhomynable. stynkyng. & shamfull to reherce. and all for to moue hym to the synne of lecherye / ¶ The whiche thynge seenge the good knyght of Ihū Cryst wyst not what to doo. to thēde y^t he whyche had vaynquysshed the deuyl by soo many tormentes were not ouer­come by a woman / ¶ And by cause he myghte not putt her from hym / ne had power of noo membre to put her from hym / He putt oute as moche as he myghte his tongue. & bote it a sondie wyth his teeth. and spitte it in the vysage of the fowle & ylle woman / whiche dyshonestly kyssed hym. to thende y^t the play­saunce of her sholde not moeue hym to syn̄e / But for the payne and anguisshe that he felte / he myghte conserue & ke­pe his virgynyte / And holde it agaynst the vyolence of the sayde fowle and e­uill disposed woman / ¶ In that same tyme was saynt Poul in the lowe Re­gyon of Thebayde. of the a [...]ge of syx­tene yeres / ¶ But neuerthelesse he was [Page] well Instruce in lettres Greke and E­gypcyen / He abode and dwelled fader­les and moderles. wyth one his syster thenne maryed ¶ He seenge the persecucyon of the true Crysten men· wente in to a towne moche ferre fro his coūtree / And from thens in to a moūtayne full of roches / Att foote wherof was a gre­te and a merueylous pytte couerd with a stone / ¶ The whyche he toke awaye and loked therin. And founde there a moche fayre fountayne / Wyth this there was in the sayd mountayne dyuerse habitacōns and dwellinges / Wherin he fonde many maners of Instrumentes / wyth whyche had be made in tyme passed secretly and forged false money. Lyke as it is wretch in histories of Egypte in y^e tyme that Anthonye was with Cleopatra / ¶ Saynt Poul louyd the­ne merueyllously the sayde place. Eyke as god hadde gyuen it to hym / ¶ And there he ladde a solytary lyfe / In o [...]cupyenge deuowte prayers and abstyn [...]nces merueyllously / ¶ His vesture was oonly of leues of palme / And other mete also he ete not / ¶ In the same place on the side of Syrye nyghe by the Sa­ [...]asyus lawe saynt Iherom an Hermite the whyche had be there shytte & en­closed thyrty yere· without to ete ony other thynge than barly breede & to drȳ ke water ful of ordure & fylthe / ¶ And a nother wythin a cysterne. the whyche ete but euery daye .v. fygges for his sustentacōn / & that this is true saynt Iherom callyth god & his angellis to wytnesse / ¶ Thenne for tachieue of saynt Poul / We oughte to knowe y^t whan he was come to thage of .C xxx yere in lyuȳge an heuēly lyf· In a nother partye was saynt Anthoaye. the whiche hadd lyued .lxxxx. yeres / And by cause that he was tempted of vaynglory / wenynge y^t in the hermytages hadd none be better than he / By the wyll of god it was shewed to hym by nyghte y^t there was one more perfyte than he / ¶ And assone as it was daye saynt Anthonye departed / And how well that he was sore feblysshyd in his body / He went fourth wyth a staffe in his honde / And putt hymsel­fe in dylygence for to seke saynt Poul / ¶ For it was he of whom he had had Reuelacyon / ¶ And whan he had walkyd vnto myddaye / Not knowynge what waye he sholde take and holde. He founde a Monstre halfe horse and halfe man / Whom the Poetes name Centaure / Of whom he was gretly a­basshed / ¶ And he blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And askyd of hym in what place saynt Poul enhabyted and dwellyd ¶ To this demaunde or askyng the sayd Centaure ansuerde some wordes / whiche saynt Anthonye vnd (er)stode not / And after he shewed hȳ the waye on the ryght honde. and Incō tynent as he hadd fledde he vanysshed a waye fro the syghte of saynt Antho­nye / The whiche beeste saȳt Anthonye doubted strōgly / For we fynde not whether it was a monstre or a deuyll. But neuertheles he wente forth / And anone after in a valeye full of stones. he sawe a lytyl man hauyng his nosethrilles torned outwarde. the forbede full of ferd­ful hornes / and his fete lyke to the fete of a ghoe [...] / ¶ To whom saynt Anthonye replenysshed with the shelde of fa­the. and wyth the habergron of hope as a good Champyon adressyd hymselfe. [Page xxx] questyonynge hym what he was. The whyche ansuered / ¶ I am sayde he a mortall dweller in this hermytage w^t the other / Whyche haue be there dysceyued by many temptacōns / ¶ We praye the that thou pray for vs one god onely / The whyche is descended in to the erthe for oure helthe / ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye herynge thyse wordes wepte and alle by wette his fare wyth teeres /

¶ For he reioyced hym of the glorye of god / And of the contrarye of the destruccyon of the deuyll / ¶ Also he was mo­che admerueylled how he vnderstode y^e langage & speche of the same beeste /

¶ And after he beganne to smyte with a staffe vppon the erthe sayenge / Acursyd be Alexandrye / The whyche adou­re and worshyppe for theyr god thydolles / In whyche the deuylles enhabyte and dwelle / ¶ Ha Regyon. what may­ste thou saye / The beestes confessen the name of god / And thou worshyppest the deuylles / ¶ In sayenge thyse wor­des / The same beeste vanysshed away Lyke as it hadde flowen in the ayre /

¶ After this saynt Anthonye abode in his enterpryse. in folowynge the waye of wylde beestes / And not knowynge what waye he sholde take. ¶ Thus contynued the seconde daye / wythoute to knowe whether it were daye or nyghte / ¶ And fynably he founde a wulfe gooynge vpwarde towarde a mountayne / The whyche had grete thurste /

¶ And whan he sawe hym goone vp / He wente after vnto a fosse or a dyche. The whyche he behelde / But neuerthelesse by cause the place was tenebrouse or derke. he apperceyued noo thynge /

¶Alwaye lyke as he had perfyght dy­leccyon / And fered noo thynge / he wente peasybly in to the dyche or hoole / herkenynge yf there were ony thynge /

¶ Soo abydynge by feruente charytee Whyche puttynge from hym alle feere· and drede / Wente soo ferre fourth and soo longe / That he sawe the doore of a place. In whyche was saynt Poul /

¶ And in approuchynge or comynge nyghe to the same / He knockyd wyth his fote ayenst a stone. whyche made a lityll noyse / ¶ The whyche herynge saynt Poul Incontynent shytte his doore ¶ And whanne saynt Anthonye sawe his doore shytte / ¶ He abode there by the space of syxe houres / ¶ And fyna­bly he sayde to him thyse wordes / Poul my broder / Thou knoweste by Reuelacion of god whom that I am / And fro whens I come / And wherfore I am comyn hyther / ¶ I knome well that I am not worthy to see the / But neuer­thelesse I praye the open to me thy doore / ¶ For surely my frende I shall ne­uer departe fromhens tyll I haue seen y^t / Thou susteynest well y^t brute beestes Wherfor then̄e openest not y^u thy doore to me y^t am a beest resonable. I haue sought the. & haue foūde y^t / And haue knocked to thende that y^u shold open y^e dore to me / the whiche thȳge yf y^u doo not I shal dey-here in abydyng y^t / And thꝰ tofore y^e dore of saynt Poul· the blessyd saynt Anthonye sorowed / ¶ Then̄e saynt Poul ansuerde to hȳ / O knyght of god noo man threnyth y^t / in desyrynge like as y^e desirest / & thou thretnest mein wayllynge & sayenge that thou shalte deye· yf I opene not to the y^e dore / And thus in smylynge saynt Poul opened y^e dore to saȳt Anthonie / & whā it was [Page] opened. that one saluted that other by theyr names / And yet hadd they neuer seen eche other / And after that they embracyd and kyssed togyder a long whyle / ¶ Now lete vs thynke what welco­mynges and thankes full of deuocyon were then̄e bitwene theim tweyne. Certaynly it shold be lōge to reherce / ¶ After saynt Poul began to saye / Alas my brod (er) thou haste taken grete labour for to see me / And I am noo thynge but a wretchyd carayne all roten for aege / y^u seest a man the whyche anone shall be come asshes or duste / But charite enduryth. and suffreth all manere traueylle. how grete someuer it be / ¶ Now say to me my broder. how men ben gouerned in the worlde / Yf ony be deceyued by y^e temptacyon of the enmye the deuyll / & vnder what domynacion is the worlde gouerned / And in sayeng suche wordes togyder. came a Crowe or a byrde whiche lete falle a loof of brede tofore thise two holy men / ¶ Then̄e saynt Poul sayd / My right dere & byloued broder. le­ [...]e vs thynke on the goodnes of our lorde. the whyche hath sente to vs our dy­ner / Helas he is moche mercyfull & lowely / It is now syth .lx. yeres that euery daye I haue had halfe a loof of breede. but now at thy comyng god hath multeplyed the por [...]d (er)n. and hath sente dowble pytaun [...]e / Then̄e by a welle or foū tayne whiche was there. they rendred & gaue thankynges vnto god / And after they were by two houres in doynge ho­noure that one to that other· whyche of theym sholde departe the brede / Saynt Poul sayd it was saynt Anthonies parte to doo it by cause he was his gheste Sayenge that honoure oughte alwaye to be gyuen to the ghestes / Saynt An­thonye sayde the contrary / But that it apperteyned to saynt Poul / By cause he was more auncyente and more per­fyghte / ¶ For vnto the perfyghte and vertuous is honoure due / ¶ And at laste they holdyng the same breede bytwene theyr hondes / It was departed and deuyded by the grace of god. that to e­che of theym abode his porcyon / ¶ And after that they had eten they dranke a lytyll water of the fountayne in rende­ryng and gyuynge graces and thankes to god / ¶ That done they putt theym bothe togyder in prayer. And woke all the nyghte in prayenge to god deuowtly / ¶ O deuowte soule. Thynke what prayer euery man now makyth on his partye / ¶ They had noo fantasye of y^e worlde In thynkynge what they shol­de ete or drynke / Clooth. or to hoose. or shoo theym / ¶ Alas we that ben in the worlde canne not saye an (Aue maria) wythoute to haue lettynges wythoute nombre· or empesshements. As euery man knowyth in hymselfe / ¶ On the mo [...]e whan̄e it was daye saynt Poul sayd to saynt Anthonye / It is longe syth I knewe that thou dwelledest in thyse Regyons. ¶ For god hath promysed to me longe sythe: that I sholde ha­ue one his seruaunte wyth me / But bycause that in folowynge the appostle. it is longe syth that I desyred to be wyth Ihū cryst / y^u art by hym sent byd (er) to thē de. y^t thou put my body whiche is but erthe within y^e bely of his mod (er) whiche is y^e erthe / & with his bred (er)n whiche hen y^e wormes y^e ben of the erth / Then̄e saynt Anthony began to wayle & wepe so habūdantly y^t none can write. in prayēge [Page] hym that he myght holde hym companye in this mortall waye of the worlde Saynt Poul ansuerde / Thou oughtest not to seche that thynge whyche is in thy possessyon / but the strange thynges / ¶ It is necessary to the to leue thy ca­reyne and folowe Ihesu Cryste / And to thyne other bredern that they gouer­ne theym by the ensample of thy lyfe / Wherfore thou shalt goo to thyne house / And thou shalte brynge the mantell whiche the bysshopp Athanase gaaf to the for to couere my body whan it shal be deed / And thyse wordes sayde saynt Poul to saynt Anthonye. not for drede that his body sholde be wythout couer­ture / For neuer in his lyfe he had not couerde it. but wyth leues of palmes / but he sayd this to the ende / that saynt Anthonye sholde departe. and that his de­the sholde not be to hym sorowfull /

¶ O how grete charyte is soone come emonge theym that ben perfyghte for one daye oonly that they had ben togyder / ¶ Saynt Poul dradde to angre saynt Anthonye / His requeste herde. saynt Anthonye was merueylously abasshyd how he knewe y^t saynt Athanase hadd gyuen to hym a mantell / And by that he knewe that he had god in his hert [...] And therfore he durste not answere· b [...] kyssed hym soo swetly & soo brotherly / bothe his eyen & hondes in weping grete teeres. that he myght not well departe from him / ¶ And after he came agayn in to his hermytage / And by cause that saynt Anthonye was moche feble by cause of his abstynences. myght not soo soone come as his courage constra­yned hym / ¶ And thus as he came in to his lytyll hous / two of his discyples came metynge hym / And sayd to hym ¶ Where haste thou be soo longe fader What haste thou be soo longe from vs Helas we supposed to haue loste y^t / and doubted that thou haddest ben deed / Thou arte tyght welcome / For the he­uynesse that we had for thy departyng Thy comynge agayne hath rendred to vs Ioye without melancolye / ¶ He ansuerde to theym / Helas I am a poore synar vnworthy to be namyd Relygyouse / ¶ I haue seen Helye and Iohan in deserte / ¶ And verely I haue seen saynt Poul in heuen / ¶ And Incontinente he tooke in his celle the mantell for to retorne towarde saynt Poul /

¶ Thenne the bredern demaunded of hym the cause why he was soo heuy & soo sorowfull / ¶ And he answeryd to theym / That there was a tyme to spe­ke. And a tyme to be stylle / ¶ Thenne he toke a lytyll mete / And retourned by the waye that he came / Desyrynge syngulerly to see the holy Heremyte Poul. Doubtynge also that he sholde rendre his soule to god in his absence / ¶ And after fynably he wente wyth soo grete dylygence as was to him possyble / and in suche wyse. as that he had not wal­ked but thre houres / ¶ Whan̄e he sawe [...] [...]ule of saynt Poul amonge the an [...]. Appostles / Prophetes. and mar­ters pure. clene and white as snowe borne vpp in to heuen / And Incontynente he felle downe to the erthe / And coue­red his heed wyth sonde in sayenge /

¶ Wherfor Poul leuest thou me / Helas wherfore goost thou wythoute sayenge to me a dieu / or farewell / Helas I haue ouerlate knowen the / And ouer soone y^u goost / Now haue I loste alle comforte [Page] Helas if I had not seen the ne knowen I shold not now haue the harme ne e­uyll that I haue / ¶ O man of god. make thy requeste now in that hye place / where as the angels haue borne the to / that I maye by very faythe goo soone and folowe the / ¶ After y^t he had well egrely wepte & waylled. he was and founde hymself also lyghte as a byrde or a fowle fleenge and not wythout cau­se / For he beynge arryued at the hermytage of saynt Poul / He fonde hym knelynge on his knees vnmoeuable. his hede beynge lyft vp on hyghe and his hō des Ioyned in suche wyse as saynt Anthonye had supposyd as he had ben yet alyue / But by cause he drewe noo bre­the. he wyste well he was deed / He was abowte to burye hym. in sayenge psal­mes and ympnes / lyke as thenne was the custome to burye y^e faders of Egypte / He supposyd to haue putt hym in to the erthe / But he founde neyther py­keys ne shouel for to make a pytt or graue / Wherof his heuynesse was encrea­ced. consyderyng that he myght not ly­ghtly make it / For it was foure Iour­neyes vnto his monastery / And of that other parte. he thought in hymself. that withoute pyk [...]oys and shouel he myghte­ [...]e doo noo thynge / ¶ He beynge [...] malencolye. concluded in hymself byde there tyll he sholde deye nyghe to the layd body. ¶ And thus thynkynge came two lyons sodaynly. whyche made saynt Anthonye sore aferde / But he anone retorned towarde god by deuowte orison / And anone was assured. and had noo more fere ne drede / ¶ And he behelde the lyons. whyche began to waylle. and lamente by the corps of saynt Poul / Lyke as they had had vnderstondynge resonable / And after theyr wayllynges / they made a depe pytte of the lengthe of the holy saynt Poul / The whyche made they came to saynt An­thonye / and lycked his hondes and fete Lyke as they had axyd his benedyccy­on for theyr rewarde that they had there done / ¶ Thenne saynt Anthonye in praysynge god sayd / O my lorde & my god wythout the prouydence of whom one oonly leef of the tree fallyth not to the grounde / Gyue to thyse lyons that whyche thou knowest that ought to be gyuen to them / ¶ And after blessyd theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse. to the ende that they sholde goo theyr waye / And after whan they were departed. he putt the body in the erthe the beste wy­se he myghte / And on the morne came agayne / And as his heyre brought his robe of leeues / the whyche he ware or Eester daye and Whytsondaye oonly / ¶ Vpon this matere for to excyte the­ym that haue soo moche payne. for to hope and to assemble bi neclygent wayes townes. castelles. lordshippes. and o­ther temporell godes in soo grete quantyte. and the whyche some tyme begge in the ende of theyr dayes / Saynt Iherom knowynge the holy lyfe of the sayde gloryous saynt Poul / whyche neuer hadde suffraunce ne Indygence. ma­kyth to theym suche an exhortacyon /

¶ Thynke thou prowe man that drynkest and etest in vessellis of golde and syluer. and gayely made fayr and ryche wyth precyouse stones / Thynke that to the deuowte and holy man. Whyche hadd not but oonly one Robe [Page xxxii] of leues of Palme was heuen opened. And to the prowde is hells made redy ¶ Thynke in lyke wyse of thy sepulture composyd of stones. of marble. or of syluer & gylce / Or that is couered with veluet. with whiche thou mayst be brente / ¶ Helas the holy man hadd not but a lytyll of erthe / Helas ye worldly men deporte or forbere you / And take not so moche payne to gadre and hepe riches­ses / ¶ Alas how is a man soo moche a foole for to burye a nother in clothe of golde or of sylke / For Incontynent and as soone as a man whiche hathe lyued euyll and synfully is out of this worl­de / He is but in wepynges and in way­lynges / ¶ The sepulcre of golde ne the dothe of parement maye not raunson̄e hym fro the paynes that he suffreth /

¶ Alas poore prowde man. wolt thou deye in thy pryde. that desyrest to be buryed soo costle we / ¶ Fro whens comyth this folye / Whan thou haste be ambycyous in thy lyfe. and that hath be made to the soo many vayne honours / Thou desyrest yet. that they yet sholde be made to thy careyne after thy deth / ¶ And ofte perauenture some haue fayre and ryche sepulture. of whom the soule suffreth harde payne /

¶Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt An­thonye Abbot / Whyche fyrste was broughte in to wrytynge. and sente by sa­ynt Anathase to the bysshopp of Alex­andrye / And after by saynt Enagrion preest translated out of Greke in to latyn. and put it to this present boke. whiche is made of holy faders / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Igit (ur) Anthonius. &c. Caplm .xxxvi.

SAynt Anthonye born in Egipte was come of ryght noble parētes. as was of noblesse of lignage. as of holy conuersacyon / He was nourysshed soo solytaryly that he kne­we noo man of the world / but on̄ly his frendes. ¶ Whan he was a lytyll grete that is to wyte in his Infancye. he wolde not goo play with lytyll chyld (er)n. but he went in to the chyrche. herynge y^e seruyce of god / And notwythstondynge y^t the chyldren of ryche houses had a cus­tome to be delicyously nourysshed with dyuers metes / Neuerthelesse saynt An­thonye 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 gouer­ned & taught in gode dedes & werkes. & thꝰ passȳg y^e tyme· vi. mōthes. haūting y^e chirche. he thouȝt how thapostles left [Page] 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 & gyue 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 gaue ouer all his possessions / And thre hū dred mesures or acres of londe. whyche apperteyned to hym. he lefte to his ne­yghbours / to thende that he wolde noo thynge of theyrs. ne of his syster / Al his other moeuable goodes he solde. and toke the money. and gaue it to poore people. 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 ensam­ples 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 ende that he myghte receyue some fruyt / Like as the bee gooth fro floure to floure for to gadre some thynge for to ma­ke his hony & ware / ¶ Emonge the o­ther there was one solytary man not ferre fro his hous / Whom he ofte vysy­ted / After y^t he was retorned to his her­mytage. he gate his lyuynge by the la­bour 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 obey­enge his worthy Instruccyons. he was content afterwarde to labour / & to beg­ge / ¶ What shal thou doo · thou cursyd auaricyous man. whyche wolt no thynge 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 sus­tenaūce / And the remenaūt he gaaf to the poore / He gouerned hym soo honestly. that he was merueylously biloued of all his bredern / ¶ Of al theym that he vysyted he helde to hymselfe some ver­tue / Of that one he wanne contynence & chastytee. of an other gladnesse. of an other mekenesse & lowlynesse: of a no­ther 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 vertue. 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 be­gan to lede. was enuyuous. and enter­prysed to tempte him / ¶ Fyrst he layed tofore his eyen to thende y^t he shold departe out of his hermytage the noblesse of his byrth. his sister whom he had lefte alone. thabūdāce of his godes. & of y^e goodes that he myght gete / the dyuerse metes that he might ete. & generally he [Page xxxiii] 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 / Wherfore 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 not­withstondyng 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 contynu­ell abstynences he wythstode it manly / ¶ Some tyme by nyght the deuyll apperyd to hym in the lykenesse of a fay­re 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 remembraunce the paynes and tourmentes of helle. and the Ioyes of heuen / And by this manere he wythstode all the temptacyons of the deuill / ¶ Fynably whan the deuyll sawe that he myghte not o­uercome the good holy man / He knelyd downe to hym in the semblaunce or lykenesse of a lytyll horryble chylde blacke and howlynge / And also in cryenge sayde to saynt Anthonye / ¶ I haue deceyued many heremytes and holy men but by the I am ouercome and put vn­der fote / ¶ Saynt Anthonye then̄e as­ked hym what he was to whom he ansuerde / I am the grete solycytour of Lecherye. the deceyuer of yonge peple· cal­led 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 vnder 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 seen 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 assured / 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 ty­me in prayers & orysons more than o­ny of his bredern heremytes ¶ The moost 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 Ionckes. and his vestyment of hayre / ¶ Ofte tymes he laye all naked vpon y^e grounde / And how well that he had longe tyme suche abstynēces. yet were they to hym noo thynge greuous / But thoughte alwaye to be att the begynnynge of his penaunce in encreacyng alway his sayd abstynences / ¶ And for teschewe vaȳglory / he dyde payne to forgete theim / And in dede he forgate al the good [Page] dedes that he hadde doone: And enfor­ced to doo more than he had done tofore / ¶ He remembred alwaye in his herte the prophete Helye. that sayde / My god seeth to whom we oughte to be clene and apparayled to obeye him wyth redy wylle / ¶ He considerynge alwaye also how he oughte to gouerne hymselfe euery daye whyle he lyued / And ha­uynge noo regarde to the tyme passed / At alle houres he prepared to be in su­che estate as it apperteyneth to a veryry Crysten man and catholyque /

¶Saynt Anthonye then̄e thus lyuynge departed from his hermytage / And wence ferder from the cyte / ¶ And sence to one his kynnesman that in certa­yn dayes he sholde sende hym for to lyue for the sustentacyon of his lyfe / whiche kynnesman and frende dyde it gladl [...] / ¶ On a tyme it happed that he hyselfe came for to v [...]syte hym / ¶ And after that he hadd vysyted hym. He lefte hym allone faste shytte / ¶ And the de­uylles came in grete multytude. why­che brake vpp the doore / And bete hym soo moche that he had loste his voyce / and his herynge / ¶ And he beynge lef­te 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 & frendes came to / and sawe him almoost dede· 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 he­de 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 obeyeng 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 enmyes 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 agaynst me. I shal drede noo thynge / The deuyll seenge that he had suffred somany tormentes. merueylled how he was soo hardy to retorne / ¶ Thenne the deuyll callyd his cursed dogges & sayde / Ne see ye not how this folysshe hermyte agryth & scornyth vs. by cause he hathe not be ouercome neyther by the spy­ryte 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 bro­ken on al sydes / And therin entred a innumerable multytude of deuylles in diuers formes / Some in lykenesse of bul­les. and other of lyons. of dragons. of wulues. of addres. of serpentes & scorpyons. and the other in other dyuerse for­mes. as of liepardes / tygres & be [...]es. e­che of hem cried after his nature / The lyon cryed in his crye. wyllynge to slee him / & the bulle thretnynge hym wyth [Page xxxiiii] his hornes. / and so euery beeste tormented 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 hathe 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 signe of the Crosse is the shelde of faythe and a walle inexpugnable for to defende vs agaynst you / ¶ And heryng they grunted wyth theyr teeth of the dyspy­te that they had of that they were mocked of hym. wythout to haue ony power ouer hym / ¶ Wherfore our lord why the leuyth not his seruauntes in daun­geour / Seenge the vyctorye of his go­de knyghte saynt Anthonye / came for to vysyte hym / Descendynge as a lyghte in to his habytacyon / ¶ After why­che lyghte receyued. all his paynes and soores were heelyd / And his hous whyche was al to broken was Incontynent made agayne ¶ Saynt Anthonye knewe thenne that god was come to comforte 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 strongly foughten. I shall alwaye helpe the / And shall make thy name be renom­med 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 / ¶ Neuer­thelesse by cause that he shold not complayne of his olde aege / And also bycause that he had not be accustomed to be conuersaunt wyth ony persone / Sa­ynt Anthonye desyrynge to lyue solytaryly / And takynge example of the sayde 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 Anthonye / Goo thou dampned deuyll / thou and thy syluer in to eternall perdicyon / And that sayde the plater vanysshed awaye· as fume or smoke depar­tyth from the fyre / ¶ And after that he sawe a grete masse of golde / And for fere therof he fledde to the mountayne / Lyke as he wolde haue eschewed a grete fyre / ¶ And after that he had passed a grete flood. he founde a castell in de­serte full of venimouse beestes / In whiche he abode as a newe hoost / ¶ And Incontynent as he was lodged. all the beestes fledde awaye / ¶ Then̄e he stopped then tree with stones And layed as moche breed therin as shold suffyse hȳ [Page] 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 speke to man of the worlde but twyes on̄ ­ly in the yere / And toke his sustentacy­on vnder couuerture wythoute to speke to theym that broughte to hym the sayde 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 / Wherefor 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 per­sone. they estemed that the [...] were deuil­les 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 sayenge / ¶ Blesse ye you and be assured. Lete the deuylles deceyue themself / ¶ Saynt Anthonye alwaye lyued in encrea­cyng his vertue & prudence / ¶ On a tyme came some persones to hym. of whiche 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 face. 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 vainquysshed theym / And thus in that wyldernesse he was bi y^e space of twenty yere / ¶ 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 aby­dynge 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 pray­ers were delyuered fro deuyllis & theyr power. His wordes were alwaye vertuouse· He comforted y^e desolate. He taughte alway the symple & Innocentes. he appeasyd alway they that were angry To all he shewed that no persone sholde loue ony thynge more than his creatour or maker / ¶ To good peple he shewed the glorye eternall and the meke­nesse 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 frothe paynes of helle / ¶ Also he counsey­led euery man not to leue tēporell thynges /

¶ On a tyme in the conntree of A [...]se­noytayns. 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 place he confermed in vertue grete nombre of his brethern. In suche wyse that many [Page xxxv] monasteryes were reedyfyed / ¶ On a daye he beynge wyth his bre­thern / They requyred hym to gyue to theym some Rules for to gouerne the­ym in vertue / Whyche he gaaf to the­ym many / ¶ Fyrst that they solde comforte eche other / And that whyche they hadde goten by science. they sholde she­we eche to other / ¶ Also that they sholde neuer haue wyll to leue theyr estate of Heremyte. But to kepe it in encrea­synge 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 largesse of god. he beganne to saye agayn thyse wordes / ¶ O my brethern consy­der ye that in this mortall life. marchaundyses and rewardes ben egall / For the seller receyueth for his marchaundise but thynge Iuste of the byar / Ne in lyke wyse the seruaunt but his Iuste deseruynge of his lorde / ¶ But the glo­rye of the euerlastynge life maye for vyle 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 sta­te 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 perpetu­elly of heuen / ¶ Yf ye haue lefte ony li­tyll londe or possessyons / Be not dys­playsaunt ne sory therfor / For god shal yelde to you for it an hundred fold more / ¶ They that shall haue left the godes of this worde for to serue god. shall haue an hundred folde more in that o­ther worlde / ¶ Also oughte they to consydre. that woll sette theyr herte in ouer moche louynge the rychesse of this worlde / That in thende they shall lede theym in to helle / ¶ We oughte noo thynge 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 heuen / That is to wyt. Sapyence Chas­tyte. Iustyce. Fastynge. Prayer. [...]esy­nesse on the poore. Ferme faythe. Pacyence ayenst yre / And generally to loue god and our neyghbour as ourselfe / ¶ Consydre that we ben the seruaun­tes of god / and that we owe to hym seruyce. 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 oughte also to flee hate and euyll wyll agayn all persones / And aboue all thynges loue of wymmen / ¶ We ought promptly and benygnely to forgyue and par­donne eche other / ¶ Tofore oure eyen we oughte to sette two thynges / that is to wyte the laste daye of oure lyfe. whyche is the dethe / And the nyghe Iuge­ment 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 /

[Page]¶Ferdermore sayd saynt Anthonye. I praye you my brethern. loke neuer be­hynde you / But goo alwayes right fourth the good wayes / that ye haue be­gonne / ¶ For he that puttyth hys honde to the plough / And lokyth behynde hym / He is not worthy to haue the Re­ame of heuen / ¶ Leue the Grekes whyche gone in to straunge londes / and passen ouer the see. for to gete the scyence & cunnynge of vayne thynges / ¶ We haue noo thynge to doo. to goo hytherne thyder / ¶ For the Reame and regyon that we pretende to haue / Lyke as god wytnessyth in the gospell is wyth­in vs / ¶ Ne doubte not that yf our soule be not maculate or spotted. ne defoy­led 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 byhouyth vs for to kepe vs from the spotte of synne / ¶ We oughte souerainly and [...]atly for to kepe vs from yee or w [...]athe / ¶ 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 em­pessheth and lettyth vertue / The why­che 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 enter­pryce and avaunte theym to doo well / But they folowe not the dede whyche they enterprysed and purposed / ¶ Other there ben that clothe theim and a­raye theym wyth vestymentes of Relygyouses / and folowe Relygyon / to the ende to seme and appyere good / But within their hertes they ben wulues enraged / 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 dis­ceytes whyche the deuylles done in dy­uerse maners and mockynges / In sayenge that often tymes the deuyll sheweth him to the holy men in lykenesse of men / In blaundysshynge theym and flaterynge theym wyth fayte and swete wordes / And in praysynge theyr estate and constaunce / ¶ And often ty­mes promyseth that / whiche they may not gyue / That is the glorye and Ioye of heuen / ¶ For to eschewe suche Illu­syons and mockynges / Whanne they ben felte comynge Oughte men to en­seygne and blesse theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And Incontynent it shall tourne in to noughte / ¶ For by the meryte of the passyon that our souereyne lorde and Redemer Ihesu Cry­ste suffred in the Crosse / Alle suche Il­lusyons 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 admynystre theym. And that done they for [Page xxxvi] to takē awaye from men theyr mynde ¶But agaynst suche Illusions or scornynges byhouyth to haue stedfaste faythe / And soo shall it be wythstonde ly­ghtly / ¶ For to knowe thenne the dyf­ference of good and euyll angellis / It oughte to be knowen / that whanne the good angell comyth / Hys chere and re­garde 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 gy­uyth 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 sholde 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 Cry­ste. ¶ But of the euyll Aungelles / the countenaunce and chere is crimynell & dredefull / ¶ His entree horryble· The­yr mocyon and waye is Inconstaunte / As of fooles or of theues / ¶ And In­contynent as they ben tofore men. the soule fe [...]eth and dredyth / ¶ Alle the fyue wyttes ben trowbed / And feere of dethe 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 ough­te veritably to byleue that this comyth from god / Whyche sendeth to vs his ayde and socoure / ¶ In suche wyse Abraham the Patryarke seenge god. reioyced him / ¶ In lyke wyse saynt Io­han 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 borne· reioyced hym merueyllously / ¶ By whyche it apperyth that the good aungell atte his comynge gyueth consola­cyon and comforte / And makyth the persone to be assured. As he dide whan he shewed the ryght Ioyeous Natyuy­te of our Sauyour Ihesu Cryst to the same gloryous vyrgyne Marye. in sayenge to her / ¶ Marye be not aferde. for thou haste founde grete grace towarde god / ¶ And the contrarye by apperyn­ge and represētacions of euyll angellis haue be many tymes deceyued the gentyles and Paynems / ¶ But we Crys­ten 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 Incontynent he shall be vaynquysshed / And shall departe from vs / ¶ After saynt [Page] 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 vay­ne 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 lede 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 miracles and prodygees by arte magyke / Wythoute to haue the gyfte of the grace of god. whan̄e they shall crye to god ¶ Haue we not dryuen awaye the de­uylles 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 / Cer­tayne I knowe you not / for ye ha [...]e neuer 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 knowe 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 scrypture we oughte not byleue euery spyryte / ¶ On a tyme the deuylles came to sa­ynt 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 ho­ly scrypture / But that notwythstondȳ ge saynt Anthonye stopped his eeres /

¶ A nother tyme they made his monastery to tremble and shake / But he in his thoughte abode vnmoeuable / And prayed to god constauntly / ¶ Ofte ty­mes they came spryngynge and syflynge tofore hym wyth an hyghe voyce.

¶ But Incontynent as he retorned to god. theyr noyce and tempest torned into 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 Incontynent 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 Relygyous 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 seke / ¶ Anone after saynt Anthonye by­helde 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 golde [Page xxxvii] for to dysceyue hym / But he neuer wolde loke on it / ¶ A nother tyme came the deuyll & knocked atte the doore of his monastery. & whan saynt Anthonye 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 dyspysed 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 bro­ughte theym in hate / the one agaynste a nother / ¶ Where vpon the deuyll ansuered· that he dyde not. But they the­ymself were angry togider / ¶ And more ouer the deuyll sayde to hym / That the myghte and puyssaunce of the de­uylles 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 deser­tes. whyche ben enhabyted by Relygy­ouses and heremytes / Thenne saynt Anthonye hauynge the grace of god with him ansuered prudently / ¶ I byleue not that thou weneste to saye trouthe / For thou arte the capitayne of lesȳ ge and of fallaces ¶ But thou art constrayned to saye this sentence. whyche is true / ¶ Certaynly Ihesu Cryste pryued the of alle thy strengthest and ver­tues syth the tyme that thou lostest thy beawte of an aungell by the spotte of thy synne / ¶ And Incontynent that saynt Anthonye had achyeuyd his pray­er / 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 deuyl­les / And that aybdyth wyth vs / As longe as we ben in grace / He shall kepe vs from theyr dyuerse temptacyons /

¶ Lete vs sette oure charge to resyste & wythstonde theyr tytulacyons and ca­uyllacyons as moche as we maye / For whanne they knowe that oure thoughtes ben vayne. freeyll and Inconstaunt They putte theym in. to the bodyes of men / ¶ And as theues. houndes. & wulues enraged. they rauysshe body & sou­le / ¶ Iob by his stedfaste fayth ouercame the deuyll / ¶ And Iudas was the contrarye / ¶ The pryncypall thynge and moost necessarye for to vaynquys­she 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 dema­unded of a deuoute soule / Incontynent he shall departe / ¶ After that sa­ynt Anthonye had made his exhortacyons / Eeuery one of the brethern was merueyllously enioyed / And after they enforcyd theym to gete vertues / ¶ And they that hadd hadde tofore but lytyll [Page] faythe were confermyd· and hadd per­fy [...]ghte fayth / ¶ And the other toke a­waye all folysshe oppynyons from theyr thoughtes / In suche wyse that after they dradde not ony temptacion of the deuyll / But were more abasshed how saynt Anthonye hadde theym soo highly Instruct or taught theym to knowe dyfference of the good aungell and of the wyckyd and euyll /

¶ In the tyme that Maxymyan per­secuted the Crysten people / Saynt Anthonye lefte his monastery. sayenge to his brethern / Lete vs goo wyth our brethern 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 Antho­nye martyr in wyll / ¶ And whanne o­ny 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 thretenynges / 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 whyte vestement tofore the fa [...]e of the Ti­raunt / To the ende that he was desy­rynge to be of the nombre of the mar­tyrs / y^t whyche by the wyll of god was kepte and preseruyd from the y [...]e of the Tyraunt / And retorned to his monastery in makynge lene and castisynge his body of more sharpe fastynges & prayers contynuelly thanne tofore / ¶ Nexte his flesshe he ware the hayre / And ther vpon a vestement of hayre namyd Melote. ¶ He bayned neuer his body ne ne­uer wysshe his fete / But by necessytee whanne he passed and wente thorugh the water / ¶ Neuer man sawe his bo­dy naked / but whanne he was deed.

¶ Longe tyme after that saynt Anthonye was closyd in his monastery. not wyllynge to speke to ony persone / ¶ A prynce of chyualrye. named Martyny­an hadde a doughter. whyche was me­ueyllously vexed of the deuyll. ¶ Soo wolde the sayde Maxymyan goo to saynt 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 Mar­tynyan 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 vpon hyghe / And saynt Anthonye sayde to hym / ¶ O man wherfore demanndest thou ayde or helpe of me / Whanne I am mortall as thou arte / Yf thou byleue in Ihesu Cryste. whom I serue Praye to him. And after thy fayth thy doughter shall be guarysshed and heelyd / ¶ The sayd Martinyan gyuynge faythe and credence to the wordes of saynt Anthonye called vnto the name of god ¶ And Incontynent his doughter was heelyd and guarysshed /

¶ Many folkes also whyche went and slepte tofore the doore of his sayde monastery were guarysshed of dyuers ma­ladyes [Page xxxviii] ¶ 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 knowen / ¶ And by cause that by the occa­sion of the grete miracles and wonders that he dyde and wroughte by the ver­tue of oure lorde / he sholde not entre in to the synne of exaltacyon and vayne glorye / And also that men shold not repute 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 banke wherof / he herde a voyce comynge from heuen / Whyche sayde / ¶ O An­thonye whether goost thou / ¶ Saynt Anthonye as accustomyd to here suche voyces / Ansuered. that he wente from hys monasterye / By cause that the pe­ople 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 pay­ne 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 there were Sarrasyns. whyche haue ben accustomyd to lede marchaundyses in to Egypte ¶ Anone after saynt Anthonye aperceyued theym. And prayed theym 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 aboute the same was a lytyll felde in why­che 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 brede of his felowes / In recommaundyng theym to god / And abode there alle alone / ¶ After that his brethen hadd knowlege of the place where he was / Thei sente hym alwaye his pytaunce / And by cause he sawe well that it was gre­te payne for to brynge to hym his sus­tentacyon / Sente to one of his Religy­ouses 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 mo­che 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 gyue Refeccyon to the comers to hys her­mytage / ¶ And whanne the corne was grete / The beestes that were there ete it ¶ He dyde soo moche that he tooke o­ne / ¶ And in spekynge to all the forsayd beestes he sayde to hym / ¶ Wherfo­re 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 / [Page] 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 & fosses in the same moūtayne / ¶ And whā somtyme his brethern sente to hym oliues. or of the oyle. or other fruyte. for to susteyne his olde aege / he wolde none /

¶ In y^e mountayn he had many bataylles. not oonli ayenst the flesshe. but also ayenst the deuylles whyche ofte bro­ughte to hym suche tempeste. that it se­med 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 / Seenge his perseueraunce in abydyng so longe tyme in one place solytary wythout seenge ony persone / But on that one side wylde & cruell beestes· and the deuylles on that other syde / whyche came to bete & tormente hym / ¶ And neuerthe­lesse 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 & stedfaste hope in god. shal neuer haue empe­shement ne lettynge y^t may noye hy /

¶ On a nyghte as he woke in sayeng his prayers came aboute hym al y^e wylde beestes of the deserte. whyche enforced theym for to byte hym / Then̄e saynt Anthonye sayd to theym. Yf ye haue lycence to noye me / come to me & deuoure 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 hunted they fledde awaye /

¶ A nother tyme as saynt Anthonye made a tresse for to make a lytyll bas­ket / For his custome was to gyue somethynge 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 sayd tresse / And Incontynent as he sawe that / He blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And sayde I am the serua­unt 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 Antho­nye. 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 & wa­ter vppon a Camell for to susteyne the necessytees of hym and theym that were wyth hym / ¶ Whanne they were at the myddyll of the waye / theyr water faylled / ¶ And they had soo grete thurste 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 sa­ynt Anthonye moeuyd wyth pyte wente behynde his felowes And put hym­selfe to prayer / The whyche done / so­daynly apperyd a fountayne / of why­che they were alle refresshed and eased ¶ And anone after they sechynge the­yr Camell for to gyue to hym drynke fonde him casuelly bounden wyth his corde to a grete stone / ¶ Theyr waye accomplysshed & at ende / saynt Antho­nie & his brethern came to the monasterye where as were his brethern / ¶ And [Page xxxix] anone they came hastely to hym. In enbracynge and kyssynge hym / Lyke as he hadde be theyr owne fader / Anone after he beganne to comforte theyr soules / In praysynge the auncyentes and aeged / And in exhortynge the yonge to vertuouse lyuynge / ¶ And amonge o­ther thynges he sayde to theym they sholde ofte rede the lyues of the good auncyent or aeged faders / To the en­de 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 detrenched and bote his tonge / And with that he enforcyd him to put out his ey­en / ¶ He was broughte to saynt Anthonye. to the ende that he myghte recou­uer his helthe / Saynt Anthonye sayde vnto hym that he sholde goo in to E­gypte / And anone he sholde be guaris­shed 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 hee­lyd / ¶ Froncho byleued in his wordes And as soone as he came in to Egyp­te he was guarysshed and heelyd /

¶ A vyrgyne of the regyon Trypoly­tane 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 stynkynge. 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 fren­des 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 re­lygyouses. whyche wente for to see sa­ynt Anthonye / ¶ And soo they prayed theym that they myghte goo wyth theym / ¶ And soo longe they wente togy­der y^t they came vnto a good man na­myd Paphonce / to whom Maxymyen had doo pulled out his eyen for the na­me of Ihesu Cryst / ¶ They beyng there arryued. the relygyouses made y^e pa­rentes & the mayde to abide there with the good holy man / And they went forthe 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 relygyouses / ¶ Goo ye forth thyder. yf the mayde be not deed. ye shall fynde her all hole & guarisshed / ¶ And yet he sayde / none 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 prayed vnto god. the helthe of his doughter was shewed to me / ¶ Then̄e they wente 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 thy­de to hym / And sayde to theym thus / [Page] ¶ Goo ye hastely in the waye that le­dyth 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 wherefor saynt Anthonye shewed not the Reuelacyon tofore the dethe of the bro­ther / It maye be ansuered that the questyon is inpropre / ¶ For the Iugement proceded of god. and not of saynt An­thonye / 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 accompany­ed wyth a good man namyd Theodore 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 Antho­nye 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 ashamed 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 admer­ueylled how soo hastely saynt Antho­nye was passed ouer / And toke hym by the fete. & swore that he wolde neuer leue hym. tyll he had tolde to hym how he had passed wythout to be wete / Sa­ynt Anthonye seenge that saynt Theodore constrayned hym. and made him to swere that he sholde neuer shewe to none byfore his dethe / ¶ Thenne he sayd to hym. that by the grace of god he had be soo sette ouer the ryuer myraculously / ¶ A nother man namyd Archelaus a knyghte requyred hym to praye god for one namyd Polycrasse dough­ter 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. Sa­ynt Anthonye prayed god for her. and Incontynent she was guarysshed & hole / ¶ 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 saynt Anthonye sayde that it was a no­ther 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 to­fore saynt Anthonye or not / ¶ Saynt Anthonye made theym to goo to prayer that had brought hym / And he hymselfe also prayed alle the nyghte vnto god for the helthe of the poore pacyent The whyche seke man at y^e begȳnyng [Page xl] of the daye for the grete payne that he felte / Smote and bete fowle saynt Anthonye. whyche alle the nyghte hadde had compassyon nyghe by hym in prayer / ¶ The Relygyouses beynge ther­of moche angry. repreuyd sharpely the­ym that had broughte hym / ¶ But saynt Anthonye swetely and mekely ansuered / that the yōge man whyche was lyke hadde not done it / ¶ But the de­uyll whyche by the cōmaūdement was soo constrayned to departe from hym / had so smeton hym / ¶ Anone after the seke persone was alle hoole. and gua­rysshed / And came and enbracyd & kyssed saynt Anthonye / ¶ A myracle.

¶ On a tyme saynt Anthonye beynge in prayer lyke as he was alwaye acus­tomed to doo. tofore that he toke his refracōn was rauysshed of angels / & was born more hye than the regyon of thayre / The deuyllis folowyng after stroue by cause he was born hyer than the sayde regyon / And the angellis seenge the sayd contradyccōn. asked of the deuyl­lis wherfore they enforcyd to lette him seen that in him was noo sporte of sȳ ­ne / ¶ Thenne the deuyllis began to recounte the synnes that saynt Anthonie hadd done in the tyme of his yonge aege / Incontynent the angellis made theym 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 accusacyons and lyes / ¶ And the angel­lis seenge that the deuyllis accusid him oonely of fallaces. bare vpp saynt An­thonye more hyghe than̄e the deuyllis were / ¶ And anone after they brough­te hym agayne to the place where they had taken hym / ¶ Thenne saynt An­thonye 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 whyche 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 do­ynge he sawe in the ayre a Monstre soo horryble grete / that his heed semyd stretchyng vp to the clowdes / ¶ He sa­we also some hauyng wynges the whiche 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 peces / And other ayenst his wyll flew vp in to heuen / ¶ And anone as he had seen this. the voys sayd to hym y^t he sholde considre wel what this vision sygnefyed / ¶ Anone he knewe well y^t it was [Page] 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 de­syred to lerne of theym / And to that entent ofte tymes he demaunded or axed of theym counseylle / ¶ To alle Bys­shops and preestes / in bowynge his he­de by humylytee he demaūded theyr be nedyccyon / ¶ And lyke as it is comyn­ly sayde / From a Ioyeouse herte proce­deth a Ioyeouse vysage / He had a playsaunte 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 ne­uer seen hym / ¶ His face was alwaye in one astate. as well in prosperytee as in aduersytee / ¶ Aboue all other thyn­ges he hated the conuersacyon of Ma­nychyens / Heretykes scysmatikes / and Ar [...]yens / As to theym that were enmyes and aduersaryes of the fayth of god ¶ And yf of theyr se [...]te came in to the mountayne / He made theym to be chacyd thens sayeng / That they were werse 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 Infy­delis / ¶ 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 peasybly / ¶ A nother tyme came to hym two Phylosophers on hyghe on the mountayne / The whyche by subtyll dys­putacyons supposyd to haue ouercome hym and dysceyued / ¶ Whan he sawe theym. he Iudged theym to be Payne­mes. 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 fo­lysshe / To whom they ansuerde that he was noo foole / but he was ryght wyse / ¶ Saynt Anthonye ansuered to theim 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 due­te / ¶ For thoose men ben to be praysed whan they ensyewe the good and wy­le 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 let­tred / To whom he askyd the whyche had be fyrste or the wytte. or the scryp­ture / 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 [Page xli] made by the vnderstondynge / Thenne sayd saynt Anthonye / He that hath vnderstondynge 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 playse hym to wryte some thynge to theym for theyr comforte & consolacōn ¶ Saynt Anthonye seenge y^e lettres was not abasshed / ne chaunged noo thynge for the salutacyon of soo grete lordes / But as Inmobyle & canstaunt. not wyllyn­ge to beholde the sayd lettres. called to hym alle his brethern. and after sayde to theym / ¶ The kynges of thys worlde sende to vs lettres. whiche semeth to be thynge merueyllous. And herof we maye be gladde / ¶ For alle men not­wythstondyng they haue dyuers dygnytees & lordshyppes ben borne and deye the one wyth that other / ¶ And therfore we oughte to honoure the scryptures & lettres pryncypally suche as god ha­the wryten to men / as ben the cōmaundementes of the lawe / And bi cause there is none conuenyence amonge kyn­ges and Relygyouses / I woll not ta­ke the lettres that the kynges sende to vs / For I knowe not the scyence & manere 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 lytyll thynge to the regarde of the puyssaunce of god / ¶ And therfore ye oughte not to be prowde / ¶ Esteme of yourselfe. 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 besynesse to doo Iustyce as well to the poore as the ryche / ¶ Consydre ye that there is a kinge aboue you eternall. not o­only vpon you but vpon al mankynde ¶ Thise lettres seen by the sayd pryn­ces tofore namyd. thei were gretly comforted. ¶ And the fame & renōmee of saynt Anthonye was ouer all the countree publysshed and knowen /

¶ After that the Paynems & Genty­les were confused of theyr argumentes And the kynges comforted by his let­tres / 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 Sera­pyon / Emonge the whyche he sawe a moche pyetable caas / and worthy of sorowfulnes / whiche was this / ¶ He be­ynge wyth his brethern sette / lyfte hys eyen vpp to heuen wayllynge and we­pyng / ¶ 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 merueyl­lous habundance and plentee / ¶ Wherfore y^e brethern that were there present [Page] trembled and quoke / ¶ And questyned him what reuelacyon he hadd hadde / ¶ Ha haa my chyldren sayd saynt Anthonye / The fayth of cristendom shall in shorte tyme be subuerted / The men semblable or lyke to beestes / Iumentes or fooles / Whiche shall destroye the godes of the chyrche / ¶ I haue seen the aulter of oure lorde enuyronned or clo­sed wyth mulettes / The whyche wyth theyr fete haue broken the aulter / And thyse thynges ben cause of my wayl­lynge / ¶ Two yeres after was publysshed and shewed the cursed secte of the Heretykes Arryens / The chyrches were pylled / And the sacred vessellis vilypended or dyspysed wyth the Sacra­mentes of the chyrche / by the pollute or defoylled hondes of the Ethnycyens & Iu [...]ydelis / And Paynems dide and made in Alexandrye sacrefyces to ydollis / made wyth theyr hundes / In makyng to theym adoracyon and prayer. as to theyr goddes / in offrynge to them bowes of palmes / whyche ben in the sayd countree 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 afore 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 chyr­ches / In suche wyse that the aulters were alle deyed and sprynkcled wyth the blood /

¶ A lytyll whyle after this heuy and desolate Reuelacyon. saynt Anthonye had a nother Reuelacyon ryght Ioyo­us / Of whyche he comforted his Rely­gyous 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 perse­cutours of y^e faythe of god shall be chacyd a waye / And Relygyon shall be en­creacyd and augmented / ¶ And therfore my brethen and frendes take to you and haue stronge and grete faythe / to the ende that ye be in ony wyse sub­uerted / ¶ For theyr doctryne is not of the appostle / But of the deuyll semblable or like to Iumentis or fooles & bente beestes / ¶ Soo many Reuelacyons were shewed and made to saynt Anthonye / And soo many men guarysshed & heelyd by his prayers / that wyth grete dyffycultee maye not wel be put in writynge / ¶ 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 ma­de / ¶ 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 thyn­ges lawfull and helthful / ¶ Neuer for ony prayer was it of duke or ony prin­ce [Page xlii] Saynt Anthonye abode not longe oute of his monastery / ¶ And he sayde to his Relygyouses / That lyke as fysshes vpon the drye erthe. anone deyen Ryght soo the Relygyouses by longe abydyng wyth the Seculers. anone shal be deed by dedely synne ¶ Saynt An­thonye 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 ty­rannye / ¶ Balancuis dyspysed his lettres / And dyde many oultrages to the messager / ¶ And wyth that he commaūded that he and his Relygyouses sholde receyue his dyscyplyne / ¶ Anone af­ter he beynge wyth the sayde Nestor in the pryncypall towne of Alexandrye. called Cher [...]um. An horse the moste mekest of all the other / And vpon whyche the layde Nestor. whyche was lorde of Egypte rode moost vpon. smote the sayd Balancius downe to the grounde / and ete his thyghe / And thre dayes after he deyed. Wherof alle they of Alex­andrye were admerueylled / And sayde that it was by cause he had dyspysed y^e enseynementes and techinges of saynt Anthonye ¶ Some other knyghtes came to hym / the whyche he admonested to leue the honoure of the worlde / And that they sholde goo wel ferre for to gete blessydnesse and honour eternall whiche neuer shall haue ende /

¶He counseylled the Iudge / that for loue 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. shewed his dethe to his Relygyouses / Why­che 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 hour of dethe / For by that they sholde dysspyse 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 solytary wyth one his frende / And toke leue of his Relygyouses. in salewynge the­ym 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 noble martyrs and other persones. wyth­out to put theyr bodyes in therth ¶ Of whyche custome saynt Anthonye hadd ofte repreuyd the bysshops of the coun­tree / To the ende that they sholde cor­recte theyr subgettis. In sayenge to theym / That our lorde had be buryed vn­to the thyrde daye in a Tombe closed / ¶ For whyche saynt Anthonye dredinge [Page] 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 wa­ye that owe to goo / That is to the de­the / ¶ It is longe tyme syth I desyred to see the heuenly thynges. I recōmen­de me to your prayers / ¶ After he ad­monested theym in this manere / Kno­we ye the estate that ye haue taken / Ye haue seen many temptacyons of the deuyll / And they maye be ouercome /

¶ Desire ye alwaye to be wyth Ihesu Cryste. ¶ Remembre ye of myn admonycyons 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 co­uere my body soo pryuely in the erthe / that none knowe my sepulture but ye oonly /

¶ After he made his Testament & or­denaunce of his laste wyll / By the whiche 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 sayd bysshop hadd gyuen to hym all ne­we / ¶ Serapyon a nother bysshop had that other vestyment lyke to the other / And the brethern Relygyouses had the heyre / ¶ His Testamente accomplys­shed he sayde to theym / Fare well my frendes / Anthonye gooth his waye / He shal be no longer wyth you in this worlde / ¶ And thyse wordes sayde / alle his brethern Relygyous beynge there pre­sent. And wepynge bytterly for the oc­casyon that they sawe his deth soo nye kyssed him / ¶ And Incontynent he rendred 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 the­re abowtes the desertes / And neuer had be bayned ne wasshed / And that he had not ete ony delycate metes / Yet neuerthelesse his flesshe and skyn̄e was as precyous & 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 re­gyons ben yet done myracles withoute nombre. to the praysynge and exaltacyon of his gloryous name / As well vp­on the bodyes of mankynde / As vppon the brute beestes and vnresonable / In suche wyse. that emonge alle the other gloryous sayntes / He is ryghte deuout­ly adoured and prayed vnto /

¶ Lete vs thenne praye hym deuowtly [Page xliii] 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 dyspyse by his ensample this present worlde in suche manere / that fynably we may obteyne the reame of heuen /

¶ Thus endyth the lyfe of the blessyd saynt Anthonye. And after folowyth y^e lyfe of saynt Hylaryon Heremyte / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Hilarion ortus Caplm .xxvii.

SAynt Hylaryon was borne in the countree of Palestyne. in a towne namyd Thabatha fy­ue myle fro a cyte called Gasa. or ther abowtes / ¶ He was as a Rose flourys­shynge emonge the thornes / For his fader was a Paynem and serued thydol­lis / But Hylaryon serued god ¶ His fader sente hym in to Alexandrye. for to lerne the science of Gramaire / In the whyche he was suffysauntly Instructe after his yonge aege / But that more is of valewe he lerned the very scyence of the faythe of Cryste / ¶ For he byleuyd in Ihesu Cryste / ¶ He beynge a scoler fledde all vyces and synnes. despysyng generally alle the vanytees of the worlde / And occupyed hymself oonly to ser­ue god and holy chyrche / ¶ Whan̄e he herde the renōmee of saynt Anthonye / whyche was strongely spradde in alle Egypte / He wente to see hym / And he beinge there arryued / chaunged his ha­byte / And was there .ij. monethes wyth hym in contemplacōn. and Ioyeng the grete humylytee of saynt Anthonye /

¶ And as he receyued humaynly y^e brethern that wolde be Relygyous wyth hym / In lyke wyse as he was hymselfe harde and sharpe to correcte theim. & soo he was redy to admonest theym

¶He was sobre in metes / And he was neuer syke for what someuer abstynence he dyde / ¶ Whanne the holy fader Hylaryon had seen his holy conuersacyon / He retorned wyth some Relygyou­ses in to the house of his fader / Whom he founde and his nyece also deed and departed oute of this worlde / ¶ And in contynent as towched of the holy ghoste· he distrybuted his parte of theyr go­des to poore folke / and reserued no thȳ ge for hymselfe / In consyderynge the scrypture that sayth / That he whyche renoucyth not alle that he possessyth. maye not be dyscyple of Ihesu Cryste ¶ And how well that he was not but [Page] fyftene yeres olde / ¶ Neuerthelesse he wente alle naked abowte seuen myles ferre from the forsayde cytee of Gaza in to a place full of theues. And whan his frendes told hym the peryll / to whiche he wente to / ¶ He ansuered. that he that wold eschew the dethe perdurable oughte to dyspyse the dethe naturell /

¶ Alle men merueylled of his life. con / syderynge his aege / whyche was yet so tendre / And neuerthelesse endured somothe payne / ¶ His clothynge was oonly of a sacke and a mantell of pellycon. whyche saynt Anthonye had gyuen to hym / ¶ The deuyll seenge the lyffe of this childe. by cause he myght not calle hym agayne to the worlde / Tormen­ted hym strongly. to the ende to ouerco­me hym. and brynge hym vnder his rule / ¶ He bete hym wyth fystes on his breste sayenge to him / ¶ Lytyll Asse I shall well kepe the from gooynge bac­ke / Thou shalte not haue oonly barley breede for to ete / but shalt deye for hū ­gre and thurste / ¶ In Somer I shall make the to haue colde / And I shal put the in suche astate that thou shalte not remembre but for to ete and dryn­ke. wythoute to thynke on god /

¶ The holy chylde ete not in thre or four dayes. but a lityll herbes and fygges ¶ Yet for to augmente & encreace hys penaunce in fastynge he laboured the erthe / And made fyscellis wouen wyth Rede and Ionkes / In consyderynge that he that takyth noo payne to labour is not worthy to ete /

¶ On a nyghte he herde many dyuerse voyces. lyke the voyces of a chylde / the bletynge of shepe / the lowynge of oxen the clamour of wymmen. the crye of li­ons and many other dyuerse voyces /

¶And all this dyde the deuyll whyche supposed to haue broughte hym out of his wytte by the feere of the herynge / And after by his eyen / ¶ And he ano­ne knelyd downe. and markyd his for­hede wyth the sygne of the Crosse / And after he lokyd on that one syde & that other / wenynge to haue seen the beestes and the other thynges / Wherof he had herde the voys / And Incontynent he sawe theym in a carte whiche horses dre­we rennynge as they hadde ben wood / ¶ Thenne he began̄e to crye and calle the name of Ihesu / And anone the erthe opened / ¶ And alle the companye soo cryenge and howlynge sonke dow­ne in to the pytte of helle / ¶ Thenne beganne he to saye thyse wordes wre­ten in the Cantycle of the cursyd Pha­rao. whyche sayth thus / ¶ The horse & the man that was vpon hym / God hathe throwen theym in the see / The de­uylles goon in the lykenesse of horse & chariottes / But we shall be borne in y^e name of our lorde / The enmyes of hell enuyous of our Redempcyon present to vs soo many of dyuers and cursyd temptacyons / that wyth grete payne it is possyble to recyte theym / ¶ Often ty­mes whanne the blessyd chylde Hylary on slepte / The deuyll in lykenesse of a woman all naked shewed hym to him ¶ Whanne he ete he presented to hym the remembraunce of dyuerse metes /

¶ Some tyme whanne he was in prayer he passed byfore hym lyke a wulffe howlynge / A nother tyme lyke a foxe / A nother tyme lyke a bataylle of men armed. In suche wyse that one lete him selfe falle tofore hym. in demaundyng [Page xliiii] hym sepulture / ¶ On a tyme as he la­ye flatte vpon the grounde. makynge his prayers to god / came the deuyll be­hynde hym / Whyche smote hym on the heles. and on the backe. and on the heede sayeng / Aryse thou Hylaryon / Wherfore slepest thou / ¶ But not for alle y^t he moeuyd hym noo thynge / He was soo moche rauysshyd in his prayers /

¶ From that tyme as he was syxtene yeres olde. he withdrewe hym in to a lytyll house made of Ionkes and bowes Wherin he endured tyll he was twenty yeres olde. colde and heete. Rayne. and snowe. and other grete necessytees / And after he dwellyd in a nother lytyll houses· whiche was foure fote brode and fiue fote hyghe / But it was a lytyll len­ger thanne his body / ¶ This lytyll hous semed better a sepulcre than an house / ¶ He clipped of his heeres ones a yere / That is to wyte tofore the solemp­nytee of Ester / ¶ He laye bare vppon a bedde of Ionkes / and soo contynued to the deth / And neuer was he couered but wyth one sacke / The whyche he neuer wasshed / Sayenge that in an hayer o­ughte not to be soughte clennesse / ¶ He neuer chaunged Robe ne cote. tyll thol­de was rotyn / His felycytee was to re­membre holy scrypture / ¶ And emon­ge his orysons he songe deuowte psal­mes to god as he hadde be presente /

¶ After that he was .xxi. yeres olde. vnto .xxvi. he lyued sobrely / ¶ And in thre yere he ete not but on̄ly a syxter of wortes medled in a lytyll colde water / In the other thre yeres he ete but breede & salt wyth a lytyll water / ¶ After seuen and twenty yeres tyll fyue and thyrty. he ete not but sixe vnces of barly breede And for his potage a lytyll coole wor­tes without oyle. ¶ But whan he sawe his body by straytnesse of lyffe became scabby and ronyous / Alytyll for to re­comforte hymself / he putt a lytyll oylle in his potage ¶ And he lyued in this life sobrely vnto tha [...]ge of thre and fourty / without etynge apples ne other fru­tes / ¶ Whanne he came vnto the aege of thre score & foure yere. and the deth drawynge nyghe· He ete noo more brede tyll he was foure score yere olde. but oonly ete meele and scooles brayed /

¶ Alle that he ete and dranke weyed not all but fyue vncis / ¶ And thus fy­nysshed he his dayes in suche abstynences / ¶ Alas we that ete some more thā thyrty. other more than foure score vn­cis of weyghte. fyue or syxe tymes on y^e daye. yet ben not well contente / And he that ete not but oonly whanne att the sonne was gone downe one tyme on y^e daye / And all his mete & drynke wey­ed not but fyue vnces / Yet he lyued vn­to the aege of foure score yeres / ¶ Lete vs thenne be sobre. vnto the ende to be chaste by the ensample of the good ho­ly fader Hylaryon. whyche in his lyffe wolde suffre. and endure soo moche e­uyll and payne / for the honour of Ihesu Cryste /

¶ He beynge in the aege of .xviij. yeres Theues came to hym. wenynge to af­fraye hym by cause of his yonge aege. Or for to robbe some thynge fro hym / ¶ And how well they made grete dylygence to fynde his lytyll house. Neuer­thelesse they went rounde abowte it an hoole daye and a nyghte. & cowde not fynde it / And on the morne they fonde it and hym therin / ¶ And they dema­unded [Page] of hym this questyon / Yf the theues came to the. what sholdest thou do thou lytyll man / He ansuered to theym What maye they demaunde or aske. seen that I am all naked. and haue none moeuable goodes / ¶ Thenne they sayde to hym / Thou myghtest be slayne / ¶ The chylde ansuered / I maye well be slayne truely / But for that I drede-not / For I am redy for to deye / ¶ The theues were moche admerueylled. And recounted to hym how they had soughte him / ¶ And after they amended theyr lynes ¶ He was not yet but two and twenty yeres olde / whanne his fame & renommee sprange ouer alle the coun­tree of Palestyne. by cause of the holy­nesse of his lyffe / ¶ And in that tyme was a woman in the towne of Lent [...]opolytane. whom her husbonde dispysed and hadde in hate / By cause he cowde not conne haue of her in fyftene yeres ony chylde / ¶ Wherfore she came to saynt Helaryon demaundynge or aryng counseylle of hym how she myghte doo ¶ And by cause that at the fyrste tyme he wolde not speke to her. but spytte. by cause he wolde not speke / Thenne she fell downe on her knees. sayenge to hȳ ¶ Fader Hylaryon lete it playse the to here me / & torne not awaye thyne eyen from me / But beholde me not as a woman but as one vnhappy and cursyd

¶ Att laste he spake to her. in demaundyng her the cause of her sorowe / The whyche by her recyted and opened / sa­ynt Hilaryon sayd to her. that she sholde goo home and haue alwaye stedfaste hope in god / ¶ And after for the py [...]e that he had in her. he prayed god of­ten tymes in grete habundaūce of tee­res. soo effectuously that in the ende of the yere. she had a childe / and that was his fyrste myracle /

¶The wyfe of one namyd Elypy­dius comynge to se saynt Anthonie. a­bode in the towne of Gaza. wyth threof her chyldern and her husbonde / In whyche towne deyed the sayd thre chyldren ¶ The moder beynge in the myddle of theym thre soo desolate. that she wyste not whom moost to bewaylle /

¶ And aduysed her of saynt Hylaryon whyche was nyghe by / And tooke the waye wyth her Chamberers. and lefte alle her astate for to come to the place where he was ¶ To whom she sayd. I requyre and adiure the in the name of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / Of his glory­ous passyon. and of the effusyon of hys precyous blood. y^t it playse the to praye for my thre children. that they maye by him be reysed from dethe / To the ende that his name be praysed and magny­fyed in the cyte of Paynems / ¶ And also I adiure the in lyke wyse y^t for thys cause thou come oute of thyne Hermy­tage. And come in to the cyte of Gaza ¶ Thenne ansuered saynt Hylaryon. that he wolde neuer come oute of hys celle / ne also wolde entree in to townes ne citees. ¶ She noo thynge content of his ansuere fell down prostrate or flatt to the grounde. and beganne to crye / Hylaryon reyse my chyldren by thy prayers / the whyche saynt Anthonye hath soo longe kepte and gouerned in Egipte / To the ende that of the they sholde be kepte in Syrye / ¶ All they that we­re thenne presente wepte / ¶ And how well he dyfferred his gooynge / neuerthelesse she sayd to hym: that she sholde neuer [Page xlv] departe / But he shold fyrste promyse to goo vysyte her chyldren wyth her / ¶ And soo he was constrayned by her wordes for to goo thyder / ¶ He beynge comen thyder / And seenge the chyldren all colde. as they whyche had noo syg­ne of lyfe / In the presence of grete multytude of people thyder comen. by cause of hym / He made his prayer deuowtly to god / ¶ The whyche made the sayde chyldren caste oute grete habundaunce of water oute of theyr bodyes / And after knewe theyr fader and moder / and thanked humbly the good fader Hyla­ryon / And beganne to drynke and ete / lyke as they hadde had neuer greyt· ne hadde loste the lyffe / ¶ This myracle was soo spradde. and renommed openly in all the countree of Egypte & Sy­rye / In suche wyse manyfested or kno­wen that the peple came to hym from all partyes / Of whom many wente in to Relygyon for to lede solytary lyfe /

¶ A woman namyd Fatydya bor­ne of the cytee of Rynocorne in the co­untree of Egypte. whyche had be blynde by the space of ten yere / came to him in sayenge that she had dyspended alle her hauour to leches for to recouure her syghte / ¶ The holy man sayde to her Yf thou haddest gyuen for goddys sa­ke that whyche thou haste gyuen to Fisicyens and Leches. thou sholdest mo­che sooner haue recouered thy syghte /

For god sholde haue gyuen it to the a­gayne / ¶ Neuerthelesse she beganne to crye mercy / And anone by his prayers her syghte was restored to her /

¶ Ther was a man in his tyme namyd Messicas born in Iherusalem. the whiche was stronger thanne ony other of that countreye / ¶ For by his bodyly strengthe he bare also grete a burthen or more thanne an Asse / ¶ And y^e bur­then that he bare was estemyd or tho­ughte at fiftene Muys of the mesure of that countree the burthen that he bare / ¶ It happed by the suffraunce of god that he was possessyd of a deuyll / And became enraged and madde / In suche wyse that he must be boūde wyth chaynes by the strengthe of many men / and yet cowde they not holde hym soo mo­che for his strengthe and gretnesse. that for the vyolence of the deuyll whyche tormented hym that he by extreme woodnesse rented of theyr noses and other membres. ¶ Whanne he was brough­te to the chyrche. he foomed att mouthe and tormentrd himself as a wood bole ¶ His parentes and kynnesmen. to the ende that he myght recouer helth they broughte hym to this holy man Hyla­ryon / ¶ And thus as they were tofore this holy man. where as his brethern trembled for drede of his merueyllous gretnesse and woodnesse / The good holy fader commaunded to vnbynde him And that noo man sholde be aferde of hym / Soo it was done / ¶ And myraculously there where tofore he myght not beholde / He became soo softe that swetly he kyssed the fete of the sayde saynt Hylaryon / And the seuenth daye after he was alle hoole and guarysshed /

¶ A nother namyd Oryon the mo­ste Ryche and chyef in auctoryte of the cytee of Achylle by vnto the Reed see / was also in lyke wyse tourmented of a legyon of deuyllis / ¶ Wherfore he was strongly bounden wyth chaynes by all the membres of his body / ¶ Thus as [Page] saynt Hylaryon wente wyth his bre­thern / The same Demonyak with his two hondes bounden wyth yren tooke hym. and lyfte hym vpp alle on hyghe from the erthe / Wherof the people beynge presente beganne to crye / Doubtyn­ge that some Inconuenyent mighte come to hym / By cause he was moche feblyd and weeke by fastynge and straytnesse of lyfe / ¶ But the holy man be­ganne to laughe and strayne the hon­des of the seke man / Whom he helde so subget. that he myghte not greue ne e­noye hym / ¶ And after by adiuracy­ons he moeued the deuylles that were wythin his body / In suche wyse that by the mouthe of the seke man· the people herde horryble and dyuerse voyces cryenge and howlynge. lyke straunge beestes / ¶ And after the seke man be­ganne to crye / O good Ihesus vnbynde me that am thus poore and soo meschaunt. and vnhappy / And I shal saye thynges whyche were neuer herde /

¶ Anone he was alle hoole and gua­rysshed / ¶ And a lytyll tyme after he & his wyfe put theymself to goo vnto the monastery of saynt Hylaryon. in than kynge hym / And in offrynge to hym grete gyftes and tresours for the helthe that he hadde recouered by his mery­tes / ¶ To whom the good fader saynt Hylaryon sayde / Haste not thou radde what Giezey and Symon magus suffred some tyme / ¶ Giezey solde the helthe made to Naban by his mayster Helisee / ¶ And Symon wolde haue gyue moche money to saynt Peter for to ha­ue hadd power to gyue the grace of the holy ghoste / ¶ Thenne Oryon all we pynge sayde to hym / Fayre fader take that I offre to the / And gyue it to poo­re people / ¶ And Hylaryon ansueryd / Thou shalt distrybute and deale it better thanne I / For thou goost thorugh the cytees. and knowest better theym y^t ben poore thanne I doo / ¶ It sholde not be a thyng propre ne well besemynge. that I that haue renouncyd all temporell thynges. sholde take the goodes of a nother / ¶ Oryon felle downe to the grounde prostrate & flatte. and be­ganne to wepe for the dysplaysaunce y^t he hadde of that. that saynt Hylaryon wolde not receyue his offre / ¶ But sa­ynt Hylaryon comforted hym sayenge. My sone and frende be not wrothe for that I haue refusyd thy money / It is for thy prouffyte and myn / For yf I toke it I sholde offende god / Thou shalt be yet tormēted of the deuylles. whyche shall reentre in to thy body / But thou shalt take it in pacyence / And in soo doynge theyr torment shall be to the hel­thfull. Wherfore content thyself. and be from hens forth good and Iuste /

¶ A Massonne namyd Zazanus in hewynge stones was taken with a pa­leseye / And by his seruauntes was bro­ughte to saynt Hylaryon / And anone was [...]eelyd and guarysshed /

¶ A yonge man amorous of the doughter of his neyghbour. whyche was vyrgyne / The whyche by noo wyse of atowchynge. ne otherwyse cowde deceyue her / ¶ And desyryng to accomplyssh his Inordynate wyll on her. wente to a cytee namyd Memphyn for to enquyre & wyte of a Magycyen dwellynge there. how by arte Magyqne he myght deceyue the sayde mayden / ¶ And for to brynge this abowte he was a yere vnd (er) [Page xlvi] Esculapius Magycyen / By the moy­en of whom were soules wythout nombre dampned / ¶ Fynably this yonge man after the Instruccyon of the sayd Magycyen wente to the houses of the sayde vyrgyne / And put vnder the celle or entre of the yate certayne ymages of Coper. sayenge certayne wordes of the deuyll. whyche he byleued sholde serue to his caas / ¶ And forth wyth the say­de mayde became alle folysshe / And by grete woodnesse she tooke of her keuer­chyef of her heed. and drewe her here /

Straynyng her teeth. and callynge the sayde yonge man / ¶ She was broughte to the holy man / In the presence of whom. Incontynent the deuyll whom she hadd in her body began to crie and howle / In declarynge how by force & arte Magyke he was entred in to her / ¶ After that he hadh sayde thyse wordes / he sayde to saynt Hylaryon / Wher­fore cōmaundest thou Hylaryon to me that I sholde goo hens and departe /

Knowest thou not well that I am holden vnder the zelle and entree of the hous of the mayde / And I am by art magyke bounden wyth chaynes / and may not departe / but yf the yonge man that louyth her· whyche by his arte hath bo­unde me. vnbindeth and leteth me goo ¶ The holy man sayde to hym / Thy force is not grete. syth that thou arte bounden wyth soo lytyll bondes / Saye to me false enmye how thou arte soo hardy to entree within the body of this virgyne / ¶ The deuyll ansuered. to the ende that I wolde kepe her a vyrgyne /

¶ How sayde saynt Hylaryon. Sayest thou thyselfe Conseruatour of vyrgy­nyte. And thou art traytoure to chastyte ¶ Now saye to me wherfore haste not thou entred in the bodi of the yonge fole amerouse. ¶ The deuyll ansuered. By cause that an other deuyll my fe­lowe namyd the deuyll of loue is there ¶ Thyse wordes sayde saynt Hylary­on commaūded the deuyll to voyde oute of the body of the sayde mayde / The whyche Incontynent and by euydente myracle was heelyd and guarysshyd /

¶ After this saynt Hylaryon repreuyd the yonge man of that he hadde gyuen sygne of loue to the yonge mayde / By the whyche he deseruyd to be possessyd of the deuyll /

¶ A nother namyd Candydalus. y^t whyche was Iudge vnder the empero­ur Constantyne of y^e Prouynce of Germanye / The whyche after the history­es stondeth bytwene the countreyes of Saxonne and of Almayne / And was brought to saynt Hylaryon in to the cite of Gaza in Syrye. for to be delyue­red from the puyssaunce of the deuyll. of whyche he was tormented euery ny­ghte / ¶ And Incontynent as he was tofore saynt Hylaryon he was hoole & guarysshed / ¶ This was a thynge wel merueyllouse. how in soo ferre countree was knowen his renommee / ¶ That is to wyte in Syrye. Palestyne. Egyp­te. and Germanye / ¶ Whanne the sayde Candydalus was heelyd / He wolde haue gyuen to saynt Hylaryon ten po­unde of goloe / But he tooke but oonly a loof of barley / Considerȳge that who someuer sholde be nourysshed of suche mete. sholde consydre golde and syluer for dounge and ordure / ¶ The holy man heelyd not oonly the beestes reso­nable / But also brute beestes /

[Page]¶ A merueyllous grete Camell / y^e whyche hadde slayne many persones / And in the ende he was take by thyrty men whyche broughte hym bounden to sa­ynt Hylaryon / ¶ His eyen were reed as fyre. and scumed in suche wyse. that men were gretly aferde to beholde· him ¶ But the holy man cōmaunded hym Incontynent. that he sholde be loosed and lete goon / ¶ And anone they that were there fledde moche ferre from the Camell / Excepte one that abode by hȳ ¶ Then̄e he beganne to saye to the de­uyll that was wythin the Camell / O dampned deuyll. thou makest me noo thyng aferde / For somoche as t y^u art in a grete beeste / ¶ For thou arte as myghty in a lytyll Fo [...]e. as thou arte in a grete Camell / ¶ After he layed his honde tofore the sayde Camell / whyche came alle wood and enraged / ¶ And anone he bowed his heede vnto the erthe /

Wherof eche man was abasshed. how in soo lytyll whyle the sayde beeste soo enraged or wood was become soo mylde and came /

¶ In effecte saynt Iherom saythe that he wolde not wryte alle the dedes of saynt Hylaryon / For the tyme shol­de not be shorte / As he wolde saye that they were Innumerable ¶ Whanne some of Syry [...] came to saynt Anthonye he sayde to theim / ¶ Wherfore come ye fro soo ferre / Haue ye not my sone Hy­laryon wyth you / The whyche shal ayde and helpe you by his prayers /

¶ In the name of the same Hylaryon in Palestyne were many chyrches ma­de ¶ His humylytee was merueyllouse grete. ¶ And for in the same and in al other vertues to gyue and shewe goode ensample to the holy and deuowte Re­lygyouses / Often tymes he wente to visyte theym in theyr hermytages / The whyche knowynge his grete vertues folowed hym well ofte in soo grete nom­bre. that they were often tymes wyth hym nighe by a two thousande men / ¶ Thus as the holy man wente vysy­tyng the desertes of Cades / ¶ He came in to Heluse a cytee. where alle the pe­ple were assembled for to doo sacrefyce to the Temple of Venus / ¶ In that Temple were many Paynems / The whiche had ben delyuered of the deuyll by the Intercession & prayer of the ho­ly man Hylarion / ¶ And whanne they apperceyued hym to passe tofore y^e temple aforsayde. They and theyr wyues sprange oute of the Temple / and sayd to him in langage Syryaque / Bareth / Whiche is as moche to saye as gyue benedyccyon to theym that prayen the / Mekely he herde theim / And prayenge theim that they sholde not adoure him by prayers / but one god oonly eternell / ¶ Merueyllous grace of god happed to theym / For by his comynge and by his prayers they were in suche wyse enspyred that from that hour they made theym Crysten. And helde hym for theyr Bysshopp /

¶ A nother tyme as he wolde departe for to goo vysyte the Relygyouses to hym subgettes / He sente his lettres to some Relygyouses in to lodgys. in whiche he wolde lodge / ¶ And amonge the brethern there was one. whiche was merueyllously scarse and nygardouse / And wolde noo thynge gyue / ¶ Wher­fore the other prayed to the holy man. that he wold lodge in his hermi [...]age· to [Page xlvii] the ende to correcte this cursyd vyce /

¶ He ansuered to theym / What wolde ye shold be done to hym / He sholde sklaunder vs / And we sholde but traueylle hym / ¶ Ten dayes after the Relygy­ouses had knoulege. that the holy man sholde passe by his vyne yerde / Sente kepars in to the vyne yerde / ¶ In com­maundynge theym that yf ony wolde entree in to it / That they sholde caste stones atte theym / The holy man this seenge and knowynge what there sholde come therof. beganne to laughe atte the folye of the sayde Relygyous / And went in to the house of a nother moche lyberall. namyd Sabbas / The whiche by cause it was Sondaye / desyred the­ym al to goo ete of the grapes and raysons in his vyne yerde / And that they sholde take theyr refeccyons / ¶ But saynt Hylaryon letted theym to soo do Sayenge cursyd be he of vs that eteth tofore that he hath hadde refeccyon spirytuell / ¶ Lete vs serue god fyrste. And after ye shall goo in to the vyne yerde And soo they dyden /

¶ Now was thre thousand that entred in to the vyne yerde / ¶ And after that they had eten after theyr appetytes / there was thenne estemyd fruyte ynough for to gadre an hundred mues. or ton­nes of wyne / ¶ But twenty dayes af­ter. the lyberall relygyouses gadred there thre hundred / ¶ And that other that was skarce and nygardous gadred not halfe soo moche / And yet what he had gadred. it tourned in to vynaygre / And soo loste it /

¶ Saynt Hylaryon thenne repreuyd all Relygyouses that were curyous of thynges transytorye /

¶ In lyke wyse a nother Relygyo­us auarycyous dwellynge nyghe by the space of fyue myles to saynt Hylaryon hadde a lytyll gardyne / Whyche he caused a man to kepe ¶ This Auaricious man. for to take the benyuolence or good fauoure of the holy man. came ofte to vysyte the brethern / And pryncypally one namyd Esicius. To the ende to haue habytude and famylyertee wyth the sayde saynt Hylaryon / ¶ And bro­ughte on a daye emonge other thynges grene cooles. whyche he had gadred in his gardyne / And delyuered theym to the sayde Esicius / The whyche presented theym to the holy man Hylaryon beynge atte table / ¶ And whanne he sawe theym / Incontynent he comma­unded that they sholde be taken awaye Sayenge that they were soo stynkyng that he myghte not fele the sauoure /

¶ And after demaunded or asked who hadde broughte theym thyder ¶ Esici­us namyd to hym the brother / Smelle ye not theym sayde the holy man / how auaryce is roted in thyse cooles / Yf the beestes hadde theym tofore theym. they wolde not ete theym / ¶ Anone Esicius bare theym to the oxen & kyen / whyche wolde not ete theym / ¶ The holy man had this grace / Whanne oonly he sawe the vestymentes of a man. Or that he had towched it / He knewe what synne that man hadde commysed /

¶ Whan he was .lxiij. yere olde in con­tēplynge the multytude of bred (er)n y^t we­re come to him in desert & also that by hym Infynyte seke men were heelyd & guarysshed / ¶ He began to wepe sayenge to his brethern / Alas my brethern I haue wel loste my rewarde. I supposyd [Page] to haue Renounced and forsaken the worlde / and I am retorned. consyderyd the multytude of you that be wyth me. ¶ For I oughte to be allone in a pytte or fosse for to doo penaunce / And to lyue solytaryly / ¶ In this lamentacyon he was by the space of two yeres / The whiche passed / he hadde Reuelacyon of the dethe of saynt Anthonye. ¶ The whyche deth he shewed to the good woman of Arystene / Of whom here abo­ue is made mencyon / And that it was true / Two dayes after the sayde Reuelacyon came messagers. whiche wytnessyd the sayde dethe· ¶ Whyche happed at the houre that he hadde shewed it to the sayde woman / ¶ His lyfe was soo holy. that euery man merueylled / ¶ As well for reason of his myracles. As of his abstynences / Scyence. and humyly­tee / ¶ Bysshops. Preestes. Clerkes Relygyouses· Matrones. and other Crys­ten people / As well nobles as other in grete multytude went to hym / And helde theymself well happy / whanne they hadde of the breed and of the [...]ylle that he hadde blessed with his honde / ¶ By cause and aboue alle thynges he desy­red solytude / And hadde appetyte to be allone /

¶ On a tyme he purposyd to leue hys hermytage. and to goo fewe from hys brethern ¶ And he declared to some of theym / The whyche accordynge to his wyll. and to the ende that more art hys case he myghte passe by the feldes. broughte to hym an asse for to bere hym / But with grete payne myghte he sytte on him / by cause of his debylite and of the grete abstynences that he made /

¶ And whanne he beganne to passe by the desertes of Palestine moo than ten thousande persones enforcyd theym to haue supposed to tarye him / y^t he shold not goo / But neuerthelesse they cowde not lette ne tarye hym / ¶ And in smy­tyng ayenst the groūde wyth his staffe sayde for to contente theim / ¶ I kno­we well that my god is noo lyer / ¶ Al­so I maye not see for to destroye y^e chyrches ne to shede the blood of my chyld (er)n ¶ Al they that there were present kne­we by his worde. that he had had some reuelacyon· whyche he wold not shewe But alway they wold haue taryed hȳ ¶ Thenne he sayde to theym that he wold neuer ete tyll they wolde lete him goo ¶ Seuen dayes after he toke his lene of his brethern. In commaundynge theim that they sholde retorne in to theyr monasteryes / And after he wente in to Bethirion / ¶ Fyue dayes after he came in to Pelusus. and there vysyted all the brethern dwellynge in Lychone /

¶ And thre dayes folowynge he wente in to a place named Thobaston. for to see Dracone bysshopp and Confessour The whiche hadde ben sente thyder in [...]ryle / ¶ Whanne the sayde Bysshopp sawe him / he was strongely comforted wyth his presence /

¶ Thre other dayes after he wente in to Babylone. for to see Phylon the bysshopp / ¶ Thyse two bysshops hadde be sente in to exyle by the kynge Con­stancyus. The whyche gaaf fauoure and good wyll to the Arryens Herety­kes. ¶ He departed from thens. And two dayes folowynge he came to the castell of Affrodyton / Where he founde Bysano deaken / the whiche had be ac­customed to carie water vpon camellis [Page xlviii] and Dromedaryes in to deserte to sa­ynt Anthonye. By cause there was none in the place where he abode / ¶ He recounted and shewed to the sayde Hylaryon how att houre that saynt Antho­nye shold deye / it was commaunded to hym. how he sholde wake alle the nyg­hte / ¶ Saynt Hylaryon and the sayde Bysano were by the space of thre day­es walkynge by oyuerse places / ¶ And in the ende came in to an highe moun­tayne / Where they founde two Relygyous men / That is to wyte Ysaac and Plusyano / ¶ his Ysaac had wreten the lyfe of saynt Anthonye / ¶ The good holy man Hylaryon. wente there from place to place / To the ende to vysyte y^e places where saynt Anthonye had conuersid and vsed. and prayed to god. and had done other vertuouse werkes / And in vysytynge those places. he founde a gardyne. In whyche saynt Anthonye had planted and sette many trees. and also hadde made many piscynes for to water theym whanne it was nede /

¶ He foūde also the place where he lay for to slepe / Whyche was noo gretter thanne the body of a persone ¶ And after retorned saynt Hylaryon wyth two of his brethern to the nexte hermytage / callyd Affrodyton / In whyche place saynt Anthonye lyued a space of tyme. solytaryly / ¶ Now hadd it not rayned in that londe in thre yeres / Lyke as the elementes sholde haue complayned the deth of saynt Anthonye / ¶ But at the Requeste of saynt Hylaryon they hadd thenne grete habundance of Rayne /

¶ After the whyche a multytude of serpentes and venymouse beestes roo [...] vp. agaynst the peple / Of the Infeccion of whom they deyed in dyfferently wyth­out remedye. yf Incontynent they had not be brought to saynt Hylaryon. whiche gaaf theim oyle blessyd. Of whiche anone as theyr woundes were touched were hole & guarysshed / ¶ And by that cause that in those partyes he was soo moche knowen / And that there was done to hym ouermoche grete honour. He went in to Alexandrye. and came in to a monasterye namyd Oason / ¶ Ferd (er) ­more bi cause he had not dwellid in no towne walled syth he had be religyous He went to Brynchion by Alexandrye wyth some of his brethern that he kne­we where he was receyued benygnely / ¶ But anone after by cause that they sawe the discyples of the holy man make redy his asse for to departe / they prayed hym wyth Ioyned hondes that he wolde abyde / For they hadd leuer haue deyed than he sholde departe fro theym ¶ Thenne the holy man for to comforte them. sayd that he was constrayned hastly to depart / To thende that by his ouerlonge taryenge there wyth theym. he sholde be cause of heuynesse / ¶ Sayeng to theym ferdermore that for some thynges that they sholde see after come They sholde well know that not with oute grete cause. he sholde not departe soo hastely from theym and theyr mo­nastery / ¶ And the day after it happed that the Pryncypall of the cyte of Gaza / A cytee nyghe by wherin dwelled Paynems and enmyes to the lawe of oure lorde Ihesu cryste / Whyche were aduertysed of the comynge of saynt Hilaryon to the sayde monastery / Knowynge that their lawe was in waye and daūger to be all destroyed by y^e moyen [Page] of the sayde saynt Hylaryon / And for to eschew the same concluded to goo to the sayde monastery. for to putte hym to dethe / ¶ And soo Incontynent they wente thyder. ¶ And they fyndynge that soo hastely was departed from thens / And wythoute to be aduertysyd· ne warned of theyr enterpryse and purpose / Imposed and put to him that he was a Magycyen / Sayenge emonge theim that y^t they myghte cleerly kno­we. that he sawe before thynges that comen after / ¶ Now it oughte to be vnderstonde that whanne saynt Hyla­ryon was departed from Palestyne / They of Gaza demaūded of Iulyan whyche thenne was emperoure lycence for to slee his discyple Esicius / ¶ And for more lyghter to take him / they had wreton to alle the londes there abowte ¶ His chyrche was thenne dystroyed & beten downe / And his Relygyouses slayn / ¶ The whyche thynge he had per­ceyued by reuelacyon / wherfore he was departed. by cause he wold not see that dystruccyon / Lyke as tofore is sayde /

¶ Saynt Hylarion soo departed from Bruchyon and the desertes retournyd in to Oason / Where he was a yere or there abowte. ¶ But by cause his re­nomee and fame was thrugh that londe spradde· He wold goo to places where he sholde not be knowe / ¶ And wente for to passe ouer the see / and to dwell in yles where he sholde not be knowen

¶ In that tyme Adryan whyche was his dyscyple comynge from Palestyne arryued to hym. sayenge / That Iulyan the Emperoure was slayne / And that in his place regued an Em­peroure that was Crysten / ¶ Whanne the holy man herde his purpoos. he blamyd hym / ¶ And neuerthelesse he wol­de not retorne / But he and Zazanius one his discyple went in to a shippe for to come in to Cecyle / ¶ And whanne they were in the myddill of the see / the sone of the maronner was rauisshed of a deuyll. Whyche entred in to his body ¶ And by cause that saynt Hylaryon by force of coniuracyon wold haue constrayned hym to departe oute of the sayd sone. He sayde to hym. ¶ O serua­unt of god why suffrest thou not me to be in peas wythin the water / Gyue me spase to goo to the londe / ¶ For yf I departe here / I sholde falle in to the a­bysme / ¶ The holy man ansuered to the deuylll. Yf my god hath gyuen to the puyssaunce and power to abyde / A­byde thou. And yf thou haste noo myghte. I shall caste the oute / ¶ Anone af­ter the chylde was hoole and guarys­shed / ¶ After this saynt Hilaryon to the ende that he sholde not be knowen made the Maronners to swere. & other that were there. that they shold not shewe his name / ¶ And whanne he was arryued in an hyghe mountayn in Cecyle named Pachumum. he wold haue gyuen to the Maronner for his solaire a boke of the gospellis. whiche he hadd doo make in his yongthe for hym and his dyscyple Zazanius / ¶ The Marō ner seenge that he had none other thynge wolde noo thynge haue / ¶ And to thende that he wold not there be kno­wen of the Marchaūtes of the Eest partyes / He wente ferre in to the myddyll of the lond. well twenty myle from the see / ¶ And there in a desert he made of the broken bowes and wode fagottes. [Page xlix] and brusshes / and charged and layd in the necke of his dyscyple for to bere to the market in the nexte towne / To the ende that he sholde brynge breede for theyr sustentacyon /

¶ Alas lete vs consydre the pouertee of this holy man / and how moche euyl he suffred for to come to heuen / we that haue soo moche good / How suppose we to haue it / I byleue y^t it shall be wyth grete payne / ¶ And how well that the holy man was goon in to a straūge countree. by cause he wolde not be knowen / ¶ Neuerthelesse anone after by the moyen of his merueyllous werkes· Hys fame was grete thorugh alle the countree of Cecylle / ¶ And the fyrste knowlege of hym was by a a man. whyche had a deuyll wythin his body / the whyche man was broughte in to the chirche of saynt Peter of Rome / ¶ And on a daye amonge the other / the deuyll cry­ed by the mouthe of the seke man. with in shorte tyme Hylaryon shall entre in to Cecylle. the whyche wenyth to hyde hym / But I shall goo to him. and shal manyfeste and shewe him thorugh out the londe of Cecylle / For suche is y^e playsure of god / ¶ Anone the same man wyth his seruauntes wente to the see. & came a londe in Pachumium / ¶ And lyke as the deuyll broughte hym tofore the hermytage of saynt Hylaryon. And Incontynent was alle hoole / ¶ The whyche curacyon was the fyrste myra­cle that he made in Cecylle / ¶ And af­ter came to hym Innumerable seke people / Of whom he refusyd many grete gyftes whyche they wolde haue gyuen to hym / ¶ Consyderynge by hym that whyche oure Sauyour sayd to his dyscyples / ¶ I haue gyuen to you grace / wythoute ony thynge to gyue therfore. Gyue ye in lyke wyse wythout takyn­ge of ony thynge /

¶ Esicius dyscyple of saynt Hylaryon soughte hym in dyuerse places / And was there thre yere in desertes and mountaynes for to seche hym / ¶ And fy­nably in a cyte namyd Mathone he founde a Iewe / the whyche sayde to hym that there was descended in to Cecylle a Prophete whyche dyde Infynyte myracles. In suche wyse that he was re­puted and taken for an holy Heremyte ¶ Esicins asked hym of his habyte. of his tongue / and of his aege / Wherof he cowde noo thynge saye to hym / For he had not seen hym / But he sayde soo by heryng saye / ¶ Esicius came by aduenture in to Pachumium in a vylage / In whiche he demaūded and enquyred for the holy man / Whom euery man tolde where he was / For he was knowen of theym alle. for the grete myracles that he dyde / Wherof they hadd grete won­der / And neuer toke ony thynge of theym but a pyece of brede / ¶ Esicius by grete dylygence founde hym / And kne­lyd downe tofore hym / wepynge and kyssynge his fete / ¶ Saynt Hylaryon toke and releuyd hym vpp / And a lytyl whyle after they wente in to a castell / named Epidarium in Dalmacye. where by in a felde there beynge. he dwel­lyd a lytyll tyme / ¶ But he was In­contynent knowen. As he byfore hadde ben in other places and countrees. where he hadde conuersyd and dwelled /

¶In the sayde place was a dragon merueyllously grete / The whyche oonly dystroyed not the goodes. but also he [Page] deuoured and slew the herde men that kept beestes / ¶ Thenne the holy man caused to be broughte a grete heepe or stacke of woode / And caused to be sette fyre therin / ¶ And after made his prayer to god. The whyche made. the same dragon in the presence of alle the peo­ple came and brente hymselfe wythin the sayde fyre /

¶In that same tyme. and anone after the dethe of Iulyan the Emperoure all the londe trembled / ¶ And y^e sees sprangen oute of theyr places. In su­che wyse that it was supposyd that the worlde shold perysshe. and be drowned by a seconde deluge or flood / ¶ And y^e shippes were lyfte vpp to the mountaynes / ¶ And this seenge the Epydany­tayns. came for refuge and socoures to the holy man / And broughte hym to y^e ryuage or cooste of the see / ¶ The whyche Incontynent after that he had made thre sygnes of the Crosse in the son­de / Sodaynly the see descended and became lowe / And came in to his vsuall custome / ¶ Here oughte we to note the wordes that oure lorde sayde to his Appostles / Whyche ben thyse / ¶ Yf ye haue very faythe / And ye commaunde to a moutayne. that it goo in to the see Infallibly and wythoute fayllynge it shall goo / ¶ Hylaryon dyde noo lesse myracle. Whanne the see that was in the partyes soo haunsed. that it coue­red alle the londe / Incontynent was wythdrawen and becomen lowe / ¶Of whyche myracle alle they of the cytee were admerueyled / ¶ But by ca­use that men beganne to honoure hym there / He departed by nyghte in a lytyl [...]essell of the see / ¶ And two dayes af­ter he fonde a grete shyppe whiche was laden / By the ayde and helpe of why­che he wente in to Cypre / ¶ But so as they of the sayde shyppe wolde haue arryued and comen to an hauen / ¶ The Marronners sawe comynge two shyp­pes well garnysshed wyth men of Ar­mes / Whyche men called Rouers of the see / Whyche enforcyd theym to appro­che or to come aborde to theym / In en­tencōn to robbe and pylle theym / Wherfore the Maronners and the dyscyples of saynt Hylaryon beganne to tremble and quake for feere / And the holy man dyde noo thynge but laughe / And sayd to his dyscyples / ¶ Ye ben of lytyll fa­yth / Thyse theues here whyche comen agaynst vs / ben not in soo grete multytude as was Pharao / ¶ And neuerthe­lesse he and his companye were drow­ned in the see / ¶ And whanne the shyppes of theues were as nyghe as the caste of a stone / The holy man sayd / Ho­la / Hola / Ye ben nyghe ynough / ¶ And Incōtynent happed a merueyllous thȳ ge / For the shyppes of the sayde theues retourned bacwarde. wolde the Pacio­nes and Maronners or not /

¶ After he entred in to a cyte namyd Pafun beynge in Cypres a noble cytee and moche flowrysshynge in Poetrye / Of whyche the edefyces and buyldyn­ges were some tyme fallen downe. bycause that the londe trembled ofte /

¶ There were moche people tourmented of deuylles. whiche were within theyr bodyes / ¶ But the holy man hadde not ben there enhabyted twenty dayes but that they cryed with an hyghe vo­ys / Hylaryon the seruaunt of Ihesu criste is in this londe / To whom we must [Page l] all goo / ¶ In lyke wyse there was in the cyte of Salomnocurium Laphyte / and many other whyche also cryed sayenge / That they muste goo to the holy man Hylaryon / But they knewe not where he was /

¶Thyrty dayes after or there aboute came to the holy man Hylaryon many seke men / vnto the nombre of two hundred / Whiche were guarysshed and heelyd in eyghte dayes /

¶He dwellyd two yeres in that place there in abydynge Esicius his dyscyple / Whom he hadde sente in to Pales­tyne for to vysyte the brethern of the monastery / ¶ After that Esicius was come agayne to hym / He retourned in to Egypte. in to a place namyd Bo­tholya / By cause that there ne dwelled ony Crysten man / And the place was soo enhabytable / that vneth ony man myghte goo there a foote / ¶ And was dystaunte or beynge from the cyte two myles or there abowte / ¶ There were many trees and fayre gardynes / But of fruyte of theym he neuer ete ¶ There was also an olde monastery. the whiche was alle in Ruyne or fallen in de­keye / by the whyche was herde the [...]oyses of some spirytes / Lyke as there had ben a grete excercyse or Rowte of men of Armes / ¶ Wherof the holy man Hylaryon was ryght Ioyeous / Consyde­rynge the meryte that he myghte gete / in Resystynge and wythstondynge the spyrytes that were soo nygh hym /

¶There dwelled he fyue yeres / Whe­re fewe people wente for to see him: for the grete asprete or sharpnesse of the place. And for the dyffycnltee or doubfulnesse of the waye to goo thyder /

¶On a daye the holy man Hylari­on comyng in to his gardyne apperceyuyd a man Paralytyke· or taken wyth the Palsey beynge tofore the gate /

¶Thenne Escius aryd hym what he was / And who had broughte hym thyder / ¶ He ansuerd that he was the Procuroure of the towne / to whom the gardyne in whiche he was apperteyned vnto / ¶ Thenne he toke hym by the honde and sayde to hym / ¶ In the name of god my frende aryse thou and wal­ke / ¶ A merueyllouse thynge in sayen­ge thyse wordes. the membres of the seke man were restored in theyr strength and helthe / In suche wyse that he wente vppon his fete / ¶ Of whyche thyn­ge and myracle the fame sprange and spradde there alle abowte / ¶ Wherfo­re the holy man Hylaryon wolde noo lenger abyde there / Not for to departe from thens for ony mutabylyte or chaungynge of thoughte / But by cause he desyred to lyue solytaryly. wythoute to haue knowlege of ony persone /

¶Whanne he was foure score yeres olde. he felte himselfe moche feble / And by cause that Esicius his dyscyple was thenne absente / He made a cedule or letter of his honde / By the whyche he lefte to hym alle that he hadde / ¶ That is to wyte his Robe. Whyche was ma­de of a sake / His Frocke. his Pelycon. and his Gospellis / ¶ Alle thyse were noo grete [...]ychesses /

¶ Many deuowte Relygyouses of the cytee of Pafun. And wyth theym a notable-woman named Constance. att prayers of whom he hadd heeled her sone and her doughter / Camen to hym. by cause he was in dysposicyon to deyeed [Page] / And spoken wyth hym as he hadde To whom he requyred. and neuerthe­lesse commaunded. that Incontynent as he sholde be deed. They sholde putt hym in to the erthe in a gardine nyghe to his hous / ¶ And tofore that he dey­ed. there as he hadde noo more charyte he sayd to his soule / What dredest thou my soule / Goo oute of my body / Wherfore arte thou aferde / ¶ It is now go­ne thre score and ten yere. syth thou seruedeste Ihesu Cryste / And now thou dredest to deye / ¶ And thus sayenge he rendred his spyryte to god / & Inconty­nent they buryed hȳ wythin y^e gardyne

¶ Anone after his dyscyple Esicius whyche was in Palestyne knew his departyng / And thenne he came in to Cypre / ¶ And whanne he was in the gardyne where as he was buryed / He fay­ned that he wolde dwelle there / ¶ To the ende that they that kepte hym sholde haue noo suspecyon ne mysdemyng that he wolde transporte and carye a­way the body of saynt Hylaryon / But he wroughte soo pryuely. that ten mo­nethes after that he stele hym a waye. & transported or caryed hym to Maxymian his auncyen and olde chyrche. in the whyche the same Esicius. and also all the men and Relygyouses there abow­te buryed hym in his frocke and his pelycon / Whyche as it is sayde is there alhoole / ¶ And saynt Hylaryon is yet as he was in playne lyfe / Gyuynge out o­doures & sauours merueyllously smel­lynge swete /

¶ The good woman Constaunce / whyche hadde be acustomyd in curyouse wakinges to passe y^e tyme in makinge her prayers. there as he had be bury­be alyue / ¶ Whanne she knewe that he was transported and taken from thens She wynge the grete loue that she had to him: Rendred and gaaf Incontinente her spyryte vnto god / ¶ And yet presētly by this occasyon is there grete questyon bytwene theym of Cypre and of Palestyne / ¶ By cause they of Cypresayen. that they haue the spirite / ¶ And they of Palestyne sayen to haue the body / ¶ Neuerthelesse in Cypre atte this daye ben done to the praysynge of him moo myracles. thanne in Palestine /

¶ And perauenture for almoche as he loued more the place ¶ Or by cause o­nely that it playsyth god that soo it be done /

¶ Here folowyth the life of saynt Malachye / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Caromas / Caplm .xxxviii.

[Page li]

CAromas is a cyte in Syrie distaunt or beynge of fernesse fro Anthyoche abowte thyrty myle / In the whyche dwelled Malachye. a man soo named / ¶ Malachye is a sayeng Syryaque / The whyche in latyn tongue is asmoche to saye. as kynge / ¶ This same Malchus or Malachye was an holy man borne of Syrye. w^t hym was alwaye an olde woman. the whyche was so olde. that she semyd alwaye redy to deye ¶ Thei two were so contynuelly in y^e chirche that they my­ghte be lykenye to Zacharye and Elysabeth in deuocōn / ¶ Saynt Iherom beyng in Syrye. some cyteyzyns of the same cyte, axed yf the sayd Malachie. & same woman were maryed. or kynnes folke / By cause he sawe theym soo contynuelly togider / ¶ To whom was ansuered that they were holy and deuoute persones towarde god / Thenne saynt Iherom wente to vysite the holy man for to demaunde and enquyre of his life / ¶ The holy man Malachyas sayd to him. that he was born of a place namyd Nyzibam / and oonly Herytour of his fader and moder / ¶ The whyche for to contynue their lygnage. wold haue constrayned hym to take the Sacrament of Maryage / And nothwythstondynge that he was by his fader strongly menaced and threrenyd / And of hys moder affectuously requyred for to marye hym / ¶ Neuerthelesse he loued beter to these the state of Relygyon. and to renounce and forsake the world / ¶ After he sayde to hym. that for doubte of the Romayns that made watche vpon the passages. and of other men of the say­de countree / He durste not goo in to the Eeste / But wente hym in to the Weste ¶He sayde to hym also that he had be in an Hermytage. whyche was namyd Calcid [...]s and stode towarde the Sou­the bytwene Mynas & Heroas / ¶ And that he had founde there good Relygyous vnder whyche werkynge and laborynge he had lyued longe tyme. ¶ Af­ter he was in wyll to retorne in to hys countree / By cause that he wyste well that his fader was deed ¶ And for this cause he wold haue the goodes that were lefte for to gyue a parte to poore peple / Another parte to make a churche. & the Resydue for to susteyne his lyfe / ¶ The whiche thinge he had declared to his Abbot as he sayd / And he Incontynent blamyd hym / sayenge y^t it was temptacyon of the deuyll / ¶ And alle­ged and shewed to hym for the same many fayre hystoryes of some Relygyouses. whyche in lyke caas hadd be de­ceyued [Page] / ¶ For the denyll vnder the co­loure of good thynge. temptyth alwaye the persone for to make him to accom­plysshe and doo some euyll /

¶ He sayde ferdermore that his Ab­bott hadde sayde to hym / That he re­sembled and was lyke the hounde. the whiche after he hadd made his vomy­te. Retourned and receyued it agayne / ¶ And for prayer that the Abbot cow­de doo. he wolde not consente to abyde ¶ How be it that he knelyd downe on his knees tofore hym / Prayenge that he sholde not goo / but abyde wyth him in prayenge and shewyng that he that putteth his honde to the plough· That is to saye that entreth in to Relygyon And he loke backewarde / Is not wor­thy to haue the kyngdom of heuen /

¶ Alas sayde Malachye to saynt Ihe­rom. I was well melchaunte and vn­happy / Whanne by his exhortacyons I wolde not abyde wyth hym / ¶ Whiche thynge I wolde not doo / Wenyng that he sayde soo for none other thynge. but for to holde hym companye / & for hys ryght singuler prouffyte / ¶ And to me departynge and takynge of hym leue. He sayde to me / ¶ Ha a my sone I ou­ghte well to be angry / For I see the de­uyll whyche markyth the wyth the signe of dampned men / ¶ And lyke as y^e shepe that lep [...]th oute of the folde. is of the wulfe rauysshed / Ryght soo was I and my companye / ¶ For in comynge from Heroa for to goo in to Edysle we were robbyd of theues / And we were bitwene thre score & foure score in a companye / ¶ Emonge whom was taken a wyfe of one of my companye / [...] And we were caryed vpon two camellys vnto the house of a lorde / ¶ And in goynge thyder we ete noo thynge but rawe flesshe. And dranke milke of Camellis ¶ Finably we arriued and came to the house of the sayde lorde / Where I was constrayned for to saue my poore lyffe to adoure hym wyth his wyfe and his chyldren / ¶ And soo dooynge I muste knele downe on my knees tofore the­ym / ¶ And after for to encreace my sorowes I was putt for to kepe his she­pe. The whyche I kepte in suche wyse that they multeplyed in grete foyson /

¶ There I ete noo thinge but softe chese and mylke / ¶ But alwaye I pray­ed to god and sayde suche psalmes as I haue lerned. wyth the Religiouses that I hadde lefte / ¶ The lorde of whom I hadd kepte the shepe for to rewarde me by cause that I hadd kepte theym soo well. wolde haue constrayned me to take in maryage this woman. the why­whiche was prysoner wyth me / ¶ And by cause I wolde not take her / But in excusynge me I sayde that I was Crysten and not she / & also that her husbonde was yet lyuynge. whyche was prysoner with a nother lorde / ¶ He drewe oute a swerde. and wolde haue slayne me If Incontynent I had not promysed to espowse the same woman prysoner ¶ That nyghte we were shytte bothe in a grete pytte / In whyche I sayd to myselfe / ¶ Alas what hathe it prouffyted to haue lefte fader and moder / and also my countree / for to eschewe maryage. yf now I marye myselfe / ¶ I suppose this aduersytee is comen to me bycause I haue desyred to retourne in to my countree ¶ Ha my soule what shal we doo / Alas I shall slee myselfe / It [Page lii] is better that I slee myselfe and be sa­ued. thanne for to take a wyfe in maryage and be dampned in helle euerlas­tyngly / ¶ After I had sayde thise wo­des I toke a swerde / And sette the po­ynt agaynst my stomacke. In sayenge to this sayde woman / ¶ O poore wo­man take me now martyr in maryage Otherwyse shalt thou neuer haue me to husbonde / ¶ Thenne the good wo­man prisoner knelyd down on her knees tofore me / and beganne to crye / Ha my frende. I praye the in the name of god slee not thyselfe / To the ende that thy blood be not cause to lese myn / O yf thou wolt slee thyself / Slee thou me fyrste / And soo as Martyrs we shall be maryed / ¶ I saye to the for trouthe that whanne my husbonde shall be frohens forth wyth me· He shall neuer touche me / ¶ For from this houre forthon I make a promyse to kepe Chastytee ¶ Wherfore thenne wolt thou slee thy selfe. yf thou take me in maryage / Yf it soo were that thou woldeste haue me otherwyse / I sholde rather slee myself thanne to consente to be thy wyfe /

¶ But I praye the that thou take me as to thy wife / And I shal takethe as my husbonde in clennesse. in louynge my soule. and hatynge my body / They shall lyghtly byleue that we ben mary­ed / And also we shall hastely be mary­ed. whan they see vs loue that one that other /

¶ Thenne was I moche admerueyl­led of her constaunce and wisdom. and louyd her better / thanne yf she hadd be my propre wife / ¶ And how well that we haue sythen lyued as husbonde and wyfe togyder longe tyme / ¶ Neuerthelesse I sawe her neuer naked. ne she me Ne neuer towched the one the other /

¶The sayd Malachye recyted and tolde also to saynt Iherom. that on a tyme amonge the other like as he wente to pasture and fede the beestes / He sawe a Molle hylle full of Auntes / And longe tyme I tooke hede to the manere of theyr lyuynge / In consyderyng how some of them bare for to susteyne and to contynue theyr lyfe more gretter paste. and more heuyer by the halfe than̄e they were theymselfe / ¶ And he sawe some drawe after theym. that whyche they myghte not bere / ¶ Consyderyng also how they were neuer ydle / ¶ And whanne one of theym came out of his hoole for to bere to ete / That other wolde neuer parte vnto that he hadde hol­pen to dyscharge and vnlade his felo­we /

¶ The condycōn of the Aunte is suche / That whanne he beryth ony her­be hauynge grayne / By cause it sholde not growe wythin the hoole in the erth he takyth awaye the sayde grayne· for in the Garner it shold he Incontynent grene / ¶ Wyth this consydered Mal­chus the sayeng of Salamon / the whyche sente the slowthfull to the formices or Auntes / ¶ And in thynkynge on thise thynges / He sayde to hymselfe / lyke as saynt Iherom rehercyth / That he was the moost slouthfull of alle man­kynde / ¶ And by this cause he ymagyned how he myghte escape from the seruytude where he was in. for to fynde some monasterye / In whyche he myghte in seruynge god prouffytably fynys­she his dayes / ¶ Vppon this purpoos he retorned home / And cowde not hyde [Page] from his wyfe this heuynesse of his courage / The whyche after that he hadd declared and shewed to her his caas /

¶Admonested and counseyled hym to flee by nyghte ¶ Thenne sayde the sayd Malachyas. that he had in his flocke two beeres. the whyche he wold fyrste slee / ¶ And of theyr two skynnes he made two sackes for to bere the flesshe of the two beeres / ¶ And whanne thys was done / He and his wyffe awayted that alle they of the howse slepte / And thenne departed and went theyr waye wythoute makynge grete noyse / And after that they hadde gone ten myle or there abowtes / They founde a Ryuer. the whyche they passed prudently /

¶ For whanne they were wythin the Ryuer. They wente wythin the same. in descendynge well lowe fro theyr fyrste waye for to take an nother / To the ende that yf ony came for to seke them that they sholde not fynde the stappes of theyr fete / ¶ And by cause that they dradde the depnesse of the sayde Ryuer they passed the water vppon theyr sac­kes whyche weren full of theyr beeres flesshe / The sayde flesshe was soo hur­te. that they myghte kepe it noo l [...]nger channe thre dayes / But they recompenced it in drynke / ¶ For in that water thei dranke for the thurste that was to come / ¶ After that they had passed the sayde water / They [...]anne in beholdynge alway behynde theim. for to knowe yf ony folowed them / and more by ny­ghte thanne by daye By cause they fered the Sa [...]ralyns And also for to es­chewe the grete here of the daye / ¶ Yet whanne he tolde thyse thynges to sa­ynt Iherom / He sayde that he was not yet well assured of the grete feere that he that tyme hadde / ¶ And after that he and his wife hadde gone thre dayes They sawe two men come tofore the­ym. Rydynge on two Camellis / And supposyd as it was true / That it was the lorde that they had lefte / Of whom they were soo aferde. that they abode noo thynge but dethe / ¶ Thus as they were in this anguysshe. they sawe a grete pytte by theym / In whyche they wente to hyde theym / ¶ But wenynge to eschewe a grete peryll. they putt theym selfe in a gretter / For in the same pytte were Innumerable venymouse beestes The whyche hadde putt theymselfe in for the here of the sonne / ¶ And then̄e they sayd yf god helpe vs vnhappy we shall be sauf / And yf he dispyse vs synnars / we shall deye here /

¶ After sayd Malachyas to saynt Ierom / Now thynke fayre fader what drede we hadde. whanne we sawe the lorde & his seruaunte vppon the bryn­ke of the pytte / The whyche we hadde by aduenture thus founden / ¶ In procedynge ferder to the ende of his caas / Malachyas rehercyth that Incōtynent as the lord & his sayde yoman were comen thyder vppon the brynke of the sayd pytte / The lorde made his seruaunt to goo downe in to the pytte / ¶ And bicause he was trowbled in his syghte. bicause he was come oute of the clerenes of the sonne / He cowde not knowe the­ym wythin / ¶ And whanne he was entred wythin the heyghte of thre Cuby­tes / ¶ He beganne to crye. come oute ye meschaunt theues. ye shall annoe be slayn / ¶ But Incontynent he was taken of a lyonesse by the then [...]e and strang­lyd [Page liii] hym / ¶ The lorde seenge that hys yoman caryed longe / And strongly en­angred came to the sayd pytte / ¶ But anone after he was entred therin / He was in lyke wyse strangled of a lyon /

¶ After recyted and tolde Malachy as that whanne he and his wife sawe the lorde & his yoman soo slayne. they were aferde that the beestes sholde slee theim / And durste not moeue fro thens ¶ But they were armed of the walle of clene conscyence / ¶ A merueyllouse thinge / The brute beestes were more redy to defende theym. thanne they were theymself / ¶ On the morne tofore day the sayde beestes departed from theym And lefte Malachyas & his wyfe therto / ¶ But that notwythstondyng they durste not goo oute for the grete drede that they hadde / ¶ And whanne the e­uen came they wente oute of the pytte aforsayde / And founde the two camel­les on whyche the lord and his yoman rode rode vppon / ¶ And soo they bothe anone lyghte vppon theym ¶ And the tenthe daye after they came to Rome / There they beynge comen thyder / recounted alle theyr caas to a Trybune romayne / ¶ And after they were sente to Sabituan duke of Mesopotamye / and there they solde theyr camelles / ¶ And by cause that the Abbot Malchus was deed in the towne of Caromas in Syrye / He dwelled wyth the Relygyouses And sette his wyfe after wyth the vyrgynes /

¶ Thynke ye now ye that ben chas­te and vyrgines. obseruynge and kepinge chastytee and vyrgynytee / That neuer in that estate ye shall not longe be in captyuytee / ¶ Ne also wylde beestes mowen not noye ne grieue you / ¶ And knowen ye for certayne that how well that we ben alle mortall / Neuerthelesse ye shall neuer see chaste persone and clene of herte to be ouercome· ne put vnder of his enmyes /

¶Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Po­ul the symple heremyte / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶ Fuit quidam. et cetera Caplm .xxxix.

SAynt Poul surnamyd the symple was one of the discyples of saynt Anthonye / made hymselfe an heremyte. by cause y^t his wife had [Page] gyuen herself to a nother man thanne hym / Of whyche thynge whanne he was aduertysed / he was merueyllously trowblyd / ¶ Neuerthelesse he tolde it to noo body / But wente in to the desertes ¶ And after that he hadde longe gone in the same / He rendred and putt hym selfe in to the monasterye of saynt Anthonye / ¶ To whom in arryuyng there / He demaunded and asked fyrste the waye. by the whyche he myghte be sa­uyd / ¶ Saynt Anthonye sayde to hym That for to gete his saluacyon. it was of necessyte / that he sholde doo and ac­complysshe alle that sholde be comma­unded to hym / ¶ The whyche answe­red that he shold soo doo / ¶ And then̄e saynt Anthonye wyllynge to preue hys constaunce sayde to hym / ¶ Abyde he­re atte this doore vnto the tyme I haue prayed god in myn Oratory ¶ Saynt Anthonye was there a nyghte and a daye all hoole / But neuerthelesse saynt Poul departed not ne remeued not / but he behelde ofte by the wyndowe what he dyde wythin / And knewe that con­tynuelly he prayed wythoute moeuyng hymselfe / ¶ On the morne saynt An­thonye prechyd to hym of many ense­ygnements and techynges / In shewinge to hym how some tyme he muste laboure and refresshe his spyrytes / Wherby he shold after be more prompte and redy for to praye to god / ¶ Also wyth alle his thoughte and strengthe be oughte to kepe the commaundementes of god / ¶ And att euyn in takynge his refe [...]cyon he sholde ete and drynke lytyll And he sholde drynke but water /

¶ After this that he hadd Instructe and taughte him in alle techynges ne­cessary for his helthe ¶ He delyuered to hym a lytyll Hermytage stondyng thre myles from hym / to whyche saynt Anthnoye wente ofte for to vysyte hym ¶ And alwaye he founde hym in fer­uente deuocyon. In obseruyng and kepynge the rules and commaundemen­tes that he hadde sayde to hym /

¶ On a daye came to saynt Anthonye some brethern ryght perfighte and of moche strayghte lyffe / ¶ Emonge whom was saynt Poul the symple /

¶ And as in an euētyde they spake of the holy scripture. In recytynge & tel­lynge the dedes of Ihesu Cryste. and of the prophetes / ¶ Saynt Poul bi his syplenesse demaunded / yf god hadde be tofore the prophetes / ¶ Saynt Antho­nye seenge his Imbesilyte and symple­nesse / commaunded that he sholde hol­de his peas. and departe Incontynente. ¶ Soo he departed by obedyence wyth oute to answere ony thynge / ¶ And whanne saynt Anthonye sawe that he was soo humble and obeyssaunt / ¶ He was moche admerueylled / ¶ And after he cōmaunded hym that he shol­de speke / And that he sholde saye wherfore he spake not / ¶ To whom he answered. that he hadde soo done by cause he hadde soo commaunded hym /

THenne saynt Anthonye was moche Ioyeouse and gladde of hy [...] ansuere ¶ And yet agayne he admonested hym tabyde alwaye and pe [...] ­ceuere in obedyence / ¶ And ofte tymes he commaunded hym to doo thynges agaynst reason / ¶ As to drawe water oute of a depe pytte alle daye a longe / And to caste it on the erthe / And sometyme [Page liiii] to vnsowe his gowne / And after to sowe it agayne / And soo of many o­ther thynges / ¶ But in all he was moche obeyssaunte and lowely / ¶ And by that manere he came to perfeccyon /

¶ And therfore sayde saynt Anthonye Who some euer woll be perfyte / He ou­ghte not to be mayster. ne obeye to hys owne wyll / ben they resonable or none ¶ For oure Sauyoure sayth that tofo­re alle thyuges / one oughte to renounce his owne wyll / ¶ And wyth that he sayth in a nother place / ¶ I am not descended and comen in to this worlde for to doo and fulfylle myn wyll. but the wyll of hym that hath sente me / That is my god almyghty / ¶ Neuerthelesse the wyll of the sone was neuer contra­ry to the wyll of the fader / ¶ Also he that was Doctour of obedyence whan he hadde done his wyll. he hadd not be Inobedyente /

¶ Alas thenne syth that god wolde not vse his owne wyll / But was somoche obedyente / ¶ Wherfore ben not we obedyente to hym / Wythoute to obeye to our sensualyte / In leuynge all thinges contrary to equyte and reason /

¶ The vertue of obedyence is more a­greable to god thanne ony sacrefyces ¶ For this vertue god shewed moo greter myracles for saynt Poule than for saynt Anthonye / ¶ From alle Regy­ons came seke folkes to hym / for to re­couuer helthe / ¶ The whyche thynge saynt Anthonye seenge. And dredynge that he sholde be ouermoche lette / For that cause he made him to goo in a no­ther secrete place / Where as he myghte not be founde / To the ende that saynt Anthonye sholde receyue theym that sholde come / ¶ And yf ony fayllyd to recouere theyr helthe by the prayers of saynt Anthonye / He sente theym to sa­ynt Poul / And anone they were hoole and guarysshed /

¶ Emonge other there came one to the whyche was madde. and soo ferre from himselfe / That by the reason of his maladye he bote alle theym that came to hym / ¶ Saynt Poul beganne to praye to god / And commaūded the de­uyll whyche tourmented hym / that he sholde departe oute of his body. ¶ But by cause the deuyll departed not. & wente not oonly Incontynent after he had commaunded hym / ¶ Saynt Poul beganne to speke to god as lytyll chyld (er)n done / sayenge / ¶ Truely my god / I shal not ete this daye / yf thou heele not this seke man / ¶ And anone he was heelyd / ¶ Alle the myracles that he dyde. god hadde graunted to hym the power. for the grete obedyence that was in hym / ¶ Thenne oughte euery persone to enforce him to be obedyent to god in obseruynge and kepynge his cōma­undementes /

¶Here folowith the lyfe of saynt Paula or Paulyne / And begynnynth in la­tyn ¶Si cuncta corporis mei membra &c. Caplm .xl.

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SAynt Iherom sayth / Yf alle my membres were torned in to tongues / And alle they longen thynge worthy of praysynge / Yet cowde they not saye suffysauntly of the venerable saynt Saynt Paula / She was noble of parentes / but moche more no­ble of holynesse of lyfe / Ryche of patrymonye / But more ryche for as moche as she had renounced and forsaken the goodes of this worlde ¶ All the dayes of her lyfe she complayned to god say­enge / ¶ Alas poore synnar what shall I doo My life is lengthed I dwelle o­uer longe in this corruptible worlde. in whyche is no thynge but synne and fylthe / ¶ And for asmoche as she sayd her selfe a pylgryme in this worlde. Often she desyred dethe / and to be wyth Ihesu Cryste / ¶ The moost parte of her tyme she was lyke by the grete absty­nences that she made / ¶ Neuerthelesse armyd wyth pacyence she sayde / I chastyse my body. and putt it in seruytude / To the ende that by myselfe I be not repreuyd / Whanne I repreue other / ¶ And in this grete pacyence she sawe heuen open for to receyue her / And say­de / ¶ Who shall gyue to me wynges that I maye flee. and reste myselfe in Paradyce / ¶ She loued alle the tyme of her lyfe the sure astate of pouertee / ¶ For whanne she deyed she was mo­re pore than they whom she gaaf her almesse / ¶ Her fader was called Topoci­us / The whyche was of the lygnage of Agamenon / Whyche ten yeres du­ringe helde siege tofore Troye the graunte / And att laste by hym it was des­troyed ¶ Her moder was namyd Ba­sylle extracte of the lygnage of Scypyons Grekes /

¶ This whyche saynt Iherom [...]ee [...] ­tyh and spekith of. No thynge for that he woll saye that the man ne the wo­man [...]en to be praysed. for asmoche as they ben comen of grete parentele and lygnage in worldly honour ¶ But for asmoche as whanne some ben come of hyghe byrthe and of grete place / And they dyspyse the Rychesses of this worlde / They shewe theymself in soo doo­ynge to be of the very lygnage of Ihesu Cryste / And to haue towarde hym gre [...]ter loue / thenne to theym whyche haue noughte or lytyll thynge in value ¶ And say that they renounce and forsake alle / ¶ As some done whyche putt theym selfe in to Relygyon. for to ha­ue prouysion & suretee of theyr lyuyng ¶ Wythoute to haue Regarde to oure sauyour Ihesu Cryste / Sayenge that who that shall leue alle for the loue of [Page lv] god. He shall haue an hundred tymes more in the ende / That is to saye the Reame of heuen / The whyche is true in saynt Paulyne / ¶ For for the cytee of Rome whyche she lefte wyth all ry­chesses and vaynglorie of the same cy­te / ¶ She is right merueyllous renom­med as emonge many precyous stones the moost precious and in excellent vertue shynynge / ¶ Lyke as the sonne gy­ueth gretter lyght thanne the mone / in lyke wyse saynt Paula emonge al ho­ly wymmen moost excellently she shy­nyth / ¶ She fleenge and eschewynge the glory of this worlde / ¶ And therfore it is to be noted that after the deth of her husbonde Toxocius / She dystrybuted and dealed that one halfe of his godes vnto the poore people / Of whyche some were nourisshed. and other clothed And other after theyr dethe buryed /

¶ And whanne a poore body was susteyned and holpen of a nother thanne of her / Anone she was sory. as though she hadd loste moche good /

¶Whan she had longe tyme ladde suche holy lyfe / She wolde not endure and suffre the praysynge of the worlde ¶ For by the occasyon of that she was of noble lygnage many lordes came to vysyte her / ¶ Thenne she beganne to dyspyse the honoure temporall / In desyrynge to goo to deserte for to doo pe­naunce /

¶In that tyme it happed that the bysshoppis of the Eest and of the Weste came to Rome for the decension and stryfe of some chyrches. ¶ Emonge whom saynt Paula sawe a notable & a good man namyd Paulyn Bysshop of Anthyoche / ¶ And a nother namyd Epysanus bysshopp of the cytee of Sa­lamonye in Cypres / The whyche cyte now is called Constance ¶ And the sa­yd Epifanus was lodged in her howse ¶ And for the grete vertues of the sa­me Bysshoppis. she was enflammed wyth loue of god more thanne tofore / ¶ And concluded in herselfe to leue her house in suche manere / That for chyldren ne for the noblesse of her howse­ne for possessyons that she had. she my­ght neuer be wythdrawen from her holy purpoos /

¶And after that the Wynter was passed. The same Bysshopps putt theym to the see for to retorne to their chirches ¶ Thenne she wente wyth theym for to goo to the hermytages of saynt An­thonye. and of saynt Paule Heremytes ¶ After that she hadde saylled by the see / She descended atte a Porte namyd Fratre / And there came to her alle her parentes and frendes / ¶ And that was more pietoꝰ came thid (er) her child (er). & whyles they arryued and came a londe The shyppes beyng thenne redy for to saylle and take the see / her chyldren were atte Ryuage or hauen / ¶ The lytyll Toxocius helde vpp his hondes to hys moder saynt Paula / And her doughter Ruffine whiche was redy to be maried wepte. and prayed her y^t she wolde tarie & abyde tyll the weddynge were done / But y^e good lady garnisshed w^t ferme constaunce helde vp her hondes and eyen vnto heuen / In hauynge more gre­te pyte on her soule. thanne of her chyldren / ¶ To whom she shewed noo more affeccyon / thanne yf they hadde not ben her chyldren / Ne she theyr moder / ¶ Now oughte it here to be noted that [Page] Nature oughte to be strongely moeuyd to pytee and compassyon whanue she sawe her chyldren thus strongely wepe after her. ¶ But neuerthelesse she was constaunt and stedfaste. and retourned not / ¶ Alas there is noo martyrdom more sharpe. than to departe from frendes / ¶ Alas is this not a werke aga­ynst nature. To leue. forsake and abandonne thus her children. Ye maye well thynke that she hadd grete faythe / and synguler loue to god / ¶ And it maye well be byleuyd that she was soo wyse and prudente that she louyd theym of a feruente loue well ordeyned / ¶ For tofore or she departed she hadde gyuen to theym alle her good / ¶ Alas she was dysheryted in this worlde for to make her ryche in a nother worlde /

¶ The shyppe thenne sessyd not to sa­ylle. for ony prayer that her chyldren made / ¶ But by cause she myghte not see theim wythoute some heuynesse. she torned her eyen from theym / and from the Rynage or cooste where as they were / ¶ In effecte the shyppe saylled soo scire that after many dayes they airy­ued and came a londe in thyles of Po­unce / ¶ And by cause the wynde was not grete. but ouer calme amonge the stony see and many peryllous passages Of whiche that one was namyd Cyl­la / A nother Carthdis. An other Adri­aticus. whyche ben daungeours in the see. for the rockes that ben there / They descended and came a londe And in goinge a londe. she felte her membres soo wery and ouermoche trauaylled as she sholde haue deyed. ¶ There she toke a lytyll refecedcōn for to comfort her / ¶ After that she had be in Citharee, in Rhodes. and in other many yles. She came in to the yle of Cypre / In whyche pla­ce she soiourned bi the space of ten dayes wyth the sayd Bysshopp Epyfani­us / ¶ Thenne whanne she hadde vysi­ted alle the monasteryes there she toke the see. and came on londe in Scylence ¶ After she came in to Anthyoche. & there she was a lytyll tyme wyth y^e bysshopp Paulyne / ¶ Alas the good lady whyche woned to be borne wyth .x. E­muches. had not in walkynge all thyse wayes. and other here tofore declared but a poore Asle. Vpon whiche she sate ¶ And she vysited not oonly the holy places in the yles tofore declared. but also she was in theym of Syrye & of Fe­nyce / ¶ How well that of theym saynt Iherom makyth noo mencyon / ¶ For he hath wreten oonly that whyche ha­the be founde in holy hystoryes / ¶ Af­ter that she had passed Iherico. Romayn and Colugne / She entred in to a lytyll towne namyd Sarepta bytwene Thyrye and Syrye / ¶ And by cause she wente abowte alle that londe. it were a longe thynge to recounte what she dyde in that vyage / ¶ Fynably she ca­me in to Iherusalem. the whiche cytee hath thre names / That is to wyte Ie­hus. Salem. and Iherusalem / Whan she was comen thider / The pryncypall of the cytee / hauynge the offyce of Pro­consull made to be arayed for her a ly­tyll place like an hermitage / ¶ But tofore er she soiourned there she wente to vysite the holy places / and to worshipp the holy Crosse. wheron oure lorde was crucyfyed for the Redempcyon of man kynde / ¶ Now thynke we how ma­ny teeres she lete there thenne falle. [Page lvi] whanne she byhelde by a merueyllouse c [...]mpunccyon / As yf oure lorde had yet ben there / ¶ In lyke wyse she came to the Sepulture / whyche was not wyth­out kyssynge and worshyppynge deuo­uoutly / ¶ After in to the mount of Syon / whiche Dauyd reedefied / where she sawe the pyler bysprente wyth the pre­cyous blood of our lorde / To the why­che he hadd be bounden for to be beten byfore Pylate /

¶There also she sawe in the place. in whyche after the prophecye of Ioel. y^e holy ghoste descended vppon syxe sco­re persones / ¶ After she wente to Be­theleem / And on the ryghte syde of the waye she taryed to see the Sepulcre of Rachel in the place where Beniamyn was borne / ¶ After she came in to the place where oure lorde was borne in the stable / Where she beganne to be in contemplacyon / And remembred how the chylde was layed and wrapped in ly­tyll clothes by his blessyd moder /

¶And lyke as she had be there draw­ynge oute her pappes or teetes to gyue hym souke / ¶ She sawe also in her faythe the thre kynges worshyppyng the lytyll chylde / And the sterre that conduyted and ladde theym / ¶ Also she con­templed and bywaylled the Innocen­tes there slayne / ¶ And how the blessyd [...]vrgyne Marye fledde in to Egypte wyth her swete sone Ihesus. Whyche Ioseph and she bare / And in thise contemplacyons she wepte sayenge / ¶ O cytee of Bethleem. sayde cytee of brede In whiche is borne the brede whyche is descended from heuen / That is the sone of god / ¶ And of whom Micheas the prophete hathe prophecyed / Thou Bethleem howse of Eufrates thou arte not the lytyll cytee / But the nobleste of the cytees of Iudee /

¶ Also saynt Paula sayde to herselfe Ha vnhappy synnar that I am. God hath shewed to me more thanne apper­teyneth to me / ¶ Whan̄e now I maye kysse the Crybbe wherin my lorde god laye after he was borne ¶ Also to pray in y^e place where the vyrgyne bare. and was deliuered of a chylde / ¶ Here shall my body reste perpetuelly. lyke as Da­uyd sayth in the Psaulter in the hun­dred and one and thyrty psalme /

¶Thenne after this sayde saynt Paula / Now I am in the coūtree where the Sauyour of the worlde hath chose for to make Redempcyon of mankynde / ¶My soule and alle my lignage shall serue hym / ¶ And after she descended to the Toure of Ader. Nyghe by to the whyche / Iacob dyde doo pastoure hys shepe / ¶ And the Shepherdes also her­de the aungellis synge att the Natyuyte of oure lorde sayenge (Gloria in ex­celsis deo. et cetera) That is to saye Glory be to god in heuens / And in the erthe peas to men of good wylle /

¶ From thens she went to Gaza and toke the waye on the right honde. and came to Bethsur and to Eschol / ¶ After she wente to Sare / And from thens she came in to Ebron. whyche is callyd Cauatharbe / Whyche is as moche for to saye as the castell of foure men / A­braham. Isaac. Iacob. and Adam the Graunt / For after that whiche is wreten of Ihesus name the Ebrewes saye y^t they were there buried / Nowythston­ding y^t many say y^t the fourth mā was called Caleph ¶ She came after to the [Page] place where that Lazare was reysed in to the hous of Mary Mawdeleyn and Martha / ¶ In folowynge the same waye to Iherico / Wenynge yet to fynde the good man whyche was hurt w^t theues / Of whom is made mencion in the Gospell / And the whyche hadd be lefte of the preestes and [...]cuites as de­de / Wythoute hauynge pyte on hym / ¶ But a Samarytane putte hym on his beeste. And broughte hym in saue­garde / ¶ Whanne she came to Ihery­co she sawe there the cyte whyche Ayel founded in Ab [...]ram for his fyrste chyl­de / She sawe also the castellis of Gal­gala. And the mystery of the Cyrcum­sicyon / ¶ The twelue stones broughte from [...]om Iordan. sygnesyeng the foundement of the twelue Appostles / In lyke wise the fountayne of Taby. whiche some tyme hadde he soo bitter that noo man ne persone mighte drynke of at / The whyche by Helysee was corned in to swetnesse / ¶ Tofore the nyghte was passed she came to Iordan the ryuer / Vppon the ryuage or brynke wherof she arested / ¶ And att the sonne ry­synge she remembred the Sone of Iustyce / And how the preestes passed the same flood / ¶ How also by the commaundement of Helye and Hely [...]ee y^e waters taryed for to make to theym waye ¶ She remembred also the puryfyca­cyon of waters made by the baptym of oure Sauyour Ihesu Cryste. By cau­se that alle the waters were fowle and stynkynge of mankynde / ¶ A longe thynge it were to recounte the mysteryes of the valeye of Acho [...] / In the whyche were A [...]aryce and thefte condempned ¶ And of Bethel for the flode. and also for thoccasion of the house of god where Iacob slepte. hauynge a stone vnder his heed / ¶ She passed by Syl­lo. and came to Sychen / And after to the syde of the moūtayne of Gaazym night to the pytte of Iacob / And the­re she entred in to a chyrche. where god taryed / And demaunded drynke of the Samarytane / ¶ After from thens she departed. and went for to vysyte the sepulcres of the twelue Patryarkes. and Sebasten namyd Samarye / Whyche londe was called Auguste by kyng Herode to the honoure of Auguste the emperoure / ¶ There were Helysee. Abdi­as the prophete. and saynt Iohn̄ Baptyste / ¶ In that place sawe saynt Paula merueyllous thynges / ¶ For she sa­we deuylles tofore the sepulcres of He­lyzee and Abdyas tourment men. The whiche men howled as wulu [...]s / barked as dogges. brayed as lyens. Syfled as serpentes. cryed lyke bulles. and ther [...]e theym to the grounde / ¶ And fynably she sawe many myserable & wretchyd wymmen inhumaynly hange by the fete / ¶ Thenne she hauynge pyte and compassyon of theym beganne to wept tenderly. In prayeng for theym the clemence and mekenesse of our Sauyour Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And how well that she was moche wery. she wente vpp in to the mountayne. And sawe the two fosses. in whyche in the tyme of persecucōn and of famyne Abdias the prophere nourysshed an hundred Prophetes wyth brede and water ¶And after she wente ferder and came in to Nazareth where oure lorde was nourysshed / Also to Canaam and Capharnaum / whe­re god shewed many myracles / ¶ And [Page lvii] to the lake of Thiberiadis halowed bi our lorde / Whyche saylled ouer the sa­me in to deserte / ¶ In whyche wyth fiue loues & two fysshes were fyue thou­sande men fedde and susteyned / ¶ And twelue baskestes weren fylled wyth the fragmentes and Resydue / ¶ And af­ter she wente vpp in to the mounte of Thabor / In the whyche god transfy­gured hymselfe / ¶ And from thennes she sawe the mountaynes of Hermon and Hermonium / and the countreye of Galylee / Where the Excercyte of Cisara was by Baruth vaynquysshed and putt vnder / ¶ She sawe also the Torrent of the flood of Cyson / The whi­che deuydyth alle Galylee / And the castell by Naym / In whyche was reysyd the sone of the wydowe / ¶ She came also in to Egypte and in Sochot / where Sampson made to sourde or spryn­ge a fountayne oute of a grete tooth of a Ioywe / And after she came to the flode of Syor / Whyche is to saye trowble And to the sepulture of Micheas y^e prophete thenne beynge there a chyrche ¶She passed also by Choreos. Gethe [...]s. Marsea. Ydumeum. and Lachis / ¶ And generally by alle the desertes of Egypte / ¶ By the fyue cytees of Egipte / In whyche is spoken the langage of Chanaan / And by Sychen and Cha­naos / Where as god dyde merueyllou­se thynges / ¶ And to the cyte of Noo / whyche after is called Alexandrye / ¶ In that longe vyage saynt Isodo­re Confessour acconpanyed with Innumerable Relygyouse people came and mette wyth her / ¶ And how well that she reputed or Iudged her Indygne or vnworthy of soo grete honoure / Neuer­thelesse she enioyed for the honoure of god / ¶ She was soo feruent in chary­te and in the loue of Ihesu Cryst. that she and her vyrgynes were contente to abyde togyder wyth alle the Relygyouses of deserte / ¶ And peraduenture she hadde abyden there ne hadd be the grete affeccyon and desyre that she had to see the holy places. and for the grete hete that was thenne in the countree /

¶ She toke after the see And fro Pelusio came anone after in to Bethleem. and tooke her lodgynge / Where as she dwellyd thre yeres /

¶O gloryous Paula / Marye & Ioseph cowde fynde noo lodgyng. & thou founde it well / ¶ God dooth more honoure in this worlde to his seruauntes / thanne he dyde for hymselfe / ¶ There dide saynt Paula doo make many cel­led and monasteryes for to lodge the pylgrymes / ¶ Hyther to is wreten of her pylgrymage.

¶ Here folowyth the lyfe' of saynt Pe­lage / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quid factū est. &c / Caplm .xli.

AMonge you that woll knowe. that god oure maker woll not lese a Cristen man / How grete a synnar that he be / ¶ Herke. and ofte rede the lyfe of saynt Pelage / And ye shall knowe yf ye woll retorne to god our Maker by penaunce. that ye shall haue remyssyon / And in the ende foryeuenesse of youre synnes / ¶ Thenne sȳ ­nais ye oughte to reioyce yourselfe of that ye here / ¶ For it is alle ayde and comforte that comyth to you. And also cause of lamentacyon / ¶ An holy bysshop of Anthyoche for certayne cause callyd togyder for certayne causes althe bysshoppis nyghe abowte him / whiche came to him to the nombre of eyg­hte ¶ Emonge whom was an holy bisshopp callyd Nonnus / that was a Re­ligyous man of the monastery of The benesyens / ¶ And bi cause that he was of right holy lyf. He was violently and by stronge honde rauisshed from his abbaye and electe bysshopp / ¶ The whi­che Bysshoppis assembled. were com­maunded by the sayde saynt Nonnus and his seruytours / And they sholde assemble in the chyrche of saynt Iulyan the marter / ¶ And to the regarde of o­ther they were put in howses nighe the chyrche / ¶ They beynge there prayed the sayde holy Bisshopp Nonnus that he sholde saye to theym some thyng for the helthe and comforte of their soules ¶ The whiche thynge he graunted to theym benygnely / ¶ And desyrynge sore to prouffyte hymselfe and theym also. ¶ Beganne to enduce theym. and teche theym after the doctryne of oure Redemer Ihesu Cryst / ¶ On a tyme emonge thother as he preched to them [Page] of the holy Gospell / ¶ He sawe passe tofore hym vpon a lytyll mulet the moost excellent Iougleresse or Daunceresse that was in the cytee of Anthyoche. soo rychely and worldly ornate and a­rayed / That vppon her was seen noo thynge but golde and syluer and ryche pyerrerye / ¶ And wyth that she hadde a Coler of golde aboute her necke / and also was accompanyed wyth seruaun­tes and chambryeres in lyke wyse ara­yed / ¶ In passynge thus in the waye. she fylled the ayre wyth merueyllouse swete odours and sauours / ¶ Whanne the Bysshopps sawe her soo passe. consyderynge the beaute of her / torned the yr eyen to the erthe / To the ende that they sholde not by her commyse or thȳ ke ony dedely synne / ¶ Saynt Non­nus behelde her ryght affectuously. and after demaūded the other Bysshoppis yf they hadde ony desectacyon o [...] play­saunce in the beaute of the sayde fayre woman / The whyche answered noo thynge / ¶ Thenne the sayde Nonnus beganne to wepe and waylle. In suche wyse that his bosome was full of tee­res / ¶ And yet agayne he demaunded theym yf they reioyced not theym in beholdynge of the same woman ¶ And lyke as afore they answered not /

¶ Thenne he sayde to theym / Truely I haue strongly delyted me. And her beaute hath merueyllously playsed me / For god hathe ordeyned her to sette her tofore his seete. whyche is merueyllous whanne he shall Iudge vs. and theym of oure Bysshopryche / ¶ And yet he sayd to his felowes the Bysshoppes / My ryght well bylouyd frendes. Thynke how ofte she hathe kembed: wasshed. & made fayre herself for to playse her a­mourouse or loues. whyche thys daye ben / And tomorn shall not be / ¶ She appoynted herself soo honestly. that there fayllyd not a pynne. as towchynge to the world / ¶ And yf she for to playse the worlde takith so moche besynesse ¶ Alas we that haue god oure fader god kynge of heuen and of erthe. what shall we doo / ¶ And who shall gyue to vs the heuenly goodes. whyche maye not be estemyd nor thoughte / ¶ What shall we doo / Truely we oughte to haue souerayne cure and besinesse to be alwaye arayed & made fayre wyth clen­nesse of herte and of pure conscyence

¶ And in lyke wyse oughte we for to wake for to fynde the wayes and meanes by the whiche we maye playse him in dooynge to hym seruyse aggreable / ¶ Thise thinges sayde saynt Nonnus toke his deaken by the honde. and wente in to the howse / Whyche was ordey­ned for theym to be lodged in / ¶ After he wythdrewe hym in to his chambre. In whyche he fell downe to the groū de / in wepynge and smytynge his breste and beganne to saye / ¶ O my god that knowest the thynges hidde. I may not hyde how that by the deceyuable a rayment and dyshoneste clothinge of a synfull woman / The beaute of my soule hathe be maculate and defoyllyd / In what manere o my god shall I mowe praye to the / ¶ Or how shall I mowe Iustyfye me tofore the / ¶ Thou kno­weste alle my thoughte / Maledyccyos or cursydnesse shall come to me. For I offre to the sacrefyse. And also make fewle my soule b [...] synne / The synful woman thinkyth on no thyng but to playse [Page lxiii] the worlde / ¶And I haue promysed to the faythe and loyaulte / And haue not kepte it to the ¶ O my lorde god I am oute of thy grace / ¶ Alas I haue noo more hope of my good werkes. but onely in thy mercy / ¶By the whiche I hope and entende my saluacyon.

¶ The good saynt Nonnus abode by longe space of tyme in suche heuynesse ¶ And the Sondaye folowynge after that he hadde sayde his Houres wyth his Deaken / ¶ He recounted and she­wed to hym a dreme / ¶ But he cowde not erpowne it / ¶This dreme was of a blacke douue fowle of moche fylthe / ¶ The whyche as it semyd to saynt Nonnus that in syngynge his masse it came to the corner of the awter. ¶And after came fleenge alle abowte hym / And gaaf soo grete a stenche / That he myghte not abyde to fele it / ¶ And af­ter that he hadd songe the masse in co­mynge oute of the chyrche / The same douue came agayne. fleenge aboute as she dyde tofore. In gyuynge to hym so grete a stenche that he myghte not en­dure to smelle it / ¶ Thenne he raugh­te his honde vppon the same douue soo dylygently that he tooke it / And thre­we it in a vessell ful of water / In whiche she lefte all her ordures and fylthes ¶ And flewh a waye also whyte as a Swanne / And soo vanysshed from his eyen / ¶ And alle this sayde the holy man that he hadde seen in his slepe /

¶ Thyse thynges thus sayde they tweyne wente in to the grete chyrche where as the Bysshopp was / Whom they salewed / ¶ Whanne the Gospell of the grete masse was sayde / The bysshopp commaunded to saynt Nonnus. that he sholde goo preche / And make a sermon to the people / Anone he went in to the prechynge stole / Introducynge and enfourmynge the people beyng there at the sayde chyrche in the faythe of god / ¶ And syngulerly preched of his grete Iugement to come / And of y^e glorye of heuen / ¶ And by his fayr Introduccyons and exhortacions was the people moeued to penannce. and to contrycōn / In suche wyse that alle began to waylle and wepe for the horrour & grete dysplaysaunce that they hadd of theyr synnes /

¶ Now it happed that this synfull woman Pelage. whyche had passed fore by. and arayed as afore is sayde ca­me to this sermon / The whyche herynge the wordes of the ryghte good holy man / And notwytstondyng that she neuer hadde serued god. but alle onely the worlde. ¶ She hadde soo grete contry­cyon. and soo bytter dysplaysaunce of the enormyte of her synnes. that she foūdred alle in teeres. In suche wyse that she semyd that she mystrusted the mercy of god / And hadd none other countenaunce but contynuelly to waylle and wepe / ¶ Neuerthelesse she commaūded to tweyne of her chyldren that were at that tyme wyth her. that they sholde abyde in the chyrche / And take good he­de whyther the holy man wente. & where that she myghte fynde hym / ¶ The chyldren dyde soo· and folowed the ho­ly man vnto the chyrche of saynt Iulian the martyr / And after came and tolde it to theyr moder / ¶ And thenne she wrote to hym a lettre in substaunce /

¶ To the right Reuerende holy man dyscyple of Ihū cryst y^u holy man haste [Page] prechyd that thy god is soo moche and lowe meked hymselfe. that he hathe taken mankynde pryncypally for to sa­ue the synnars and Plublicans. ¶ And he whom the aungellis dare not beholde hath wylled to conuerse and dwelle wyth the synnars in this worlde / ¶ O my ryghte dere lorde. I haue ofte herde sayde of the / That thy holynesse is moche grete / And that thou ledest a ryght perfyghte lyffe / ¶ And how well that thou haste not seen hym thy sayde god wyth thy bodyly eyen. the whyche she­wed hymselfe to the Samarytane / Neuerthelesse thou seruest hym / Dredeste. & worshyppest soueraynly. As the Crysten people publisshen and sayen / Therfore I byseche the that thou woll not dyspyse me / Notwythstondynge that I be a synfull woman / And that it maye playse the to teche. and enfourme me in suche wyse that I maye perfyghtly knowe myn euerlastynge god / Wyth­oute whom I maye haue noo pardon / ne remyssyon of my synnes /

¶ The whyche letter seen by saynt Nonne. he wrote to her agayne in thys manere / ¶ O woman what some euer thou be / Thou arte knowen of god / The whyche also knowyth thy wylle / I pray the that thou tempte not myn humylytee. in folyly prasynge me / For I am a synfull man / and vnworthy seruytour and Seruaunte of god / ¶ But yf thou haue wyll to se me / And by me knowe and receyue oure good faythe / ¶ There ben in this cytee other Bys­shoppis & notable prelates with whom thou shalte see me / ¶ For it is noo thynge leyffull that thou allone sholde spe­ke to me /

¶ Whan the poore synfull woman hadde seen this lettre / ¶ She Incontynent departed and wente in to the chirche of saynt Iulian / ¶ In the whyche were present all the bysshoppis / ¶ And she dide to saynt Nonnus to haue knowlege of her comynge / ¶ Whyche In­contynent assembled and broughte to­gyder the sayd bysshoppis / ¶ And that done made her to come to hym / ¶ Anone she felle downe to the fete of the ho­ly Bysshopp saynt Nonne sayenge /

¶ I praye the my lorde that it playse the in folowyng thyne doctryne. to stratche vpon me thy mercy / and make me a Crysten woman / ¶ I am the see of synne. and the swolow of wyckydnesse whiche asketh and requyreth to be baptysed / ¶ Saynt Nonnus made her to stonde vpp / And sayde to her / My frende the holy Decretes ben suche. that a publike and comin synful woman ou­ghte not be baptysed / Yf she gyue not pledge neuer to retorne to her synne.

¶ This ansuere herde she felle downe agayne to his fete / In wasshynge the­ym wyth her teeres. and wypynge theym wyth her heere / and sayd to hym / ¶ O Nonnus I praye humbly to the god that my synnes & wyckydnesse be to the Imputed. yf thou dyfferre to baptyse me / ¶ And also I pray wyth this that thou neuer haue parte ne porcyon wyth the sayntes in heuen / yf thou make me not now Crysten / ¶ And ferder more that thou be constrayned to forsake his lawe / And adoure and worshyp the ydollis / yf thou espouse and wedde me not this day vnto hym / by the ryghte holy sacrament of baptym ¶ Then̄e alle the bysshoppis and other that were [Page lxiii] there. sayden that they hadde neuer se­en ony synfull woman haue more bytter dysplaysaunce of her synnes /

¶ Thenne they sente the Deaken of saynt Nonne vnto the Bisshopp of the cytee / For to recyte and shewe to hym this caas / ¶ To the ende that he shold sende one of the Abbesses whyche were to hym subgette / for to enfourme and comforte this sayde poore synfull wo­man / ¶ The Bysshopp herynge thyse thynges was moche Ioyefull and glad ¶ And sente thyder saynt Romayne y^e abbesse. whiche was chief in vertu and dygnytee / ¶ Whyche founde the sayde synfull woman wepynge in grete ha­bundaunce and plentee of teeres at the fete of the holy man saynt Nonnus / ¶ Whiche vnneth myghte make her to aryse / ¶ But neuerthelesse she sayde to her / ¶ My doughter aryse vpp and confesse and vtter alle thy synnes / To the ende that thou be baptysed / ¶ Thenne she answered / Ha madame yf I sholde well examyne and serche my conscyen­ce / I sholde fynde that I neuer haue done ony good ¶ But haue gyuen and habandonned me to alle maledyccyon and wyckednesse / ¶ And knowe that my synnes ben more grette in nombre thanne the grauell of the see / ¶ But I truste in god / and hauynge confiaunce in the / he shall efface and putte awaye alle my fylthes of synne ¶ Then̄e the holy man saynt Nonnus asked what her name was / To whyche she ansue­red. I am namyd Pelage / ¶ How well they of Anthyoche call me Margaryte by cause of the pyerrye or nyce and dyssolute and wanten ornements and raymentes of whyche late I arrayed myn vyle and detestable caroyne / ¶ In makynge of the same openly and madde­ly the werke and boutye of the deuyll of helle /

¶Anone after saynt Nonne bapty­sed her ¶ And namyd her by her name Pelage / ¶ And after mynystred vnto her the body of our lorde. And that do­ne he lefte her in the gouernaunce of saynt Romayne / And gaaf to her his be­nedyccyon / ¶ After saynt Nonne say­de to saynt Iherom / My frende & brother we oughte this daye to reioyce vs / And to ete oylle and drynke wyth spy­rytuell gladnesse· more thanne we ha­ue ben accustomed and vsed. In takin­ge consolacyon and comforte of the helthe of this synfull woman / And so concluded to dyne togyder / ¶ And thus as they toke theyr refeccyon. They herde the deuyll crye at theyr gate. lyke vnto the voyce of a man. sayeng / ¶ O ma­ledyccyon / O maledyccyon / Wherfore is that I suffre soo moche of this olde man here / ¶ Suffysed not it ynough that he hathe conuerted thyrty thousande Sarrasyns to the Crysten faythe / ¶ And in lyke wyse the noble and grete cyte Helyopolis. the whyche adoured and worshipped me. and alle they that conuersed and dwellyd in it / And syth hath take a waye from me myn hope / I shall nomore endure his machinacions / Acursyd be the daye y^t tholde man was borne / ¶ Suche wordes or semblable in substaunce cryed the deuyll tofo­re the yate / & yet agayne in adressynge his wordes to saynt Pelage said to her ¶ Ha mi damoysel thou makest to me the payn that I suffre & endure / Thou Resemblest to Iudas that solde his [Page] mayster whyche was one of the nom­bre of his dyscyples / ¶ Thou haste in lyke wyse solde me to thys olde man Nonus / ¶ Thenne saynt Nonne say­de to her / That she sholde blesse her wyth the sygne of the holy Crosse / whiche she dyde / ¶ And Incontynent and wythoute taryenge the deuyll vanys­shed away. ¶ Two dayes after she sleped wyth saynt Romayne. The deuyll apperyd to her and awoke her / ¶ And after sayde to her / My frende Marga­rete what thynge haue I done to the / I haue enryched the wyth golde and syluer / And haue done to the alle that. whyche thou haste demaunded o [...] desi­red of me / ¶ Wherfor doost thou to me soo grete dyshonoure to become Crys­ten / ¶ Thenne she blessyd her and sayde to the deuyll / My god whyche hathe preserued me from the deuomynge of thyne horryble teeth hathe sette me in his heuenly chambre / ¶ And yet I ho­pe that he shall fyghte for me agaynst the / Whyche demaundest and desyrest noo thynge but myn perdycyon / ¶ And after the deuyll came noo more to her /

¶ The thyrde daye after that she was baptysed she sente for her sone / to whom she sayde / That he sholde goo in to her Garderobe / and to put in writynge alle that she hadde / As well golde and syluer and other goodes / ¶ And that he sholde brynge all to her / wyth­oute to leue ony thynge / The whyche chylde dyde soo /

¶ After she wente for saynt Nonne & for her ghostly moder / ¶ And whan he was come she sayd to hym / My lor­de and frende. loo here the Rychesse of whyche Sathan hathe enryched me /

¶Now I putte theym in to thy power and dyscrecion / ¶ And I aske neuer o­ny thynge. But the Rychesse of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ The sayde saynt Nonne callyd the eldeste of theym that kepte the chyrche / And delyuered to hym alle the same Richesses. In sayenge to hym / I commaunde the in the honoure of the Trynyte of heuen that thou neuer en­tree in to this chyrche / Tyll that thou haste dystrybuted alle thyse goodes· As well to poore wydowes and orphelyns As to the suffretous. poore and nedy / To the ende that the goodes goten by synne. be made tresoure of Iustyce /

¶ Wyth this the holy man cursyd & excomyned alle theym that sholde do [...] the contrarye and theyr houses / yf they receyued and kepte ony thynge / ¶ Af­ter she called alle her chyldren. and sayde to theym / ¶ My chyldren I praye you to departe you from this worlde. to the ende that as we haue ben togyder / we maye be in lyke wyse togyder in heuen. ¶ For here ye maye gete noo thynge· but synne and wyckydnesse /

¶ The eyghte daye after her baptysynge / the sayde Pelage aroos vpp atte mydnyghte / And saynt Nonne cladde her wyth the heere / And a groos and cours robe of a man / And after the sa­yd daye she neuer entred in to the cytee of Anthioche / ¶ Whanne saynt Romayn knewe it she beganne to wepe / By cause she had loste her companye / And saynt Nonne comforted her in sayenge That she hadde chosen the ryght holy waye. lyke as the Gospell conteyneth / ¶ In the whyche is founde that oure lorde preferred Marye Magdalene. le­dynge Contemplatyff lyffe. tofore her [Page lxv] faster Martha. whyche ladde actyf lyfe

¶ The good Pelage in this habyte dyssymyled wente to Iherusalem. in to the mounte of Olyuete / Where oure Redemer prayed to god his fader tofore his sorowefull passyon / ¶ And there she made a lityll house. where she determyned to dwelle /

¶ A lytyll tyme after the Bisshopp of Anthyoche. callyd togyd (er) alle the bysshoppis that he hadde assembled / And sente eche of theim in to his bysshopryche / ¶ Thre or foure yeres after the deaken of saynt Nonne hadde a wyll to goo to Iherusalem: for to vysyte the holy sepulcre of oure lorde / And the o­ther holy places. in whyche oure lorde suffred for vs so many tormentes and myseryes / ¶ And asked leue of his bis­shopp / Whyche lyberally graunted to hym / ¶ Chargynge hym for to enquyre in the sayd place of a Relygyous namyd Pelage / Whyche was departed a­fore tyme from hym / ¶ And how well that the sayde Bysshopp named the sayd Relygyous Pelagius / ¶ Neuerthe­les he mente the good seruaunt of god pelage the whyche was cladde in tha­byte of a man & secretely departed as to fort is said / And for that cause he named her by the name of a man / ymage nynge that by cause of her clothynge she had chaunged her name / Thys de­ken thenne wente to Iherusalem / And after that he hadd accomplysshed hys pilgremage / he fonde the good relygy­ous in the moūte of Olyuete in whiche she hadde be all waye closed and shette in her lytyl hous / whyche hadde none openyng but a lytyl wyndowe / at whyche the sayd deken knocked. and anone she opened it / And how be it that she hadde neuer be seen but ones syth that she had be in her grete beaulte and pomperye / yet neuerthelesse she knewe hym But he coude not knowe her by cause she was soo deffayted and dysfygured by the grete abstynences that she made in suche wyse that the bones perced the skynne / And hadd her eyen wythin her hede so depe and holow / hat she semed better to presente a dede body than a lyuynge woman / She seyeng this deken she demaunded hym of whens he was / ¶ To whome he ansuerde that he cam fro anthioche / and was thyder sente by hys bisshoppe Nonus for to visyte her / ¶ Thenne she sayde to the same de­ken. My broder and frende saye to him that I praye hym that yt maye playse hym to praye to god for me / I hope that his prayers ben to me moche prouffytable / For he is a deuoute man and of an holy lyf / And incontynent she shytte her wyndowe / and began to saye her tierce / And y^e deken in lyke wyse nygh to the wall sayd wyth her / and after retorned in to Iherusalem moche comforted of the syght of one so holy woman. ¶Fro thens he wente to vysyte all the monasteryes and holy places of the cy­te and for to see the relygyouse people Wyth whome he beynge there he herde saye thyngys merueyllous of the holy religyous Pelagius / In deuysynge of whome they spake of the sayd Pelage ¶ For they supposed that she hadd ben a religyous mā / by cause she fayned her allwaye to be a man / And named her self Pelagius / ¶ The same deken for the grete vertues that he herde saye of hyr / wold ones goo to vysyte her / and [Page] cam and knocked at her wyndowe / as he had don to fore / And by cause that the sayd Pelagyus ansuerde nothynge· he called hym by hys name / but neuer­thelesse she ansuerd not wherfore he ferynge to offende hyr retorned thens by the space of thre dayes / the whyche passed and wenynge that he hadde be de­parted out of that place knocked agayn at the wyndowe soo harde that he ope­nyd it / And lokynge in to the lytyll ho­us he sawe pelage whyche was deed / ¶ Thenne he cam in to Iherusalem & shewde it to the relygyous people of the cyte / the whiche in grete multitude cam thyder for to fetche the corps / ¶ And after that they hadd brought it out of the [...]elle or ytyll hous. ¶ And by cause it was the custome to enoynte the dede bodyes wyth myr [...]e / in enoyntynge the body they knewe well that she was a woman ¶ Thenne they began to synge and rendre graces and thankynges to god / in preysynge and magnyfynge his louer [...]yn bounte / for contemplacōn of his noble [...]clours whyche ben hydde not oonly in holy men but also in ver­tuoule wymen / whyche by strayte and ha [...]de penaunces haue goten the Royame of heuen. ¶ And after they put the body in a ryche tombe garnysshid with gold and precyous stones.

¶Thenne late vs praye vnto thys holy woman pelage that by her Interces­syons and prayers we maye come to euerlastynge blysse in heuen Amen /

¶ Here foloweth the lyf of saynt ma­rie Egypcyen whyche in deserte ladde a solytarye lyf. And begynneth in la­tyn. Fuit quidam Senex et cetera / ¶ Capitulum xlii.

SAynt Ierome recounteth. that in the countrey of palestyn in whyche is the cyte of Iherusa­lem was somtyme a ryght prudēt man of notable lyf in dedes and worde na­med zozymas ¶ And we fynde that there was another in lyke wyse soo named whyche was an herytyke of who­me at thys tyme we shalle make noo mencyon / but oonly we shalle speke of hym that we haue fyrst named / he walked thurgh alle palestyn [...] in vysytyng deuoutly alle the holy places and mo­nasteryes that were there /

¶ Of hym self he fonde many maners for to chastyse the flesshe. And for to [Page lxvi] make it subgette to his spyryte / ¶ And in effecte he was of soo grete renomme that there came to hym from ferre co­untrees for to here his doctryne ¶ And euery man merueylled of his grete ab­stynences /

¶ His moder in his Infancye and yongthe put hym in a mouastery. In whi­che he lyued by the space of fyfthy yere / ¶ Durynge the whyche for the mooste parte he was gretely persecuted wyth dayne cogytacyons and thoughtes / In resystynge of whom he hadde in suche wyse foughten agaynste the deuyll by grete and harde abstynences / that hym semyd that in alle the Desertes. there was noo man that exceded him in doctryne ne in penaunce. as he that in hys persone hadde experymented. ¶ And in suche wyse that by that the deuyll had made hym to falle in to vayne glorye

¶ And thꝰ as he was in this same fantasye / An auncyent fader came and sayd to hym / ¶ My frende I wote well that in alle thyne operacyons and werkes thou haste ouercome the deuyll. sa­ut oonly in this that thou wenest that in thise partyes ben none relygyous persones lyuynge more perfyte thanne thy selfe. ne that better knowen the wayes of helthe thanne thou doost / ¶ But for as moche as I knowe the contrary / Yf thou wolte come wyth me / I shall le­de the in to a monasterye. faste by the flood of Iourdan / In whyche for to take from the this folye / Thou shalte mowe see of Relygyouses more perfy­te thanne euer thou were / ¶ Thenne wente forthe the goode man Zozimas in folowenge the holy fader /

¶ Now it is to be noted that it was the aungell of god. whyche in the lykenes of an holy fader conduytted hym. The whyche Incontynente as they were att the sayde flood vanysshed a waye / Ne­uerthesse Zozimas beynge by the flood Iourdan herde a voyce resownynge /

¶ And in comynge nyghe to the same he arryued atte a monasterye ¶ And after that he had knocked atte the gate / He that kepte it shewed it to the abbot Whyche for contemplacyon of his ha­byte / And also by cause that he semyd to be a man of holy lyfe. made hym to entree in. and receyued hym honestly /

¶ After that he hadd made his oryson The Abbot demaūded of hym the cause why he came to vysyte theym / And Zozimas answered. for to lerne the helthe of his soule / ¶ For he had herde say that grete myracles and sygnes of ver­tues were made there wythin / ¶ The Abbot sayd to hym / My brother a man maye not teche a nother of hymselfe. yf he helpe not hymselfe in prayenge god his conduytour in alle his werkes / And therfore I praye to god that he make vs suche that we maye obserue and kepe his commaūdementes / ¶ But syth it hathe playsed the to vysyte vs. thou shal abyde wyth vs yf thou be for that cause come hyder / ¶ And I byleue that god shall accompanye vs togyder alle in his grace / ¶ For he is the Pastour of Pastoures / Whyche hathe putte hys soule / That is to saye his propre lyfe for to redeme and saue vs /

¶ Zozimas beynge in this same monasterye sawe some Relygyouses shynynge in vertues / ¶ And in esperyte inces­sauntly [Page] wakynge daye and nyghte in orison and prayer / ¶ And neuer proferred they one vayne worde / Ne occupyed theym in ony thynges tēporell / But as they hadde ben deed theyr names were vnknowen / ¶ Theyr lyfe and passety me was of holy wordes / ¶ And for to susteyne nature ete but brede and water oonly /

¶ This considerynge Zozimas he prouffyted moche gretly in folowyng the­yr holy lyfe / ¶ After that he hadde ben there a certayne tyme / The holy tyme came the whyche they muste faste the Lente / ¶ Wherfore alle they made the­ym redy to saynctefye and make them holy agaynste the tyme of the passyon and Resurrexion of oure lorde /

¶ Now it was soo that the yate of the sayde monasterye was neuer open / To thende that noo man sholde entre· whiche sholde lete theym to praye to god / ¶ For to knowe thenne how they pro­ceded in their fastynges / It is to be noted that the fyrste Sondaye of Lente. alle togyder came to the chyrche / And there receyued theyr maker in grete & seruente deuocyon / ¶ And after that they had done and accomplysshed the­yr o [...]ysons / The auncyentes embracyd and kyssed e [...]he other in sygne of syn­guler loue /

¶ Enuye for to opteyne benefyces and pryouryes for to haue occasyon to lepe oute of theyr monasterye was not lod­ged there / ¶ And they resembled not y^e birde that fleeth alwaye abowte the cage for to fynde an hole. That is to say an Abbaye or Pryorye. for to flee tho­rugh the feeldes and countree /

¶ For to retorne thenne to our purpoos after that they hadde kyssed eche other They prayed humbly to thabbot that he wolde make to god deuowte prayer for theym / To the ende that they myghte strongely fyghte agaynste the fen­de / ¶ Thyse thynges done alle the y [...] tes were opened / And alle togyder son­gen the songe or psalme (Dominꝰ il­luminacō) Psalmo .xxvi. ¶ And whan they were oute of theyr monasterye for to goo in to desertes / Two of the Relygyous men abode wythin the chyrche / Not for doubte ne fere that they shold lese ony thinge / But to the ende y^t the­yr Oratory sholde not be without prayer ¶ Eeueryche of theym bare. his necessytees for to lyue by / ¶ Some a lytyll brede Other fygges or dates. Or pesen or benes for to make potage wyth a lytyll water / ¶ Some other bare no thyge but her mantellis with whiche they were cladde / ¶ And in the Desertes ete but herbes that grewe there / Eche af­ter his appetyte and wyll /

¶ For beynge there they ladde suche rule as they wolde. By cause they wente not one with an other / ¶ Thus passed they the flom Iourdan separate and ferre from the cyte. in goynge by the desertes / ¶ And yf by aduenture one saw a nother come agaynst hym. he toke a­none a nother waye. Wythoute spekynge one to a nother /

¶ And in this wyse ladde they a lyffe moche solytarye / And theyr fastynges thus contynued tyll palme Sondaye / ¶ Atte whyche daye they alle were re­tourned to theyr monasterye / ¶ And e­ueryche broughte the fruyte of his ab­stynence [Page lxvii] / ¶ Neyther neuer asked they one of a nother how they hadde lyued in the deserte / To the ende to eschewe vayne glorye /

¶ For some of theym ladde a lyfe full harde and sharpe. ¶ And yf the other hadde knowen it / They hadde pray­syd hym / And wolde haue tolde it eche to other / By whyche the deuyll myght haue tempted theym by vayne glorye / ¶ And by this it apperith that they fledoe the praysynge of men / Whyche mighte brynge forthe noo prouffyte /

¶ But it is ryght peryllous and dom­mageable to the soule /

¶ Zozimas thenne passyd the flom Iourdan by the example of the other. and bare a lytyll brede wyth hym for to susteyne his poore body / ¶ And yf he was sobre in etynge. Yet he was more in slepynge / ¶ And soo passynge thorugh the deserte / Alwaye he desyred to fynde some holy man / By whom he myghte be the better enfourmyd and Instructe. thanne he hadde ben tofore /

¶ After that he hadde walkyd by the space of twenty dayes / Aboute the hon i [...] of Syxte. he taryed to praye and to make his orysons to god / as he had be accustomyd / ¶ For his custome was at the houre of Tyerce. Syxte. and None for to ceasse of walkynge for to make his prayers /

¶ And as he lyfte vppe his eyen. beholdyng on the ryght syde. he sawe the shadowe of a body of mankynde / ¶ Wherfore he was moche abasshed / Wenyng that it hadde ben a thynge fantastyke And blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the Crosse / ¶ And his prayer finysshed sa­we a persone alle nakyd go tofore him towarde the South / The whyche was all blacke of the grete hete of the son̄e ¶ Hauynge her heeres whyte as wulle whyche henge abowte her necke /

¶ Then̄e he moche admerueylled and replenysshed and fulfylled wyth grete Ioy beganne to renne to the place where as the persone was / ¶ The whyche also in seenge hym was gretely abas­shed / ¶ Zozimas merueyllynge in him self thoughte that it was some holy persone / ¶ And whanne she sawe that he came nyghe her / She beganne to renne in to the wood / And Zozimas alwaye after. tyll he was soo nyghe her that he myghte lyghtely calle her / And spake to her sayenge / ¶ Wherfore fleest thou tofore a poore olde man full of synne. and vnworthy seruaunte of god /

¶ Now supposyd Zozimas that it had be a man / But it was saynt Marye y^e Egypcyen. or Egypciaca. To whome he sayde / I adiure the in the name of god / for the honour of whom thou holdeste the in thyse desertes that thou ta­rye and speke to me /

¶ As soone as Zozimas hadde prefer­red and spoken thyse wordes / They came nyghe togyders / in a place where as ranne a lytyll broke or water / ¶ But alwaye the same persone fledde forthe from hym / ¶ And Zozimas passed o­uer the water wente after on the other syde of the broke /

¶ And seenge that he cowde not attayne ne ouergete her beganne to wepe. prayenge her that she wolde speke to hym / ¶ Thenne she spake and sayde / Fa­der Zozimas wherfore chacest thou me [Page] Lete me alone I praye the in the name of god. ¶ For I maye not tourne my face towarde the / For I am a nakyd woman / ¶ Wherfore gyue to me thy mantel for to couere my poore and my serable nature / And thenne I shall speke to the /

¶ Whanne Zozimas sawe that. she callyd hym by his name / He estemed & trowed that it was shewed to her by reue­lacyon of god / Seen that she neuer had hadde tofore seen hym. ¶ And anone he tooke of his mantell· and threwe it to her / In tournynge his face a waye from her / ¶ And anone as she had co­uered herselfe the beste wyse she cowde. She sayde to Zozimas / What weneste thou to se but a synfull woman / ¶ Zozimas knelyd downe then̄e on his knees and asked of her hy [...] benedyccyon & blessynge / ¶ In lyke wyse dyde she to hym / ¶ And longe were they bothe in this state on theyr knees / ¶ Zozimas sayeng / Dame gyue to me thy benedy [...] cyon / ¶ And she sayde semblably and in lyke wyse / Fader gyue to me thy be­nedyccyon / For thou arte a preest / And therfore it apperteynyth better to the / thanne to me /

¶ Zozimas strongely abasshed sayd to her / ¶ Truely my frende thou art full of the grace of god / For thou knoweste myn name and myne offyce / ¶ The spyrytuell grace is not gyuen oonly for the order of dygnytee of Preesthode /

But by the good werkes that the persone dooth / ¶ And therfore it appertey­neth to the fyrste to gyue the benedyccyon / ¶ The good woman consēted and sayde / ¶ Blessyd be the Redemer of oure soules / ¶ Zozimas ansuered / Amen. ¶ Anone they aroos vppe ¶ And after saynt Marye Egypcyen sayde / I de­maunde and aske the. wherfore haste thou take soo grete paynt for to se a sȳ full woman / ¶ Zozimas ansuered. this hath not be oonly by my wyll / But also by suffraunce of almyghty god / Yf it be soo sayd she. I praye the that thou recounte and telle to me of the conuer­sacyon of the lygnage of mankynde & of the prynces and pastours of the chyrche / ¶ In two wordes Zozimas an­swered / God almyghty hathe gyuen peas to alle his people / ¶ But I praye the that thou praye for the confyrmacyon of the peas. and for my synnes / And she ansuered sayenge / ¶ Thou that arte a preest oughte to praye for alle the worlde. and for me poore synfull wo­man / For that is thy vocacyon.

¶ But for to playse the I shall make my prayer to god in suche wise as thou haste commaunded me / How be it that I am an vnworthy sinnar / ¶ Thenne she lyfte vppe her eyen and her hondes to heuen / And was longe in prayer /

¶ Durynge the whyche Zozimas saw a thynge moche merueyllous / ¶ For be the grace of god. she was eleuate and lyfte vppe on heyghte a cubyte aboue y^e e [...]the /

¶ Zozimas seenge this vysyon began̄e to swete and tremble for feere / ¶ And wyste not what to saye sauf Lryricley­son Wenynge that she hadde ben a spiryte fantastyke ¶ The blessed woman seenge that / comforted hym sayenge /

¶ Wherfore tremblest thou / Thynkest thou that I am a spyryte fantastyke /

[Page lxviii]¶ Wherfore arte thou scandalyzyd in me / ¶ Byleue hardely that I am a poore synfull woman / Baptysed wyth y^e holy sacramente of Baptysme / ¶ And am noo thynge fantastyque. but a sparcle of fyre / Asshes. and flesshe /

¶ And whanne she hadde sayde this / She beganne to blesse her forhede. her eyen. her lyppes. and her brest wyth the sygne of the Crosse / Sayenge after / I praye god that he woll delyuere vs fro the hondes of the fende / The whyche hathe grete enuye vppon vs /

¶ Zozimas herynge her Proposicyons knelyd downe atte her fete / ¶ And prayed her sayenge / In the name of god that was borne of the holy vyrgyn. for the honoure of whom thou dooste here penaunce / Saye and telle to me what thou arte. and of what place ¶ And for what cause thou arte come to dwelle here / ¶ For I requyre not to haue vayne glorye of thy vysytacyon / But oonly for to be taughte and enseygned of the Whyche am a poore synnar / ¶ I byleue in god. by whom thou lyuest and cō uersyste in this Deserte / ¶ And for to know hym I am come hyther / To the ende that thou telle to me thy vertues & abstynences / For yf it playsyd not hym that thou sholdeste shewe to me thy fa­yttes and dedes / Neuer wolde he haue suffred that I sholde haue seen the /

¶ She answered in this manere / Truely my fader I am asshamed to saye to the the lecherye and pouertee of my bo­dy / ¶ I knowe well that Incontynent that I shall recounte and shewe to the the synnes that I haue commysed and done / Thou shalte flee from hens /

¶ But for that I praye the that thou leue not to praye for me / To the ende that I maye haue mercy atte the ende of my dayes / ¶ Zozimas herkenynge wepte moche strongely / ¶ And she be­ganne to telle how she was born in E­gypte / ¶ And how in forsakynge her fader and moder. and theyr fayre In­struccyons and shewynges / she beynge twelue yere of aege. transported & putte her in to Alexandrye / ¶ After that ae­ge. and durynge the tyme of seuentene yeres and more. she hadde contynuelly made resydence atte the open bordell of the same towne wyth other comyn wȳ men there beynge. In abandonnynge and vsynge [...] be propre body to all that came / ¶ And wyth noo other thynge gate her lyuynge. in passynge soo her yongthe.

¶ On a tyme she liuynge in this folye sawe a multytude of people of Ly­bye and of Egypte / whiche sayden wolde passe the see ¶ Thenne she asked o­ne of theym. whyther they wolde goo / And wherfore they made soo grete haste / ¶ To whom he ansuered. that shortely sholde be in Iherusalem the feest of the Exaltacyon of the holy Crosse / On whyche god hadde be crucyfyed /

¶ And therfore they made theym re­dy for to goo to the sayde solempnytee. ¶ Vppon that she demaunded and enquyred of theim yf they wolde take her in to theyr companye. To whom was answered ye / Soo that she hadde mo­ney for to paye the Maronnar / ¶ She sayde that she hadde noo thynge / But yf she wente in to the shyppe / And for her freyghte she sayd that shold aban­douned [Page] to hym her body / ¶ And this sayd. she requyred Zozimas that it sholde playse hym that she sholde telle noo more / For the ayre and he were therof enfected / ¶ Zozimas ansuered / Ha my frende saye hardely wythoute hydynge ony thynge /

¶ Thenne beganne she to recounte to Zozimas this that folowyth / ¶ Whan the yonge man hadde herde alle thyse wordes. he beganne to laughe and wente his waye / ¶ Thenne she threwe a­waye her spyndle that she helde / & wente towarde the shyppe to saylle fourth with the other / ¶ Thenne sawe she x. yonge men atte ry [...]age of the see. after her Iugement good and honeste / The other were thenne goon to the shyppe / ¶ And she prayed theym that she my­ghte goo wyth theym in to the shyppe And that they sholde not refuse her /

¶ And by many lewde and fowle wordes she mouyd theym to laugh / The [...]e they tooke her in to theyr shyppe / ¶ As towchynge the Insolences by her done in the sayde shyppe. she wolde noo more recounte to Zozimas / But prayed hym that he wolde be contente wyth y^t she hadde sayde. wythout to recyte and shewe ony more /

¶ She in lyke wyse arryued in Iherusalem. was abandouned to alle synne / ¶ And was not oonly contente to doo synne wyth theym of the shyppe but also w^t many other pylgrymes ¶ Whan the daye of the feest of the holy Crosse was come / She wente tofore the yon­ge pylgrymes. for to excyte them to the synne of secherye / ¶ But neuerthelesse she wente wyth the other in to the chyrche. for to worshyppe and adoure the Crosse. And came vnto the porche / Wenynge to entre in / ¶ And notwythstondynge that she was borne wyth grete payne vnto the yate of the chyrche / Yet myghte she not entree / How well that alle the other entred lyghtly that wold entre. ¶ But by the power of god whyche wythstode her. she was reiecte & caste abacke from the yate / ¶ And fyrste she supposid that the cause why she mighte not entree. was by cause that she was feble. as wymmen ben. whiche be not soo stronge as men. ¶ Thenne she enforcyd her for to entree more asprely thanne she dyde tofore / But all her enforce auaylled her not / ¶ For she was ofte reiected and caste abacke / In suche wise that her body was shouen and brused / ¶ Thenne she abode longe tofore the gate / in beholdynge alle the worlde whiche entred in wythoute ony force or vyolence / ¶ And began to thynke that the grete multytude of synnes whyche she hadd commysed and done. was the cause and lettynge for whyche she my­ghte not entree / ¶ And thenne she be­ganne to wayle and wepe bytterly. and smote her breste wyth grete contrycyon and dysplaysure of her lyfe / ¶ And be­holdynge on hyghe. she sawe an yma­ge of the vyrgyne Marye· whiche hadd borne the god of heuen and of erth / sayenge that for my horryble synnes whyche I haue done and commysed. I am not worthy to beholde oonly thyn ymage / For thou arte a vyrgyne tofore thy chyldynge and after / ¶ And therfore it is noo thynge Iuste ne ryghtfull. that a poore and a lecherous detestable make [Page lxix] prayer vnto the / ¶ Neuerthelesse by cause thou haste conceyued and engen­dred hym that woll alwaye calle agayne synnars to penaunce / I byseche the that it maye playse to helpe to conuer­te me to hym / In gyuynge to me ayde and comforte for to entree in to his chirche / To the ende that I maye worship and adoure his ryght worthy Crosse / in whyche he shedde his precyous blo­de for to Redeme me from the paynes of helle /

¶ Cōmaunde blessyd lady and vyrgy­gyne. that the yate be open to me / And I promyse to thy dere sone. whyche is my god. and to the also. that I shall neuer retorne to synne / But Incontynente that I haue adoured and worshipped this precyous Crosse. I shall forsake al the worlde / ¶ She recited and tolde ferdermore to the sayde Zozimas. that in contynent after her prayer made as sayd is / She trustynge in the grace of oure lorde Ihesu Cryste and of his bles­syd moder wente to the yate / Where to­fore she cowde not entree / And in grete fere. as half deed she entred lyȝtly wyth oute ony dyffycultee / ¶ And after ca­me to the place where as was the ryghte worthy Crosse of our Sauyour / To fore whyche she knelyd on her knees / [...] And in feruente deuocyon she adoured lyke to other / ¶ And after came to the ymage of the virgyne Marye moder of god. for to gyue thankynges to her the beste wyse she cowde. of that whiche bi her Intercessyon she hadde soo grete a pryuylege to worrhyppe his precyous Crosse / ¶ In sayenge / O gloryous virgyne Mary. glorye be to god almygh­ty. whyche by thyne worthy Intercessyons hathe wylled to Receyue me syn­full woman to mercy / ¶ What oughte I more to doo thanne to accomplysshe that whyche I haue promysed / ¶ And yet agayne I praye the that thou helpe me to conduyte me and sette me in the way of saluacōn. for to the I yelde me. as to her whiche may helpe & socour me ¶ Anone she herde a voyce whiche sayde to her / Woman passe ouer the flom Iourdan / And thou shalte fynde there thyne helthe and reste of thyne soule /

¶ Inconcynent she prayed the blessyd lady that she wolde be alwaye helpyn­ge atte her nede / And soo wente from y^e cytee / ¶ And in gooynge she founde a man whyche gaaf to her .iii. pens. with whyche she bought her thre loues of brede / ¶ And after askyd of hym that solde the brede: whyche was the waye to goo to flom Iourdan / ¶ And whan̄e she knewe the gate by whiche she shol­de goo / Alle the daye she wente wepynge and waylynge / ¶ And from the houre of Tyerce vnto the houre of Syxte. and abowte the sonne gooynge downe She wente and arryued atte a chyrche of saynt Iohan Baptyste by the say­de flom Iourdan / In to whiche chyr­che she entred for to make her prayers· The whyche accomplysshed she descended in to y^e flode aforsayd & wisshe her face & her body wyth the holy water of y^e sayd flom Iourdan ¶ And after that she had admynistred y^e holy sacrament of thaulter. she ete halfe a loof. & the same nyghte she lay all nakyd vpon y^e erthe / ¶ On y^e morn she made her prayer to y^e glorioꝰ virgyn Mary / prayeng her [Page] that she wolde adresse her for to goo. where as sholde be good for her helthe ¶ Fynably she was come to the place where as Zozimas hadde founde her /

¶ And as she sayde she hadde ben the­re fourty yere /

¶ Zozimas ferthermore demaunded & questioned of her what thynge she had eten / ¶ She answered. two looues and an halfe of brede / Whyche were byco­men as harde as stones as soone as she was passed ouer the flom Iourdan /

¶ Zozimas sayd to her / Haste thou thꝰ passed thy lyfe soo longe tyme wythoute payne or sykenesse / ¶ She ansueryd My fader I dare not telle the the perylles that I haue endured / ¶ Zozimas sayde. Leue noo thynge. but saye alle /

¶ Truely my fader sayd she I haue be seuentene yere that I hadde contynuelly desyre to ete and drynke suche mete / as I ete in the worlde / ¶ And by cause I myghte not haue it· I was in soo grete heuynesse that I myghte not endure it / ¶ In lyke wyse the flesshely thoug­htes and deuyllyssh songes came to my mynde / By the whyche I was gretely tormented / ¶ But Incontynent I wepte and smote my breste. in sayenge to fore myne eyen the promyse that I hadd made to god and to the blessyd vyrgy­ne Marye /

¶ Whanne I departed from the chyr­che of Iherusalem / Pryncypally I ca­me for socour to the holy vyrgyne Marye ¶ And in wepynge and lamentynge I prayed her to haue consolacyon & comforte / ¶ Towchynge the flesshely temptacyons that came soo moche to­fore me that I can not expresse ne telle ¶ For they made me soo enflam̄ed of my fyrste synne. that I myghte not bere it / ¶ But whan I was in thyse passy­ons. I fell downe to the erthe for to wepe and waylle abundantly / ¶ And in soo dooynge I knewe spyrytuelly that the blessyd vyrgyn Marye whyche had holpen me came for to socoure me / And I neuer lyfte vppe myne eyen from the erthe tyll I was out of thise cursyd thoughtes / In hauynge alwaye myn her­te to our lady. Tresorye of grace. comfortresse of desolate / ¶ And the very a­dresseresse of theym that ben out of the waye /

¶ Zozimas after demaūded of her. [...]aste thou had noo mete ne clothing. The holy Egypcyen ansuered / I haue eten the two loues and an halfe. as I haue tolde / ¶ And the resydue of the tyme I haue ete herbes of the deserte ¶ By cause that my clothynge was all to torne & in pyeces. I haue lefte theym. and am alle nakyd /

¶ Lete vs thynke here how many alte racōns. as well by raynes and grete col­des. as by extreme hetes of the sonne y^t she endured / ¶ Thynke we also how many carnall temptacyons she threwe fro her / Whyche ben somoche dyffycyle to ouercome to theym that haue ben accustomed therin more thanne ony other temptacōn / ¶ After she sayd to Zozi­mas / Alas my frende I am nourysshed and cladde on̄ly wyth the worde of my god. whyche hath done to me so many graces / The whyche sayth. that one lyueth not oonly by brede. but also by his worde. whiche quykenyth more than y^e bodily mete / ¶ Zozimas herynge y^t she spake of holy [Page lxx] Scrypture sayde to her ¶ Moder haste thou lerned the bokes of Moyses / The Psaulter. and other holy scrypture /

¶ She thenne smylynge sayde to hym Fader byleue me certaynly. that syth I passyd the flom Iourdan. I sawe ne­uer man lyuynge but the. ne other beest of the worlde / ¶ I neuer lerned booke Ne neuer herde the Psaulter radde ne songen / ¶ But the worde of god why­che hathe soo grete vertue hathe enfor­myd myn entendement / ¶ And thys suffiseth to the. that I haue tolde to the ¶ And from hens forthe praye for me poore synfull lecherous woman /

¶ And whanne she hadde sayde thyse wordes / Zozimas kneled downe on his knees. and beganne to saye / ¶ Blessed be the oonly god that dooth thynges so merueylous. and in soo many persones ¶ Blessyd be thou my god. whyche haste shewed to me the goodes that thou doost to theym that dreden the. and ke­pe alle thy commaundementes / ¶ Ve­rely my god thou leuest neuer theym y^t sechen for to serue the /

¶ The good woman suffred hym not to lye on the erthe / ¶ But prayed hym that he wold neuer shewe that she had sayde to man lyuynge / ¶ And after sayd to him / My fader goo now forth on thy waye in peas / ¶ And wythin a yere herafter I shall come agayne. & she­we me to the / Yf god gyue vs the grace ¶ Wyth thys I praye the to doo that whyche I shall ordeyne /

¶ By cause that in your monasterye whanne ye make your holy fastynges. whyche is called Lente / Youre custome is to goo in to Deserte eche by hymself for to kepe his fastynge. ¶ Whan that tyme shall come. thou shalt not goo oute of the chyrche. but kepe the monaste­rye / ¶ Zozimas was more abasshyd thanne tofore. of that she knewe the rule of the monasterye / and began to crye ¶ O my god glorye be gyuen to the / I know that thou gyuest more grace w^t oute comparyson to theym that serue y^e truely thanne they demaunde or aske / ¶ The holy Egypcyen reprysed his worde and sayde / Fader herken / ¶ For whanne thou woldest departe from the monastery. Thou shalte not mowe.

¶ But the holy Thursdaye of Cene. thou shalt take the precious body of oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. and his precyo­us blood in lyke wyse in an holy vessel and shalte come to me on that other syde of flom Iourdan. withoute to passe ouer / ¶ And thenne by the grace and mercy of my god and of thyne. I shall receyue hym benygnely / ¶ For I neuer receyued hym syth I was admynystred in the chyrche of saynt Iohan in Iherusalem / ¶ I praye the that thou dys­pyse not my requeste / But doo as I haue sayde to the /

¶ Wyth this thou shalte saye to Iohn̄ Abbot of thyne monasterye: that there ben some thynges to be corrected in his chyrche and Abbaye the whyche I wol not tell to the now / ¶ But neuertheles thou shalte aduertyse hym to take hede to his Relygyouses / ¶ Thyse wordes sayd the goode woman retourned in to her caue and dwellynge place accusto­med. ¶ The good Zozimas retornyng to his monastery. kyssed y^e groūde where as she hadde markyd / In praysynge [Page] god / And sayde non thynge alle that yere of that he hadde seen / ¶ For by cau­se he durste noo thynge saye / He enter­teyned wyth his brethern whanne they were retourned from the Desertes af­ter theyr custome /

¶ Alle the yere syghed Zozimas. somoche desyre hadde he that it were passyd ¶ Whanne the tyme was come that the brethern sholde departe. for to goo in to Deserte. to make theyr fastynges as they hadde ben accustomyd / ¶ Zozimas was taken with a feuer / And therfore he abode in the monasterye /

¶ Then̄e he remembred that she had sayde to hym. whanne he wolde haue gone wyth the other. he myghte not

¶ The daye of the Cene comen / And after that alle the brethern were retourned from Desertes / ¶ Zozimas in obeyenge that whyche that the goode lady saynt Marye Egypcyen hadde sayd to hym / ¶ He tooke a chalys and the pre­cyous body and blood of oure Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And after he putte fygges and Dates in a lytyll panyer. and in a lytyll potte. potage wyth water / ¶ And soo wente forth as he hadde ben cauz [...]e vnto the rynage of the flom Iourdan / In abydynge the good wo­man Marye Egypcyen / ¶ And not­wythstondyng that it was longe [...] she came thyder / Yet Zozimas slepte not / Ferynge that she hadde ben there tofo­re his comynge /

¶ Wherfore he wepte. and prayed god in sayenge / My god whyche haste wyl­led to yeue to me the grace to se this holy woman / I byseche the that it maye pleyse the to graunte to me agayn that I maye yet ones se her / ¶ And in prayenge and makynge hys orysons. came to hym a nother fantasye / ¶ And af­ter he sayd / Alas what shal I do whan she shall come / how shall she come ouer the Ryuer. ¶ Alas I haue noo Boote to rowe her ouer / Alas that I am vn­happy / ¶ And thus sayenge the holy woman came and taryed on that other syde of the flom Iourdan / ¶ Whanne Zozimas sawe her he was replenisshed wyth Ioye. and thanked god / Alwaye thynkynge how she myghte come ouer wychoute boote / ¶ And he beholdynge her what she dyde. He sawe her make the sygne of the Crosse vppon the wa­ter / ¶ And after she beganne to walke vppon the water / In passynge ouer as stedfastly as she hadde walked vppon drye londe.

¶ She beynge yet vppon the water sayd to Zozimas / What doost thou faynt fader whyche arte preest and seruaunte of god kepynge the holy thynges /

¶ And thus sayeng she came vnto the other ryuage of y^e flood. where as was the holy man / Whom she salewed righte humbly / ¶ Thenne he answered. I was soo admerueylled of this myracle that I was in maner of a aslepe / Now I knowe / that alwaye it is trouth that god saythe. whyche hathe promysed to theym that puryfye theym by penaun­ce / That they ben agreable to hym

¶ Alas I knowe now / how well I be lasse in perfeccōn thanne they that ben in this place / ¶ And I helde me y^e mo­ost perfyghte in my former monastery.

¶ This done the holy Marye E­gypcyen sayde to hym that he sholde [Page lxxi] begynne the Symbole (Quicun (que) vult saluus esse) et cetera. ¶ After they say­de the orayson Domynycall / That is to saye the Pater noster / The whyche achyeued she kyssed the holy fader Zo­zimas / ¶ And after receyued the holy sacrament of the aulter her maker and [...]res / ¶ And after lyfte vppe her hon­des to heuen and sayde / ¶ O my god suffre now thy honde mayde and poo­re seruaunte in peas after thy worde /

¶ For myn eyen hathe seen thy helthe.

¶ After she sayd to Zozimas. Goo now in to thy monasterye. and lyue in peas wyth god / ¶ And whanne this yere shall be passed. thou shalte come a­gayne vnto the lytyll Broke where I fyrste spake to the / And yet thou shalte see me agayne. yf it playse to my god / ¶ Zozimas answered / Wolde god that I myghte alwaye be wyth the /

¶ My moder I praye the that thou mote ete a lytyll of the mete that I haue broughte to the / ¶ Thenne she to­ke thre graynes of his Lētylle. and put it in her mouthe. sayenge / ¶ It suffy­seth to haue the grace of the holy ghost for to susteyne the soule vndefoylled of synne / ¶ Thenne sayde Zozimas pray for me / And remembre myn Infelycy­te / ¶ Zozimas tooke her by the fete. in prayenge her that she wolde haue the state of the poore synnars and hymself for recommended / ¶ Thyse thynges thus done. the good woman made the sygne of the Crosse vppon flom Iourdan. and went vppon the water as she dyde tofore / ¶ Zozimas dredefull and Ioyeous retourned agayn in to his monasterye / ¶ But he was dysplaysed by cause he hadde not asked her name /

¶ The yere passed he came agayne in to the place afore sayde / ¶ And by­holdynge on alle sydes yf he myghte se her. ¶ But he cowde fyude none apparaunce nor knowlege. ¶ And lyftynge vppe his eyen to henen made his prayer sayenge / ¶ O my god playsyth it y^t to shewe to me the Aungell. to whom alle the worlde is not worthy to be compared or lykened / ¶ And thyse wordes thus proferred and vttred / he saw ouer the sayde broke a clerenesse shynyng as the sonne / ¶ Vnder whyche bryghtnes laye deed the body of the holy Egypcyen / Hauynge the face towarde the Eest And her hondes Ioyned vppon her breste / Thenne Zozimas aroos and wente vnto the sayde body / ¶ By whyche he wepte a longe whyle / wasshynge her fete wyth his teeres wythout towchyn­ge ony other parte of her body /

¶ Thynkynge in hȳselfe that he was not worthy to towche her / ¶ But by the prouydence of god he founde a let­ter in whyche was wreton this that fo­lowyth /

¶ Fader Zozimas putte in sepultu­re the poore body of Marye Egypcyen. To the ende that in soo dooynge thou rendre to the erthe that whiche is hys / And poulder to poulder / in prayenge god for my soule / ¶ Zozimas was moche admerueylled. In thynkynge how thyse lettres hadde ben wreten / Neuerthelesse he reioyced hym of that he knewe her name / And praysed and than­kyd god. ¶ And dyssposyd hym for to make and begynne to dygge a pytte or a Sepulture to burye her in / ¶ But [Page] for as moche as he hadde neyther py­keys ne shouell for to make it / ¶ He founde a lytyll bowhe. wyth whyche he began to delue in the erthe / The why­che was soo harde / that he was a long space of tyme. wythoute to make ony thynge. ¶ Fyrste he was olde and feble ¶ Secondly the grounde was harde.

¶ Thyrdly he was strongely ennoyed and wepte contynuelly / ¶ And in lyke wyse resystynge. he byhelde the corps of the good Marye Egypcyen / He sawe a merueyllouse grete Lyon. whyche lycked the fete of the blessyd corps /

¶ Thenne he was somwhat aferde / For neuer tofore hadde he seen suche a beeste. ¶ Also she hadde sayde to hym that she hadde none seen in alle the ty­me that she hadde ben in deserte /

¶ Thenne Zozimas blessed hym with the sygne of the crosse. in beholdynge y^e sayde lyon / Whyche made to hym a sygne of salutacyon / ¶ That seenge Zozimas commaunded hym to make the sepulture for the good holy woman /

The whyche he dyde accordynge to y^e quantyte of her body / And after in way lynges and wepynges Zozimas couer­de the sayde body. whiche was alle na­kyd in lyke wyse as he hadde founde it in the presence of the sayde lyon / Why­che anone after departed / ¶ And Zozi­mas retorned in to his monastery. and recounted and tolde to his brethern the caas in suche wyse as it happed / Wher­fore they were moche admerueylled /

¶ And after that tyme they solempnysed and worshypped the daye of her departynge oute of this worlde /

¶ The Abbot Iohan corrected theim whyche hadde trespassed and synned lyke as saynt Marye Egypcyen had sayde to the sayde Zozimas / ¶ The why­che lyued in the sayde monasterye vnto the aege of an hundred yeres / ¶ After whyche tyme he deyed in reste / And his soule wente in to the glorye of heuen /

¶ To whyche he brynge vs that dey­ed on the Crosse / Amen /

¶ And nexte folowyth the lyfe of saynt Maryne / Begynnynge in latyn ¶ Fuit frater quidam / et cetera Caplm .xliii.

[Page lxi]SOmtyme a seculer man whi­che hadde but one oonly doug­hter / whom he delyuerd to go­uerne to one of his frēdes / And after he put hym self in relygyon / where he dy­de wyth a good wyll / alle that thabbot commaunded hym / After that he hadd be there a longe space of tyme / he ofte remembryd his doughter / insuche wyse that he becam alle melancolyus /

¶ Thabbot seenge his corage chaunged / and that he was not so Ioyous as he had be accustomed / demaunded him the cause of his heuynesse /

¶ Thenne he ansuerde in wepynge / that he hadde lefte in the cyte an oonly sone. whome he moche loued. and for that cause he was melancolyous / and also by cause he wyst not how he dyde / The abbot sayd to hym / Goo & fetche hym and brynge hym hyther to thende that he may duelle wyth the / And ne­uerthelesse the sayd relygious hadde no sone. but oonly a doughter. as afore is sayd / the whyche hadde to name Ma­ryne / but he wold not telle soo to the ab­bot / by cause he hadd concluded to bringe her in / in abyte dyssymyled / And went to the cyte / whyche was dystant fro his monastery xxxii. myle or there aboute / And brought his doughter clad lyke a man / and callyd hyr Maryn / In whyche estate she was theryn vnto the age of riu [...]· yere. and was suffycyently Instructe / as welle in letture as otherwyse in the waye of helthe / hir fader shewed hyr how vyrgynyte was a fayre estate moche agreable to god / In prayeng her ryght affectuously to kepe hit well / and that she sholde be ware and wyse from the grynnes of the fende.

And that she sholde neuer late be kno­wen that she was a woman / she comen to the age of xvii. yere / her fader deyed and departed out of the worlde.

¶ After she becam moche obeyssaunt to thabbot and to alle them of the mo­nastery / in suche wyse that she was merueyllously loued of thabbot and of all the relygyous wenynge allewaye that she hadde be a man.

¶ The sayd monastery hadde .ii. oxen and alytyll carte seruynge for the rely­gious for to fetche their necessytees at the see whyche was by theim a thre myle of. ¶ On a tyme the abbot called Maryn / and asked hym why he wente not somtyme lyke as the other brethern dyde for to fetche vytayllys for the co­uente. Maryn whiche was moche oberssaunt wente incontynent thyder / Now it is to be noted that on the waye there was a man named Paudoux. in whos hous the sayd Maryn otherwhyle abo­de alle nyght wyth his other brethern / Whan it was soo late that they myght not retorne to the monastery. And hit happed that the doughter of the sayd Paudoux was wyth chylde goten by a man of warre

¶ The fader seyenge hys doughter grete wyth chylde began to repreue her angrely and thretened her for to knowe who hadde-goten it /

¶ Thenne by thynstruccyon of her lo­ue. ansuerde that Maryn the relygyous hadde doon it ¶ The fader thenne ac­companyed wyth hys frendes cam to thabbot / ¶ recoūted to him y^e caas. Wherof thabbot was gretely admerueylled [Page] And sente anone for Maryn / And de­maunded of hym yf he hadde commy­sed thys grete synne / Maryn began to wepe & sayd Fader Abbot I haue gre­tely synned / the whyche dyspleasyth me sore-Wherfore I praye you that ye wyll charge me wyth penaunce suche as ye shall thynke to be apperteynynge to the correccyon of my grete offense /

¶ Thabbot in a grete furye droof him out of y^e monastery / to fore whyche wythout entrynge in agayn she was by y^e space of foure yere / lyeng vnder the gate vpon the bare ground / makyng there sharpe penaunce for the synne whyche she hadde not commysed / And whanne the brethern wente for prouysyon of the couent / she asked of them brede for the loue of god and suche penaunce she endured by the space of iiii. yere in whiche tyme she endured not oonly grete indi­gen [...]es / But also many rebukes and shames / as well of y^e parente [...] and frendes of the doughter whiche hadde leyde to by y^e sayd caas / as of other folke thyder comynge / whyche called her paper la [...]d and ypocryte And yet that wor­se is / ¶ After that the sayd doughter hadde leyen in a certayn tyme for to no [...]ysshe her chylde whyth her pappes /

¶ She brought the chylde to hym sa­yenge [...] holde Maryn take thys chylde / and nourysshe it lyke as thou haste made it. ¶ She receyued it benygnly / And two yere duryng she nourysshed it swetely with suche as was gyuen to hi [...] for the loue of god / ¶ The relygyouse bre­thern seyeng her grete pacyence and humylyte / moeued wyth grete pytee and compassyon prayde thabbot y^t it wold playse hym in preferrynge mercy tofo­re the rygour of Iustyce to calle agayn brother Maryn / whyche thynge he wolde in no wyse doo / hauynge allwaye a­yenst hym merueyllous indygnacyon bycause of the sayd trespaas / ¶ Fyna­bly he beynge vaynquysshyd by conty­nuel prayers of hys brethern / called hȳ in agayn and sayd to hym / Maryn I haue grete conscience / seen the grau [...]te of thy synne / yet I admytte the neuer­theles to come in for to playse my bre­thern whyche haue humbly prayde me for the many tymes / I suffre that thou and thy myserable chylde whyche hast goten in aduoultrye be lodged her wy­thyn as straunge persones / ¶ And by cause that thou art not worthy for to felawshyppe and commynyke wyth the brethern. but in doynge to them scruple lyke as the caas shall requyre / I ordey­ne that thou be allwaye subgette to make clene all the places of here wythin / & take & here awaye the fylthe and vnclene thynges / And also in lyke wyse to fetche water for to wasshe the pottes & disshes and to helpe the nedes of the brethern / ¶ The whyche penaunce she ac­cepted wyth good wyll and good herte / and so longe she contynued that [...]he departed out of this world fro lyf to deth / ¶ Thys thynge pronoūced by the bre­thern to theyr abbot / Whyche sayd to them / My brethern ye knowe well the enormyte of hys synne of whyche he hath not made condygne penaunce /

And therfore it is not decent ne couenable that he be buryed in our monastery But neuertheles seen his obedyence / I am content that ferre in the maner ac­customed he buryed by you out of the monastery / The brethern for to doo [Page lxxiii] that whyche was permytted to theym came in to the lytyll chambre where he was deed / ¶ And in dyspoyllynge and takynge of his clothes for to ennoynte hym / They knewe that she was a woman. And were merueylously abasshed ¶ And began to waylle bytterly wyth grete abundaunce of teeres / ¶ And In­contynent camen and shewed to the abbot / Who for this thynge was gretely [...]oenyd. and towchyd of a merueyllo­us contrycyon and dysplaysure / ¶ And telle there to the grounde. Smytynge wyth his hondes agaynst his brest and his heed sayenge / ¶ O gloryous Ma­ry [...]e I byseche the that of the afflyccy­ [...]s whyche I haue gyuen to the / that thou accuse me not tofore god / For by ygnoraunce I haue done it / ¶ Alas yf thou haddest tolde to me the trouth / I had neuer commysed towarde the thys merueyllous faw [...]e /

¶ After that he hadde moche lamen­ted and waylled. he dyde doo burye her solempnly wythin the chyrche of y^e monasterye / ¶ And that same daye came she whiche hadde vntruely accused her of the caas. for whyche she hadde done soo grete penaunces / The whyche vex­ed and tormented of the deuyll confes­syd openly her synne / Declarynge the name of hym whyche hadde goten the chylde / ¶ Alle the Relygyouses perso­nes of the monasteryes nyghe by aduertysed of this mysterye / In the honoure of the glorious vyrgyn came to the monastery wyth theyr Crosses and tapres lyghte and brennynge / in syngyng ym [...]s and psalmes / In praysynge the name of god / To whom they thanked and rendred graces of that whiche had playsed hym for the edifycacyon of the yr soules to shewe to theym this merueyllous fayte. ¶ And after in the sayde monasterye were shewed and done many myracles by the prayers of the holy vyrgyne saynt Maryne /

¶ The lyfe of saynt Eufrosyne / & be­gynnyth in latyn ¶ Fuit vir. et cetera. Caplm .xliiii.

IN Alexandrye was a man named Pafunce moche honourable. and kepynge the commaū dementes of god / He toke a wyfe why­che was of moche honeste lyfe / As she that was extracte of noble parentes & vertuous / ¶ But she was barayn & steryle. and moche sorowfull. by cause she [Page] had noo chyldren ne lygnye / ¶ The good Pafūce was moche soroufull bi cause he had noo chyldren / that myght succede to his possessyons / His wyfe hadd grete solycytude to nourysshe the poore people. ¶ She seruyd god daye & nyghte. Contynuelly she prayed hym. that it myghte playse hym to gyue her a chylde by generacyon. pryncypally by cau­se that her husbonde was soo dysplay­saunt that he mighte haue none ¶ And he hymself semblably prayed / and for­cyd hȳself to finde some deuowte man that wolde praye god for hym that he myghte obteyne his desyre by the moy­en of his prayers. And to that ende he enlarged to the poore grete quantite of his goodes temporall /

On a tyme he entred in to a monaste­ry where he founde a good fader. loued of god after the renom̄e of the countree for the contemplacōn of whom. he frequented in the sayd monastery diuers times. dooyng there his almesse tofore e [...] he declaryd his wyll & desyre to the Abbot ne to the relygyouses ¶ Fynably he sayde to theym that he had all his lyfe desyred to haue generacyon. but neuer­thelesse he cowde not haue it / ¶ Thabbot & the relygyouses desyrynge to hel­pe in his aduersytee. prayed god for hȳ in suche wise. that by the will of god he had a moche fay [...] doughter. the whiche after that she was .vii. yeres olde was baptysed. and callyd Eufrosyne ¶ And whan she was of .iii. yere aege. her moder departed out of this worlde· leuyng her husbonde alyue. the whyche enfourmyd the sayd doughter aswell in letture as in good maners / And in suche wise prouffyted. that not oonly her fader & her parentes. but also all thynhabitaū ­tes of the cyte. or the moost parte merueylled theym: & also of her bodyly bewte ¶ Soo it happed that for her grete vertues & perfeccions she was of many desyred in maryage. but al were forsaken excepte one. whyche passed alle other in rychesse and in honours / ¶ In ryght yonge aege she was therto acorded /

¶ Whan she was .xviii. yere olde. her fader ladd her to the monastery where he had ben accustomed to praye god. And there gaaf grete quantyte of money / & sayd to thabbot / ¶ Fader abbot loo he­re the fruyte of thy prayer / Neuertheles I am constrayned to marye her I require the to praye for her / ¶ Thabbot ad­monested her to lyue in honeste. chasty­te & pacyēce. and also soueraynly to drede god / ¶ And she bēynge in this mo­nasterye. where she soiourned wyth her fader by the space of thre dayes began to haue contemplacōn in the good & honeste conuersacyon of the Relygyouses And thoughte in herself that wel hap­py were thise men relygyouses / whiche in this worlde were semblable to angellis. and in the ende of theyr lyfe sholde deserue the glorye eternell / ¶ The thre dayes passed Pafunce requyred atte the abbot that he wolde gyue the benedye­cyon to his doughter. And they wolde retorne in to the cyte / ¶ And thus say­eng she kneled downe on bothe her knees tofore hym in sayenge / My fader I byseche the y^t it may playse the to pray for me. to the ende that god woll saue my poore soule / ¶ Thise wordes sayde the Abbot layed his honde vppon her ¶ The god that knoweth the creatu­res tofore they were born blesse the and [Page lxxiiii] make the to haue parte in his Reame / ¶ After that tyme as ofte as her fader founde ony Relygyous persone· he lad hym in to his house. And prayed hym to praye for her /

¶ The Abbot hadde a custome to make feeste and solempnytee the day that he was Instituted Abbot of his monastery / ¶ That daye comynge he sent to the house of Pafunce. for to praye him to come to that solempnytee / ¶ The relygyous that came founde not the say-Pafunce att home / ¶ But it was tolde hym by his seruauntes. that he was gone oute / ¶ Eufrosme that seenge called the Relygyous. and axyd of hym ma­ny thynges / ¶ Fyrste how many bred (er)n were in his monastery / The Relygyous sayde that there were thre hundred & two and fyfty / ¶ After she axyd yf there were ony dyffyculte to receyue in to y^e Relygyon of ony that wolde rendre hȳ Relygyous / ¶ To whom he answered that nay / Sayenge that oure lord god hadde sayd that who soo euer wolde come to hym. he wolde not caste hym out from hym / ¶ Thyrdly she demaunded yf they songe the psalmes alle togyder And also how they fasted / He ansuered that eueryche fasted after his power / But they songe alle togyder. ¶ And also she asked of alle the rules of the sayde monasterye / And he tolde alle to her ¶ After she sayde to the sayde Relygyous that her wyll was to lede the state and lyfe of Relygyon / But she dradde moche to offende her fad (er). Whyche wolde doo her to be maryed / ¶ The Relygyous sayde to her / My syster delyuere not thy body to a man mortall. but to god whyche is Inmortall gyue thy beaulte / And secretely take the habyte of a man / and make thyselfe Relygyouse in some monastery. where some euer it be / ¶ Whyche thynge herynge the sayd doughter was greteli comforted and reioyced / ¶ But neuerthelesse she had in herselfe some heuynesse / By cause that she cowde not aduyse her by what moyen she myghte doo and accomplysshe this thynge / For she durste not truste in ony laye man / ¶ The Relygyouse sayde to her / Thy fader shall be thre or four dayes in the Abbaye / ¶ And therfore sende for some deuowte Relygyouse man / Whyche ryght gladly shall pourueye for thy caas /

¶ And thus as they deuysed togyder. came her fader / Whyche demaunded of the Relygyous the cause of his comyn­ge thyder / ¶ The whyche sayd to hym that his Abbot prayed hym that it wolde playse hym to come to the solempnytee of his feest / ¶ Pafunce moche Ioy­ous of his comynge wente in to a shyp wyth the Relygyous. and came to the monasterye / ¶ Incontynent that they were departed / Saynt Eufrosyne desyrynge to accomplysshe and fuldoo her purpoos and entencyon. sente for to se­che a Relygyous of the monastery of y^e Abbot Theodocyen / The whyche be­ynge comen to her. she anone recyted to hym. and tolde her caas and entency­on / ¶ And that whyche she hadde enterprised to doo and accomplysshe / ¶ And thenne he herynge thyse fayre and de­uowte wordes sayde to her / ¶ My loue and frende god hathe taughte vs. that who that renoūcyth not fader and moder. theyr chyldren and theymselfe by theyr free wyll. is not worthy to be dyscyple [Page] of our lorde Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And therfore I saye yf thou mayst. thou ou­ghtest to renounce thy parents and kinnesfolke. for to ensewe and folowe Ihesu Cryste /

¶ Remembre the not· ne take noo tho­ughte for the herytage of thy fader. for there [...]en ynow of poore wydowes and of poore monasteries. to whom he may dystrybute and deale his goodes / ¶ Saynt Eufrosine ansuerd. I truste in god and· in thy wordes / And praye the that thou wol [...]e praye for me / ¶ And that Incontynente. thou cutte of and take a waye myn heeres / ¶ The Relygyouse his oryson made in prayenge sayde /

¶ Oure lorde god whyche hathe dely­uered from perill alle his sayntes woll kepe and preserue the from alle euyll / ¶ Anone after he cutte of her heeres / And that done departed from thens. yeuynge praysinge to oure lorde god. and consyderynge in herselfe what she had to doo for to entree in to the Relygyon of wymmen. ¶ [...]nowynge that her fader in sekynge her myghte happely finde her there / ¶ And therfore in leuynge the habite of a woman cladde her with the haby [...]e of a man / ¶ And after de­parted from the house of her fader. and wente in to the monasterye. thyther as he was gone. ¶ And Incontynent that she knewe that her fader was departed She founde the manere to speke wyth the Abbot / gyuynge hym to vnderstonde that she was a man that gladly wolde be there Relygious. and named her selfe Smaradyn /

¶ The Abbot receyued her gladly / and for as moche as she semyd a chylde of yonge aege. ¶ She was delyuered to be endoctryned and taughte in the ru­les of the Relygyon to a nother Relygious man. namyd Agapyton / ¶ She beynge there. by cause she was moche fayre. and pryncypally of vysage / Many of the Relygiouses beganne to murmure in sayenge / That it was a deuyll in lykenesse of a Relygyous / ¶ And that by her beaulte many of them were fall in synne /

¶ Fynably they sayde it to the Abbot / The whyche that knowynge comma­unded to Smaradyn. that he shold make his prayers alone in his lytyll chambre / And that he sholde noo more come in to the chyrche / ¶ Whyche thynge she dyde gladly and helde her there soo so­lytaryly. that alle the Relygiouses merueylled of the grete constaunce that she hadde in soo yonge aege /

¶ Her fader Pafunce retourned fro the sayd monasterye / And whanne he was comen home. he founde nought his sayde doughter And anone was surprysed and taken of a grete and merueyllouse sorowe and heuynesse. ¶ And beganne to aske alle his seruauntes and cham­berers where she was bycome. and wh [...] ther she was goon / ¶ To whom they ansuered that in the mornynge she de­parted oute of the house as they suppo­syd. for syth they hadde not seen her. ne knewe not where she was bycome. In contynent and wythout taryeng he sente his messagers to alle partyes. and fro Relygion to Relygyon: as well in Alexandrye as in Egypte. But he cowde here noo tydynges. wherof he was full of heuynesse. and soo ryght sorowful that vnneth it maye not be sayde. He made soo lamentacyon and sorowe. that he [Page lxxv] sayde thyse wordes / ¶ Alas my swete d [...]ughter myne oonly consolacyon. and alle the playsaunce of myne eyen. Whyche is he that robbed & toke the awaye from me / And that hath quenchyd my lyghte and alle myn hope / ¶ Alas now is defoylled the beaute of thy face /

¶ A cursyd be the wulfe that hath borne awaye my shepe / ¶ Alas in what set or in what londe maye she be hydde ¶ O londe hyde not from me my dou­ [...]ghter Eufrosyne. But doo soo moche that she maye be rendred to me agayne ¶ Suche wordes and other moche merueyllous and pyteuous sayde Pafunce. in wayllynge soo moche· that the assystentes and dwellers of the citee were excyted and styred to make lamentacyon and cryes / ¶ And after he retourned to his holy Abbot. To whom in wepyng he declared the cause of his grete sorow and dyscomforte / To the ende that he & his Relygyouses sholde praye to god that he myghte haue hasty and shortly tydynges of his doughter / ¶ And that they dysposyd theym to faste and ma­ke denowte orysons du [...]ynge an hoole weke / But neuerthelesse they herde of her noo manere tydynges /

¶ Saynt Eufrosyne prayed in lyke wyse to god. that neuer her conuersacy­on sholde be shewed to man ¶ After came the Abbot to her fader Pafūce and sayde to hym / My sone reioyce the syth we haue noo reuelacyon of her / ¶ We byleue stedfastly that in what place y^t euer thy doughter be. she is in the honour of god / And hathe noo dystrowblyn­ge ne empeshement / ¶ That herynge Pafunce was a lytyll comforted / And after that he hadde thankyd the bred (er)n he retornyd in to his howse /

¶ Certayne dayes after passed the sayde Pafunce retornyd in to the abbaye / And recommaūded him to the bredern In requyrynge theym moche humbly that they sholde praye for him and for his doughter. And syngulerly to the abbot to him sayenge. ¶ Alas good fader my sorowe renewyth from daye to day more and more / ¶ Truely I may noo lenger bere it wythoute dethe /

¶ The Abbot seenge that he was soo moche sorowfull. broughte hym in to the chambre where as saynt Eufrosy­ne was. not knowyng that she was his doughter / ¶ And callyd the Relygyouse that hadde the charge of her. namyd Agapyton /

¶ Saynt Eufrosyne herynge her fa­der was moche abasshed / And wepyng wyth grete teeres beganne to comforte her the beste she mighte. as she had not be of his knowlege / ¶ Her fader beholdynge that her face was alle couered with her habyte. and gretely chaunged for her fastynges and abstynences. whiche she continuelly made. knew her not ¶ After the lamentacyons and wayl­lynges / saynt Eufrosyne began to spe­ke to her fader. of the excellence of the glorye eternall / ¶ And how by absty­nence. Charytee almesse. Chastyte. and also in lyke wyse by the vertue of humylytee myghte begoten the souerayne be atytude or blessydnesse /

¶ After she admonested hym to dyspyse and contempne all worldly thynges In shewynge to hym. that a man oughte not soo moche loue his chyldren as god / ¶ But by cause that she sawe her fader in moche grete trybulacyon. she [Page] wolde comforte hym atte laste. and sa­yd to hym. ¶ Knowe my frende for trouthe as I byleue. that thou arte bylouyd of god / ¶ And that yf thy dough­ter were in waye of perdycyon god wolde haue shewed in what estate she we­re in. ¶ I byleue that she hathe chosen the waye of helthe / ¶ For he that for­sakyth not alle that he hathe. maye haue noo parte in heuen / ¶ Leue thenne thy malencolye. and be not cause of thi perdycyon and losse / ¶ Haue pacyence and stedfaste hope / ¶ I haue herde ofte my mayster Agapyton speke of the /

¶ And how thou haste prayed the Re­lygyouses for to haue tydynges of thy doughter. ¶ But I haue ofte prayed to the ende that thou sholdeste haue pacyence. And haue desired for to see the for to comforte the. wyth the leest harme that I myghte / ¶ And after the sayde to hym / My lorde and my frende goo thy waye I praye the / ¶ And notwyth­stondyng y^t she desyred hym to goo his waye. Neuerthelesse she wepte and had compassyon of him / ¶ For nature myghte not lye /

¶ Pafuncyus her fader by her wordes / was moche comforted / And nyghe as moche as he hadde founde his dough­ter / ¶ After he recommaunded hym to the prayers of the Abbot and Couent / And retorned home to his house / ¶ Saynt Eufrosyne in the habyte of a man lyued eyghte and thyrty yeres ¶ And anone after cam̄ to her a sykenesse and maladye. of whyche she deyed / ¶ And dutynge the sayde maladye. her fader came to the abbaye for to vysyte her / Notwythstondynge that he wende al­waye that she hadde ben the Relygyouse Smaradyn / ¶ And entred in to the chambre where she laye syke. and founde her almoost deed / ¶ Thenne he be­ganne to wepe sayeng / Alas and what shall I doo / ¶ Where ben the promyses whyche thou haste made to me Sma­radyn / ¶ Where ben the swete consolacyons and the playsaunte wordes. By whyche thou promysedest to me. that I sholde see my doughter. ¶ Alas I haue not oonly loste my doughter. But also I shall lese the. the whyche haste gyuen to me soo moche comforte / ¶ Alas who shall comforte my poore olde aege. and whyther shall I goo / ¶ Who shall be helpynge to me in my heuynesse / Now am I constrayned to wepe my dowble euyll and harme of the and of my dou­ghter / ¶ It is eyghte and thyrty yere goo syth I loste my doughter / Now I retorne in to lyke sorowe. ¶ Alas whe­re shall I now fynde consolacyon and comforte / ¶ I shall descende wepynge in to helle yf god haue not pyte vppon me /

¶ Smaradyn seenge his heuynesse hadde compassyon on hym / ¶ And re­comforted hym sayenge / Wherfore tor­mentest the thou thus / Wolte thou flee thyselfe / ¶ Ne thynkesse not thou that god is almyghty for to comforte the / Make an ende of thy heuynesse /

¶ Thynke how Iacob wepte for hys sone Ioseph as deed / And yet after ou­re lorde god shewed hym to hym / ¶ I praye the for the honoure of god. that thou leue me not bi the space of thre dayes /

¶ Thenne her fader Pafunce suppo­syd that the noble Relygyous Smara­dyn wythoute faulte sholde shewe to [Page lxxvi] him some thynge in some manere that he shall haue knowlege of his dough­ter /

¶ The thre dayes passed Incontynent came agayne Pafunce to Smaradyn / And sayd thus ¶ My ryght swete frende the thre dayes ben now passed / I haue taryed. lyke as thou saydest to me /

¶ Thenne saynt Eufrosyne knowynge that the daye approchyd and drewe nyghe in whyche she sholde deye· sayde to her fader / ¶ My lorde and my fren­de I knowe that I shal not lyue longe And that god hathe holpen me to fyg­hte agaynste the deuyll vnto now / It restyth oonly that I gyue the consolacyon of thy doughter Eufrosyne / ¶ By­leue surely that I am she / And therfore be constaunt and myghty wythoute in ony wyse to angre the ¶ And this that I shewe to the. ne shewe ne declare it to ony man lyuynge / ¶ But thou allone tofore that I be putt in the erthe. shall wasshe me. To the ende that noo man knowe that I am a woman / ¶ I ha­ue promysed many londes and possessyons to the chyrche here wythin / ¶ And therfore thou shalte accomplysshe and fulfyll my promyse. It is a place of grete deuocyon / ¶ Praye for me. I commaunde the to god. and my body and my soule / ¶ And in sayenge thyse wordes she rendred and gaaf her spiryte to god

¶ Whanne Pafunce the fader of the good lady hadde herde thyse wordes / seenge that she was thenne deed. fell doune to the erthe as deed /

¶ After this ranne Agapytus. and he seenge that Smaradyn was deed. And Pafunce fallen downe to the erthe. cas­ted water in to the vysage of Pafunce. In sayenge / ¶ What eylest thou my lorde and frende. Aryse vppe / ¶ Pafunce ansuered. Alas that I deye not ryght here / This daye haue I seen thynges enarrable / ¶ After he roos vp and fell vppon the face of his doughter. & wys­she her wyth his teeres / ¶ And whan̄e he hadde longe waylled and wepte vppon the body / He sayde wyth an hyghe voyce. ¶ Alas my swete doughter. why haddeste not thou more sooner shewed and manyfested thyselfe to me. To the ende that I hadde deyed gladly with y^t ¶ Vnhappynesse is comen to me. syth that· thou haste hydde thyselfe soo lon­ge from me. ¶ Alas how haste thou vaynquysshed and putt vnder thy fete. the aduersytees of this worlde. And now thou arte in eternall glorye /

¶ Agapyton that herynge wente to the Abbot and shewed hym alle the caas / ¶ Whanne the Abbot was comen / In lyke wyse he began to wepe wyth Pafunce in sayenge / ¶ O Eufrosyne spowse of Ihesu Cryste / The tyme is comen that thou oughtest to remembre thy brethern / ¶ Praye for vs. to the en­de that we maye come to the porte of helthe /

¶ Alle the bredern there assembled and seenge this myracle. gloryfyed & wor­shypped god in sayeng. ¶ Honour and praysynge be to god of heuen and of erthe / Whyche that makyth not oonly to men merueyllouse thynges. but also to wymmen / ¶ And thus as alle were there assembled for to burye the corps / A brother whyche hadde but one eye. kys­sed her. And Incontynent he sawe cler­ly wyth that other eye /

¶ Her fader dystrybuted and dealed al [Page] his possessyons and lyuelood to the sayde chirche and monastery. And rendred and became hymself Relygyous in the same place and monasterye / Where as he lyued ten yeres after / And after hys dethe fynably was buryed bi saynt Eufrosyne his oonly doughter. and sauyd in heuen / ¶ To the whrche by theyr intercessyons and prayers it maye playse god that we maye all come atte the ende of oure dayes / ¶ The whyche gra­unte vs the fader. sone. and holy ghost / Amen /

¶ Of saynt Frontynyan. Whyche be­gynnyth in latyn ¶ Quomam sepe desideratis / Caplm .xlv.

SAYnt Frontynyan beynge in the countree of Nytrye. & wyth hym thre score and ten bretherne whiche ladde vertuouse lyuynge. callyd

all the sayde brethern / ¶ And they beynge assembled and comen togyder / sayde to theim / My brethern what doo we here in this dampnable worlde / I apperteyne now yf we woll gete the heuenly lyfe / It is of necessytee to renounce and forsake alle worldly Ioyes / ¶ Lete vs leue alle and goo we in to deserte wythoute to bere wyth vs ony thynge of the worlde / Alle they consented ther­to / ¶ Some toke of the seed of Cole wortes and other herbes for to sowe in Deserte / ¶ Whanne they were there arryued / The good fader sayde to the­ym / ¶ God hathe sayde in his gospell That noo man sholde thinke on suche thynges as he sholde ete or drynke /

¶ Those ben the condycyons of theim that lyuen in the worlde / ¶ Lete vs de­maunde and aske fyrste the Reame of heuen / ¶ And lete vs doo after Iustyce ¶ And by this moyen alle good thyn­ges [Page lxxvii] shall come to vs / ¶ After that euer yche of theym. after his power enten­ded to prayer the beste wyse they myghte. ¶ But the good fader prayed not o­nely for hymselfe. but for alle the other

¶ Longe tyme after that they hadde lyued in the sayde Deserte / The enmye of nature. whyche is alwaye enuyouse / Pryncypally of theym whyche done penaunce / Tempted theym· and assayled wyth many assaultes / In suche wyse that he made theym alle to murmure. and to grutche agaynst theyr Abbot / And sayde that one to that other / Wherfore is it that oure Abbot hathe made vs to come in to this Deserte / ¶ They that ben in townes and castellis: shall haue as well heuen as we. Soo that they done good werkes. ¶ And we slee ourselfe here by fastynges. And by ab­stynence we deyen for hungre / ¶ And thus the moost parte of theim were mouyd to retourne to the worlde /

¶ This knowynge saynt Frontinyan came to theym. and sayde / Wherfore alye my bredern come ye hyther with me for to murmure and grutche agaynste god / Knowe ye not well by holy scryp­ture. that a Iuste man shall neuer deye for hungre / ¶ And yf he haue not for to ete. God shall sende hym some by his aungell. Lyke as he hathe doon to many of whom we rede / ¶ Thynke that god hathe alwaye his eye vppon the deuowte soules / Thynke also how god nouryssheth the rauen̄s wythin theye neest. whanne the fader ne the moder woll not nourysshe them by cause they ben whyte / ¶ Whanne they ben fyrste hayghte or borne /

¶ My brethern haue ye alwaye the lo­ue of god in youre hertes. And I assure & certefye you for trouthe. that ye shall neuer haue defaulte of mete ne of drynke / ¶ And yf it soo happened / whyche I byleue shall neuer come. that ye shol­de haue hungre or thurste / And whan̄e it soo were / Thenne myghte ye haue cause to accuse god of the wordes that he hathe sayde in the gospell / thus say­enge to hym / ¶ O god we haue kepte thy commaundementes. And haue by­leuyd that thou haste sayde. that is to wyte that thou shalte nourysshe thy seruauntes wyth heuenly mete / We haue had in y^e hope. neuertheles thou haste lefte vs / But I praye you alle ne mur­mure ne grutche noo more thus in likewyse as oure faders auncyente dyde in Deserte. whanne they were delyuered from the honde of kynge Pharao /

¶ Abyde ye. and tarye a whyle. And ye shall knowe how god pourneyth to theym that dredyth hym and louyth hym

¶ After thyse wordes of saynt Frontynyan alle they ceaseden theyr murmu­racyons and grutchynges / ¶ And of that they hadde soo done they were moche sorowfull and dysplaysaunte /

¶ On a nyghte after that they had soo ben corrected / An aungell apperyd to a Ryche man / ¶ And sayde thus to hym / ¶ Thou man that lyuest in gre­te delyces & worldly playsures. and ha­uinge habundaunce of goodes. and the poore seruauntes of god ben in Deserte whyche haue grete hungre / ¶ I aduertyse and counseylle the that thou aryse vppe. And that thou sende theym some mete for to ete / ¶ Or ellis thou shalte [Page] renne in to the Indygnacyon of god / ¶ The man slepynge was gretely ad­merueyled / ¶ On the morne erly he callyd togyder alle his frendes. and reco­unted to theym alle that the angel had shewed to hym / ¶ But he knewe noo thynge in what place the holy faders were / ¶ Wherfore he cowde not do that the aungell hadde sayde to hym /

¶ On the morne he was yet agayn menaced thretened and beten by than­gell / By cause he hadde not accomplysshed and fulfylled his commaūdement ¶ In lyke wyse as he dyde tofore he dyde doo assemble alle his frendes. for to haue counseylle how he myghte doo that. whiche the aungell hadde commaunded hym / In shewyng to theym the woundes that he hadde receyued of the aungell / ¶ And notwythstondynge none of theym wyste not what to saye / By cause they knew not the place where the relygyous were in deserte /

¶ Emong the other there was one wyse man. that counseylled hym that he sholde lade and charge thre score & ten Camellis wyth vytaylle / And to lete theym goo there as they wolde. withoute to be ladde ne conduyted of ony per­sone / ¶ For yf it were soo that suche reuelacyon came of a good aungell. He sholde pourney for theym / And yf it came of an euyll aungell. He sholde take it in pacyence / This counseyle playsed to alle them that were presente / ¶ And it was soo executed in ladynge thre score and fyue Camellis with vytayle for the Relygyouses / And fyue other wyth vytaylle for the sayde Camellis /

¶ After they were thus laden. he made his prayer to god thus sayenge / O my god I requyre the. as Prouyder of alle theym that lyuen / That it may playse the to adresse and to gouerne alle thyse Camellis to go to the place where thy seruauntes ben / in suche wyse as it shal playse the / And also to brynge them home agayne. yf it soo playse the. wythoute empesshement or lettynge in to myn howse /

¶ Thenne he made theym to departe wythoute ony persone to goo wyth theym for to be theyr guyde / ¶ And soo they wente alonge by a mountayne by the space of foure dayes / And fynably came to the yate of theyr monasterye / ¶ And by cause that they songe theyr seruyce. they myghte not here those sayde Camellis. ne theyr grete sownettes ne belles / [...]auf oonly the Abbot. whyche was nyghe the gate / Whyche was fyrst aduysed and hadd knowlege of theym to his grete Ioye and exultacyon. By cause that god hymselfe hadde puruey­ed to his nedefull petycyon and prayer ¶ The sayde Abbot Frontynyan say­de noo worde vnto the tyme that al the seruyse was accomplysshed and ended / ¶ And after the ende of the sayde ser­uyse. he callyd togider alle his brethern To whom he sayde / ¶ O my brethern where ben now youre murmuracyons and grutchynges / ¶ See ye now how god hath sente myraculously thyse Camellis laden wyth vytaylle /

¶ Alle they togyder rendred and gaaf thankynges to god. In praysynge and magnefyenge his name / ¶ And after dischargeden and vnloded the sayd Camellis· and wysshe theyr fete / And that done. they gaaf to them to ete suche mete as they hadde brought wyth theym / [Page lxxviii] ¶ And with that also wente to the mountayne for to fetche grasse. for to Re­fresshe theym more largely /

¶ On the morowe the Abbot departed aile the vytaylles / And layed agayne on the Camellis halfe theyr ladynge / To the ende to eschewe the sinnes that they myghte commyse and doo by ouer grete habundaunce and plentee of tho­se goodes / ¶ And sente theym to hym agaynt that hadde sente theym / ¶ In prayenge to god / that from alle harme and euyll he wolde kepe theym / and also theyr mayster and lorde /

¶ Seuen dayes after they of the howse of the sayde riche man whyche had sente forthe the sayd Camellis / ¶ One of theym herde the sownettis and bellis. & sawenge theym comynge togyder. and And aduertysed and tolde the other /

¶ Thenne alle they alle togyder went to mete theym / And founde theym all togyder alle hoole / And not lener ne in worse poynte thanne they were att the yt departynge. for alle theyr ferre and longe Iourney / ¶ The ryche man whiche tofore was heuy. doubtynge the losse of his Camellis. receyued theim Ioyously. In louynge and praysynge the name of god /

¶ And after that same tyme durynge the lyfe of the sayde saynt Frontynyan contynued to sende to hym ofte of hys goodes. as well for hym as for his Re­lygyouses. by whyche the sayde hadde noo suffraunce of hungre. ne necessytee of ony thynge /

And this thynge happed the thyrtenth yere of the Empyre of Anthonye Emperoure of Rome / ¶ Saynt Iherom sayth vppon this paas / that who some euer shal doo almesse vnto the seruauntes of god. And haue towarde theym a pyteuous herte. In enlargynge to theym of his goodes for theyr necessytees. He shall be rewarded of god in this lyf or in euerlastynge lyfe / ¶ The whyche yeue vs the fader. the sone and the holy ghoste / Amen /

¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Sy­meon heremyte / And begynnyth in la­tyn ¶ Sanctus Symeon. et cetera Caplm .xlvi.

[Page]SAynt Symeon was not he y^e receyued in the Temple oure Sauyoure and redemer Ihe­su Cryste. ¶ Fourty dayes after he was borne. The whyche made the Psalme Nunc dimittis / ¶ But this holy man of whom presentely we shall rede. was halowed of god in his moders wombe / ¶ He was swetely nourysshed of his parentes and frendes / And kepte and droue the beestes of his fader vnto thirtene yeres of his aege / ¶ Thnne it happed as he kepte those beestes. that he apperreyued a chyrche / In to whyche he en­tred leuynge his beestes in the feldes /

And in that chyrche thenne was radde the Epystle of saynt Poul / ¶ Incon­tynent saynt Symeon a [...]yd an auncy­ent man. what sygnefyed that. whyche was thenne radde / ¶ The whyche answered to hym. that the epystle sygnefyed / How a man oughte to loue and drede god wyth alle his myghte and tho­ughte /

¶Saynt Symeon asked what it was to laye to drede god / ¶ The sayd auncyent man answered to hym / My sone why mockest thou me / ¶ The chylde ansuered to hym / My fader I aske the as hym whiche maye comforte me. I am as a [...]ude asse and ygnoraunt whiche knowyth noo thynge / ¶ And therfore I praye the that thou wolte teche me in that whyche I shall demaunde and aske the The auncyent fader in heryng thyse wordes taught hym in this manere and sayde.

¶ My sone who someuer fastyth and mekyth hymselfe in kepynge the com­maundementis of god. forsakyth fader and mode [...] frendes. and all the goodes of the worlde. In folowynge the doctryne of holy faders. he shall haue for hys herytage the reame of heuen /

¶ Whanne the chylde herde thyse wordes he knelyd downe tofore him sayenge / ¶ Thou arte my fader and my moder / And wyth this I take the for my Dyrectour of alle my werkes and ope­racyons / Thou haste this daye sauyd my soule· the whyche was in the waye of perdycyon. ¶ Now I shall goo in suche wyse as thou haste taughte me. Or god shall conduyte and lede me / ¶ His wyll of me be done / ¶ Yet the good fader enfourmyd hym that he sholde ha­ue pacyence in aduersytee / ¶ And after this the sayde Symeon wente vnto a monasterye. of a ryght perfyghte man. namyd Thymothee. Tofore the yates of whiche monastery he taryed fyue dayes wythoute mete and wythout dryn­ke / ¶ After the sayde fyue dayes. the holy Abbot Thymothee came out of the sayde monasterye. And founde the chylde Symeon / ¶ And he askyd hym of whens he was / And yf he hadde done ony harme. by cause he was fugy [...]yf /

¶ Saynt Symeon answered sayenge Syre I haue not begyled ne trowbled my frendes. ne none other persones of the worlde. ¶ But I desire to be the seruaunte of god. yf it playse hym / ¶ To the ende that I may saue my soule the whiche is loste /

¶ And therfore I praye the / that thou receyue me in to thy monasterye for to serue alle the brethern therin.

¶ Thenne the good Abbot tooke hym by the honde. as he hadde knowen hys grete deuocyon / And ladde hym in to y^e monasterye / sayenge to the relygiouses [Page lxxix] ¶ Alle ye my brethern I delyuer to you this chylde namyd Symeon. for to te­che and enfourme hym in the Rules of oure monasterye / ¶ And therfore I cō ­maunde you that eche of you be to him as his fader / For I byleue that he shal be of the nombre of perfyghte men /

¶ The chylde Symeon seruyd the sayde Relygyous by the space of foure monethes / In whyche foure monethes he lerned the Psaulter. In lyuynge allone spyrytuelly / ¶ For the refeccōn that he hadde wyth the Relygyouses. he gaaf it secretely to the poore people / ¶ And notwythstondynge that the brethern toke theyr refeccyon alwaye atte euyn. saynt Symeon tooke noo thynge but on the seuenth daye /

¶ On a daye amonge the other. he tooke the corde of the pytte. by whyche they drewe the water / and bounde it on his bare flesshe abowte his raynes and his sholdres / ¶ And soo faste he boun­de it abowte. that the corde entred wyth in his flesshe vnto the bone / ¶ And for this cause his flesshe roted. and was ful of vermyn The whyche fell from hym in suche wise as the good Symeon walked ¶ Now it happed that the bredern knew that he ete not but from one son daye to a nother / And they founde him gyuynge his porcyon to the poore peo­ple ¶ And soo they accused hym to the Abbot sayenge That he brake the ru­les of the abbay / And also that he was alle enfecte. And they felte hym moche stynkynge / ¶ The Abbot made hym to come speke to hym. In repreuynge hym of his strayte lyfe. By cause he e­te not euery daye ones lyke as he hym­selfe dyde / And there was noo dyscyple aboue his mayster / ¶ And after he made hym to be dyspoylled / And thenne they founde how he was bounde wyth a corde. And that it was the cause why he stanke soo / ¶ The Abbot was gret­ly abasshed. and prayed hym that he wolde goo oute of the monasterye. But fyrste they tooke it from hym wyth grete payne and smarte / And dyde doo he­le hym / ¶ And that done he departed oute of the monasterye secretely / And went vnto a deserte place. whyche was not ferre from the sayde monasterye / Where he founde a pytte. whyche was not vsyd / And in whyche was noo water / but there were therin euyll spyrytes. ¶ The nyghte folowynge was shew­ed to the Abbot Thymothee. that ma­ny armyd people came for to assyege y^e howse for to haue the good seruaunt of god Symeon / ¶ And yf they wold not delyuere hym / That they wolde thre­tene to brenne theym and all theyr monasterye /

¶ Whanne Thymothee was awakyd consyderyng this reuelacyon / And that he hadde soo blamyd the seruaunte of god. was sore aferde. and recyted to his brethern the sayde reuelacyon / ¶ And how he was therwyth sore trowblyd / ¶ The nyghte folowynge came abowte the howse moche people. that cryed wyth an hyghe voyce / ¶ Thymothee delyuer to vs Symeon. ¶ He is better bylouyd wyth god thanne thou / Wherfore haste thou trowbled hym soo har­dely / ¶ Alle the heuenly courte is wro­the wyth the / ¶ By cause for hym god shall doo merueyllous thynges / why­che man neuer dyde / ¶ Incontynente Tymothee aroos. and went to his bre­thern. [Page] commaudynge theim that wyth oure delaye they sholde goo and fynde Symeon / or ellis they were all in way to deye wythin theyr monasterye /

¶ The brethern anone wente oute of their chyrche for to go seche where thei myghte fynde the good Symeon / but they cowde not fynde hym / ¶ Thenne they retorned to the Abbot sayeng. that they hadde serched ouer alle sauf in the pytte of the deserte / ¶ The abbot whyche of thise tydynges was moche dys­playsed. tooke wyth hym fyne of hys brethern. wyth whom he transported hym vnto the sayde pytte. wherin the good Symeon was descended / ¶ And tofor [...]r they wolde goo downe in that place. they made theyr prayers to god to haue grace for to fynde the good re­lygyous Symeon / And that he wolde kepe theym from Inconuenyent / And that done they descended in to the pytt ¶ The holy man Symeon seenge theym there sayde to theym / O ye seruauntes of god / I praye you suffre ye me to abyde here. that I maye yelde my spy­ryte to god / For I haue but a lytyl whyle to lyue / And my soule is yet alle gre­uyd of that I haue enfecte your house / ¶ The Abbot ansuerd / Certaynly my frende we shall not leue the here / But thou shalte come with vs in to our monasterye / For we knowe that thou arte louyd of god / ¶ Thyse wordes sayde they broughte hym wolde he or noo into theyr chyrche / In whyche alle they felle downe to his fete. and cryed hym mercy of the offence that they had do­ne to hym / ¶ Saynt Symeon wepyn­ge sayde to theym / Helas my brethern ye grieue me to exalte me thus that am a poore synnar / And ye ben soo holy faders /

¶ A yere after dwelled saynt Symeon in the sayde monasterye / And after he departed secretely in to a solytary place Whyche was not ferre from the sayde monasterye / ¶ And there edefyed a ly­tyll cloysture of stones / And there dwellyd he thre yeres / ¶ In that tyme be­ganne his fame to growe in the places nyghe vnto his habytacyon in whyche he dwellyd after by the space of .xvi. yeres / ¶ Thenne it happed that his sayde fame and renom̄ee spradde ouer all the countree / ¶ And was soo agreable to the people. that they made to hym two chyrches. in whyche he dwellyd yet by the space of foure yere / ¶ The whiche yeres passed. he di [...]e many grete miracles. In helynge by his prayers ma­ny that were dombe / Some demonya­kes. Blynde· deyf. Lazars. and other sekenesses / ¶ Moche people. as well Sarrasyns as Persaūs. and of other ferre regyons herynge the bruyte of his vertu­ous renommee camen to hym / as well for to serue hym and honoure hym / as for to receyue y^e faythe catholyke of hȳ ¶ He beyng in y^e sayd place. y^e deuyl a­pered to hȳ in the forme of a shynynge angel· beyng in a charyot whyche was cōduyted & ladde by y^e strengthe of horses all enflamed. the whiche lyghted al y^e place. where as saynt Symeon was / To whom y^e deuyll began to saye thi­se wordes. Symeon take hede to y^t whiche god sendith to y^e by me / I am come hyd (er) for to ranyssh y^t in this charyot / as was the gode prophete Helye. Thy ty­me is comen / Come vppe wyth me her in / To the ende that thou come in to [Page lxxx] paradyse / ¶ Where as ben the aungels accompanyenge the moder of god / the Appostles. and alle the heuenly courte / ¶ And dyfferre it not / For I woll retorne to heuen /

¶ Saynt Symeon full of humylyte & prudence. that somwhat was disceyued made his prayer to god in sayenge / Helas my Redemer. me that am a poore synnar. Wylt thou rauysshe in to heuen ¶ And in sayenge thyse wordes. he lyfte vppe his ryghte foote and his honde also. for to mounte and goo vppe in to the charyott / ¶ But fyrste he made the signe of the Crosse vppon the sayd charyot / ¶ And Incontynent it vanysshed alle awaye / Where by he knewe that it was the deuyll. whyche wolde haue disceyued hym / Wherof he was moche a­basshed / ¶ And by cause that his righte foote was ouer redy to ascende in the sayde charyot / He made it to bere penaunce. ¶ For he was an hoole yere vpon a pyler hauynge oonly one fote on the erthe / And there susteyned hym but one fote / ¶ There engendred a postom in his legge. out of whyche fell downe grete multytude of vermyn. aswell vppon the pyler. as vpon the grounde / ¶ Now he had wyth hym a yonge discyple namyd Anthonye. whiche after wrote his lyfe. The whyche in obeyenge the commaundement of the sayd saynt Symeon. gadred & toke to hym the sayd ver­myn that fyll fro the sayd apostome / y^t whyche he puttynge theym in to the sore. sayenge to theym thexample of Iob ¶ Take ye & ete that god hath sent to you / ¶ Bazylle kyng of the Sarrasȳs herynge the fame of his holy life transported hymself for to se hym. ¶ And he beynge comen founde hym prayenge to god. ¶ But in soo dooynge fell downe a worme from his sore vpon the sa­me kynge / ¶ The whyche meuyd of a feruent deuocyon that he had to the holy man. tooke the same worme and la­yed vppon his eyen / ¶ Saynt Syme­on repreuynge hym askyd hym wher­fore he hadde soo doo. sayenge to hym y^t it was noo thynge but a worme / To whom the same kinge ansuered that it was noo worme. but it was a precious stone / And soo it was verely / ¶ For by myracle. and by the grete faythe of the sayd kynge. the sayd worme in his honde was conuerted in to a precyous sto­ne namyd Margaryte ¶ And therwith departed the good kynge replenysshyd in good faythe / ¶ And toke leue of the holy fader Symeon /

¶ Longe tyme after his moder her­de tydynges of hym. And came to hys chyrche for to se hym / ¶ But by cause that wȳmen neuer entred in where as he was / The good holy man whyche had herde and well vnderstonde the voys of his moder. dyde doo saye. and prayed her / that she wolde haue a lytyl pacience. and y^t in short tyme by y^e playsur of god. they shold eche of them se other That seeng his mod (er) begun to wepe sayng to hȳ / Helas my sone this is y^e receyuyng & rewarde that y^u dost to me. for to haue born y^t in my beli. & haue yeuen y^e swete mylke out of my pappes. & aft (er) so swetly haue norisshed / Certain I haue done pore nourysshȳg. whan in stede to receyue me. y^u yeuest to me wepȳge & waylȳge / Helas who shold not wepe y^t heryth her sone thus speke to his mo­der / ¶ Whanne the holy man herde the [Page] lamentacyons of his moder / He began to wepe as strongely as she dyde / And after he sayde to her swetely wythoute to see her face / ¶ My lady & my moder wepe no more. For I promyse you that wythin shorte tyme we shall se eche o­ther / ¶ His moder not contente of hys ansuere. prayed for to se hym more thā tofore / sayenge / ¶ My sone I praye the in the name of hym that hath formyd the. syth that I haue be soo long out of thi presence. that now I maye se the. or that I maye more playnly here thy voys / or elles I am deed / ¶ Thynke how thy fader is deed for loue of the / Helas my sone· doo not so that I deye in this heuynesse / ¶ Thyse wordes sayde. she slepte as heuy & sore gryeuyd / For thre dayes & thre nightes she had contynu­elly prayed for to se hym / ¶ Then̄e sa­ynt Symeon beganne to praye god for her / And Incontynent she rendred vpp her soule to god ¶ That done the dede corps was born tofore the holy man / y^t whyche made his prayer to god for her sayenge / ¶ My god I praye the to take the soule of my good mod (er) / the whyche hath endured somoche sorowe for me. & anone y^e body of his mod (er) began to moue in the presence of all the assystentis / ¶ And after saynt Symeon made an other prayer sayenge / My god whyche syttyst in trone aboue Cherubyns. and that seest cleerly all thynges. vnto thabbysmes & lowest places / And Adam tofore he was born. whyche haste promy­sed thy reame to theym that loue the. y^e spakeste to Moyses in thenflāmed busshe. & gauest thy benedyccōn to Abrahā Whiche puttest the soules of good per­sones in eternall glorye & them of euyl lyfe in perpetuell fyre. ¶ And also that gauest refeccōn to Helye by two crowes Now receyue y^e soule of my mod (er) wyth the holy faders. lyke as onely thou mayst doo. & none other / ¶ After this prayer accomplysshed. he ne lyued but .xvi. yere / ¶ In y^e tyme nyhe vnto his mo­nastery towarde the partyes of y^e Nor­the dwellyd a dragon. whyche was soo venemous. that there aboute as he was grewe noo grasse ne herbe ¶ That dragon by caas of fortune or otherwyse. was put in his right eye a stake of a c [...] byte longe / & soo came tofore the place where as the holy man was. ¶ And bi a sygne oonly y^t the sayd Symeon made vpon the sayd dragon. the stake fell out of his eye / The relygiouses thenne beyng present seeng this myracle. with drewe theym togyd (er) to theyr monastery & gaaf deuowtly thankynges to god

¶ The sayd beest thꝰ guarisshed & he­lyd as sayde is wythdrewe hym from theym. wythout dooynge ony dysplay­sure in ony wyse / ¶ And after y^t al the brethern relygyous were wythdrawen in to their chirche the same dragon fell downe humbly tofore y^e dore of the sa­yd chyrche. for to gyue thankȳges to y^e holy man Simeon of the good that he had done to hym by his prayers /

¶ In y^e tyme a woman drynkynge out of a stone potte. receyued drynkyng in to her body a lytyll serpente. beynge in the same potte / Wherof she was so [...] greuously seke. that the Physicyens ne the Magycyens cowde fynde noo remedye / ¶ Thenne was she broughte vnto saynt Symeon / The whyche Incontynent sette her on the grounde / ¶ And wythoute to gyue to her ony medycyne [Page lxxxi] made her to drynke of the water of his monastery / ¶ And as soone as she had drunken therof / The serpente sprange oute or her body. as longe as thre cubytes or there abowtes / And the woman was all hoole and guarysshed / ¶ And the same houre the sayde serpente clefte asondre / And was hanged vpp in the same place by the space of seuen dayes for a perpetuell remembraunce /

¶ It was soo that in the sayde place there was no water· In suche wise that not oonly the men. but also the beestes [...]eyed for thurste ¶ Thenne saynt Symeon was requyred to praye god that he wolde gyue to theym water / ¶ And Incontynent the grounde opened. and caste oute water habundantly / ¶ And after he dide delue in the sayde place to the depnesse of seuen cubytes / And ne­uer after they faylled water /

¶ In that countree there was a beeste namyd Parde / Of whyche beest whan the lyon hadde to doo wyth her. he en­gendred on her. a nother beest callyd a Leoparde / ¶ For the crueltee of that beest durste noo persone goo thorugh the feldes / ¶ That seenge the dwellars in that countree. For to haue ayde & com­forte came to saynt Symeon / ¶ The whyche commaunded theym that they sholde sowe and sprynge on the grounde the water of their chyrche. in the places where as the sayde beest haunted.

And soo they dyde / And anone they were of hym delyuered. ¶ And anone af­ter they founde the beest myraculously deed / ¶ Thenne they thanked god. In the name of whom saynt Symeon made so grete & euydent myracles / ¶ And whanne he dide ony on ony persone. he deffended theym that he sholde neuer shewe ony thynge. but onely they shold thanke god. and noothynge hym / Gyuyng to theym to vnderstonde. that god hadd helyd theym. and not he / ¶ Abo­ue alle thynges he forbadde theim that they sholde not swere the name of god / but oonly for Iuste cause ¶ And for vniuste they sholde swere by the name of Symeon the poore synnar / ¶ And sa­ynt Iherom sayth. that yet in the par­tyes of the Eest and other straunge Regyons. they of the sayde partyes and regions swere oonly and comynly the name of saynt Symeon /

¶ A theyf named Ionathas for the grete and myscheuous euyllis that he hadde done. was soo strongely chacyd that he was constrayned to entree in to the chyrche of saynt Symeon / And enbracyd a pylar by the whyche he stode / ¶ Saynt Symeon demaunded hym what he was / ¶ And wherfore he was there entred / To whom he ansuered. I am Ionathas. whyche haue done soo moche euyll in the worlde. But I woll repente me. and doo penaunce / Then̄e the holy man sayde to him / Thou arte ryght welcome my brother. for the penitentis is the reame of heuen / But come not hither for to tempte me. ne also for to retourne to thy synne / ¶ And thus sayeng came the offycers of Anthyoche that sayde to saynt Symeon / ¶ Dely­uer to vs the theyf Ionathas. or ellys alle the cyte shall aryse and moeue theym agaynst the. For the beestes ben re­d [...] for to deuoure hym / ¶ Saynt Sy­meon ansuered. My frendes I haue not broughte hym hyther. It is a gretter mayster thanne I ¶ And therfore yf ye [Page] maye take him wyth you / For as towchynge to me I dare not towche hym. by cause I drede god. whiche hathe sent hym hyther / ¶ Thenne they retornyd and sayde to the lordes of the Iustyce / where they hadde fonde hym / and that whyche Symeon hadde sayde to them Wherfore they durste not towche hym / ¶ The theyf Ionathas whyche then̄e was conuerted. and contynuenge in la­mentacyons and wepynges / After that he hadde ben there seuen dayes. in hol­dynge the sayde pylar. sayde to saynt Symeon / ¶ My lorde and frende yf it playse the I am redy to goo hens /

¶ Symeon ansuered / Arte thou now wery to doo penaunce. And wolt thou reto [...]ne to thy malyce accustomyd. Io­nathas ansuered / Naye my lorde I am not But the tyme is come that I must deye / ¶ And in sayenge thyse wordes. he yelded vpp his spurte to god. Thē ­ne as they wolde haue buryed hym ca­me the Iustyces of Anthyche. wenynge to haue taken hym / ¶ saynt Symeon thenne ansuered. ¶ My frendes he that sente hym hythe [...] comyth to fetche him wyth all the celestyall cour [...]e. The whiche maye you and youre cytee make to sinke in to helle / And the poore Ionathas theyf make to ascende in to heuen ¶ And knowe ye that I myselfe. yf I hadde knowen that god wolde not haue be dysplaysed wyth me. I wolde haue delyuered hym to you / And therfore traueylle ye noo more / ¶ The lordes of the Iustyse herynge thyse wordes retorned agayne. And recounted and tolde alle that they hadde seen /

¶ A lytyll tyme after one named Anthony. Of whom is tofore spoken. and the whyche hadde longe serued saynt Symeon founde hym in prayer / And by cause he had be soo thre dayes. that is to wyte. the Frydaye. Saterday. and Sonday. Durynge the whyche he had not spoken. but was there as vnmoeuable / the good relygyous Anthony was moche abasshed / ¶ And sayde to hym. My lorde and my fader. it is tyme that thou aryse / For it is thre dayes now sythen the people haue taryed for to haue thy blessynge / To whom saynt Syme­on ansueryd noo worde / ¶ Thenne sayd Anthony / Alas what maye I haue trespassed to the. that thou spekest noo thynge to me / And seenge that he spake not / He durste not awake hym / For he dradde hym moche / ¶ Neuerthelesse he abode by hym by the space of halfe an hour / ¶ And after he approchyd nere to hym / And layed his ce [...]e to his vysage. for to knowe yf he were deed or a lyue / ¶ But he felte noo thinge but an odoure soo swete that all the place was replenysshyd wyth all / ¶ Then̄e kne­we he wel that he was departed out of this worlde / ¶ Thenne Incontynent he beganne to kysse hym. his eyen. hys berde. Wepynge bytterly. and sayde. Helas my lorde and my mayster Wherfore leuest thou me / Who shall be he that shall gyue to me doctryne. as thou hast doon. ¶ What shall I saye to the ma­lades and seke people. that shall come hyther to haue helthe / ¶ Helas now I see the. and tomorne I shall lese the /

¶ After many lamentacyons the good Anthony slepte / And as he slepte he be [...] de a voyce that sayde / Anthony I shal not leue the here in this place. ne in the mountayne in whyche I am Illumy [...]ed [Page lxxxii] wyth the grace of god / ¶ Thou shalte goo secretely in to Anthyoche / to the ende that the people moeue theym not / And shalt telle the tydynges of my dethe / ¶ For now I am departed lyke as it hathe playsed to my Redemer /

¶Thou shalte neuer cesse to pray god in this place here / And he shall rewarde the in heuen / ¶Whanne Anthony was awaked. he merueylled moche sayenge ¶ O my lorde and mayster. remembre thou me in the glorye in whyche thou arte now ¶ After he kissed his fete. and layed his hondes vppon his eyen. sayenge / ¶ My lorde I praye the gyue to me thy blessynge / ¶ And beganne agayn to wepe sayenge / Helas for to haue mȳ de of the. What pyece of a Relique shal I take of thy body / ¶ And soo sayeng the body beganne to moeue. Wherfore he was affrayed that he durste not towche it / ¶ And bi cause none sholde knowe therof / He sente secretely one of hys brethern to the Bysshop of Anthyoche The whyche accompanyed wyth two other Bisshoppis and also wyth Ardahoruis Prynce of the chyualrye of An­thyoche transported theym thyder. and dyde laye the holy corps tofore the aul­ter of his chyrche /

¶ And thystorye sayth that the byr­des fledden abowte the place where as he was. makynge grete cryes and cha­terynge in manere of wepinge and waylynges / ¶ The people also and the beestes assembled in soo grete nombre. y^t they were estemyd well atte seuen thousande. demeanynge for his dethe a merueyllouse heuynesse / ¶ The mountay­nes. the feldes. trees. and also herbes of the places nighe by suffreden for his dethe / ¶ For ouer alle there abowte they were enuyronned wyth a derke clowde testefyenge and wytnessynge the bytternesse that they hadde. ¶Also the good Anthonye abode seuen houres the aungell of god. shynynge as a lyghtnynge And his clothes whyte as snowe Wyth whom were seuen auncyent faders. whiche longe tyme were by the corps / But what they dyde ne sayd. knoweth none Lyke as sayth saynt Iherom / ¶ Du­rynge the tyme that the body was in y^e chyrche. The Patryarke of Anthyoche wolde haue taken of his berde. By cause he knewe that he was a man of ho­ly lyfe. But Incontynent thonde wyth whyche he wolde haue towched it. waxyd drye / But after by y^e prayers of theym that were presente and by the euy­dente myracle he was heelyd / ¶ Then̄ sware he that neyther man ne woman sholde towche it / ¶ Thyse thynges thus done in grete solempnyte. torches and tapres beynge lyghte / The body was borne to Anthioche / ¶ But whan he was withdrawen fiue myle to a place callyd Mere. myghte neuer man ma­ke hym departe from that place /

¶ There was a man that hadde be fourty yere deyf and dombe. and began to crye / Ha seruaunte of god thou arte ryght welcome / Thy comynge hath yeuen to me heryng and spekynge / ¶ I promyse the yf I lyue long· that alway I shall serue the wyth body and soule / ¶After he aroos and tooke one of the beestes that ladde the corps of the holy man / And anone he was helyd / The cause of the accydente of this deyf and dombe man was this / ¶ He hadde ben amerous of a fayre yonge woman maryed. [Page] the whyche he had strongely soly­cited for to haue her company. To the whyche he cowde not come / ¶ And after it happed that she deyed. whyche dethe came to the knowlege of this man all enraged for her loue / ¶ And after y^t she was buryed. he wente to her sepul­ture. and there deffoyled her. And forthwyth he was deyf dombe. & lame / and soo abode in the same place duryng fourty yere / ¶ All the cyteyzyns of Anthioche came in grete tryumphe. and mete wyth the body. and bare it in to the grete chyrche / ¶ And there in the chyrche. whiche is namyd Penytence. in the whiche after his buryenge. to the exaltacōn of his gloryous name ben shewed & done Infenyte myracles / And more mer­ueylous than the [...] that haue be done in his lyfe / ¶ Many prynces & lordes haue layed oute of theyr tresours to the layd chyrche for to haue of hym some relyke. But none myghte [...]e had be cau­se of the othe that the bysshopp made / that his body sholde neuer be towchyd ¶ Of saynt Symeon byleue ye stedfastly. that who someuer for the honour of god & of hym shall haue the lyfe of hȳ by wrytynge. and shall rede it deuowt­ly. and seruynge hym wyth good deuo­cyon. He shall be rewarded for his merytes in the celestyall glorye. ¶ To the whiche by his Int [...]essions. lete vs prayes almyghty god. that we maye obtey­ne / Amen /

¶ Of saynt Eufraxe vyrgyn / Whyche begynnyth in latyn ¶ In diebus theo­do [...]u / Caplm .xlvii.

IN the tyme that regned Theodocyen the Iust emperour of y^e Romayns. There was at Rome a Senatoure namyd Antigonius the whiche had a doughter namyd Eufrare / ¶ The sayd Antigonius was a man soo prudent and of soo god [...] counseylle. that he gouerned after the lawe of the Romayns all the countree of [...] [...]ye / ¶ He was soo moche humayn that he had compassion of eche persone and admynystred to the poore all they [...] ne­cessytees / ¶ The emperour louyd hym not oonly by cause he was his kysnes­man· but also by cause he was of right good & prouffytable coūseylle / ¶ He h [...] bounded in rychesse & goodes temporal asmoche as ony man of the cyte / And he had a wyfe descended of the propre & very lygnage of Emperours the whiche also was called Eufraxe a woman Iuste & mercyful. and garnysshyd with [Page lxxxiii] alle other vertues / ¶Antigonius after thenne certayne tyme that god had sente hym his fayre doughter Eufraxe. Thynkynge the saluacyon of his sou­le / Deuysed wyth his wyfe Eufraxe of holy wordes & deuowte / ¶And emong alle other he sayde to her / ¶ Eufraxe my syster and loue thou knoweste that this lyfe is transitory. and maye no lenger dure thanne foure score yere / Thou knoweste also that the worldly ryches­ses. and the vanytee of this worlde arn noo thynge but a lytyll wynde / ¶But the rychesses of heuen ben alwaye durable & perpetuel / ¶ Now my syster thou oughtest to knowe. that all they that louen dysordynatly the honoures of thys worlde. ben pryued from the goodes of heuen / ¶ And ofte the rychesse & worldly possessyons ben cause of the confusy­on. and vtterly dystruccyon of theim y^t haue theym / ¶ His wyfe herynge thyse wordes sayd to hym / What playsyth y^t that we doo / Cōmaunde thy good playsure and I shall accomplysshe it ¶ For thy wyll is myne. That whyche thou wolte. I woll / ¶ Antigonius ansueryd We haue a doughter god be thankyd / And we oughte to be contente that one wyth that other wythout to haue affectyon to lyue emonge the voluptuosyte­es of this worlde / ¶ Thenne his wyfe lyfted vpp her hondes to heuen in say­enge / O my lorde & loue blessyd be our lorde that hath made y^e worthy to kno­we thyne helthe / ¶ Truely my loue I haue many tymes prayed god / that he wolde humble the. and torne thyne en­tendemente to wyll to flee thy flesshely cōcupyscences & worldly / But I neuer durste declare to the ony thynge therof. for y^e grete fere & gode loue that I had to the / ¶ And for asmoche as thy wyll is suche / Lete vs departe of our tempo­rell goodes to the ende that they be not cause to make vs descende in to helle / ¶ Other holsom reasons. the lady ga­af to Antigonius her husbond. the whiche herof praysynge. & thankynge god with all his herte. Dystrybuted the gretest parte of his goodes to the poore people / ¶ And after lyued not but one yere wyth his good lyfe holy & vertuouse in perfyghte deuocyon· chastytee & contynence /

¶ Of his dethe was moche sorowfull the emperour. whyche was of hys kyn̄e and also alle the Romayns for the grete vertues that were in hym / And also for the pyte that they hadd of his wyfe Eufraxe. whiche had not b [...] but .ij. & iij monethes wyth hym / ¶ After that he was buryed. the good lady Eufraxe toke her doughter also namyd Eufraxe And presented her to the Emperour. & to her frendes. sayenge. ¶ O souerayne emperour. and ye alle my lordes & frendes I put in to your hondes this poore Orphelyne. Humbly you supplyenge. y^t in fauoure & contemplacyon of the go­de & very loue that ye had to her fader Antigonius. it wolde playse you to doo her to be Instructe and taughte in gode maners & vertues. And to be to her go­de faders & conduytours / ¶ The lordes herynge this pyteuous requeste. were in contynent moeuyd to wepynge & way­lynge / ¶ And a lytyll after that they had resprysed theyr spyrytes. the empe­rour desyred & counseylled the good la­dy that she sholde consente to the ma­ryage of her fayr doughter / & of one of [Page] the Senatours the rychest of alle the o­ther / ¶ To the whyche she accorded / And the sayde doughter receyued ernest of the maryage / ¶ But after by cause that the sayde doughter atte that tyme that the sayde Maryage was treated / was but fyue yere olde / And that the senatoure was greuyd to abyde tyll that she were suffysaunte of aege. for to ac­complysshe the sayde maryage / ¶ He concluded to demaunde the moder to his wyfe / ¶ And for to come to his entencyon / He sente notable ladyes to the Emperesse for to labour that the moder wolde take to husbonde the sayde Se­natour / The whyche thynge the sayde Emperesse and the sayde ladyes supposyd to haue made and accomplysshed it ¶ But the good lady wydowe wolde neuer in that maner leue her [...]e [...]e to here it / But repre [...]yd theym angrely. In shewynge to theym the grete Inconue­nyent in whyche they wolde brynge her That is to wyte in desyrynge her to leue the way of helthe. for to take y^e worldely waye. for to brynge her to eternal dampnacyon / And emonge other wor­des she sayde to the emperesse / ¶A madame. to what thynge woll ye Induce me. Alas whanne I was wyth my husbonde that was. I kepte chastytee. And ye labour to me that I sholde folowe y^e amorouse wymmen. I shall neuer doo it / ¶The emperour induertysed of the enterpryse of his wyfe. was euyll contentent wyth her. sayenge thyse wordes ¶ Come hyther my wyfe. ye be wel presumptuous to woll breke the maryage whyche hath be soo honestely begonne ¶ Ne knowe ye not that oure cosyn & kynnes woman Eufraxe woll lede a solytary lyfe / ¶ Haue ye now forgoten y^e loue that ye had to her husbonde whan he lyued / Woll ye now doo hym Iniu­rye / ¶ Alas yf ye haue louyd hym whyle he lyned. ye oughte after his deth to loue his wyfe. whyche is soo good and Iuste / ¶ The emperesse herynge thyse wordes was soo moche trowbled. that she was two houres wythoute spekyn­ge. and semyd to be deed / ¶ The good Eufraxe knowynge thyse tydynges / was in lyke wyse wrothe. Doubtynge that it sholde be layed to her. that she sholde be cause of the dyscencyon of the emperoure & of his wyfe. in suche wyse that she myghte be in daunger of deth ¶ And in waylynge & wepynge she sayd to her doughter ¶ Lete vs goo in to Egypte my dere doughter. we haue there many londes and possessyons. why­che I shall leue vnto the. For alle that I haue is thyne / And soo they wente in to the londe of Egypte / ¶ They [...]eynge there arryued. vysyted her londes & possessyons. And fynably came in to y^e partyes of Thebayde. where they dyde many almesses to the monasteries & relygyons / ¶ And emonge all other they came to a Relygyon of wymmen in a towne wherin were an hundred & th [...] ty monasteryes of relygyouses / ¶ There some ete no apples ne fygges. ne drā ke no wyne. The other ete noo oyle ne other lycour. Other fasted an hole day Other wysshe noo fete / And whanne ony spake to theym they were abasshyd ¶ They laye on the erthe. and ware e­uery daye the heyt / ¶ And yf by aduenture one of theym were syke / there was noo medycyne gyuen to her. ¶ But the sykenesse that she hadde. was reputed [Page lxxxiiii] for a benedyccōn of god. ¶They wente neuer out of the monasterye. but they hadde a Portiere. the whyche gaaf an­suere to alle theym that came thyder /

Eufraxe knowynge the honeste and deuowte conuersacyon of the sayde Relygyouses vysyted theym ofte. And gaue them lyght to the chyrche. for to doo the seruyce of god /

¶On one daye emonge the other Eu­fraxe spake to thabbesse. and to the prȳ cypallis of the monasterye. And sayde to theym / My good ladyes I woll yeue to you twenty or thyrty poūde of golde of reuenue. for and to the ende. that it wolde playse you to praye god for Antigonius and his doughter. the whyche I presente you tofore youre faces /

¶ The Abbesse ansuerd / My dere and ryght playsaunt lady. youre seruauntes haue noo nede of youre rentes and reuenues / ¶For for to dyspyse worldly goodes they haue put theymselfe in to this monasterye. and woll be poore in thys worlde for to be ryche in that other /

¶ But to the ende that ye be the more content. we praye you that it may playse you to gyue to vs some oylle and candellis for to accomplisshe the seruyse of god. And that shall comforte vs more than other goodes / ¶ Thus dyde Eu­fraxe. in prayenge theym humbly that they wolde praye deuowtly for her husbonde and her doughter /

¶ On a daye it happed as the good moder brought her doughter wyth her in to the abbaye / ¶The Abbesse for to knowe the wyll that the lytyll dough­ter Eufraxe hadde. askyd her fyrste yf she louyd theyr monasterye / ¶The doughter ansueryd that ye. and all the sisters in lyke wyse / ¶ The Abbesse after sayde to her in manere / for to passe the tyme. My loue syth that ye loue vs wel Woll ye dwell with vs for to serue god ¶ The chylde ansuered. that yf it were not for drede of her moder. she wold neuer departe from theym / ¶ Yet agayn the Abbesse sayde to her / My doughter whom loue you better youre husbonde or vs / She ansuered. I knewe hym neuer. ne he me. But I knowe you and loue you. ¶And ye whom loue ye best of vs. or hym or me / And they ansueryd / that they louyd beste god theyr maker. ¶ The mayde ansueryd. Certaynly I loue you and god also / ¶ The goode moder hering the doughter / whyche ansueryd so prudentely. seen that she was not yet seuen yeres olde. fell in to we­pynge of grete habundaunce of teeres / ¶ And after sayde to her doughter. Come now hyther my doughter it is tyme that we retorne home to oure hous· For it is nyghe euyn and late / ¶ The chylde ansuered that she wolde abyde wyth the Abbesse. To whom the Abbesse sa­yd. that she myghte not dwelle there in their monastery / but yf she auowed her to Ihesu Cryste / ¶ The mayde then̄e askyd her where is Ihesu Cryst. The Abbesse shewed to her. the ymage of y^e Crucifyxe ¶ The mayde Incontynent wente and kyssed the same ymage. and sayde to the Abbesse / ¶ Certaynly ma­dame I gyue myselfe to my Sauyoure Ihesu Cryste / ¶ The Abbesse sayd after to her. that she hadde noo place for her. ne wyste not where to putte her /

¶The chylde ansuered that she wold abyde with her / ¶ Whanne the Abbes­se sawe that she was soo constaunt she [Page] knewe well that she was espyted wyth the holy goost. ¶ And sayde to her moder / That she sholde leue her there in the sayde monastery.

¶ The moder beynge strongely com­forted in her spyryte. toke her doughter And ladde her byfore thymage of Ihe­su Cryste / Tofore whyche she made her prayers. in sayenge / ¶ Looued and thankyd be thou my god. for as moche as it hath playsed the to enspire my doughter. In gyuynge to her suche affec­cyon / that she hathe gyuen herselfe to the in her yongthe / ¶ Alas my god ta­ke the charge of her body & of her sou­le syth that she desyryth to serue the / ¶ After she tourned her towarde her doughter and sayd to her / ¶ My dere doughter. god whyche hath made the mountaynes vnmoeuable. make the so ferme in his loue. that the worlde haue neuer power to moeue the / ¶ And whan she hadde sayde thyse wordes. she dely­uered her in to the hondes of the Abbesse / In wepynge and wayllynge soo habundantely / that alle the Relygyouses wepte wyth her /

¶ The daye foloweng the Abbesse clothed her wyth the vestyment of the Relygyon / And prayed oure lorde for her sayenge / ¶ O kynge of kynges whyche haste begonne soo grete a werke in this chylde / I byseche the mekely that it maye playse the. that this begynnynge maye achyeue fro good to better / to the ende that alwaye she maye prayse. and gloryfye thy ryght holy name /

¶ The moder thenne beinge by the doughter askyd her in sayeng / ¶ My childe louest thou well this vesture whyche thou haste now / The chylde ansueryd. Truely moder ye / ¶I byleue that the vestymentes and clothynge of this Relygyon. ben to me the erneste peny for to haue god in maryage / ¶ Thenne sayde the moder / I praye to hym that thou now haste chosen to thyne espow­se. that he make the worthy to be chamberer in his heuenly chambre / ¶ Thy­se wordes sayde. the good moder tooke leue of the Religyouses and kyssed her doughter. And retourned home to her house /

¶ Thorugh alle the londe were the tydynges. How the sayde good moder distrybuted her goodes vnto poore people and to chyrches / ¶ And also the tydyn­ges came to the Emperour and to alle the Senatours / The whyche were moche Ioyouse of her vertuouse conuersa­cion / ¶ Euery day she ete but cole wortes or pe [...]e potage. and but one time on the daye. And dranke noo wyne /

¶ A lytyll whyle after the Abbesse sa­we in spyryte. how Antigonius husbonde of y^e same good widowe prayed god that she myghte departe oute of thys worlde. for to be wyth hym in heuen / ¶ And she shewed it to the good Eu­fraxe / The whyche was therby gretly comforted / And putt herselfe to prayer / And she hadde lyke reuelacōn / ¶ And thenne she tooke alle her goodes· & put theym in the hondes of her doughter / for to dyspose in suche wyse y^t she myghte gete euerlastynge rente / ¶ After she sayde to her how oure Sauiour Ihesu Cryste hadd called her for to goo to her husbonde in heuen / ¶ The good doughter beganne to wepe sorowfully in sayenge / ¶ Allas what shall I doo that shall be now an Orphelyne straunger [Page lxxxv] ¶Her moder comforted her and sayde / ¶My doughter thou art wyth thy Ihesu Cryste / ¶ Thou arte noo straunger to hym / ¶ Also thou haste thyne Abbesse. Whyche shall be to the a moder / By whiche thou shalte be none Orphelyne ¶It byhouyth to my loue to drede god and honoure hym / And worshyppe alle the systers. In seruynge theym benyngnely / ¶ And thou shalte accomplysshe and perfourme that whyche thou haste bygonne / ¶ I pray the that thou thynke not on thy temporell noblesse. And esteme nor thynke not that they. shall doo to the ony seruyse / ¶Be poore and humble in this worlde / And thou shalt be Riche and a grete lady in heuen.

¶ Thou shalte gyue alle oure possessyons to the chirche for thy fader and for vs tweyne / To the ende that we maye haue mercy tofore god /

¶ The thyrde daye after deyed the good moder. And was buryed in the mo­nasterye where as her doughter was.

¶ The Emperoure hadde tydynges therof / And callyd the Senatoure that hadde promysed to take the yonge do­ughter Eufraxe / And sayd to hym that she was a Relygyous / ¶ Thenne the Senatour was moche abasshed therof ¶ And dide doo soo moche. that at his Requeste and desyre. the Emperoure wrote to her. that she shold come to Rome for to accomplysshe and fulfyll theyr maryage.

¶ The lettres beynge by her radde. she ansuered in this manere / ¶ Lorde Emperour I haue receyued thy lettres / and me semyth that seen the loue that in tyme passed thou haste hadd to my fader and moder. ¶ Yf I shold of the dema­unde and aske counseylle of the thynge of whyche thou haste wryten to me. Thou woldeste not counseylle me soo to doo. For also it is not lawfull. Syth that longe agoon I haue gyuen myselfe to my god Inmortall Ihesu Cryste and desyre to be his spowse. Wherof I haue gyuen to hym my faythe. ¶Sholde I gyue hym ouer for to haue a man mortall and Incorruptyble. the whiche shall be eten with wormes / ¶ Ne kno­west thou not wel. that if I be here this daye. I shall not soo to morowe. God forbede that I shold doo to god and to me suche Innyquyte and wyckednesse / ¶ Wherfore I praye the that thou sende noo more for me / For thou shalte le­se thy traueylle and laboure. By cause that I knowe to be to me inpossyble to leue my espowse Ihesu Cryste /

¶ Wyth this I praye the that thou haue mynde of my parentes and kynnes­folke / In giuynge for the helthe of the­yr soules. and for the honoure of god al the goodes temporell whyche they ha­ue left to me / ¶ I knowe wel that my fader alle his lyfe hathe well and true­ly seruyd the. Wherof he accepted thy loue and benyuolence ¶ Thenne in distrybutynge his goodes thou shalt haue remembraunce of hym. In fauour of whom yf it playse the And I praye the also. that thou wolt put alle thy bonde men and prysoners in fraunchyse and playne lyberte / ¶ And that y^e thou wol sende for alle the Receyuours of my fa­der / And quyte and forgyue theym peasibly alle that they owen of rentes and Reuenues /

To the ende that I maye without so­licytude or besynesse serue my god and [Page] espowse / ¶ The emperour radde thyse lettres many tymes and al mooste alle the nyghte / ¶ And on the morne by tymes he assembled alle the Senatoures And the fader of hym that hadde fyauncyd her. ¶ And in the presence of theym alle were the lettres radde / Where­of alle they beganne to wepe for Ioye ¶ And of comyn assente they sayde. Verely lorde Emperoure. Eufraxe is doughter of Antigonius. and of holy Eufraxe her moder / Whyche weren of thy lygnage and generacyon. ¶ And now she shewyth it well certaynly. For of an holy Rote procedyth and comyth fourth gladly an holy braunche.

¶ All they praysyd and gloryfyed god in prayenge for her / ¶ And after the Emperoure dystrybuted alle the godes of the mayden. accordynge to that she hadde wryten. ¶ And after the Emperoure deyed. and was buryed wyth hys parentes and kynnesmen /

¶ Saynt Eufra [...]e thenne ladde a moche strayte life. ¶ For at one tyme was that she ete but ones on the daye / And after she constrayned herselfe to ete but ones in two dayes ¶ And after that o­nes in thre dayes / ¶ She allone made clene the chambres of the systers / Made theyr beddes. And bare water in to the kechyn /

¶ The custome of the same Abbaye was yf ony of the systers were tempted wyth ony temptacyon of the deuyll. she tolde it to the Abbesse ¶ The whyche prayed and dyde doo praye god. to the ende that the deuyll sholde departe fro her /

¶ On a daye it happed that the goode Eufraxe was tempted of the fende / And for to resyste & wythstonde hym. She putt asshes on her cowche / ¶ And she laye on them. and slepte / The whyche thynge seenge the Abbesse. knewe that she was vexed wyth some temptacyon / ¶ And prayed for her. in sayenge to god / ¶ O my god whyche haste cre­ated and formyd this mayde after thy dyuyne bountee and goodnesse / ¶ I praye the that thou wolt conferme her in thy drede /

¶ After the Abbesse callyd her and sayde to her / Wherfore haste thou not she­wed to me thy temptacion giuen to the by the deuyll / ¶ Incontynent she felle downe to her fete. And cryed her mercy In sayenge· ¶ Pardonne me madame. For I durste not notyfye and shewe it to you / ¶ The Abbesse sayd to her Mi doughter thou haste begonne to fyghte agaynst the deuyll / Be stronge and cō staunte. to the ende that thou be crowned wyth Laureo [...] wyth the vyrgynes gloryously.

¶ A lytyll whyle after she was agayn tempted / And shewed her temptacyon to out of her systers namyd Iulyan / y^e whyche counseyllyd her. that she shold shewe it to the Abbesse. to the ende that she sholde praye for her / ¶ After she said to her / ¶ We alle ben tempted of the deuyll / But whanne we haue good hope. we ouercome the deuyll our tempta­tour / ¶ Eufraxe thankyd her of her gode counseylle that she hadde gyuen to her. to the edyfycacyon of her soule and went to the Abbesse. And shewed to her her temptacyon.

¶ The Abbesse comforted her in say­enge / My doughter fere the noo thynge but enforce & put thyself to wythstonde [Page lxxxvi] hym / ¶ For it is the deuyll. whyche do­oth this euyll / ¶ And yf thou wythstō de hym constantly and stedfastly / thou shalte ouercome hym alwayes /

¶Knowe thou my doughter. that thou shalte haue many other temptacyons / for to resyste and wythstonde. To whiche yf thou fele the feble of spyryte. It behouyth the to doo more abstynence. thanne thou haste done here tofore / And in soo dooynge thou shalte be ryghte well belouyd of thy spowse Ihesu cryste /

¶ A nother tyme the Abbesse asked her how longe it was syth she ete ony mete She ansuered. thre dayes / ¶ Thenne sayd the Abbesse to her. That she sholde yet abyde a nother daye or that she sholde ete / The whyche she dyde wyth a good wyll in rendrynge herselfe redy and prompte in obedyence / ¶ Whanne she was twenty yeres olde. lyke as her yeres grewe. so she augmented and en­creacyd her penaunce / ¶ She was fay­re and curteyes / By her maner she she­wed euydently that she was descended of noble folke / But that notwythstondynge she was humble and obeyssaunt ¶ In a place of theyr monastery was a grete multytude of stones / ¶ And the Abbesse for to proue her humylyte commaunded her that she bere theym vnto an euen. by y^e chyrche whyche was ferre from the place where as the sayde sto­nes laye / ¶ Emonge the same stones there were grete. and soo heuy / That two of the Relygyouses. wyth grete payn sholde haue borne theym / ¶ Neuer­thelesse wythoute murmure and grut­chynge. and wythoute callynge ony helpe / And also notwythstondynge that she hadde longe fasted / she bare theym alle. desyrynge to obeye to her abbesse / ¶ A nother day she sayde to her / My doughter thyse stones that thou haste borne nyghe to the chyrche ben not wel there ¶ Wherfore thou muste bere the­ym vnto the place where as thou haste taken theym ¶ To whyche thynge she gladly and wyth good wyll accorded And thabbesse made her to doo this penaūce by the space of twenty dayes for to proue her pacyence / Whyche was so grete that alle the systers merueylled therof /

¶ Some of theim mocked her. And o­ther admonested and styred her to per­seuer & encrease in vertues / ¶ She contynued this penaunce vnto thyrty day­es. ¶ And yet cessed not the Abbesse. And she seenge her grete humylyte sayde to her. that sholde retorne and here noo more those stones / sayenge / ¶ Leue this crafte my doughter. and take mele and make therof brede. and bake it in the ouen. to the ende that thou serue thi systers. Wyche she dyde wyth good cou­rage.

¶ On a daye the deuyll founde her slepynge. And he put this temptacyon in her mynde / That the Senatour of Rome. whyche had promysed to haue her. sholde come with a grete multytude of men of armes for to take her out from her monastery / Wherof it happed. that she being in her bed began to crye with an hyghe voyce soo sharpely. that alle her systers awoke / ¶ For whyche cau­se they came to her. And awoke her / Demaūdynge and questyonyng wherof proceded the cause of the grete crye that she made ¶ Eufraxe then̄e recyted [Page] Incontynent her dreme / ¶ And thenne alle her systers put theym selfe to prayer for to praye god for her / ¶ Now lete vs thynke what systerhede was there / In soo moche that they ne louyd. not oonly togyder corporally / ¶ But more wythonte comparyson spyrytuell /

¶ Yet agayne the deuyll tempted her / And gaaf to her assaulte of her flesshe / ¶ And Incontynent she shewed it to y^e Abbesse. and to her syster Iulyan /

Whyche comforted her. and prayed for her / ¶ And after sayd to her syster / My loue it behouyth the to resyste and with slonde otherwyse. Or ellis thou shalte lese alle the meryte that thou haste go­ten / ¶ Also yf we resyste and wythstonde not in oure yongthe / How maye we resyste in oure aege / ¶ Eufraxe ansue­ryd to the Abbesse / Madame yf it playse you to commaunde me. that I faste an hoole weke. to the ende that I may ouercome the tende wyth the helpe of god. I w [...]ll doo it wyth a good wyll.

¶ Iulian sayd to her / My loue it thou mayste doo that. Thou shalte [...]e well happy ¶ For in all oute Relygyon none of oure systers maye doo it. [...]auf [...]nly oure Abbesse / ¶ Thenne Eufraxe demaunded ly [...]ence of the Abbesse. for to faste an hoole weke. ¶ To whom y^e Abbesse ansuered. That she sholde doo after her power / ¶ And that it sholde well playse to her. In sayenge My [...]one god whyche hathe created and four­med the conferme the in thy gode wyll

¶ After that tyme Eufraxe ete but ones in the wyke / ¶ And neuerthelesse she lefte not to apoynt the chambres. ne to synge and doo the dyuyne seruyce /

Ne in lyke wyse to serue alle the systers lyke as she hadd ben accustomyd. as tofore is sayde /

¶ Whanne her systers knewe her grete humylyte. And consyderynge that she was of the lygnage of the Emperoure of Rome. They praysed and honoured her more thanne tofore / And prayed god for her. to the ende that she myght perseuere and contynue ¶ Emonge the other Relygyouses there was one whyche was amorous. The whyche as the euyl pryckynges of the enmye haue more enuye on the good maners thanne of their semblable or lyke. Not for to take good ensample. but for to fynde yf thei myghte fynde occasyon for to sklaun­dre theym / Founde Eufraxe in the ke­chyn / and secretely sayde to her. ¶ Co­me hither my syster I merueylle me of the how thou mayste faste alle she we­ke lyke as dooth oure Abbesse / And I doubte me sore that oure Abbesse com­maunde vs to faste lyke as thou doost / ¶ Eufraxe ansuered to her humble sayenge to her / My syster doubte [...] fer [...] ye not for oure Abbesse shall commaū de vs noo thynge. but that we may wel doo / ¶ But knowe ye that I doo that whyche is to me necessary for to resyste and wythstonde the temptacyons of y^e deuyll. whyche comen to me.

¶ Germayne [...]erynge her answere / And wenynge for to make her leue be fastynges / Sayde to her In [...]ryously and wrongefully. I knowe well wherfore thou doost soo moche fastynge. It is to thende that after our Abbesse shall be deed / That thou woldest be oure abbesse. ¶ Thenne saynt Eufraxe not wyllynge to excuse her of that. that the forsayde Germayne Imposyd to her / [Page lxxxvii] but knelyd downe on her knees tofore her. and cried her mercy / In prayenge her to praye god for her / ¶ The Ab­besse whyche was aduertysed and hadd knowlege by theym that Germayne hadd tolde it to. Sente for her to fore alle her systers / And sayde to her / ¶ O cursyd seruaunt full of enuye. what greuyth the this mayde Eufraxe / ¶ Wherfore wolte thou wythdrawe her from penaunce / I assure the that thou shalte be noo more wyth the systers. Thou arte not worthy to be in theyr companye. But thou shalt lyue alone as one that is excomyned or acursyd /

¶ Saynt Eufraxe thenne knelyd downe on her knees tofor the Abbesse. in demaundynge and requyringe pardonne for the same Germayne / But not for all that. the Abbesse wolde not pardon̄e her / ¶ And was soo thyrty daye in y^e same penaunce ¶ The thyrty daye Eufraxe and her syster famylyer Iulyan came agayne to praye the Abbesse. for to haue pardonne for Germayne /

¶ Thenne she was sente fore. and corrected. ¶ And atte the requeste and pe­tr [...]ōn of her systers was put agayne in theyr companye / ¶ The deuyll mo­re and more enforcyd him to make the good Eufraxe to falle in to synne / And wenynge to make an ende of her / On a tyme as she drewe water out of a pytt The deuyll tooke her and threwe her in to the pytte. In suche wise that her heed towchyd the bottom / ¶ After she came vpp on the water. And wyth her bonde caughte the corde / And beganne to crye in sayenge / ¶ O my god helpe me / ¶ Thabbesse and the sisters ranne thyder. And drewe her oute of the pytte ¶ Whanne she was oute of the pytte. she beganne to laughe in sayenge ¶ O my god blessyd myghte thou be. whiche haste gyuen to me strengthe and courage to withstonde the temptacyon of the deuyll. whyche soo moche enforcyth hȳ to ouercome me / ¶ Alle the tyme pas­syd here tofor I haue born but one pott to the water / ¶ But from hensforth in dyspyte of hym. I shall bere tweyne. & soo she dyde /

¶ The deuyll seeng that he cowde not make her to deye by synne / Supposyd ofte to slee her / and make her to deye bodyly / ¶ On a tyme as she hewe wo­de for the kechyn / The deuyll tooke & held her arme in suche a maner. y^t whā she supposyd to haue smyten wyth her are vppon the wode. she smote her leg­ge. and hurted herselfe to grete effusy­on and shedynge of bloode / ¶ The gode Eufraxe seenge the bloode rennyng oute of the wounde by merueylous ha­bundaunce and plentee / ¶ Promptely she knelyd downe sayenge / O my goode god I byseche ayde and strength thi poore seruaunte. whyche suffreth somothe harme for to serue the / ¶ And ano­ne after she felle to the erthe ¶ Her sys­ter Iulyan sodaynly aduertised. and hauynge knowlege of this aduenture. be­ganne to crye soo hyghe. that the abbeise and alle her systers came to theym & beganne to wepe /

¶ The abbesse spake to her and sayde. My doughter reioyce the. and speke to thy systers / ¶ Thenne she tooke her by the honde and lyfted her vppe / ¶ Af­ter that she bounde her legge wyth a piece of hay [...]e / ¶ Whyche was of suche lynnen clothe as she was att that tyme [Page] clothed with / She was not doon to. as is done to vs whanne we ben hurte.

¶ For to vs ben gyuen oynementes. softe and lynen kyuerchyefs. And yet we ben not contente / ¶ The Abbesse wol­de haue ladde her to the chirche. but the good Eufraxe seenge the wood lyenge there sayde to her systers. that she wold not goo to the chyrche. tyll she had borne the wood to the kechyn. as she hadd be acustomyd / ¶ Her syster Iulyan an [...]ucred to her. My loue ye maye not soo For ye be ouersore hurte / Neuerthelesse she wolde none otherwyse doo. But layd the wodd on her necke / ¶ The de­uyll seenge her grete constaunce hurted her more thanne he dyde tofore / For in ly [...]ynge vpp she fell vpon the wood.

And in fallynge entred in to her eye a stycke soo depe that the sisters supposid that she hadde be loste / ¶ Thenne her good frende Iulyan beganne to crye / And sayde to her / Alas my syster. I sayde to the wel that thou myghtest not be [...]e the wood / ¶ Eufraxe sayde to her / My syster drawe hardely the stycke oure of myne eye. for it is hoole / Thenne Iulian drewe it oute. and Incontynente sprange oute grete habūdance of blood / ¶ The Abbesse came thyder. why­che putted oyle vppon the wounde. and cōmaunded her that she sholde goo lye vppon her hedde / ¶ And commaunded after that the other systers sholde doo y^t that she was wonned to doo / ¶ But what commaundement that the Abbesse made. Eufraxe entremeted alway to serue god contynuelly and alle her sys­ters / ¶ Notwithstondynge that the blode ranne oute of her woundes.

¶ A nother tyme she wente vppe in to a Solyer wyth her syster Iulyan /

¶ And in gooynge vp the deuyll thre­we her downe from the hyghest grece to the loweste. ¶ Her systers hadd sup­posyd to haue founde her deed / but she aroos and came to theym all hoole /

¶ A nother tyme the deuyl supposed to haue slayne her. she beynge in the kechym / ¶ For in holdynge the potte full of wortes. made her to falle backewar­de / ¶ And after threwe boyllynge water vppon her visage / ¶ Wherof her systers were moche admerueylled / ¶ But she beganne to laughe. Sayenge that she felte noo thynge but colde water

¶ The Abbesse seenge thyse thynges. assembled and broughte togyders alle the auncyente systers for to gloryfye y^e name of god / ¶ And thenne they kne­we anone right well that she was well bylouyd of her espowse Ihesu Cryste.

¶ The custome of the countree was that whanne children were seke of ony maladyes or sykenesses. they broughte theym to the sayde monasterye / ¶ And anone by the prayers of the systers they were helyd and guarysshed / ¶ Emon­ge alle other there came a woman that broughte her chylde / whyche was paralytyke. deyf and dombe / ¶ The Port [...] er sawe it / And forthwyth wente and tolde it to the Abbesse / ¶ The whyche sente it to saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Whom seenge the chylde tremblynge and qua­kynge. and soo seke. was mo [...]uyd with pyte and compassyon. ¶ And made her prayers for the chiylde sayenge / ¶ My childe he that hathe made the. yeue the sanacyon and helthe atte thys presente tyme / ¶ Thenne she tooke the chylde [Page lxxtviiit] beynge alle hoole. and bare it in her ar­mes / ¶ And anone the chylde beganne to speke. and to crye after his moder.

¶ Whanne Eufraxe herde it. she was a [...]erde. by cause it was tofore dombte. and myghte not speke. and layed it down on the grounde / And In contynent he wente his waye to his moder / The whyche thynge was shewed to the Ab­besse by the Portyere / ¶ The whyche yet not knowynge how the chylde hadde helyd / Came to the moder / sayenge to her angrely. that she dyde euyll soo to mocke the Relygyouses / ¶ The mode swa [...]e that her chylde hadde neuer goon. spoken. ne herde. But syth that the gode Eufraxe hadde borne it in her armes /

¶ In the sayde monasterye was a woman whiche hadde be longetourmē ted wyth a deuyll / ¶ And her sykenesse was soo terryble and merueyllous that contynuelly she scumed. or cryed soo terrybly and soo ferfull. that none of the systers durste goo to her for to gyue to her mete. But from a ferre in a vessell bounde to a corde. they delyuered to her and admynystred that whyche she sholde take for her refeccyon / ¶ On a ty­me amonge the other / The Abbesse cō maunded to saynt Eufraxe / that she sholde bere to her mete / And soo she dyde / ¶ And in approchynge to the poore pacyente / The fende of helle whyche was wythin her body tourmented not her / And the poore pacyent dyde al that she commaunded / ¶ And yet more there was / ¶ Whanne the other Relygy­ouses wente thyder / Yf they broughte not wyth theym saynt Eufraxe. what some euer they dyde. she wolde neyther drynke ne ete ¶ But ofte she casted the vessell atte theyr heedes /

¶ It happed that Germayne. whiche alwaye hadde enuye on her / Sayd that she wolde as well bere to her mete. as saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Whanne the vnhappy Germayne came nyghe to the paciente / She tooke her and rente alle her vestymentes vnto the bare flesshe / And beganne to ete her membres. ¶ Then̄e came some of the good systers. and she­wed it to saynt Eufraxe / The whyche anone ranne thyther. and toke her by y^e necke & hondes. And tooke her awaye from her / And after thretened her to bete her / And sayde to her. Yf she euer dyde Insolence to the systers she shold bete her wythoute mercy / ¶ And thenne the poore Demonyake helde her stylle by the worde of saynt Eufraxe. ¶ On the morne after the seruyce done / came saynt Eufraxe for to vysyte the poore pacyent. And founde that she hadd rented her clothes. And ete that whyche departed from her bynethe oute of her body / ¶ Thenne saynt Eufraxe hauyng compassyon and pyte of her. made her prayer to god her maker bi the space of an hoole houre. in wepynge and wayl­lynge for her helthe / ¶ On the morne the abbesse sent to seche saynt Eufraxe And sayde to her / ¶ Wherfore haste thou not shewed to me that thou ma­dest thy prayer to god Redemer our lorde Ihesu Cryste for this poore pacy­ente / ¶ Eufraxe cryed her mercy. And sayde to her / ¶ Certaynly madame I praye you to pardonne me / ¶ For I founde her in so pyteuous astate and condycyon. that I cowde not lenger tarie wythoute to praye thenne for her / The [Page] Abbesse after sayd to her / ¶ My loue I shall saye to the one thynge in secrete / But kepe that the fende dysceyue not y^u by vaynglorye in ony manere / ¶ I haue hadde by the reuelacyon of god. that god oure Creatoure hathe gyuen to the puissaunce to chace a waye the deuyllis oute of the body of this pacyent / ¶ Eufraxyne herynge thise wordes casted asshen vppon her heed. and fel downe to the grounde sayenge / ¶ Alas me why­che am a poore synnar. What shall I doo for the my god / whyche haste gyue to me puyssaunce and myghte to hele & guarysshe this poore pacyente / ¶ And my systers haue soo longe tyme prayed for her. without to obteyne and purcha [...]e her helthe / ¶ The Abbesse ansuered My doughter the tyme hathe abyden y^e Be thou suffy [...]ed. For thy rewarde is grete in the reame of heuen. ¶ Thenne she entred in to the chyrche. and pray­ed god. in requirynge his ayde / To the ende that by her prayers the seke syster myghte be guarysshed and helyd /

¶ After the aroos / accompanyed wyth alle her systers / and came to the pacyente / to whom she sayde ¶ O poore wo­man. god whiche hathe created and fo­ [...]urmed the make the by his mercy now hoole and guarysshe the / ¶ And after she made the sygne of the Crosse on y^e fronte or forhede of the sayde pacyente ¶ Thenne the deuyll whiche was w^t in her body beganne horrybly to crye / Ha a muste I departe from this myse­rable body. wherin I haue be soo longe ¶ And after sayde to saynt Eufraxe / Wherfor thou payllaide and Infamed suffreste thou not me here as I haue be accustomyd. wythoute to persecute me ¶ Eufraxe ansuered to hym. I perse­cute the not. But it is my god and my maker. whyche cōmaundyth the to voyde / ¶ The deuyll ansuered / O meschaunte and Infamyd. I shall neuer departe hens for the / For thou haste noo my­ghte to caste me oute / ¶ Eufraxe sayde I knowe well that I am poore and a myserable synnar / But neuerthelesse yf thou departe not from her. I shal tormente the wyth the Pastoralle staffe of my lady the Abbesse / ¶ Fynably she toke the staffe. and smote thre strokes vppon the pacyent / ¶ By the mouthe of whom alwaye the deuyll ansuered that he myghte not departe / ¶ And sayde thus. Where woll thou that I goo. Eufraxe sayde to hym. Goo in to derke­nesse and euerlastynge fyre / ¶ Alle the systers were there. whyche durste not approche ne come nyghe to her / ¶ After that she had longe foughte against the deuyll She made her prayer to god in sayenge. ¶ O my god I praye the that I be not confounded by the fende / But that it maye playse the to preserue me. in suche wyse that he ouercome me not ¶ And in this presente houre comma­unde hym that he departe and goo hys waye / Leuynge peasyble this poore pacyente / ¶ And the deuyll Incontynent [...] departed. scumynge and gryntynge the teeth of the sayde pacyente / The whyche att the same houre was guarysshed and helyd / ¶ Thenne alle the systers ladde and broughte her humbly and in grete reuerence to the chyrche. Louynge and magnefyenge the name of oure sauyoure Ihesu Cryste /

¶ After the sayde myracle. saynt Eu­fraxe humbled and meked herself more [Page lxxxix] thanne to fore. And durste not slepe. dredynge the temptacyon of the fende of helle / ¶ And euer she contynued to fast alle the weke / wythoute etynge ony more thanne ones in the weke.

¶ Certayne tyme after the Abbesse sa­we in her slepe that saynt Eufraxe sholde departe oute of this worlde. Wherof she was moche heuy and sory / ¶ Her sisters seenge her grete heuynesse. Prayed her by grete humylyte. that it myghte playse her to shewe to to theim and tell theym the cause of her sorowe / But in noo wyse she wolde telle theim. ¶ And by cause. that more and more thei exhorted her to telle it to theym / ¶ She was constrayned to saye it to theim And declared to theym in the manere that fo­lowyth / ¶ My denowte doughters to­morne we must leue the good lady Eufraxe. Wherof I am moche Ioyous on one syde. By cause she shall be in eter­nall felycyte / ¶ And on that other sy­de I am heuy and sorowfull. ¶ For we shall be pryuated fro her gracyous syghte corporall / ¶ But of this reuelacion saye ye noo thynge to her. leest she sholde take ony fere or drede / ¶ Thenne alle the systers made lamentacions soo grete. that thayre resouned of theyr wepynges / ¶ One of theym came to Eu­fraxe wher as she made brede wyth Iulyan. and sayde to her. My sister the abbesse and all the Couent make for the soo grete lamentacyons that it is mer­ueylle / ¶ They were moche abasshed bothe two / Iulyan sayde thenne. that perauenture the Abbesse myghte haue hadde tydynges. of the Senatour / whyche wold come fetche for to rauyssh her by force oute of theyr monasterye /

¶ Eufraxe ansuered to her. By the ly­uynge god fro the loue of whom. yf all the foundemens of the erthe sholde fo­undre and faylle / I shall neuer departe ¶ But my syster Iulyan I praye the goo see yf thou mayst knowe in ony wise the cause of theyr wepynges and wayllinges. to thende that my soule be not trowbled / ¶ Iulyan wente for to spe­ke to the Abbesse / And she beynge tofo­re the yates or doores of the Chapytre Herkenyd the Abbesse. and herde how she recounted her vysyon in this ma­nere /

¶ I sawe two men comynge in hyder whyche soughte Eufraxe. And haue sayd to me / Abbesse enseygne and coun­seyle Eufraxe. for she hath nede / ¶ After came some other. whyche sayde to me. Take Eufraxe and lede her tofore thy lorde god / ¶ Thenne we toke her. and wente to a gate soo noble and soo fayre that I can not declare / ¶ And after that the sayde gate was opened to vs. We entred in to a palays wherin were made & solempnysed weddynge merueyllously honourable / And ferther we myghte not entree / ¶ But Eufraxe was taken and presented afore the lorde Imperyall of the sayde palays / And whanne she was tofore hym / She knelyd downe humbly to the grounde. and kyssed the fete of the sayd lorde / ¶ And in the same place I sawe ten thousand aungellis wyth Innumerable multytude of sayntes. the whyche there were a­waytynge / ¶ After came the moder of the sayde lorde. The whyche made re­dy a moche fayre crowne in the cham­bre of maryage / ¶ In whyche cham­bre the sayd moder soo fayre / soo play­saunt [Page] and soo amyable made her to entree. And saye to her in delyuerynge to her the sayd crowne / ¶ Eufraxe my loue / Holde. Loo here thy rewarde whiche thou shalte haue. by cause thou hast vaynquysshed alle thyne enmyes / ¶ Now goo thi waye. And after ten dayes thou shalte come agayne in to the glory and selycytee of heuen / ¶ And yet sayd mo­re after the Abbesse. Alas this daye is the nynthe daye / ¶ And therfore I by­leue that [...]omorne Eufraxe shall moū ­te in to heuen.

¶ Iulyan whyche herkenyd all thys purpoos. beganne merueyllously to wepe and waylle. That she bywepte alle her body wyth teeres / ¶ And thus we­pynge she came ayen to the ouen / whe­re as Eufraxe was knedinge the brede ¶ Whanne Eufraxe sawe her. she ad­ui [...]ed her sayenge / ¶ I commaūde the in the name of god that thou saye me the cause wherfore thou wepest / Then̄ Iulyan r [...]counted the [...]aas lyke as the hadd vnderstonden / ¶ And whanne y^e holy lady hadde he [...]de the narracyon / She fell downe to the erthe alle full of anguysshe and of heuynesse / ¶ Iulian la [...]e by her wepynge strongely. ¶ And Eufraxe sayd to her / My syster gyue to me thyne honde & lyft me vp fro heirs And brynge me where the fagottes or brusshes he [...] and leue me there ¶ Take also the brede whyche is in the ouen And he [...]e it to the systers / ¶ Iulyan d [...] de lyke as Eufraxe hadde sayde to her And tolde noo thynge therof to the Abbesse / ¶ Eufraxe beynge layde on the pament. And adressynge her wordes to god sayde to hym ¶ My god my ma­ker. Why haste thou me now in ab­homynacyon / Or wherfore dyspyses [...]e thou me / whiche am a pore pylgrym & Orpheline. ¶ Alas now is the tyme in whyche I ouhte to fyghte agaynst the deuyll myne enmye. ¶ I praye the moche affectuously. & as moche as I maye that thou be to me pyteuouse. And lete me lyue yet by the space of a yere / To the ende that I maye by waylle. and lamente my synnes / For yet neuer in my lyfe haue I done suffysaunt penaunce / ¶ Alas they that ben in helle may not prayse the. But oonly they that ben lyuynge /

¶ One of the sisters herde Eufraxe wepe. And wente Incontynent to the Ab­besse for to shewe to her what she hadd herde / ¶ The Abbesse blamyd the sys­ters. Bi cause she hadde deffended that none sholde telle her therof / ¶ And cō ­maunded that Eufraxe sholde be bro­ughte to her / The whiche thynge so done / The Abbesse demaunded her / My doughter what eylest thou that wepest thus / ¶ Madame I wepe bi cause that thou knowest my dethe. And neuerthe­lesse thou haste tolde to me noo thynge therof / Yf I hadde knowen it / I wolde haue by wepte the grete synnes of why­che I am maculate and defoylled.

¶ Alas madame haue pyte on me. and praye to god wyth me that he gyue to me yet a yere of respyte to doo penaunce / ¶ Thenne the Abbesse ansueryd to her / Certaynly my doughter god oure Redemptour rewardeth well in heuen / But I praye the that thou wolt praye for me. To the ende that by thy mery­tes and prayes I maye haue wyth the partyeypacyon in the heuenly glorye / ¶ Anone after the stronge feuer tooke [Page lxxxx] the good lady Eufraxe / ¶ And that seenge the systers bare her in to the Oratorye / And there kepte her tyll euen / ¶ The euyn comen / the Abbesse com­maunded to her Religyouses that they sholde goo and take theyr Refeccyon / alle sauf Iulyan / whyche abode wyth the Abbesse. ¶ And they two shytte the doore to theym. and abode wythe Eu­fraxe.

¶ Thynke ye that here this hysto­rye. what lamentacōns they made togyder / ¶ Iulyan sayde / My lady my syster. my frende. and my dere felowe / I praye the remembre me / And lyke as I haue alwaye holden to the faythful cō ­panye here in erthe. that I maye accompanye the in heuen / And praye to god that I maye deye wyth the / ¶ Alas I haue soo moche louyd the bodyly & spyrytuelly. and now thou leuest me /

¶ The morne comen / the Abbesse sent for alle the relygyouse systers· To thende that they sholde come and take leue of saynt Eufraxe / ¶ Incontynent as they were comen they sayde to her / O oure good syster. haue in heuen mynde of thy systers. ¶ And after came the o­ther whom she hadde guarysshed and helyd by her prayers and Intercessyons soo moche desolate and tormented that vnneth she myghte speke / ¶ She kys­syd the hondes of saynt Eufraxe. why­che hadd chaced and put oute the deuyl of her body / ¶ And by cause that Eu­fraxe ansuered not to the wordes that she sayde to her / The Abbesse sayde to her / ¶ My doughter my loue. thou spe­kest not to thy syster. whyche is soo moche sorowfull and desolate / ¶ Thenne she sayde / Wherfore syster wepest thou. Lete me alone. for I deye. Praye to god wyth alle thyne herte. and he shall saue the. Also praye for me / For atte this hour suffryth my soule a grete bataylle / ¶ Thenne the Abbesse and alle the systers put theim in deuowte prayers. Durynge the whiche. the good Eufraxe beynge in the aege of thyrty yeres rended to god her benygne spyryte / ¶ And af­ter was buryed by the deuowte systers in the tombe of her moder / In louyn­ge the name of god of that they hadde an espowse soo holy. and soo agreable to god /

¶ The good Iulyan whyche hadde he mastresse· and after felow of saynt Eufraxe. was thre dayes longe vppon the tombe. wepynge there grete habundance of teeres. wythoute thynkynge to ete or drynke / ¶ The fourthe daye she ca­me to the Abbesse. and sayd to her. Madame praye for me / For oure lorde Ihesu Cryste by the Intercessyon of his [...]izte holy spouse Eufraxe hathe somoned me to his weddynge / ¶ And the fyfthe daye she deyed. And was buryed by sa­ynt Eufraxe / ¶ In lyke wyse twenty dayes after the dethe of saynt Eufraxe The Abbesse was bi the prayers of the sayde Eufraxe somoned to her marya­ge / ¶ And dyde doo assemble all the sisters for to chese an other Abbesse / And they chose one namyd Theogenye / ¶ And after that she was made Abbesse / She callyd her and sayde / My sister thou seest that the sisters haue made good wytnesse of the. And therfore I commaunde the in the name of the Trynite. that thou thinke not on temporel godes ne on vayne playsaūce of this worlde / Ne suffre thy systers be occupied on [Page] erthly thynges. But make theym to excersyse fastynges. prayers. and other vertuouse werkes / To the ende that they maye by theyr merytes gete the glorye of heuen /

¶ After she sayde to her systers. Ye my good systers haue seen the holy conuer­sacyon of the ryght deuowte Eufraxe / Doo ye lyke as she hathe doon / to then de that ye maye accompanye her in heuen / And haue wyth her the fruycyon of euerlastynge blessydnesse / And whan she hadde thus sayde. she entred in to her Oratorye / and shytte the dore / And after defended. that none sholde entere tyll on the morne. ¶ On the morn they came vnto the sayde Oratorye. and founde that she hadde rendred her spyry­te to god. ¶ And they buryed and sayed her solempnely by the sayde holy saynt Eufraxe / ¶ And after that tyme there were non moo of theym buryed in the yr sepul [...]ure /

¶ Ma [...]ty Demonyakes we [...]en guarys­shed vppon the combe. where the deuylles cryed ¶ O Eufraxe what shall we doo / Thou doost vs more harme after thy dethe thanne in thy lyte ¶ By th [...] se thynges we oughte to enforce vs to ensyewe by vertuous werkes the ryght persyghte lyte of saynt Eufraxe And in soo dooynge fynably we shall haue the glorye eternall. The whyche by her Intercessyons we maye gete. Amen.

¶ Of saynt Machan [...] Romayne whiche was founde nyght by Paradys ter­restre / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Gloriam et magnificentiam. et cetera Caplm .xlviii.

After the reporte and wytnesse of thre deuoute relygyous men Theophyle. Serguis. & Thy­mus. We shall see of the lyfe of saynt Machaire / ¶ The sayd thre relygyous men mette togyder by a monasterye in Mesopotamia in the countree of Sy [...]t bytwene two floodes / Of whyche that one is named Eufraxes. and that other Tygris / ¶ The Abbot of the sayd monastery was callyd Asclypyon. the whiche receyued theym benygnely. for to make there theyr professyon. after the rule of the sayde monasterye / ¶ Longe tyme after that they hadde lyued comȳ ly wyth the brethern / ¶ On a daye a­boute nyne of the clocke in the mornynge. they mette togyder vpon the Ryuer of Eufrates. in disputynge of the con­uersacyon. [Page lxxxxi] and of the grete laboure of the brethern of the sayde monastery / ¶ And then̄e came to Theophile a thought. Whyche he sayde to his two felo­wes. Sergius. and Th [...]mus ¶ My brethern I shall saye to you / Truly it play syth me / and I haue grete desyre to walke. and goo soo ferre vnto that I maye fynde the heuen and the erthe Ioyne togyder / ¶ The other sayd / We haue holde the alwaye companye / And yet we shall not leue the / For thy maners and thy wordes playse vs. We shall goo w^t the. and not forsake the vnto the dethe ¶ Thyse wordes sayde. they departed from thens. ¶ And after that they had gone by the space of ten dayes Iourney They arryued and came to the cyte of Iherusalem / And worshypped the places where our lorde Ihesus Cryst had be. ¶ His Crosse. his sepulture. and o­ther sayntuaryes

¶ And after came to Bethleem. in whiche place they also worshipped the crib­be where in oure lorde hadde layen. and were also in the place where the aungelus spekynge to the Shepeherdes songen Gloria in excelsis deo the whyche place standyth two myle from Bethleem ¶ And after they wente vpp in to the mounte of Olyuete Where as our lor­de Ihesu Cryste ascended in to heuen whanne he was receyued in a clowde y^e daye of his gloryous Ascencyon /

¶ They came agayne in to Iherusa­lem. And there adoured and worshyped god. ¶ And after they departed as people gyuynge ouer & refusynge all dely­ers temporell. Wythoute to haue ony regarde ne thoughte to the worlde /

¶The fyfthe daye they passed the Ryuer of Tygris / And entred in to the londe of Perse. ¶ They came in to a grete felde namyd Assya / In whyche saynt Mercure martyr slewe Iulyan the A­postata / ¶ After they reentred in to a cyte namyd Catyssefodo / In whyche the bodyes of the thre chyldren. Anany as. Azaryas. and Mysaell ben buryed / ¶ And there they soiourned many dayes / ¶ Foure monethes after they passed the londe of Perse / And entred in to the londe of Inde / And aryued in an how se in whyche noo man dwellyd / ¶ And there they abode two dayes / ¶ And the thyrde daye they sawe come to them a man and a woman armyd / Of whom they had grete drede / ¶ But by cause that the sayd man and woman hadde supposyd that the relygyouse men had ben spyrytes or espyes. and retorned a­gayne / And assēbled almost a thre thou sande Ethyopyens / The whyche arry­ued there. and bylette the house al aboute. where as they weren on theyr knees prayenge to god / ¶ And the other sette fyre atte the foure corners of the howse ¶ The whyche thynge knowen by the religyous men were moche aferde and not wythoute cause / And sprongen out in to the myddes of theym. in callynge the name of Ihesu Cryste Sauyoure of alle the worlde / ¶ The sayde Ethyopyens after that they hadde longe parlemented togyd (er) in theyr langage whi­che. the sayd freres vnderstode noo thynge / ¶ Fynably they lad theym· and broughte theym in pryson obscure and derke /

¶ Alas whanne they weren in pryson none gaaf to them nother mete ne drinke / And had noo comforte of ony man [Page] liuynge. But beganne to wepe. and re­quyred the mercy of god / ¶ Whanne y^e cursyd Ethyopyens sawe that they were in contynuell prayer / They lete the­ym goo oute: In chacynge and betinge theym vylandusly & rygoryously wyth grete staues. tyll they were oute of the­yr prouynce / ¶ And they sayd that thei were foure score dayes wythoute mete. And herof the Recytour callyth god to wytnesse / The whyche for the honour of god we oughte pyteuously to byleue ¶ Fynably they departed oute of theyr Regyons / And wente towarde the coū treye of the Eest. Where they founde a felde delycyous alle full of trees beryn­ge sauourous fruyte and merueyllouse swete Wherof they thankyd god / And ete alle theyr fylle of the fruytes of the sayde trees / And after passed the sayde londe of Iude. And entred in to y^e londe of Chanane ¶ Whanne they sawe the vysages of the Inhabytauntes of y^e sayde countreye / They were moche admerueyled ¶ In that countree y^e men dwelled with the wymmen in caues beynge vnder the Ro [...]hes. They dyde to theym noo dysplaysure. For god kepte theym / ¶ After they wente an hundred dayes towarde the Eest. and entred in to the londe of Epythrens. There as y^e men haue not but a [...]ubyte of lengthe / The whyche whanne they sawe y^e thre relygyous men. they fledde for fere /

¶ After they came towarde the moun­taynes hyghe and merueyllous terryble On whyche the sonne shynyth not. Ne on theym growen noo trees ne herbes / But there ben many serpentes. Aspy­ [...]es. Basylycoks. and dragons on the­ym. And other Infinyte bestes merueyllous and venymous / The whyche they hadde neuer byfore seen / ¶ God beyn­ge theyr helpe. they were there by y^e space of twenty dayes emonge the same beestes wythoute hauynge ony harme. sauf oonly that they herde theyr ferdefull syflyyges / ¶ After they descended in to a place the moost teryble and terdfull y^e euer they hadd seen full of roches. some lowe and the other hyghe / ¶ And Iourneyed by the space of seuen dayes in y^e sayde Regyon / In the whyche they rested theim by cause they myghte goo no ferther / ¶ And the seuenth day there came an herte. whyche passed tofore the­ym. Whom they folowed in grete traueyll and payne ¶ For they founde more sharper roches thanne tofore. And ne­uerthelesse they passed that terryble co­untree / ¶ And after they founde a sci­de full of Olyphauntes / the whyche bi goddis grace dyde to theym none har­me· But they loste theyr waye. And there beganne to wepe in callynge to their ayde the name of oure lorde. ¶ And a [...] they walked nyne dayes wythout way and wythoute to haue mete or drynke. ¶ After by the ayde of god they arry­ued in a felde haboundynge in fruyte ¶ And after they entred in to a coun­tree. where the sonne ne the mone dyde not shyne. but there were derke tenchrees and obscu [...]ous / ¶ Thenne they fell prostrate to the erthe / In prayenge and requyrynge the grace of god / And there they were seuen dayes sore troubled w^t oute mete or drynke. and wythout seenge of ony lyghte / ¶ They beyng in contynuell prayer. came a culuer or a dou­ne fleenge abowte theym for to moeue theym to goo ferther / They rend [...]ynge [Page lxxxxii] graces to god aroos vpp. and folowed the sayde doune. tyll they came in to a place. where as was thus wreton on a large stone) Who that woll entree in to this londe. he muste take the waye on y^e lyfte honde / For on the ryght syde the­re is noo thynge but roches and valey­es. And the countree is Inhabytable [...] ¶ This scrypture hadd made Alexandre the grete in fightynge agaynst Da [...]e the kynge of Perse / ¶ Thenne they wente on the lyfte syde many Iourney is / And fourty dayes after they came in to a place where as was soo grete a stenche and fylthe that vneth they my­ghte lyue / But dradde to deye sodayn­ly / ¶ They recomended theyr soules to god / For they supposed neuer to haue departed from that stynkynge place. And a lytyll whyle after they espyed a lake full of serpentes castynge fyre. the whyche made merueyllous howlynges and waylynges wythin the sayd lake. wherof the resownaunce or sowne was soo porryble that it semyd it wente vppe to heuen / ¶ They herde after a voys fro heuen the whiche sayd. Knowe ye that this place here that ye see. is the place where they that renye and forsake god be crucyfyed & tormented / ¶ The whiche voys herde. they smote on theyr brestes / ¶ And in grete drede of god they passed the sayd lake / And descended by twene two mountaynes ryght hyghe.

In the myddle of whom they sawe a man ferdfull of longe stature. as of an hundred cubytes. bounde and chayned wyth grete chaynes of yren / ¶ Two chaynes he had on one of his sydes at­ [...]atched to one of the mountaynes And two other chaynes in lyke wyse fyxed to that other mountayne / ¶ Wyth this he hadde a grete fyre. whyche enuyronned and was abowte him on alle sydes ¶ And the same monstre cried soo horrybly. that the voys myght be herde fo­urty myle ferre· ¶ And whanne he saw the sayd Relygyouses come / He cryed more thanne tofore / Wherfore it was noo merueylle though they were aferde ¶ And they couered theyr faces. & pas­syd on that other syde of the same mo­untayne. ¶ After they passed in to a nother place full of roches and caues merueyllously depe / And thenne they sawe a woman. whyche had noo thynge but her heere hangynge vnto the grounde / vppon whyche was a dragon / ¶ And whanne the sayde woman wolde speke the same dragon bote her tongue. And putt his heed wythin her mouthe / And yf they were abasshed afore. yet weren they more after ¶ Wyth this herde they voyces in the sayde Cauernes. whyche cryed and sayde / O Ihesu Cryste y^e sone of god omnipotent. Haue pyte. Haue pyte on vs / ¶ Thenne the sayde Relygyous putt theym to prayer. and pray­ed god that he wolde take theyr soules / For they had seen his Iugemens. why­che ben moche to be fered and redoub­ted / ¶ From that place they departed. and anone after they founden a nother place full of trees. lyke to fygge trees. Vppon whyche trees they sawe in four me of byrdes many beestes. Whyche cryed in sayeng wyth an hygh voys / ¶ O oure Sauyoure and Redemer. whyche haste fourmed and created. forgyue to vs oure synnes. Gyue to vs mercy as y^u arte mercyfull. For we haue synned vppon alle the face of the erthe / ¶ Then̄e [Page] the sayde Relygyouses beganne to make theyr prayer to god that they myghte haue reuelacyon of that. whyche thei hadde seen. By cause that they myght not knowe it / ¶ They herde thenne a voyce whyche sayde to theym / Goo on youre waye / For it apperteyneth not to you to knowe the dyuyne secretes /

¶ And soo· they wente forthon. and founde a place moche playsaunte and delectable / ¶ In whyche were foure men hauynge faces fayre and merueyllous­ly playsaunte / ¶ Also vppon theyr he­des eche a crowne aourned & sette with precyous stones ¶ And in theyr hondes they helden grete palmes alle of golde. and also swerdes all nakyd / But with this they hadde afore theym a grete fyre moche grete and enflammed:

¶ The sayde Relygyouses seenge thyse beganne to crye in sayenge / ¶ O lordes and seruauntes of god. haue pyte on vs / To the ende that thyse swerdes and this fyre doo vs none harme /

¶ Thenne they ansuered to them. frendes drede ye noo thynge / But goo ye the way whiche hath be shewed to you by god / The whyche hathe sette vs in this place for to kepe the passage vnto the daye that he shall come to Iuge the vnyuersall worlde /

¶ After they passed and went fourty dayes wythout ony mete. but they dranke oonly water. ¶ And as they wente they herde melodyouse songes and ar­monyous as of Infenyte nombre of people / Symphonysynge more swetter thanne ony other Instrumentes /

¶ After they felte an odoure more swete thanne bame. and also thanne ony other spyces aromatyke in al the worl­de / ¶ And by the vertue of those armo­nyes and swete sauours they slepte / A­none after they awoke. ¶ And in beholdynge byfore theym / They sawe a chirche decorate and ornate aboue alle pu­yssaunce humayne / For it semyd alle to be made of crystall / ¶ In that chyrche was an awter moche well arayed / By whyche and by a fountayne there beynge. sourded and sprange a water whyte as mylke / Abowte whyche fountayne weren people whyche songen songes of Cherubyn /

¶ Now for to dyscryue the fourme of y^e sayde chyrche / The partye wythout for the on the syde of the South was of y^e colour semblable or lyke to a precyous stone namyd Prasym. The partye to­warde the North was redde as blodde / And towarde the Eest white as mylke ¶ There was also vpon the same chirche many sterres. more shynynge than̄e they that shyne in this worlde / ¶ The sonne shone and was more hoter seuen tymes thanne in oure londe / The mo­untaynes and the trees were wythoute comparyson more hygher thanne they of this Regyon / And the fruytes of the sayde trees were moche fayrer. and al­so moche swetter / ¶ The songe of the byrdes that flewe there resowned vppe to heuen ¶ The erthe of that place had two colource / Of whom that one was whyte and that other reed / ¶ Thyse relygyouses thenne alle abasshed. salew­ed the enhabitauntes of that place. and wente forthe theyr waye / ¶ And they wente an hundred dayes wythoute mete. But of water they dranke ynough / ¶ And sodaynly they sawe com̄ towarde theym a multytude of men & wy [...] ­men. [Page lxxxxiii] whiche were but a cubite bye. whyche made theym sore aferde / But they sette theyr lyues in the honde of god. & wente agaynste theym / ¶ And Incon­tynent by the vertue of god they fledde ¶ Thenne the sayde Relygyouses to­ke their refeccōn of herbes whiche they founde in that place. And rendred than kynges to god. whyche hadde delyuer­de theym from soo many perylles /

¶ And after by the wyll of god they founde a fayr waye to walke in / by why­che they wente many Iourneyes / And in walkynge they founde a caue play­saunte ynoughe / and clenly wythin /

In to whyche they entred / ¶ After that they were wythin. they marked theym wyth the sygne of the Crosse. But thei founde there noo persone ¶ And by cause they founde the place soo clene. they ymagyned that some man dwellyd there / And soo abode there tyll euen. for to knowe yf he that dwellyd there wolde come / They beynge there wythin slep­ten / ¶ And after that they were a wa­ked. they went oute of the caue. And Incontynent they saw a man hauyng hys heeres as whyte as snowe / The why­che couered alle his body / ¶ Whanne the sayde man sawe theym. he fell downe to the grounde / ¶ And after he aroos & sayde to theym. Yf ye ben on god­dis halfe / Marke ye wyth the sygne of the Crosse. Or ellis goo ye youre waye oute from me in the name of god / whyche sayden to hym. that he sholde noo thynge be aferde / And that they were y^e seruauntes of god as he was / This se­enge that good man. was longe in his prayers ¶ And notwythstondyng that he had be longe in that place. Yet was his face as shynynge as the vysage of an aungell / ¶ His browes couered hys eyen bi force of olde aege. The vngles or nayles of his fete and hondes weren merueyllously longe. His berde and his heeres couered also alle his body / And his skynne was as harde as the shelle of a lymace / ¶ The sayde holy man also wepynge demaunded of the thre Relygyouses pylgryms of whens they were / And wherfore they weren thyder come / and of the estate of mankynde.

And yf the Sarrazyns and Ethnycy­ens persecuted more the faythe / ¶ The sayde pylgrymes recounted to hym all theyr aduersytees / And how they soug­hte to fynde the place. where as heuen and erthe Ioyned togyder / ¶ The ho­ly man sayde thenne to theym that fro the place where as they were. it was no ferre waye to paradyce terrestre / But noo man myghte goo thyther. But yf the aungellis bare hym. lyke as a voyce hadde sayde to him whanne he hym selfe wolde haue goon thyther /

¶ He tolde to them also as the aungell had tolde to hym. that it was but twenty myles to the place where as Adam was created and fourmed. and to the sayd paradice terrestre. Where as the erthe Ioynyth to heuen /

¶ The sayde pylgrymes herynge thy­se wordes. were moche enioyed / And entred in to the caue wyth the sayde holy man / ¶ Whanne the euen was comen he prayed theym and sayde: That they sholde not holde theym wythin the sayde caue / By cause that there were wyth in a lytyll space therby two lyons. whyche camen euery nyghte to lye wyth hȳ ¶ And he fered theym sore. leest they [Page] sholde doo to theym ony harme or dys­playsure / ¶ Anone after they sawe the sayde two lyons come. But the good holy man wente and mette wyth the­ym / And deffended and forbadde y^e sayd lyons to doo theym ony greyf / The whyche deffence made. they soiourned there surely /

¶ On the morne they asked of the ho­ly man. of his estate and conuersacyon / and also of his name / And of what place he was / ¶ To whom he ansuered / Fyrste that he was namyd Machaire / And was borne atte Rome. sone of a noble Romayne flourysshynge in good renomme and fame thorugh oute alle the empyre / ¶ After he recounted to theym of his lyfe and conuersacyon. and y^e cause wherfore he was departed from Rome. ¶ And beganne to recyte & she­we to theym / That he beynge yonge / his fader wolde haue maryed hym. and in dede was fyaunced and trouth plyghted. and a daye accepted to be wedded ¶ Atte whyche daye after that al thynges necessary for the weddȳge were made redy / And the lordes Romayns bo­den for to goo to the celebracōn and so lempnytee of the sayde weddynge /

¶ The holy man seenge the same pre­paracyons and ordynaunces / And that the houre approchyd and drewe nyghe Secretely he departed from the house / of his fader. And hydde hym in the [...]ous of a woman a widowe wyth whom he was famylyer /

¶ In her house he was seuen dayes hydde wythoute to be seen of ony persone of the cyte of Rome / ¶ That same wydowe wente euery daye in to the ho­us of his fader. And knewe alle y^e was sayde of hym syth he came to her house And shewed alle to the sayde holy man ¶ His fader seenge that he mighte not fynde him was moche angry and also his moder wyth alle theyr frendes /

¶ The eyghte daye after whyche was Sondaye. he tooke leue of the sayd wydowe. and wente openly thorugh y^e strete / ¶ And in gooynge he founde in his waye. a man moche olde / whom he sa­lewed demaundynge whether he went and yf he wolde holde hym companye ¶ To whom the olde man ansuered y^t he wolde doo as it sholde playse hym / ¶ And soo they wente togyder oute of Rome in sechynge theyr mete fro dore to dore / ¶ And longe tyme they wente togyd (er) by the wayes. the whyche y^e threpilgryms tofore namyd hadde holden / ¶ And after the good Machaire recy­ted y^t whan he came a .xxx. myle nyghe to the place where as he was / and recy­ted thyse thynges. that same olde man whyche had acompanyed hym syth he departed from Rome vanisshed a way and wyste not where he became /

¶ Thenne was saynt Machaire sore trowbled. In soo moche he wyste not what to doo / ¶ But layed hym downe on the erthe / and there wayled and we [...] te habundauntly /

¶ And he beynge in this poynte wayl­lynge and wepynge. The same man that was in his companye / apperyd to hym agayne. and sayde / ¶ Ryght dere brother angre the noo thynge / ¶ For I am the Aungell Raphaell sente from god. for. and to helpe the in thy necessytees /

¶ And knowe y^e that by y^e cōmaunde­ment of god I haue brought the hyther [Page lxxxxiii] ¶ Oure lorde hathe alwaye holpen the In gyuynge waye prosperouse / By the whyche thou haste passed alle the der­ [...]e places / And theim where as ben the tourmentes of soules / Now thou art in lyght / And therfore thou oughtest now to drede noo thynge. But goo forthe in the waye that thou haste begonne /

¶ Thyse thynges thus sayde. the aun­gell departed from hym / Thenne re­prysed and tooke agayn saynt Machaite his strengthe. and wente forthon / ¶ And ryght soone after he founde a wylde asse / The whyche he adiured in the name of god that he sholde adresse and gouerne hym the waye. by whyche he myghte surely goo / ¶ After the say­ne coniuracyon. the asse wente forth by a lytyll path / And soo folowynge hym saynt Machaire wente wyth hym two dayes / ¶ And the thyrde day he founde an herte without comparyson more greter thanne ony of the countree / ¶ The sayde asse seenge the sayde herte / hadde grete drede. and left the holy man. whyche was thenne sore trowblyd. By cause he myghte not know ne see ony wayne pathe.

¶ He thenne soo abasshyd that he wyst not what to doo / He adiured the herte that hadde be cause to make hym to le­se his guyde / That he hymselfe sholde guyde him. and lede hym surely ¶ And Incontynente the sayde herte came to hym. lyke as a good came beest / ¶ And in a strayte waye he beganne to goo to fore the good holy man / In lokynge be hynde hym yf he folowyd hym alwaye ¶ And soo they wente togider thre da­yes /

¶ The fourthe daye they founde a dragon merueyllous: whyche laye alonge in the waye / ¶ And whanne the herte sawe the dragon. he fledde a waye. and the good man abode alone / And wyste not what to doo. but to calle on the name of god / And felle downe prostrate to the erthe for to make his prayer /

¶ After he blessyd him wyth the sygne of the Crosse / ¶ And commaunded in the name of god the sayde dragon that he sholde doo to hym none harme. ne lettinge / ¶ And thenne it haped by myracle. and agaynst the comyn vsage of nature. that the dragon spake. and sayde to hym / ¶ Come on hardly. come on well happy and seruaunte of god Ma­chaire. ¶ The aungell Raphaell shewynge me thy face. hathe commaunded me that I sholde come to the / for to lede the to the place whiche is arayed for the by the commaundement of god /

¶ It is foure dayes sythe I haue aby­den for the wythoute mete or drynke / ¶ In this nyghte I haue seen the in a clowde ryght shynynge / And haue her­de a voyce whyche sayde to me that I sholde haste me for to lede the and con­duyte. Bi cause thou were not ferre frome / ¶ Wherfore come on promptely & folowe me. And drede the noo thynge / ¶ For by the ayde and helpe of god I shall lede the to the place. Whyche by hym is made redy to the / In whyche thou oughtest to loue and prayse god /

Thyse wordes sayde by hym that semyd to be a dragon / Sodainly he transfygured and chaunged hymselfe in to lykenesse of a yonge man / As the same holy fader sayd / & brought him vnto y^e holy place. where he recited al thise thȳ ges / And where as the sayde pylgryms [Page] had founden hym / ¶ And he sayde yet ferthermore. that he beynge arryued in the sayde caue / The sayde yonge man vanysshed awaye / ¶ And thenne he hū bly thanked god. in gloryfyenge hym of the graces that he had done to hym / In preseruynge hym fro the grete da­ungers. wherin he hadde ben. er he was comen vnto the sayde place / ¶ Neuer­thelesse he sayde that he hadde be ofte tempted of the deuyll / Whyche ofte ca­me to vysyte hym. for to gyue to hym empesshement and lettynge in his contemplacyons. ¶ And emonge his other temptacyons. he hadde presented hym a lytyll bende. to swadle a lytyll chylde brynge in his cradle / The wyche ben­de the holy man hadde taken. and putt it in his caue forgetynge to blesse hym. ne to make prayer in takynge it /

¶ A nother tyme he hadde layed tofore his caue a payr of shoes of a woman / whyche semblably and in lyke wyse he hadde taken and layed bi the layd bende / ¶ And the thyrde tyme the deuyll apperyd to hym in lyckenesse of a wo­man. cladde wyth ryche habyllements. And was aourned & arayed wyth pre­cyous stones / ¶ Whanne the sayde ho­ly man sawe that / Not ymagynynge that it was the deuyll. spake to her fa­mylyerly. & demaunded what she was / And how she was comen in to his [...]a­ue / ¶ Thenne she as heuy and sorow­full beganne to wepe and caste out gre [...]e syghynges / ¶ The holy man seeng that she wepte. mouyd of pyte and compassyon beganne to wepe wyth her /

¶ And thenne the deuyll beganne to speke to hym sayenge. O holy man seruaunte of god. I am the doughter of a noble Romayne / whyche some tyme was fyaunced and trouthplyght in maryage to a noble man of Rome ¶ But whanne the day was comen. in whiche we sholde haue made the maryage. He to whom I shold haue be spowsed and maryed wente his waye secretely. that neuer syth was seen / ¶ And whanne I sawe that he was departed from Rome And that his parentes and kynnesmen and frendes soughte hym in grete heuinesse / I was not Ioyous. But the sa­me nyghte departed also pryuely. wyth oute takynge leue of ony persone. And haue passyd as well by moūtaynes and valeyes. as by many other dangerouse places without guydynge of ony lyuynge persone / ¶ And thus alle allone am I comen hyther /

¶ Saynt Machaire wenynge that she was his wife / Toke her swetely by the honde and ladde her in to his caue /

¶ But the deuyll contynuelly wepte / Wherfore the holy man was the more redy to byleue that it hadde ben his wyfe / And wepte semblably and in lykewyse wyth her / ¶ After theyr lamentacyons and wepynges the holy man tooke akehornes & herbes. and wolde haue made her to ete. wenynge that she shel­ [...]e cesse her sorowe / ¶ Now the holy man Machaire vnderstode not the cautelles and dysceytes of the deuyll / The whiche atte begynnynge were ouer subtyll and straunge for to be vnderstonde ¶ And soo they deuyseden longe wyth in the sayde caue. that one syttynge by that other / ¶ And in spekynge togyder the forsayde woman towchyd his hon­des. by manere of flaterye. As now many done for to moeue the men to vs [Page lxxxxiiii] [...]ouse and fowle synne of lecherye / ¶ And in thus dooynge the poore man without to blesse hym ne comaūdynge him to god. fell a slepe / As yf he hadde be traueylled of many labours /

¶ Now it happed in slepynge. by thart or subtyltee and shrewdenesse of the deuyll / That he dremyd to be wyth hys wyfe and to haue her companye. in su­che wyse. that whanne he awoke. he founde hymselfe alle dyscoueryd and ponished o [...] defoylled / as he hadde flessh­ly done wyth his wyfe / ¶ Thenne knewe he that it was the deuyll. By cause that after he hadde slepte. he sawe ne apperceyued her noo more / ¶ Thenne he beganne to lamente and make so­rowe. and make many exclamacyons and cryes to god. In requyrynge hym humbly of pardonne and mercy /

¶ Now it is to be noted that the two lions whyche he hadde founde in his ca­ue whanne he there fyrste arryued. Af­ter he hadde done this synne. forsoken hym and departed fro hym. The whyche thynge by hym knowen. And for y^e grete dysplaysaunce that he hadde for his synnes. He put him agayne to prayer Prayenge god that he wolde enseygne and shewe hym / what suffysaunt penaunce he oughte to doo / And that it wolde playse hym to sende agayne to hym his two lyons / ¶ And Inconty­nente after by the wyll of god whyche herde his requeste and petycyon. wolde reduce and brynge hym to the waye of he [...]the. The sayde lions retourned / and beganne promptely to make a fosse. or a pytte of the largenesse & depnesse suffysaunt to the comyn stature of a man ¶ The holy man that seenge / thoug­hte that god wolde: that he sholde doo his penaunce in the sayd pytte / ¶ And commaunded the lyons that they shol­de couere hym in the same / And so they dyde /

¶ He beynge in the sayd pytte by y^e space of thre yere / Happed that by the grete Inundacōn and flowynge of waters the whyche descended there. the sayd caue was broken. And a parte fell vppon his heed. in suche wyse that by the moyen of the sayde rumpure and brekynge where as he hadde not seen noo lyghte in thre yere. He sawe the sonne clerely shyne and gyuynge lyghte / ¶ Thenne he tooke the herbes. whyche he founde besyde hym. and ete of theym / ¶ The lyons after came agayne. And they se­enge the caue broken and dysconuerte. They dyffeated the pytte / and brought hym oute alle hoole wythoute ony gry­ef or brusure / ¶ Thenne he came oute of the fosse or pytte / And rendred than kynges of that he hadde lyued soo lon­ge wythoute seenge of sonne ne mone And also wythoute to haue ony harme of his body he was delyuered from the same caue / ¶ And knelyd downe to the grounde. and was fourty dayes and fourty nyghtes wythoute moeuynge hȳ ­selfe. Lyke as he hadde he Inmobyle in gloryfyenge the name of god /

¶ The sayde fourty dayes passyd. He came agayne in to his caue. ¶ And there he sawe foure aungellis whyche shone soo merueyllously that alle the caue was enlumyned ¶ And in the myddle of theym was our lorde and Redemer Ihesus Cryste in fourme of a man. Holdynge in his honde a rodde of gol­de / & made a sowne so strongly resow­nyng [Page] lyke the voys of ten men / ¶ The same noble companye songen longe / ¶ And whanne theyr songe was accomplys­shed and fulfyllyd / Thre voyces togyder ansuered (Amen) ¶ And Inconty­nent oure Sauyour Ihesu Cryst wyth his aungellis whiche acompanied him vanysshed awaye. and wente in to he­uen / ¶ And after in a voys descended a douue wythin the sayde caue / And In­contynente was herde a noyce romblynge as thundre / and also lyghtnynges Innumerable / ¶ He herde also many voyces from heuen. whyche songen [...] Sanctus. Sanctus. Sanctus. Domi­nus deus / &c Then̄e the holy man herynge and seenge the sayde woundres. was alle taken in a traunce. and rauysshed in spyryte. And felle downe to the erthe. On whyche he was ryght dayes wythoute moeuynge honde ne fote / The whyche passyd he awoke / ¶ And thenne he knewe that god hadde sanc­tefyed and halowed that place / And giuen there his benedyccyon and blessyn­ge / And thenne he recu [...]ned in to the sa­yd caue and praysed the name of god / in gyuyng to hym thankynges and louynges of his vysytacyon. And that his grace hadde made hym worthy to haue his companye /

¶ Atte the tyme of the same vysyon: He was in the aege of fourty yere. And hadde dwellyd but seuen yeres in the sayd caue ¶ Whanne he hadd recounted and tolde alle thyse thynges to the thre Relygyous pylgrymes / That is to wyte Theophyle. Sergius and Thimus / ¶ He Instructe and shewed to theym the maner. how they myghte voyde the cursyd temptacōn and decepcyon of the deuyll of helle / In sayenge to theym. that they sholden remembre and haue in mynde alwaye how the deuyll hadd dysceyued hym subtylly / ¶ And after he admonested and desyred them to a­byde wyth him. Or yf it playsed to theym not to abyde there. that they sholde retourne in to theyr monasterye / ¶ Alle thyse consydered by the thre Relygyouses / they were moche abasshed and fell downe to the erthe in gloryfyenge the name of god / Whyche oonly dooth soo many merueyllous thynges / ¶ And also they rendred to hym thankynges of that he hadde broughte theim to y^e knowlege of the holy man /

¶ Theyr oryson fynysshed they pray­ed to the glorious saynt Machaire that he wolde praye for theym to the Sau [...] our of the worlde / That he wolde saue and kepe theym in retournynge in the­yr abbaye / To the ende that by all the monasteryes where as they sholde goo They myghte also well recite and tell that whyche they hadde seen / For to ercyte and moeue alle Relygyous men to lyue vertuously / ¶ For they byleuyd f [...] mely that god hadd broughte theym to the sayde place / for and to the ende to knowe the holy man / And also for to shewe and manyfeste his holy lyfe and conuersacyon /

¶ The holyman Machaire made hū bly thenne his prayer to god for theym ¶ And after gaaf to theym his blessynge And after kyssed theym in recom [...] undynge theym to god / ¶ To the ende that they myghte make theyr voyage in peas after his good playsure & wyll

¶ Fynably he commaūded his two lyons that they sholde conduyte theym [Page lxxxxv] tyll they were passed the derke places: where as they were seuen dayes and seuen nyghtes. wythout departinge from the place. lyke as it is tofore wryten / ¶ The whyche lyons after that by sygne they had taken leue of the holy man broughte theym vnto the place. where as Alysaundre hadd made the wrytynge makynge mencyon of the wayes. lyke as it is declared tofore ¶ And whan they came to the sayde place. the lyons lytyll humbled theym / and toke leue of theym / And retorned to the holy man / ¶ And after they wente wyth the grace of god soo longe. that they entred in to the londe of Perse. wythoute to haue ony lettynge / And camen to the cyte of Catessodo. In whyche ben the thre childre that were put in the furnays of fy­te nyghe by Babylone / And after they passed the Ryuer of Tygre. ¶ And the fyftenth daye after they reentred in to Iherusalem. And there vysyted the holy places. as they hadde done byfore / ¶ And fynably they came agayn in to theyr monasterye / In whiche whanne they were arryued / recounted alle that whyche they hadd seen / And pryncypally of saynt Machaire / And thenne alle the Relygyouses glorifyeden the name of god / To whom be gyuen laude and glorye eternall. Amen /

¶ Yf ony woll repute this hystorye far apocryphum tofore or he Impute ony blame to the rude and vncunnynge translatoure. whyche supplyeth moche affectuously. that fyrste he see saynt Ierom in his wrytyng / in the boke of the lyfe of holy faders. Vppon the whyche hath be made this presente translacōn. in suche wyse as the Intytulacyon conteynyth of this presente hystorye / to the ende that the gretter fayth be therto yeuen and adiousted.

¶Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Pastumyen. whyche begynnyth in latyn ¶ Qm̄ desidero. &c· Caplm .xlix.

IHesu Cryste oure Sauyour. lyke as hath wryten saynt Ihe­rom hathe not manyfested nor shewed his Reame ne his glorye oonly to grete and excellente clerkes of this worlde. But to symple and ygnoraunt of alle scyence & cunnynge / ¶ As now now ye shal see in the lyf of saynt Pastumien / The whiche was of the lygnage and kynred of Mempheus. that [Page] was a paynem / And was in his yong­the moche symple. and vncunnynge of lettres. ¶ Not defoyllyd wyth vyces of Paynems But lyued by enbraydynge and weuynge of cordes of Ionkes /

¶ He neuer pronoūced fowle worde oute of his mowthe. ¶ And yet whanne he was in the worlde. He fledde besyly and ofte the conuersacōn of wymmen / ¶ Euer more he lyued in charitee. and hadde peas wyth euery persone. wyth­oute to moeue with his neyghbour ony discorde ne dyscencyon. Applyenge hȳ selfe to alle vertuous werkts. Notwythstondynge that he was not yet Crysten ¶ He beynge in the aege of thyrty yere God wolde take from hym the corrupcyon of synne [...] for to make him to haue the lyfe eternall /

¶ On a tyme the aungel came and sayd to hym / Pastumyen haste thou not knowen god of heuen / And he ansuer­de. Naye / And that oonly he dyde hys [...]at [...]. But yf god were in heuen or not he hadde not herde saye. ¶ For he was not a clerke for to knowe the thynges dyuyne and celestyall / ¶ The aungell thenne sayde to hym / Now praye god / and he shall gyue to the sapyence / To whom ansuered the holy man / that he cowde not praye / ¶ For he knewe not what prayer was / ¶ Thenne the aun­gell toke a leyf of the Laurell tree. and sette a prayer theron. sayenge to hym / That he sholde ete it / ¶ And how wel that it semyd hym bytter Yet neuerthelesse it gaaf hym the fourme and ma­nere to praye god / ¶ The sayde holy man Incontynent ete it / ¶ And it was bytter to hym in his mowthe. But alle his herte was replenysshyd wyth swet­nesse. ¶ Thus thenne he began to prayse and magnefye the name of god. ¶The aungell after towchyd his lyppes / And toke from him the bytternesse of his mouthe. ¶ And anone after saynte Pastumyen knew hyghe thynges of holy scrypture. lyke as he hadde estudy­ed therin alle his lyfe /

¶ After the aungell sayde to hym that he sholde sette his knees to the grounde and his face in to the Eest. ¶ And that Incontynent he sholde haue wythoute defawte alle that he wolde demaunde of god / ¶ Soo he dyde. And that done he beganne to saye I shal loue & prayse all my lyfe the name of god. whyche is soo benygne to teche theym to know that ben ygnoraunce. ¶ And byscyence Infusyd makyth sodaynly by theym his name. his lawe and his glorie to be manyfested / ¶ O my god my maker thou haste sente to vs fro heuen thy propre sone for to redeme vs from the paynes and trybulacions of helle by his sorowfull passyon / ¶ In the name of y^e same thy sone whyche is god and man I require the and praye as humbly as I can or maye that to me whyche am here in darkenesse woll gyue lighte and clerenesse. ¶ My god my redemer / thou wotest and knowest. that I cowde not say one worde that was to thy praysynge. yf thou haddest not taughte me /

¶ Now I byleue stedfastly that y^e blynde by yllumynacyon and lightnyd seen cleerly / ¶ The deyf haue herynge. the dombe haue spekynge / The crokyd go on right / ¶ Poore and symple of vnderstondynge haue knowlege of grete scy­ences and enseignementes. ¶ And also the poore and myserable synnars ben [Page lxxxxvi] of the called ¶ Alas my god my maker what was I ¶ What myghte ne what [...]gthe haue I hadde by whyche I y^t was soo symple. was worthy to be cal­led of the. for to prayse the. magnyfye. and serue. By whyche I dare require & demaunde for to be puryfyed and clen­sy [...] of my spottes and fylthes of synne ¶ I haue lyued alwaye lyke vnto the Paynyms. whyche ben as brute beestes ¶ And now I knowe that the synnars shall neuer haue Ioye after theyr dethe yf they conuerte theym not to the fayth ¶ And for soo moche as thou whyche acte my Redemer wylte not that I be loste by my poore freyltee / ¶ I supplie the that it maye playse the to enseygne and teche me better and better / To the ende that I maye knowe the as my only Sauyour & protectour / And as righte puyssaunt kynge soueraynly regnynge in heuen and in erthe / Whyche bet­ter thanne ony other mayste enfourme me in thyne holy lawe. ¶ And fynably wyll gyue to me the glorye eternall /

¶ And from thens forth on Pastumy­en besyed hym in deuowte comtemplacyons / Alwaye awaytinge that the an­gell of god sholde come agayne to him ¶ But that notwithstondynge he wente agayne to his crafte / whyche was as tofore is sayde to make cordes of Ion­ [...]es /

¶ And fynably the aungell apperyd to hym and sayde / Pastumyen wolt thou that I lede the to a preest / Whyche shal baptyse the in the name of the fader & of the sone and of the holy ghoste / To whom he ansuered that it was the grettest Ioye that myghte come to hym / And that he desyred none other thynge ¶ Anone the aungell tooke him by the heeres / and bare hym vnto a place where as was an an holy man named Prisce / To whom the Aungell commaun­ded that he sholde enseygne: and teche hym the faythe and lawe / And to lyue as a good Crysten / ¶ The holy fader seenge the grete bryghtnesse of the aungell. Sodaynly he was abasshed in su­che wyse that he felle downe for fere / But the aungell releuyd hym and comforted hym sayenge. ¶ Be not aferde / for I am the seruaunte of god as thou arte / ¶ And in sayenge thise wordes y^e aungell chaunged his fourme vnto the semblaunce or lickenesse of a man clad wyth whyte. and of a playsaunt face / ¶ After agayne he sayde to hym / Do­ubte the noo thynge / I come to the for to shewe to the fro god / That it is his playsure that thou take to the this goode man Pastumyen / And that thou enfourme hym in the faythe of holy chyr­che. To the ende that he maye deserue the glorye eternall / ¶ And Incontinente the aungell departed /

¶ Saynt Prysce thenne toke Pastumien. And enfourmyd hym in the faythe / And to faste and to doo other vertuous werkes / ¶ After he baptysed hym. and this done he made a prayer vnto oure lorde sayenge thus. ¶ O sone of god I yelde to the humbly thākynges of thys that it hathe playsed the. by thyne holy ghoste to reconcyle me to god thy fader And thou haste redemyd me from eternall dethe / The whyche dethe suffren perpetuelly alle they that byleue not in thy name / Alas I knowlege now that [...] [Page] alle thynges. the lasse oughte to obeye the gretter. And the symple to theym that ben wyse /

¶ The seconde commaundement that ye oughte / for to kepe is subieccyon

To the ende that in reuerent drede ye maye serue god wyth a chaste herte pure and clene /

¶ The thirde is that ye oughte to lyue sobrely and Iustly. in hauynge compassyon on youre soules and of others /

¶ The fourth that ye oughte to chastyse youre bodyes by fastynges and abstynence after your possybylyte / For to the spyryte desyrynge to gete vertue. it is a synguler delectacōn and playsaunce. to be and enhabyte in a body lene by pe­naunce /

¶ The fyfthe is for to be ofte in ory­ryson and prayer in ens [...]ewyng the doctryne of the appostle. whyche comma­undyth vs to praye god wythoute ceassynge / For after his doctryne alle they that contynuelly faste and pray to god Lyghtly they putt vnder by the vertue of the faythe alle the cautels and subteltees of the deuyll of helle / And causyth also to resyste and wythstonde alle vy­ces and synnes /

¶ Fyrst and pryncypally to pryde / For of that synne proceden alle euylles.

And euery daye as one seeth by experyence / Pryde is the orygynall roote of al synnes / ¶ By pryde ben the aungellys caste downe in to helle / By cause that Adam desyrynge to knowe the good & euyll. ete of the fruyte forboden in transgressynge and brekynge the comma­undement of god / ¶ By this concupiscence he deseruyd and bounde him and alle his posterytee and ofsprynge vnto the dethe eternall / Wherof we hadde neuer be quyte. yf the blessyd sone of god. by his grete mercy. and by his worthy dethe and passyon hadde not quyted & redemed vs /

¶ The vertue opposyte and cōtrary to pryde is Humylytee roote of alle good / And the begynnyng and get [...]nge of al vertues. wythoute the whyche was ne­uer none ne neuer shall persone be per­fyghte / ¶ And the cause that most moeuyd oure blessyd Sauyoure to take oure humanyte in the wombe of the vyr­gyne of the Intemerate and moost cle­ne and ryght blessyd vyrgyne Marye. that was her humylytee. For in soo doynge is wryten in the Cantycle / God hathe beholden the humylytee and mekenes of his hondmayde (Qu [...]a respex­te humilitatem ancille sue &c)

¶ After the holy man Pastumien commaunded theym that they sholde haue charytee fraternall togyder in hauyng perfyghte faythe / Sayenge that y^e princypall Rule and mooste grettest charge that Religyouses oughte to haue. is for to haue one wyth a nother perfyghte loue and charytee / Wythoute the whiche none Relygyouses in the cloystre maye not well gouerne theymselfe / ¶ Whan many brethern ben togyder wythoute loue. eche entendyth to his synguler prouffyte / And soo theyr comynte is deuy­ded / ¶ Soo euery reame and other gouernement of multytude and of subgettes. yf it be deuyded. wythoute doubte it is desolacyon / ¶ Alas now the mooste parte of Relygyouses in this present tyme entēde to be Abbottes. Pryours and [Page lxxxxviii] to offyces. Desyrynge to be oute from theyr brethern / ¶ Lyke as the byrde se­chyth. but to escape oute of the cage /

¶ And who sholde demaunde or wyte the reason wherfore. I trowe that the­re sholde be defaulte to haue loue wyth theyr brethern / ¶ For by cause that thei ben ouermoche replenysshyd and fulfyllyd wyth the dampned vyce of Pryde. they can not be compatyble and fely­shypped wyth the other / But woll be alone ¶ A lorde god well is chaunged y^e tyme that the holy faders fledd in to deserte sedynge there a solytary lyfe. for to renounce and leue the worlde / and to lede a lyfe contemplatyf / ¶ And as it is sayde the Relygyouses whanne they be closyd in an abbay. where as they haue ben put for to be oute of the worlde / They thynke on none other synne but to opteyne and gete pryeryes and other benefyces / Whether it be by synne or no synne. to the ende to retorne agayne to the worlde / For the whyche thynges all deuocyon is loste / ¶ Perauenture yf the Pryours were vnyed and onyd wyth y^e abbayes / And that suche Relygyouses had none occasyon for to departe with oute lycence / It sholde be better. and lightlyer for theyr helthe / thanne for to seke theyr lodges from vyllage to vyllage /

¶ It hath be seen in tyme passed that the chyldren of kynges for to serue god haue renoūced and vtterly forsaken all theyr rychesses / ¶ But now whan there ben many in a noble house / they ben made Abbottes. tofore that they ben relygyouses. ¶ Noo thynge for deuocyon But to the ende for to enryche theym wyth goodes and rychesses of the chyr­che for to lyue atte theyr playsure

God knowyth what shall be the ende

ANd folowynge thenne the doc­tryne and tethynge that Pastumyen gaaf to his Religyouses ¶ He commaunded theym ferthermore to loue not oonly the one that other. But to loue god pryncypally wyth all theyr herte / That was the fyrste com­maundement. that god gaaf to Moy­ses in the moutayne of Synay / ¶ But wyth the same commaundement must be Ioyned the lone. that we oughte to haue that one wyth a nother /

¶ Whanne alle Relygyouses louen e­che other / and god pryncypally and fyrste / Yet muste they haue the vertue of o­bedyence / ¶ Loue wythoute obedyence is noo thynge. ¶ For lyke as the grasse lettyth the corne to fructefye and encre­ace / In lyke wyse who that is in obedient and fastyth and prayeth / bryngyth fourth noo fruyte for fawte of obedyence /

¶ After he commaunded theym to ex­cercyse the nyghtes in prayers / ¶ For by nyghte the deuyll makyth moo let­tynges to deuowte persones. thanne he dooth in the daye. Lyke as the Gospel saythe / ¶ Who woll doo euyll. Hatyth lyghte / ¶ And to this purpoos sayth y^e Gospell. Awake. awake. For ye know [Page] not the howre whanne the theyf of the soules woll come /

¶ He commaunded theym also that they sholde wryte in a Table of theyr conscyences all the commaundementes of god / And that ofte they sholde laye the clothe for to take refeccyon spyry­tuell. in sauourynge and etynge the ten loues composyd of the ten commaundementes of the fayth ¶ The twelue ar­tycles of the lawe / And the werkes of mercy /

¶ More ouer he sayde / O ye my bre­thern / whyche desyre to be very obedy­ent and charytable to loue eche other / byleue ye after the sentence of Baruth the prophete whyche sayth / that ye ben now the felowes of god / ¶ And in a nother place the holy scrypture sayth well happy [...]en the peasyble. For they ben y^e sones of god / ¶ Now they that ben peasyble ben obedyent and charytable /

¶ They thene that shall desyre in this corruptyble world to enioye the fruytes of heuen / He muste renounce and forsa­ke his propre wyll. in hauynge perfyg­h [...]e charyte /

¶ After he cōmaunded theym. yf they hadde amonge theym ony dyscencyon. or debate / that Incontynente it sholde be appeasyd / For god oure lorde dwel­lyth ne abydeth but in one place of pe­as / ¶ And the contrarye where as is dyssencyon. the deuyll regnyth.

¶ And ferthermore he deffended them that they neuer sholde be angry ne wrothe ne to theyr brethern. ne to straungeres / ¶ And that for ony gayne of the worlde that they myghte gete. They sholde not o [...]cupye theym wyth temporell thynges. But oonly in werkes spyrytuell. By the whyche they myghte lyghtely gete the herytage of the Reame of heuen /

¶ And whanne ony temptacyons sholde come to theym. the whyche w^t grete payne the ymyghte eschewe / ¶ He ad­monested theym to torne to god / In lyf tynge theyr hondes to heuen. And say­enge ¶ O my god I pray y^e that it playse the to helpe me / And to enforce my poore freyltee. to the ende that I maye vaynquysshe and surmounte my mor­tall enemye /

¶ And he sayde that anone after oure prayer made to god. Comen his aun­gellis to oure ayde for to comforte vs / ¶ And for to proue thys thynge to be true. He tolde then̄e to theym. that on a tyme. he beynge on a mountayne came tofore hym a grete companye of deuyl­lis in lyckenesse of men humayne. And bi cause that by the will of god he knewe well that they were deuylles / He all resoluyd / And wythoute hauynge ony drede. kneled downe on the erthe. in prayenge god. that it wolde playse hym to make the same deuylles to departe /

¶ And Incontynent they vanysshed awaye as a fume or a smoke tofore the wynde /

¶ Many other temptacions the deuyl­les made to hym. But god delyuered hym alwaye by the deuowte prayers y^t he made /

¶ Therfore in concludynge he sayde to his Relygyouses / My chyldren be ye ferme and stable in the faythe. in resys­tynge the deuylles temptacyons / And that ye ben clymynge by feruente cha­ryte [Page lxxxxix] to the loue of god / The whyche in soo dooenge. he shall to you be alwaye a protectour / And by his helpe ye maye gete the reame of heuen /

¶ Here folowyth of saynt Onuffryen Heremyte / And begynnyth in latyn Beate memorie paphoncius. et cetera / Caplm .l.

SAynt Phaphunce hauynge de­syre for to vysyte alle the Relygyouses that weren in the her­mytages. for to accomplysshe the helth of his body more lyghtly his waye. ba­re wyth him a lityll water and brede / ¶ And whanne he hadde walked by y^e space of foure dayes. his vytaylle fayl­led him / And became all confusyd and halfe deed. By cause he was soo feble y^t he hadde neytheyr foote ne legge that myghte susteyne hym / by cause he had neyther to ete ne to drynke / ¶ But ne­uerthelesse he was by the helpe of god made alle hoole and guarysshed / And hadde as moche strength. as though he hadde well eten and dronken / ¶ And thenne beganne to walke agayne. And contynued soo foure dayes without mete and drynke ¶ The sayd foure dayes passed / by cause he felte hymselfe feble / He was constrayned to lye downe on y^e erthe. as he hadde be deed / ¶ And he lyenge on the erthe. Sodaynly sawe by hym a man in merueyllous glory. ferd­full and terryble in shynynge / Worthy of prasynge in beawte / Longe of corpulence. and right clere of regarde / Whom Paphunce seenge hadde grete fere. but anone after he comforted hym / ¶ For in approchyng towched his lyppes and his houdes / And restored and gauf to hym strengthe / ¶ And Incontynent a­roos vpp and walkyd seuentene dayes. after. tyll he came to a place where as god wolde brynge hym. ¶ To whyche place he came and saw a man as he rested. hauynge his face terryble all coueryd wyth heer lyke as a brute beest /

¶ And fro the raynes downe alowe he hadde a vestement of leues and of her­bes / ¶ Whanne Paphunce sawe thys man soo deformyd / He was sore abas­shyd / And not wythoute cause / ¶ For he hadde neuer seen suche lyckenesse of [Page] man ne of woman. and wyst not what to doo. But fledde in to a mountayne. whyche was nyghe to that place. And there hydde hym vnder the braunches of the trees / He was soo sore aferde /

¶ And there he beganne to syghe merueyllously. ¶ Knowynge that by cause of his aege and abstynence. he myghte goo noo ferther /

¶ This man seenge that Paphunce was fledde tofore him / and that he was aferde came nyghe to hym. And callynge and cryenge with an hyghe voys sayd to hym. ¶ O man of god come doune from the moyntayne / And be not a­ferde / For I am a man mortall as thou arte / ¶ Whanne Paphunce herde thy­se wordes he was gladde and comfor­ted / And tooke agayne hys mynde and courage. and anone came downe from the place where he had ben / ¶ And af­ter that he hadd salewed the holy man He fell downe on his knees tofore him ¶ The holy man anone defended him that he sholde not knele to hym sayenge so hym / A [...]yse thou my frende thou arte the seruaunte of god namyd Pa­phunce. loued of alle the sayntes of he­uen /

¶ Thenne Paphunce aroos vpp. Not­wythstondyng that he was wery aswel for his longe fastynges. as for his olde aege ¶ After he made hym to sytte by hym. Desuynge to knowe his name· his conuersacyon and manere of lyuynge. ¶ He sayde to him / Knowe thou seruaunte of god that by longe Iourneyes I haue walked in thise desertes and haue endured grete hungre and thirste / But now my vyage is accomplysshyd and fulfylled. ¶ And I fele a solace in my membres / Lyke as they were all fyllyd and quyte of alle payne / And ther­fore I praye the my lorde and my fren­de for the hononore and loue of hym. For the name of whom thou hast dwellyd in thise desertes thou tell me whens thou arte. and thy name / ¶ And also whanne thou camyst in to this place to enhabyte here / ¶ The holy man seen­ge the grete affeccion of his desyre. and also the traueylle that he hadde taken. to fynde. Ansuered to hym of that he hadde askyd. And demaunded hym in sayenge to hym. Fyrste that his name was Onuff [...]en. Secondly that it was thre score and ten yeres that he hadde dwellyd in that deserte / Lyuynge wyth brute beestes. etynge grapes and herbes in the mountaynes and valeyes And syth that he came thyther he hadde ne­uer seen man ne woman sauf him onely / ¶ Neuerthelesse he sayde that in his yongthe he had be nourysshed in a monasterye namyd Her [...]mopolyn in y^e prouynce of Thay / In whyche monaste­rye were an hundred Relygyouses /

¶ After he declared to hym how the relygyouses of the sayde monasterye lyueden in e [...]ynge and drynkynge alle togider. And dyde then penaunces that one lyke to that other / ¶ And that whiche was playsaunt to that one. was to that other agreable And yet that was more They hadde alle one wyll. One herte. And one thoughte /

¶ In the sayde monasterie was so grete ta [...]ytu [...]ytee and scylence amonge y^e Relygyouses. that none durste ones speke wythoute a Iuste cause / ¶ He beyng [Page C] in this sayde monasterye. herde recoun­te the lyfe of an holy fader namyd He­lye / ¶ And how he hadde lyued in grete abstynence in deserte. in grete strayt­nesse of lyfe / ¶ And how he hadde many preuyleges aboue the power of man kynde / ¶ In lyke wyse of saynt Iohn̄ Baptyst whyche ladde soo holy & merueylouse lyfe in deserte. tyll that he had baptysed oure lorde Ihesu Cryste in y^e flo [...] Iordan / ¶ Thenne herynge. tolde of the Relygyouses the gloryouse lyues of theym· and many other /

¶ The sayde Onuffryen requyred of the sayde brethern. that thei wolde saye to hym. Yf the auncyent holy faders of the deserte had ben more stronge than̄e they or more feble / ¶ They ansuered that they hadde ben more stronge. For wythoute mannis comforte and wyth oute mete and drynke they lyued in de­serte ¶ But they sayde. that in spekynge as they hadde ben the holy faders of the sayd desertes. We haue consolacion the one of an other / ¶ For whanne we haue hungre. we fynde the mete redy / Whanne we ben seke / We thynke In­contynent and done penaūce to gete vs helth ¶ We haue fayre houses and grete edyfyces / And they that ben in deserte haue noo consolacyon / ¶ They ha­ue hungre. colde. and hete. And in al tribulacyons haue noo socours but of god ¶ And therfore whom some euer woll dwelle there· Hym behouyth to be con­staunt and stedfaste for to endure al suche penaunces / ¶ Yet more the deuyll gyuyth to theym wythoute comparison more settynges and temptacions for to dyuerte theym from theyr good wyll / y^t to theym comynyke by the worlde /

¶ But whanne they haue very faythe Alwaye they ouercome the fende by armes spyrytuell / ¶ The aungellis comforte theym ofte / And delyuer to theym that is necessary for theym / ¶ For it is wryten / that they that shall putt theyr hope in gode. Shall haue the vertue of strengthe for to endure all thynge / wyth fethers as an Egle for to flee to heuen / ¶ And yet more. they that shall haue thurste. shall drynke in the foun­tayne eternell / ¶ And the herbes that they shall ete. shall gyue to theym also grete swetnesse as hony /

¶ Whanne the Relygyouses ben tempted of ony temptacyons / They oughte to putt theym to praye god. lyftyng theyr hondes to heuen ¶ And Incontynente the angellis descende and come downe for to helpe theym to fyghte agayn­ste the deuyll /

¶ Thus also saythe the prophete Da­uyd. That in the ende the poore people shall not be forgeten. ne theyr pacyente shall not perysshe / ¶ And also god en­hauncyth alwaye the poore of spyryte And delyueryth theym from alle trybulacyons.

¶ Fynably the same faders sayde to that ryght holy man saynt Onuffryen That the Aungelles contynuelly serue the Iuste and good. Whyche arne pe [...] ­fyghte in the loue of god / ¶ And theyr sowles ben Illumyned and kyndled wyth the lyghte of grace and of trouth ¶ Saynt Onuffryen whanne he hadd herde the fayr Instruccyons of thyse holy faders. Hadde the herte all embraced wyth grete desire for to doo penaunce. [Page] and to fyghte agaynste the deuyll / In suffrynge all pouertee. to the ende that he myghte come to the glorye eternall / ¶ And thoughte in himselfe to accomplysshe and perfourme the counseyll of the sayde prophete Dauyd. ¶ Techynge and sayenge that it is a good thyng to Ioyne hymselfe for the loue of god / And to sette in hym his hope /

¶ Whanne saynt Onuffryen hadde althyse thynges consydered. He tooke a lytyll brede and a fewe pesen or benes to make potage wyth alle. for to lyue a­bowte a foure dayes.

¶ After he departed by nyghte secrete­ly out of his abbaye / makynge his prayer to god. That it myghte pleyse him to enseygne and shewe the place where he sholde doo his penaunce / ¶ And ca­me in to a mountayn. The whyche he passed ouer for to come in to deserte.

¶ And he beynge there arryued and to men sawe in a place tofore hym a gre­te lyghte The whyche as hym semyd came strayghte to him / Wherof he was at [...]de ¶ And supposyd that it had sygn [...]fyed that be sholde retorne in his monast [...]rie /

¶ In the sayde lyghte he sawe a man ryght playsaunte sayenge to hym. that he sholde noo thynge be aferde. for he was an aungel commysed and sent by god. and departed for to gouerne and lede hym in the deserte / ¶ And after he layde to hym / See that thou haue thy herte ryght and Iuste / And be thou laboryous in good werkes. for the aungell sayde I shall not leue the vnto the dethe ¶ Atte the houre wherof I shall presente the to the mageste of god.

¶ After that they hadde walked abowte seuen myle they aryued and came in to a caue fayre ynough / In whyche saynt Onuffryen founde a nother holy man / ¶ And seenge hym / he fell platt downe to the erthe. Demaundynge of hym humbly his benedyccyon and blessynge. The whyche demaunded / the same holy man tooke hym vpp / And kyssed him in token of peas. ¶ After he sayd to hym thou shalte be my brether in this deserte / ¶ And therfore come and entre in. in the name of god. Whiche yeue to the grace to haue to hym [...]euerente drede. In suche wyse that alle thyn operacyons and werkes be to hym gre­ble /

¶ Wyth this brother he abode many dayes forto enquire of his vertues and of his manere of lyuynge. The whiche gaaf to hym many enseynemens & [...] ­hortacyons how he sholde lyue solytaryly and bi what meane he sholde resyste and wythstonde the temptacōns of the deuyll / ¶ Some dayes he made hym to arise and to goo oute of his caue. sayenge to hym My sone it is tyme that thou goo bens. for thou mayst not dwelle here / But thou shal goo in to a nother [...] ue. In whiche thou shalte dwelle all [...] ne / ¶ And yf thou be stronge and stedfaste in the faythe. Thou shalt put vnder thy fete alle the temptacyons of the deuyll /

¶ They tweyne togyder walkyd foure dayes / And the fifthe they arcyued in a place called Calidonia. by whyche we­re palmes habundantly / ¶ Whan ther weren in the sayde place. He sayde to hym. ¶ Now come hyther my frende [Page] [...] here the place that god hathe pre­pared & made redy for the to serue hym and to doo thy penaunce /

¶ After that they were they arryued / The holy man was wyth hym by the space of thyrty dayes. In enfourmynge hym alwaye / ¶ And shewynge to him the Rules and maners of lyuynge holy it / in kepynge the commaundementes of the chyrche /

¶ After alle thyse thynges / the sayd holy man made his prayer to god for sa­ynt Onuffryen / ¶ And after tooke le­ue of hym. And wente agayne in to his caue / ¶ Saynt Onuffryen kepte hym. and abode in this sayde place· in doyn­ge strayte penaunce / ¶ And the holy Heremyte whyche hadde brought hym thyther. came for to vysyte hym euery yere. For to knowe of the conuersacyon of his lyuynge /

¶ And on a tyme amonge the other in gooynge as he was accustomyd for to vysyte saynt Onaffryen / ¶ He fell to the grounde and gaaf vppe his ghoste to god / Wherof saynt Onuffryen was merueyllously trowbled and vexyd /

¶ Fynably after that he hadde longe wepte vppon the corps. He buryed it in the same place / In the mooste honeste wyse that was to hȳ possyble after hys lytyll power

¶ Paphunce whyche was also walkinge by the desertes Whanne he had her­de alle this that saynt Onuffryen had recounted and shewed to hym / He sayd to hym ¶ Ha holy fader I knowe that many labours and paynes thou hast endured in this deserte / ¶ Certayne my broder sayd the holy man Thou mayst byleue that I haue hadd soo moche pouertee in this deserte / That ofte tymes and for the mooste parte I estemyd my selfe to be atte the terme of my dethe / ¶ felte noo strengthe in me. ¶ Some ty­me of the daye I haue ben brente wyth hete of the sonne· ¶ In the nyghte I haue be wasted with vapours and humy­ditees of the erthe ¶ Many tymes I haue hadde grete hungre and grete thurst ¶ And shortely to saye I canne not declare the merueyllous sorowes and af­flyccyons that I haue endured / ¶ But I haue hope that god shall rewarde [...]e my rewarde / In gyuynge to me spyry­tuell rychesses. whyche encreace & aug­ment euery daye. and neuer m [...]nysshe ¶ And for to notefye to y^t the boūte of god whyche neuer leuyth his seruaun­tes. He hathe sente to me ofte tymes by one of his aungellis brede and water / Of whiche and also of dates. whyche growe nighe by to my caue. and of so­me herbes I haue had suffisauntely my bodyly ref [...]ccyon /

¶ After this he sayd to the holy man Paphunce / My frende yf thou wolt accomplisshe the wyll & commaundemente of god. Note and marke that he him selfe hath sayde. that we sholde not haue ony cure or besynesse to ete. ne to drȳ ke. ne also of our vesture ne clothynge / ¶ For god our fader wotyth and kno­weth all y^e whiche to vs is necessary / & therfore yf in seruynge hym well we demaūde of him y^e reame of heuen. with­oute ony faulte we shall haue all those thynges that to vs ben necessary /

¶ Aft (er) Paphūce asked of saynt Onuf­friē if he receyued oft his maker. & how [Page] he receyued hym. ¶ To whom he an­suered. that the Saterdaye and y^e Sondaye. thaungell of god brought to hym the ryghte precyous body and blood of oure lorde / ¶ And knowe ye for certa­yn sayde saynt Onuffryen. That alle they that vertuously vsentheyr lyffe in desert and wyldernesse ben parteners of suche Ioye as I haue /

¶ Alle thyse thynges herde and consy­dered by the holy man Paphunce ¶ He was soo perfightely reioyced. that he remembred noo more of all the sorowes and euylles that he hadde endured and suffred in the desertes / ¶ Soo moche hym semyd the worde of the sayde ho­ly man was swete. and pleysaunt. Wherefore he myghte wyth the psalmyste well say / ¶ O my god thy wordes ben to me more swetter than hony, o [...] other sauours and swete lycour /

¶ Saynt Onuffryen after broughte hym vnto Celydoyne. thre myle nyght to the mountayne where he hadde foū de hym ¶ And whanne they were in y^e place where he dwellyd / Onuffryen & he togyder put them in oryson and prayer / The whyche done / Onuffryen sa­yd to Paphunce / ¶ O seruaunt of god I see and knowe that thou arte in da­unger of dethe / Yf thou take not thy refeccyon A [...]yse thou and ete / ¶ Paphunce wolde not ete ne drynke. But att laste he was constrayned by the sayd O­nuffryen for to ete brede / ¶ They tweyne thenne togyder dranken and eten /

¶ And after passed fourth alle the nyghte wythout slepynge. In spekynge contynuelly the wordes of god /

¶ On the morninge erly saynt Paphū ce beholdynge the holy man Onuffry­en sawe his vysage. whyche was also pale and dyffeated as of a deed man / ¶ Thenne he demaunded what thyn­ge he hadde / The holy man ansueryd to hym and sayde / ¶ My brother & frere Paphunce be noo thynge aferde / and knowe thou that bi y^e wyll of god thou arte comen vnto this place / To the ende to burye me. & laye my body in the erthe / ¶ Anone my soule shall departe fro my body. & shall be borne in to the heuenly Reame / ¶ My brother I kno­we thy desire and thy wyll / ¶ And therfore whanne thou shalte be retournyd in to Egypte· I praye the that thou re­membre me and of my name / ¶ And to the ende that thou and alle thy bre­thern be desyrynge to haue of me remē braunce. I shall saye to the the prero­gatyues and specyall gyftes that I haue obteyned of my lorde and god Rededemer of alle the worlde /

¶ Fyrste euery persone that shall make to hym Immolacyon or sacrefyce be [...] in messes or otherwyse. in soo dooynge haue mynde of my name. He shall be preserued and kepte from alle frawde­lous decepcyons. and temptacyons dyabolyke and worldly / ¶ And att laste be shall haue partycipacion wyth the aungellis in the reame of heuen /

¶ And yf ony haue noo power to ma­ke the sacrefyce / And in gyuynge oonly for the loue of god and of me an asmesse to some poore man. Wythout fa [...]e I shall praye for hym in heuen. to then de y^t god make him worthi to haue part of his excellent glori. ¶ & yet yf he may not doo neyther that one ne that other [Page Cii] In gyuynge a candell. or in makynge a lytyll oblacyon. As encencynge wyth [...]ence. or other offrynge / Certaynly I shall soo make prayer to god. To the [...]e that he haue euerlastynge Ioye / ¶ Paphunce herynge thyse alle thyse [...]ynges. made to hym this demaunde [...] question. Now fader yf some or ony persone haue noo power to doo ony of thyse thre thynges / By what moyen maye he doo for to be in thi recommendacyon and prayer / To the ende that as what trybulacyon he be in / thou make thyne oryson for hym / ¶ The holy man ansuered / My brother and frende yf it happed as thou sayst / That the suppliaunt haue noo facultee ne power to doo ony of the thynges aforsayd. Yf he knele downe on his knees. In lyftynge his hondes Ioyned to god and say­enge deuowtly thre tymes y^e (Pater noster & Aue maria) in the honoure of the glorious Trinyte of heuen / and remember my name / Surely I shall doo soo moche anenste y^e same ryght holy Trinyte that he shall haue parte in the re­a [...]e of heuen. with all the sayntes that ben there / ¶ Or yf ony be in doubte or hesytacyon of the thynges tofore sayde He maye rede saynt Iherom in his boke whyche he hathe composyd in latyn Intytulyd of the lyfe of faders / Of the whyche hath be made this present trāssacyon. as in other places hathe be sayd And there he shall see alonge this that is sayde here tofore /

¶ In retournynge to purpoos. the ho­ly Paphunce was gretely content wyth the wordes of saynt Onuffryen ¶ And for asmoche as he reputed the same place where as they werē to be holy / he prayed to the sayd Onuffryen that he wolde gyue him lycence to dwelle there af­ter his dethe / The whyche thynge the good holy fader wold not But commaunded hym that he sholde retorne in to Egypte / And there perseuere in goode werkes / For in the ende he sholde haue felycyte eternall /

¶ Whanne Paphunce hadde herde his ansuere. He knelyd doune tofore the holy fader Onuffryen. and sayde to hym this that folowyth. ¶ Alas my dere fader & frende I knowe. and byleue that alle that thou shalte demaunde of god. For the loue of whom thou haste be. lxx yeres in this deserte thou shalte lyght­ly obteyne· ¶ Thenne gyue to me now thy blessynge. To the ende that I be also perfyghte as thou / ¶ The holy fa­der ansuered / My brother Paphunce be not angry For thy demaunde shall be obteyned / Be thou stedfaste in the fay­the in seruynge god wyth all thyne herte. and wyth alle thy thoughte / And by this moyen thou shalte haue eternall lyfe / ¶ I praye to oure lorde that thou be kepte alwaye of his worthy aungel­lis in alle thy cogytacyons and wylles. To the ende that thou be clene and puryfyed tofore the face of Ihesu Cryste ¶ Whanne the holy man hadde sayde alle thyse wordes. He knelyd downe to the grounde / And in wepynge sayde ¶ O my god now in to thyne hondes myghte puyssaunce and streyngthe I cō mende my spyryte / And thyse wordes sayde sodaynly came a grete lyghte / whyche enuyronned alle his body / ¶ Thenne after came many aungels [Page] to grete multytude / whyche songen songes melodyous. Wherof alle the ayre resowned. And bare the soule vnto the reame of heuen / ¶ Paphunce whyche herde those aungellis synge / Beganne to wepe and drowne in teeres. sayeng / A­las I haue well cause to make lamen­tacyon. whanne wyth soo grete payne I haue founde the holy man Onufryen. And hane be soo lytyll whyse wyth hym / ¶ After whanne he hadde longe waylled & wepte· He departed his gar­ment in to two partes / And of that one he cladde hymselfe / And in that other he wounde the body of the holy man. & putte it in a Sepulture of stone whiche was there / ¶ Paphunce seenge that he was there alone. wepte more thanne he dyde byfore / ¶ And supposyd to haue entred in to the caue of the holy man / But whanne he was atte the entree a grete parte of the roche fell downe / By whyche he knewe that god wolde not. that he sholde vse the resydue of his ly­fe in the sayde place / ¶ And soo thenne he came agayne in to his monastery in Egypte / Where as he recounted this bistorye lyke as tofore is wreton / ¶ And the holy man saynt Onuffryen deyed the twellyfth daye of Iuyn. the day of saynt Barnabe the appostle /

¶ Here folowyth the lyfe of saynt Abraham the Heremyte. And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶ Cupio. et cetera Caplm .li.

SAynt Iherom wyllynge to write the lyffe & maneres of saynt Abraham thermyte excused hȳ

sayeng / Whan I consydre the lyfe ange lyke aboue nature humayne / that Abraham & thexcellence of his vertues. Vn­neth & wyth grete payne. he cowde were the wordes whiche shold be suffisant to prayse his merytes & conuersacōn / ¶ Fro his yonge dayes he ladde an angels lyf. for he lyued ryȝt chastly. Wherfore he was in the temple of our [...] Ihesu Cryste. ¶ He had ryche fad (er) & moder & frendes / the whyche he beyng in ryght yonge aege made hym to acorde wyth a fayre mayde for to take her in maryage. Supposynge to haue part hym in offyce & dygnyte seculer ¶ But the good Abraham thoughte not to lyue after the worlde / ¶ For alle his felycyte and wyll was to haun [...]e the chyr­ches. In herkenynge ryght affectuously the holy scrypture / And to reteyne it in his herte / To the ende that whanne [Page Ciii] he sholde be oute of the chyrche / he my­ghte haue contemplacyon in the thyn­ges dyuyne and heuenly /

¶ Soo it happed that the tyme to ha­lowe the Sacrament of maryage ap­proched and drewe nyghe / But by cause that he wolde not abyde thereby and persyste / His parentes and kynnesmen were angry wyth hym soo gretely that for the greyf that he hadde of theyr he­uynesse. He concluded in hymself to procede forthe therin / ¶ Thenne the mariage of theym solempnysed / And he beynge in his chambre. and layed a bedde wyth his spowse and wyfe / ¶ Sodaynly there came vpon him a feruent wyll for to departe. and goo oute of the cyte / ¶ And soo departed from thens. that he was well two myle from the cyte / Where he founde a lytyll house. Wher­in noo man frequented nor vsyd / And entred in. and kepte hym there a certayne tyme prayenge and makinge deuoute prayers to god /

¶ Whanne his parentes and kynnes­ [...]es knewe that he was goon. they were moche angry / And for to seche hym they sente messengers thorugh alle the [...]untrer / Whyche soughte hym by the space of ryghtene dayes / ¶ And att las [...]e some of theym in retornynge. entred in to this lytyll house / Where they fo­unde him on his knees prayenge to oure lorde. ¶ Whanne the holy man sawe theym by hym. And they beholdynge hym. he sayde to theim / ¶ Wherfore be holde ye me soo / Prayse ye wyth me y^e name of god / Whyche hathe delyuered me from the ordure and fylth and wickydnesse of the worlde / Praye ye hym for me. that he woll gyue me myghte & strengthe for to bere the faytes of penaunce. whyche I haue begonne / ¶ After he prayed theym that they wolde doo to him none empesshement ne lettynge And that noo more they shold come for to vysyte hym there / ¶ Thenne tooke they theyr leue and wente theyr waye / And Incontynent the holy man stop­ped all the holes and openynges of hys lytyll house. excepte a lytyll wyndowe whyche he stopped not. to the ende that by the same he myghte receyue his sus­tentacyon bodyly / ¶ And fro than for­thou he dwellyd there longe· excercysynge hymself wyth vertuous werkes. and lyuynge in clenuesse and chastyte. In deuowte fastynges. orisons. lamentacōns and wepynges in alle humylyte / ¶ His renōme beganne to growe and to spre­de thorugh alle the countree / By why­che many deuowte persones came con­tynuelly and wythout cessynge there as he was. As well for to haue of hym consolacyon in theyr sorowes and aduersytees. as to be Instructe and taughte in doctryne & example of good lyfe /

¶ Now god had gyuen to hym suche a grace. that alle the wordes that he spa­ke. were soo merueyllously agreable to theym that herde hym / ¶ And lyghted theim. as the rayes of the sonne lyghte the worlde / ¶ Twelue yere after his cō uersacyon to god deyed his fader & moder / Whyche lefte to hym golde and syluer a merueylous quantyte of y^e whiche he beyng aduertised sent anone Incon­tynent. to one his famylyer frende. that he sholde dystrybute it for goddis sake to pore orphanes. and to other symple [Page] myserable persones. To the ende that the thoughte that he myghte haue therof. sholde not empesshe ne lette hym in his deuocyons. orysons and contemplacyons ¶ He was aduertysed that it was soo done. Wherof he was gretely com­forted. as he that after grete traueylle / founde hymselfe in reste and peasyble tranquyllyte / ¶ He appetyted not oon­ly to flee the worlde. But also the goo­des of fortune / ¶ And for alle erthely goodes he hadde but one robe or gow­ne. Cours and vnthryfty clothe full of grete heer. Wyth a lytyll dysshe in whyche he ete and dranke / And a lytyl pay lett wheron he laye.

¶ His custome was to loue as moche y^e poore as the Ryche / And the vylayne / as the noble / ¶ And generally in alle the estates of the worlde he louyd asmoche one as a nother / ¶ Yf he corrected ony he dyde it not wyth rude wordes / But in grete benygnytee and swetnes ¶ Alle they that herde hym speke. or so kyd on hym / Alwaye more and more they desyred to see hym / ¶ Neuer chaū ged he the Rule that he hadde begonne ¶ And was continuelly by the space of fyfty yere wythoute to haue ony reporte to the worlde / ¶ Right nyghe to the cyte where he hadde be nourysshyd the­re was a towne where as dwellyd paynems and Sarrasȳs / Vnto whom had ben sente many Deakens and preestes by some souerayne Bysshops for to cō ­uerte theym vnto the Crysten faythe / But alle they were retorned wythoute to haue done ony fruyte / ¶ For the sayde Paynyms weren obstynate in theyr ydolatrye / ¶ And it happed that y^e prȳ cypall of the sayde Bysshops. beynge wyth his clerkes hadde knowlege of y^e holy man Abraham / ¶ And sayde to theym that it was nedefull to sende hȳ in to the sayde towne. For by his pacy­ence and holy lyfe he myghte co [...]uerte theym / ¶ The same Bysshopp thenne desyrynge to encreace oure holy faythe accompanyed wyth his clerkes came in to the lytyll house of this holy man / ¶ And whanne he was there arry [...]d / he salewed hym. After he admoneste [...] and desyred hym to goo in to the sayde towne sayenge / ¶ O my frende I knowe that thou arte agreable to god. whyche neuer refusyth to the noo thynge y^t thou of hym demaundest / ¶ Also thou knoweste ynough the Paynems dwel­lynge in this nexte towne. And how we can not fynde manere to conuerte the­ym. ¶ Wherfore it byhouyth that thou goo for to admonest and styre theym [...] ke as god shall enseygne and [...] the. ¶ The holy man was moche [...] bled of the offyce that the bysshopp [...] de gyue to hym. And ansuered to hym. ¶ O my lorde I pray y^t the thou [...] suffre me to bywepe my wyckidnesse & that I departe not from here. ¶ I we [...]e well sayde the bisshopp that thou [...] ste lefte the worlde. and renounced alle erthely goodes. for the blysse of heuen. ¶ But neuerthelesse yf thou haddest al the vertues of the worlde. and thou ha­ue none obedyence. they sholde no [...] [...] ge prouffyte the / ¶ The holy man an­suered to hym / Alas my lorde I and [...] other thynge but a deed bounde. What thynkeste thou to be my lyfe / Wherfore sayste thou soo moche good of me /

[Page Ciiii]¶ Thenne sayde to hym the bysshopp. I saye the to be seruaunt of god. Whyche sechest in this place where thou arte in but thy helthe oonly / But thou goo where I woll sende the. Thou shalt be cause of the helthe of Infenite persones by the grace that god shall gyue to the ¶ Ne thinke not oonly to doo thyn helthe / But also that whyche bylongyth to thy neyghbours / And thenne shalte thou haue very charyte / ¶ And by this moyen thou shalte gete more grete meryte anenste god. In so moche as thou shalt bryng wyth y^e many soules in to heuen /

¶ The holy man herynge the bysshop And desyrynge as very obedyente to cō ferme hym to his good playsure. ansuered to hym. that he was alle redy to go where as it sholde playse hym / ¶ Wherfor the bysshopp seenge his ryght good wyll. layed his honde vppon his heed / and constytuted hym a preest / And af­ter he broughte hym to the sayd towne ¶ And in entrynge in the whiche he sayd / O my god ryght pyteuous I byse­che the. that it maye playse the to beholde my grete pouertee. Freelte. Imbecyl­lyte and the debylyte of myn ygnoraū ce / ¶ Enlarge vppon me thy grace. And that now thou helpe me to glory­fye thy holy name.

¶ Whanne he was arryued there. seen­ge theyr folysshe ydolatrye / He moeuyd with pyte. beganne to waylle and wepe In makynge his prayer to god inlthys manere / O my god whiche arte oonly wythout synne. Now I prayse the that it playse the to haue mercy on thise myserable synnars / ¶ Helas my god thy­se ben thy creatures. they ben the werke of thyn hondes. Suffre theim not to be loste / ¶ Thyse thynges thus sayde. by­holdynge that he myghte not haue theym by prompte predycacyon. ¶ He sente to his famylyer frende. that he shold selle alle his patrymonye / whyche was of grete reuenue and that he shold send hym the moneye therof. Whiche he soo dyde / ¶ And wyth the moneye that he receyued / dyde doo make a fayre chyr­che. Honestely arayed. and made fayre the beste wyse that he myghte.

¶ Durynge the tyme that the chyrche was in makinge. From daye to day he walked by the temples of thydolles of the sayde towne· Makynge in his herte prayer to god and noo thynge to ydol­lis / ¶ And after that the sayde chirche was achyeued and made. He made in y^e same his orison sayenge / ¶ O my god whyche haste by thy presence and predycacyon dystroyed alle ydolatrye of the worlde. Whanne atte thy natyuyte the ydollis of the temples felle downe. thou seest the peple of this towne ferre from thy very faythe. Settynge theyr hertes and thoughtes to serue y^e deuyll. in makynge to hym hōmage / ¶ Vouchesauf thou now my god in suche wise to ensumyne theym. that they maye leue theyr symylacres and ydolatryes. To the ende that they maye knowe the one oonli god of heuen and of the erth / ¶ Incō tynent his oryson achyeued and ended as he had hadde an hundred thousan­de men wyth hym he entred in the temple of the Paynems ydolatrers. and brake and dyde to falle downe theyr aul­ters and ydolles / ¶ And they seeng his [Page] manere of doinge. as houndes enraged bete and hurte hym. in suche wyse that he was all full of woundes and of hurtes. And soo came agayne in to his chirche. ¶ And how well he was hurte and tormented / He thoughte noo thynge on his woundes. But all the nyghte wyth all his herte prayed to god deuoutly for the conuersyon of the poore Infydelis and ydolatrers / The morne comen. thiwente in to his chyrche. Where they founde hym in oryson and prayer. But they cowde not doo to hym ony harme ne dysplaysure / ¶ And beholdynge the ornamentes and decoracyon of the sayde chyrche. Sodaynly they tooke play­sure to see and beholde theym.. In suche wyse that thoue & the other came chy­der euery daye in maner of passe tyme / By cause the sayd chirche semyd to theym moche honeste and playsaunt /

¶ On a daye amonge the other he prayed theym. and admonested to leue theyr ydollis And that they sholde knowe theyr maker. Whyche myghte saue theym and dampne theym. In makynge to theym many fayre exhortacyons for to endure theym in the saythe But in herynge that thee were more enraged thanne tofore / ¶ And bete hym somo­che. that they supposyd to haue slayne hym. And after they bounde him wyth i [...] corde. And drew hym oute of theyr [...] te. and lefte hym in the felde. where he abode soo bounden vnto mydnyghte

¶ Thenne he retorned towarde god. to whom in wayllynge and wepynge he sayde / O my god. why haste thou forsaken thy poore seruaunte. Alas my Sa­uyour. Now behold thou wyth pyte thy poore dyscyple / And gyue to me streng the to fyghte agaynst thise Infydeles / ¶ Wyth this my god I praye the. that it may playse the to gyue to theym a lytyll of thy grace / To the ende that thei knowe the as theyr god. ¶ His prayer achyeued. he retourned to his chyrche. & sayde his psalmes and orysons accustomyd / ¶ The Paynems in lyke wise as they hadde ben accustomed retorned in to his chyrche. ¶ But whan they sawe that he was retourned. wythoute mercy they bete hym more thanne tofore. and drewe hym agayne oute of the cyte /

¶ The holy mas was by the spa [...]e of thre yere suffrynge all suche paynes as the sayde Infydelis dyde to hym / But alle theyr tormentes and hūgre & thurste he bare pacyentely. wythoute trow­blynge hymselfe / ¶ And soo moche as they martred him. Soo moche more be louyd theym / ¶ And alwaye he admo­nessed the moost auncyent of theym as his faders. How be it they were agaynste hym moche furyous. And the yonge men as his brethern / and the adolocen­tes as his chyldren / ¶ And notwyth­stondynge alle this. They alle mockyd hym /

¶ Now it happed vpon a daye. that by the grace of god. alle they of the towne assembled. for some of theyr affayres & besynesses / ¶ And after that they had delybered and concluded. They began̄e to speke of the holy man Abraham. in woundrynge how pacyentely he endu­red wythoute murmure alle theyr repreues and Iniuries that they dide to him ¶ And ferthermore they sayde that he was necessary for to endure for the ho­noure [Page Cv] of his god. Whom he prechyd to be onely lorde of heuen and of erthe.

¶ They thoughte also how he hymselfe alone hadde broken and distroyed al theyr ydollis. Withoute that theyr god­dis hadde done to hym ony greyf or lettynge / ¶ And fynably concluded that his fayth was true / And that they oughte to byleue alle that he sayde / For he was the very seruaunte of god / ¶ And this conclusyon thus made· alle togider vnto the nombre of a thousande. or there abowte came in to his chyrche / And wyth one voys beganne to saye. Glory rybe to god of heuen / whyche hathe sente to vs his seruaunte for to delyuere vs from oure erroure / The holy man thys seenge was replenysshed all wyth gladnesse / ¶ And adressynge to theym his wordes sayd to theym. ¶ O my faders my brethern and mi children drawe ye nyghe to me / And giue glory and honour to god oure maker / Whyche by hys grace hath Illumyned you in suche manere as ye maye lyghtely knowe hym / ¶ And to the ende that ye ben clene for alle the spottes of Ydolatrye. I praye you to byleue in hym / ¶ And loue hym wyth alle youre herte and alle your thoughte. As him whiche that is very god And oonly lorde of alle the worlde. whiche is withoute ende and begynnynge / Inestymable. Inenarrable. Incompre­hensible. Almyghty. Giuer of light. Louer of men. Terrible to synnars. And swete to Iuste and rightwys men /

¶ Byleue also on the sone. whiche is the sapyence and wysdom of the fader. and of the goly gooste / Whiche quycke nyth all thynges / To the ende that ye that are poore. Whyche ben noo thynge ellis but erthe maye be purified and enhauncyd to the reame of heuen.

¶ Alle they ansueryd that they byleued lyke as he hadde sayde / ¶ And Incon­tynent he baptysed theym all. in the name of the fader. and of the sone. and of the holy gooste / ¶ After that they we­re baptysed. euery daye he taughte and endoctrined them in the gode holy scriptures. In spekynge of the Ioyes of he­uen. and of the paynes of helle / ¶ After he excyted theym to gete the vertues of Faythe. Hope. Charyte. Prudence. and other. ¶ And for to enduce to gete the­ym he lyued wyth theym lyke an aun­gell. In makynge to theym dyuerse predicacyons. the whiche he contynued an hole yere / ¶ And after that he knewe theym confermed in the fayth / ¶ One tyme amonge the other. he beynge atte houre of mydnyghte in contemplacyon Made vnto oure Sauyour Ihesu cryste suche a prayer sayenge. O thou Illumyner of alle the worlde. whiche haste en­lumyned this lityll people. and haste losyd them from the bondes of the deuyll in gyuynge to theim scyence for to knowe the / I humbly requyre the my god that thou wolt kepe theim vnto the ende. holdynge theim in thyne holy fayth To the ende that they maye doo suche thynge alway. that maye be to the agreable And to me also by thy mercy it be not imputed that I departe from them ¶ For my lord god thou knowest that doo it to thende that I be not wythdra­wen from dooenge penaunce.

¶ His orison accomplysshed and made an ende. He made thre tymes the sygne [Page] of the Crosse vppon the sayde towne. And departed thens. ¶ And wente in to a place where as noo body dwellyd / ¶ On the morne the Inhabytauntes & dwellers of the sayde towne came in to his chirche like as they were acustomed But they fonde hym not. Wherof they were moche sorowfull and angry. And wente wepynge and wayllynge sechinge him / ¶ And wenynge to fynde him soughte him in many places / But thei cowde not after he was departed fynde hym. ¶ After worde of his departynge came to the bysshopp. Wherof he was as moche dysplaysaunt as they were / ¶ And for as moche as shepe wythout Pastoure ben in daunger of the wulfe / He wolde not leue theym wythout a cō duytour and guyde /

¶ Soo came he hymselfe in to the say­de towne for to comforte theim. ¶ And after that the sayde bisshopp hadde the moost sonyngly that he cowde comfor­ted theym ¶ He choos some of the moost notable men amonge theim whom he constytuted in holy ordres. makyng some of theym preestes. and some dea­kens.

¶ And yf they hadde ony trybulacōns or empesshements in theyr cons [...]yences They wente to the sayde men soo [...]a­ [...]ed /

¶ The holy man Abraham whanne he knewe how the bysshopp hadde gy­uen to theym socours for theyr helthe / He rendred thankynges to god / In louynge and gloryfyenge his name. And helde hym close in a lytyll hous. The­re prayenge and thankinge god in grete Ioye and cru [...]tacyon.

¶ O man of grete perfeccōn. In what manere maye ony man prayse thy charyte and thy grete constaunce. Whanne for the helthe of thyn neyghbours. thou haste endured soo many euilles.

And neuerthelesse thou haste not lefte to make thy prayers and saye thyne o­rysons accustomyd. ¶ Thou haste not varyed for alle theyr menaces and tor­mentes. But haste perseuered vnto the ende / ¶ O charytable man whiche haste put thy body in daunger of thyne enmyes for to make to theim helthe.

¶ Well mayste thou be felowe to saynt Stephen the fyrste martyr. whiche prayed to god for theym. that mart [...]rd hȳ ¶ The enmye of alle good men seeng the conuersacion of the holy man. and also that for tribulacyons he cessed not from his good purpoos But alway he puryfied hymselfe. as golde in the fr [...] ­nays. Came to assaylle him on a tyme atte mydnyghte. as he was in his prayer. And concluded to tempte hym by suche temptacyons. That he sholde noo more be in wyldernesse. But sholde re­torne in to the worlde. ¶ Thenne came the deuyll sodaynly wyth a grete lygh­te. clere as the sonne. Wherwyth he en­lumyned alle the lityll hous / ¶ And in the lyghte was a voys whiche sayde /

¶ O holy man Abraham thou shalte be well happy. For in alle thy werkes thou haste be true. And haste alle done after my wyll / ¶ The holy man kne­we that it was the deuyll. Ansuer [...]d w^t an hyghe voys. ¶ Goo hens thou wic­ked and peruerted admynystrer of malice. Comest thou now hither for to tēp­te me wyth vayne glorye / ¶ I know­leche [Page Cvi] that I am a grete synnar / ¶ And thou weneste that I repute myself Iust ¶ Awaye and goo cursyd spyryte in to the vttrest derkenesse / In to whyche y^u arte condempned / ¶ By the grace of my blessyd god I shall noo thynge fere thy falaces / and dysceytful mockynges and lesynges / ¶ The name of Ihesu Cryste whom I honour and loue. shall be my deffence and walle agaynst the. whanne thou shalte come for to assayle me / ¶ And Incontynente the deuyll departed / ¶ The deuyll came agayn and broughte wyth hym a clubbe for to breke downe his lytyll hous. ¶ And whan he had made open that one syde / The deuyll sayd faynynge that he had with him many euill knaues. To whom he sayde / Come hyther my frendes. haste you. lete vs entree in· And slee this pa­pelart /

¶ The holy man beganne to saye: O my god alle folke haue enuyronned me But thy name be praysed. by whiche I shall ouercome theym. And shall bryn­ge vnder my fete alle myne enmyes /

And Incontynent the deuyll vanisshed awaye / ¶ A lytyll whyle after the de­uyll retournyd / And putt fyre in to a lytyll matte on whyche he knelyd makȳ ge his prayers ¶ And whanne he sawe the fyre withoute feer he quenchyd it sayenge / ¶ I shall by the myghte of god walke vppon aspydes and venymouse beestes / And trede vnder my fete the ly­on and the dragon. and alle the power of myne enmye / ¶ For my god shal gyue to me alwaye ayde and strengthe for to fyghte agaynst the / ¶ Sathanas se­enge that he was condempned of y^e ho­ly man cryeed wyth an hygh voyce sayenge / ¶ I shall vaynquysshe the. and make the to deye and euyll dethe / For I shall fynde soo many cautelles and discepcyons that thou shalte not cunue endure theym /

¶ It happed on a daye lyke as the holy man sholde ete / The deuyll transformed hym in to the fourme and shappe of a lytyll childe / ¶ And entred in to y^e lytyll house / And supposyd to haue torned the plater vpp sodoune / ¶ The holy man toke hym by the honde and helde hym faste tyll he hadde taken his refeccyon / ¶ Anone after the deuyll went his waye / ¶ And a lytyll while after retourned and broughte a candelstyk. vnder whiche was a candell lyghte. And presented tofore the holy man / whyche tooke his refeccyon / ¶ And the deuyll syngȳge sayd / Well happy ben the walkers of this worlde that walken wyth­oute spotte of synne / ¶ And sange soo many verses of the psalme that begynnyth (Beati immaculati i via qui ambulant in lege dn̄i) But the holy man ansuered noo thynge· tyll that he hadd taken his refeccyon /

¶ And whanne he hadde taken his refeccyon. he armyd wyth constaunce spake to the deuyll sayenge thyse wordes / ¶ Thou hounde Infamyd ryght my­serable and lyar of alle lyars / syth that thou knoweste theym that ben happy & humble seruauntes of god. Wherfore ye ueste thou to theym heuynesse and let­tynges that they may not doo theyr penaunces suche as they desyred / ¶ The deuyll ansuered that the cause wherfore he trowbled the seruauntes of god / was [Page] to thende that they sholde leue theyr gode conuersacyons. and abandonne and gyue theym to synne / ¶ Then̄e the holy man sayde to hym / Thynkeste thou spyrite Infamyd. that they that ben ferme in the loue of Ihū Cryst may be deceyued by thy suggestions. Thou deceyuest none. but theym that ben vnhappy And ben contente to doo thy wyll / And that worse is they done payne to synne mortally / ¶ Thou knowest whan the seruauntes of god ben assaylled of the / That by one prayer that they make to god. thou arte constrayned to flee / And Incontynent as the holy man hadd sayd thyse wordes / The deuyll fledde a­waye as a raye or beme of the sonne.

¶ Yet agayne fyue dayes after came y^e deuyll. And made in the ayre a noyse / as he hadde hadd a grete multytude of people / That one sayeng to that other ¶ Lete vs goo and throw Abraham into a dyche. and putte hym to dethe /

¶ The good holy man whanne he herde thyse wordes sayede / ¶ The enmy­es of god haue gone rounde abowte me as flyes or bees. and ben enforcyd aga­ynst me as fyre in thornes ¶ Alle be done in the name of god our lorde Ihesu Cryste / For by the puyssaunce dyuyne I shall vaynquysshe the cursyd deuyll /

¶ After that the enmye had herde thy­se wordes of the sayde good holy man / He beganne to crye. sayenge / Helas. Helas. I knowe noo more by what manere ne by what moyen the to dysceyue. I knowe now that I am dysceyued / Ne­uerthelesse I shall neuer departe fro the vnto the tyme thou rendre thyself to be my subgette /

¶ Thenne the holy man ansuered to hym. Maledyccyon come to the / Glory be gyuen vnto god. and noo thynge vnto the / ¶ Thou knoweste that our sa­uyoure and redemptour Ihesus gyue­the to alle his true seruauntes strength to fyght agaynst the. and knowlege of thy dysceyuable temptacyons and mockynges. for to kepe them from thy mortall and dampnable grynnes.

¶ By many assawtes was assailed the holy man Abraham of the deuyll oure enmye. But of what some euer temptacyon that he was tempted wyth. He neuer fered ne doubted / but hadde alwaye stedfaste faythe / ¶ And of soo moche more as he was tempted. vexid. and traueylled of the deuyll / Of soo moche more he augmented his charytee towarde god / Wherfore fro day to day encrecyd his grace / ¶ And by that lyghtly by the helpe of god. he suppedyted and put vnder fote the deuyll /

¶ Whanne the holy man apperceyued that the tresoure of grace was to hym ottroyed and gyuen. He took thre precyous stones / Of whyche the fyrste was Faythe. The seconde Hope / And y^e thirde Charyte. To the ende that by thyse thre. the other vertues mighte be decorate and made fayre / ¶ His charyte was soo grete. that it stratched not oonly to good men / For whom he prayed affec­tuously / to the ende that the deuyll sholde not greue ne noye theym / But also he desired the conuersyon of y^e euyll pe­ple. in prayenge in lyke wyse for the­ym. And in wepynge grete habundaū ­ce of teeres / ¶ To the ende that god wolde dyuerte theym from theyr euyll [Page Cvii] lyfe / and tourne theym to the waye of helthe / ¶ He neuer laughed / And neuer after his conuersion wysshe his feete ne his hondes· ne his vysage / Estemynge euery daye that he sholde deye. /

¶ He had his vysage not lyke the floure that neuer dryeth / ¶ And in seenge hym by his vysage· he sholde be Iuged to be a vessell full of alle vertues· ¶ Alwaye he was Ioyeous wythoute heuy­nesse / ¶ And for that cause atte houre of his dethe he was Iuged neuer to ha­ue doo penaunce soo moche was his visage fayte and rodye / ¶ And that mo­re is. in fyfty yere he chaunged not his garment of hayre / Whiche he toke and hadde worne syth he beganne to doo penaunce fyrste / By the whyche thynges it apperyd euydently that he was strongely the frende of god /

¶ A nother myracle dide the holy man Abraham in his olde aege / He hadde a cosyn germayn / Whiche departed oute of this worlde. and deyed. leuynge after hym a doughter seuen yere of aege /

¶ The frendes of the sayde chylde se­cuge that she had neyther fader ne mo­der / broughte her to the holy man / where as she was enclosyd nyghe by to a wyndowe. whyche was on the syde of his lytyll house. And by the same wyn­dowe he taughte to her the Psaulter. & other holy scryptures / ¶ And there in soo dooyng and sayenge Ympnes and psalmes they were longe togyder / In suche wyse / that in alle abstynences the yonge mayde ensyewed her vncle Abraham / The whiche seeng the good way and wyll by her begon / He deuowtely & wythoute cessynge prayed god for her / To the ende that he wolde gyue to her suche grace that she neuer solde retour­ne to the worlde. And that her though­te sholde haue none affeccyon to worldly thynges / ¶ For he hadde therof gre­te doubte. by cause that her fader hadde lefte to her grete plentee of goodes temporell / ¶ The whyche goodes Abra­ham seenge her grete prudence and perfeccyon. made theym to be dystrybuted to the pore people / In prayeng god that the deuylles by theyr subtyll suggesty­ons myghte haue noo power to chaun­ge her from her good purpoos /

¶ Soo contynued longe tyme the goo­de mayde in the rule that her vncle had gyuen to her / ¶ And she hadde in her soo grete constaunce. that in twenty ye­res he founde not her varyable / But o­beyssaunte as a yonge lambe or shepe / ¶ Durynge this tyme. the deuyll whi­che slepyth not. ymagyned many sub­tyll meanes. by whyche he myghte dysceyue theym / ¶ And by cause he cow [...]e in noo wyse come to his entente / He dyde do begyle and disceyued her by a myserable Relygyous / The whyche were ofte to vysite the sayd good man Abraham. Faynynge soo to doo for the sal­uacyon of his soule / ¶ But the cursyd Relygyous man tempted of the deuyll vnder the shadow of deuocion. He wente for to defoyle the sayd vyrgyn / And soo longe he contynued by the space of a yere. that he drewe her oute of her O­ratorye / ¶ And by cause that in suche caas the lasse to knowe and expresse is beste and mooste honeste / It suffyseth to wryte that the poore doughter was defoylled / ¶ And that after the synne [Page] commysed and done / she became soo sorowfull and desolate. that vneth maye be expressyd and wryten her lamentacyons and waylynges. ¶ And thenne she beganne to tere her heer. and to bete her breste and her vysage. Enforcynge her selfe for to slee herselfe by dyspayr.

¶ And thus in lamentynge and bewa­ylynge. she bewaylled merueylously her vyrgynyte soo loste / ¶ And ferthermo­re / She sayde Alas me poore synnar I haue loste alle the tyme in whyche I haue done penaunce / Alle myne orysons / Fastynges. and good operacyons and werkes ben by me synnar loste. ¶ O ye teeres and w [...]pynges maye not redememe / ¶ O my vncle whyche is soo mo­che soo perfighte What shame and dyshonoure haue I done to the / ¶ Certaynly I now fere me that the wrathe of god shall hastely falle vppon me / that am made Illusyon and mocked of the deuyll ¶ Alas what shal prouffyte me from hensforth to do penaunce / It were better for me to deye thanne to lyue / ¶ O very god. What synne haue I done. Alas my maker how haue I cōmy­sed and doon agaynst the suche offence How haue I be soo blynde in my thoughte Ne how haue I be soo ygnoraunte ne had noo knowlege of that whiche I oughte to do Ne where or what shal come of me. ¶ Alas where ben the goode mony [...]sons and warnynges that mine vncle sayd and warned me of whan I was vyrgyne And that I hadde purposyd to haue kepte my soule Inmaculate and vndefoylled to Ihesu Cryste my spowse /

¶ Alas I am not worthy to beholde y^e heuen. for I am deed as towchynge the worlde / ¶ And as towarde god I dare not retorne to my wyndowe / by whiche I sprange and came oute / ¶ Alas how I that am full of Inyquyte & wyckyd­nesse. shall I be hardy ynough to speke to myne vncle / I suppose yf I retourne to my lytyll howse / Incontynent yf I come and approche and come nyghe to the wyndowe. by myracle shall fyre to me that shall brenne me /

¶ After thyse pyteous by wayllynges y^e poore synnar oute of her wytte as deed and ferre from her helth went her way in to a nother cyte / and chaūged her habyte / And after went to an hous where as dwellyd comyn wȳmen. ¶ Now it happed that her vncle knewe her syn̄e / by a reuelacyon whyche was suche /

¶ In his slepe he dremyd that he saw a dragon merueylous grete and so fer [...] ful that he durste not beholde it / The whiche in syflynge enforcyd him to approche & come nyghe his chambre or lytyll hous / And hym semyd ferthermore that in comynge nyghe the same place the same dragon foūde a doune. y^e whyche he deuowred / And after he had de­uowred it. he retornyd thither fro whē [...] be came ¶ And whan the holy man A­braham a woke He beganne to wepe estemynge that the deuyl wolde sette scysme & dyuysion in y^e chirche. or that many crysten men sholde be torned fro the holy fayth. ¶ And so y^e good holy man wyste not what to doo. sauf to praye to god. that it myghte playse hym to lete hym haue knowlege what the sayd vysyon betokened ¶ And two dayes after he had a nother dreme lyke / And hym [Page Cviii] semyd whanne the sayde dragon came nyghe to his house. he putt his heed vnder his fete. & was deuyded in two partyes / ¶ After the whyche vysion the holy man sawe wythin the bely of the sayd dragon the sayde doune. whyche he had deuoured. And him semyd that the douue was alyue / And thenne Incontinent the holy man put his honde in the sayde bely / And drewe oute the doune a lyue / ¶ Then̄e he a woke after that / & wenynge to haue founde his nyece Marye in her Oratorye. Came smytynge atte her wyndowe. and called her two or thre tymes ¶ And by cause that syth ii. dayes he had not herde her in her oratory and prayers. He ymagyned and bileued that the vysyon was of his nyece Wherfore he fell downe to the grounde in makynge merueyllous lamentacy­ons and wayllynges. and sayd. ¶ Alas what is now happened to me / My do­ughter is now prysoner in y^e pryson of the deuyll / O cursyd wulfe rauysshyn­ge. Thou haste rauysshed my shepe / O sauyour of all the worlde gyue to me a gyfte. That is that my shepe maye co­me agayne in to her folde. tofore er I deye / To the ende that in perpetuell ennoye I finysshe and ende not myn olde aege / ¶ My god dyspyse not my prayer But hastely goode lorde enlarge vpon me thy grace. to thende that she maye be deliuered from the golette of the dragon.

¶ The poore doughter was two yere liuynge in lubrycyte and lecherye. boun­den with the boundes of the deuyll. and englotted in his bely / ¶ Durynge the whyche two yere. the holy man Abra­ham prayed contynuelly to god. That it playsed hym to reduce and bryng her agayne to penaunce /

¶ I thyse two yeres the holy man sende a famylyer frēde of his for to serche and seche in what place she myghte be The whiche wente and fonde her. and brought worde where she was. and had seen her in an open house wyth comyn wymmen / ¶ The holy man anone dyde doo opene his house. and wente oute of it secretely / To the ende that he sholde not be knowen he toke the habyte of a seculer man / And dyde on a grete ho­de. and mufflyd his vysage. by cause he wolde not be knowen /

¶ Now lete vs consydre the compary­son and simylytude of the fyrste Abra­ham. And of the seconde. of whom this presente hystorye makyth mencyon /

¶ The fyrste wente in to the batay­le agaynste foure kynges / And rescowed and brought home his neuewe Loth Whyche was prysonner / ¶ The secon­de wente also to bataylle agaynste the deuyll. For to redeme his nyece. whyche was prysonner. and kepte and holden in thraldom and capty [...]te of synne. to whyche she was submysyd and gyuen / ¶ For to retorne thenne to this present hystorye. the holy man Abraham thus habilled and arayed as sayd is. lepe vpon an horse that he had borowed for to make this vyage And so longe rode by his Iourneyes. that he arryued in y^e house where as his nyece was. And he beynge comen thid (er) by cause he sawe her not amonge thother yonge wȳmen whiche were there demaunded of the hooste yf there wythin were ony yonge woman [Page] namyd Marye / ¶ The whiche hooste wenynge that the holy man were come for to commyse and perfourme his le­cherye. Ansuerd to hym that there with in was suche one. Whyche he sayd was as fayre as one myghte see / Gentyll & honeste of body / And that she hadde in her body none deformyte / ¶ The whyche wordes herynge the holy man was merueylously Ioyous / And prayed him that she myghte come forth. For he wolde ete and drynke wyth her. ¶ Incontynent the hoost brought her tofore her vncle. prowdely and worldely arayed & cladde. As comynly ben thyse vnthryf­ty comyn wymmen /

¶ The holy man whanne that he sa­we her in that estate. was moche heuy and sorowful / But neuerthelesse he dissymyled his angre the beste wyse he myghte withoute to make ony knowlege. Dredinge that she shold haue knowen hym. [...]eest Incontynent she shold withdrawe her. and hydde herselfe / ¶ After they wythdrew theim in to a lytyll chā bre. where as they beganne to ete / And in takynge theyr refeccyon togyder. the holy man began to playe wyth her. in beholdynge her benygnely and louyngly / ¶ And by cause that in soo dooynge she hadde some remembraūce of her vncle. She that was sette tofore hym· and knewe hym not. Aroos sodeinly and came and collyd hym wyth bothe her ar­mes. hauynge remembraunce of tyme passed. In whiche she hadde in soo grete and perfyghte deuocyon towarde oure lorde Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And knowleged to him her courage. the whyche she mighte noo lenger hyde. ¶ And began Incontynent to wepe and to sorowe. in castynge oute of her eyen grete habun­dance of teeres. and in cursynge her myserable and wretchyd lyfe /

¶ Thenne the hoosteler alle abasshyd beganne to saye / Ha lady Mary what causyth you to wepe now. It is two ye­res syth ye came hyther / and I saw you neuer angry / ¶ To whom she ansue­red / Alas I had be well happy yf I had be deed thre yeres goone / ¶ The holy man seenge her lamentacyons and wepynges. beganne to say to her / ¶ Ha ha my doughter. thou were right now soo Ioyouse / And now thou wepest the sȳ ­nes that thou haste done / I praye the leue this purpoos / And make me goode thyere / ¶ How moche is the grete goodnesse of oure lorde whiche neuer woll lese the synnars. But by his grete mercy woll calle theym agayne /

¶ The poore Marye seenge the holy man / How be it she hadde in her ymagynacyon and demynge. that it was a nother whyche resembled and was ly­ke hym / ¶ Neuerthelesse she hadde ne­uer byleued that it hadde ben he. Consideryng that he that was a man of ry­ghte holy lyfe. And wold neuer haue entred in to that place somoche dyshonest ¶ Now lete vs consydre fro whens ca­me this contrycyon soo sodayne to this poore synnar / Truely we oughte to byleue that it proceded fro y^e benigne mercy of god. Whiche beholdynge the grete wayllynges and deuowte orysons. whiche y^e holy man Abraham made for her that he sholde not lese his paynes ne laburs / ¶ The holy man then̄e requyred of thoost. y^t he sholde make theim gode [Page Cix] there / As took to hym a pyece of gol­de. whic [...] was of good valewe that he had broghte wyth hym / For he was comen [...]om ferre for the loue of the pore Maye / ¶ O merueyllous prudence O di [...]ecōn inenarrable. the good holy man ad be fyfty yere wythout etynge of ony rede / Neuerthelesse for to with drawe is nyece from that place pub­lyke. he [...]as contente to ete flesshe & to drynke [...]ne ¶ After that they had supped the pore doughter Marye prayed the holi mn to goo to bedde. to the whiche he agred & acorded / ¶ But whan he sawe theedde soo wel arayed & hye lyfte vppe fr [...] the grounde. he was mo­che abasshed Notwythstondynge he sate therupon / ¶ After came to hym Marye for to draw of his hosyn & shone / And by cause t [...]e doore was open of y^e chambre he cō [...]aunded that she shold goo shette it fyrte / After y^t she had shett the door. he made her to come to hym / & toke her by the ho [...]de. as he wolde haue kyssed her / The ho [...] man whyche my­ghte noo lenger hyd (er) & couer his thoughte demaūded her / ¶ Come hyther my doughter knowest tho [...] me nouȝte. Am not I he that so longe haue nourysshed the. O mi doughter what hast thou done. Who hath plūged thein synne. Where is now thyne angelyke habyte / Where ben now thy longe and worthy prayers. Alas thou were a [...]haūsed vpp in to heuen. And now thou arte descended in to helle / ¶ Whe [...]ore my doughter Incō tynent as thou haddest cōmysed y^e syn̄e camest thou not to me / and lete me ha­ue knowlege therof. certes I wold then̄ haue done [...]enaunce for the. Alas what dredest thou. noo man may be wythout synne but oonly god our souerayne protectour ¶ In heringe thise wordes Mary became as vnmouable ¶ And whan y^e holy man sawe that she ansuerd not again. he sayd yet to her / Marye my ryghte doughter whiche arte of my blood speke to me if it playse to the. and take consolacōn & comforte / For I promyse to the that I shall take thy synne vpon me. And shall take on me the penaun­ce for to rendre acounte. and dyscharge the tofore god the ryght mercyfull redemer of alle the worlde / ¶ There were they two togyder to mydnyghte in she wynge of the good holy man to Mary his nyece the grete mercy of god ¶ And after that she had longe herde hym. she beganne to speke in wepynge grete te­res. & sayd to hym / ¶ A my fader & my vncle I am not worthy to be present tofore thyne eyen / Alas how may I haue remyssyon / What prayer shall I make to god. that am soo horryble defoyled & maculate of so many sinnes / ¶ Then̄e yet the holy man for to comfort her ansuerde sayeng / ¶ My doughter and my loue. Thyne Inyquytees be vppon me and noo thynge vpon the. I haue prayed to god that it maye playse to take y^e punysshment on me. And truely I ma­ke noo doubte but that he shall soo doo Therfore come w^t me. & retorne we to oure place in whiche we haue lyued soo lōge togid (er) vertuously / y^u shalt se Effren thy frende whiche is ful of sorow of thy perdycōn / Haue no mystruste of y^e merci of Ihesu Cryste / How be it that thy synnes ben gretter in enormyte thanne the grete mountaynes and hylles / Yet [Page] his mercy is moche more grete / ¶ Take thenne hope in consyderynge / That it is noo newe thinge to falle in to syn̄e But it is a ryght grete daunger to abyde therin longe / ¶ Whanne one is falle in it. I byleue fermely that the fende whyche hathe the feble in fallynge. He shall fynde the stronge in releuynge & rysynge /

¶ My doughter thou seest that I am aunceyen and olde / Wherfore I praye the that thou haue pyte on myn olde aege. And that thou come out of this publyk place. and retorne in to thy first lodgynge for to doo there thy penaunce

¶ God woll not that the synnars sholde deye eternall dethe. but desyreth that they sholde lyue perpetuelly ¶ Thenne she sayde to hym. ¶ Yf thou knowe well my fader that I maye doo suffisaunt penaūce in suche wise that I maye deserue to haue remyssyon of my syn̄es I woll well that we retourne where it shall playse the /

¶ In suche deuyses and lamentacōns was Marye all the nyghte atte the feet of the sayde holy man her vncle / ¶ To whom also she said. alas my lord what shall I mowe gyue or rewarde the for thy good grace and mercy that in so grete desyre and affeccyon thou purchasyst to me / ¶ On the morne by tyme whan they sholde departe and goo theyr way She sayd to hym / Myne vncle I haue spared & haue here wythin a lytyll gol­de and other vestures saye to me what it playsyth the that I shall doo wythal To whom the holy man sayd I woll my me [...]e. that thou leue here in this place Infamyd all those godes y^t thou hast goten by synne and Infamye for they benot worthy to be yeue for go [...] is sake to the poore people / ¶ Soo thene they departed from that dyshoneste p [...]ce / And soo moche exployted theyr [...]ye / y^t fynably they came to the place here afore she hadd be nourisshyd / An was remysed in to her lytyll chambre clad wyth her olde cote /

¶ Thynke now what sorowe & complaintes they made after that / me wepynge euery daye the holy ma for the synne of his nyece. Lyke as h [...] had commysed hymself / and shewed [...]e grete e­normyte therof more bytter than̄e he durste haue done. or he hade broughte her thyther / ¶ O merueyllus and In­estymable charyte. that [...] to redeme y^e soule of his niece. he wa [...] [...]ontent to bȳ de hȳself to doo penaun for her / Who shall be he that wythout wayllynge & wepynge shall rememb [...] the merueylous lamentacyons that they dyde after her reduccōn fro synn to penaunce /

¶ Who is also he th [...] wold not rendre also thankynges to god of suche a conuersyon / ¶ She was after that of soo honeste a lyfe and conuersacyon That many notable pe [...]sones from diuers places came to her [...]or to be cōforted in theyr aduersytees [...]y the moyen of her prayers and orisons.

¶ Ten yere after lyued the deuout [...]holy man Abraham. The whiche seenge the grete penaunces [...] his nyece. lo [...]yd her better & more herte [...] than he hadd done byfore / & of her vertuous lyfe ren­dred contynuelly thankynges right deuoutly to god / ¶ And whan he had at­tayned tha [...]ge of lx. yere / and his [...] yere [Page Cx] fyfty. ¶ They rendred theyr soules to god whiche gaaf to theym his glorye & felicyte eternall / The whiche gyue to vs. the fader the sone and the holy go­ost / Amen /

¶Of saynt Pachomyen abbot. and begynnyth in latyn ¶ Dominis noster thūs. &c. Caplm .lii.

IN recitynge of saynt Pachomyen and of many other sayntes. and holy faders. ¶ Saynt Iherom sayth in substaunce / ¶ Oure lorde Ihesus fountayne of all sapyence and lighte of very doctryne sone of god the fader / by the vertue and puyssaunce of whom alle hathe ben created and ma­de. wyllynge to shewe our poore freelte of the enormyte of synne. whiche is soo moche enclyned to vs hathe shewed by his right worthi pite & mekenes many wayes and maners to seche our helthe. ¶ Considre we thenne the grace that he gaaf to Abraham oure auncyent fader. Whanne in obeyenge to his cōma­undement. he wolde haue offred Ysaac his fyrste sone. ¶ He was content with the obeyssaunce of Abraham. whiche hadde mede and meryte of his sacrefy­ce / ¶ And yet abode his sone alyue. All the prophetes whyche haue hadde soo many reuelacōns / And that knew that god myghte not lye. haue shewed to vs that there sholde come a medycyne. or leche whiche sholde heele alle our sores & woundes That is oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. Whiche by his passyon hath bought and redemed vs from the paynes of helle / ¶ He is soo humble that neuer he dyspisyth oure petycyons / Soo that they ben resonable and helthfull. And also that they ben demaunded wyth a contryte and humble herte. ¶ Considre we also the grace that we haue whan̄e by the sacrament of baptym we ben regenerat and purifyed of origynall sin̄e of oure fyrste fader Adam / ¶ And also we haue herde the appostles whiche haue endoctryned vs in the holy faythe / whyche we holde and kepe / ¶ Whanne the same oure faythe beganne to be publysshed. The deuyll oure grete enmye supposyd by his temptacyons to haue broughte to noughte alle Cristyante. But soo as we reden many sayntes by prayers & other afflyccōns lyghtly putt them vnd (er) / ¶ Some Paynems emperours Romains aft (er) the passion of our lorde enforcid hem to persecute crystē men of whom many went in to Egypte. the [Page] whiche vnto y^e deth endured grete martyrdom for the honoure of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And from daye to daye the chir­ches were augmented. edefyed and made in the name of the martyrs. ¶ So­me other forsoke the worlde / And vse­den alle theyr lyfe in wyldernesse in de­sertes / As of many is wryton here tofore / ¶ The some were cladde with heyrof ghotes / ¶ Other dyde penaunce in fastynge an hoole weke wythoute etynge: Endurynge alle theyr lyfe in colde and hete. and other necessitees Innumerable / ¶ And in soo doinge haue opteyned of our lorde synguler prerogatyues As it hathe ynough be declared in the lyues of holy faders here tofore wreton

¶ How and in what tyme Relygyon was Instytuted. And begynnyth in la­tyn ¶ E [...]at p [...]ide tēpus / Caplm .liii.

DVrynge the persecucōn whyche themperours of Rome made so crysten men dwellyd in the de­serte saynt Anthony. where as he ladde a lyfe semblable in perfeccōn vnto y^e lyfe of Helye. Helyser. & saynt Iohn̄ Baptyste / ¶ Of the maners & conuersacyon of saynt Anthonye / Saynt Anathase bysshopp of Alexandrie hath made many grete & fayre wytnesses. Whiche ben thynges moche prouffytable to alle people of deuocōn to see theym. and in the­ym to haue contemplacōn· ¶ Also y^e sayd Athanase hath wreton of saynt Ammon & of his merytes. as here tofore is wreton & recyted. And semblably of saynt Theodore. the whiche holy faders were the fon̄dement & begynnynge of Religyon / And of whom in theyr lyuȳ ge the grete fame flourysshed in dyuers Regyons. ¶ In that tyme were a few religious people in Thebayde. But after the persecucyon of Dyoclesyan and Maxymyan emperours & tyraūtes In­humayn. Many persones of dyuers settes folowed the lawe of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ For some went into desert. and other in to Religyon / And thenne began the chirche to flourysshe & multeplye.

¶ How the sayd Pachomien wolde be Crysten / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶ Peridem tēpus / Caplm .liiii.

IN the same tyme dwelled Pa­chomien in Thebayde the whiche was a Paynem. Holdynge the law in whiche his fader and moder hadde enfourmyd hym. But after by y^e grace of god he wolde be Crysten And how wel that in his adolescēnt he was Paynem / as tofore is sayde Neuerthe­lesse he was moche vertuous ¶ And also syth his cōuersion he prouffyted merueyllously in acquysicōn of vertues. In suche wise that by the moyen of his ri­ghte holy lyffe he was moche renōmyd in dyuers countrees and Regions in lyke wyse as more amply shall be decla­red herafter.

¶ How in his yonge aege be distroyed the Ydollis / & begyn̄ith in latyn / ¶ Her enim. &c / Caplm .lv.

[Page Cxi]THis sayde Pachomyen in hys yonge aege. beynge yet a chyld was broughte by his parentes as to a temple of ydolatrye. beynge by the ryuer of Nyle. for to adoure and sac [...]rfye the ydolles / ¶ The preest sacry­lege wold make sacrefyce whanne they were come after theyr dampnable and wycked lawe / ¶ But the deuyll wolde not gyue ansuere as he hadd be accustomyd to doo. Wherof the folysshe preeste was moche abasshed / ¶ And fynably the deuyll shewed to the cursyd preest / that the goddis wolde yeue none ansue [...]t. but yt Pachomyen were expulsid oute of the same temple / ¶ His parentes were moche angrye whanne they sawe hym constrayned to departe from the­ym. And wiste not what they sholde do

¶ A nother tyme he beinge replenysshyd wyth the grace of god / As one gaaf him to drynke of the wyne that had be sacrefyed to the ydolles / Incontynente he casted it vppe agayne by manere of vomyte. Lyke as it hadde be poyson. Notwythstondyng that he was not yet Crysten /

¶ How the sayde Pachomyen was ta­ken for to goo on werre. And begin̄yth in latyn ¶ Eodem tempore. et. cetera Caplm .lvi.

IN the same tyme Constantyn obteynynge the Empyre of rome dide constrayne all the yonge men of his countree for to habylle & put theim in armes for to serue hym in his warre / Emonge whom he was re­teyned to wages / ¶ The sayde Pacho­myen whyche thenne was in the aege of twenty yeres / After that he was put vppon the see / The wynde aroos / And made theym to arryue in a cyte in whyche dwelled Crysten men / ¶ Whanne they of the cyte sawe theym come. lybe­rally they receyued theym / And honestly they admynystred to theym alle theyr necessitees / ¶ Pachomyen seeng [...] [...] yr charite and humanytee enquyred [...] his felowes. what men they were / Whyche ansuered to hym that they were crysten men / And that theyr custome was to be soo humble and charytable to alle the worlde Hopinge to haue therfore rewarde of their god.

¶ Pachomyen herynge this was mo­che heuy in his herte for that he myght not haue none other knowlege of them ¶ Wherfore he made his prayer to god in sayenge / O god almyghty whyche haste made heuen & erthe graunte thou to me my prayer. That is. that it playse the to giue me perfighte knowlege of thy name / And that I be delyuered of the oblygacyon in whyche I'am boun­de. And I shall be thy seruaunt alle the tyme of my lyfe / ¶ And I promitte to the that I shall renounce the worlde for to beye y^e onely / He then̄e retornynge frothe warre wyth his felowes they pas­syd by dyuerse countrees and Regyons in whiche some tyme Pachomyen was tempted wyth the synne of the flesshe / But neuertheles rmēbryng of y^e promise that he hadd made to god. he resisted y^e temptacōn. And wolde neuer cōmise the sayd synne Desyrynge for the loue of oure lorde to lyue chastely /

¶ How Pachomyen receyued the holy Sacrament of baptim / And bgynnyth in latyn ¶ Igitur constantinus. &c Caplm .lvii·

IT happed that Constantyn y^e Emperour of Rome after that he was Crysten. And that by y^e faythe & credence that he hadde to god He hadde opteyned vyctorye agaynste his aduersaryes. Concluded for to dys­charge his subgettes of the grete exaccyons and charges that they bare by cau­se of men of warre. And to gyue theym leue and to sende theym home. And soo he dyde / ¶ Pachomyen thenne seenge hymselfe delyuered of his seruyce. Incōtynent came in to a towne called Smobostrum beynge beyonde the partyes of The haydes / ¶ And there in the chirche in acomplysshinge the promyse that he made to god Promtly he was baptysed But a merueyllous thynge happed af­ter his baptesme / ¶ For in the same nyghte that he was crystened. he sawe in his dreme / How in to his ryght bonde descended a dewe. the whiche myraculously cōuerted in to hony / ¶ After he herde a voys whiche sayde to hym. O Pachomyen considre wel this that is happed to the. For this is the sygne of y^e grace that god hathe gyuen to the /

¶ Pachomyen was after enflammed wyth the grace of the holy ghoste / And rendred hymselfe wyth the relygyouse men. for to lerne the state of holy and perfyghte life /

¶ How saynt Pachomien desirynge to be Heremyte or Relygyous / wente to y^e holy fader Palemon. dwellynge in de­serte / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Andi­uit autem / Caplm .lviii.

AFter that Pachomyen herd say y^t in desertes was an holi man named Palemon moche deuoute. contynuelly seruynge god: He wente to hym. and knocked atte his doore / ¶ And he opened halfe his doore / and demaunded of hym what he wolde. [...] what he soughte. ¶ Now the holy man Palemon was terryble to beholde· By cause that by longe tyme lyuynge soly­taryly he hadde ladde a strayt lyfe and harde in the deserte / ¶ Pachomyen an­suerde to hym moche humbly / Fayre fader I come to the by the cōmaundemente of my god. to the ende that I [...]e ma­de and constytuted Relygios ¶ The holy fader sayde to him. Thou mayst not be Relygyous here / It is not a lytyll thynge to be made Relygyous But he oughte well rypely to thynke the holy conuersacyon in whiche he oughte to liue / ¶ For many haue ben in desertes sayd the holy fader whiche haue not per­seueryd in theyr begynnynges / ¶ Pa­chomyen ansuered. that the maners in all persones ben not semblable / ¶ And therfore he prayed hym / that he wolde receyue hym. And by succession of tyme he sholde knowe his courage and affe­cyon / ¶ The holy fader sayde to hym / My frende I haue sayde tofore. that here thou mayste not be Relygyous / And therfore goo in to some Monastery of Relygyon / ¶ And whanne thou haste [Page Cxii] h [...]d in chastyte and contynence in o­beyenge the rules of Religyon / Then̄e shalte thou come agayne to me. & gladly I shall receyue the / ¶ But take hede what I shall saye to the / And waye it well tofore thou procede ony ferther / And I shall saye to the what thou shalte doo to gete the helthe of thy soule / I lyue here compentli ynough / ¶ For my custome is to ete oonly brede and salte. I vse none oyle ne wyne / And I wake ordynarily tyll mydnyghte / And somtyne all the nyghte / Bisye some tyme in prayer. A nother tyme in contemplacion. Or otherwise ocupienge myselfe. in some helthfull werke /

¶ Pachomyen whanne he had all her­de. Lyke as the dyscyples ben abasshed in the presence of theyr mayster / So he was somwhat abasshed in herynge the wordes of the holy man. But this not­wythstondynge he trustynge in the grace of god. he purposyd alle to endure / ¶ And ansuered to the holy man. Fayre fader / I haue ferme affyaunce in oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. In whom I by­leue fermely. That he shall gyue to me strengthe and myghte to doo the pena­ūces that thou haste shewed to me / and that in the same by the ayde of thy prayers I shall perseuere constauntly alle y^e tyme of my lyfe /

¶ How Palemon the Heremyte gaaff to Pachomyen the habyte of Religyon And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Tunc sanc [...]s Palemon / Caplm .lix.

PAlemon· seenge the faythe of Pachomyen fynably receyuyd hym. And gaaf to hym the habyte of Relygyon. And dwelleden togyder dooynge grete abstynences wyth deuoute orysons and prayers. passyng there the tyme of theyr lyf / ¶ Some tyme they made robes of heyre. not oonly for the enterteynynge of theyr lyfe / But also for to socoure the poore / ¶ Whanne they were in prayer / And that Palemon sawe somtyme Pachomyen a slepe / by cause of the laboure that he tooke· For to eschewe that he sholde not slepe ma­de hym for to bere sonde from one pla­ce to a nother And by the moyen of that excercyte. He beynge heuy of slepe. made hym to eschewe the slepe. whiche is the nourysshment of all vyces and synnes. ¶ After he admonested hym that he sholde be alway constaunt and perseuerynge in his good purpoos / And of alle [Page] thynge dyde the good Pachomyen hys prouffyte. receyuynge humbly & benygnely his charges. & correccōn of the say­de holy man Palemon / By whiche he augmented fro day to daye the perfyghte loue & charite y^t he had to the mageste dyuyne /

¶Here folowyth of his abstynēce. And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Per idem tempꝰ &c. Caplm .lx.

IN the same time happened the solempnite of Ester. the whiche is halowed in grete deuocion & & spirytuell Ioye of al good & true crysten people. By cause that in the same daye many haue a custome to reioyce themself sobrely. ¶ The holy man Palemon cōmaunded to Pachomyen that he sholde thynke of theyr refeccōn for y^e souper / ¶ Now as tofore is sayde theyr custome was to ete oonly brede & salte / and to drynke water. But for the reuerence of the solempnyte of the daye. Pachomyen sette on the fyre of thise wyld coles wyth other herbes. ¶ Whanne Palemon had made his prayers. he came in to his chambre for to take his refec­cōn the whiche he sonde all redy / For it was thenne euen / ¶ He perceyued that Pachomyen for the solempnyte of y^e sayd daye had made redy coles wyth oyle the whiche thinge seenge the holy man Palemon for a displaysure beganne to rubbe his face wyth his hondes in say­enge suche wordes / ¶ O my god & my maker thou haste hadde soo moche harme & payne on the crosse. Sholde I ete oyle. certaynly I sholde none ete / ¶ Pachomyen seenge that he was angry set it downe in sayenge that he had made it lyke as he had cōmaunded / ¶ And y^t he myghte well ete a lytyll / Neuerthe­lesse Palemon wolde none ete / but was contente wyth a lytyll brede and salte ¶ And after sayde graces to god lyke as he was acustomyd /

¶ Of a proude relygyous man whiche came for to vysite theym. And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶ Vna vero dierum· &c Caplm .lxi.

IT happed on a daye y^e a prou­de religyous man & superstycyous came for to vysite theym / Now had they made a fyre for to war­me theim. For gladly denoute persones beynge occupyed in contemplacōn arne sooner colde than they that done other [Page Cxiii] ocupacyons and werkes temporell. Yf they ben not kept and conserued of god ¶ The brother beynge wyth theym. seinge the fire beganne to saye / Yf one of you haue very fayth. lete hym lye vpon thise hote coles. and saye his (Pater noster) al a longe. and I byleue certaynly y^t he shall not brenne / Palemon whyche knew his surquydrye sayd to him. Broder saye noo more suche ydle wordes & oute of reason. For it sholde more aua­ylle the to be stille. I se well wel that y^u arte full of pryde & of [...]lacyon / ¶ The brother wold not be correte for ony thȳ ge that Palemon sayd to him. but was more wollen in pride than tofore / And wythout necessyte layed hymself vpon the hote coles / ¶ And by suffraunce of god it happed that the deuyll prynce & mayster of all prowde peple for more to dysceyue hym in tyme comynge. kepte hym from brennynge / ¶ And after he departed from theym more fyers & proude than he had be tofore / ¶ On y^e morowe he came agayne to the sayde holy men. And ayen sayd to theym in repreuynge theym by his pryde sayenge. Habrethern where is your faythe / The deuyll seenge his elacōn knewe that lyghtely he sholde make hym to falle in to what synne that he wolde / ¶ And chaunged him in lykenesse of a ryght fayr woman aourned & arayed worldli. and came and knocked att the doore of the prowde relygyous. And he opened it And whan he was wythin sayd to him ¶ O my good brother I shall telle the wherfore I am come hyther / It is tro­uth that I am bounde to many my credytours the whiche for fawte of goode it to me not possyble to paye & satysfye ¶ And yf by aduenture they fonde me. I myghte renne in to grete dōmage / Wherfore I am come hyther for to hy­de me. to thende that they shall not fynde me / Wherfore I praye the in good charyte that thou wolte suffre me to so iourne here a lytyll tyme for to eschewe this Inconuenient. And god whiche hathe adressed me to come to the for refu­ge shall thanke the / ¶ The relygyouse man was moche proude / wherfore god gaaf hym not the grace to knowe that it was the deuyll that spake to hym / ¶ And soo receyued hym to his damp­nacōn· for Incontynent the deuyl tempted hym to the synne of lecherye. Thē ­ne he lyȝtly suffred to be ouercome / and wolde haue enbraced the deuyll in lykenesse of a woman / ¶ And then̄e the deuyll threwe hym downe to therthe / and lay there longe as he had be deed. But after certayne dayes he came agayn to hymself in his good mynde. and knowleged his synne. And wente and tolde it the holy fader Palemon / sayenge. A. A holy fader I am cause of my perdicyon Thou warnedest me well. but I poore vnhappy hane despysed thy wordes. Wherfore I praye the that thou wolte praye god for me. to thende that I may haue remission of my syn̄e. ¶ Palemon & Pachomyen seenge his lamentacyon cowde not holde them fro wepynge for pyte & compassion that they had of hȳ ¶ But the deuyll seenge that his con­trycōn was not consonaunt to his wordes. the whiche were fayned & ful of y­pocresie. broughte him Incontynent oute of theyr presence / ¶ And soo thenne [Page] the poore myserable ranne thorugh the desertes as a foole oute of his wytte / And fynably came in to a cyte namyd Panos / And there as enraged. threwe hymselfe in to a depe caue full of hote water. In whiche sodainly he deyed /

¶How Pachomyen went thorugh the desertes. And begynnith in latyn ¶ I­gitur pachomius / Caplm .lxii

PAchomyen after wente bare fote thorugh the deserte. and bi mountaynes. Endurynge pacyently y^e pryckynges and hurtes of thornes. whereof his feet were swollen and moche so [...]e / ¶ And he enioyed in hymselfe reducynge to remembraunce. how our lorde hadde in his feet and his hondes holes per [...]yd by fo [...]e of grete naylles recour­bled & blout / Whyche were more greuous than yf they hadde ben sharpe pryc­kynge ¶ Alle his herte and desire was for so dwelle in place solytarye for to praye god by grete desyre / To the ende be and alle the worlde myghte be preseruyd and kepte from the trawdes. decepcyons and temptacyons of oure en­ [...]ye the sende of helle /

¶How a vo [...] from heuen spake to Pachomyen And begynnyth in latyn ¶Quodam vero tempore. et cetera / Caplm .lxiii.

IT happed on a tyme that sa­ynt Pachomyen entrynge in a towne namyd Thebayde ferre ynough from his hermytage / In whi­che towne whan he entred dwelled noo persone ¶ He putt hymselfe in prayer / and was there longe / ¶ Soo herde he a voys from heuen. whyche sayd to hȳ Pachomyen abyde in this place where thou arte. And edefy [...] here a monastery Many shall come to the. desirynge to prouffyte by thy Instytucyons ¶ And thou shalte gyue to theym the rule whiche I shall desyner to the / ¶ After that appyered the aungell whyche broughte to hym a table. in whiche was wryten the rule whiche be sholde te [...]he all the­ym that sholde come to the sayde place for to be relygyous vnder hym / ¶ The whyche rule yet kepen the Tabenesi­ens. ¶ Saynt Pachomyen ryght affec­tuously [Page Cxiiii] alle that. whyche thangell had broughte to hym / ¶ And after came agayne to the holy fader Palemon / To whom he recyted alle that whiche was happed to hym. In prayenge hym that he wolde goo w^t him to the place. where the aungel had spoken to hym as sayd is / ¶ Palemon whiche was humble & wolde not trowble his dyscyple / went in to the towne wyth hȳ / And there ariued Incontynent after the cōmaunde­ment of god made a lytyll hous / In y^e whyche longe tyme they prayed to god deuowtely / Bysechynge hym that they myghte perfourme the chirche. lyke as y^e angell had warned Pachomien. ¶ Longe tyme after Palemon sayd to Pachomyen. Now I knowe that the grace of god is descended vpon the. & that thou arte dysposyd for to dwelle in this pla­ce where thou arte / Wherfore I praye y^u that we make this paccyon & couenan̄t togyder. That durynge all the tyme of oure lyfe we be not separate in courage ne deuyded / But by vysitacyon frater­nall we gyue consolacyon eche to other The whyche paccyon they made and entrehelden / For after ofte tymes they vysited eche other /

¶Of the deth of saynt Palemon. And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Inter he [...] vene­rabilis. &c / Caplm .lxiiii.

A Lytyll tyme After Palemon strongly enfebled of nature by the extreme abstinences that he made felle in a grete maladye / by cau­se of the whyche well ofte he ete wyth­oute drynke. And somtyme he ete not / But his refeccyon was eyther to ete or

to drynke oonly / ¶ Some brethern ca­me thither for to vysite him / And prayyed hym to enforce to take refeccōn suffisauntly for to susteyne his body / But the holy man herynge theyr requeste toke oonly mete for to comforte his membres. Whiche were moche enfeblysshed by his sayd abstynences. But neuerthe­les that auayled noo thynge / ¶ For his maladye was to hȳ more greuous whā he ete more thanne he was accustomye. ¶ And therfore he wolde not ete but after his appetyte. and suffred pacyently his maladye. Consyderyng that many marters had ben despieced in to pyeces. ¶ Some hadd theyr heedes smyten of. The other haue ben brent in fire. And alwaye they perseuered vnto thende for the loue of Ihesu Cryste / ¶ And y^e holy man sayd he had by theyr examples farye & ample matere of pacyence. And that he ought not for a lytyll maladye corrumpe by gormandyse his lytyll pe­naunces [Page] and fastynges acustomyd / ¶ He sayd ferther that they had gyuen hym more payne by the metes that he had eten in his maladye. thanne the abstynences that he made. And soo retourned to his fyrste penaunce / ¶ And a moneth after in perseuerynge in fastynges he deyed & rendred his soule to god ¶ But tofore his dethe came to hȳ sa­ynt Pachomyen. whiche behelde hȳ as his fader in kyssynge & enbracynge hȳ As he had sayd to hym. fare well. And after he buryed his body in the erthe / & his soule was enhaūced gloryously w^t changellis in to the Ioye & glory of heuen / The whiche graunt to vs the fad (er) the sone the holy ghost / Amen /

¶How the sayde saynt Pachomyen & one his brother namyd Iohn conuerse­den togyder. And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quo pe [...]o / Caplm .lxv.

AFter y^e saynt Palemon was bi saynt Pachomyen buryed. the same saynt Pachomyen came agayne in to his monastery where god hadde Instytuted to hym / ¶ And after came to hȳ his broder germayn named Iohn̄. whiche longe tyme hadde sought hym / ¶ The holy man seenge his brother was moche Ioyous. for sith he had be Crysten he had seen none of his frē ­des. ¶ The gode Iohn̄ dwellyd w^t his brother / & yf they were bred (er)n carnally. yet were they moche more bred (er)n spyry­tuelly / They two had but one will & o­ne selfe desyre. Nyghte & daye they tho­ughte on the faythe of oure lorde. reno­uncynge all worldly rychesses. ¶ They wan̄e theyr lyuynge on̄ly wyth makynge of celles / & yf they had ony thyng superflue of theyr labour / Incontynent it was dystrybuted vnto poore for thono in of god / ¶ All theyr clothyng was of one vesture made of lyn̄en clothe / As y^e Relygiouses were then robes / ¶ But y^e holy man Pachomien ware thayre. for to kepe his body in seruytude / & whan̄e sōtyme be slepte by nyghte. He laye not on the erthe. but lenynge / Ferynge y^t yf he laye downe. that he sholde reste ouer moche atte his case. & therby he myght falle in some [...]ȳne or euyll tēptacōn /

¶Of the grete repentaunce and dysplaysaunce that had the sayde Pachomyen for Indygnacōn and angre that he hadde agaynst his brother / And be­gynnyth in latyn ¶ Inter hec et cetera Caplm .lxvi.

[Page Cxv]Saynt Pachomyen bi y^e grace of god dyde encreace y^e place where he & Iohn̄ his brod (er) dwellyd. to the ende y^t they y^t shold com̄ to dwell in the sayde place lyke as thangell had shewed. sholde fynde place for to dwell in / ¶ Iohn̄ whiche was theld (er) was wrothe with hȳ. by cause he made thedefice so grete. & sayd to hȳ. My brod (er) leue this y^t thou haste begon. it is a thynge superfluous to make so large this place y^t we dwelle in / The holy man Pachomyen hering thise wordes. ansuerd to hȳ noo thyng. but endured in his courage. how wel y^t he was euyll content wyth hȳ. estemyng to be eniuryed bi y^e wordes aforesayd / The nyght folowynge Pachomyen descended in to a lowe place y^t he had begon to edefye. & fell downe place in prayer wepinge & waylyng· by cause y^t for thoccasōn aforsayd he had be wrothe ayenst his brod (er) / & in his lamentacions he sayd / Helas maledyccōn is hap­ped to me. I walke yet in obeyenge to y^e flesshe / Lorde god haue pyte on me. to y^e ende y^t I perisshe not / & also y^t by decepcōn of the deuil I be not deceyued Alas lord yf I be withdrawe fro thy grace / & the deuyl fynde ony vyce in me he shal subdue me sore in his vile seruytude. for it is wryten y^t he that is of ony put vnd (er) he is made his serfe or bonde man / And yet ayen it is wryten y^t he that shall haue entyerly kepte & obseruyd y^e lawe / & after in one on̄ly sȳne shall haue offended he shall be as towarde god reputed of all culpable. & out of his helthe / Notwythstondyng my lorde god I byleue y^t thy mercyes ben soo grete. y^t they shall helpe me how someuer poore & myserable sȳnar I be / For soo haue ben thyne seruauntes by thy sure proteccōn preserued fro y^e power of the deuyll. & in thende enlumyned wyth thy glorye & felycite eternall

¶ Thenne haue I hope by that. thou shalte giue me knowelege of thy name That after my dethe I shall be of the nombre of theym that shall be sauyd / ¶ Ellis my lorde god yf thou gyue me not scyence and cunnyng lyke as thou haste promysed to me / I shal not cunne teche ne enseygne the relygyous people whyche thou haste commysed and gy­uen the charge and gouernaunce to me Seen and consydered that I haue not curyously ouercome the voluptuosytee and passyons of the flesshe / ¶ Ne also obseruyd and fulfyllyd thy ryght wor­thy lawe wyth vndefoylled thoughte. as I oughte to doo /

¶ Wherfore I am not worthy to be ru­ler and gouernour vnder thy honde of so many relygyous men. whyche shall come to me / ¶ And therfore my lorde my Sauyoure and my Protectour I beseche the that it maye playse the to pardonne and forgyue me. In grauntynge to me absolucyon of all my synnes /

¶ The holy man was alle the nyghte contynuelly in wepynges and lamentacyons / In suche wyse that his robe or vesture and his body was alle bayned and bydewed in teres and water / And how wel that he was replenysshed and endowed wyth alle vertue. Neuertheles he Rendred hym selfe alle obeyssa­unte to his brother germayne vnto his deth and endynge of his lyfe / Whyche happed soone after.

¶In buryenge & makynge sepulture of whom he was an hoole nyghte / [Page] wepynge vpon his body. makynge for him prayers and deuoute orysons. how well that his soule was in heuen /

¶ How saynt Pachomyen resysted the temptacyons of the deuyll / And begynnith in latyn ¶ Tūcinfatigabilis. &c. Caplm .lxvii.

SAynt Pachomyen Incōtynent as one afflyccyon came to him Sodaynly by the grace of god he putt it abacke / For he was alwaye in the deede of god / ¶ Now who someeuer dredith god. He employeth him in good werkes ofte remembrynge on the paynes of helle. Lyke as fyre whiche is eternall / ¶ And on the wormes whiche wroten the dampned soules. Whiche neuer shall deye / ¶ The deuyll enuyouse of alle good / supposyd to haue bendyd his grynnes to haue caught and taken hym in some synne / ¶ But neuerthe­lesse by cause he was armyd wyth the shelde of stedfaste faythe. He ouercame alwaye his aduersarye /

¶ Of the Illusyons that the deuyl made to the sayde Pachomyen And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Quadam vero die. &c. Caplm lxviii.

ON a daye as y^e holy Pachomy­en came fro sayēge of his deuoute orysons & prayers a goode waye fro his lytyll celle. lyke as he had be acustomyd. came tofore hȳ many deuyllis in grete nōbre sayēg one to a nother. lyke as they had be tofore a Iuge Make place to y^e seruaūt of god· but y^e holy man hauȳge in our lorde ful hope dispised all theyr machinacōns. lyke as it had be barkynge of dogges / & whan y^e deuillis sawe y^e grete constaūce of hȳ they enforcid theim to bete downe y^t is ūdement of his edefyce whyche he be­gon / Thenne began to say y^e holy man O my god whihe art on̄ly refuge & the [Page Cxvi] defence of our good people. whom thou comforteste in alle theyr trybulacyons / yf our enmyes meue and take the erthe awaye tofore v [...]. ye for that we fere ne drede theym no [...]. ¶ And Incontynente theyr Impetuosyte sessed. and as a fu­me or smoke vanysshed awaye / ¶ But yet they came agayne after as wood houndes / ¶ And in the same wyse an o­ther tyme as he came from his prayer / The deuyll apperyd to him in lykenes of a capon. makynge a crye soo merueylous / That alle the place redounded / The whyche thynge seenge the holy man / he blessyd hym wyth the sygne of the holy Crosse / And bleugh agaynst y^e deuyll. And Incontynent he departed / ¶ And thus he helde him as as a stronge tour inexpugnable. tofore his enmyes / ¶ Ofte tymes he moche thanked god. as here after shall be shewed / And after the deuyll shewed hym to hym in lykenesse of a fayre woman. Enforcinge hym by lokes dyssolute. & subtyll yl­lusyons. to excyte and moeue hym to y^e dyshoneste & detestable synne of lechery ¶But the holy man seenge tofore hys cursyd temptacyons. And for to eschew theym closyd his bodily eyen. Openynge the syght of his entendement towarde god. Whiche enseyneth vs to gete the vertue of strengthe and of charyte say­enge to the ryghtfull men / ¶ My fren­des drede ye not. For I am wyth you for to kepe you /

¶How saynt Pachomien was greuously beten of the deuyll / ¶ And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶ Alia quo (que). et cetera Caplm .lxix.

THe deuyll tooke hym a nother tyme / and bete hym soo moche that he was constrayned by feblenesse to lye downe fro the mornynge to the euenynge wythout to cunne spe­ke / But notwythstondyng that he made noo mencyon by wordes of god. Ne­uertheles his herte woke and callyd vppon hym. as he whiche neuer leuyth the good in temptacōns / ¶ Thenne came there a religyous man named Appollo for to vysite hȳ· to whom the holy man expowned his decepcōns of the deuyll. & how he had be beten ¶ The holy fader Appollo sayd to hym in this maner / A holy fader it is nede y^t that y^u take in y^e gode courage to resiste theyr bataylles / for yf y^e deuyll whiche knoweth our feble courages. in y^e hope by his dysceyuable tēptacōns he myghte ouercome the. lyȝtly sholde he put vs vnd (er) whiche ben thy hūble [Page] dyscyples. And sholde enforce hym to brynge vs in dyspayr / Wherfore he de­syreth to ouercome the. But god shall gyue the strengthe to resyste hym. To the ende that we take ensample of the. ¶ And knowe thou that yf thou falle· And that the deuyll vaynquysshe the / Thou sholdest be cause of the ruyne of vs alle / ¶ Saynt Pachomyen herynge thise conclusyons was moche stronger thanne he was tofore / And toke courage merueyllously. in prasyng the name of god / ¶ After he prayed the holy mā Appollo that he sholde not departe fro hym /

After the sayd tyme Appollo vysited y^e sayd holy man Pachomyen· but he ly­ued not longe after / And was buryed bi the sayd saynt Pachomyen wyth ympnes and deuocion as in suche [...]aas is a customed /

¶Of the suretee and puyssaunce why­che saynt Pachomyen [...]p [...]yned of god And begȳnyth in latyn ¶ Tantam vero / Caplm .lxx.

Sith the sayd tyme saynt Pachomyen was soo ferme and con­staunt in oure lorde Ihesu Cryste. That wyth his feet he wente vpon the serpentes and scorpyons. wythoute te be hurte / ¶ And whanne some tyme he muste nedes passe ouer the flood the serpentes namyd Cocodrylles. whyche deuoureden the men. hare him to what porte he wolde goo. Wythoute dooynge to hym ony oppressyon and noyaunce / ¶ Alle thynges noyenge the creatures dyde to hym honoure and worshyppe / ¶ Wherof he rendred to oure lorde god thankynges sayenge / Blessyd be thou my god whyche haste not dyspysed my humylytee and mekenesse / ¶ And whyche haste not suffred me to be disceyued by the frawde and dysceyte of myne enmye. ¶And I beinge aferde thou haste adressed to me the waye of helthe / By the whyche I shall mowe eschewe the vtter derkenesse / And to knowe the whyche arte very lyghte and glory yet durable /

¶ How saynt Pachomyen prayed god that he neuer sholde slepe. To the ende that he myghte the lyghtelyer resyste y^e temptacyons of the deuyll / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Cun (que) se, vsde [...]er. &c / Caplm .lxxi.

[Page Cxvii]

SAynt Pachomyen seenge that the deuyllis persecuted him soo sharpely that he neuer myghte haue rest. He prayed to god that he wolde gyue to hym this pryuelege. that he neuer myghte slepe. to thende that nyghte & daye he myghte in wakinge ouer come the machynacōns & decepcions y^t the enmyes of helle layed agaynst hym To the whiche he desyred to resyste as the stronge & valyaunt champyon whiche sayth / ¶ Alle the tyme of my lyfe I shall persecute myn enmyes. and I shal neuer lesse vnto the tyme that they ben in my subieccōn. I shall gyue to them somoche payne / y^t they maye abyde in noo place. And I shall make theym to falle vnder my feet. syth y^t god gyueth me strēgth for to goo in batayle ayenst them / & I shal neuer cesse to pray. to thē de y^t the wyll of our lord be acōplysshed

¶How thangell spake to Pachomyen famylierly / & begȳnyth ¶ Quodam vero tempore. Caplm .lxxii.

IT happed that the holi man beenge in prayer. the angell came to speke to hym & sayde. ¶ Pa­chomyen thou knowest the wyll of god to be suche. that in seruynge hym wyth pure thoughte. thou gouerne al them y^t ben or shall be vnder the after the rule whiche is delyuered to the / ¶ Now had he receyued longe tyme tofore a table. in whiche was wryten this that folowyth /

¶ The rules of the religyous hermytes delyuered by an angell to saynt Pachomyen / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Sin­gulis iuxta vires. Caplm lxxiii

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FYrste it was cōmaunded to sa­ynt Pachomyen. that he shold suffre his Relygyouses to ete & drynke after theym comple [...]yon / And that he sholde make theym to labour / after that they ete lytyll or moche ¶ Also he sholde not defende them for to faste. And to theym that shold ete beste he sholde Impose moost grettest charge / But to the feble & wryke he sholde cō ­myse the lytyll charges ¶ Also the aungell charged hym that he sholde make for his Religyouses dyuers habitacōns In whiche sholde dwelle thre togider. & theyr mete sholde be made redy in one place onely. And that alle togyder sholde take theyr refeccōn. And y^t in the nighte they sholde take & were an habyllement of lyūen. whyche shold strayn theyr raynes. & with that they sholde haue skynnes of ghotes. And y^t wythout vestymentes or clothes. they sholde not ete drynke ne slepe / But whan they wold receyue the sacramente of the awter. a [...] synge & saye masse. they myghte all d [...] of sauf oonly theyr gewne. And whan they sholde take their refeccōns. that e­che of theim sholde couer his hede with his gowne. to the ende that none of theym sholde se a nother ete / ¶ Also that none of theym sholde speke whyle they ete. By cause they sholde not torne theyr mynde on other parte. ¶ And ferthermore that they synge or saye euery day in the mornynge twelue Orysons. and as moche atte euyn. and in lyke wise at mydnyghte twelue / ¶ And how well y^e Pachomyen sayde to the aungell that it was well lityll yf they sayd not moo prayers. neuerthelesse the aungell sayd to him that he wolde not commaunde theim ony more. To the ende that they that shold be feble & lytyll deuoute mighte lyghtly doo it wythout exculacōn of their feblenes. But they y^t were mighty & stronge were not to be excusid by this lawe in manere. but y^t they were [...]oūde to say more ¶ Whan thāgel had der [...] ­red al this aforsayd. sodenly he vanys­shed away fro hȳ. & the holy man whyche fonde hȳself certayn of y^e sayd visyon y^e whiche he had seen thre times rendred graces to god / ¶ And after he enduced his relygiouse monkes to lyue after y^e [...]hangell had shewed vnto hym / & with y^t he gaaf vnto them many other doctrynes And emonge all other he sayd to theim. y^t sith they were religyouse it were necessary to them to leue y^e worlde. their parentes. & also thēself. to thende y^t they myght lyghtly bere y^e crosse & folow theyr gode master our sauyour & redemer

[Page Cxviii]Ihā criste / And by his gode wordes & ensamples all the relygyous bare byfore theym the frnytes of holy penaunce For how well that he was right olde / Yet for that absteyned he not to doo. & notwythstondynge he dyde many ab­stynences. and more than ony of the other / Yet he toke vpon hym y^e besynesse & charge of all thother in seruynge theym after his power / ¶ Att the houre whan they oughte to ete he couered y^e tables. and serued theym lyke as y^e cus­tome was in theyr relygyon / In lyke wyse he laboured the gardins. sewe the seedes for cabochis & colewortes / & watred theym / ¶ And yf ony knocked att the doore of the chyrche. he was y^e fyrste redy to open it / ¶ He serued theym y^t were seke. and admynystred to theym theyr necessytees / ¶ In doynge thyse thynges he gaaf ensample of humylyte to all his dyscyples / and occasyon to serue not oonly to theyr auncyents and elders. but also to theym that came af­ter theym to the Relygyon / ¶ Also he admonested to excercyse them after theyr vocacyon & callynge / And cōmaunded theym to make contynuelly pray­ [...]es. and estudye hesyly in especyall in y^e holy gospelles / to the ende that therby they myght acustome theym gladly in the cōmaundementes of god And to loue hym aboue all thynges hertely. And payne theym for to acomplysshe theim in getynge of vertues for fynably to obteyne the Ioye & felycyte eternall /

¶Of thre men that came to saynt Pachomyen. and begynnyth in latyn Ex [...]nt autem. Caplm lxxiiii.

IT happed that thre men / that one namyd Postentesus. that other Surys. and the thyrd Oblys came for to vysyte the holy heremyte Pachomyen. the whyche by his wor­des & by ensamples of holy lyf moued theym to doo penaunce / ¶ And whan they had contempled his bountee. that one of theym sayd to the other / ¶ Cer­tainly we knowe now that they erre o­penly. that saye that the chyld (er)n ensiew & folowe the maners of theyr faders & moders / and saye not wel / For oftymes of euyll fader & euyll moder descende ryght good chyldren: as it aperyth by this holy man Pachomyen. whiche is soo Iuste. that in his lyf he neuer brake ony of the cōmaūdements of god / And neuerthelesse he is extracte & descended of the lignage of Paynyms & ydolatours all contrary to y^e lawe of god / And ayenst theim that haue folysshe ymaginacōns. [Page] sayenge that thei haue good to doo. well or euyll / For yf they ought to be sauyd. they shall be sauyd / And yf they oughte to be dampned thei shal so be / Thyse ben fooles and enraged / For we fynde in holy scrypture. our blessyd sauyour to haue sayde / ¶ Come to me ye that ben charged wyth many e­uylles. and I shall dyscharge you / And in this sayenge. he excepted not one /

¶ Also he woll not the dethe of a syn­ner / And therfore euery one oughte to perseuere in his goodnesse to his lyues ende / ¶ Thyse thre men came ayen afterwarde to the holy man. prayeng hȳ that he wold telle theym the cause wherefor he toke that payne vpon hym to serue all his religyouses / Wherat he answerde. sayenge to theym in this wyse / ¶ Whan men woll lerne a mare or so­me other beest for to bere a grete bur­then. they gyue her firste a lytyll charge And after by contynuance men encrease her burthen / For who sholde fyrst gyue her almoche as she myghte bere. she haply wolde not endure w^t it. but sholde be rebell / ¶ All thus muste I doo to my bredern. whyche god hath gyue me to kepe in a good rule / ¶ Fyrste I gyue theym a lytyll charge. And after by ex­ample I shewe to theym how they oughte to doo. whan they haue seen the burthen that I haue borne nowe / I haue be longe [...]fore theym in this monastery / And they ben come theim but a while agoon / Wherfore I oughte to bere a more charge than they done now /

¶ How he resceyued many one to the state of Relygyon / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Regulas igitur et cetera. Caplm lxxvi

AFterwarde by the grace of god that benygnly callyth euery o­ne to doo penaunce / came ma­ny deuowte persones to the holy man. for to lyue solytaryly wyth hym / Amō ge whyche came Pawle / a nother Pa­chomyen. and one namyd Iohan. the whyche lyued there a holy lyfe and ho­neste wythout ony spotte of synne / After this he stablysshed some for to haue the gouernaunce and rule of the monastery / And pryncypally the moost vertuouse & humble aboue the other / ¶ And sayd the holy man. that lyke as a sp [...] ­cle of fyre that fallith amonge an kepe of sheuys of corne may not be but with grete paynt quēchyd. And often tymes it is seen that it brennyth all the hoo [...]e hepe / In lyke wise yf in a relygyon be some Relygyouses that chaunge there [Page Cxix] thoughtes to that cursyd vyce of ambycyon / Desyrynge to be fyrste and prin­cypall in the Ordre / And to haue there grete offyces / ¶ Yf from theyr hert thꝰ enflammed they putt not awaye soone the bronde of this euyll suggestion rihtlyghtly / They lese Incontynente that they haue soughte by longe tyme afore ¶ And for this cause the holy man wolde not consente nor suffre that the o­ne sholde haue ony lordshyp or premynence ouer the other / And namly vpon a solempne. feeste / ¶ And to the ende that this Inordinate affeccyon were take fro theym. and wyll to precede that one the other / He made a preest to co­me that was not of that monasterye. for to doo there the offyce and seruyce. that sholde admynystre theym the sa­cramentes / ¶ And more ouer he sayd. that it is better to lyue in charyte and in humylyte. than in dysordynate worshypp / ¶ And yf some clerke or preest came to hym for to be Relygyous. He made to hym honour after his astate / and lyke as it aperteyneth to a man of the chyrche /

¶ Of the humylyte of saynt Pachomyen. To the chapitre that begynnyth in latyn ¶Omnes autem et cetera / Caplm lxxvi.

THe humylyte of the holy fader Pachomyen was so grete. that al the seruauntes of god he honoured and louyd ¶ To the olde to the seke. and to the lytyll he dyde all ghostely and bodyly seruyses / Counseyllynge and comfortynge theym for the salua­cyon of theyr soules / ¶ And soo he seenge that the nombre of his Relygyouses encreaced / he made and constytued so­me of theym his Coadiutours and hel­pers / And other he ordeyned as Pryo­urs for to helpe hym to saue theyr sou­les / And techynge theym the Rules to hym gyuen by the angell ¶ He constrayned theym all to be very obedyent: and to haue the drede of god in their hertes ¶ And whan he that had the gouerna­unce and charge of the werkes of the monastery was fayllynge in ony thynge / The good holy fader Pachomyen toke the charge vpon hym / And amen­ded [Page] the fawte. as seruaunt of all the o­ther. Not for to seme meke by vaynglory / But by very affeccyon and goode loue /

¶Of the charytee of saynt Pachomy­en / To the chapytre whyche begyn̄yth ¶ Quodam vero tempore et cetera Caplm lxxvii.

SAynt Pachomyen was moche pytefull. and charytable / He seenge that in the places beynge night to his monastery were many folke that ocupyed them in none other wise but to kepe the beestes / wythoute co­mynge to chyrche / And wythoute receyuynge of theyr creatoure / Came to one namyd Pyceryen. bysshopp of the Cen [...]ryens / And gaaf hym counseyle that he sholde doo buylde a chirche in the same place / where as thyes Pastours or Shepherdes dwellyd / to the ende that they sholde be for this cause more enclined. and deuowte to praye god / And to receyue there theyr ryghtes and sacra­mentes of the chyrche / And thus made the bysshopp to be doon / ¶ But by cause that there were noo clerkes not yet. that dyde the seruyce of the chyrche / He and some of his Relygyouses came to vysyte theim / And shewed theym some hystoryes of the holy scrypture / ¶ And by this he excyted and mouyd the good persones to deuocyon Soo that by hys doctryne many were conuerted to the fayth. And his charyte was spradde aswell vpon the mysbyleuyd peple. as vppon the Crysten folke / ¶ For whan he sawe ony men or wymmen that were Heretykes. or oute of the true byleue. He wept / Prayenge god for theym that he wolde torne theym /

¶ Of the cōdempnacōn of some scryptures of Origenes / The chapytre be­gynnyng ¶ Per idem tempus et cetera Caplm lxxviii

THe same tyme Achanase that perfight was and replenisshed of all vertues. was bysshop of Alexandrye / The whyche as he vysy­ted the chyrches / prechynge the Crysten faythe / Came to the place where saynt Pachomyen was / ¶ Whyche knowynge of his comynge acompanyed of alle his religiouses / Came wyth grete gladnesse agaynst the sayd Achanase. syn­gynge Ympnes and orysons / And was receyued of hym and of his Relygyou­ses ryght gladly / ¶ But the good holy fader Pachomyen shewed not hymself to hym / But bydde hym amonge hys Relygyouses / By cause that the bys­shopp of the Centiryens. of whom i [...] spoken aboue had sayd moche good of hym vnto saynt Athanase. whiche had be strongly persecuted of the Heretykes Arryens / ¶ And by cause the sayd holy man Pachomyen was very deuowte & a good Crysten man. Also that he knewe well the persecucyons that the sayd Athanase hadd suffred by the Arryens This Pachomyen whyche wyth alle his myghte bare and mayntened the true Crysten folke / Approuyd strongly the condycyons and holy lyuynge of saynt Athanase / And hertly leuyd hym / And hadde the obstynate Heretykes in [Page Cxx] fore grete Indygnacyon / And pryncy­pally Orygenes. that was chaced oute of the chyrche by Eraclius bysshopp of Alexandrye / ¶ Orygenes by his false doctryne hadd gyuen many vntrueful techynges contrary to the holy scrypture / ¶ For lyke as they that woll gyue poyson to drinke. putt hony amonge it for to haue awaye the euyll taast. and the bytternesse therof from the tonge / to the ende that it maye be dronke more lyghtly / ¶ Soo dyde the sayd Ory­genes. the whyche sayde and broughte forthe fayre and honeste proposicyons But he corrupted theym by false exposycyons. that was cause of the losse of moche Crysten peple / ¶ Wherfore the holy man Pachomyen deffended. not only to his Relygyouses that they sholde not rede in none of this Orygenes bokes / But also he wolde that yf so­me other dyde rede theym. they sholde not here theym by noo meanes. What someuer sentence it were /

¶One tyme amonge his bokes he founde of the sayd Orygenes volumes / Whyche Incontynent he dyde caste in to a water sayenge / Yf it were not by cause that the name of god is wrytt in the bokes of Orygenes. I shold bren̄e theym all / ¶ By this apperyth the charyte whyche he hadd to the holy byleue and faythe of Crystendom / ¶ Whan̄e some Religyous blamyd his felawe. he wolde not here hym / But fledde from hym as moche as he cowde / Consyderynge the worde of the Psalmyste say­enge / I shall persecute hym that shall bakbyte his euyn crysten / ¶ And he sayd that a good persone shold neuer speke none euyll worde ¶ And to this purpoos he alledged many historyes. Princypally of one Machayre. whiche in blamynge Moyses was Incontynente punysshed by the honde of god /

¶ Of the monastery that saynt Pa­chomien dide buylde for his suster. and beginnyth in latyn ¶ Comperit igitur Caplm lxxix.

THe suster germayne of the sayde holy man Pachomyen desyrynge to see hym. wente to his monastery / Wenynge to her that he as gladde of her comynge. sholde receyue and treate her humaynly / But he sent worde to her by y^e Porter / that he was hoole and sounde / But he wolde not see her wyth his bodily eyen / And mo­re [Page] ouer that yf she wolde forsake the worlde. and serue god / He shold doo buylde a howse for to lodge her. wher she sholde doo penaunce / And that he dowted not yf she wolde begyn to lyue the­re a holy lyffe Reguler that many o­ther wymmen sholde yelde theymselfe to serue god wyth her / ¶ And she heringe thyse wordes from her brother. She was replenysshed att herte wyth so grete compunccyon and suche contrycyon that she promysed to serue god alle her lyfe / ¶ Wherfore the holy man seenge that she was all redy torned. gaue gra­ces & thākynges to our lord ¶ And af­ter he commaunded his brethern that they sholde make her a chapell ferre y­noughe from his monastery / ¶ So it happed soone after by the grace of god that from al prouynces & countrees came wymmen that yelded theymself to Religyon with the sayd syster of saynt Pachomyen The whyche he admonested to resyste alwayes ayenst the fleshly temptacyons ¶ And in lyke wyse after the cunnynge that god had yeue hȳ He foreyd him to excyte theym to vertues & good maners / Prayenge god that it wolde playse hym to preserue theym in his grace / ¶ More ouer he gaaf to theym suche and lyke rules as his Re­lygyouses dyde kepe / Sauf that they sholde not were noo gretes fellis / And yf ony Relygyous had a syster. or some other kynne. whyche she wolde vysyte / She sholde not goo there. but that she toke wyth her one of the eldeste of the Relygyon / ¶ And they oughte not to speke togyder / but in the presence of y^e Abbesse. or elles of some of theldest Relygyouses / ¶ Nor she sholde not bere ne gyue noo thynge oute of theyr howses ¶For the Religyouses aswell the men as the wymmen oughte not fro that tyme to haue noo thynge of theyr owne ¶ And yf by aduenture they sholde of necessytee make some reparacōns. they chose the moost perfyghte and of mo­ost honeste conuersacyon for to see that y^t was of nede sholde be doo / But they ete not dranke wyth the other / ¶ And whan by the wyll of god some Nonne derparted from lyfe to dethe / Her felo­wes broughte her vnto the ryuage of a ryuer that parted the two monasteries And thenne came the monkes agaynste theym there / whyche toke the corps of the Nonne for to be buryed wythin theyr chyrche / And the wymmen of y^e Relygyon retorned to theyr abbaye /

¶ Of the conuersacyon of Theodore /

To the chapytre whiche begynnyth in latyn ¶ Her talis / Caplm lxxx.

THorugh alle the countree and abowte it. the conuersacyon of saynt Pachomyen was soo re [...]ōrned. that many act the example of him forsoke the worlde. for to lyue a relygyous lyfe / ¶ And amonge the other a yonge chylde namyd Theodore. bor­ne of the londe of Egypte. extract and come of noble parentes / Crysten folke and of the aege of xiiii. yere or there a­bowte / From the whyche aege vpon a Twellyfth day. that some Egepcyens made grete feest and grete diners. The gode Theodore seenge the house of his fader and moder full of goodes / sayde by grete conpunccyon of herte in hym­selfe / ¶ What prouffytyth the vnhap­py yf he getyth alle the goodes of thys worlde. and he lesyth the Ioye of paradyse / ¶ None wyth grete payne y^e woll vse at his pleysure of the goode of this worlde. can not gete the heuenly glory ¶ This thynkynge in his herte he be­ganne to wepe and syghe. Sayenge to our blessyd Sauyour Ihesu Cryste / ¶ O god almyghty thou knowest alle thynges secrete / Thou knowest that I loue not soo moche worldly thynge as thyselfe / I praye the my god that it playse the to kyndle my poore symple soule. so that she that is maculate with synne be not dampned / But she why­che was boughte wyth thy bytter pas­syon he attendaunte and redy in al her werkes to worshypp and loue the perpetuelly / ¶ And durynge the tyme that he was in his oryson· and that he wep [...]e in this wyse. came his moder to hym that sayde. ¶ My sone what is he that hath made the thus sory / Thy fader & I haue soughte the longe tyme in gre­te heuynesse for to come take thy refec­cyon wyth vs / ¶ He answered my mo­der go your wayes. I may not ete now. ¶ And fynably forgetynge hymselfe. and awaytynge abowte deuowte con­templacyons. he wente not to dyner / ¶ From the tyme of his chyldehode. & that he wente to scole he ete noo meetetyll euyn was come / ¶ Some tyme he fasted two dayes wythoute ony meete / ¶ He was two yere wythoute delycate meetes. lyuynge in perfyghte contynence / ¶ And fromthens fourth he purpo­syd to leue the worlde. and yelded hym selfe to be shorne a monke· And forso­ke and lefte all temporell goodes / And after putt hymselff wyth some Relygiouses. lyuynge holily & deuoutly wyth theym in grete drede & loue of god /

¶ How Theodore was receyued of saynt Pachomyen / To the chapytre be­gynnynge in latyn ¶ Quodam vero Caplm lxxxi.

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IT happed one daye amonge other. that the brethern and re­lygyouses of y^e monastery where as was Theodore / after deuowte o­rysons dysputed of the olde Testamente of the Arke of Noe. of the rodde of Aaron / And of the tables that were gyuen to Moyses in the mountayne of Synay. where the body of saynt Ka­theryne lyeth / And then̄e one of the same Relygyouses sayde. that many ty­mes he had berde speke of it well alonge to the holy man Pachomyen / And wyth this they rehercyd of him. and of his holy lyuyng merueyllouse thynges ¶ Theodore heringe this that they sayd of hȳ thise Relygyouses Prayed to god in his herte. and sayde ¶ My god yf it be true that my brethern say of saynt Pachomyen. gyue me grace that I maye see hym / To thende that I may kepe alle thy commaundementes and afterwarde to be sauyd / As thou haste promysed to theym that shal loue and drede the / ¶ Certayne dayes after ca­me to the sayde monastery a man na­myd Pecusus that came for to enquy­re of the good behauynge and deuocy­on of the sayd Relygyouses / ¶ And by cause that Theodore was enfourmyd that he went to the monastery of y^e ho­ly man Pachomyen / He prayed him be sily to take hym in his cōpanye / This Pecusius seenge his affeccōn entreated hym mekely. and brought hym vnto y^e sayd monastery of saynt Pachomyen / ¶ Thenne this Theodore comynge nyght the sayd monastery. thāked god of that it had playsed hym to here his prayer soo redyly / For he desyred noo thynge so moche as to see saynt Pachomyen / ¶ And as they were come to the gate he and his felowe / ther fonde him there / Soo beganne Theodore to we­pe sore in the presence of the holy man Pachomyen. of the grete Ioye that he had to see him / The holy man sayd to hym My sone. thou art well symple to wepe soo / For I am a synnar as thyselfe / How well that god hath take me in to his seruyce / And in sayenge this he broughte hym wythin his monastery / ¶ And whan he sawe the grete multytude of religyouses that were there / his herte was enflammed and take of a loue soo perfyghtly / that he was as in a Ialousye to vse his lyfe in that place /

¶ He was dyscrete and prudent in hys wordes & werkes plenteuous in humylyte in compuccōn of herte and in operacōns vertues. as in fastinges. watchȳ ges. & orysons in whiche he spende his tyme contynuelly. ¶ And wyth this he [Page Cxxii] comforted the sory· and the synnars by humbly correccōn frendly he admones­ted and warned /

¶ How Theodore refusyd to see hys moder / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Deui (que) tam preclaram / Caplm lxxxii.

SAynt Pachomyen whan he sawe the holy Conuersacyon of Theodore. he louyd him with all his herte. ¶ The mod (er) of this The­odore hauynge knowlege that he was wyth the sayd saynt Pachomyen cam̄ anone there for to see hym beryng w^t her lettres fro many bysshops / By the whyche they wrote well pressyly y^t her sone sholde be delyuerde to her agayne ¶ Soo came she fyrste to the monaste­ry of the wym̄en / that was nigh ynouh the monastery of saynt Pachomyen / & by cause that the wymmen went neuer to his monastery / She wrote vnto him that he sholde sende her hyr sone agayne / And with this she sente hym the lettres that the bysshops wrote vnto hym that they sholde doo soo / ¶ The holy man seenge the sayde lettres. sente for Theodore / To whom he exposyd the tenour of the same / And commaunded hym to goo his waye aswell for to please his moder. as for to obeye the bys­shoppes commaundement / Theodore answerde vnto saynt Pachomyen / Ha my fader I demaunde the yf now I leue the astate of Religyon. whyche is so moche fruytfull / And wythout whyche wyth grete payne ony canne not be sauyd / Shall I not be therof repreued at the daye of dome afore god / ¶ We ha­ue in the gospell / that who some euer shall loue his fad (er) or moder more than god / He shall not be worthy to be ma­de his seruaunt / Saynt Pachomien answerd / My sone. if thou seme that thou doost agaynst thy conscyence to speke wyth thy moder / I woll well that thou abyde here / But also yf thou be other­wyse dysposyd / I wyll not kepe the by force. ¶ The rule of the very Relygy­ouses is for to forsake alle togyder the worlde. and to flee all worldly conuer­sacyons / ¶ And therfore he that wolde saye my fader & my mod (er) arn my blode I ought to loue them / He must take hede to saynt Poul y^t sayth / Whosōeuer y^t shal be ouercom by y^e flesshe. he shal be seruaunt to the flesshe / And in effecte euery body becomyth thrall vnto hym of whom he letyth hymselfe to be bro­ughte vnder fote / ¶ His moder seenge y^t she myghte not speke with hȳ purposed to dwell wyth y^e virgynes that had [Page] theyr place nyghe the sayde monastery where her sone was a Relygouse. Ho­pynge by goddis grace that she sholde see hym amonge the other Relygyou­ses / And also that in this dooynge she sholde purchase some mede to the sal­uacyon of her soule / durynge the tyme that she were in the monastery wyth y^e sayde vyrgynes / ¶ And by this that is sayde apperyth openly / that to kepe some tyme Rygoure in the worshypp of Ihesu Cryste and not for noo pray­syng ne vaynglory. is ofte cause of grete goodes to theim agaynst the whiche men ben Rigorouse. How be it that for a shorte space of tyme it semyth theym that men haue offended theym /

¶ Of many reprouyd Relygyouses / To the chapytre begynnynge in latyn ¶ Igitur sicut / Caplm lxxxiii.

AAfter that we haue seen of the maners and vertues of many vertuouse and holi Freres. consequently we shall see the necligence of some reprouyd Relygyouses that folo­wen after theyr flesshely appetyte oute of al good rule / The whyche gaaf grete malencolyes to saynt Pachomyen / By cause that for noo manere of mo­nycyon ne warnynges that he made to theym. they wolde not retorne theym / Wherby the holy man was wonderfully sorowful and heuy / ¶ And complaynynge hym to god. he sayd / ¶ O my god that haste lordshypp ouer alle the worlde / Thou commaundest vs to lo­ue oure euyn crysten / And therfore my god that knowest my wyll and the se­crete of my conscyence / I praye y^e that thou wolt not dispyse my oryson. The whyche ofte I haue made vnto the for thyse wretchydfull Relygyouses. to the ende that thou haue of theym pyte and mercy. in gyuynge to theym thy drede reuerently / And grace to knowe thy dyuyne puyssaunce. for to obeye and serue the / Hauynge in the on̄ly wythout ony other the stedfaste hope of theyr salua­cōn / ¶ Truely my soule is feblyd and tourmented soo moche. and all my w [...]ttes trowblyd. of theyr abhomynable lyuynge and Innyquyte / ¶ The holy man seenge they wold not amende theym / He made yet agayne prayers vnto god for theym / And after gaaf to the­ym certayn smale & easy rules. to lerne theym to honour & praye god / To the entente that lytyll and lytyll they myghte accustome theym to doo well / And amende theyr lyfe / ¶ Ferdermore seenge that they coude not accōplisshe theyr [Page Cxxiii] delectacyons and playsures wythston­dynge the contynuell denyenge of sa­ynt Pachomyen / That suffred theym neuer goo oute of the monastery. for to playse theyr wyckyd wylles / They for loke the monastery. and ensyewed the deuyll theyr lorde and mayster /

¶ And after that the other Relgyou­ses were more desyroꝰ in y^e loue of god thanne afore / ¶ For thus as the corne whanne it is weded from the euyll herbes groweth and multyplyeth the bet­ter / ¶ In lyke wyse whanne in a fely­shypp of folke peasyble are some vycyouse men / It is of necessyte to throwe theym oute from the other / ¶ And by this it is seen that to a man gyuen to the worlde. auayllyth hym not to be a Relygyous / For his professyon shall doo hym noo prouffyte. yf he be necly­gente to kepe the Rules of his Relygyon / ¶ In lyke wyse a prayer prouffy­teth not that is made for theym that ben aslepe in theyr synnes yf they hel­pe not to awake theymself /

¶ How Relygyouses of other monasteryes comynge to vysyte the monastery of saynt Pachomien were not receyued in to the sayd place amonge the dwel­lers / And begynnyth in latyn ¶ Con­fessor &c. Caplm lxxxiiii

THere was a preest named De­nys. that was Confessour Prouysor and admynystratour of of the chyrche of the Centyryens / And well byloued of the holy man Pacho­myen / ¶ The whyche Denys know­ynge

and aperceyuynge that this holy man defferred and putt of for to gadre wythin his monasterye wyth hys bre­thern. the Relygyouses that camen to hym from other monasterys / But made theyr necessytees to be admynystred to theym by theymselfe. and wythoute the gates of his monastery / Reproued hym sharply in sayenge to hym / That he dyde not well to doo soo / ¶ The holy man tooke and resceyued benygnely his correcyon / And answeryd to hym ¶ My brother and frende. god know­yth my wyll. and myn entencyon / And also he knowyth wel how I desyre the saluacyon of alle soules / And none I wolde despyse ne prouoke to wrathe / ¶ I knowe also that god hath sayde in hys gospell / That thys that men shall doo to the leest of his seruauntes / He shall take it in lyke wyse as it were doon to hymselfe / ¶ And therfore [Page] wyte it. that I doo not soo for to con­tempne theym ne dyspyse theym / But oonly by cause that I knowe some Re­lygyouses in my chyrche soo symple y^t they sholde not conne putte dyfference bytwene theyr ryght honde and lyfte honde / ¶And yet some other there ben also that bere not the habyte of relygy­on / Wherfore me semyth good and nedeful that they that ben comyng to vs from other places be receyued honestly in a nother house by ours / ¶And whā they woll come to the chyrche to serue god. they maye come there wyth vs /

And after the seruyce dyuyne doon. to retourne in to theyr lodges / for to doo there theyr secrete Oracyons or other vertuouse werkes after theyr deuocyon ¶The preest hering his answere was contente of hym / And wente agayne awaye. all recomforted and wyth gode counseylle /

¶How the gowne of saynt Pachomyen heelyd folke of the blody Flux / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Mulier et cetera Caplm lxxxiiii.

IN the cyte of the Centiryens a woman had hadd & suffred by a longe space a syckenesse cal­lyd the blody Flux / Soo came she to y^e good preest aboue namyd / And by cau­se he was famylier frende of saynt Pachomyen· Prayed hym humbly that it wolde playse hym to sende for the holy man Pachomyen that was in his chā ­bre. sayeng that he had certayn necessary thynges to telle hym / ¶Saynt Pachomyen came to the sendynge of y^e sayd preest / And whan he was com̄ with in the chirche. he made his prayer & af­ter he salued the good preest Denys / & as they spake togyd (er). the poore woman hauynge a stedfast byleue in god y^e sa­yth in the gospel / Haue cōfydence & thy fayth shall saue the. tooke fro behynde of the vestyment y^t the holy fad (er) had vpon his heed. & touched it wyth grete drede / wherof it happed merueilousli y^t she was anone heelyd hoole & soūde / Soo fell she downe vpon her knees afore saynt Pachomyen & thanked god of th [...] y^t he made soo grete myracles bi his seruauntes y^t haue to hym a stedfast hope ¶The deuoute preest knowyng y^t [...]o man hoole praysed the name of god / & went agayn homewarde /

¶How saynt Pachomyen by his de [...] nay [...]te was cause of the good lyfe of a Relygyous / And it begynnyth in latin ¶Aliquando vero et cetera Caplm lxxxv.

[Page Cxxiiii]

CErtayne dayes after a Relygiouse that wold be a preest. was broughte to saynt Pachomien by one his frende / that was mynystre at abbot of many Relygiouses / ¶And the whyche mynystre or abbot was of­te vexed by the same Relygyouse / For by cause he wolde not conferme ne graunte the clerkely sheerynge / The whi­che thenne he defferred longe / by cause it semyd hym not the sayd Relygyouse to be able ne suffysaunte for to be pro­moted there vnto / ¶Fynably by cause he cowde noo lenger resyste to his Im­portunyte / Brought hym to saynt Pachomyen / trustynge that he sholde well contente hym / ¶Saynt Pachomyen whanne he had vnderstonde the entencōn of the sayde Abbot He sayd to him ¶My brother thou art come to me for as knowe the wyll of god / I counseyle she that thou gyue to him that y^t he as­kyth / And by aduenture thus dooynge his soule shall be delyuerd fro the thraldom of the deuyll ¶For some tyme the wyckyd soo constytued in offyce or be­nefyte tourne theymselfe and take go­od maners / ¶And therfore the wyll of god is. that we shall haue pyte the one of that other / ¶The answere well vnderstonde / the sayde Abbot confermyd and gaaf hym that y^t he askyd. ¶Af­ter that the sayde Religyous was con­stytued to a clerke. he beganne all togyder to bowe to alle good condycyons / And afterward he came agayne to the holy man Pachomyen / and knelynge downe afore hym sayde / ¶O man of god I knowe that thou arte moche a­greable to god / whanne he dooth gra­unte the power for to dyscerne & know of the saluacyon of men / ¶Thy bounte hath vaynquysshed my malyce / For yf thou had not be pytuouse and swete I sholde haue lefte the habyte of Relygyon. and sholde haue gone agayne to the worlde to fynysshe my dayes wret­chydly / Wherof blessyd be thou of god / by the whyche thou haste gyuen salua­cyon to my soule / ¶The holy fader toke hym vpp from the erthe and sayde to hym / ¶My brother I praye the that thou contynue alwayes in werkes be­houynge and apperteynyng to thy dygnytee / And soo kyssed hym / And com­mended hym to god /

¶How saynt Pachomyen delyuered a woman soore traueylled of the deuyll [Page] And begynnyth in latyn ¶Adhuc au­tem & cetera / Caplm lxxxvi.

SAynt Pachomyen beynge yet in the sayd place. came a man to hym that prayed hym swe­tely that he wolde haue pyte of his do­ughter / the whyche was vexed and traueylled wyth the deuyll / ¶The holy man entred within his monastery. and left this man at the gate / And after he sente hym worde by the Porter. that he not his Relygyous were not wonte to vysyte ony wymmen / ¶And yf he had ony of her Rayments that he shold sende it to hym / And it sholde be halowed and blessyd / And after in puttynge the same vpon her / yf he had in god faythfull byleue and hope / His doughter by the grace of god myghte be delyuered of the sende. and broughte to good re­couerynge of helthe / ¶The fader bro­ughte the gowne of his sayd doughter And whan the holy man sawe it / He sayde to hym that it was not hers /

The fader answeryd. and sayd it was ¶Thenne sayde the good holy fader to him / ¶By cause I knowe that she kepe not her chastyte / Therfore I sayde. that it was not her gowne / For she oughte to lyue chastely / Soo must she promyse to lyue in contynence / And after god shall helpe her / ¶The fader questyoned his doughter / And she answerde that the wordes of the holy man were true / ¶But notwythstondynge she promysed. that she sholde neuer re­tourne to her synne / ¶Thenne toke saynt Pachomyen an oyle and blessed it. And gaue it to her fader / ¶And after that she was enoynted wyth the same oyle. she was hoole and sounde / And so she lyued afterward holyly in grete chastytee and contynence /

¶How he helyd a childe that was traueylled wyth the fende / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Tali igitur et cetera Caplm lxxxvii.

AFter this a nother man that had his sone seke. hauinge the deuyl in his body. purposyd to lede hym for to recouere his helthe to the monasterye of saynt Pachomyen / But he cowde not / For the deuyll let­ted hym / Wherfore he desyred me [...] the holy man that he wolde praye goo for his sone. and he dyde soo / And [...] [Page Cxxv] he sente hym a lytyll of halowed brede And commaunded that men sholde gyue it hym to ete afore all other mete

¶The Spyryte dampned that was wythin the body of the forsayde chyl­de. wold not suffre him to ete of it. how well that he lete hym ete of the other brede his fylle / ¶Thenne the fader wenynge to make his sone ete of this ha­lowed brede. brake the crommes in his honde / But it auayled not / For he wolde not take it in his mouthe ¶The fader aduysed him that he sholde lete his sonne faste longe / And after he gaaf to hym of the sayd breed / And thenne for grete hungre he ete of it / ¶Soone af­ter he felle a slepe. and was heeled. and all togyder delyuered of the passyon of the deuyll / ¶Soo came he and yelded graces and thākynges to the holy man Pachomyen. in gloryfyenge the name of god. that dooth soo many myracles by his seruauntes /

¶Alwayes the holy man for noo my­racle that he dyde in the name of god / neuer gloryfyed hymselfe for it ¶And wherof he is more to be praysed / Whan he made some requeste to god. notwithstondynge it were not graunted to him Men sholde neuer haue knowen in hȳ any sygne of sorowe or dysplaysure / But sayd by his grete mekenesse. that god wolde not graunte hym that whi­che he axed / By cause that his askyng myghte be contrary to his saluacyon / ne to the saluacōn of theym. for whom he prayed / Notwythstondynge that he trowed to askt that that was good for the soule /

¶Of the Conuersion of saynt Syluayn / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Ta­liter igitur et cetera / Caplm lxxxviii.

SAynt Syluayn wyllyng to torne hym out of the fylth of synne for take clene pouertee / Came and yelded hymselfe to saynt Pa­chomyen / whiche frendly receyued him But this notwythstondynge he wolde not kepe the Rules of the Relygyouses ¶For it was ouer harde a thynge to hym for to forgete his euyll customes / of the tyme passed / By the whyche he peruerted many brethern / And bowed theym to his wycked wylle. ¶Some Religyouses were ryghte sory of that they sawe the other Relygyouses con­sentynge to the detestable wyll of Syluayn / ¶Soo came they and shewed it to the holy fader Pachomien· y^t whiche [Page] prayed god for the sayd syluayn. to the ende he sholde haue contrycōn for hys synne: and that he shold doo penaunce But for noo prayer he wolde not plyene consente therto / And for this cause they all wolde haue chaced him out of the monastery / The holy fader deffer­red it & ladd hym wyth hym / And syn after corrected hym with swete wordes techyng hym alwayes in the crysten fayth / Wherof it happed syn that the poore Syluayn / as by synguler grace amē ded his wycked lyfe. & had it in so gre­te dysplaysure. y^t he was neuer wythoute teeres in all his werkes / ¶Some se­enge his grete contrycōn. shewed vnto hym that he angred hymself to bytter­ly. and exorted hym to be moderate in his wepynges. takynge in hym attem­peraunce / but he answerde that he cowde not / For his hert was soo sore taken wyth grete dysplaysure / that he myght not conteyne himself / And morouer by cause he cowde not absteyne hȳself fro wepynge / as well at the borde as elles where / The bredern sayd to hym y^t he sholde wepe in makynge his holy ory­sons. & not at the table / For it was noo place p [...]op [...]e ne couenable to wepe ne weyle / And that a relygyoꝰ myght wel haue sorow & dysplaysure for his syn̄e by hymself alone. wythout to shewe it thus openly / And admonested hym to abstene himself therof / by cause the brethern myghte not ete. whan they sawe hym wepe soo / ¶Suche and sembla­ble wordes they sayd to hym. for to constreyne hym to telle the cause. for whi­che he contynued soo longe in his weyllynges and lamentacions / ¶And thē ­ne he sayd to theym / My brethern. why sholde not I wepe in Ioyenge myselfe of the grace that my god hath doon to me / ¶I was wonte to be full of syn­nes. and soo many benefaytes are now gyuen vnto me for the saluacōn of my soule / ¶Dathan and A [...]yron ben contynuelly in my remembraūce / To the confusyon of the whyche. by cause they were defoyled and poluted wyth synne And wolde haue towched the holy sa­crefyce. The erthe opened and swalowed theym in / ¶And I that haue despysed soo moche my saluacyon. I fere yet ryght soore suche a sentence of god / A­las though I sholde wepe and weylle myn Innyquyte al my lyfe dayes. and that I were in contynuell lamentacy­ons / Yet sholde I be vnworthy to haue the felycyte eternall / ¶The good [...]yluayn contynued in his humylytee and contynence soo that he was more perfite than all the other / ¶And saynt Pa­chomyen seenge his holy conuersacyon sayd in the presence of all the other su­che wordes. ¶My brethern I calle god to wytnesse. the angelles. and all the [...] urt of heuen. that syth oure monasterye was founded I haue not knowen noo brother of ours. that hath be soo moche obeysaunt to me. as hath one about al the other / The brethern thoughte that it hadd be Theodore. or Pe [...]ronyen [...]or Orose / ¶Theodore prayed saynt Pachomyen y^t he wolde tell. what he was that he loued soo moche / But the holy man defferred to tell it hym / Neuerthelesse whan he saw that Theodore can streyned hym soo sore / He sayd to hym ¶Yf I crowed that he sholde ar [...]yse hymselfe in vaynglory therfore. I sholde neuer declare it to hym / but by cause [Page Cxxvi] I knowe that the vertue praysed. often tymes encreacyth. and that he shall be more humble for it than he was byfo­re ¶Also to the ende that other take ensample at hym. I shall name hym vn­to the / Soo I telle the. that how be it thyselfe and thy semblable haue bataylyd strongly ayenst the deuyll. soo that by the grace of god / ye haue ouercome. & brought hym vnder your fete / Neuerthelesse Syluayn yonge of aege. y^t thy bredern and thyselfe wolde put oute of our monastery. hathe foughte in suche wyse ayenst hym. that he hath this gyfte of god. that y^e deuyll dare neuer shew hymself afore his face / And by his grete humylytee he hath ouercome hym in all thynges / ¶Ye other haue confydence in youre vertues / But he. the more y^t he batayllyth. he yeldyth hymselfe the more meke & vnprofytable / And yf y^u demaunde why he wepte soo contynuelly / I telle the that it is by cause he is perfyghtly meke / And for this cause he canne not forbere his teeres / ¶Soo wite it that there is noo vertue. that ma­kyth the deuyll more confuse / than the vertue of very and perfyghte humylyte ¶The good Syluayn was bi the space of viii. yere in befightyng his enmye Sathan / And after he deyed / And sa­ynt Pachomyen wytnessyd. that at his passynge were present many angels. y^t wyth grete Ioye bare his soule awaye in to the glory that euer shall laste / the whyche by his prayers we maye pur­chace. Amen

¶How the holi man cōmaūded that a deed body shold be vnclothed of his vestimentes / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Eodem vero tēpore / Caplm .lxxxx.

IN the cyte of Panos was a bisshopp. named Varus that was right deuowte & feruent in the loue of Ihesu Cryste: the whiche herde speke of the conuersacoyn of saynt Pa­chomyen / Soo wrote he to hym many lettres by y^t whiche amonge other thinges he desyred & prayed hȳ to come towarde hym. for to gyue hym counseyle & ayde to buylde a chyrche nygh to his cyte / And for to lodge there some Reli­gyouses that were of good lyfe & of cō uersacōn good / In obeynge to the whiche requeste he toke on his waye towarde the sayd bisshopp / And as he was come nye a monastery. whiche he vysited by the waye. he mett wyth many Relygyouses y^t conueyed the corps of one of theyr bred (er)n that was deceased. whiche his frendes bare to the erth. clothed w^t riche raymentes. whiche were after the [Page] maner doynge. that the seculer had there acustomyd / Whan they sawe saynt Pachomyen come. they taryed Incontynent for to praye hym y^t he wolde ma­ke deuowte prayers & orysons to god. aswel for the deed. as for them. whiche he dide gladly / And his orison done he cōmaunded y^t men sholde take awaye fro the Relygious y^t was deacessed y^e rayments of the whyche he was clothyd / It was done as he cōmaūded / And In­contynent in the presence of theym all he made the vestyments to be brenned And after he made the corps to be bor­ne to the graue wythout ony syngynge of ony psalmodye / ¶The relygiouses & also the frendes of the deed seeng his cōmaundement to be contrary to theyr custome. were sore abasshed / And not­wythstondyng his cōmaūdement they prayed hȳ that he wold suffre the sayd relygiouses to saye the orysons & psal­modies in suche caas acustomed / To y^e whiche peticōn the holi man wold not consent / Wherof the frendes seenge his wyll blamyd hym askynge hym wherof y^e foly came / The [...] after sayd the re­lygiouses / What is that man but he oughte to haue pite on a deed body / tho­ugh it were his enmye. What woll thē ne doo Pachomien. a beest vnresonable wold not be soo vnkynde / What maye men saye / that it were to vs a grete re­preyf yf we dyde this y^t he sayth / Wold god that we hadd neuer come here / & that Pachomyen had neuer be relygyous we sholde not haue had suche a shame. so sayd they to him ayen We pray the fayr fad (er) y^t it woll playse the to consent y^e men synge ouer this corps as it is of custome / The holy man answerd Certes my bred (er)n ye thynke not but to y^e thȳges visible / & I consydre thynuysible / y^e worshyp y^t ye wold doo to hȳ sholde soner be to hȳ more cause of tormē te & laboure than other helpe or reste / & thyniurye y^t ye saye I woll doo to hym shal be cause of his sauacōn / Wherfor I wol not procure ne assent y^t men make honour to y^e body y^t is all redy deed. but to his soule whiche is Inmortall. God y^t is fōtayne of al sapyēce / sayth in his gospel. Who soeuer shal syn̄e ayenst the holy ghost· he shal neuer haue remyssi­on in this worlde nor in the other / By this is gyue vs to vnd (er)stonde y^t there be some syn̄es. of y^e whiche men haue pardon after y^e deth thrugh y^e prayers of other / & therfor I pray you y^t ye do as I haue told you / For god is almyghty to take hȳ in to the felycyte eternall at oure prayers & without his presence / And thꝰ they made hȳ to be buryed in a moūtayn there they were wont to bery.

¶How the holy man Pachomien saw the angels bere awaye the soule of a relygyous in to paradys / & begynnyth in latyn ¶Moratꝰ ē / Caplm lxxxxi.

IN the sayd cyte of Panos & in the monasteries abowte. by the cōmaundement of the bysshop of the sayd cyte. duryng the space of ii. yere dwellyd saynt Pachomyen. acompanyed of two relygyous / Hangyng y^e whyche tyme he taughte the peple. excytynge the folke to drede god. & to fight ayenst the deuyll by vertuous werkes / ¶In this meane whyle was shewed to hym. that a relygyous of one of hys monasteryes was take wyth a greuoꝰ sykenesse. and was askynge after hys laste blessinge / And Incontynent he came to theym that had brought hȳ thi­se tydynges / & toke his way wyth the­ym for to goo vysite this poore relygi­ous / ¶Whan he was come thre myle nye the monastery / he herde in the ayre a songe moche melodyous / And heuynge his sighte toward heuen. he sawe the soule of the sayd relygyous borne by y^e angels in a carte cōpassed wyth a merueyllous lighte / The felowes of the holy man that herde noo thynge. seeng y^t he had his vysage towarde the Eest / & had fyxed his sight soo longe thyd (er)warde. askyd him why he taryed soo longe in one place / Sayenge to hym that he sholde come fourth a pace as goodly as he myghte / to thende he sholde socour y^e poore pacyent / Wherat he answerd. we shall doe noo thynge there / For I see his soule wyth thangels that bere it in to heuen / ¶The whyche wordes sayde [...]re of the sayd felyshipp went to y^e sayd monastery. and enquyred the houre of the dethe of the sayd relygyous / And by his Inquysicōn / he fonde y^t the same relygious was deceased in the same hour y^t the same holy man had said it /

¶How some wer brent by fire dyuyne by cause they letted the buyldynge of a monastery· & begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Sāctus ergo / Caplm lxxxxii.

THe holy man Pachomyen acō panyed of some of his relygyouses. went towarde the said bisshop of Panos. y^t receyued hym honourably makynge grete solēpnyte of hys comyng / And after many deuoute wordes sayd bitwene theim. the bysshop gaue him certayn grounde & places for to buylde monasteryes after his good dyscrecōn / He began to buylde one. rounde aboute the whiche he caused to be ma­de a grete wall. to thētent y^e men shold [Page] not entre in it lightly / So happed that some wyckyd shrewes tempted by then mye of helle came to this place / wenynge to breke that y^t was begon / But the angell of god sodaynly enbracyd them wyth fyre dyuyne & wasted theym as small as asshes / And after this the freres builded there at theyr wyll And no man was not syth soo hardy. that durst lette theym in makynge theyr edifyces ¶The holy man after they were achieued. ordeyned there relygyouses. to the whyche he preposed & gaaf for abbot y^e holy man Samuell· that was right wise. meke & recicatyf / But neuerthelesse by cause y^t the sayde monasteryes were buylded in the feldes. the holy fad (er) wolde dwelle there tyll y^t he cowde knowe / that ther y^t he had ordened for to dwell there were somwhat dysposed to recey­ue the grace of our lorde Ihū cryste /

¶Of the Inquys [...]cyons of a philoso­phre / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Inte­rea / Caplm lxxxxiii.

HAngynge this tyme was a philosophre in the sayd cyte of Panos y^t wolde enquire & wyte of the conuersacōn of the religyouses / So he saw some. to y^t whiche he sayd Call me your fad (er) abbot. I w [...]ll apose & dyspute wyth hym of some necessary thynges / ¶The holy man seenge y^t it was a philosophre. he wold not goo. but sente to hym Cornylle & Theodore his relygyouses / To whom he cōmaūded y^t they shold answer prudētly to his questyons & answers / Whan they were co­me to the phylosophre. he began to say Ye haue grete rendmee & are wyse and prudent / And soo ye kepe besily the ru­les of your relygyon / & therfore I woll appose you of that ye rede euery daye Wherat Theodore answerde hȳ / Now saye what thou wolt / ¶Then̄e the philosophre askyd hym yf he had scyence ynough for to answer to the questyons y^t he sholde aske hym / And Theodore sayd vnto him. y^t he sholde declare that whiche semyd hym good / ¶The phy­losophre askyd him. Who was. that neuer was born̄. & yet he deyed / Who was that was born̄. & yet deth cowde neuer ouercome him / Who was y^t was deed. & yet he neuer rootyd / ¶The holy man Theodore answerde / O phylosophre thy questyons ben lyghte to soylle. and lyghte to be answerde / ¶As to the fyrste. I answere the that it was Adam / To the seconde it was Enoch whyche is in paradyce in erthe / And to the thyrde I saye / that it was the wyfe of Loth that was torned in to a masse of salte / the whyche is yet there as she was soo torned. for the confusyon of them that wolde not byleue it. ¶And therfore sayd Theodore / My frende thynke noo more to suche folysshe scyences / For the scyence of this worlde is but folye afore god / But worshypp & byleue y^e god that we byleue / ¶Whan the phyloso­phre had herde his answere. he was so­re merueyled / And after that he aposed hym nomore /

¶Of the abstynence of the relygyou­ses / And begynnynth in latyn ¶Prouide pachomius / Caplm lxxxxiiii.

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THe holy fader Pachomyen af­ter he had be longe in the said monastery. nyghe by the sayde cyte / He went to a nother that was go­uerned vnd (er) one of his dyscyples / The relygyouses well glad of his comynge came ayenst hym in grete Ioye / & amō ge theym was a yonge chylde. the whyche seenge the holy fad (er). began to crie: & sayd / ¶O fad (er) abbot syth that y^u departed from oure monastery. we haue not ete noo caboshe. nother other potage / y^e holy man sayd to him / My sone angre not thyselfe / For I shall make some to be soden for the / ¶He went from thens to the chyrche. where he made his prayer / The whyche done he went to y^e co­ke & asked him. how longe it was ago that he made ony potage for the freres & he answerde that it was well ii. mo­nethes paste / Then̄e axyd the holy mā of hym. why he had not entreated hys brethern after the rule that he had ye­ue hym / Wherat the coke answerde mekely. y^t he had done so. but y^t whyche he sodde & made redy was loste. by cause none ete therof but on̄ly the smale relygyouses / And to thende he shold not be ydle he with some relygiouses had made aboute .l. peces of mattes / ¶The holy man cōmaūded hym y^t all the sayde mattes sholde be brought afore hym / & Incontynent y^t they were sette there in an hepe. he made fyre to be put among theym / ¶And then̄e sayd to y^e sayd co­ke & to the other bred (er)n / Lyke as ye ha­ue dyspysed y^e rule y^t I had gyue to you Soo haue I bren̄ed your labours. to y^e ende y^t ye shall knowe what labour ye doo· whan ye hate & dyspise the cōmaū dements that ben yeue to you by youre fad (er) abbot for y^e sauacōn of your soules ¶Wite it y^t they that for consideracōn of the godly thynges absteyne themselfe to doo thys that is in theryr power / they deserue grete mede of god / & by the contrary. he y^t absteynyth hȳself to doo that thynge. whyche is to hym defēded & forbode. not on̄ly for the defence & in terdyccōn. but by some cōstraynyng. for nouȝte he wayteth for ony rewarde the refor / ¶But they y^t haue many metes byfore theym. & there as they haue goode appetyte to ete of theim. & absteyne theymselfe therfro for the loue of god / they deserue grete mede / And so do not they that forbere theym on̄ly. by cause that they haue none /

¶How saynt Pachomyen sawe & cor­rected by reuelacōn of god y^e euyl thouztes of thanachorites y^t were relygiouse heretykes / & begynnyth in latyn ¶Hec [Page] cū pachomius / Caplm lxxxxv.

IN this meane tyme he correctinge by wordes some of his rely­gyouses. the porter came to hȳ & shewed hȳ how many religyouse he remytes desyred to speke wyth hȳ / So he cōmaūded y^t they sholde be lete in / & brought afore hym / ¶After y^t they were entred. & by him honestly & reuerently receyued. and theyr orysons done in the chyrche. they were brought fro chā ­bre to chambre. & sawe all the oratory­es of the bred (er)n / ¶And after prayed y^e holy man y^t they myght speke with hȳ secretly / He brought theim in to his owne chābre / In the whyche by longe space. & in manere of a collacōn or refeccyon spirytuell. they disputed bytwene hē of the holy scryptures / And hangynge the sayd collacōn or disputacōn. the holy man felt & smellyd a wond (er)ful sten­che & so abhomynable. y^t wyth grete pain he might endure it / But neuertheles by cause hym semyd by theyr wordes y^t they were wyllyng to speke of the holy scryptures he suffred y^e stenche. & wolde not enquere wherof it came / And they cōtynued in this disputacōn somoche & so longe y^t the nyghte drewe nye. where by thise heremytes were constreyned to depart / ¶Incontynent after saynt Pachomyen sett hȳself to prayer & besoughte our lorde· y^t he wolde shewe to hym from whens this stenche cam̄ y^t he had felt / Soo was it shewed to hym by the grace of god. y^t theresies in whiche thei were obstynatly abydyng causyd them soo stynkynge. Of the whiche thynge y^e holy man this knowynge. went anone after theym. & so besily spedde his way that he ouertoke theym / And this done he askyd theym· yf they had not study­ed in the bokes of Orygenes / Wheratt they answerd naye / ¶And after he sa­yd to them / I ensure you y^t al they that shall redde the thynges by him wryten & that shal seke & gyue fayth therunto they shall haue hell for theyr dwelling places the whiche thynge I ensure you to be true. & ye shall knowe it / Therfor yf ye woll see for the sauacyon of your soules. caste all the volumes of Orygenes in to the ryuer / ¶After he retorned to his monastery. & fonde his relygiouses in prayer /

¶Of the Reuelacyon that saynt Pa­chomyen hadd of the gouernynge that his religyouses sholde holde after hys dethe / And also the Prelates that were to come after hym / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Monachis vero. et cetera Caplm lxxxxvi.

[Page Cxxix]

SAynt Pachomyen vpō a tyme y^t his religiouses toke their refeccōn. he closed hȳself w^t in his oratory. seruynge there god in deuowte oryson vnto thour of mydnyȝte / Besechynge hym y^t he wold shewe vnto hȳ what thastate & rule of his relygiouses shold be. that y^t was to come to theym / And who shold hold his monastery after his deth / So was to hym shewed of god y^t the sayd monastery sholde be encreacyd / & there sholde be relygyouses y^t shold lyue deuoutly & holily. and also other y^t shold be neclygent of theyr sauacōn / ¶After he sawe wyth his ghostly tye a grete nombre of religyouses in a valeye sore derke & depe / Wherof some wold haue styed y^e moūtayn. & thother ran a trauers. & letted theym soo y^t they cowde not depart fro the botom̄ of y^e sayd valey / Some forcyd theim to clym̄e vp. but anone they fell doune ayen to y^e lowest parte of the valeye / Some other wepte byneth / And some came vpp. the whiche gaue thankes to god of the pe­ryll y^t they were passyd / ¶And therfore the holy man thought y^t there shold be some relygiouses blynde / y^t whiche sholde not knowe theyr astate / The other sholde bere the habyte of relygyon. but they sholde not doo the werkes y^t longe therto· namly they that sholde haue the rule ouer theym. sholde not knowe the­imself / Wherof shold folowe grete scismes & diuysions in y^e chyrche / ¶Then̄ saynt Pachomyen full sory in grete heuynesse. made his callyng vnto god / saeng. O my god almyghty. yf thise thinges happe to come soo / Why hast y^u graūted y^t soo many torments shold be edefied & done / ¶Alas yf the prelates ben euyll. what shall the relygiouses doo y^t shall be in theyr gouernaunce / Truely whan a blȳde ledith the other. they fall in the pitte bothe atones ¶Alas that I am well vnhappy. I haue well labou­red in vayn / My god alas remēbre the of the labours y^t I haue take in buildȳ ge soo many monasteries to thonour & reuerence of thy holy faythe / ¶Thou knowest that syth y^e tyme that I recey­uyd thabite of relygyon. I haue meked me afore the· ¶And sayeng thises wordes he herde a voys that sayd to hym / Pachomyen prayse not thiself for thou hast nede of the grace of god. & not onely thiself but also al his creatures / Anone he caste hymselfe to the groūde / and made to god this requeste / ¶O mi god almyghty I beseche the that thy mede fulnesse come downe now vpon me to thēde that I liue & distourne not away fro me thy medefull face / For thy trouthe & mercy hath euer receyued me me­kely [Page] / I knowe syre that all thynges resen & fall. but yf they be holde vp with thyn ayde & defence / ¶And in sayeng this oryson descended vpon him a multytude of angels. amonge whom was a chylde crowned with thornes / & seeng this vysion / The holy man Pachomyen was lyft vp by the sayd angels well hyghe fro the groūde in to thayre / y^e sayd to hym / Pachomyen by cause that y^u hast axed the medfulnesse of god mekely. thou shalt haue it euyn now / Beholde the very redemer Ihesu cryst· y^t hath be sent in to this world. & crucifyed for the sauacyon of mankynde / berynge in his heed a crowne of thornes / ¶Then̄ sayd y^e holy man. o my god. haue I not crucyfyed the / And god swetely answerde to him / Naye. not thyself. but thy parentes. Neuertheles comfort thiself / For thy posterytee shall abyde vnto thende of the worlde / All they y^t after the shall come soo that they lyue in deuowte abstynence shall be delyuerde of the pay­nes of helle / And all they y^t folowe the & shall folowe herafter. shal shyne in y^e lyghte euerlastyng / And y^e sayd our lorde ascended agayn to heuen. compassed wyth soo grete a bryghtnesse that noo tonge mighte telle /

¶An exhortacōn for to wythstonde y^e deuyll / Begynnyth in latyn ¶Tūc pachomius &c. Caplm lxxxxvii.

THe holy fad (er) after this gadred his bred (er)n. and made togyder a seruyse well solempne / ¶And after the endynge of the same. they ca­me all abowte hym for to here his ho­ly prechynge / ¶Soo he exhorted them for to batayle wyth all theyr strengthe & vertues ayenst the deuyll soo courageously that they sholde not be ouercome Shewynge to theym y^t they that duringe theyr lyfe had be slouthfull & necly­gent. sholde neuer haue but wepynge & wayllynges / ¶After he sayd to theym My chyldren lete vs not lese our dayes in vayne. but in eschewyng the dange­roꝰ vice of ydlenesse. lete vs labour & seke vertues for to saue our soules / I telle you plainly thise wordes / For yf ye knewe the rewardes y^t ye shall haue in he­uen. yf ye ouercome the deuill / And to y^e contrary the grete tormentes y^t ye shall suffre in helle. if ye be ouercome of him ye sholde neuer cease nother daye ne nyghte but forge armours· speres & sheel­des / And euer ye sholde be armyd & dysposyd to goo to the felde of bataylle a­yenst hym / ¶Torne your dayes then̄e better & better. & meke yourself. to thende y^t whan your soules shall depart fro the body. that thenn [...]ye haue noo cause to accuse it / ¶What profyteth to a mā to reyse hȳself by vaynglory. syth y^t we ben but asshes / ¶Alas why are we proude / I wold fayne wyte syth that we be but erthe & asshes / fro whens may com̄ our pryde / ¶Wepe we my bred (er)n wepe we our grete synnes. durynge the tyme that we haue space & tyme to doo soo / ¶Alas lete vs consydre the short tyme that we haue here to abyde / And kepe ourself besily in wythstondyng the tēptacōns of the deuill. in suche wyse y^t we haue the Ioye whiche is wythout ende / ¶The deuyll watchyth contynuelly for to take vs by stelth / Watche we thē ne lyke as he dooth / to the ende that he sleeth vs not by treyson / ¶Lete vs all [Page Cxxx] [...]ye haue afore our [...]yen our last day whiche is the deth. & we shall neuer do syn̄e / ¶For who shall thynke well vpō thise thynges. he shall haue the hert meke. & the thought pure & clene. And soo shall dispyse pryde & vaynglory Hauȳ ge awaye from his thoughte the curyosytee of the erthly thynges. that are pe­rysshyng & corruptyble / ¶Chastyse we then̄e our flesshe by fastynges & absty­nences / And constrayne our sensualyte to obeye in all thynges to reason. in re­streynynge our inordynat wylles. in su­che maner y^t we ben not enclyned ne redy to doo euyll. but besy to lyue vertuosly / wythout to trespace one on̄ly mynute / but y^t it be done to the seruyce of god To thende y^t after the shorte paynes & wretchydnesse of this worlde. we maye haue the Ioyes vnspekable / To y^t whyche for to come. lete vs put our eyen to teeres & wayllynges. in watchyng euer more in good werkes / ¶For yf we doo otherwyse / certaynly we shall haue paynes wythout nōbre / ¶But & we woll thynke well to it. we shall be the tēple euerlastyng of god. & in vs shall dwell the holy ghoste. wherby the deuyll shall not gyue vs so many assawtes / but that we shall be more stronger than he / For we shall haue good defence. y^t is the kȳ ges of kynges. the whyche suffreth ne­uer the Iuste to perysshe / ¶After that he had cōforted his relygiouses. he ma­de a lytyll oryson / prayeng god that he wolde conferme theym in peas. & kepe theim in his worthi grace / And this do [...] he departed fro theym /

¶How saynt Pachomyen by his merytes knewe the thoughtes of men / Be­gin̄yng Cū (que) ꝑgerēt / Caplm lxxxxviii

THus as saynt Pachomien was gooynge towarde a nother monastery. namyd Thebennense with Theodore. Corneylle. and many other / He restyd hym in the myddes of the waye. as he wolde haue spoke with some of a secrete matere / ¶And he beynge as rauysshyd / He knewe att his ghostly eye. that the relygyouses of his monastery had broken one of his commaundementes that he had enioynyd theym to kepe / ¶The whyche commaūdement was. that they that made the brede. sholde not speke noo vayne thynge in makynge the oblacyons / ¶And for to veryfye that. that he knewe of it in his thoughte / He sente Theodore / that was admynystratour of the sayde monastery for to examyne hym of that [Page] the bredern had sayd at euen makynge thyse offrȳges / Soo came there Theodore & knewe y^t they had broke this cō ­maūdement· wenyng y^t the sayd brekȳ ge was no grete syn̄e. by cause y^t the sayd cōmaūdement semyd to be of no grete thyng / ¶Theodore shewed it to the holy man Pachomyen y^t sayd to hym / How be it y^t the ordenaūces that I ha­ue yeue to them for to kepe. ben manly in asmoche as I y^t am a man haue en­ioyned them to kepe them / Neuertheles they consydre not y^e peryll y^t may come to him y^t dispysith one of the leest cōmaundementes y^t arre ordeyned for to be kept for the worshypp of god / ¶It is not foūde in holy scripture y^t the child (er)n of Israell beynge afore the cyte of Ihe­rico kept duryng vii. dayes the scylence y^t was to theym boden & ordeyned for to kepe / And after the vii dayes passed y^e sayd scylence soo kept. they toke anone y^e sayd cyte of Iherico / The whyche thȳge was to theim graūted of god. by cause they dispysed not tho [...] denaūce or cōmaūdement y^t had be gyuen to them by his seruaūt in the honour of hym

¶Anone after saynt Pachomyen ca­me there as the religyous were y^t made mattes soo began he to werke with hē & in this doynge came there a yonge religyous nouyce y^t was sette for to serue him. The whiche sayd to hȳ fader Pachomyen. y^u doost not as our fad (er) Theodore dooth The holy man Pachomy­en herynge the wordes of this nouyce. swetly & louȳgly prayed him. y^t he sholde shewe hȳ how he shold doo / And after y^t he had shewed to hym the maner how he shold make the mattes. he con­tynued abowte it. werkynge wyth the other. forcyng hymself to do as he was taught by the chylde / Wherby he gaaf grete ensample of mekenesse to all hys bred (er)n. In somoche that he bare the correccōn of the sayd nouyce / The whyche yf he had be proude. he wolde not haue endured. but to the contrary sholde ha­ue rebukyd hym for it fyersly /

¶How the deuyll shewed himself to saynt Pachomyen. Begynnynge ¶Alio vero tempore / Caplm lxxxxix.

THe holy man after this vpon a daye putt hymselfe in to a secrete place / The deuyll anone came to hym in disguysed araye. & greted hȳ honourably / y^e holy man thouȝt anone y^t it was some wycked spyryte / For whan the gode spiryte cometh to a man. al heuines departeth fro hȳ. & his seeng is free of all drede. and is full of merueylous Ioye. and soo departen fro [Page Cxxxi] [...] al worldly thouȝtes. In stede of whiche comyth to hym an affeccōn & a desire of the souerayn thynges / soo sayd he in hȳself / ¶Syth y^t this vysion is happed to me. I haue be troubled in mi mȳ de / He rose & anone blessed hymself w^t the sygne of the crosse / ¶And wyth his h [...]nde he wende to take the deuyll that was in his presence. and sayd to hym / ¶O cursyd deuyll goo fro me. thy vy­sion & thy craftes ben but dysceyuable Thou hast not adoo wyth the seruaūt of god / ¶And incontynent as duste he wente awaye sayenge Ha Pachomyen yf thou hadd obeyed me. I sholde haue yelded the my subgett / But y^e vertu of the souerain god is togrete. this notw^t stondyng I shall befyghte the wythoute ceasynge. to thende that I maye acō plysshe my werke wythout delaye. Soo toke y^e holy man hȳ to yeue thankyng to god of the grete fortunes & yeftes y^t he dyde to hym euery daye /

¶How the myghte of the deuyll was shewed to the holy man Pachomien. & begynnyth in latyn ¶In hoc eciam & cetera / Caplm .C.

THe holy man Pachomyen go­ynge by nyghte wyth Theodore to y^e sayd monastery. had suche a vysion / ¶A deuyll apperyd vnto him in lykenesse of a woman more hi [...] than other ben comȳly / And wyth this she shewed to be of soo grete bewte of body & of visage. that it semid as a thȳ ge inpossyble to bebrought forth / The sayd Theodore y^t also sawe hym was sore trowbled wyth alle in his mynde / But y^e holy fad (er) sayd to hym y^t he sholde haue hope in god. and that he shold not abasshe hȳself / ¶Then̄e they sette theymself to prayer. & besought our lorde y^t it wolde playse hym by his godly vertu to take away this vysion fro theim / Neuertheles cam̄ y^e deuyll more ne­re hem in y^t self likenes. & byfore hȳ were a grete nōbre of deuylles / Then̄e sayd y^e deuyl to the holy men Pachomien & theodore / Why do ye pray god ayenst me in vayn. ye can not alway w^tstond me / For I haue myȝte & power of god to tēpte hem y^t I woll / Then̄e the holy man Pachomyen axed of hȳ what he was fro whens he cam̄. & whiche of hē he wolde tēpte. to whom he answerd / I am the myȝty deuyl. hauyng lordshipp vpon a grete nombre of deuylles / Iu­das was sōtyme deceyued by me. & cast out of y^e cōpany of thapostles. I am she y^t soweth in erth the sede. of the whiche all persones that taast of it are in daū geour to deye / ¶And that more is. god hath gyue me myȝte for to tempte his [Page] seruauntes wythout ceassynge / So am I cōmaūded by the court of helle for to putt the in her daungeour. Neuer man ouercame me. but thyself / Thy doctry­ne yeuyth me subget both to the yonge and to the olde. and namely to a hepe of folysshe relygyouses that y^u hast ga­dred togyder / The whyche by thyne exāple are obstynate ayenst me / as folke vnable to be ouercome / ¶For of al the wyles of the deuyll they haue ben tēp­ted. & yet they cowde not be ouercome And all this euyll comyth to vs by the sone of god / y^t hath be made a man. of the whiche ye other haue soo grete my­ghte / ¶Then̄e sayd to him the holy fader Pachomyen / Thou comyst then̄e for to tempte me on̄ly. seenge y^t that y^u hast tolde me / ¶Wherat the deuyll answerd to hym. I am come for to warre ayenst the & Theodore. and ayenst all tho that ben thy lyke / But I may not towche you. by cause that my strengthe is only to tempte you / ¶So axed him the holy man / why he hadd no myghte ouer theyr bodyes / And he answerde y^t yf he towchyd theym they sholde haue more mede of god for it. for y^e grete victory that thei sholde wynne / And pryncypally thyselfe Pachomyen. y^t hast be worthy to see with thy bodyly eyen the Ioye of heuen ¶With this he thretned the sayd relygyouses. sayeng that after the decesse of y^e holy man / the deuylles sholde doo al at theyr wyll wyth them ¶Then̄e the holy man y^t myghte not forbere thyse wordes sayd to hym / Go vnhappy wretche / What canst thou tell of the thinges y^t ben to come. the religyouses y^t shall lyue after vs shal be more perfyte than we ben / And y^e deuyll an­swerde / I knowe now. that y^u hast made a lye / That hast y^u thyself prynce of lesynge sayd y^e holy man / Thou canst noo thyng knowe of that y^t is to come For none knowyth it but god oonly. to whom all thynges passed & to come a­re present / ¶Then̄e the deuyll sayd to hym stedfastly y^t it was trouthe. but by the thynges passed he had some crowȳ ge of those y^t were to com̄ / ¶Soone after the holy man axyd hym / yf it is soo that y^u ceasest not to tēpte the gode men and y^t by thy craftes ouer subtyll. y^t by cause of the losse of the soules / Wherof comyth. that y^u can not bringe vnd (er) fo­te the very seruaūtes of god / ¶And he answerde / I haue tolde that by the In­carnacōn of the sone of god all our strengthe hathe be broughte vnd (er) / ¶We cease not to gyue troubles & lettinges to the seruaūtes of god. ¶And whan we knowe y^t they consent to some temptacions then̄e we assayle hem more strongly than euer we dyde / brȳgyng a for hē foule thouȝtes somoche tyl we haue brought hem subget to our wyll & myȝt. & the cōtrary yf they obeye not by no wise to our entysȳges· but contynue stedfastly in ther vertuoꝰ werkes. anone depart all tēptacōns fro ther hertes & thouȝtes ¶But we haue not y^t miȝte to tempte all persones so sharply as we shold wel doo. For some there ben y^t coude not suffre all our temptacōns / ¶And yf it were soo y^t god wold lete vs continue Many are in thy keping that shold fall ofte. the whyche be preseruyd & kepte by thy prayers / ¶Then̄e saynt Pachomyen began to crye with a hye voyce say­eng. cursyd serpents & e [...]u [...]yoꝰ. and y^t cease neuer to yeue infynite lettȳges to y^e [Page Cxxxii] seruantes of god. tyll that the might of god bryngyth you downe / ¶He maye well calle hymselfe happy that canne wythstōde to your cursyd entysȳges / After he cōiured in y^e name of god al this multytude of deuylles that soone went awaye as the smoke dooth / The nexte daye in the mornyng he callyd to hym his bredern. & rehercyd to theim al that he had seen in the nyghte of the deuil­les. And to theym y^t were absent he made it to wryte by wrytynge. warnynge theym y^t they shold euer wythstonde a­yenst their temptacōns / The whiche relygiouses seēge the grace y^e god had do to the holy fad (er) abbot & to theym / they were confermed in the fayth. ¶And afterwarde wythstode more besily ayen­ste the temptacōns of the fende. encreacynge euer in vertuous werkes /

¶How the holy man Pachomyen he­lyd a man that was bytte of a Scorpyon / And begynnyth in latin ¶Interea &c. Caplm C.i.

A Brother beynge in his pray­ers was bytten of a Scorpyon in the foote / Soo that the ve­nym was come vp all redy to the herte ¶And how well he suffred grete soro­we and payne / He contynued alwayes his prayers / ¶Thenne saynt Pacho­myen seenge his grete stedfastnesse. made to our lord a deuowte oryson for hȳ ¶And Incontynent his helthe was to hym restoryd /

¶How sykenesse prouffiteth oft to the saluacyon of the soule / Begynnynge ¶Tali quo (que) / &c· Caplm C.ii.

SAynt Theodore in his yonge aege bare often grete sykenesse in his heede. whiche was cau­se to hym of sharpe sorowes / Soo prayed he to saynt Pachomyen that it wol­de playse hym to praye goo for his helthe / ¶To whom he answerd / My childe thou ought to byleue y^t the passyons that we suffre. come not to vs but by y^e wyll of god. & therfor haue pacyence in thy sores. & god shall yeue y^e helth whā it playsith him / ¶Be y^u remembred of Iob y^t was somoche perfyte & pacyente the whyche in all his passyons. he bles­syd the name of god / ¶Certaynly it is a good thynge of abstynence. and con­tynuyng in prayer / ¶But alwaye the seke axyth a grete rewarde. whan he is fonde pacyent and of stedfast courage. ¶And by cause that we haue spoken of y^t mē of stedfast courage / I haue thouȝt to y^e profyte of many one to shewe [Page] the merueylous stedfastnes and suffraūce of a man. that is somoche to be cō ­mended that it maye as to this excede all manly praysynge /

¶Of the pacyence of Zacheus: y^t was a relygyous. & begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Zacheus (qui)dā monachꝰ / Caplm C.iii.

SOmtyme was a religyous namyd Zacheꝰ y^t whyche aft (er) grete contynence. bi cause of a grete sykenesse y^t god sende hym. was had in an hous f [...]re fro his bied (er)n / In that hous he ete but on̄ly brede & salt. But notwythstondyng the sayd departyng he was contynuelly in the chirche at al houres of y^e day / His custome was eue­ry nyght afore he yede to bed to reed some histories of the holy scripture. & aft (er) be armyd hȳ with the signe of the crosse. & slept tyll mydnyght / To the whi­che houre he rose / ocupyeng hymself in oryson fro that same houre vnto marynes / ¶And to this surplus for teschew ydlenesse. he wroughte mattes wyth suche grete myghte & dylygence. that in weuynge of theym. he claaf & brake al his hondes that the blode came out soo sharply he drewe the cordes / ¶One of the bredern seenge his hondes thus broken asked hym why he was soo gredy in his werke. seenge that he was so greuyd wyth sykenesse. Sayeng moreouer to hym / Thynkes thou my broder yf y^u wroughte wythout to force thyselfe soo moche. that thou sholdest be holden fo [...] ydle as toward god· Truely naye / For he knowyth well not oonly thy myght but also that thou arte sore greuyd w^t sykenesse / Wherfor I ensure the that it is not nede that thou werke soo conty­nuelly as thou doost / Thenne answerd Zacheus / My broder it is possyble that I coude forbere me therof / The broder beryng his answere sayd to hym / Syck that it playsyth the to doo thus / at leest suffir that thy hondes be enoynted w^t oyle to the ende that thou mayst helpe thyself more longer wyth theym / Za­cheus in grauntynge to his requeste e­noynted his hondes for to recouere hel­the / ¶The whyche thynge seenge the holy fader Pachomyen. he sayde vnto hym / ¶Now come hyther broder. thinkeste thou that the oyle that thou haste putte in thyne hondes canne helpe the for to haue helthe / Haste thou more truste in this enoyntynge vysyble. thanne in god that is Inuysible / ¶Byleueste thou not that he whiche is soo medeful hath remēbraunce of vs w^thout y^t we doo pray for our helth / Whan hȳ shall [Page Cxxxiii] playse he shall sette an ende to our sorowes & passyons ¶Certaynly we ought to beleue that y^e sykenesses that we suffre shal be cause to make vs haue euerlastyng rewardes in the glory of paradyce / Thenne Zachius answerd / Alas my fader pardonne me. and praye god for my wretchydnesse. to thende that it [...]oll pleyse him for to pardōne me my synne / And from that houre he toke suche a dysplaysure of the synne y^t he thought to haue done in vsynge of the sayd oyle. that he contynued in lamentac [...] & wepynges a hoole yere / & wyth this he fastyd two yere / And in fastyng he toke a smale refeccion / ¶The holy fad (er) Pachomien knowyng his grete pacyence / Whan he wolde excyte his Religyouses to be stedfast & pacyent. he layed to theym the good fad (er) Zacheus. the whiche gate & deserued by his right grete forberyng to haue heuen at the ende

of his dayes /

¶Of the deth of saynt Pachomyen / & begynnyth in latyn ¶Certus ita (que) pachomius / Caplm C.iiii.

SOne after a solempnite of Ester. the holy man Pachomyen felt hȳself sore seke & feble. w^t hȳ was Theodore y^t full besily seruyd hym / And he beynge in this grete sykenes. he had alway y^e face well colouryd & mery. & ii. dayes bifore y^t he deyed. he assēbled all his bred (er)n / In the presēce of whom he made suche a proposicōn / ¶Ryȝt dere bred (er)n I knowe y^e god wol call me. & that I shall sone goo oute of this world after y^e holy fad (er)s / So I beseche you hertely. y^t ye woll remēbre you alwaye of the rules & charges y^t I haue yeue & done to you afore this tyme / & y^t ye woll kepe yourself wel fro y^e secte of tha [...]ryens & of thother ouerleders & de­nyers of the fayth of Ihū Cryst / but a­cōpanye & haunte wyth theym y^e drede god & that loue him perfytly / I see the tyme of my life y^t comyth to an ende. & my dethe is nye / And therfore chose in my presence a pastour y^t shall be fader & techer of the saluacōn of your soules And asmoche as I can know Petronyen semyth me wyse ynouȝ for to teche you. & to kepe you fro euyll doynge. but what someuer I saye of it. ye may chose after your good discrecōn him y^t shal seme you good / ¶They all togyd (er) amō ge theym chose Petronyen swetly. and wyth theyr good wyll / the whiche was constaunt & stedfast in the fayth meke of conuersacyon / Wyse of vnderston­dynge. and perfyghte in condycyons / ¶Saynt Pachomyen knowynge that [Page] this Petronyen was that tyme syke in the monastery of y^e Thebenesyens. prayed deuoutly our lorde for his helthe / & to the Relygyouses y^t were absent was sent worde. that they shold come to the decease of theyr fader abbot Pachomyen / The whiche in blessynge hymselfe wyth the vertuous sygne of the Crosse. deceassed vpon y^e Translacōn daye of saynt Nycholas. in y^e moneth of Maye And yelded his soule in the hondes of an angell of heuen· that was come for to receyue it / ¶And att his dethe were present dyuers Religyouses in grete nō bre. whyche all the nyghte contynuelly sayd psalmes aboute his body. And on the morowe he was buryed in the mo­untayn where his graue was ordeyned ¶Soone after was the holy fader Pe­tronien sent for by some y^t brought hȳ But he was yet sore feble. & lyued not long aft (er) Pachomyen Leuyng his successour a nother holy fad (er). namid orsiscū /

¶Of the lyfe of saynt Crysten the relygyoꝰ / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Cuidam cenomanensis / Caplm C. [...]

FOlowynge the manere that is begon / restyth to wryte & she [...] of saynt Cristen. borne of y^e countree of Mayne. the whiche in his yonge aege was Heremyte in that ch [...]rche bys­shopryche. of Tours. in a place callyd Gastineton ¶He was in his yonge [...] yes sore pricked & styng [...]ed of the syke of the flesshe / But by fastynges & abs­tynēces he made lent & subdued his body. in suche manere that he rendres & brought it. in thraldom / ¶Durynge y^e tyme of Lent he fasted wythoute drynke. but oonly one daye of the weke / In wynter for to bryng his flesshe the mere downe & lowe / he put hymself in colde water to the necke / ¶And he beyng on a tyme in the water. he herde a voce towarde the Weste y^t sayd vnto hym O Crysten all this that thou doost profyteth the no thynge / For the god that thou callest vpon shall not helpe the to haue that thou askest· But & thou [...] retourne to me. I shall make the haue thy will Incōtynent. ¶Crysten knewe that it was the voyce of the deuyl / So [...] toke hymself to pray god humbly that he wold helpe hym ayenst the tempta­cōns of the deuyll / ¶After this he pur­posed to vse his lyf in pylgrymages. [...]s vysytyng the holy places / And fynably he toke a staffe. and soo longe he wente barefote. that he cam̄ nye a chyrche. in whiche he kneled on his knees. prayenge our lord that he wold gyue him goode counseyle for to perfourne that whiche he had begon / And Incontynent he smelled a merueyllous stenche nye ha [...] [Page Cxxxiiii] In smellyng of the whyche he knewe that it was the deuyll y^t had tesyd him to leue his bred (er)n & the habyte of relygius. ¶Soo gaaf he thankynges to god & retoured ayen to his abbaye / ¶One daye vpon the feest of saynt Steuen he aslepe in y^e chyrche. in the tyme y^t men radde thise wordes ¶Et lapidauerunt stephanū / whiche makith mencōn of y^e stonynge of saynt Steuen / ¶And aft (er) sodainly he woke. sayeng & cryeng w^t an hye voys / Ha I am well neclygente to slepe at this hour. whan men stonyd saynt Se [...]uen. he was in oryson prayē ge god for theym y^t stonyd hym / And I vnhappy sholde now praye hym / to the ende that he sholde praye god for me / ¶Thenne he beganne to praye saynt Steuen / And on the morne as he was is the Refectoire with his bred (er)n for to take his refeccōn. or euer he had take ony mete. he herd a voys that said to hȳ ¶Cristen y^e waytest after erthly metes & thȳkest not vpon the fyrst martyr saynt Steuen that prayeth god for the / ¶Then̄e he lyfte vp his eyen towarde heuen. & sawe saynt Stephen that prayed for him / as the voys had shewed to hym / Soo departed he & went in a se­crete place where he made his prayer / Sayenge / O my lorde saynt Steuen y^e fyrste martyr. what thankes shall I ye­ [...]e to the. I haue no thynge of myn owne y^t I myghte gyue the / But from hēs f [...]rthon I promyse the. that for the lo­ue of the. I shall neuer were sherte of lȳ uen. but of wulle on̄ly / ¶This Cristen on a tyme as he was layed vpon a bed of strawe / he felte the strawe meue vnd (er) hym. Soo wente he & shewed it to his fader abbot / But therfore ceased not y^e sayd moeuynge of the strawe vnd (er) him ¶Fynably he torned all the strawe vp sodowne and founde noo thinge / After he toke vpp one of the bordes of the flour / vnder whiche he funde a grete som̄e of money. that he bare then̄e to his mayster / The whyche made Incontynent all his bredern to be assembled / And in their presence he denounced acursyd hȳ that had hydde the sayd syluer / ¶And there was a Conuers that was afore a Carpenter / The whyche whan he had herde caste the sayd sentence. confessynge to haue gradred there the sayd tresour / came openly & askyd penaūce & absolucōn of his sinne / ¶Then̄e the holy fader dealed the said pens to the poore And to the Carpenter he enioyned cer­tayn penaunce for the sauacion of hys soule /

¶Of saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner Patry­arke [Page] and bysshop of Alexandrye. after that it is rehercyd in the lyfe of the fa­ders by saynt Leonce. in his tyme bys­shop of Naples / To the chapytre begȳ nyng in latyn ¶Cun (que) peruenissē &c. Caplm .C.vi.

FOr to haue a begynnynge to telle & shewe the lyfe of saynt Iohn̄ the Almener. It is to be knowen. y^t a man of holy conuersacōn. namyd Zacharye. for to vysyte ii. mar­tyrs holy. the one namyd Kirrus. & the other Iohn̄. came in to the cyte of Alexandrye / In whiche place this Zacharye beyng there wyth many deuoute & perfyte men· takynge togyd (er) theyr refeccy­on bothe bodyly & ghostly. came by aduenture amonge theym a poore man y^t askyd an almesse / the whiche sayd that of late he had be prysoner to the Persycus ¶And neuerthelesse they of whom he askyd theyr almesse excusyd theym / And gaaf hym noo thynge sayenge y^t they had noo syluer to gyue him / Wherfore the poore departed fro theym without ony almesse ¶Then̄e one of y^t felyshypp ranne after hym. & secretly gaue hym a lytyll crosse of syluer. that he bare vpon hym / Sayenge to the poore that he had none other thynge to gyue hym / ¶Zacharye seeng the secrete medefulnesse of this man was sore merueylled / & shewed it to one namyd Men̄e y^e [...]ate nexte hym. and the whiche was mynystratour of the sayd Iohn̄ the Almoner ¶Then̄e the sayd Men̄e beholdyng this Zacharye that somoche was merueylled of the largeuesse of hym / y^t had gyue his crosse. sayd to hym / ¶Zacharye. merueylle not thyself of the al­messe that this man hath done / For he hath lerned toyeue moche more for god dys sake of Iohn̄ y^t Almoner / to whom he was Almoner wel the space of .x. yere & that hath taughte hym this doctrine / ¶This Iohn̄ the Almoner dide infynyte almesse / For he had of god ma­ny temporel goodes / y^t he gaaf to y^e pore. wythout ony thynge for to kepe for hymselfe / ¶And sōtyme whan he had gyue somoche y^t he had nomore to gi [...]e He all sory went to some Tauerner or other marchaunt. of whom he borowed some moneye for to gyue / ¶And as he borowed thꝰ. he sayd y^t it was for them of his house that had grete hūgre / And he boūde hymself to the persone y^t sent him for to serue hym a certain space of tyme. tyll y^t this moneye were payed a­yen / ¶And assoone as he had borowed if he gaue it to the poore for goddis take. & charged theim that they shold tell noo thynge / ¶Zacharye heryng that [...] is sayd was noo thynge abasshyd & to hym sayd ayen / ¶O my brod (er). yf thou had seen the grete almesses as I haue. thou sholdest be moche mōr merueyle [...] And yf thou woll come to my house. I shall telle the what I haue knowen of hym / ¶Then̄e Zacharye wente wyth this Men̄e / And after theyr fode taken ghostly & bodyly Men̄e began to reherce the lyffe & the vertues of saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner / ¶Sayeng fyrst y^e he ne­uer sware the name of god nor of his sayntes / ¶Thenne Zacharye axyd after ynke & paper. for to wryte by orde [...] the lyfe of saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner /

¶How the sayd saynt Iohn̄ ordeyned to the poore folke of the cyte of Alexandrye [Page Cxxxv] theyr sustentacōn and dayly fode [...]dynately. callynge theym his lordes / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Promotus ergo / Caplm .C.vii.

AFter that he was chosen bys­shop. aswell by the wyll of mē as by synguler grace of god / ¶The fyrste dede worthy of grete re­membraunce that he dyde was this / y^t he sente Incontynent all his dyspensa­tours & caterers to make prouysyon / & sayd to theym / ¶O my bred (er)n it is not noo ryght thynge to haue sorowe & care for ony persone afore y^e dyscyples of Ihesu Cryste / ¶His dyspensatours or catereu [...] herynge thise wordes and not knowynge what he meaned. herkenyd hym besyly. for to doo this that he sholde cōmaunde theym / ¶Soo sayd he to theim ayen / Goo thrugh all the cyte & brynge in wrytyng the nombre vnto y^e last of all my lordes that ben in this towne / Tho dyspensatours that vnd (er)stode not what persones he callyd his lor­des. wyst not what they shold do / Thē ne he expowned his wordes / sayenge / ¶They y^t ye call poore & nedy. I saye & holde theym to be my lordes. & for suche we oughte to take theym / For they shall helpe vs to gete the reame of heuē ¶After that to hym were reported & shewed by wrytynge thise poore y^t we­re in nombre moo than .vii. M. v C. he cōmaūded that they sholde haue dayly theyr ordynary fode for the sustencyon of theyr lyues /

¶How he stablysshyd in the cyte weyghte & mesure equall / & begyn̄yth in la­tyn ¶Iustū vero / Caplm· C·viii:

THe nexte morowe after that he was chosen to be a bysshop / he sent thrugh all y^e cyte of Alex­andrie his Stywardes & other. hauyng the rule & polycye of the sayd cyte / To whom he cōmaūded y^t in one selfe me­sure & weighte all manere of marchaū dyses sholde be solde wrytynge in thys manere thrugh all the regyon / ¶Iohn̄ humble & lytyl seruaūte of the seruauntes of our lorde to all theim that ben lyuinge vnd (er) our pouertee / & that by y^e suffraūce of god are submytted to our rule & gouernaūce / Herke after the sayeng of saynt Poule in his pystle / ¶Obeye to your prelates. & yelde yourself subgettes to theym / For certaynly they wake as that they muste yelde acounte of yo­ur soules / ¶My lytylnes byleuyth y^t yf ye obeye to the wordes of god / ye shall haue your petycyons. not on̄ly of men. but of god ¶And bi cause I know this y^t I wryte to you to be trouthe / I praye you of your charite. y^t ye doo noo thyng contrary to the cōmaūdements that I haue done to you. but be obeyssaunt /

¶It is writen in his holy scripture y^t god hath in hate the grete balaūce and the lytyl / ¶After this my warnyng yf ony goo ayenst my biddynge. touchyng the weighte & the mesure / Wyte he that al his godes shall be dealyd to the pore

¶How he corrected theym y^t receyuyd ony yeftes. & begyn̄ith in latyn ¶Relatū est autem / Caplm· C.ix.

IT was shewed to the sayd saynt Iohn̄. y^t some bought men & after solde theym ayen to an hyer pryce than they had bought them [Page] Soo made theym al to be assembled. & without grete blame or rebuke. shewed theym y^t it was euyll done / & syth toke theym more moneye than they had bestowed in this marchaūdyse. And charged theym y^t they shold not doo in ty­me comȳg suche dedes / & aft (er) this some left theyr takyng of theyr pryce so grete y^t they were wont to take aboue y^e comyn taxe of theyr marchaūdyses /

¶How he gaaf lycence & leue to them y^t wold com̄ to hym. & begynnyth in latyn ¶Discēs vero &c. Caplm .C.x.

Saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner knowyng y^t some of his subgettes suffred many wronges of theyr enmyes / & were aferde to come to hym for to cōplayne. by cause of his seruaū tes y^t cōtynuelly assysted hym / ¶He for the same cause dyde make a chayre & i [...]. benches byfore the chyrche. vpon the whyche the Wenesdaye & the Frydaye in comynge fro the sayd chyrche he restyd hym. & deuysed wyth some notable persones. & other while he helde the holy gospels in his hondes / And there were certayn his deputes. to whom he gaf power & leue to stonde nyghe hym / the whiche had the charge to kepe the rightes of y^e chyrche. ¶And yf ony body came to complayne / they shewed it to the said saynt Iohn̄ / the whiche cōmaūded y^e chap [...]tre sholde be callyd & assembled for to purueye therto / And they thꝰ assē blyd. he proposyd vnto theym sayenge. ¶Yf we men haue lyght dedes to y^e on̄ ly god. y^t is aboue all nature for to make to hȳ our requestes. & whan we pray hym deuoutly. we gete y^t we aske: In lyke wyse we ought to doo to theim that come to vs. brȳgyng in our mynde the worde of god. sayeng / ¶Wyth suche a mesure as ye mesure ye shall be mesu­red / & also in recordyng the sayeng of y^e prophete. y^t shewyth to vs / That lyke as we doo we shall be done vnto / For thise causes y^e holy bisshop made y^t thei came to hȳ to be spedd of theyr matere w^tout ony delay ¶And one tyme emō ge other he was one daye tyll .v. of the clocke beynge in the same place where he was wont to sytt herynge the questions of his peple / And by cause no body came there y^e daye that wold require of hym ony thyng. he departed & retorned in his house wepȳg / ¶So were his folke gretly merueylled wherof came this wayllȳge. & none durste axe hȳ the cause why. but to a holy man namyd Sophronyen. y^t herof famylyerly axyd hȳ The holy man answerd y^t he was [...] che of this y^t none was come speke w^t him wherby he had spende the day w^t out to haue done ony mercyfull dede / ¶Now it is trouth as it is sayd about that y^e cause whi [...]he helde hȳ in y^e open place. was by cause he sholde acorde al maner folke / y^t in manere of processe or otherwise had ony discorde or euyl wylthe one ayenst thother / y^e whiche oft ty­mes he acorded & peasyd atte his owne propre costes / ¶Sophronyen then̄e sayd to hym. certaynly my lord y^u art wel happi / For y^e subgets that y^u hast in th [...] gouernaūce are by thy meanes soo prasyble & soo kynde. y^t they haue noo cause to haue ony hate or rancour the [...]e ayenst thother & by this he saw & knew y^t this was the cause y^t none was came to hym y^t daye / Wherof he gaue then̄e [Page Cxxxvi] [...] [...]ynges to our lorde / & at this example. ¶We rede y^t Constanciꝰ whiche was Emperour. & sone of Heracle had this custome & maner at Rome. in peasynge of the Romayns /

¶How the holy bsshop receyued mekely the folke y^t were fled for to schewe y^e madnesse of theim of Percy & begin̄ith ¶Cu [...]us sancti / Caplm .C.xi.

HAngynge the tyme y^t the holy bysshop & Patryarke Iohn̄ y^e Almoner being in Alexandrie they of Percy had werre ayenst y^e Syr­ryens in the reame of Syrrye. the whi­che reame & the subgettes of the same / [...]er brought to thraldom· by the Percy [...]on / ¶Wherfore many of the sayd Sir [...]ns / y^e bare full vnpacyently y^t they were brought in bondage· came & yel­ded the ymself in y^e subieccōn of the sayde Patryarke / The whiche he receyued mekely & swetly / in comfortyng theim not as in tharldom & fleers. but as his bred (er)n / They y^t were hurt & sike. he made to be heelyd / & after suffred theym goo where as they semyd good. ¶So­me of his seruaūtes y^e grutchyd the grete almesses y^t were done out of his howse. reported & shewed to the holy Patryarke. how some Sirryens clothyd with clothe of golde & of other precyous raymētes were come to his house to fetche an almesse / ¶But not wythstondynge that he was swete of vysage & of spe­che. yet he lokyd vpon theym as wroth sayeng ¶Knowe ye not wel y^e god hathe cōmaūded / that men shall gyue to all theym. y^t shall aske vs / And by cause y^t the goodes that I yeue be not min but they ben goddis / therfore I woll in gyuyng theim kepe his cōmaūdement ¶Yf ye thynke y^t the almesse mynisshe in gyuyng theym to theym that ben rychely clothed. ye haue lytyll faith / I bileue y^t yf all the worlde were beggers. & that they came to Alexandrye. y^t the godes of the chyrche sholde not mynysshe therfore / And by this he comforted hys seruaūtes / And the poore for this cause grutchyd & noysed ayenst the other /

¶Of the shappe of a woman y^t apered to saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner Patryarke of Alexandrye / & begynnyth in latyn ¶Cū (que) illis &c. Caplm .C.xii.

THe sayd saynt Iohn̄ rehercyd ones to the hope of them y^t gladly gyue for goddis sake. that he beynge on a nyghte a slepe. sawe in dremynge a ryght fayre and clere wo­man. [Page]

and shynynge as the sonne / And crowned with a crowne of lawrer / In musynge of her grete bewte he a woke / ¶And him semyd that he sawe her in dede stondynge byfore hym / ¶Soo he blessyd hym Incontynent. And spake to her. After askynge what she was / ¶To whom she answerde all smylinge that she was the moder of the doughter of the kynge / ¶And after sayd to hym / My frende yf thou wolt loue me I shall presente the byfore the souerayne emperour / For none hath there soo grete power as I haue / ¶Thenne af­ter she vanysshed a waye from his syghte / ¶Thenne the holy man Iohan supposyd after his aduys. that it was compassyon or almesse that was appe­red byfore hym in lykenesse of a wo­man / By cause she hadd on her heed a fayre crowne of lawrer / ¶For certaynly the grete compassyon & benygnytee that god hath to the poore synners / He hathe made his ryght dere and swete chylde Ihesu Cryste to take our kyn­de flesshe / and suffre soo many euylles for vs / ¶The holy man after this vysyon aroos / wythout to a wake ony bo­dy. and wente to the chyrche / ¶And ingoynge thyder he founde a poore euyll clothyd man / and as deyenge for colde ¶Soo toke he of his gowne. and ga­ue it hym for to clothe hym wyth all / And after retornyd wythoute to entree in to the chyrche / Puttyrige in hymselfe a doubte whether the aduysion that he had seen were of god or non / ¶And in retornynge to hys howse warde. he met wyth a man clothyd wyth whyte vestyments / that gaaf hym an hundred pe­nyes / Sayenge that he sholde dystrybute theym where it playsed hym / ¶And by cause hym semyd that he had be o­uer hasty and redy to receyue the sayde penyes. doubtynge to be dysceyued / He wente to haue delyuered theim ayen to hym that gaaf theym to hym / ¶But he cowde not. by cause the other was vanysshyd away / ¶Soo had he then̄e some vnderstondynge and knowlege that this vysion was come to hym of god /

¶Of a pylgryme that wolde tempte saynt Iohan the Almoner / Begyn [...] nynge in latyn ¶Adori [...]ue et cetera Caplm .C.xiii.

[Page Cxxxvii]

IN the sayd cyte of Alexandrye was a straunger. whyche herynge y^e grete fame of saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner wolde tempte him for to vnderstonde the certayntee therof / And for to doo this he put of his raymentes & toke euyll clothes abowte hym / And after came byfore hym there as he wente towarde the place where the syke peple were kept & dressed / ¶For his cus­tom̄ was to goo to the hospytalles twies in the weke. for to vysite there the syke folke that were there / ¶This valyaunt man stranger sayd to him / O my lord gyue to me your almesse poore prysoner / ¶Then̄e the holy man cōmaū ­ded y^e men sholde yeue to hym vi. pens ¶Whan he had receyued y^e fyrst almesse. he chaūged his habyte and Incontynent went ayen tofore hym in sayenge. ¶Alas syre haue pyte of me poore sy­ke man / The holy man ones ayen cō ­maunded to the Almoner that he shol­de gyue hym vi. pens of golde / ¶After that he had taken theym to the Pape­larde. he said all soft to the holy man y^t he had had twyes his almesse / Wherat the holy man answerd noo thynge / feynyng as he had not herde hȳ / ¶Thirdly he came agayn in a nother chaūgeable clothynge / for to haue yet a nother almesse / And then̄e the Almoner drew the holy man by the gowne for to gyue hym to knowlege that it was he that had had twyes his almesse that daye / But the holy man cōmaunded y^e men sholde gyue hym twelue pens of syluer sayenge to his Almoner / Doo y^e I cō ­maūde the / For by aduenture it is god that temptyth me /

¶Of a Maryner & of the tynne that was tornyd to syluer / Begynnynge in latyn ¶Nauclerus quidam et cetera [Page] Caplm .C.xiiii.

A Marynar straunger / that by tempest of the see. or otherwy­se had loste all his goodes / Besechynge humbly to saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner. that he wolde sprede vpon him his mercy / Hauynge pyte vpon hym as he had vpon the other / ¶Soo he gaaf him v. pounde of golde. that he put forthe in marchandise. and after retorned vpon the see. where he loste all. excepte oonly his shippe. the whiche was saued ¶Soo came he ayen to the sayd holy man / & prayed hym as aboue / Then̄e he said to him / ¶My broder thou had dest some syluer euyll goten that thou hast medled wyth that of the chyrche. Therfore thou hast loste all / Neuerthelesse he gaue hym agayne x. pounde of golde / Soo went he agayen to the see / Where he had the wynde soo contrary that all his shyppe was perysshyd· & a­bode noo thynge sauf but the men / The whyche thynge seenge the Mary ner [...]he wolde haue slayne hymselfe for sorowe / But god preseruyd hym there fro / And shewed his wrath & angre to the holy Patryarke / The whyche In­contynent sente for hym / ¶The Maryner coueryd wyth asshes / and his clothes all to torne. lyke as they are wont to doo in the londe. came to the sendynge of the Patryarke / The whyche in beholdynge vpon hym sayd to hym ¶My frende god haue pyte and mer­cy vpon the / I trowe / that from hensforth. thou shalte not haue none euyll fortune / ¶Thy shippe is perysshyd bicause it was goten by wronge / ¶And thenne he made to be gyuen to hym o­ne of the shyppes of the chyrche / that he made be fylled wyth ten thousande r [...] sers of whete / ¶And this done the Marynar wente to the see as he was acus­tomyd / But he saylled twenty dayes & twenty nyghtes that he wyste not whether he drewe to / ¶Durynge the whi­che tyme the gouernoure of the shyppe / as he rehercyd to the Marynar / sawe nyghe hym the holy Patryarke / that sayd to hym / Marinar doubte no thinge. thou sayllest well / ¶After the twenty dayes. they londed in Britayne. where soo grete necescyte of corn was. that they of the londe for grete derth suffred grete hungre / Wherby they were recey­ued in grete Ioye & reuerence / ¶The folke of the londe asked of the Marynar yf he wolde selle his where for redy moneye or take Tynne for it ¶And after he had remembred vpon theyr askynge / He toke redy money for the halfe / And for the other halfe he take fyne Tynne / And after wyth a grete gladnesse retornyd in to Alexandrye And were longe tyme art the hauen callyd Penthapolis / To the whyche ha­uen the maister Marynar of the shypp had a felowe: To whom he gaaf in a sacke fyfthy pounde of hys Tynne ¶But he wyllynge to make a prou [...] yf it were good / This his sayd felowe founde that it was ryght fyne syluer / Soo he broughte it agayne / ¶Then̄e the Marynar sayd to hym / I promy­se the it is taken me for fyne Tynne / But I shall telle the / I trowe he that hath tornyd the water in to wyne. By the prayers of the holy Patryarke. ha [...] the tornyd my Tynne in to syluer / ¶And for to shewe verily that it [...] [Page Cxxxviii] Tynne. he broughte his felowe to the shippe where the remenaunte of the sayd Tynne was / ¶And whanne they were entred in to the sayd shyppe. they [...]de that al the forsayd Tynne was conuerted and chaunged in to syluer ¶But the myracle well to be consyderyd and markyd. was not lesse to merueyllyd. thanne thoos that god made / ¶The one was whanne he multeplyed fyue loues and two fisshes to the sustentacion and foode of fyue thousande men / ¶The other whanne he tourned the waters of Egypte in to bloode / ¶A nother tornynge the rodde by the hōde of Moyses in to a serpent / ¶And a nother whanne many martyrs beynge in the fyre for to be brente / He tour­ned that fyre in a dewe / ¶And therfo­re made god this chaungyng and tournȳge of Tynne in to syluer. for to make this good Marynar his seruaunt rycher / In grasstynge to hym his mercy /

¶Of a Ryche man that was fallen in grete pouertee / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Descendente sanctissimo. &c. Caplm .C.xv.

THe holy Patryarke Iohn̄ the Almoner. on a Sondaye goo­ynge to the chyrche came byfore hym a poore man. that some tyme hadd be ryche / And had hadde moche goode / But he had be robbyd of theues that had lefte hym noo thynge / wher­of he myghte mayntene his poore ly­fe ¶Soo was he constrayned to begge his brede for goddis sake / And askyd of the sayd saynt Iohan the Almoner his almesse / ¶The whyche hauynge compassyon of his wretchyd falle / And by cause he hadde somtyme noble fa­der and moder. ordeyned that his Al­moner sholde gyue hym the somme of fyftene pounde of golde / ¶But the sayd Almoner complaynyng the grete almesses that the said saynt Iohan made was moche dysplaysed and aggre­uyd of that he muste voyde out of hys hondes. and take to this poore man so grete a somme of moneye / ¶And for this cause he went Incontynent to speke wyth the Stiewarde. that was wonte to gyue accountes of alle the moneye that eche daye were spente and alowed for the necessaryes of the sayde saynt Iohan / ¶And to whom eche one made his acountes / and yelded his Reke­nynge of the moneye that was taken by his hondes for to be tornyd to the sayd dedes and necessaryes / They two togyd (er) spekynge and comynynge of thys forsayd matere. bi the temptacōn of the [Page] cursyd spyryte Mammona y^e tempted theym of the brennynge and Insacya­ble synne of couetyse. purposid & concluded that of y^e sayd xv.li. of golde. shold be taken out x.li. and but v.li. gyuen to the sayd poore man. the whyche thyng was soo done / ¶Now it is trouth that theyr lorde saynt Iohan the Almoner was sore famyd & renōmed y^e he glad­ly dyde grete almesse / ¶Wherfore many notable lordes & other persones. desirynge to playse hym / and somwhat to content his sauourous appetyte. and y^e deuocōn that he hadd to recomfort the poore seruauntes of god / They gaaf & sende oft tymes to hym grete som̄es of money for to gyue for goddis sake. as­well for the helthe of the soules of so­me dede. as for the prosperitee of them that were on lyue / ¶And thus a ryche & notable wydowe. that had a chylde & noo more· came towarde the sayd holy man / ¶The whyche wydowe for so­me pytenous consyderacōus her monyge purposyd for to do certayn a [...]messes by the sayd holy manes honde / ¶And for to doo this she toke hȳ a lytyll wrytynge that she hadde wryten wyth her owne honde / By the whyche she lete hym vnderstonde that she wolde haue dealed to poore folke the som̄e of .v.C· li. ¶And in receyuynge & openynge of y^e sayd wrytyng by the sayd holy man He knewe by the wyll of god. that she had be wyllynge for to doo her sayd almesse vnto the som̄e of xv. hūdred pode / ¶Soo dyde be calle the sayd wy­dowe / And in the presence of his sayde Almoner and Styewarde / whyche in lyke wyse by the shewynge of god / he knewe to haue wythholde to theyr be­houffe ten pounde of the fyftene po­unde that he afore had ordeynyd to be yeue to the poore man that had he robbed / ¶He charged the same wydowe that she sholde tell hym trouthe / Why­che she promysed hym to doo soo / Now herke sayd he my frende. by the faythe that thou owest to god. Haste not thou had late a wyll to make a gretter al­messe than of fyue hūdred poūde. She answerde Ye / And that she herself had wryten the writynge that she had delyuerde vnto hym / And she was well cer­tayne that by y^e sayd wrytyng she had declared that her wyll was to yeue fyttene hūdred poūde for goddis sake to poore peple / ¶But by cause that sone after as she wolde haue take the sayde wrytynge. she had seen as she lokyd in [...]. that where she had wryten that her wyll was to giue an almesse of fyftene hundred pounde to the poore peple she founde but fyue hundred pounde oonly in nombre / And for this cause she had restrayned her fyrst wyll / And had purposyd & thoughte that she sholde gyue oonly the sayd fyue hundred pounde / Supposynge by the retornynge & cha­unge of the sayd wrytynge. the wyll of god to be / That she sholde not gyue but this fyue hundred pounde / And that she shold kepe the remenaunt for her sone / ¶Thyse wordes soo spoken And after that she had delyuered to saynt Iohan the sayd fyue hundred po­unde / And was gone from hym / He sayd to his sayde Stiewarde and Almo­ner / ¶I praye to god that he call you and aske you ones acompte of a thou­sande poūde y^t this wydowe hath with holde. as ye be boūde to yeue hem ayen [Page Cxxxix] ¶For and yf he had taken to the poore man the xv.li. that I hadd ordeyned for hym / And wherof ye haue wythholde .x.li. our lord shold haue suffred. that this wydowe sholde haue gyuen to the poore peple the same thousand pounde that she hath wythholde in her honde. ¶Thenne the sayd Almoner & Stye­warde knowynge theyr mysdedes prosternyd or [...]aste theymself at his fete & requyred hym mercy & amendement. and they sholde neuer doo suche a no­ther offence /

¶Of Niceta Patrice & ruler of the co­myn w [...]ele in Alexandrye / Begynnynge in latyn ¶Intuens niceta et cetera Caplm .C.xvi.

IN Alexandrye was a Prouost or ruler of the cyte. namyd Nyceta. fulfylled of the deuyll. the whyche came to argue and repreue the holy Patryarke saynt Iohan / Sayenge to hym / ¶Syre ye waste all the londe. For ye deale to freely the syluer that is broughte to you / Better it were that ye sholde putt it to the comyn tresour / ¶The holy man wythoute to angre hymself answerde to hym / Haa my lorde it is not leyffull. that the goodes gyuen to the god in heuen. be torned or appropred to the erthely thynges / ¶But and yf semith the to be doo / Goo thou vnder my bedde. and take the tresoure of Ihesu Cryste that is there / So doo therof thy wyll / ¶Thenne this Patrice that hadd the rule and gouernaunce of the comyn weele in Alexandrye. made alle to be laden / And lefte hym noo more than to the nombre of an hūdred penyes of golde / ¶And as he was co­mynge downe from the sayd Patryar­kes chambre / He mette wyth men of Affryque. the whiche bare certayne bot telles full of golde / Vpon some of the whiche was wryten / Hony ryght good And vpon the other / Hony wythoute smoke / ¶The sayde Patryce or Ruler whan he sawe thise superscrypcōns sente worde to the sayd holy man that he sholde sende hym some honne / ¶And he that was so moche humble and meke. sente hym the bottell. vpon whyche was wryten Honee right good wyth a letter wherin was wryten this that fo­folowyth. ¶Our lorde that hath sayd I shall not leue the. Is wythout lesynge / And he is very god. the whyche gy­ueth bothe mete and lyfe / ¶And noo man corruptyble can not by ony wyse [Page] constrayne him / And therfore to god I cōmende the / ¶And after he comma­unded to theym that bare the sayd battelles· that they sholde make theym to be openyd afore theym / And that they sholde saye that all the other that they had seen were full of syluer / ¶The whyche thynge done / Whanne the sayde Patrice sawe that he sente hym but one bottell alone / he was sore we othe agaynst hym / And after he radde his lettre. ¶And whan̄e he sawe that worde. That man corruptyble canne not constrayne god / He was full sory and dysplaysaunt of that he hadd done / ¶And Incontynent came agayne to the holy Patryarke / And toke hym a­gayne alle that he had hadde of hym ¶And wyth this he gaaf hym of hys owne thre hundred penies of golde / Requyryng hym by grete contrycyon that he wolde gyue hym penaunce for his synnes / ¶Thenne the holy man was sore merueyllyd of his conuersyon soo sodaynly sore / ¶And seenge his repentaunce comforted hym wyth mery wordes / And from that tyme ther were soo grete frendes togyder. that the sayd Nicera Patrice of Alexandrye made hym his Godsypp /

¶Of the scarnesse and derthe of scor­ne and suche goodes / ¶And of a man that required to be made Deaken. and begynnyth in latyn ¶Qui Abraham &c. Caplm: C.vii.

GOd that tempted Abraham for to knowe his obeyssaunce / Towchynge the offrynge vp of hys sone Ysaac / ¶In lyke wyse be tempted the good Patryarke Iohan as herafter folowyth /

¶It is rehercyd here aboue. how the Assiryens that had be sore oppressyd of the Percyens For to eschewe theyr woodnesse. forsoke and lefte theyr owne londe / And many of theim came to A­lexandrie for to be socoured in theyr pouertee by the holy Patryarke Iohan / ¶They beynge in Alexandrye. hap­ped there a grete derthe and scarcitee of corne. thorugh the occasyon of the flo­de of the ryuer of Nyle that bedewyth and watreth the londe had be soo my­nysshyd & lessed of water. that it myghte not yeue hys moyst [...]es & ouer flowē ges acustomyd to the erthe. ¶Soo had [Page Cxl] act that tyme the Patriarke gyuen for goddis sake to the poore peple alle hys tresour. and wyste not where to borow more nother golde nor syluer / Wherof he was ryght sory. and namely by cause he myghte nor contynue his almesse / as he had of custome / ¶He sett hȳself to praye. & contynued in his orysons lō ge tyme ¶In the sayd cite was a man bygame / that is to wyte. the whiche by cause he knewe y^t the holy man was in grete necessytee. wolde constrayne hȳ to make hȳ a deaken in his chirche / And by cause he sholde not haue durst speke to hym therof. he sent hym a letter. by y^e whyche he besoughte hym that he wolde make hym deaken in his chirche / to the ende that in seruynge god wyth hȳ he might haue remyssōn of his syn̄es. & he sholde gyue hym .ii. C.M. Rasers of whete. wyth a .C. & four score poūde of money / ¶His lettres seen. the Patryarke sent for hym & after made to go oute of his chambre all his folke that were there / By cause y^t he wolde not repreue hym by for theim / ¶After that they were gone. the holy Patryarke sayd to hym / ¶My frende thy proffer is mo­che necessary. seeng the tyme of the derthe that we haue now / But neuerthelesse it is defoylled with the synne of Symonye. ¶In the olde testament men offred not y^e bestes to god· were they grete or lytyll / but yf they were pure & cle­ne / ¶For of those that were bespotted man dyde neuer offrynge / ¶And ther­fore god had not agreable the sacrefyce of Caym / ¶And as towchyng my bredern. or euer thyself or I were god had p [...]rueyed and nourysshyd theym / And he shall yet doo soo to theim and to me as I hope / ¶For all they that kepe the cōmaundements of god / shall not haue nother nede nor pouerte. but all plentee & habundance of goodes / ¶Our lorde that multeplyed the .v. loues of barley / maye well multeplye also .x. Rasers of whete that are in my Garnere / ¶And therfore my frende I shall tell y^e for an answere. that whiche is wryten in that tes of thapostles / That is y^t thou shalt not haue in the chirche nother part nor porcōn ¶And as he sayd thise wordes came Incontinent tidynges to the holy Patriarke. how two shyppes of the chirche were londed wythin the hauen. and came out of Cecyle lade wyth whete / ¶Then̄e the holy man thankyd oure lord sayeng / My god I thāke y^e that y^u wolde not haue suffred that I shold haue solde thy grace for ony nede that I haue had / ¶Certaynly my god I byleue stedfastli. that thou shalt neuer forsake in the grettest nede theym that shall obeye the / & that wyth good herte shall fulfylle thy cōmaūdements /

¶Of two clerkes that dyde falle in to synne / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Quibusdam / Caplm .C.xviii

TWo yonge Clerkes. hauynge questyon togyder. smote wrongefully eche other / ¶And for this cause by the holy Patryarke Iohn̄ they were denouncyd acursyd / ¶That one of theym tweyne knowleged his synne / But the other abydyn­in his obstynacy dyspysed the sayd sen­tence of cursynge / ¶For he was well [Page]

gladde to haue occasyon for to flee the chyrche. & to abyde in his wyckydnesse / And neuerthelesse he thretenyd the sayde Patryarke to dysplayse hym in hys persone / ¶And men sayde comynly. y^t it was he that had born to the Patryce Niceta the money of the chyrche y^t was taken vnder the bedde of the sayd Pa­triarke / And that had be yelden again afterwarde. as it is sayd afore / ¶The malyce of this outrageous acursyd mā was shewed to the holy Patryarke. but this notwythstondyng he had of hym pyte / And remembred the worde of the apostle saynt Poul. sayenge / Who is he y^t is seke & not I / ¶Now was the cha­ryte of the sayd Patryarke soo grete / y^e whan he sawe one in syn̄e. he wepte vpon hym / And as to hym was aduys. he felte well his sykenesse / ¶He then̄e made the sayd acursed man to be callid to hym / And wa [...]tyd him of his conscyence. as he was wonte to warne his other subgettes / ¶But whan he sawe his e­uyll frowardnesse. and that he was made harde in his synne / He lefte and for­soke hym as a rotyn membre / ¶This neuerthelesse vpon a Sondaye. the sayde Clerke beynge yet in his frowardes As the holy Patryarke came to the awter for to offre his sacryce vnto god / after his custome / ¶He remembred hym of the counseylle of Ihesu Cryste. that sayd / ¶Whanne thou shalt brynge thine offrynge vnto the awter / And that thou shalt thynke that thy brother ha­the some euyll wyll and hate agaynste the / Thou oughtest to leue that. y^t thou woldest offre to god / And goo to hym thyne enmye for to reconcyle the wyth hym / ¶Wherfore the holy Patryarke willynge to doo soo· sente Incontynent for the sayde acursyd man / And made the messager praye that he sholde come to speke wyth hym vnder surete / And whanne he was come / This holy Pa­tryarke knelyd on his knees afore him And beloughte hym of mercy / ¶Wherof it happed that the sayd acursyd persone had knowlege of his sinne. and he hymselfe requyred mercy / ¶Thorugh his humylyte was the prowde frow [...] ­de man mekyd in his pryde / ¶And by his charytee. was the hate of the sayde acursyd man paste / ¶And fynably he dyde penaunce of the sinne that he had done / And had of it grete contrycyon & dyspleysaunce /

¶Of the noyse that the holy Patryarke Iohn̄ had agaynst the Ruler Niceta / And begynnyth in latyn ¶De [...]mquidam / Caplm .C.xix.

[Page Cxli]

NEuer to haue noyse with a nother it is angels lyfe / Sōtyme to stryue the one wyth y^e other it is man̄es lyf / Euermore to haue noyse & hate it is a deuyls lyfe / ¶To this purpose is to be noted. y^t the holy Patriarke / for some right of the lawe Cyuyl had on a tyme questyon wyth the sayd Patrice Niceta / The questyon was suche. y^t the Patrice wold haue certain trybute to be put & sett of newe vpon y^e peple of the londe / The whiche thynge y^e sayd Patryarke wolde not consente / by cause y^t the poore folke sholde haue be hurte therby ouer sore / ¶And for y^e grete varyaunce that fell therby. they de­parted from eche other with wrath the one agaynst the other / ¶Soone after att after none / aboute fyue of the cloc­ke / The sayd holy Patryarke. thynkinge in hymself. that the wyse man oughte neuer. to angre hymself for noo ma­ner cause that it be. sente his Archedeaken to the said ruler Niceta. & sent him on̄ly thise wordes ¶Dn̄e sol ad occasū est / That is asmoche for to say. my lorde the sonne is nygh to goo vnd (er) / After that Niceta had herde thise wordes. he cowde not hold his coūtenaunce. but as fulfylled wyth the fyre of the holy ghoste cam̄ to the sayd holy Patryarke. the whiche whan he sawe hym. he sayd to hȳ / ¶Alas thou arte welcome the sone of the chyrche & obeyssaūt to her cōma­ūdements / Then̄e they dyde enbrace e­che other in token of grete loue. After the whyche enbraginces the holy Patriarke began totake the worde. & said to hym in this wyse / ¶My lord I praye the byleue me / For by cause I knowe y^e sore trowbled. I wolde well haue spoke with the / & for none other cause. I coū seylle & warne the y^e in tyme to come y^u byleue nomore noo reportes of false tales & flaterers ¶For yf thou woll lene thyne eeres vnto suche. they shall gyue the a cause many euylles to begynne / And they shall counseylle the that thȳ ge. whyche shall not be nother leyffull good ne prouffytable / ¶For I haue founde myselfe dysceyued therby oftentymes / ¶Wherfore to theyr reportes. sa­yenges. flaterynges. and false accusacyons. men oughte neuer to gyue creden­ce nor faythe / ¶Thenne the Patryce consyderynge the mekenesse and the fayr ensamples of y^e sayd Patryarke. answerde. that he sholde neuer byleue su­che men / Nor sholde not gyue faythe & byleue to theyr flaterynges ne to theyr wordes / ¶But he sholde dyspyse the­ym and sette theym alle atte noughte / ¶And by this manere meanes was [Page] peasyd that questyon that was bytwix theym for the cause aboue sayde /

¶Of Gregori the neuew of tholy Patryarke / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Iste memoriabilis / Caplm C.xx.

BYtwene one namyd Gregory whiche was neuew of the sayd holy Patryarke & a Tauerner of Alexandrye moeuyd a grete debate / In whyche this Gregory openly was sore wronged. by shamefull wordes to hȳ sayd by the sayd Tauerner / y^e whiche Gregory consyderyng· y^e he y^t was neuew of the sayd holy Patryarke had be thus dyspysed or fowle spoken vnto openly. & of a man Infamyd. began to wepe right sore / And the holy Patryarke seenge the secrete dysplaysaūce & sorowe y^t his neuewe made / wolde know what was y^e cause / Grogory herupon examined coude not for his grete an [...]e dyscharge nor shewe his courage in [...] wyse. nor speke wyth the sayd holy Patryarke / ¶Neuertheles some y^t had herde & seen the debate. tolde hym a parte how it was / The holy Patryarke wil­lyng to hele fyrste his neuew or euer he sholde enquyre ferd (er) of the trouth of the befall. sayd to hym for to comfort hym suche & lyke wordes in substaunce / My neuew I am gretely merueyllyd· & sore euyll apayd how y^t foole hath be so holde to open his mouth ayenst the / Byleue thou me. I ensure the. y^t I shall doo this daye a thynge wherby all Alexandrye shall merueylle / ¶And after seenge his anger & heuinesse tempred & peasen kyssed his sayd neuew & sayd / My swete frende yf in folowynge this me­kenesse of me. thou woll be my neuew / I praye the that y^u woll be vtterly agreable & content· for to endure & suffre almanere repreyffes & wronges of al persones / ¶Certaynly it is true y^t the knowlege & kynred comyth more of vertues. than it doth of blood / And how wel y^e be myn owne neuew / Neuertheles for more grete sybbe & kynred to haue w^t me / I praye the y^t thou be good & vertues in alle thy dedes prayenge to god y^t he woll helpe & socoure the in all thyne aduersytees & that euer he make the to encrease in good werkes / ¶Now they beȳge present wende y^t the said Tauerner sholde haue be scorged & bete ch [...]u [...]h the towne for the repreuynge of the holy Patryarkes neuewe / But by his grete mekenesse. he dyde the contrary / For he cōmaunded that he that toke trybu­te ouer alle the Tauerners. sholde take in tyme comynge noo trybute of hym / [Page Clxii] ¶And thus he was made free for the grete wronge that he had done to hys [...]we ¶Then̄e knewe those present that this was that he wolde haue sayd that he shold doo suche a thynge wherof all Alexandrye sholde merueyle /

¶Of the Dyacōn of the sayd holy patryarke namyd Damyen / Begynnynge in latyn ¶Nunciatum est. et cetera Caplo· C.xxi. &.xxii.

IT was shewed to the sayd ho­ly Patriarke· that one of his deakens namyd Damyen hadde cōceyued hate & euyll wyll ayenst a nother / ¶And it happed that vpon a sondaye. this deaken wythoute to be reconcyled to hys enmye. wolde receyue hys Creatoure / And to be admynystred by the honde of the sayd holy Patryarke / And presented hymself afore hym for this cause ¶The Patryarke seeng his presumcōn. rebukyd hȳ byfore the cler­gye. of the hate that he bare to his euin crysten / And sayd to hym or y^t he shol­de receyue the blessyd sacrament of the awter· he wolde he sholde reconcyle hȳ to his aduersary / For otherwyse he sholde not admynystre to hym the precyoꝰ body of our lord / ¶Then̄e the deaken taken wyth grete shame. to haue be thꝰ corrected afor so many folke. durst not dysobeye hym / And promysyd that he shold neuer haue in Indignacōn to hȳ that he had hated soo sore. but shold take hym from thens forth in grete loue / ¶And then̄e the sayd holy Patryarke seenge his contrycōn & repentaunce admynystryd mekely hym the sayd holy sacrament / ¶For reason of the whiche correccōn. his subgets from y^e tyme for the dradde to haue hate & rancour the one ayenst the other / Ferynge leest they sholde be corrected in suche wyse / Wherby it apperyth y^t a good pastour. whan he knowyth in his folke & amonge his subgets a wyckyd synnar obstynate / & that he maye not brynge hym to good lyfe by secrete & kynde exhortacōns / he oughte to rebuke hym sharply & open­ly. to the ende he be constrayned by force & sharpnesse /

¶Of the tombe of saynt Iohan the Almoner. the whyche he wolde not suffre to be full made / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Diffinicionem / et cetera Caplm .C.xxiii.

IN olde tyme whanne an Em­perour was crowned / they that made the tombes brought him foure or fyue peces of marble of diuers [Page] colours / And askyd hym of whyche he wolde his tombe sholde be made / And by this was to hȳ shewed that he muste ones deye / And that he ought to thȳ ke for his soule. and to rule wel his empyre / ¶The holy Patryarke that this wold haue in mynde. commaūded that his tombe sholde be bygonne in y^e pla­ce where the other Patryarkes were buryed. But he wolde not haue it ful made. to the ende that they that sholde see it. shold haue occasyon to tell him that he sholde doo make it vp. in bryngyng hȳ to mynde. that he knewe not / what houre he sholde deye / And by this meane trowed to haue contynuell remem­braunce of his deth. aslonge as he was alyue / Wherby of lyght he eschewed to synne dedely.

¶Of the ye [...]tes that saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner sent to the Patryarke of Iherusalem for a socoure agaynst the Paynyms / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Do­mino &c. Caplm .C.xxiiii.

THe holy Patryarke Iohn̄ se­enge the dystruccōn of the temples of Iherusalem the why­che sholde be made by the Persyens for the synnes of the peple. sente to the Patriarke of Iherusalem a thousande penyes· a thousande sackes full of where and a thousande hogges heedes of beenes & pe [...]sen to make potage wyth / A thousande pounde of yren. a thousand tonne of wyne and a thousande Egiptyens. cunnynge & good werke men in makynge and buyldynge of chyrches / ¶And he wrote to the sayd Patriarke in this manere / O very dyspensatoure of Ihesu cryste / I byseche the gyue me pardonne that I goo not to the / Tru­ly I wold it were couenable that I myight goo thider for to buylde in the place of the Resurreccōn of Ihesu Cryst / ¶Notwythstondyng I praye the that thou take as for a thynge of noughte the gyfte that I sende to the / But pray god oonly that he gyue me that preuylege to be wryten in y^e boke of lyf /

¶How a marchaūt gaaf to saynt Io­han y^e Almoner a ryche couerlet for to couere ouer his sory bedde / & begyn̄yth ¶Arripuit scūs / Caplm .C.xxv.

IN Alexandrye was a grete marchaūte / the whiche knowyng y^t Iohn̄ the holy Patryarke slepte on a sory bedde and was couered with a couerlet of wull. sent him a nother couerlet. of y^e price & valew of xxxiii. pe [...] of golde. Prayenge hym as it had not [Page Clxiii] be for his honestee to haue a bedde soo euyll apparayled. that he wolde laye it vpon his bedde. hauyng hym in a re­membraūce / The holy Patryarke gra­unted to the request of the said marchaunt. couered hym wyth alle the nyghte folowyng. ¶And as his chambrelaȳs dyde reherce & shewe. he sayd all nyght in hymself / Where is he that shall dare saye that the Patryarke Iohn̄ is meke fyth that he is heelyd wyth a couerlett. worth .xxxvi. pens of golde. and the po­re peple dey for colde / ¶How many is there now that chattre her teeth for colde. whyche haue no clothes to couer theymselfe wyth / ¶How many holy fad (er)s in wyldernesse goo euery nyghte to bed wythout supper & wythout lyghte. ha­ [...]ynge dowble passyon. the one of colde thother of hungre / ¶How many is there y^t sholde holde theymself well fedde wyth the leues of the coole wortes that men cast out of my kechin. ¶How many is there that wold haue of the broth that my coke castyth a waye. And that wolde well haue of the wyne of my celler / ¶How many pylgryin̄s is there in this towne that wote not where to lodge / And y^t chaūge not theyr clothes. be it wynter or somer / How many is ther that syth a monyth or two ete nother oyle nor other lycour / And thiselfe poore Iohn̄ hast y^u an hope to haue playsure euerlastȳg· and thou etest & drinkest of the best breede. wyne & fysshe. and lyest in a bedde well apparayled / And a thyng that is more excedynge. thou ha [...]e a ryche couerlet. vnder the whiche y^u art warmed. Certaȳly who that lyueth in suche delyces. wyth grete payne he may gete y^e lyf euerlastyng. Alas Iohn̄ remembre in thyself of the sharpe worde proferred & sayde to the euyll Ryche man. that was suche / ¶Thou wyckid ryche haste had many goodes in thy lyfe. & the poore / many sorowes. the whyche thou dispysed in puttyng theim fro the as foule & vyle / Therfor now thou arte wyth good ryght tormented / & the poore comforted in euerlastynge Ioye / ¶Whan y^e holy Patryarke Iohn̄ had consydred all thyse thynges / he conclu­ded in hymself. that the nyghte folow­ynge he sholde not beele hym wyth the sayd couerlet that the sayd marchaunt had sente hym / but he dyde consydre y^e more better & couenable a thinge it were that an .C.lxxxiiii. pore men. y^e whi­che he callyd his lordes shold be heelyd wyth. than hym alone / ¶It is trouth that in Alexādrye folke made couerlets of Rede. wherof men had four for a peny / and the couerlet that was gyuen to hȳ had coste .xxxvi. pens of golde / The next daye he sent it to be solde / & it happed that he y^t had yeue it to the sayd Patryarke. boughte it for the sayd som̄e. & sente it ayen to y^e sayd Patryarke / that made it to be solde thre tymes / and the marchaūt thre tymes sent it ayen. prayenge hym that he sholde heele hymself wyth. & that he sholde haue hym in remembraūce / ¶The holy man toke it supposynge a thynge to be leyffull & couenable to fynde a meane. by the why­che men may. for the sauynge of the ryche. yeue theyr moneye for goddis sake Pryncypally whan they ben couetous folke & wythout mercy / For by this meane men wynne ofte theyr soules / and also grete mede wythall / ¶And for to approue his entencōn. he toke for a witnesse [Page] saynt Typhanye that subtylly toke the money of saynt Iohn̄ the Pa­tryarke of Iherusalem. And dealyd it to the poore peple /

¶Of a chaunger namyd Peter. y^t made hymself to be solde by his seruaunt. as a bonde man. for to socoure the pore peple / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Dignū &c. Caplm .Cxxvi.

THe holy Patriarke rehercyd often a nother befall well lyke y^e other. that is conteyned in the chappytre byfore sayd / Whyche he say­de it was happed in Affryque / As one of his seruauntes beynge his atourneye in Cypre had tolde hym. The whyche was a faythful & a true man to the hour of his dethe / & the whiche had dwelled in the sayd londe of Affryque wyth a ryche man y^t kept a chaunge / ¶And he sayde that vpon a tyme amonge o­ther. there as his dwellynge place was the poore folke were gadren at the son̄ syde in the strete. and tolde the one to y^e other the houses where they moost ofte had almesses. & praysed theym moche / ¶And in lyke wyse they nombred the houses where they had noo thinge. and sayd moche euyll of theym / Soo sayde one of theym that he ofte had almesse of a chaunger that dwellyd nexte hym The whyche Chaunger was mayster of the sayd Patryarkes seruaunt. as he sayd / ¶That other poore man answered that neuer by hȳ nor by none other of his house. was not gyue hym noo almesse / Then̄e a nother of the sayd po­re folke sayde to theym / What woll ye gyue me yf I can̄e doo somoche. that I gete almesse there / ¶Alle the poore peo­ple beynge there at the son̄e syde. knowynge the couetyse & the colde charite of the Chaūger / made a wager wyth the sayd poore man. Sayenge that he cowde not gete noo thinge of hym. And he to the contrary sayd / he shold haue somwhat of him / ¶Soo came he to the dore of y^e sayd Chaūgers place. And wayted whan he shold come out / And as bi aduenture the sayd Chaunger was gone afore out of his sayd hous and was comynge homewarde ayen / And after him were asses comynge loden with loues of brede made of Rye for his mey­ne / ¶Then̄e the sayd poore man seenge the sayd Chaūger & the brede of rye y^t was brought to his place wyth hym askyd hȳ thre or foure tymes an almesse for goddis sake / ¶The chaūger as noyouse to here hym soo ofte calle af­ter hym for an almesse. lokyd abowte [Page Cxliiii] hym / yf he myghte fynde a stone for to caste at hym / but he fonde none. & then̄ he toke a loof of brede. y^t whiche by grete dyspyte he caste at his heed / And this seenge the poore man toke vp the brede and went agayn to his felowes. & shewed it vnto theym. sayenge it was yeuen hym there / ¶It happed two dayes after that the sayd Chaunger felle syke / & wende well to haue deyed / And in y^e sykenesse he had a vysion. whyche was suche / That he muste gyue acounte of all his dedes / the whyche he sawe in a balaunce / Soo came byfore hym two grete companyes. wherof the one was a grete meyne of blacke & dredfull persones. and sore ferdfull for to see. and y^e other felyshyp was al whyte & full-gracyons & playsaunt for to behold / They that were whyte sayd amonge theym. that in all his werkes he neuer dyde o­ny goode dede. But oonly an almesse y^t he had done two dayes afore and yet it was ayenst his wyll / But the blacke folke poynted and shewed him euylles wythout nombre by hȳ cōmytted & done. as well by the synne of Couetyse as of other / ¶And thenne the sayd whyte folke. desyrynge to saue hym fro daungeour· cōmaunded hym that he sholde encreace his almesse. and also that he shold amende his lyf / Or elles the blacke persones sholde euermore tormente hym ¶After he was awaked he knew his vysion to be true / For he hadd seen therby al that he euer he dyde in his youth vnto that houre And the sayd blacke persones hadd broughte the balance for to weye his mysdedes / but the other had noo thynge to brynge wyth theym excepte on̄ly the almesse that he had do as by constraynynge. and agaynst hys wyll / ¶Thenne he sayde in hymselfe / Alas my god / somoche thou arte meke / ¶Yf thou graūtest that on̄ly an almesse whyche I haue gyue spytefully. to be vnto me somoche worthe. as to delyuer me out of the power of y^e deuyls. How moche good doth an almesse that is gyuen wyth mekenesse & deuocōn / ¶And from that tyme fourth the sayd Chaū ger was soo grete gyuer of almesses & so free. that he spared not his owne body / ¶Ones in a mornynge it befell as he went toward the chaunge· that he founde a Marynar / the whyche by fortune had be perysshed & was lefte as na­kyd as he was come out of his moders bely / The whyche knelyd on bothe his knees afore the said Chaunger. and askyd his almesse / ¶The Chaunger seēg his pouerte toke of his gowne. that was the beste that he hadd. and gaaf it hym / The pore man that durst not were soo good a gowne. went Incōtynent and solde it to an Vpholster / ¶Whan the Chaunger goynge forth by. knewe his gowne that heng at the Vpholsters dore. and all redy was there to selle. he was sore wrothe & angry / ¶Soo went he in to his chambre for to wepe & sayde. alas that I am vnhappi· I was not worthy that y^e poore man sholde haue be clothed with my vesture / ¶Fynably he felle a slepe / And whyle he slepte he sawe ouer his heede a fayre & a playsaunt childe. that bare a crosse & the gowne that the sayd Chaunger had gyuen for goodis sake / Whyche sayd to hym / ¶My frende why wepest thou / The Chaunger answered / Haa my lorde I wepe. by cause that of the goodes that [Page] thou gyuest vs / Whan somtyme we gyue theym to the pore folke. they bystow theym in euyll vsages / ¶Thenne he shewed hym his gowne. sayenge / My frende. knowest thou not this gowne / wyth whyche I am clothed / I thanke the / For certaynly I was sore acolde at that tyme thou gaue it to me / ¶The Chaunger consyderynge the wordes y^t the chyld sayd vnto him / began to prayse the poore peple in this wise / ¶Syth that the poore folke represent the persone of our lorde Ihesu Cryste. I purpose that from this hour forthon. I shall do as the poore peple of god doon / ¶And thenne he sente hastely his Notary. the whyche he had boughte after the custome that men were boughte that tyme / ¶And whan he was come to hym. he delyuered hym x. pounde of golde. say­enge that yf he dyde not his cōmaundement he sholde selle hym to the straungers & Sarrasyns / ¶The sayd Cha­unger cōmaunded hym. that he sholde brynge hym to Iherusalem and that he sholde selle hym to a Crysten. And that he sholde gyue suche moneye as he sholde haue for hym to the poore folke ¶The whyche thyng the Notary wolde not doo. but by cause that the Chaū ger thretnyd hym. be feryd hymself to be solde / ¶Soo broughte he his mays­ter vnto Iherusalem / And as they were comyn thyder the Notary founde a frende of his. that also was a Chaun­ger. To whom he prayed for to bi [...] his subget. the whiche was a gode & a true seruaunt ¶To whom this Chaunger answered. that he had not money yno­ugh redy for to paye him / And the Notary sayd vnto hym / Certaynly I ma­ke the sure yf thou take hym. that god by hym shall gyue the his blessynge

¶Thenne the Chaunger bought him for as moche as our lorde was solde / That it to wyte. the somme of thyrty pens / ¶Whan he had solde hym and delyuered hym. he wente ayen to Con­stantynople / And wythout to vtter his sale gaaf for goodis sake the moneye that he had receyued for hym. as he dyde promyse hym for to doo / ¶Then̄e Peter the Chaunger thus solde seruyd the Chaunger his mayster in all thynges to hym possyble / ¶He wasshed hys clothes· scouryd the dysshes / And dyde all that a good seruaunt oughte to doo And wythin that de made grete absty­nences / ¶The Chaunger seenge his manere of lyuynge. & also that he was well encreased in goodes syth the sayd Peter was come to hym. wolde nomo­re kepe hym as a seruaunte. but as hys brother / ¶And neuerthelesse by his grete humylyte & goodnesse he made hym selfe to be beten and wronged of the o­ther seruauntes of the house / and sayde noo thynge there agaynst / ¶Wherfore they helde hym for a foole / And as many tymes and ofte as he was trowbled of theym. he hadde suche a vysion as y^e same that he had seen afore in Affry­que. of the chylde that apperyd to hym wyth his gowne whyche he had gyues for goddes sake / And shewed hym the thyrty pens. wherfore he hadd be solde / Sayenge vnto hym / ¶Peter haue pa­cyence. and endure yet a lytyll. awaytinge after the rewarde of thy labours /

¶That tyme came oute of his coun­treye many Chaungers to Iherusa­lem the cyte. for to worshypp the holy [Page Cxliiii] pl [...]s / The whiche Chaungers were [...]ty [...]ed of the sayde Peters mayster for to [...] to dyner wyth hym in his house / ¶And whan they were sette at the table / They sayd the one to the other / beholdyng the sayd Peter / ¶How wel is y^e seruaunte like vnto Peter the Chager / Peter dyde hide hys vysage as moche as he cowde / ¶Thise sayd Chaū ­gers yet agayne thynkynge euer vpon the sayd Peter. sayde to Zoyle the Chaunger that had prayed theym to dyner Certaynly Zoyle a grete thynge is happed vnto the / For yf we erre not. thou hast in thy seruyse a grete man / and of a ryche house They were not yet certayn of his very knowlege / By cause his face was soo sore chaūged / As well for the payne that he tooke in the kechyn / As for the fastynges and abstynences that he made / ¶And after that they had deuysed longe. One of theym say­de / Certaynly it is mayster Peter the Chaunger / I woll / see hym better anone / ¶The emperour of Constantynople is sore heuy that he knowyth not where he is become / ¶The gode Peter vnderstode thise wordes / he lete goo the dysshe that he bare: and ran̄e downe to the gate / ¶To the whyche gate was a man that of his byrth was bothe deyff and dombte / The whyche man kepte the sayd gate. ¶And whanne the sayd Peter came to him. he sayd to him / My frende in the name of god open the gate / ¶Thenne this man bothe deyff & dombte. that neuer had herde. nor spo­ken afore· vnd (er)stode Peter Incontynent And to hym spake twyes. sayenge /

Well mayster / ¶Thenne he opened the gate / And the sayde Peter fledde awaye / ¶The whyche thynge seenge this dombte man. came to his mayster. And vnto him rehercyd the myracle in presence of all they that were at the table / ¶Wherof they were gretly merueyled and sore abasshyd / ¶And more o­uer sayd to theim / I praye you lete me god after Peter / For surely he is a gre­te seruaunte of god / ¶He badde me o­pen the gate in name of our lorde / And thus he ranne awaye / ¶Oute of hys mouthe came a grete flamme. that hathe towchyd myn teres / And Inconty­nent the heryng and the speche was yeuen vnto me / ¶They all thenne roos from the table. and wente after hym. But they cowde not see hym noo morere / ¶The mayster knowynge the ver­tues of Peter / And the place wherof he was come. wonderfull sory of that he had boughte hym to be his bondman / ¶And yet more by cause that he hadd sette hym to the offyce of his kechyn / Seenge that he was soo holy a persone And pryncypally they that callyd him foole and from his wytte / Whan they had knowlege of it. they were sore troublyd wyth alle / And bare therfore grete penaunce / ¶The whyche hystory re­hercyd often the holy Patryarke / for to moeue the hertes of the Crysten to gy­ue gladly almesses of theyr goodes for goddis sake to poore folke /

¶Of saynt Cerapyon / And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶Omnibus, et cetera / Caplm .C.xxvii.

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THe holy Patriarke Iohn̄ that was cladde wyth alle vertues / reherced & shewed gladly ma­ny good hystoryes / And pryncypally of theym. that deuowtely dyde theyr al­meses / ¶One daye amonge other it happed. that he reherced and shewed of saynt Scrapyon / otherwyse callyd Sydomyen / ¶How that on a tyme amonge other in goynge by the waye. he had gyuen hys mantell to a poore man /

¶And after as he wente forthe on his waye. He founde a nother poore man / that was al trowbled for colde / To the whyche poore man he gaaff his gow­ne / And abode all nakyd / Beryng on̄ ­ly a boke of gospels / ¶Soo was he a­none mette of a man / that askyd hym Who had thus dyspoylled hym / ¶To whom in shewynge the sayde boke of gospels. wyth his fynger he answeryd in this manere / ¶The same hath do­ne it / As he wolde saye that she [...] of the sayd gospels hadde constraynyd hym to gyue for goddis sake bothe his mantell and his gowete / ¶It happed after one tyme amonge other. that he solde the sayde gospels / And in lykewyse gaaf the moneye that he had for it for goddis sake ¶Soo after his clerke vnknowynge that his mayster had solde the sayd boke / questyoned of hym where were his gospels / ¶And the sa­yd holy man answered hym mekely in this wyse / Truely my sone god hath commaunded that men sholde selle all that they haue. for to gyue to the poore for goddis sake / ¶And therfore haue I solde the same gospels / And the mo­neye therof. I haue gyuen for his lo­ue to the poore peple /

¶A nother thynge a more wonderful dede done of the sayd holy man / A pore woman wente towarde hym / sayenenge to hym in this wyse / That she & her chyldren by grete pouertee and [...]e­de deyed for hungre / ¶The sayd holy man seenge that he hadde noo thynge to gyue to this poore woman. but oon­ly hymselfe / ¶And consyderynge yf she wolde selle hym to the Grekes / She sholde well haue money for hym ¶For the Grekes had a custome that they boughte men and wymmen stra­ungers fro theyr nacyon / ¶And sayde vnto her thyse worde [...]. / ¶My frende I haue noo thynge to gyue the / But I shalt lern the how them shalt haue moneye. for to socour the and thyne at thy nede / ¶Thou shalt sell me to the Grekes. and shalt take the moneye for [...] ¶The poore woman herynge thyse wordes was alle asharayd / But [...] [Page Cxlvi] [...]. he enfourmed her soo that she [...] [...]ente for to selle hym / And in [...] she solde hym to Marchauntes of G [...]ke ¶Wherof it happed by the will of god. That wythin a shorte tyme af [...] he torned all the Grekes to the crysten faythe /

¶The holy Patryarke this consyde­rynge sayd to hymself / ¶Alas I wen­ [...] to haue doone some good. for to gy­ [...] that. that god had gyuen / But I ge [...] not soo grete Rewarde. as doone my [...] that gyue not on̄ly theyr goodes. but also put theyr owne bodyes for the compassyon and pi [...]e that they haue of theyr neyghbours / ¶We other then̄e y^t are bywrapped wyth many syn̄es. and y^t [...]ue neyther ourself nor our goodes / ought wel to drede the rightwysnes of god / And therto we sholde wel take hede. consyderyng y^t by almesses we may sa [...]e ourself lyghtly /

¶How the holy Patryarke wolde not herken to the acusacions that men made agaynst the Relygyouses / And be­gynnyth in latyn ¶Semper quidem Caplm .Cxxviii·

THe holy Patryarke lefte neuer noo Relygyouses to haue ony nede / Soo that thei were of holy conuersacyon / And also wolde not here speke nor herken to theym that sayd euyll by theym / ¶Wherof it hap­ped ones. that a Relygyouse that wente from strete to strete. sekynge his bre­de wyth a fayre yonge mayde / Mette wyth some euyl folke / The whyche came and shewed to the holy man / How that the sayd Relygyouse went thrugh the cyte / And how he shamyd all other Relygyouses / ¶The holy Patryarke weninge to correcte the synne of the sayd Religious made the sayd mayde to be rebukyd. and departed from his felyshypp / ¶And soone after was the Re­lygyouse sore beten. and casten in pry­son / ¶The nyghte folowynge apper­ryd to the sayde Patryarke in his slepe a Relygyous. that shewed him his backe al rotyn. and sayd to hym / ¶O Patryarke it is thy wyll that it be soo do­ne / I promyse the that thou haste atte this tyme erryd as a man / And byleue that I saye / For the lyfe & the dethe a­re nyghe me / And this sayenge he wente awaye / ¶The nexte daye folowynge in the mornynge eerly the holy Pa­tryarke sente for the forsayde Relygy­ouse. for to vnderstonde yf he cowde know whether it was he of whom the forsayd Vysyon was apperyd & shew­ed vnto hym / ¶And whanne he was [Page] broughte byfore hym / Seenge hys vy­sage pale. he was all ashamyd / ¶After by cause he wolde see his backe / for to wyte yf it was rotyn as that other that he sawe in a vysion / Prayed hym that he wolde vnclothe hym· and that he sholde not be ashamyd / ¶The poore relygyous had all his ly [...]nes soo sore that he had almost noo power to re [...]eue hym / Neuerthelesse wyth moche payne vnclothed himself / ¶And it was founde that he had noo membres manly and his backe was all rotin / ¶Then̄e the holy Patryarke sent all his seruaū tes out of y^e chambre. and callid to him the sayd religyous / And askyd hȳ why he ladd that mayde wyth hym / Sayēg to hym that all folke & pryncypally religyouses oughte to kepe hemself from sklaundre & shame / and aboue all thinges fro companye of wym̄en / ¶The relygyous answerde that it was not lō ge agoo. that he was in the cite of Gazā And as he wolde haue come thens / after leue taken of his abbot Cirus. the sayd mayde. whyche was a Sarrasyn was come to hym abowte euen. & had prayed hym that he wolde not leue her by cause she wold be Crysten / He then̄e consyderynge her good wyll. and ferynge to offende god / Yf by his neclygence she had not contynued in her holy pur­poos. Hopyng also that the deuyll sholde not dysceyue hym by her. Had taken on his way wyth her. and had born her felyshypp vnto the cyte of Alexandrye / Where he had existned her. and sought a place for to haue her in to relygyon / And this doynge they asked theyr breede thorugh the cyte / The holy Patryarke seenge the holy affeccōn that he had to the soule of the good mayde. beg [...] for to crye / ¶Alas how many good seruauntes of god [...] is the worlde vn­knowen / ¶And after he gaaf hym a [...] hundred pens / But the relygyous wolde none take / Sayeng that it was not that he soughte / ¶And that all relygyouses that ben of good fayth haue noo nede of syluer / ¶And yf that they ha­ue nede / Men maye well saye that they haue noo fayth / ¶Thenne the Patryarke bowed his knees byfore hym and recommended hym to god / ¶And af­ter loued. maintened. and lodged the relygyouses more tenderly than he hadd done afore / ¶And after for the grete affeccyon and feruent loue that he had to them. dide buylde an hospytall without the cyte of Alexandrye. that he namyd the hospytall of Relygyouses /

¶How the holy Patriarke vysited the [...] in [...]ourynge to theyr dethe warde ¶And of hym that was broughte pry [...]er in Perse / And begynnyth in la­tyn ¶Mortalitate. et cetera Caplm .C.xxix.

A Grete dethe happed in Alex­andrye in the holy Patriarkes dayes / Durynge the whiche dethe / For to purchace gretter mede / And also for to shewe a token of mekenesse to all other / He wente and vysyted the lyke / and helped to wynde them whan they were decessed / ¶And often for to haue a contynuell mynde of dethe / He [...]syd theyre eyen after that they were deed / ¶And after made deuowte prayes and orysons. for the helthe of theyr poore soules / ¶And for to shewe that prayers and orysons that ben doone deuowtely. profyten to the deed / Here af­ter is rehercyd a fayre hystory of a mā the whyche was taken and broughte prysoner in to Perse / And was putt in a pryson that is callyd Lethe / Whyche is as moche for to saye. as Forgetynge Or to be putt oute of Remembraunce. ¶Some that fledde from thens for to goo in to Ethypre / Passed by the how­se of the frendes of the sayd prysonere / And they were questyoned yf they had not mette nor seen theyr kynnesman / ¶Wherat they answeryd. that wych theyr owne hondes they hadd buryed hym / ¶Alwayes it was not the same / But it was a nother that was well lyke hym / ¶And for to certefye the bet­ter that it was he. they namyd the monyth and also the daye that he deyed ¶The sayd frendes bi cause they wende thise mennes sayenges to be true. dyde do make thre seruyses euery yere for theyr sayde kynnesman / ¶That is to wyte. one att the feeste of the Epypha­nye. that we calle Tweluyfthdaye / the other vpon the holy Sondaye. that is Trynyte Sondaye. And the thyrde at the feeste of Pentecost. otherwyse called Wytsondaye. ¶It happed that foure yere after. the sayd prysoner came ayen To whom his frendes rehercyd & tol­de hym / That by cause men had reported to them that he was deed. they made for him vpon thise dayes. and euery yere the sayd seruyses / ¶The whyche thyng by hym herde of theym / He affermyd to theym for a trouthe / That he beynge wythin the sayde pryson / euery yere. and the same dayes. came to hym a man alle in whyte. that loosyd hym his chaynes wherwyth he was bounde And preseruyd hym from theym that kepte him / And after went beryng hys chaynes att his necke wythout the knowlege of ony man / ¶Wherfore he concluded that oryson prouffytyth moche to the prysoners vpon the Turkes and Sarrasyns / And pryncypally to theim that ben deed /

¶Of hym that prayed for his sone. and for his shyppe that was vpon the see / by cause it sholde not perysshe / And begynnyth in latyn / ¶Quod in acti (bus) aplo (rum) / Caplm .C.xxx.

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SVche a nother thynge we rede of the holy Patriarke in the boke of the dedes of thapostles· y^t many deuowte crystens seenge the gre­te cōpassion y^t he had toward the poore solde moche of theyr goodes. & broughte the money therof to y^e holy man for to be dreased by hȳ to the poore / ¶A­monge the other was one. that had on̄ ly but .vii. poūde of golde & an halfe / y^t whiche som̄e he brought to the sayd holy man. sayenge y^t it was all the golde that he had in his possessōn / ¶And as he toke him this golde. He sayd that he had on̄ly a sone of .xv. yere of aege. the whyche wyth a shyppe was gone in to Affryque ¶And bi cause he was in grete thoughte & malencolye of that he came not ayen soo soone as he was acus­tomyd. besoughte hym y^t he wold pray god that he wolde saue hym his sone & brynge his shyppe ayen to port salw / y^e holy Patryarke was merueylled of the goodnes and· kindnesse of this marchaunt. that had gyue all his golde att o [...] almesse / ¶Soo toke he soone the sayd golde. and put it vnder a table halow­ed prayenge god deuoutly for the hel­the of his sone & of his shippe / ¶Thirty dayes after came tydynges that hys sone was dysceased. but thre dayes af­ter the sayd tydynges. his shyppe came. and also his sone. that neuertheles was drowned in comyng wythin the hauen & the goodes wythin the shyppe lost / & there abode oonly but one lytyll boote / All this befall was reported to the sayde holy Patryarke And how the fader was more sory on̄ly for the deth of his sone. than for the losse of his goodes / y^e holy man consideryng his grete sorow durste not make hym come afore hym / ¶But neuertheles he sent hym worde that he shold take his Infortune in pacyence. bi cause our lorde made no thynge wythout a cause. all be it y^t we kno­we not the same. or wyll not knowe it / And therfor he leuyth neuer those y^t do ony good. but rather whan they suffre ony aduersitees or trybulacōns. yf they retourne to hym soone or late. they ben cōforted / ¶Soone after the good marchaunte sawe in his dreme a man lyke vnto the holy Patryarke. y^e sayd to hȳ / My brod (er). why trowblest thou thiself. & takest soo moche heuynesse / Hast not y^e prayed me. that thy sone mighte be sa­uyd / Certaynly thy prayer is harde. for surely yf he lyued. he were in daunge [...] ur to be dampned. for the euylles that he sholde haue done / ¶I ensure the yf i [...] had not be by the gyfte that thou beste doone to me / They of the shyppe [Page Cxlviii] [...] haue be perysshyd. and so sholde not thy sone haue escaped fro euerlastȳ ge dampnacōn ¶The marchaūt then̄ w [...]ll cōforted awoke. & came to the holy Patryarke. for to shew him the caas & thanked hym of his prayer / ¶Thē ­ne the holy Patryarke heuyng his hondes to heuen sayd / O my god I than­ke the y^t thou gladly herest & enhaūcest the prayers of the poore syn̄ars / After he sayd to the marchaūt / ¶My frende byleue not that this vysion is come to y^e by my prayers. but on̄ly by the grete fayth that y^u hast had to our lorde /

¶Of a coueytous bisshopp. the whiche [...]yd moneye Inordynatly & ouermo­che / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Vrgehat &c. Caplm .C.xxxi.

OFt tymes the holy Patryarke Iohn̄ went to vysite the pore y^t were in a place called Cesariū In whyche place he had do make mattes & beddyng for to lay theim vpon in Wynter / ¶Wyth hym on a tyme amō ge other vysityng the sayd poore folke was a bysshop namyd Troyle. whiche made then̄e to be broughte wyth hym by one his Attourneye .xxx.li. of golde: for to bye certayne plate to serue at his borde / ¶The holy Patryarke y^t knew well his Intencyon / sayd vnto hym in spekynge of the poore peple / Troyle I pray the loue the bredern of Ihesu Cryste / ¶After whyche wordes thus sayd by the Patryarke. and well markyd by the sayd bysshopp / As all ashamyd cō ­maunded to hym that bare his golde y^t he sholde gyue it to the poore / And af­ter that they came ayen to the cyte / and as they were in the waye / the bysshopp Troyle that was right sory y^t he hadd gyuen agaynste his wyll the sayde .xxx. poūde of golde. angred hȳself soo sore for it y^t a stronge feuer toke hym so feruently y^t he was from hȳselfe. And the holy Patryarke whan he was come to his hous & was set at y^e table. sent for y^e sayd bysshop for to come to dyner & take his refeccōn wyth hȳ. but he answerde y^t he myght not goo / & that y^e feuer was soo stronge vpon him y^t he myght not ryse from his bed / ¶The holy Patryarke knowyng hym thꝰ syke. thoughte it was for grete malencolye y^t he toke for his golde y^t he had gyuen ayenst his wyll ¶And by cause he knewe this bysshopp to be sore vexed & tormented: And for this cause he myghte not take his refeccyon / ¶He wente to the bedde where he laye syke. and sayde to hym / ¶Troyle be of goode there & comfort And reioyce thyselfe att my comynge / [Page] Dydest thou ymagyne otherwyse whā I tolde the y^t thou shold gyue thy gold to the poore peple but y^t it was my wyl to gyue vnto the ayen all togyd (er) / Truely my wyll was soo. Holde here is thy hoole som̄e whyche I beynge to the /

And whan he sawe in the holy man̄es hondes all his golde. he fonde hymself aswel dysposyd of his comynge / as though he had brought a good medycyne / wherof he sholde haue recouered his good heele / And so the holy man toke hȳ his golde ayen / ¶But in this doynge he askyd hȳ a letter of his honde. how he forsoke y^e meryte that he myght haue gote in gyuynge his money for goddis sake· the whiche bysshopp made to hym a wrytȳg wherof the tenour was suche / ¶O my god yeue to my maister Iohn̄. Patryarke of the grete cyte of Alexandrye y^e meryte of the xxx.li. of golde that I had gyuen to the poore / peple For I haue receyued theym ayen / The sayd holy Patriarke kepte well the sa­yd wrytyng. and broughte the sayd bysshop to dyner wyth him / To whom after fewe dayes. to thende he were stired to socour gladly the poore peple / Oure lorde gyuer of rewardes. wold shewe in a dreme what rewarde he had lost / So saw he in this dreme a grete palays▪ so costelew & soo fayr builded that al mā kynde cowde haue discerne it / And a­monge the grete rychesses of the same palays was the gate all of fyne golde / Vpon whyche was wryten / This palays is euerlastynge / & the reste of Troyle / ¶And as he was redyng y^e sayd su­perscripcōn. came sodenly a notable persone. as a cha [...]brelayn. acompanyed of many seruaunters / To whom he hadde that they sholde take awaye the same superscrypcōn / And that they shold [...] te in that place / that whyche the s [...]ersyn kynge hadd ordeyned The whiche thynge they dyde / And theyr wrytynge was this / ¶It is the palayes euerlas­tynge of Iohn̄ the Patryarke. and archebysshopp of Alexandrye. boughte by hym for .xxx.li of golde / The whyche vysyon the sayde bysshopp rehercyd aforsayd Patriarke ¶And from that [...] me forthe he was. a grete almesse yo [...] Hauinge euer more after strongly compassyon of the poore /

¶Of the shyppes of the chyrche / And how al the goodes that were the [...] were lost / Whyche chapytre begynnyth in latyn ¶Dominꝰ qui diuician. & cetera Caplm .C.xxxii.

TRue it is that our lord whiche toke from Ioh all his goodes for to preue [...] pacyence / [...] for to gyue vs ensample to haue it [...] alle oure aduersytees / Toke also from the holy Patryarke Iohan all his go­des / ¶For as the shippes of his chirche were in the see. laded with all the [...] ur of the chirche. att a place namyd [...] hyra / The Patrons of the said shippes of the chyrche were constrayned. [...] eschewe the lyckely peryll and gret [...] daungeour of theyr owne persones and vesselles to caste alle theyr goodes in to the see / ¶And Incontynent that they were come in to the cyte of Alexandrye Ferynge to be trowbled· vexed and not in pryson / Wente alle to the chyrche for to kepe there the fraunchyse and [...] betters / ¶The holy Patryarke heryng [Page Cxlix] [...] [...]ynges / and the cause why they [...]nderstāde / wrote to theym wyth hys [...] [...]onde. sayenge / Bredern be not say not angre not yourself Our lorde hath take from vs his goodes as it hathe playsyd hym. His good playsure be done / Come surely oute of the chyrche [...] [...]nysour. god shall puruey for vs [...] one daye to the other / The daye folowyng the cyteyzyns wolde haue come to hym for to comforte hym / But he came ayenst theym. and beganne to saye to theym / ¶O my chyld (er)n be not angry for the losse of the shyppes / Certaynly I am for my synne the cause of y^e destruccōn / by cause I was proude of the al [...]esses that I haue done in tyme passe / Ymagynynge to haue had mede to yo [...] that [...] was your owne / And the [...]oce god sendyth me now this fortu­ne for to meke myselfe / ¶Almesse oft playsyth the hert of man. and makith to gloryfye hymself wythout rayson / Wherfor it oughte to be done secretly & in humylyte / ¶It is no fortune to haue grete goodes in this worlde / Pouerte is more sure for to fynde the waye of saluacōn / ¶The holy scrypture sayth that pouertee mekyth the persone / And Dauid in his psalme sayth to this purpoos / I am gladde my god that thou haste mekyd me. to thende that I shall lerne thy Iustyfycacōns & also the wayes of saluacōn / Alwayes the holy man sayd this / ¶I byleue truly that y^e god that was in Iobs dayes is yet almyghty. the whiche shall not fayle vs at oure nede. not for the loue of me / But for to helpe and socour the pore nedy / For he sayd hymself / Thou that arte Iust & good I shall not leue the / And moreouer god cōmaundyth vs to seke fyrste his reame & his Iustyce. promysyng to vs that all thȳges leyffull & good that we shal aske him. shall be graunted to vs / ¶Ye knowe how to Iob very pacyent / he gaue more goodes ayen than e­uer he had loste afore / And the whyche Iob after that he was stablisshed ayen in his godes and in his astate· was more medefull than he had be afore /

¶Of a seruaunt. to whom he gaaf .ii. pounde of golde / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Ad extremam. et cetera Caplm .C.xxxiii.

THe holy Patryke knowynge one of his seruauntes to be fallen in grete pouertee. gaaf him two pounde of golde. soo secretly that noo body knewe of it / ¶The seruaunte sayde vnto hym / ¶Alas my lorde I shall neuer dare come byfore thy [Page] face ¶The holy Patryarke as a wyseman answerde to hym wordes worthy of praysyng. sayenge / My frende I haue not yet shedde my bloode for the. ly­ke that god dyde for vs / & hath cōma­unded vs to doo it /

¶Of a duke that refusyd to leue fyf­ty pounde of golde / Begynnyng in latyn ¶Districtis / Caplm .C.xxxiiii.

A Man was that ought moche money and cowde not paye it What for cause that his marchaūdyse was not soo prosperous vnto hym· as it was wonte to be. as also by cause that the ryuer of Nile had fayled that tyme for to dewe the grounde / As it was wont to doo euery yere ¶This man went to a duke & prayed hȳ that he wolde lende hym fyfty poūde of golde vpon a pledge that was worth twyes asmoche / The duke denyed hym fyrste his askȳge / But neuertheles he promysed hym after y^t he sholde haue the­ym / ¶This man was constrayned for to paye there as he owed· And this hangynge he aduysed hymself that he sholde goo to his socours. there as all other were receyued. that is to wyte to the holy Patryarke / ¶Soo came the poore man vnto hȳ. and shewed hym his pouerte / But or he had tolde al his befall The holy Patryarke that of his nature was pitefull and myghte not see peple wepe but he must wep also toke his gowne of. & gaue it hym. & constray­ned the pore to take it wyth hȳ / The nyghte folowynge / the duke that had refusyd to lene to the poore man the sayd somme. sawe in his dreme many folke makynge offrynges and oblacyons vpon an awter / And for one peny that they offred. they receyued an hundred / ¶And wyth theym was the god holy Patryarke behynde the backe of the same duke / ¶There came a man that shewed hym a sacke beynge nyght by theym / sayenge to hym in this manere ¶Take an offrynge that is wythin this sacke and goo offre it to the awter And thou shalte haue an hundred for it / ¶The duke was neclygent to doo as he hadde hym / Neuerthelesse the go­od holy man that was there nyght by hym. all Incontynent wente and toke it and offred it And was yeuen to him for it as to the other an hūdred tymes as moche as he had offred / ¶Whanne the duke was awakyd. He cowde not vnderstonde his dreme / ¶Soo sent he Incontynent for him that had desyred moneye of hym / And wold haue the [...]e lente hym asmoche as he dyde aske / ¶To whom the sayd man answeryd Truely my lorde the holy Patryarke hath fulfylled myn askȳge byfore you Ye haue loste your rewarde / The duke whan he had vnderstonde thise wordes had mynde of his dreme. and sayde / ¶Truely thou tellest me trouth. he bare the offrynge afore me that I wolde not bere / ¶Cursyd be he that may [...]el doo it. and woll not / ¶After he reher­cyd his dreme to dyuerse folke / And [...] that tyme forth. wyllyng to recouer the tyme and the rewarde that he had lo [...] afore sorely by his ouer grete neclygence he dysposyd himself to be large and rewarded and gaue towarde the poore peple in dealynge freely and wyth go [...] de courage grete habūdance of al [...]mes [...] [Page Cl] and charytees / Wherof he was by our blessyd Sauyour & Redemer Ihū Cryste rewarded to the hundred folde in y^e Ioye and blessydnesse o [...] euerlastynge glory /

¶Of a woman that forbare wronges other sone in lawe / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Vergente / Caplm .Cxxxv.

THe holy patryarke gladly and often went to vysyte the chyr­che of the vyctoryous martyrs saynt Cyr & saynt Iohn̄ / ¶One tyme as he was gooinge thyd (er). he mette with a woman whiche was sore trowbled. y^e prayed hym tauenge her of many wrō ges that she sayde were done to her by her sone in lawe / One of the seruaūtes of the sayde Patryarke. whyche trusted of his gode wyll sayd vnto hym / Syre leue this woman / Whan thou shalt re­torne thou shalt doo to her right / The holy man answerd to hȳ / Thou knowest well y^t. we goo for to pray / And how sholde god here vs yf we herde not fyrste this woman / And therfore the holy man went not fro that place. till y^t she had shewed vnto hym alle her befall. & y^t he vtterly had cōforted her /

¶Of saynt Iohn̄ & saynt Sophrony­on / Whyche begynnyth in latyn ¶Advolūtatē igit (ur). &c. Caplm .C.xxxvi.

GO [...] that woll sende to y^e wyll dothe holy Patryarke euer ferme to the heuenly thȳges. sent vnto hym [...]o holy men / that is to wite Iohn & Sophronyon for to be his coūseylers / To whom benygnely he obeyed as to his fad (er)s & techers ¶Thise .ii. holy fad (er)s meaninge the grace of y^e ho­ly ghost. disputed many tymes ayenst y^e [Page] Seueryens and other heretykes / In so moche y^t they preserued fro theyr Infeccōn many monasteryes & chyrches / As done the good pastours that rescue the­yr shepe fro the rauisshyng vulues. For whyche thyng the holy man had them in grete honour & reuerence /

¶A sermon made by the forsayd holy Patriarke ayenst the beters of folke folowyth / & begynnyth in latyn ¶Si vero alicubi. &c· Caplm .C.xxxvii.

YF the holy man wyst or knew that one had smyten a nother He went wyth grete humylyte vnto hym / [...] desyred him sayenge / My sone it hath ben reported to me. as to a syn̄ar. y^t by the temptacōn of the deuyll y^t arte cruell & rude to thy chyld (er)n or seruauntes. I praye the ceasse thy wrathe / so y^t it ne haue no place wythin y^t / God hath not gyue vnto vs chyldren for to noye theim. but for to serue vs. or for to cherysshe & nourisshe theym of the godes y^t he hath lent vs / I put a question vnto the / what whing hast y^u in thy body. fote. honde. or soule more than thy seruaunt hath / Is he not lyke vnto the in all thynges / Thou ought to knowe y^t we ben all formed & made at thymage of Ihū Cryst / Thy seruaūtes then̄e are men as y^u art. Herke after saynt Poul y^t sayth / ¶Ye al y^t are crystned. haue Ihū Cryste in to youre possessyon / be it Iewe or Crysten. free or bonde / We ne are but one in Ihū Cryst / Then̄e syth we ben egall in Ihū Cryst & that oure Sauyour by his grete humylytee hath take our nature / he techith vs y^t we sholde flee pryde ayēst our seruaūtes / There is but one god of heuen. y^t beholdyth on̄ly the meke. & dystroyeth the proude ¶God hath made the heuens & then [...] the see & all that is in it for the man & for the woman / And soo hath he also worshypped man in takynge our manly flesshe / ¶Thou art then̄e well acursed y^e ceassest not to smyte vpon thy seruauntest / Thaūgels fere man / & thou doost dyspyse hym / God hath be crucyfyed for man. and y^t doost noo thynge. but tormentest & crucyfyest thy seruantes y^t ben men. I aske of the / Woldest y^t well at euery tyme that y^u doost euyll. y^t god sholde take vengaūce of the / I by­leue naye / ¶Euery day in sayeng thy Pater nost (er). y^u prayest god y^t he pardon̄e the thy syn̄es. as y^e pardon̄est to other. & netheles y^u doost the contrary / So oughte [...] to dowte. y^e lyke as thou desyrest & wyllest take vengaūce of thy serua [...]t or enmye. god beholdyng thy prayer toke of the rygorous vengaunce /

¶Of the chylde Orphenym the whyche was made ryche / And begynnyth in la [...]in ¶Audiens. & cetera Caplm .C.xxxviii.

SOmtyme in Alexandrye was an Almoner. the whyche had one on̄ly sone / The fad (er) seenge his ende to drawe nygh. made his sone to be called. & sayd vnto hym / My chylde by cause that I shall dey. I woll make the well to haue knowlege of alle y^t I am worthe / ¶Wyte it for trouthe y^t of all goodes & ryches. I haue but .x.li. of golde / And therfore chose whether y^u woll be myn heyre. or elles that the blessid moder of god be the same / The childe had leuer that the Tresoresse & moder of Orphanes shold be his fad (er)s heyre than he hymself. and suffred that al sholde be yeue for goddis sake / ¶The fad (er) soo deceased. the childe contynuelly nyghte & daye kept hȳself in the chyr­che of the blessid moder of god. makȳg to her deuowte prayers & orysons / Of the whyche thynge. the holy Patryarke had knowlege / that neuertheles made coūtenance as he had knowen no thynge / ¶Wythin short tyme after he ma­de to be called a Notary. to whom he cō maūded to take an olde skynne of parchemyn. therin to wryte a Testament. for. & in the name of one namyd The ophente / And y^t he sholde afferme by y^e Testament. that the fad (er) of y^e sayd childe. & the sayd Patryarke were bredern germayn / Chargynge morouer the sayde Notary to shewe the chylde of the same. shewynge to hym the sayd Testa­ment. for & to the entent he shold gyue hym courage & boldnesse to aske of the sayde Patryarke ayde & socours / The whiche thyng the sayd Notary dyde in contynent. but neuerthelesse the chylde durste not goo to hym. ¶Soo sente he twyes for hym / And fynably came to­warde hym. toke & kyssed hym sayeng Thou arte welcome my neuewe. And made to be knowen that he was of his kyn / ¶And whan he was grete he ga­ue hym an hous. and alle thynges y^t to hym were nedefull / And maryed hym honestly / ¶Wherby it apperyth y^t god leuyth neuer those that haue theyr ho­pe in hym /

¶Of a begyler that borowed thyrty pounde of golde of the holy Patryarke And begynnyth in latyn ¶Inpreter­misse / Caplm .C.xxxix.

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TRouthe it is that the forsayde holy Patryarke had this good & lawdable custome. that men neuer went heuely abasshed from hym ¶Soo it happed y^t a begyler Papelarde borowed of hȳ .xx.li. of golde / This holy man vnware that he was of thylke nyce haskers / begylets. licorous & false butters y^e begyle & deceyue the worl­de. lente hym gladly wythout ony spe­kynge therayenst / ¶Soo departed this Papelaide from byfore hym. mockȳge & sayeng. that he had lent hym no thȳ ge / The Iustycers prayed the holy Patryarke that he wolde suffre hym to be had in to pryson / ¶But the sayd holy man sayd to theym / Frendes be mercy­full as god our fader that makyth the son̄e to shyne. aswell ouer the badd as ouer the good. & to rayne asmoche ouer the Iust as our [...] the vertrue / & forbadd them to doo vnto hȳ ony harme / Wherof they angred theymself ayenst the holy man sayenge / Truely it noo right y^t suche a knawe shal haue thus your money. better it were to gyue to the poore / ¶Then̄e he answerd vnto theym / Ye shal doo two euylles / The fyrst is that ye shal be holden impacyent in our harmes. and to other ye shall be ensample of impacyence / And thother euyll shall be. that in this doynge ye shall be dys [...] beyeng vnto god. that sayth / Yf ony take the money or thy substaūce fro the / aske it neuer ayen ¶Of that other parte saynt Poul sayth / Why do we not endure & forbere more pacyently wronge dysceyte or wyles / It is a good dede & almeses to gyue to theym that aske do And better bestowed it is. to theim that aske noo thynge / But it is a souerayn goodnes to gyue our gowne to theim y^t from vs take awaye our mantell / And who that dooth thus. he is of an angelles and of the nature of god /

¶God commaudeth vs that we so [...] ur euer our euyn crysten. of that we truly haue goten / And not of that we ha­ue wonne and goten to the hurte of o­ther wrongfully /

¶Of the Abbott Vitalyon / And be­gyn̄yth in latin ¶Senex quidem ma [...] nua. &c· Caplm .C.xl.

[Page Clii]

AN olde abbot named Vitalion of thage of .lx yere that dwel­lyd wyth a nother holy abbot / that hyghte Serydon. had herde shewed many good propretees of the goode Patryarke Iohn̄ / & of his holy lyf / So wolde be assaye yf he mighte make hȳ to falle in synne. and namely yf he were soo constaūt that he neuer condempned ony persone / ¶Thenne for to per­forme his vnlawfull wyll. he departed fro his monastery & cam̄ in to Alexandrye / And whan he was come thyd (er). he ladde a playsaunt lyfe· as to men. but vnto god ryght agreable / ¶Fyrste he wrote all the houres playnly / And that whyche he cowde wyn̄e. he gaaf vnto one of theim. & sayd to her / My frende I praye the gyue me this nyght. y^t is to say y^t she sholde abstene herself fro for­nycacōn ¶The sayd abbot for to kepe her fro euyll dedes· abode wyth her al y^e nyght. & helde hymself in a corner of y^e chābre. prayeng god for her tyll it was day / On y^e morn he went away. & prayed her y^t she shold tell no bodi y^t he had be with her / ¶Many dayes & nyghtes he contynued this going among theim vnto the time. y^t this was shewed bi an harlot. y^t neuerthelesse wolde not saye y^t he was a lechour. but he acōpanyed theym on̄ly for theyr helthe / ¶The good abbot prayed god y^t his good purpoos mighte not be lette by the sayd dyscoueryng / Wherfor the deuyll anone entred in the bodi of the sayd woman. to thende y^t the other sholde fere to saye as she sayd in sheweng y^e lyf y^t he lad ¶Som̄ y^t sawe this woman sike sayd to her. beholde euyll womā. thou seest now how god punysshyth y^t. by cause that y^u hast lyed vpon the relygious / Thou hast sayd that he gooth not wyth thy felowes for lechery / but y^u hast made a lye / Thise thynges notwythstondynge the holy abbot. whan he had wrought all daye / He at euen desyred none other but pre­che the comyn wym̄en / & sayd to hȳself Goo we goo to a nother place. there is a woman y^t taryeth after y^e. ¶Many y^t sawe his vsuall comynycacyon that he had wyth thyse wym̄en. blamed hȳ for it / but he answerd vnto theym / Is not god aswell wroth wyth the other as he is wyth the relygyouses. they ben men as other ben / ¶Some tolde hym y^t he sholde take a wyfe. & chaūge his haby­te. by cause he shold not be sklaūdred / But he kepte hym well that he consented not vnto theyr oppynyon. & on̄ly to theym he answerd y^t they shold goo fro him. askȳge them / Are ye assygned my Iuges. see to yourselfe. & lete me do my [Page] wyll. Fynably he was accusid to y^e holy Patryarke. whiche wold not byleue lightly y^t men reported vnto him. but had in remēbraunte the other relygyouse. y^t in lyke wyse had hadde be accusyd. as here byfore is made mencōn / ¶And for to stynte the reporters. the holy Patriarke tolde an hystory of Constantyn the emperour. to whom was lyke wyse re­ported by an accusar certain blames in writynge ayenst a religyous / ¶Whan the emperour saw the accusacōn. he sente for the accusar & him y^t [...] as accused And they beynge aforesayd to y^e accu­sa [...] / Truly yf I sawe a seculer preest or a relygious y^t dide ony syn̄e. I shold hyde hym wyth my mantell / to thende y^t his synne sholde not be knowen nor seen of other / And thꝰ the holy Patryar­ke peased the accusars of y^e sayd abbot. ¶Durynge the sayd tyme the seruaūt of god Vitall vsed as he had acustom­ed wyth the comyn wymen / And wyth this he prayed god deuoutly & contynuelly. that after his deth to some persone shold y^e cause be shewed. bi reyson wherof he dyde haūte the comyn wymen. to thēde the peple sholde not abyde by hȳ euyll ensāpled. as also they ought not to be / ¶For thrugh his prayers. many persones that sawe hym praye god by nyghte. [...]euynge his hondes vp towar­de heuen bi feruent deuocōn. kept them self fro flesshly desires. & namly many wymen. by reyson of him kept themselfe from the synne of lechery / ¶It happed one daye as in a mornyng that he came out of y^e hous of a comyn womā He mette wyth a lewde haskarde. whyche for to doo the sayd synne of lechery went to the hous there as the holy man came fro / And at theyr metynge togyd (er) this Vnthryft gaaf hym a buffett sayenge to hym / Knauysshe ypocryte. why amendest not thyselfe of thyne ypocry­sie / The holi abbot answerd vnto him I shall yelde the ones suche a buffett. y^t all Alexandrye shall come to thy crye ¶A lytyll whyle after this deyed y^e holy abbot Vytall / & neuer duryng his lyfe was the cause knowe why he drewe to y^e comyn wȳmen / ¶And it is to wyte y^t his celle or lytyll hous where he decessed all alone was sett in a place a lytyll fro the towne. y^e whiche was called y^e gate of y^e son̄e / ¶Anone after his dethe & or euer it was to oni persone knowen. the deuyll came in lykenes of an Ethyopien toward him y^t had smyten hym. & hȳ gaaf a grete buffett. sayeng The abbot Vitall sendith y^t this offrȳ ge / The vnhappy bawdy knaue felle down to y^e groūde / foomȳge as a mad man / Wherof many men &. wȳmen y^t herde the stroke were sore merueyled by cause they trowed y^t they had herde the thoud (er) bolte fall / ¶And truely lyke as the abbot had prophecyed it. all the cy­te was therof moeuyd / & the cyteyzyns came to the cryeng of the sayd vnthryfte / Whyche after a longe space of tyme y^t he had be in this penaūce. his mynde was restored to hym ayen / And anone he [...]aūe to the lytyl he [...]us of the sayd abbot for to crye hym mercy. sayeng y^t he had ouermoche offēded ayēst hȳ whan he mette hym & gaaf hym the buffett ¶Many went thyd (er) with hym. in presence of whom. the deuyll yet ayen smote y^e forsayd knaue. &. caste hȳ to the [...]h And they y^t were come wyth hȳ entred wythin the celle of the sayd Vitall. and [Page Cliii] founde hym on bothe his knees. as he shold praye god. & wyth this it semyd theym y^t he had one honde to the groū de. wherwyth he wrote thyse wordes / ¶O ye men of Alexandrye. iuge neuer noo man nor woman. but y^t ye knowe him fyrst. & abyde tyll that god hȳself makyth the Iugement / Then̄e the pore losell confessyd y^t he had beten hym. ¶And thꝰ the prophecye was in hym fulfylled / ¶All thise thȳges were by y^e peple rehercyd vnto the holy Patriarke The whiche wyth the Clergye & grete nombre of cyteyzyns came to the place where the corps of the holy abbot was All the wȳmen in lyke wyse came thyder. whiche he had cōuerted to goodnes And bare with theim tapres & lampes bren̄ynge. sayenge. Alas we haue loste our hele & techynge / ¶Then̄e they tolde & shewed how he companyed wyth theim. not for rayson of syn̄e but for to exhorte & styre theym to doo well. & le­ue theyr lecherous lyfe & malyce / Soo were they sore rebuked / that they hadd not vttred his holy lyfe / But they ans­werde y^t they durste not. by cause that one of theyr felowes whiche had spoken of him had be Incontynent tormented of y^e deuyll / Wherfore they durste neuer be soo bolde to speke therof / ¶The sayd corps was after honestly brought to sepulcre / ¶And he that was vexed of y^e deuyll abydynge vpon the graue / was by the grace of god Incontynent hoole & soūde / And forsakȳge y^e worlde putt hȳself religyous vnd (er) thabbot Seridoi [...]e. & desyred y^t the lytyll hous y^t the ab­bot Vytall had in his life shold be delyuerde vnto hȳ / ¶The holy Patryarke after al thȳges by him well consydred thanked our lorde god of y^t he had not syn̄ed ayēst the sayd abbot / by cause he byleuyd not lyȝtly theym y^t accused hȳ of lecherye / ¶Many sekynge the sayd holy abbot Vitall recouerde helth. & were heled of dyuers sykenesses /

¶Of a begger whiche in askȳg an almeses of y^e sayd Patriarke spake grete wordes ayenst hȳ / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Precipiens / Caplm .C.xli.

A Beggar for to aske an almese came to the holy Patryarke y^t made to be gyuen vnto hym x. peces of money: But this beggar not content began to speke euyll ayenst hȳ spekȳge of hym in his presence dyuerse wrōges. y^t whiche his seruaūtes myght not endure· but wold haue corrected hȳ But y^e Patriarke wold not suffre the­ym doo so / but sayd to his seruaūtes & offycers / My bred (er)n leue the poore man [Page] It is all redy .lx. yere paste. that dayely thrugh my neclygences & otherwyse I haue done many offences to my god· y^t whyche he playeth mekely. in yeuynge vnto me example / And for the loue of hȳ. I ought well to endure a wrong. yf it be done to me / ¶After he cōmaūded y^e men shold open the purs to the poore where the money was put y^t shold be yeue for goddis sake. for to take therof asmoche as he wolde /

¶Of y^e questyons y^t the holy Patryarke made vnto the poore peple. Begynnyng in latin ¶Si vero. ca. / C.xlii.

OFte tymes the holy Patryarke knowȳg y^e some of his subgettes were grete almesse gyuers / sent for theym y^t they shold come vnto hȳ / And aft he questyoned theym how they dyde theyr almesses. other naturelly or by constraynt / Some by sȳplenes answerde noo thynge / & the other gaaf therof certayn reasons & causes / Amonge whyche. one of theym y^t was a Chaūger. sayd vnto him suche wordes. Certaynly my lorde I dyde neuer noo goode. but neuertheles y^t whiche I haue yeue to the poore / that was for to folowe y^t / In time past I haue be cruel & without mercy / Wherfore I haue had many hurtes / Soo came to me ones in mynde y^t yf I wexed an almes gyuer. god sholde neuer leue me vnpuru [...]yed / Wherfor I hadd of custome y^t I gaaf euery daye v. pens of syluer / But the deuyll tēpted me. & put in my entendement. that y^e vpens y^t I gaaf were suffisaūt for to nourysshe my meyne / & by his temptynge I left to yeue for goddis sake / After warde retornyng to myself / I cōmaūded to my sone y^t he shold robbe me eche daye v. pens. & that he shold yeue theym for goddis sake / My sone hath euer done y^e that I haue cōmaunded hȳ. & ouer this whan he perceyued y^e godes in my house to be encreased / He dyde encrease my almesse / And in lyke wyse consydering sayd to my sone / My childe I knowe y^t the .v. pens that y^e hast gyuen for god­dis sake hath profyten me moche / So woll I that y^u yeue .x. pens frohens for­the / He answerde to me smylynge / My fad (er) pray for my theftes. certaynly yf I had not be a theyf / we myghte well haue deyed for hūgre / & yf ony theyf were euer Iust. I haue be so / ¶The holy patryarke knowyng of this thyng / gloryfyed god of y^e wysdom of this childe /

¶Of a prynce y^e hated a nother prynce / begyn̄yth ¶Maliciā / ca. C.xliii.

SOmtyme was grete hate by­twene .ii. prȳces· wherof tho [...]e was by y^e holy Patryarke ma­ny tymes moeuyd to haue agreed with the other. but therto he wold neuer acorde / ¶On a tyme y^e sayd Patryarke called to hȳ y^e sayd obstynat prince. & brought hym in to his oratory wyth a seruaūt of his / & ther in theyr presence he songe masse / In sayeng y^t whiche. & af­ter the consecracōn & eleuacōn of y^e precyoꝰ body of our lorde. where the Pater nost behouyth to be sayd. they .iii. sayde togid (er) vnto thise wordes) Et dimitte [...] his debita [...]rā. sicut et nos dimitt [...] debitori (bus) [...]ris (In whiche wordes [...]e pray to god our creatour. y^t it w [...]ll playse hȳ to foryeue our defautes like as we [Page Cliiii] foryeue those y^t ben done ayēst vs / And afore y^t they began y^e sayd clause. the sayd Patryarke cessed his speche & cōmaūded his seruaūt to kepe his tonge styll So ended y^e prince al alone y^e same clause / y^e Patryarke after sayd to hȳ. Auyse & see my brod (er) how y^u spekest ferfully to god ayenst thyself. In prayenge hȳ y^t he pardon y^t as y^u pardon̄est the other & netheles y^u doost therof noo thynge / y^e prynce then̄e meked hymself. & promysed to the sayd holy Patryarke that he shold do as he wold haue hȳ to doo /

¶How y^e holy Patryarke constrayned by his humylyte y^e proude to be meke / & begyn̄yth in ¶Suꝑbū autē. ca· C.xliiii

YF y^e holy Patryarke knewe in the cyte ony y^t was proude / He neuer rebuked hȳ opēly. but in one secrete place. or in his house. & for to doo so he drew hȳself nie him / & layed to hym the mekenes of Ihū cryst / to hȳ shewing. how he y^t was god. had take our mākynde / & sōtyme sayd / I merueyle me / syth y^t my god hath be so meke. how man may reyse hīself. other for y^e godes of fortune. or whā he is fayrer than other bē / or whā he hath lordshyp ouer some other / Alas we herke not af­ter Ihū cryste y^e sayth / My chyld (er)n lerne of me. for I am meke / & by this ye shal doo the weele of your soules / We in ly­ke wyse thȳke not vpon the mekenesse of sayntes / how they helde themself to be erthe. asshes & wormes of the erth / & pryncipally how Ysayas sayd of hȳselfe / Why am I not meke. Haue not I be made of the fylthe wherof y^e tyles ben made / All y^e playsure of this world passyth to an ende. as the floure or herbe y^t fro the mornynge to the euen is torned in haye ¶Whā y^e Patriarke sayd suche wordes / they y^t felt themself [...]ike of the greuoꝰ euyll of pryde / toke the wordes for theim. & corrected theimself /

¶A sermon y^t the holy Patriarke ma­de to yeue emsāple of mekenes. begyn­nyth ¶Et hec. Caplm· C.xlv.

FOr to styre his peple to meke­nes· openly gaaf y^e holy Patryarke thise exortacōns / My chyld (er)n lete vs consyd (er) & put in our hertes y^e grete godenes of god. & his grete merci And certaynly we shal not desire to be put in grete honours y^t ben so dangeroous / But playnly we shall desyre to lyue in symple astate and pouertee / ¶Alas what pouertee cowde we haue for to be also poore as hath be the lord [Page] our Sauyour and Redemer Ihesu Criste. that kyng was bothe of heuen & of erthe / ¶Lete vs thynke vpon his mede fulnesse & grete goodnesse that hath be shewed to vs / Where as we neuer shold haue ben. yf he bi his grace had not formed Adam / The whyche by Inobedyence caused vs subget vnto euerlasting dethe / ¶And alwayes thrugh his gre­ce mercy & paynfull passyon. so moche benygnely he hath boughte vs ayen ¶We also shall consydre that at all times that we fall in dedely syn̄e. the de­uyll maye slee vs. & brynge in to helle / And in dede he sholde doo it. ne were y^e perfyghte loue that our lord hath to vs ¶For cōtynuelly by his doughter y^t is the chyrche· he prayeth vs to retorne to penaunce. to thende we maye haue hys grace / ¶O moost swetnes. whan he y^t may both dāpne & saue vs at his wyll. And that alle thynges maye wythoute vs / And wythout hym we maye no thȳ ge / Neuerthelesse he prayeth vs that we woll loue him / ¶How many theues & euyll dooers are in the worde that god punysshyth not. but coueryth theyr synnes / How many ben in the see that god preseruyth that they ben not robbed of the Pyrates / or drowned in to the dep­pest botomes. But cōmaundeth the see that it suffreth theym to come to porte sauf / in abydynge the amendement of theyr lyfe / ¶How many receyue the body of our lorde in dedely synne whiche he punysshyth not forth with / How many brybers & theues are kepte from the wylde bestes / ¶How many syn̄ars ben preseruyd y^e anone after theyr syn̄e thei ben not take of the deuyll of hell. How many lurdens lye bi harlottes & aduoutrers. dronkelew. glos [...]ets. and other to all vyces ben wrapped / & neuerthelesse god abydeth theym to gyue vnto them his mercy. yf they woll aske it. ¶The bee fleeth in Somer in hylles & val [...]es for to make hony swete for oure mon­thes, that haue vttred & sayd soo many fowle wordes and shamful / The floures shewe theim for to reioyce our [...]yen whiche enforce theym for to loke on comyn wymmen / Or dysceyue a man̄es wyfe / ¶We thenne that done suche dedes / And haue soo many rewardes of god / What drede oughte we for to ha­ue whan oonly we consydre the last hour of oure dethe / ¶Dyuerse ensamples of dethe gaaf the holy Patryarke. to the ende that they that were prowde & folysshe louers sholde mekely and lowely obeye theymself for to haue contry­cyon / takynge sorowe for theyr synnes ¶This holy man sayde. It suffysyth me for to be sauyd. to haue a cōtynuell mynde of dethe / For at y^e selfe hour none shal acōpany wyth vs / but on̄ly our gode & bad dedes ¶Alas lete vs thȳke how our gode angel shalbe wroth whā aft our deth he shall finde noo gode dedes done bi vs wherby he miȝte kepe & defēde vs ayēst thacusȳg of our enmie the deuyll of hell / Alas then̄e shall we pray god y^e he wol yeue vs space to liue yet a lytyl while to doo penaūce. but to vs shalbe answerd / Pore creature y^t haste euyl spēded y^e time that y^u hast lyuen y^u shalt neuer haue no respite. & sayd of hȳself / Alas pore Iohn̄ how shal y^u passe y^e way for to goo in paradys / whā afore the y^u shal see somany enmies & of horrible accusars byfore y^e rightwys Iuge / ¶Alas Iohn̄ what fere and drede [Page Clv] shalt thou thenne haue. whan Inconty [...]e after thy dethe y^u shalt be presen­tes afore the Iugement of god ¶This holy man had euer in his remembraū ­ce the good Symeon that had be so iusce. And y^t whiche whan the hour of his dethe was come / & that his soule ascended to paradys / mette wyth a grete cō ­pany of deuilles in dyuers orders / Fyrst mette the soule of the sayd Symeon y^e order of proude deuylles. And there she was questioned yf she had not be proude. After he mette with y^e deuylles princes of sklaundrynge / and in lyke wyse she was there askyd yf she had not re­ported euyl of other / After this she met wyth other deuylles prynces of forny­cacōn. the whiche wolde accuse hym of flesshely dedes. and flesshely desyres / And whan the soule is styed vnto he [...] ­uen and that she muste nedes yelde a­counte afore god / the angels gyue her nomore socours / and hath thenne noo comfort ne helpe but of suche good de­des as he hath done in this worlde / As to this tyme the good Patryarke consydered how the soule hath noo comforte but on̄ly of her good dedes / ¶And for to moue the more his spyryte / he broughte vnto his mynde the dethe of saynte H [...]larion. the whyche at the laste houre of his deth. sayd vnto his soule / O my soule goo hardly out of my body .Lxxx. yere thou hast serued god / Why ferest y^u now thy departynge / ¶O wond (er)full a thyng / o moost drede. o charyte vnable to be colde. The good Hilarion y^e was ·lxxx. yere. & al his lyfe had seruyd god in doynge grete penaūce. & neuer had syn̄ed dedely. but al his dayes was Ioyned to the goodnesse of god. as he had hadde in erthe the perfeccyon of an angel / This notwythstondyng & that he lyued an heuenly lyfe. in makyng wond (er)full miracles. yet he feryd the dethe. & namely the sayd holy Patryarke y^t sa­yd. ¶What shall thou my soule answere to the horryble accusars that somo­che ben subtyll / I fere me full sore. that we shall be taken at our answers. whā the deuyls shall gyue vnto vs somany accusacōns. As of leesynges. of couetise of myssayeng of vnpyte. of euyll mynde· of hate. and of all other syn̄es / Thē ne shall we well nede to haue gode ad­uocates that shall speke for vs / ¶For y^e grete fere y^t we shall thenne haue shall kepe vs that we shall not answere noo thyng / And therfore we must pray god that we maye haue good angels for to lede vs in all our dedes. whan that we oonly goo fro one cyte to a nother. we take our guides / to thende that they le­de. vs the streight waye / ¶Then̄e muste we well praye whan we shall depart from the erthe to heuen / that we be not ladde from our streyght waye. but ledd & guyded by good conduytours / Thys holy patryarke layed suche medyacōns afore his eyen for to meke hȳself / And who that sholde well thynke therat. he sholde well haue cause to become hum­ble and meke /

¶How he corrected by fayre wordes & swete langage theym that went out of the chyrche. after that the gospell was sayd / And begynnith in latyn ¶Mittā autem / Caplm .Cxlvi.

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BY cause that some Seculers or laye people had of a custome y^t they wente oute of the chyrche after the gospell was done / The holy Patryarke dyde correcte theym of this sawe [...] / ¶And desyrynge to moeue theym vnto deuocion / One daye amonge other departed oute of his palays And came and sette hym amonge theym in the chyrche / Wherof they were gretely merueylled / ¶Thenne for to answere to theyr thoughtes sayd vnto theym / My chyldren it is exspedyent and nedefull that the shepeherde be there as his shepe ben / And therfore yf ye abyde in the chirche of god there out. I shall doo as ye done ¶For your loue I am come to the chyrche / And ye goo there oute / ¶And alwayes yf I had wolde I mighte wel haue sōge my masse in my cha­pell of my bysshopriche / and sholde not haue come to you ¶Bi this maner of meane. they al corrected theymself. [...] fered to doo as they were acustomyd / ¶Wherby men maye euydently and openly knowe. that the good maners of a Prelate and his holy lyuynge. is ofte tymes cause of the amendement & cor­reccyon of his euyll subgets / The whyche at his ensample enforce theymselfe to lyue vertuously / By meane of why­che good lyfe they gete the glory of he­uen / Whiche largely is yeuen bi our blessyd Sauyour & Redemer Ihesu Cryste. to theym that fleenge the lykynges and worldly playsures purpoos theym selfe to lyue a lyfe honeste and holy af­ter y^e techȳges of his true doctryne /

¶How he forbadde that folke sholde not speke in the chyrche / And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶Loqua autem. & cetera / Caplm .C.xlvii.

ANd whan the holy Patryarke herde ony speke in the chyrche / Incontynent he made theym to be putt oute / And sayd to theym /

¶Syth that ye ben come in to the chirche for to praye god. I commaūde you that all your thoughtes be torned vnto prayer / ¶For it is writen: that the house of god. is a house of prayer / And ye Clatterers and Ianglers make therof a pytte of theues /

¶How he ordeyned two orders of Re­lygiouses. and buylded theym two chirches / One in the name of oure Lady & the other of saynt Iohn̄. / And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶Vole [...]s autem. & cetera Caplm .C.xlviii.

[Page Clvi]

THis meane tyme the holy Pa­triarke ordeyned two ordres of relygyouses / and buylded two monasteryes for theim / One in the name of the moost holy mod (er) of god. and the other of saynt Iohn̄ / And dyde doo make for theym lytyll houses for to kepe theymself therin solytary / By cause they sholde haue none occasyon to goo out of theyr Relygyon / Ordeyned also certayne men in the cyte that bare the­ym all theyr necessytees / Sendyng theim word that they shold haue besinesse of the lyfe spyrytuell / And he sholde see for theyr bodily lyfe / And he wold that the charge of the seruyce of the chyrche bothe bi daye & by nyght sholde be put vnto hym / to thende that whyche they sholde doo in theyr celles or lytyll houses sholde be for the helthe of theyr soules / To y^t whiche lyf this holy man by y^e sayd entysȳges contynued theim /

¶How men oughte to eschewe the cō ­pany of Heretykes / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Et hoc beatꝰ / Caplm .C.xlix

ABoue alle other thynges thys holy man defended vnto y^e cristen. that they sholde nother comyn nor acompanye wyth the herety­kes / Sayenge that it was more worth to a crysten to be alle alone / than to be acompanyed wyth an Heretyque / And more ouer he sayd. that lyke as a wed­ded man sholde be punysshyd yf he left his wyf. and wedded a nother somwhere in a nother londe / Soo sholde a crysten be punysshyd / that shold leue the comynycacōn wyth his lyke for to acompanye with the Heretiques / ¶And more ouer syth y^t we ben maryed to a wyf sure & chaste. whiche is the holy chirche crysten / yf we leue it for the comynyca­cōn of Heretiques / We oughte as fornicatours to be greuously punisshed & stoned of y^e deuyls of hell / asmoche as we shold be yf we had had y^e flesshly cōpa­ny of a nother woman than our owne wife /

¶How y^e holy Patriarke iuged nor cō dēpned neuer no body / Begyn̄ith in latyn ¶Cū ōnibus / Caplm .C.l.

AMōge the other grete vertues y^t this holy Patryarke had· namly he had one right grete. whi­che was suche / y^t he neuer iuged no per­sone. nor also wold not here theim y^e sayd ony euyl bi a nother / To this purpose is to be knowe. y^t he beynge in Alex­drye. a yonge man rauisshed a right fayr regyous mayde. and ladde her wyth hȳ vnto Constantynople / This thȳge came to his knowlege. & consideryng y^e [Page] loothnes of the befall. And for the grete charytee that he had to the helthe of man / He was soo sory for it. that it se­myd he sholde haue deyed / ¶And a ly­tyl whyle after that this caas was soo happed / He beynge wyth some clerkes / and dysputynge of holy scryptures / ca­me in his remembraunce the sayde be­fall / ¶In spekynge of the whyche by cause al those present. Iuged this forsayd man a ryght grete & abhomynable synnar They wolde haue hym acursyd But the holy Patriarke wolde not performe the same Sayenge that ther sholde be cause of two euylles / ¶Fyrste in that they sholde doo as he sayd ayenst the commaundement of god. and sholde breke it / By cause it is wryten. that we oughte not to iudge ony body / And we shall not be Iudged / ¶The second euyll for that they wyste not yf the sa­yd clerke had wythdrawe the sayd relygyoꝰ woman out of her monastery / for to doo euyl wyth her / And was not yet knowen whether he had defoylled her or not / ¶Wherfore they oughte not to cast vpon hym the sayd sentence of cursynge / ¶For men oughte not to Iudge but this that men see to be euyll done / ¶And for to conferme his worde. he rehercyd of .ii. relygyouses. amōge whom was one / whyche passynge thorugh the cyte of Thyre mette wyth a strompett comyn. named Porphyre / The whyche cryed after the abbot / O fader saue me lyke Ihesu Cryste saued the woman synnar / ¶The abbot that fered not y^e speche of the world sayd vnto her that she sholde come after hȳ· and she dyde so ¶The same abbot brought her by y^e honde afore al the peple out of the cyte of Thyr / The whiche thyng was anone tolde / But this notwythstondyng y^e abbott torned neuer from his good purpoos / ¶But in gooynge by the way y^e one wyth the other / Hopynge this holy man to haue her in to some monastery of relygyouse wym̄en / walked togyder so longe that they came to a chyrche. at the entree of whyche they fonde a mo­che fayre chylde that laye on the groū ­de / ¶The whiche this Porphyre moe­uyd of pyte & compassyon. toke & bare bytwyx her armes. and sith nourisshed hym in the sayde abbots monastery / y^t whyche soone after made this Porphi­re a woman of religyon. and made her to be callyd Pelage / ¶Afore that she [...] was relygyous. & she beynge yet in the sayd abbots monasteri. Marchaūtes came thyder of the cyte of Thyre. y^t well knewe the sayde Pelage / And seenge y^t she had a chylde. sayd to her / ¶Haa d [...] me ye haue broughte forthe a fayr chylde to the abbot / ¶Many other dyspy­tes the sayd to her. and to the abbot also / Vi. or vii. yere aft (er) y^t the childe was grete. y^e abbot knewe by y^e wyll of god y^t in short time he shold deye / & for this cause he gaaf to vnd (er)stōde vnto this. Pelage. y^t he must nedes for certain causes go vnto the sayd cyte of Thyr / & so cō maunded her to make redy herself thyderwarde wyth hym: and that she sholde take her chylde wyth her / ¶Pelage that wolde not dysobeye hym. toke the childe. & they thre togyd (er) went in to the sayd towne / ¶And whan they were came thid (er). the abbot laye Incontynent syke in his bed / ¶Then̄e were tydynges shewed thrugh the cyte. how the abbot that hadde ladde awaye Porphyre the [Page Clvii] [...]yn woman was at poynt of dethe. And anone went and vysited hym more than a hundred persones in nombre ¶In presence of whom. and also of Pelage and of the yonge chylde / The abbot callyd after cooles quycke glowyng / ¶And Incontynent that they were broughte to him / He putt theym vp­pon his gowne / and sayd this / My bredren byleue. that like as god kept somtyme byfore Moyses the busshe bren­nynge wythout to be apayred nor brente / And as att this presente houre he kepeth my gowne from harme of thise cooles glowynge / ¶Thus for very certane I tell you. that I neuer knewe the synne of this woman· wherof I am accused / Shewynge to theym beynge present the same woman and the chylde / ¶All they were merueylled. and gloryfyed god of the myracle / ¶And anone after that the holy abbot had taken a­waye the false oppynyon that they of Thyr had ouer hym. he bytoke his goost in the hondes of our lorde /

¶For this cause the holy Patryarke for said deffended that folke sholde not gyue noo sentence ouer the yonge man that had broughte the woman of Re­lygyon oute of her monastery. as it is aboue sayde / ¶More ouer sayd the holy Patryarke that how well men seen ofte the synners perfourme the synne of fornycacyon / Neuerthelesse men ought not to dyspyse theym. nor reporte syn­nars / ¶For men knowe not what se­crete penaūce they haue done for to de­cerue the grace / ¶And in like wise this he sayd of all other synnars / ¶Suche ben playsauntly clothed. and well arayed that who soo sholde take his vesture from his backe. dame Penaunce vnder his clothes sholde be foūde /

¶Of two Clerkes that made shone. & begynnyth in latyn ¶Duobus clericis &c· Caplm .C.li.

DVrynge the tyme that the for­sayde holy Patryarke dwellyd in Alexandrie. two clerkes were there y^t made shone for to gete theyr li­uyng ¶Thone had many chyld (er)n to fede / And beside this he nouryshed his fader & his moder / ¶And how be it that he was constrayned to werke contynuelli for cause of the grete charge that he bare / Neuertheles he serued god dayely and herde masse. sayenge many pray­ers and orysons / But that other hadde his thoughte all sette vpon his werke / ¶And not oonly the dayes that were suffred and assygned to doo lawfully [Page] all manere of hondwerke. But also he wroughte vpon the sondayes / & vppon all other solempne dayes. wherin is for boden that noo manere of hondwerke shold be vsyd / And namely thrugh the grete luste that he sett to his werke for lucre of money. he slouthed the seruyce of god. and herde neuer masse / ¶But what soeuer payne that he toke. he mighte not liue nor mayntene hȳself. Where by he fel in enuye agaynst his felow And askyd hym how it myght be that he was richer than he· seenge the grete charge that he had. and also y^t he wro­ught not soo moche as he dyde / Thys other desyrynge to styre his felowe to­warde god. and to serue hym. sayd vn­to hym / That he had founde a tresour in the grounde / wherof he was become ryche / And that yf he wolde kepe hym felyshypp and goo wyth hym. he shol­de gyue hym parte of that he shold fynde / Where vnto he was agreed / Promysynge to here hym cōpanye and to goo wyth hym where some euer he wolde lede hym / ¶Vnder shadowe of whyche promyse. the seruaunt of god sette hym many dayes for goo here masse / And soo moche he vsyd hym therin / that he cowde not leue. but that he went euery day to y^e chyrche for to here masse. and serue god / And afterwarde he wexed so ryche. that lyȝtly wythout nede he had from that tyme forthon to lyue more honestly wythout comparyson than he dyde afore / ¶Wherby it apperyth that we ought fyrste to seke the reame of heuen / And god shall socour vs in our dedes / ¶The holy Patryarke forsayde whan he knewe how this good fayth­full hadd conuerted his felowe to serue god / By cause also hym thoughte he was worthi to be a preest for was he [...] tred ynouȝ & of good maners / he ordened hym to the holy order of preestho­de /

¶How the holy Patriarke was called of god for to decesse out of this worlde And begynnyth in latin ¶Et quidem Caplm .C.lii.

IT happed bi the suffraunce yf god that Alexandrye was subdued of theim of Perse by force of armes / The whiche aduersytee ser [...] ge this holy man / and consyderynge y^e godly counseyle. whiche is written in holy scrypture. sayenge / ¶Yf one [...]egyo [...] is contrary / Goo to a nother / He made his purpoos to retourne in to Ethyper. in the cyte where he was borne / ¶The whiche thynge knowynge the Patry [...]s [Page Clviii] Niceta requyred hȳ besyly that he sholde goo to the cheyf cyte of the citees for to exhorte the emperours to lyue vertu­ously / ¶The holy Patryarke that ne­uer refusyd noo thynge that was leyf­ful & good to noo maner of persone / cō sented for to goo wyth the sayd Patryce / The shippes were Incontynent made redy. and they toke the see / ¶It happed by the wyll of god that the shyppe wherin were thise Patryarke & Patri­ce. was in daungeour to be drowned /

The holy Patryarke then̄e toke vpon hym for to comforte the poore folke y^t were in the same vessell / And wyth theym he called y^e grace of almyghty god ¶Soo sawe he in this stormous tem­peste a man vpryght byfore hym / Ha­uynge the face of a wond (er)full briȝtnesse holdȳge in his honde a ceptre al of golde / The whiche man sayd to hym / Patryarke come on. for the kynge of. kynges askith for the / ¶Thenne the holy Patryarke thynkynge vpon the sayde vysion / Incontynent he callyd the Pa­trice Niceta vnto hym and wyth grete syghes & teeres he shewed it vnto hym Sayenge how the emperour of emperours regnynge in heuen had callyd hym And that without fawte he might not goo to thēperour of the erthe. to whom the sayd Niceta wolde brynge hym /

¶The good Patrice herynge the wordes of the holy Patryarke. was moche sory of his departynge. and gladde of his helthe / Soo sente he hym ayen the­re as he wolde goo / That is to wyte in the reame of Chypre in the cyte of A­mathanque / where he hadde taken his [...]tynite /

¶The fourme of his Testament fo­lowyth / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Adueniente / Caplm .C / liii.

AFter that the holy Patryarke was come in Chypre in y^e cyte namyd Amathūque where he was borne / He askyd after penne & ynke & for a skyn̄e of parchemin / And in contynent he made his Testamente to be wryten in manere as here folowyth ¶I Iohn̄. fyrst bonde & sith afraūchised & made free by the dygnytee of preesthode: of the grace of god to me yeuen To the my god I yelde graces. of that it hath pleysed the to enhaūce my prayer to the weele of my soule / It is y^t att the houre of my dethe men shall fynde in my tresour but onely do piece of money / ¶Whan I was promoted to the dignytee of Archebysshopp ensacred & receyued in the holy chyrche of Alexandrye / The whiche dignytee by the leue [Page] and Inspyracōn I haue obteyned. I fō de there tresours wythoute nombre / I then̄e knowyng y^t the sayd tresours were bylongyng to god purposed to yelde vnto him ayen that y^t was his owne. & by cause y^t now of all the sayd tresours is to me in remaynyng but on̄ly the pyece of money forsayd. whyche bylōgyth vnto god· I cōmaūde y^t it be yeue vnto hym ayen in to the hondes of the pore folke his seruaūtes / ¶O thyng ryghte gloryoꝰ & worthy to be rehercyd. O ye riche y^t haply haue gadred your money & tresours vniustely. the whiche ye woll kepe & holde as your owne. & noo thynge wol yeue for goddis sake. but hyde & kepe them as. ye myght bere theim w^t you / Loke now wyth me in this myrrour. consydryng how the holy Patriarke gadred a tresour y^t neuer can be mynysshyd. as worldly riches is / ¶Certaynly we ought to bileue y^t he is worthy to be glorified / For our lord sayth in his gospell / Who soeuer shall honour or gloryfye me. I shall gloryfye hȳ / ¶It is so y^t for the worshyp of our lorde. & for to exalte his praysynge. he founded many monasteryes. in whiche he ordened grete multytude of Relygyouses / y^t conty­nuelly gaue lawde & praysynge to god For whiche cause is to him rewarded y^t meryte of al the orisons there made of the sayd relygyouses / ¶And to the en­de y^t by fable & lesynge. this y^t afore is of hym wryten be not reputed / We ha­ue therof a veri knowlege. that he was of the nombre of the Iust / ¶For after that he had yelded his holy soule in to the hondes of our lord god. as done the soules of the Iuste that are in the hon­de of god / His sepulture was by the clergy ordened in a sepulcre. wherin of longe tyme afore two good bysshops his Predecessours had be buryed / ¶But a wonderfull thynge happed there / For at the openyng of the sayd sepulcre. the two bysshops that there rested theyr bones of longe space dede & byreuyd of life. wythdrewe theymself fro theyr places / Makynge honour to the sayd Pa­tryarke. and gyuyng vnto him his place bytwene theim in the myddes of the graue / ¶Wherby it is to vs openly shewed that our lorde hym rewarded mo­che largely· whan he wold his body in this worlde to be soo openly honoured / And his soule aboue in heuen gloryfy­ed. & worshypfully enhaunsed /

¶Of the woman that gaaf her synne in wrytynge to saynt Iohn̄ the Patryarke / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Aliud autem / Caplm .C.liiii

[Page Clix]YEt lyuynge the sayd Patryarke Iohan. he made a nother myracle ryght grete. the why­che begynnyth in his lyf. and endeth after his dethe / ¶A woman of the sayde cyte where he was borne. had done soo horryble a synne / that she durste neuer confesse it / Soo it happed that the sayde Patriarke came to the cyte / And she hauynge knowlege of his comynge. came and caste herselfe at his fete / sayenge by grete coutrycyon / ¶O reuerende lorde I haue done a synne the whyche for the grete loothlynes of it I dare not confesse / But this notwythstondyng I wote wel. that yf it playse y^t thou shalt gyue me therof remyssyon / ¶The ho­ly Patryarke seenge her grete contrycyon / He wolde not correcte her rygoriously / Doubtyng that she sholde neuer make shryfte therof to a nother / And that bi this she were in dangeour of her soule. but sayd vnto her / My frēde yf thou haste that fayth that I maye clense thi soule fro synne. and that I maye gyue the remyssyon therof / Confesse it vnto me. and I shall doo al that thou requyrest of me / Wherunto she answerd that she sholde not dare telle it / For it was soo dyshoneste & shamefull that it sholde cause horrour at the ceres of the ho­ly man / ¶Thenne he sayde vnto her Thus thenne yf thou arte soo shame­faste of the confessyon of it / gyue it vnto me by wrytynge / ¶She yet answe­red that she sholde not dare doo soo / And the holy man yet agayne sayd vnto her / Thou muste doo it. but yf it se­me the good / thou shalt close the letter in suche wyse. that noo body maye see it / ¶Thenne this woman consentyng to the wordes of the holy Patryarke / wrote her synne wyth her owne honde And after closyd the letter. and toke it to hym / But he ne lyued but fyue day­es after that / ¶Soo it happed by casuell aduenture. that at his dethe this we man was oute of the towne / Whanne she came agayne. and knowyng his deceasse / She ymagyned that her synne had be shewed thorugh all the cyte / by cause that the holy man was deed / ha­uynge towarde hym her scrowe / ¶And as for answere therupon. she had none of / ¶Soo wente she to his tombe where he was buryed / And there she kepte herselfe thre dayes wythoute ony mete or drynke / Makyng there wayllynges wythoute nombre and wepynges / Ha­uynge alwayes an hope that the holy Patryarke sholde lete her vnderstonde some tydynges of her synne / ¶She often sayd vnto hym / Alas holy Patryarke I hadd soo grete an hope of thy ly­fe. the whyche I byleue not to be ended. ¶For god and his chyrche. wytnessen vnto vs. that the Iuste lyue euerlastyn­gly / And therfore I byleue that thou arte not deed / But rather arte more ly­uynge. as to the euerlastynge lyfe· than thou were afore in this worlde / ¶Alas my frende. I ne requyre of the none o­ther thynge / but oonly that thou wolte lete me wyte. where my scrowe is beco­me that I toke the / ¶O my souerayne god that sayd to the woman Canan [...]e That thorugh her faythe she was sa­uyd / ¶Syth that I haue in the stedfaste byleue. that thou mayst make me att thys tyme acertayned of my scrowe / I byseche the / that thou woll be playsed I to haue it agayne / ¶One a daye she [Page] sayenge suche wordes / ¶The holy Patryarke acompanyed wyth two byss­hops. wyth the whyche he was ente­red. aroos oute of his gaue· and sayde to the sayd woman / ¶O poore & nedy woman why leuest thou not in rest theym that ben here wyth me / Thou hast wepte soo moche that we ben all bede­wed wyth thy teeres / And wyth this he toke her agayne her scrowe / And askyd her yf she knewe it / The whyche wor­des sayd. he and the sayde two holy bisshops. layed theymselfe downe agayne wythin theyr tombes / ¶And the sayde woman openyd her letter. And founde therin wryten the wordes that here fo­lowe. ¶For the loue of Iohan my seruaunte thy synne is enrased oute / ¶O what is he that cowde or myghte reherce the power of our lorde. the whiche is soo mercyfull. and louely bothe to men and wymmen / And that soo freely grauntyth and dooth the wyll of all those that drede hym / And that wyth goode herte sekith hym / Whyche gloryfyeth theym that loue hym / And by myracle magnyfyeth theym /

¶The holy Patryarke forsayd was not on̄ly gloryfyed in one place. but in all countrees of the Eest partyes / And now saynt Iherom makyth vs to knowe hym ferdermore in thyse partyes of the Weste /

¶How the dethe of the forsayd holy Patryarke Iohan was shewed to a relygyouse namyd Sauyn / And begyn­nyth in latyn ¶Eadem enim die. &c / Caplm .C.lv.

THe daye that this holy Patry­arke deyed / a Relygyous man namyd Sauyn. beynge in A­lexandrye. sawe by the wyll of god the holy Patryarke Iohan / The whyche accompanyed wyth a grete nombre of clerkes. was ladde by one of theym to­fore an emperour in his palays / After he sawe hym come out of the gate / ¶The whyche vysyon bytokened the departynge of his body from the soule Whan he was out of the gate. came to hym a fayre lady. a yonge mayde shy­nynge bryghter than the sonne / Hauynge on her heed a crowne of Olyue tree· The whiche toke him anone by y^e honde. and ladde him forthe / ¶Bi this visyon the good relygyouse man ymagyned that the holy Patryarke was pas­synge oute of this worlde at that houre vnto euerlastynge glory. And this he [Page Clx] gaaf to knowe vnto dyuers persons. It happed then̄e that oute of Chypre ca­me many marchaūtes in to Alexādrye To whom was askid after the hour of the Patryarkes forsayd dethe / And by theyr answere was cleerly knowe. that the sayd vysyon was true / And that at the same hour that as the Relygyouse man had shewed it. the sayd holy Pa­tryarke was deed / Gyuyng stedfast fayth by this that sayd is to this vysion and namly for cause of the mayde that ladde hym by the honde / For they Iudged that is was Almese / that afore ty­me in this worlde had shewed herselfe to this holy Patryarke forsayd in lykenesse of a mayde / And had promysyd hym as here afore is sayd / That yf he wolde loue her / she sholde present hym byfore the souerayne emperour. that is our blessed Sauyour & Redemer Ihesu Cryste /

¶Of a nother vysion y^t a Citeyzyn of Alexādrie had. touchȳge y^e deth of this holy Patryarke Iohn̄ y^e Almoner / & begyn̄yth ¶Cū autē / Caplm .C.lvi.

ANd not on̄ly by cause of the visyon of y^e forsayd religyoꝰ / but also for a nother vysion y^t happed to a pore man feryng god. whyche dwelled in Alexandrye. the enhabytaū tes of the same cyte byleuyd. y^e Almese & Mercy had presented the forsayd ho­ly Patryarke vnto god / This good po­re man. that same nyghte that the ho­ly Patryarke Iohn̄ deyed. sawe by spirytuell vysyon all the poore folke of y^e cyte of Alexandrye / Aswell children faderlees and moderlees. as wym̄en and other what so euer persone in grete nō ­bre / Beryng in theyr hondes braūches of Olyue tree. the whyche wente to the seruyce and Dirige of the holy Patriarke / ¶Wherfore it was cleerly shewed. Almese dede presented hym afore god / as it is sayd aboue /

¶How out of his sepulcre flowed and ranne oyle· And begynnyth in latyn ¶Hymnodia. &c· Caplm .C.lvii

YF we had of the gloryfycacion of the holy Patryarke none o­ther reason to shewe. but the same that here folowith / Yet ought we o­nely to be certayne withoute ony do­ubtfull demynge. that he is of the nombre of sayntes / ¶After that this holy body was enteryd & buryed. our Rede­mer. wyllyng to shew the worthynes of hym· cōmaunded that out of his graue [Page] sholde flowe and renne oyle. of whose swetnes & swete smelling sauour by sȳ guler grace were the folke beynge pre­sent fulfylled. & namely all the sike folke y^t were enoynted therwyth receyuyd fully theyr helthe ayen / And not oonly this myracle happed in y^e londe of Chypre aforsayd to the worshyp of the sayde holy Patryarke / But also in dyuers other. to the ende that we that see how they haue contynued and lyued holyly in this worlde· sett and applye our courages to ensewe theym in theyr dooynges / ¶We shall praye mekely the gode saynt Iohn̄ the Almoner that it wolde playse hym of his large mekenesse for to spare for vs after oure mortall lyfe the tresours that neuer shall haue ende y^t he hath spared for hȳself thrugh his grete almese & other grete werkes. so y^t we ensewe the same. maye be wyth hȳ fedde in the glory of heuen / Amen /

¶Here begynnyth the lyfe of saynt Eugene / whose feest is halowed y^e day after the feest of the Natiuyte of our sauyour Ihū Cryste / And begyynyth in latin ¶In septimo igitur. et cetera Caplm .C.lviii.

SOmtyme an Emperour of y^e Romayns namyd Chomodrꝰ for to rule & gouerne the cytee of Alexandrye. & the londe of Egypte. vnder the lordshyp of Rome. sent in to the same countree one namyd Phylyp. The whyche departynge out of Rome toke his wyfe Claudia wyth hym. two his chyld (er)n / namyd Anitus & Sergius / and a doughter of his callyd Eugene They togider came in the cyte of Alexandrye / This Philyp as grete Prouost & gouernour there rulynge the cite and all the countree after the ordenaunce of the lawes of Rome put out and broughte downe the cursyd secte of the magicyens. that in grete nombre and of lon­ge tyme had by theyr fendly crafte Infected & poysened alle the londe / ¶Se­condly he cōmaunded that the Iewes shold noo more bere a name in all that londe / And after he ordeyned that the Crysten shold abyde & dwelle in the countree. but not wythin the cytees. But wythout ferre ynoughe from the same. There y^e sayd Eugene was wond (er)fulli lerned. aswell in Greke lettres & latyn as also in the scyence of Phylosophye ¶She had a wytte so quicke & so sharpe. y^e lyghte & stedfastly she helde alle y^t she radde. or that to her was expow [...] The face of her was moche playsaunt She was fayr & praty of body / but more fayr in thought. & in chastytyte [...] [Page Clxi] stedfaste and noble / ¶Whan she came to her fyftenth yere of aege. many lor­des cōsyderyng her grete perfeccōn. made her to be asked to her fader for to haue her by maryage / And amonge tho­ther she was desyred of one namyd A­quylyen. the sone of Aquyn Consull of Rome / But her fad (er) that exposyd & shewed vnto her the extraccōn & nobles of the sayd Aquylyen. for to enduce her to this that she sholde be agreable to ma­ry wyth hym / She wysely answerde. y^t a mayde that hath a wyll to mary. ou­ghte to haue her husbōde agreable whā she is noble of vertues. & not on̄ly of noble kynrede / ¶For whan a woman is wedded she is constrayned to folowe y^e maners of her husbōde. & not of her frē des / And fynably to this Aquilien & to all the other she gaaf an answere. y^t she wolde not mary. but had in her purpo­se that shold lyue chastly / ¶And bi cause that Phylyppe her fader had chaced all the Crysten folke out of the cyte. neuertheles she desyrynge to comyn with theym / And to thende y^t her fader that was a Panym sholde haue noo know­lege of it. nor suspeccōn. prayed hȳ mekely. that he wolde suffre y^t she myghte goo by manere of sporte vnto the subarbes of Alexandrie for to see some of theyr londes & herytages there lyenge nye The whyche thynge was graūted vnto her of her fader / And soo it happed as she wente fore by a chyrche of y^e crysten that she had herde synge thyse verses) Omnes dii genciū demonia. deus autē noster cels fecit (That is to saye. y^t the goddes of the Paynems are but deuyls / But the god that we Crysten doo worshypp hath made the heuens & the erthe / ¶Whan Eugene herde this songe. she began to wepe. sayeng to .ii. Emyches. that is two men y^t lacke the­ir membres of mankinde. The one namyd Prothus & the other Iacintꝰ. that were cōmytted to kepe her & serue her / as comynly it was done of custome to the doughters & wȳmen comen of goode houses / ¶My frendes I knowe that you & I haue ben taughte & enformed togyd (er). aswel in the lawes of men. as in the vayne scyence of the Phylosophers And haue radde the falages of Aristo­le. the ydes of Platon· the secte of y^e E­picuriens. the techynges of Socrates. & of the Stoyciens. and generally all the doctryne of the Poetes & Rethoryciens But all thise vayn scyence are put out and sette asyde by that lytyll verse that I haue herde sȳge by y^e Crysten) Om̄s du genciū demonia. &c (Ye calle me your lady thorugh the power of my fader whyche he hath ouer you mysusyd / but I am your syster in scyence / Be ye thē ne my bredern. and I shall be your syster / ¶Lete vs goo to the Crysten / And as I shall cōmaunde you. we shall doo I knowe the bisshopp of Leopolis named Helayn / In whoos hous men singe contynuelly. y^e holy scryptures / The sayd bisshop hath vnd (er) hȳ many holy relygyouses / And amōge other one there is namyd Theodore. the whyche is le­der of theym that done the dyuyne ser­uyce / ¶Thorugh his prayers & his o­risons he makith the blynde to see. chacyth the deuylles oute of the bodyes of men / ¶Dyuerse wretches in grete so­rowe abydynge. by his prayers aren of theyr sykenesse fully helyd / And the desolate recomforted / Wherfore I haue a [Page] synguler desyre to goo vnto him / And for to doo this. I woll doo cutte my heeres. and clothe myself wyth the clothinge of a man / Therfore I praye you as my bredern that this for to doo ye wol helpe me / ¶The sayd kepers knowynge her holy deuocion. and desyrynge as she to become Crysten. gaaf her for to fulfyll her wyll all comforte and ayde / ¶Soo lepte she out of the chare / wherin she was caryed. And clothed her in mannes clothynge / And by the suffra­unce of god Incontynent as they were come in the chyrche. they mett wyth y^e sayd bisshopp Helayn / ¶The custome was in Egipte suche that whanne the bysshopp wente to vysyte the chyrches. a grete multytude of Syngers came wyth theim (Thus wyth the bysshopp Helayn came mo than .x. thousande y^e songe afore hym sayenge / ¶The way of the Iuste is made veryte. and y^e way of the sayntes of god is made redi Eugene this seenge sayde to her felowes / ¶My frēdes here the substaūce of thys songe / Loke how the god of y^e Crysten is gode to theim. that woll holde the faith of cryst take hede how they knowe that we woll leue our Ydoles for to be Crysten / And for this cause they are come ayenst vs in suche a grete multytu­de of deuoute peple· that synge soo swete a songe / ¶Lete vs beholde whyche waye they shall goo / and Ioyne ourselfe wyth vs. Soo shall we synnge tyl y^t we haue knowlege wyth theym / Thē ­ne they began to question some of that felyshypp / And askyd what was he y^t was in the myddes of theym rydynge vpon an Asse / The whyche answeryd that it was their bysshopp Helayn that of his yongthe was a Crysten man / And of soo grete meryte towarde god That of his yonge aege he made dy­uerse myracles / ¶In berynge of fyre in his gowne. whyche was noo thynge perysshed by it· and other also wonder­full / ¶Amonge the other Religyouses one namyd Eutropius rehercyd to Eugene and to her felowes / How wyth in few dayes passed y^t a magicien namyd Zaree was come thyder / And had she­wed. that the sayd bysshopp was a fal­se Crysten man / And that falsly he sayd he was sente by Ihesu Cryste for to dysceyue the peple / ¶The whyche Magycyen was full of wyles. and sub­tyll / And torned many from the fayth and byleue of holy scripture / ¶For the whyche thynges. the pryncypall Cyteyzyns of Eliopolis were come to the bysshopp Helayn / And had tolde hȳ how the forsayde Magycyen sayd hymselfe was sente of god. and not he. ¶And for this cause they wold haue constrayned the sayd Bysshopp to receyue him as his felowe / Or elles to ouercome hȳ as a Dysceyuour and begyler in ouer­comynge his Magycall argumentacy­ons / ¶And vpon this was a daye chosen and sette / Vpon the whyche in the myddes of the cytee were come togyder the Bysshopp and Zaree the Magycyen. The whyche trustynge in his cur­syd ymagynacyons. hoped to haue tor­ned & ouercome of lyght y^e peple from the faythe of Ihesu Cryste our Sauyoure / ¶But the good Bisshopp Hela­yn hymselfe byleuynge in the fayth of our Sauyour hadde sayde to the peple beynge presente / ¶O Cristen peple ye shall knowe this daye whyche spyrytes [Page Clxii] ben of god. and whyche ben not / The Magycyen that was moche subtyl sect all his cure to putt the bysshopp vnder fete by force of Argumentes / ¶Wher­fore the bisshopp wysely consyderynge the Instruccyon of saynt Poul. sayeng to his dyscyple Thymothee / ¶I for­bydde the to dispute by Paraboles. For suche Argumentes serue oonly. but to subuerte thoos that here theym / ¶For to eschewe Incouenient that sholde haue now falle to the grete hurte of the Crysten peple / Herynge the Sophysty­call dysputacyons of the sayde Zaree / Requyred afore all the peple a grete fyre to be kyndled / And that they both togyder sholde entre. therin / And he that sholde not be brente. sholde calle hym­selfe ryghtfully the very Seruaunte of god / And his lawe to be taken as the beste / The whyche requeste was to alle beynge presente ryghte agreable

¶Wherfore a grete fyre was anone kyndled / And that done the Bysshopp requyred the Magycyen that he sholde entre in to the fyre / The whyche thynge he refused. Sayenge to the bysshopp Helayn that it was reason syth that he had fyrste purposyd / That also he oughte to entree fyrste wythin the fyre / ¶Soo blessyd hymselfe this holy Bysshopp wyth the sygne of the crosse. and entred in the myddes of the fyre / Aby­dynge wythin the same the space of halfe an houre / And thenne came heloute of the fyre wythout ony hurte of his body. nor his clothes perysshed in ony manere / ¶The peple seenge this wonderfull myracle. wolde compelle the sayde Magycyen to entree within the fire after hym / But he trowed to haue fledde awaye / Aad this notwythstondyng he was take. & by force was putt in to the fyre. of whiche Incontynent he was be clippedd & taken all aboute. ¶The holy man this seeng lept in to the fyre a­yen. and wythdrewe therfrom the sayd Magycyen. as half dede / ¶Wherof of al theim of the Regyon he was moche honoured and taken in grete reuerence ¶Whan Eugene had vnd (er)stonde well all that Eutropius had rehercyd vnto her of the holy bysshopp forsayde / She that as aboue it is sayd was clothyd in manes clothynge. felle downe to the fete of the sayde Eutropius / Gyuynge hym to vnderstonde. that she. Iacintus and Prothus were thre bredern / Why­che had purposyd to lyue and deye oonly Ioyned togyder in the Crysten rely­gyon / ¶Soo prayed she hym. that he wolde presente theym vnto the sayde bysshopp Helayn / For they wolde requyre of hym. seenge theyr sayde purpoos / that it wolde playse hym to doo somoche for theym that they sholde neuer be departed the one from the other. Then̄ to them sayd Eutropius. that thei sholde tary tyl that he had be in the chirche And whan he sholde see his houre co­uenable / He sholde reherce vnto the bysshopp all thees thynges / ¶Whan the holy bisshopp was come almoste to the chyrche. The relygyouses came ayenst hȳ syngynge suche a songe / O god we haue receyued in the myddes of thy peple thy mercyfulnes / And anone euery body entred in to y^e chyrche / & songe to­gyd (er) the houres of the daye vnto Sexte ¶Also entred therin Eugene & her felowes / ¶The bysshopp after this wolde take his reste a lytyll / And in that [Page] slepe / he had a vysion. by the whyche to hym was shewed that he wolde goo to thymage of a hethen woman. to thēde y^t he sholde make sacrefyce vnto her / & thenne in this vysion hym semyd y^t he sayd to theym that kepte it & that we­re abowte her / I praye you lete me spe­ke wyth your goddesse. and they graunted hym the same / Then̄e he wente to her & sayd / ¶O poore woman knowe that y^u art a creature of god. come downe & suffre nomore that men worshipp the / Whan the goddesse had vnd (er)stonde his purpoos. she came downe to y^e bys­shopp. to whom she sayd / ¶My frende I shall neuer leue the tyll y^t thou haue restored me vnto my maker / Al this visyon sawe the holy bysshopp / & whan̄e he woke. Eutropius. to whom Eugene had spoken came towarde him / whiche thoughte yet vpon his vysion / He sayd to the bysshopp / Syre here are in youre chyrche thre yonge chyldren y^t are bre­dern the whiche of one assent haue purposyd to forsake the Paynym lawe / & desyre to be of the nombre of the Crysten / And to this entent they haue folo­wed the longe this daye / Desyryng to haue space & tyme that they might speke wyth the. for to haue of our fayth a very knowlege / ¶The holy bysshopp yelded graces vnto our lord of that spyrituelly he had shewed to him this thȳ ge or euer it was happed / ¶Soo sente he for theym / And as they were come afore hym. he toke Eugene by the bonde / gyuynge teeres out of his eyen. And drewe theym asyde / After he askyd theym of theyr names. of what nacyon / & of what frendes they were / ¶Eugene answerde that they were brethern. born in Rome. and that she was called Eu­genius: and her bredern were callyd the one Prothus and the other Iacintus ¶And thenne the bysshopp knowyng by the forsayd vysyon the sayd Euge­ne to be a vyrgyn / He sayd vnto her / Veryly wyth good righte thou arte callyd Eugenius / ¶For thou bereste the very courage of a man in vndertakynge a werke. whyche is vertuouse / The trou­the wherof hathe ben̄ vnto me shewed this daye by my god / that by a vysyon hath shewed the vnto me / And the whiche that I haue thus presently knowen hathe made redy in the his house right agreable. By cause thou haste purpo­syd thy vyrgynytee to be reseruyd vnto hym / In dyspysynge alle worldly de­lectacyon / ¶Wyte it that for to kepe the chastyte thou shalt suffre many eueles / but that same my god. whom thou haste fully & hooly gyuen thyself shall not leue the / ¶After this holy bysshop Helayn torned his worde to Prothus & to Iacintus. and sayd to theym / ¶Ye that are seruauntes / and wytholden in thraldom / Ye haue in your hertes grete noblesse / I maye saye to you that y^e oure lorde sayde to his discyples / ¶From hens forthe I shall noo more call you Seruauntes / But I shall calle you my Frendes / ¶More ouer sayde vnto the­ym this holy Bysshopp Helayn / My chyldren vnd (er)stonde it that ye ben well happy and gracious of this that ye haue consented to the holy ghoste. in obeyenge and enclynynge to his holy ma [...] ­uynges ¶ / For thrugh that meane ye shall be parteners togyd (er) of the Ioye of heuen / ¶In this astate abode y^e good Eugene in y^e clothȳge or a seculer man [Page Clxiii] vnto the tyme that by the holy bysshop she was regenerate of the holy Sacra­ment of baptesme. And by hym [...]n to a monastery of relygyon. where she desi­red for to be / ¶But for to haue very knowlege how she departed pryuely from her Parents / It is to be noted y^t in those dayes. whan the ladyes wolde goo to sporte theymself. they were of a custome born in a chare. gouerned with some yonge chyld (er)n. called Emiches. or more plainly to speke. men ghelded. the whiche beynge wyth theym. aswell for to serue theym. as for to kepe theym / ¶Now thenne wyth Eugene gooyng to her sporte. as it is sayde aboue. were Prothus & Iacintus. that for to serue & kepe her abode wyth her / The why­che by meane of her desyrynge were cō tent to doo as she wolde / And soo in dede they went wyth her / as aboue is shewed / And sent home agayn the lyttere by some yonge chyldren that had born̄ theym company / ¶The moder of the good Eugene seenge the yonge chyld (er)n come & the lyttere was very gladde / hopynge that her doughter was comyng in the same chare or lyttere / But after whan she knew her doughter to be gone / She began to crye soo wonderfully that alle the cyte was moeuyd wyth it / Eeuery body wept and wayled the losse of the good lady Eugene / The fader and the moder sighed after theyr doughter. And in lyke wyse the brethern after theyr sister / The whyche for to fynde was made dilygent sekynge thrugh al the Prouynce / ¶The dyuynours or southsayers were sente fore / And by sacrefyces and dysceytes of the deuyll. the goddes were mekely required that they wolde yeue an answere where Eugene was become / Alle y^e southsayers sayd y^t y^e goddes had rauisshed her aboue y^e heuēs / ¶The fad (er) byleuyng this to be of trouth. torned his heuinesse in to glad­nesse. & made the people to kepe a feest of thanswere that the goddes had yeue of his doughter / And moreouer for to honour & enhaunce the name of her dede / dyde doo make a fygure or ymage after her likenes. Wherto he gaaf a grete & merueyllous quantyte of fyne gold The whiche ymage he adoured & worshypped it as he dyde his goddes / But neuerthelesse her moder Claudia & her bred (er)n / Anitus & Sergius cowde not take in this foly ony comforte / ¶All thy se [...]thynges notwythstondynge / the goode Eugene in clothynge of· man & vn­knowen abode in the sayde monastery wyth the Relygyouses of the same / As it is sayd here aboue / And soo well she studyed. that in a lytyll whyle she com­prysed alle the rules of the Relygyon / ¶She was soo kynde & louely. that al the brethern thought and helde her for an angell / Her wordes were swete. and her mekenesse so grete / that she ouerpassed all the other relygyouses.

¶She was euer the fyrst in prayer. she comforted the sorowful. she shewed herselfe gladde wyth those that were Ioy­ous / ¶They that were full of wrathe she wyth one worde made theym to be pacyent in theyr behauynge / The proude by her example wonderfully she conuerted. lyke as a lyon had be torned by her in to a shepe / ¶She had this mer­ueyllous gyfte of god that al persones y^t she vysited in theyr sykenesse. felte at her comynge to theym noo sore att all. [Page] Prothus & Iacintus folowed her contynuelly / & were obeyeng to her / The .iii yere after she was put in y^e sayd religyon thabbot of her monastery deyed / soo they togyd (er) chose wyth one acorde y^e virgyn Eugene for to be their abbot. She then̄e consydryng y^t she was a woman & doubtyng to be set in auctorytee aboboue y^e men / Ferynge also of the other part to be seen y^t she shold dispyse & cō tempne the prayers of all the Religioꝰ y^t so besily desyred her to take vpon her the auctorytee of the abborshypp. sayde vnto theym / ¶O my bred (er)n I requyre you in y^e name of god y^t the boke of the gospels maye be now presently broughte & shewed byfore vs alle. And anone as it was brought. she sayd ayen to thē ¶Euer whan ony religioꝰ haue for to be done some eleccōn. they ought bifore all thinges to desyre & call the helpe of our lord Ihesu Cryste / ¶Lete vs see thē ne in this your eleccōn. what thyng he cōmaūdith for to be doo. to thende that we maye obeye to his deuoute wamynges / Also to obeye the cōmaūdementes that shall be by you done in this byhalfe / ¶The holy Eugene toke then̄e the boke of the gospels. and began to torne a leef & sin a nother. tyl she fonde a gospell conteynyng y^e wordes y^t here after are wryten. the whiche she rehercyd sayeng / ¶In those dayes sayd Ihū Cryst to his discyples. ye know y^t the prynces & lordes oughte to be. & are more grete in auctoritee and power than the men vpon whom they haue grete lordshypp & myghte / But this thynge is not lyke amonge ye other. ¶For yf ony of you woll be the formeste. he shall be the last And yf ony amonge you woll be a lord he shall be a seruaunt / After saynt Eu­gene sayd to theim / Therfore my bre­dern consyderynge all thyse thynges. & not wyllynge to saye ayenst you / I ha­ue purposyd to take vpon me the auctorite that ye gyue me ouer you / And prȳ cypally derysyrynge to obeye the cōmaundement of god. ordeyne miself the leste amonge ye other. that are to me moche dere & agreable / Of the whyche answere they were moche abasshed / But this notwythstondynge she presumed not to vse the dygnytee as the moost grete aboue all other / But mekyng herselfe toke the charge that the moost lo­we and poore persone had beyng vnder that Couent / That is to wyte. to here water. cleue wood / And made her dwellynge in that self place where the Potter dwelled / to thēde she shold not she­we herself gretter than he / ¶With this she had a contynuell thought. and a holy cure of the thynges that were necessary to be had for the refeccōn of the b [...] ­der [...] / In sayeng psalmes and orysons she kepte soueraynly a good order / And to all y^e houres of the seruyce of god. as­well by nyghte as by daye. soo curyously contynued. that she thoughte alle ty­me to be loste that was passed wythout graces and praysynges to be gyuen vnto god / ¶In this holynesse of lyfe she contynued in suche wise / and soo longe That our lorde graunted vnto her soo grete habundance of graces. That she chacyd out of men̄es bodyes the deuels that tormented theym / Made the blynde to see. & many other grete myracles she dyde / ¶Amōge y^e whiche a lady of y^e londe of Alexādrie named Melance / amonge other was of grete power. he [...] [Page Clxiiii] he grete reporte that euery man made of the merueyloꝰ vertues of y^e holy vir­gin Eugene. whiche was take as a riȝt holy man. came to her for to be holpen & heled of a grete feuer y^t a yere durȳge & more had vexed her body right sore· The whyche Eugene enoynted wyth an oyle & anone this woman cast out of her body the corrupt humours y^t caused wythin her y^e feuer. & all hoole & so side wēte home ayen to her place y^t was not ferre. Where she toke the grete goblets & fylled theym wyth money. why­che she sente vnto saynt Eugene / The whyche dispysyng y^e sayd presents. sente theym vnto her ayen forthwyth / Le­tyng her wyte. y^t of godes she had ouer moche / Wherfor she coūseyled her that she shold deale & depart to the poore nedy & nedfull the godes & presents that she had sent to her / ¶The sayd Melā ce heryng thyse wordes was gretly wrothe. & came toward saynt Eugene / prayeng her y^t she wolde take & receyue a­greatly her presents. promysyng to gyue her other more grete· but in efect she loste her tyme. For saynt Eugene wold not take theim / This notwythstōding Melance left not. but she come toward y^e good Eugene / & not knowyng by o­ny wyse y^t she was a woman / the beaute of her disceyued y^e sayd Melance. the whyche trowynge y^t she had be a man and that by hȳ she was heelyd / Not by his holynes. but by some crafte or cun­nynge of physik. lete herself fall by the temptynge of the deuyll in to the synne of flesshly desyre / And thynkynge that the sayd Eugene had refusyd the sayd presents. for couetyse to haue had gretter. offred other vnto her in more grete habundance than she had tofore / Pro­mysynge to gyue hym yet more of theym. asmoche as he wolde aske / ¶And where she contynued prayenge hym y^t his playsure were to resceyue the sayde presents / And sawe they were refusyd. And to her sente agayne by the goode Eugene / She ranne in to a gretter he­te than she was afore / ¶And atte thys cause feynyng to be syke soo greuously that she sholde not haue moeuyd her­selfe out of her bedde / Made saynt Eugene to be prayed that she sholde come and vysyte her. And she dyde soo / And beyng there byfore the bedde of Melance that had made the folke to goo oute of her chambre that were there feynynge to declare vnto her some secretes in confessyon. as well of her conscyence as of her sikenesse. Sayd vnto Eugene suche wordes / ¶My lorde and my fren­de Eugene. pardonne yf it playse you yf I ouer famylyerly do declare my pouertee vnto you / For I am therto cons­trayned. by the grete sore whyche opressyth me / ¶Certaynly my lorde the grete and excessyue loue whyche I haue cō ceyued towarde your gracious yongthe The right excellent beaute of the whyche dame Nature hath soo gretly & largely endowed you. tormentith my pore herte soo sharply that it ne were to me possible neuer to haue Ioye ne playsure in this worlde But yf it come to me of you / ¶Soo yelde I myself and al my goodes to you alone. makynge & ordeynynge your goodly persone lorde & maister ouer my body. and of al my godes ¶Alas my lord what playsure doo ye take totorment thus greuousli your body by folysshe and vayne abstynences / [Page] I haue Infynyte possessions and ry­ches. I haue grete tresours of gold & of syluer / I am enhaūsed in auctoryte of noblesse of my kin̄e / and this yere I haue loste my child (er)n that are deceased oute of this world / Alas I pray you succede to my goodes in stede of theym / & be alone mayster & lorde. not oonly of me but also of all my possessions. & godes. The deuoute Eugene hering thise fowle wordes & dyshoneste exhortacōns / answerde to her in this manere / O womā dāpned certaynly / thy name beryth truwitnesse of an horrible cursidnes & treison / Truely y^u hast made redy in the a grete place for y^e deuyll / Dāpnable disceyuer leue y^t wyll that y^u haste to torne the seruaūtes of god / I woll well that y^u knowe that we relygiouses haue wel vsed to lyue otherwise / ¶The dāpned spyrytes that are to y^e lyke / take thy godes. and not we that haue no appetyte to them nor woll not haue theym / For it is vnto vs a pleysaūt thing to begge our brede wyth our lord Ihū Cryst / He is habūdantly ryche that is wyth hym ¶O Melance the wyll of me is y^t su­che folysshe concupyscēces depart from the Truely th [...]happynesse y^t hath assaylled the shall not be cause of thy heele but of dampnacōn / Thou that art made the house & dwellynge of the veny­mouse dragon. shedest & spredest a wonderfull venym / But by the callynge of the name of god. and by y^e helpe of hys mercifulnes. we haue eschewed. and yet we shall eschewe thinfeccōn of thin abhomynable and horryble poysons / ¶Thenne this cursyd and wretchyd woman / Impacyent of the repreyffe y^e the good Eugene had sayd to her / & at this cause al enswollen with bytter d [...] ̄ playsure / Knowynge also that she had thus loste her honoure / And doubtynge that Eugene sholde telle her synne for to quenche her feere. purposyd herselfe to complayne of hym afore the Iustyce ¶Wherfore Incontynent she went afore the grete Prouoste of Alexandrye: & shewed to him in a gret wodnesse and hertly dysplaysure / How for to haue founde the meanes to be holpen of a sykenesse that haue kept her longe. she had suffred a yonge relygyous of the Rely­gyon Crysten. that called himself a gode Leche. to come towarde her for to hele her / But this Relygyouse replenys­shyd wyth treyson. Wenynge that she hadde be suche. as they were of whom he had taken of a custome his foule delectacyons. hadd dare. all shame layed asyde speke vnto her shamefull and dishoneste wordes for to haue moeued her vnto his abhomynable wyll / and that worse was / Yf she hadde not callyd her woman abowte her / He sholde haue rauysshyd her and defoyled / ¶Requyrynge this Melance to the sayde Prouoste that therof he wolde doo to her as ryg­hte and reason requyreth / ¶The Prouoste heryng thise wordes. was enflammyd wyth grete woodnesse. And sente to the monastery certayne Commyssa­ryes that charged were to brynge hym prysonere / Eugene and alle the other dwellynge in the sayde monasterye Whyche thynge was done / ¶And by cause they were in suche nombre: that they myghte not be alle in one pryson togyder / They were put in dyuers pla­ces and vnder dyuerse kepers fether [...] well harde & faste / The sayd P [...]oste [Page Clxv] after gyuyng credence folysshly to the [...]des of the sayd Melance. condempned theym all for to deye. & ordeyned a certayn daye y^t some of theym shold be take for to be deuoured of wylde bestes The other to be bren̄ed & thother to be put vnto dyuers tormētes / And at this cause was thrugh all y^e londe grete no ye of the execucion that sholde be done of the sayd Relygyouses / The whyche alle the dwellers of the londe Iudged them worthy to suffre deth / ¶For they thoughte that Melance whyche was come of a noble hous / and of hyghe kyn­reed / wolde neuer haue putt vpon the­ym wythout a Iuste cause suche a charge / ¶Fynably whan the daye was come that the sayd execucōn sholde be done. alle the dwellers of the townes and cytees lyenge abowte / came to Alexan­drye the cyte for to see the same / Wherof some sayd theyr opynyon in one manere. and the other sayde otherwyse / ¶But oure lorde god that neuer le­uyth his seruauntes in their moost ne­de / After that the hangman had made redy the torments & other thinges couenable to putt to dethe Eugene and the other relygyouses. suffred that the sayd Eugene for to declare the more openly her grete vertues / was by the sayd Prouostr questyoned / And for to make alle the people wyse of the grete malyce of the forsayd wycked Melance / Thenne the sayd Prouoste namyd Philyp that was fader to Eugene. and that knewe her not. began to speke afore her sayenge in this wyse / ¶Come hether false Crysten man and the worst of thother Hath thi god cōmaūded to the to be oppressour & defoyler of the noble ladyes. Thou art well shamles and ouerseen / What folye causyth the to praye. & wolde haue take bi foly so noble a lady as is dame Melance ¶Eugene casted her syght to the groūde. & feryng to be knowe of her fad (er). answerd mekeli / Mi god whom I serue hath cōmaunded y^e men shall kepe his chastytee & vyrgynyte / & vnto all those that done soo. he promysyth euerlastyng lyfe. in his Ioye of he­uen / ¶And now we maye declare Melance to be a lyar. and forger of falshede / But it is better that we suffre some euylles than that she shold be atteyned & conuycte of her synne. to thende y^t we lese not the meryte of our pacience / Alway yf you syre Prouost woll promyse whan she shal be proued fals & full of lesyng. y^t ye shal doo her noo harme. at this hour we shall approue her syn̄e / y^e Prouoste heryng her meke wordes graūted her request / ¶Then̄e Eugene to testyfie the vntrouth of Melance. required y^e men sholde her woman seruaunte in her chābre doo come / The Iuge made all the seruaūtes of the sayd lady to be callyd. & brought afore hym. whiche declared by their othes that theyr lady Melance wyth good & Iuste cause had complayned her of the Relygyous Eugene / And that he wolde haue constrayned her as it is sayd aboue / ¶The Prouoste herynge theyr deposicyons. sayde vnto saynt Eugene / ¶What wol thou saye now false & wyckyd monke / thou seest how thus many wytnesse thy cur­syd delyte / ¶Eugene of this fals wyt­nessyng was sore trowbled / So thouȝt she in herself. that yf shold hyde her virgynytee / Soo many Relygyouses as were there prysonners wyth her. there [Page] sholde allisuffre dethe for her and in y^e tyme to come the euill & malycyoꝰ sholde be more bolde to repreue the seruaū ­tes of god / Of the other parte she hadd purposed neuer to dyscouer her conuer­sacōn. but oonly to her spouse Ihū Cryste / Neuertheles for to saue y^e lyf of her relygyouses / and to thende that the cursed Melance. and al suche other. by falshed· sholde not be in tyme comynge so outrageoꝰ for to charge wrongfully y^e crysten peple / she thoughte to open and shewe her befall that was soo secrete / ¶Soo departed she her gowne fro top to too. & shewed that she was a womā and namely that the Prouost was her fader. and Claudia her moder / and tolde hym that Anitus & Sergius were her bredern / ¶This came anone to y^e ceres of her moder Claudia that was in her place / Wherfore she desyryng to see her doughter ran̄e anone to the barres where the Iustyce was / And there y^e Prouoste. she & her bredern knewe her / and began to wepe & make grete way lynges. that longe were to be rehercyd ¶Anone were broughte gownes of clothe of golde vnto her. of the whiche she clothed her as by force / After she shewed to her fader how Prothus & Iacintus his two Emiches & she had forsa­ke the worlde and all the goodes in er­the. and had made theymself Crysten / Thenne all togyder thanked god / sayenge / ¶O god thy power is now glo­ryfyed. that hath ouercome and banysshyd the enmyes of thy seruauntes / ¶Eugene was ladde in grete worship in to the house of her fader / And the fyre of heuen came downe vpon the house of Melance / In whyche abode noo body alyue. but were all that were [...] in brenned and wasted all in to asshes / ¶Thenne all the Crysten peple that had be put out of the sayd Prouoste were called ayen / And the chyrche was o­pen / the whyche by the space of eyghte yere was shytte / ¶The fader of Eu­gene Prouoste of Alexandrye that in y^e Crysten hadd take awaye theyr fraunchyses. restored theim enteerly vnto theym ayen / ¶And he himself thrugh the enticynge of his doughter Eugene made hym to be crystned his wyfe also & all his seruauntes / ¶Alle the cyte was as it had be one oonly chyrche. soo mo­che began there the name of the Crys­ten to flourysshe / ¶Now it is trouthe / as often it happyth. that the good are enuyed by the badde / that some wente and reported vnto Seuere & Anthony bothe emperours of the Romayns / vnder the whyche / the gouernaunce of all Alexandrye was ruled. and gouerned / How Phylyp the Prouost was become a crysten man. and dystroyed thydolles and buylded chyrches in the name of y^e god of the Crysten / And how he hadd ordeyned newe lawes. and put asyde y^e emperours lawes / The whyche wrote vnto hym in this maner / ¶Philyp we be enformed of the noueltees that thou hast done in Alexandrye / And we knowe wel that our fader Com̄odius ordened the to be there / Not oonly as Pro­uoste. but as a kynge. In suche wyse y^t in all thy lyfe thou sholdest neuer be reuokyd therfro / And noo successour sholde not be gyuen to the / ¶Wherfore we desyrynge some thynges to be multy­plyed vnto the benefices of the same order / We sēde y^e worde of cōmaūdement [Page Clxvi] that to the ryght myghty goddes thou doo make lyke sacrefice. as we haue a­customyd. or otherwyse thou shalt be bi reuyd fro thy dygnytee. And wyth thys thy goodes shal be vnto vs applyed as forfayted / ¶The Prouoste Phylyppe whan he herde thyse tydynges. feyned hymself to be syke. tyll that he had caused al his goodes to be dealed vnto the poore for goddis sake / and to the chyr­ches. And he hymself weut and comforted the Crysten· to the ende they sholde be more stable & constaunt. and not fe­rynge the dethe / ¶Durynge the sayde tyme notwithstondyng that he was cō maunded to wythdrawe hymself oute of the offyce of Prouoste / Neuerthelesse by cause none other was yet come that sholde ocupye the sayd offyce. the peple seruyd and obeyed hym as theyr Pro­uoste / And ouer this the preestes ordey­ned hym theyr Bysshopp / ¶Soo was the good Phylyppe a hole yere well ser­uynge god in suche astate / The yere expyred was ordeyned to the office of the Prouoste one namyd Perennius. why­che trowed to haue slayn hym / But by cause he was moche agreable to god & to the peple he cowde not fynde y^e wayes therof / ¶Finably he made to be put secretly some subtyll and euyll dryuels that feyned to be Crysten wythin the chyrche where as was the goode Phy­lyppe. and slewe hym in doynge the dyuyne seruyce / ¶Thyse vnhappy Dre­uels & murdrers were take & put in pryson in the hondes of the Prouoste Perē nius / The whiche Prouoste felyng hȳ self gyltye of this synne / And feynyng as he wolde haue made them to be kepte surely for to speke wyth theym. and enquyre of the trouthe of the befall. made theym to be putt in to pryson vnder good kepers / ¶But neuertheles in fe­we dayes after he lete them goo free by pardon & Indulgence of the prynces ¶Eugene that in the sayd cyte had begon a Couente of vyrgines. buryed the body of her fader the martyr wythin y^e chyrche. where she helde her / ¶Also her moder Claudia had begon an hospy­tall. whiche she had endowed wyth suffysaūt rentes & fayr possessyons / for to herbrugh the poore pylgrymes. was at the buryenge of the sayd blessyd martyr somtyme her husbonde ¶Whan his seruyce was done / Claudia mod (er) to Euge­ne & her chyldren retorned to Rome & they there lo come / one of the sayd chyldren was made Senatour of Rome / y^e other Consul of Cartage. and thother vycarye in Affryque / ¶Eugene hadde many cosyns bothe of men & of wym­men dwellynge in Rome that came to see her. desyryng at her ensample to be Crysten ¶Amōge other saynt Basille a vyrgyne / that was of the lygnage of kynges cowde not fȳde the meanes to speke wyth Eugene for to be Crysten / So made she her to be prayed bi a messager. that she wolde sende her some Instruccōns of the Cristen fayth ¶Thē ­ne saynt Eugene sente her two crysten knyghtes / Prothus & Iacintus toward y^e sayd Basylle. for to be by thē taught in the faythe of holy chirche / The whyche she receyued worshypfully as apostles of Ihū Cryste / ¶All daye & all nyghte she was wyth theym. spekinge of y^e holy scrypture / And by cause they were Emyches. therof folowed noo sklaū dre / ¶In the sayde tyme one namyd [Page] [...] [Page Clxvi] [...] [Page] Cornille was pope of Rome / whiche came to her secretly & crystned her / Whā saynt Basylle was cōfermyd in y^e faythe by the sacrament of baptesme / she came almoost euery nyght & visited saynt Eugene. & all the wydowes y^t were cristned went to y^e couent of saynt Claude the mod (er) of Eugene & the virgyns resorted to saynt Eugene / ¶The sayd saynt Cornyll at y^t tyme pope. went e­uery Saturday & visyted them / expownyg vnto theim deuoute ympnes & sō ­ges all y^e longe nyght vnto y^e spring of the daye / ¶Valerien & Galien in tho dayes were emperours y^t whiche began to haue y^e Crysten in grete Indignacyon for by cause y^e saynt Cyprien cōuerred them of Cartage / & saynt Cornylle the Romayns / Soo was sent Paternꝰ Proconsul in to Cartage for to bringe the [...] to deth Cyprien y^t whiche thyng he dyde [...] by all thꝰ he deyed a martyr ¶The same tyme saynt Eugene kne­we by the wyll of god / y^t saynt Basylle shold be mart [...]ed for to kepe her vyrgynyte. the whiche reuelacōn she gaue her to know & saynt Basylle answerd to Eugene· y^t also she had vnd (er)stond by reuelacōn of god y^t Eugene shold haue a dowble crowne of martyrdom. one for y^e meryte y^t she had gote in Alexandr [...]e & thother for shedynge of her bloode. y^t she sholde suffre for to kepe her faythe. Then̄e saynt Eugene yelded graces to god sayenge / O my god. on̄ly sone of y^e euerlastyg god the fad (er). y^t art come in to this vyle world within the wombe of y^e right holy virgin. I byse [...]he y^e right hū bly. y^t it woll playse y^t to graūte vnto altho virgines. whiche y^t hast cōmitted to be ruled by me. y^e grace y^t they maye co­me to thy euerlastyng Ioye / ¶Eugene after went wyth her vyrgyns. and sayd to them suche or lyke wordes in substaunce / ¶My sisters y^e vyneyerde is now ripe / & the seeson is now come y^t the gode vynes shall be pressed out of the grapes wyth fete / but after y^t the vyne shal be strayned & made well pure & clene / It shall be presēted for to be dronke in the ryall courte of the kynge / And therfore sayde god I am the vyne. And ye my dyscyples are the raysyns / My sys­ters y^t are sprynges & reysyns of virgynytee be euer redy for to make fayre & worshypp y^e lawe whyche ye holde. Virgynyte is the fyrst shewing of gode vertues. nyhe neyghbour to god lyke vnto angels. mod (er) of life frēde vnto holynes waye of suretee lady of Ioye. leder of vertue. nourysshinge & crowne of fayth the socours & yelder of charyte ¶And therfore my systers we oughte to desyre none other thynge somoche. as to lyue in vyrgynyte / & yet no [...]e grete deuocōn we ought to haue. as to deye for her in this byhalfe / ¶Ye knowe y^t all erthly thynges come wyth grete Ioye· but af­ter departyng they are cause of grete heuynesse & soo they gyue a laughter & a Ioy sondayn for to be the cause [...] of wepyng euerlastȳgly / For this lyfe is but a momente to the regarde of the lyfe y^t euermore shall last / And at the ende al those y^t therupon shall set theyr affeccyon & loue shall falle in to euerlastynge dāpnacōn / ¶Then̄e my douȝters syth y^t ye haue abyden wyth me hitherto haue in you constāce & perseueraūce vnto the laste ende / Wepe in this world to y^e entent y^t ye shal haue euerlastyng Ioye ¶Now I beseche y^e holy ghost that he [Page Clxvii] wyll kepe you / and I bileue he shal preserue you in your vyrgynytee / ¶Desire not my bodyly presence / but yf I haue done ony good werkes. folowe me ghostly / After y^t she had thꝰ preched & exhorted theym to remēbre the heuenly thynges for to flee the erthly. she kyssed all them & saynt Basille. & cōmaūded theym to god / Then̄e Eugene & saynt basylle departed fro theym ¶That same daye one of the wym̄en seruaunt wyth saynt Basylle forsayde went towarde Pōpee. y^t whiche had trouthplyght this holy Basille. & shewed vnto him. that she & her vncle Helain were become cirsten. & that he shold neuer wedde her. bisyde this she sayd to him y^t she had w^t her .ii. Emiches. y^t is to wyte. Prothꝰ & Iacintꝰ. y^t whiche Eugene had sente to her for to torne her to the crysten faythe And how she serued theym as goddes Inmortall in kyssynge dayly theyr fete ¶Pompee as affrayed wente towarde Helayn y^t was vncle & gouernour of saynt Basylle / & sayd to hȳ / Wyte it He­layn y^t now I woll make my wedding & therfor shewe me Basylle. whiche is yeuen to me by thēperour & all the Ro­mayn prynces / Helayn answerde / My frende I haue nourisshed her duryng y^e tyme of her yong [...] / For at y^e tyme she was in my kepy [...]ge for the loue of her fad (er) that was in kin̄esman / I haue done for her all y^t was in me possyble. but neuertheles she is out of my rule & hath her free choy [...] / & therfore yf y^u woll speke wyth her goo to her hous / ¶Then̄ was Pompee more angry than afore. & went an [...]e to her hous / So cōmaūded he y^e P [...]ters y^t they shold goo telle Basylle theyr maystresse y^t he wolde speke with her / The gode lady sent him worde ayen y^t she wolde nother see him nor mete wyth hym / & therfore he myghte well goo home ayen / ¶Pōpee was fulfylled wyth wrathe more than he was afore. & thrugh the fauour of all y^e Senatours· cam̄ tofore themperours. & sayd vnto theym / O emperours ryght holy socour at this hour your subgets Romayn. and put from this noble cytee of Rome the new goddes y^t Eugene hath brought in it. comyng out of the londe of Egypte / It is longe syth y^t the Crysten are lettynge the comyn weele. For they done done other thynge. but on̄ly mocke with the holy ceremonyes of our lawe / They dispyse oure goddes ryght myȝty. sayeng y^t they ben ydoles. rauysshȳge deuyls / They chaunge the right of nature / they breke maryage. & wythdrawe vnto them the yonge doughters In sayenge y^t it is a dangerous thyng y^t a byrde shall take her spouse by wedlocke / What shall we doo noble empe­rours / by whom shall the Romayns be honoured. & also the kȳges subdued / yf the wȳmen y^t we oughte to haue to be our wyues be take awaye from vs. by whom we mighte haue yssue. to whom we myght cōmaunde / Where shal thē ­ne be the reparacōn of the strengthes of the Romayns for y^e contynuaūce of batayles / ¶Whan Pompee had made an ende of his wordes. all the Senatours begā to wepe ouer saynt Basylle. And that notwytstondynge Galien the emperour Iudged Incontynent y^t she sholde take Pompee to her lorde & husbon­de / Or elles by wepen he sholde make her lyfe to be broughte at an ende / And in lyke wyse Eugene. but yf she wolde [Page] doo sacrefyce vnto the goddes / And besyde this he ordened grete punysshmēt to be take thrugh all the cyte vpon tho that sholde hyde by ony manere the cristen peple ¶And after a messager was sente to saynt Basylle / that cōmaūded her in the emperour Galiens byhalfe. that she shold come speke with hym. or elles that she shold take Pompee to her husbonde / The good vyrgin answerde that she wold not / And her spowse sholde be Ihū Cryst the sone of the euerlastynge god & none other / ¶In sayeng the whiche wordes the messager percyd thrugh & thrugh the body. & slewe her / ¶After he take Prothus & Iacyntꝰ. & broughte theym in to the temple for to worshyp the goddes / And as they cam̄ thyder [...] were makynge theyr prayers to Ihū Cryst. thyd [...]lle of Iupyter that was in y^e temple was smyten to many smalle pyeces / ¶Nicecius that was y^e tyme Prouoste of Rome made them to be byheded at the fete of saynt Basylle notwythstondynge that she was deed / ¶After that he sent for saynt Eugene & asked how by her art magyk she had conuerted so grete peple / The good lady bolde and stedfast in the fayth / answerde holdly sayenge [...]yn arte is not magyke But my byleue is in that selfe god that hath a fader wythout mod (er) and a moder wythoute fader / And the whyche fader hath engendred hȳ with out moder / And she in like wise conceyued hym wythoute knowlege of man / ¶My god & my mayster hathe a wyfe a vyrgyn. whyche engendreth a conty­nuell multytude of children / ¶His fle­sshe is Ioyned to the flesshe of his wife a virgin· Wythout lettyng ther kysse e­che other. they shal be euerlasting in loue / And soo are they so perfyte. y^t al virgynyte. all charyte. & all on̄lynes of body is there kepte / ¶Nicecius Prouoste romayne dredynge y^e themperour shold here her speke / for he doubted moche leest he sholde be torned to the crysten fa­yth by her wordes· Incontynent made her to be broughte in to the temple of y^e goddesse Diana. for to doo sacrefyce to the sayd goddesse. or elles to suffre deth ¶The good ladi Eugene put herselfe on bothe her knees. & heuynge her hondes towarde heuen sayde / O my god y^e knowest the secretes of my conscyence / y^t hast kepte my vyrgynyte by thy l [...]ue y^t haste gyuen to me thy blessyd sone to my spouse. y^t hath made to regne in me the holi ghost. I pray y^t now that y^u wolte be wyth me presētly. for to helpe me confesse thy holy name. to thende y^t alle thoos y^t worshyp this ydoll maye be cō foūded wyth theyr sacrefyces / & anone all the temple felle downe / & was al togyd (er) broken. excepte the awter afore the whyche saynt Eugene was knelynge / ¶And thyse thynges were done in the yle of Lych [...]anye in presence of a gre­te multytude of peple that ther was come for to see thende of saynt Basylle Some began to calle & crye layenge y^t she was Innocent. & [...]other callyd her Magycyen ¶All this befall was shewed to the Prouoste. whiche made it to be knowen vnto the emperour / The whyche cōmaūded y^t she shold be caste in to the ryuer of Tibre with a mylstone at her necke. & it was done soo / But asso­ne as she was caste in y^e grete [...]me. y^e stone claue all in pieces. & the g [...]od la­dy was seen walke vpon the wa [...]. to [Page Clxviii] thende that the Crysten sholde knowe / y^t the god y^t had sauyd saynt Peter in y^e see. was that tyme wyth the good lady saȳt Eugene. to kepe her y^t she sholde not be drowned wythin the sayd ryuer of Tyber / ¶After Incontinent as she was had out of y^e streme / & put in to an hote furnayse. oute of whyche Incontynent y^t she was caste in it. the heete wexed cold. And after they put her in a derke place. & the sayd emperour cōmaunded y^t she sholde be lefte there the space of .x. dayes without mete nor drynke. & also wythout ony lyght / But neuertheles. wythin y^e place where she was thꝰ kepte. was seen a grete lyghte soo bryghte. that al was lyghte as it had be the lyght of the son̄e / ¶After this god y^t neuer faylyth his seruaūtes came & vysi­ted her. and broughte her a loof of bre­de. as white as the snowe / & sayde vnto her / ¶Eugene my true spouse & frende take the brede y^t I brȳge for the / I am thy Sauyour that y^u haste loued. & yet louyth of all thy herte / I shall lede the in to heuen vpon suche a daye as I ca­me downe in the erthe / & Incontynente he deparred ¶Soo it happed y^t the day of the Nar [...]uyte of Ihū Cryste: y^t hang man was sent towarde her. whiche sle­we her wythin the pryson / ¶Her body was take of the Crysten. & buryed in y^e waye Latyne. In the same place where she had buryed many crystens / Her moder Claudia cam̄ oft to wepe vpon her graue / ¶And amonge the other. she beyng vpon the sayd graue abowte y^e ho­ur of mydnyght saynt Eugene her doughter aperyd vnto her. clothed in a gowne of purple. coueryd wyth fyne gold acōpanyed wyth a grete nombre of virgyns. and sayd to her / Reioyce thyselfe my mod (er). for god hath sett me amonge y^e glorioꝰ sayntes in his paradys. & my fad (er) wyth the Patriarkes / & vpon Sonday nexte comynge y^u shalt be receyued wyth grete Ioye in Paradys / ¶Cōmaūde to thy child (er)n y^t they haue alway in theyr remēbraūce y^e passion of Ihū cryste. to thende y^t they be parteners wyth vs of y^e souerayne Ioyes of heuen / And as she parted away· she gaaf suche a lighte in the sayd place. y^t noo man̄es eye cowde beholde it / Wherbi men maye bileue y^t she was accōpanyed of the right gloryous Trynyte of Paradys / To y^u whyche be Infynyte glory. & also loo­uynge euerlastyng / by all the syecles of the syecles / Amen /

¶Here folowyth of saynt Basille bysshop of Capadoxe / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Basillius ita (que) et cetera / Caplm .C.lix.

[Page]SAynt Basyll amōge the other of his tyme shewed in erthe as well by werkes. as by wordes a lyfe couenable. ordeynynge & dyspo­syng his sayd lyfe by ghostly wysdom / ¶He gaaf vnto Ihū Cryst his body & his soule. puttynge hȳself to dyuers daūgeours & perylles for the fayth of our lorde. & repreuynge many errours whyche he ouercame & broughte downe. In his seuenth yere of aege / he was of hys frendes sette to scole. where he was abidynge the space of .v. yere / Duryng the whyche tyme. he almost knewe all Philosophye. ¶After he departed oute of Capadoce his naturell coūtree / & went to the cytee of Athenes. that then̄e was mod (er) of all scyences / & there chastely heued wyth a Doctour namyd Eubole / Wherby he had the very knowlege of all scyences / For he studyed full besyly wyth many excellent men / ¶Gregory the grete y^t after the sayd tyme was pope of Rome by the space of .xii. yere. In lyen also & Lybanyen. they .iii. were discyples of the sayd saynt Basylle / ¶He made a promyse vnto god y^t he sholde neuer ete brede nor drynke wyne tyll y^t he sholde haue by the suffraūce of god knowe the secretes of ghostly wysdom ¶During the tyme of .xv. yere y^t he studyed in Athenes / He knewe all Ppylosophye. after the enformyng of y^e Grekes / And fynably he was ryght experte in the scyence of Astrologye. & other a [...] ter lyberall / But yet he had not lerned the very wysdom. by the whyche folke lerne to knowe their Creatour / ¶Soo it happed on a nyghte as he studyed / y^t he was Inspyred wyth the holy ghost / & purposed to knowe the holy scryptu­res / Wherfore he departed out of Athe­nes. & went in to Egypte. In whiche lō de / entrynge the hons of a deuoute bysshopp namyd Porphyre. y^e ladde a lyfe moche solytary / He requyred hȳ mekely y^t he wolde comyn wyth hym in the bokes of the holy scryptures. & dyuyne techynges / The whiche y^e sayd Porphire toke him vnto hym / and there he studyed by an hoole yere. takynge a grete delyte & playsure in y^e sayd holy scryp­tures / & ete none other mete but herbes & dranke water / ¶After he axed of the sayd Porphire leue for to goo in pylgrimage to Ihrl'm. aswell for to god worshypp the holy places. as for to knowe y^e grete myracles y^t were done there. to thende he shold come to a more knowlege of the fayth / Porphyre seenge hys deuoute affeccōn gaue hȳ leue / & recommended hym to the grace of god / And whan he had done his pylgrymage / he retorned to Athenes where he had stu­dyed a longe season afore / ¶He beȳge there amonge the grekysshe Phyloso­phers. he spake euer to theym of the holy scriptures / & exorted the mysbileuyd to byleue in Ihū Cryste / shewynge vn­to theym the waye of helthe / & name­ly haūted gladli & hourly with his mayster Eubole / ¶And by cause he desy­red to rewarde hȳ of the gode that he had done to hym in his chyldhode / he wolde serue hym in the fayth of Cryst ¶So soughte he hym for this cause in all places where men dysputed / & dyde somoche y^t he fonde hȳ in the subarbes of Athenes. disputyng with y^e other philosophers / ¶Saynt Basylle herynge his maister. that proposed a conclusion fals. rebuked hym of it / Wherof many [Page Clxix] at theym present were somwhat abas­shyd. and asked what he was that soo b [...]ly rebukyd Eubole / Wherat hȳselfe answerd y^t it was god. or elles Basille ¶Then̄e knowynge y^t it was he. leuȳ ge all the Pphilosophers. came to hym & made to eche other a gladde knowlege / Thre dayes they were togyd (er) dysputȳg of dyuers maters / ¶Eubole y^t had be mayster to Basylle. apposed hȳ of the dyffynycōn of Phylosophie / & he answerde th [...]t his fyrste dyffynycōn was medytacōn contynuell vpon dethe / After he asked hym. what was of y^e worlde / & he answerde y^t it was the same y^t was vpon the worlde / The wordes of the worlde are swete. notwithstondyng y^t it shall be full bytter to hym y^t shall lyue in it vyciously / But who that wol be in y^e worlde. maye not obeye his sensualytee. & serue god / By cause y^t none shall not serue well two lordes. And y^t the naturell & manly desyres are con­trary to y^e saluacōn of our soules / And therfore my mayster & cōmaunder sayde saynt Basylle / I praye the lete vs quycken our spirytes. y^t ben deed by sȳ ­nes / And for to purchace lyfe euerlastȳ ge lete vs folowe the techynges of tha­postles of y^e souerayn god Redemer of all the worlde / ¶Yf we woll put payne to obeye hym notwythstondynge y^t we ben alle redy stryken in aege. Yet shall we haue asmoche of rewarde by medy­acōn of his grace. as they y^t haue be in his seruyce from the tyme of theyr yongthe / ¶For it is wryten in the gospell y^t as grete a rewarde had he that came at the hour of Sexte. as he y^e was com̄ at the hour of Prime / The doctour Eubole herynge the warnynges of his dyscyple Basylle. began to saye / ¶O Basylle. true shewer & expownar of y^t faythe of Criste. thrugh the. I byleue in o­ne god almyghty. In tyme past that I knewe. I dyde shewe the. & now alle y^t is myne I gyue vnto the. & putt in thy possessōn purposyng to lede wyth the y^u remenaūte of my lyfe / & yf it playse to my god Ihū Cryst. I shall receyue w^t in shorte tyme the holy sacramente of baptym / Saynt Basylle answerde. O my mayster. blessyd be oure god y^t hath mekely lyghtned the in giuynge to the wyll & courage to forsake & leue y^e foule errours wherin y^u were ouerthrowen. thrugh the vayn & worldly science· and y^t now y^u knowest his mercy. ¶Syth y^t thou woll be wyth me· I shall teche the how we shal lyue in getynge our weele & in delyueryng ourself from the lettȳ ­ges of this wretched world / ¶Fyrst we shall selle all y^t we haue. & shall gyue it to the poore nedy for goddys sake. & after we shall goo to the holy cytee of Iherusalem / The whyche thynge they dyde / And clothyd theymself in Raymentes lyke Crysten people / for to receyue Crystendom / ¶And in goynge thyder they torned many Paynems that they fonde in theyr waye to the Crysten fa­yth /

¶How Eubole was crystened in the Flūme Iourdan / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Apprehendentes autem. & cetera Caplm .C.lx.

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THenne whan saynt Basylle & his doctour Eubole were come in Ih [...]l'm. they went & vysited al y^e holy places & worshiped theim for the loue of our lorde / After they presented theself tofore y^e bisshop of y^e cyte namyd Marimyen. & kneled byfore him bysechyge him y^t he wold crysten them in y^e flum Iordan ¶The sayd bysshop receyued theim moche mekely / & acompanyed w^t many notable persones sad theim to y^e forsayd flum / Whā the [...] were come to the bryke of the same. saynt basyll sate on both his knees / & besouȝt god deuoutly y^t he wold vouchesauf to shewe some token to theim of his grace After he rose vp & toke of al his clothes for to entre wythin the flood. & then̄e y^e sayd bysshop went & crystned hym / Att whiche crystnynge a moche merueyloꝰ thynge happed there / For a grete lyght as it had be fyre makyng wond (er)ful shinyng came from heuen vpon theim / & out of y^e fyre flewe out a whyte doue / y^e whiche after she had trowbled y^e water flewe ayen in to heuen / Of whiche thȳ ge those present were moche merueyled For they had neuer seen soo quycke ne soo grete a lyghte / Soo began they to prayse & glorifye the name of god. and prȳcipally the bisshop y^e contynuelly remēbred the loue y^t saynt Basylle had to the Redemer of the world. They .ii. then̄e togyd (er) crystened & enoynted with the holy oyle. retorned to Ihrl'm. & the­re they dwelled a yere ¶After y^e knowlege of whiche. they toke theyr waye towarde Anthyoche / & thenne was saynt Basylle made Deaken /

¶How saȳt Basylle beyng a bysshop cōposed y^e masse / in cōposyng of whiche he sawe god & his apostles. begynning ¶Cōuenientes. &c· Caplm .C.lxi.

[Page Clxx]MAny bysshops were assemblyd in Anthyoche. the whyche cho­se saynt Basylle to be bysshop And after that he was ordened. he made his prayer to god. bysechyng hym y^t he wold gyue him the gyfte of vnd (er)stondynge by the whyche he myght to the exaltacōn of the fayth & his glorioꝰ name make a seruyce or offyce to hym a­greable in makynge vnto hym oblacyon of his precyous blode / And y^t in this dooyng he myghte receyue the grace of the holy ghost ¶The gode Basylle after this request was by the space of sixe dayes as al chaūged & wythdrawe fro his thought / But neuertheles he purposed to make y^e sayde seruyce / ¶And on a nyghte after the sayd dayes paste / he had a syghte of god. the whyche acom­panyed of all his apostles. as whan he wrote y^e wordes that preestes proferon vpon the breed. sayde to hym / Basylle after thy desyre be thy mouth fulfyllyd of praysynge. to thende that by thy owne worde thou make sacrefyce vnto me of my bloode / ¶Saynt Basylle y^t coude not abyde the syght departed w^t grete fere. and went to the awter where he began to saye & wryte this y^t here folo­wyth / Be my mouth fulfylled wyth loeuynge. to thende y^t it synge ympne to thy Ioye / Wyth this he made many o­ther orysons that ben customably sayd whan the body of our lorde is to be consecrate of the preest / the whiche are not to be wryten to ony laye folke / Nor to be had in comynicacōn but on̄ly amonge men of y^e chirche / And after the consecracōn & eleuacōn of the hoste. why­che was of brede. he deuyded it in thre partes / of the whiche he vsyd the one in grete drede & reuerence. the other he kepte for to bere wyth hym / and the thyrde he kepte for to be putt in to a doune of fyne golde. the whyche he had doo ma­ke for to be hanged ouer y^e awter. in by tokenyng of that same doune that ap­pered ouer hym whan he was crystned in the flum Iordan / ¶Eubole & man [...] other clerkes were thenne afore the ga­te of the temple: & beholdinge this mystery. they sawe abowte hym a wond (er)ful lyght. whyche constrayned them to fall to y^e groūde / And wyth this they sawe a grete multytude of men. al clothed in whiche rayments / the whyche acōpamed hym in makynge the sayd sacrefyce ¶The masse done saynt Basyll goo­yng out of the chyrche / al them present worshipped him. & puttynge byfore hȳ theyr knees to the grounde made hym more grete honour than they had be a­customyd / And att this cause he askyd theym what it was y^t had moeued the­ym to come there. & also the cause why they made hym so grete honour / Thē ­ne they tolde hym the wond (er)full syghte that they had seen / of the whiche saynt Basylle yelded graces to god / ¶And certayne dayes after he gadred all y^e peple / In the presence of whom he put the one of the sayd thre partes of the hoste in to y^e sayd douune of golde. & hanged it reuerently ouer the awter / And this done. He for to comforte the peple. and to conferme in the holy faythe of Ihesu Cryste. made a moche fayre prechynge / ¶Att whyche was the grete abbot Of whom herafter shall be spoken /

¶Of an Ebrew man that saw a chylde bytwene the hōdes of saynt Basylle [Page] whan he deuided the body of our lorde And begȳnyth in latin ¶Diuino qui­dem. &c· Caplm .C.lxii.

BY the wyll of god and duringe the tyme y^e saynt Basille on a tyme amōge other songe masse An E [...]rewe that was there saw a chylde bitwene y^e hondes of the sayd saynt Basylle / ¶The chylde as it semyd to the sayd Ebrewe was by this Basylle parted & deuyded / And where they alle after the masse sayd admynistred them self in receyuynge the body of our lorde The sayd Ebrewe man put hymselfe amonge the other Crystens / And so saynt Basylle admynystred hym an hoste as to the other / And consequently askyd to be admynystred wyth the holy chalys. that semyd him to be fylled w^t blood / And his askynge was gyuen to hym / ¶And he kepynge of eyther one parte. bare it vnto his wyfe. for to she­we it to her. and to conferme her in the vyson y^t he had seen / ¶And the nexte daye after he retorned to the holy bys­shop. and made hymself to be crystned wyth all his meyne /

¶Of one that forsoke god. and gaaf a wrytynge therof. sealed wyth his owne honde / And begȳnyth in latin ¶Il­ludius autē / Caplm .C.lxiii

A Holy man that had be Cha­pelayn to saynt Basylle. and his sucessour in the bysshopryche of Capadoce / And the whyche wrote vnto saynt Iherom the lyf of saynt Basylle / ¶Reherseth that a Senato­ur of Rome. called Protherius hadd a doughter. The whyche he wolde offre [Page Clxxi] and sacrefye vnto god / Thynkynge y^t she shold be a relygyous woman / But the deuyll enuyuous ouer all goodnesse ¶For to lette and wythdrawe the holy purpoos of the sayd Protherius / enflā ­med wyth the fyre of concupyscence o­ne of his housholde seruauntes / The whyche enamoured hymselfe on his sayd doughter / ¶And by cause he knewe for certayne. that he was not her lyke for to haue her by maryage / He wente to a mayster of Magyke / To whom he shewed his caas / Sayeng that yf he cowde lerne hȳ ony meane by the whi­che he myghte haue the sayd doughter: He sholde gyue hym a grete somme of golde / ¶The Magycyen or Nygra­mancer answerd that he cowde not do it / ¶But and he wolde he shold make him speke with the deuyll / whiche was his procurour / By whoos werkyng he sholde well now haue ryght soone hys wyll / ¶Thenne the folisshe louer ans­werde to the sayd Magicyen / That he was redy to doo all that he shole com­maunde hym / Soo that he myghte ge­te all that he desired / ¶Thenne the sayd Magycien made him to forsake his Creatour And to forsake his parte of the Ioyes of paradis / And this done he made hym to take hym a bylle conteynynge the wordes that folowe wryten oonly wyth his owne honde /

¶My lorde and my Procurour / by cause that I muste wythdrawe oute of the Crysten relygyon· and bynde myself to thy wyll. to the ende that thy subgettes ben multeplyed / I sende the this mes­sager berer of my lettrers. whyche is desyrous & taken wyth the loue of a may de / Werfore I praye that thou wolt doo soo moche for me. that his wyll be ful­fylled / To thende that by hym I may haue Ioye and glory / And power to cō maūde other / and brynge theym in thy obeyslaunce / ¶This letter soo made the Magycyen delyuered it to the foly­sshe louer / and sayd to hym / That att a certayne hour of the nighte / he sholde goo and put himselfe vpon the graues of the Paynyms and Heretykes / And that there he sholde holde vp his letter in the ayre. And anone certayne messengers sholde come to hym. whyche shol­de brynge hym to the deuyll / ¶Thus dyde this vnhappy wretche / And soda­inly came to hym a grete multytude of wickyd spirytes from the prynce of derkenesse. and of wyckydnesse. The whyche in grete Ioye ladde hym tofore theyr prynce / Whyche was sett vp on hihe in a grete chayer / And abowt hym were a grete multytude of deuylles wythoute nombre / In presence of whom he presented his wrytynge / ¶And after that it was radde / the sayd prynce say­de vnto hym / ¶Now come hyther my frēde / Doost thou byleue in me / He answerd ye / ¶Yet agayn questyoned him sayenge / ¶Doost thou forsake Ihesu Cryste / he answerd as afore / Ye / Thē ­ne the prynce of the deuylles sayde to hym / ¶Ye Crysten men are false shrewes / For whan ye haue nede to be hol­pen of me / Ye praye me / And after that ye haue gote your desyre. Ye denye and forsake Incontynent to that ye haue promysed to me / And soone after reto­nrne to youre god whyche is soo moche good and swete. and mercyfull / That he refusyth not ony Synnar / ¶But this notwythstondynge / yf thou wolte [Page] that I shall doo thy wyll to be perfor­med and fulfilled to thy behouf & playsure / Thou muste fyrste gyue to me a letter of thyne honde / By the whyche thou shalt denye and forsake the sacrament of baptesme. and the crysten fay­the / ¶Secōdly thou shalt promyse me that thou shalt serue me in this worlde And atte the daye of dome thou shalte holde me felishyp. for to be wyth me afterwarde perpetuelly in all the tormentes that I suffre / This vnhappy man promysed him all the same / And Incō tynent all the deuylles. maysters of for­nycacion were sente towarde the sayde mayde. for to tempte and styre her to the loue of the vnhappy man forsayde ¶The whyche sodaynly was soo take wyche loue of hym. that she myghte no ther ete nor drynke / And after that she had borne this woodnesse a lytyll spa­ce of tyme / Fynably she sayde vnto her fader / ¶O my fader haue pyte vpon me / For certainly I am sore tormented of the loue of one of thy seruaūtes / My fader I biseche the shewe now what a loue thou haste to thy chylde / For yf y^u enclyne and falle not to my weele thou shalte see me deed wythin shorte tyme / ¶The fader began to wepe sayenge Alas what is falle to the my doughter. What is he that woll take fro me my tresour / What is he that hath defoyled the / What is he that hath put oute the lyghte of myn eyen / I wolde haue maryed the to the souerayne kinge Ihesu Cryst. and to hym a [...]owe thy vyrgynytee. for to serue hym in deuoute relygyon / My truste was to haue be saued by the And thou art now wered wode and in to ydle loue ybroughte. and leuyth y^e loue of thy Creatoure / Truely but yf thou take Ihesu Cryste to thy spowse thou shalt put myn olde aege in to perpetuell sorowe / ¶The doughter wolde not agree to the wyll of her fader / but answerd / My fader yf thou graunt me not my desyre. I ensure the that thou shalt see me fynysshe my dayes thrugh bytter anguysshe wythin shorte tyme ¶The fader ferynge her wordes pur­posed hymselfe to playse her / And sent for her sayd louer. for to make the bry­dale bytwene theym / ¶And after that he had taken to theym all his goodes. He sayd vnto his doughter for his last worde to her / ¶Goo my vnhappy doughter thou shalt repente the ones of y^t thou haste thus lefte god for to serue y^e deuyll / ¶After that they were maryed they dwelled togid (er) a certain space of time. Duryng y^e whiche. the folissh louer thus wedded went neuer to the chyrche And also receyued not his Creatoure / ¶Wherof some toke hede. and shewed it vnto the sayd doughter his wife. sayeng that her husbonde was not a Crysten man / ¶Whan y^e wretched woman had herde thyse tydynges. she layed her selfe downe at the groūde as cōfortlees and with her nayles scratchyd her tend vysage. & bete her whyte brestes. trowynge to haue slayne herself for sorowe. ¶After she sayd suche wordes / Ha my god neuer that persone shall be sauyd that dysobeyeth his frendes / Who shal sende worde to my fad (er) of my cōfusyon Ha wretchydnesse is wel happed to me In what vnhappe am I com̄. whi was I euer borne. Alas y^t I was not aft (er) my byrth caught in to heuen / & as she was thꝰ in suche sorow. her husbonde came [Page Clxxii] trowynge to haue knowen the causes of her wrath / ¶And after that he had stylled and peasyd her somwhat / She desyred hym to goo wyth her to the chirche for to receyue togyder their maker / ¶Thenne the wretchyd man confessyd his synne vnto his wyfe / ¶The whyche as hauynge force and courage of man ranne vnto saynt Basille. and sayd to hym / ¶Alas thou man of god haue of me pyte. poore and vnhappy / I haue yeuen my bodi for to be gouerned by the deuyl / Haue pyte of me horryble Inobedyent. that wolde not obeye my fader / ¶And after that she had reher­ced & shewed all the befalle of her hus­bonde / Saynt Basylle sente for hym for to wyte of hym yf this thynge was true / Wherat he answerd ye / ¶Then̄e for to brynge hym to penaunce. He as­kyd hym yf he wolde retorne for to serue Ihesu Cryste / He answerde he myghte not / by cause that he had promysyd to the deuyll. that he shold neuer doo to hym seruyce· and had gyuen therof his wrytynge wyth his owne honde to the deuyll / ¶Saynt Basylle his answere well vnderstonde shewed vnto him the grete mercy of god. and how he is euer redy to receyue mekely oure penaunce / ¶The good doughter knelyd byfore the sayd saynt Basylle. & sayd to hym O thou seruaunt of god haue mercy of our synne / The holy man enquyred of the sayd husbonde. yf he had ony hope to be sauyd. Wherat he answerde that ye / ¶This herynge. he brought theym in to a secrete place wythin the chyrche And durynge thre dayes. he kepte hym there in contynuell prayers. And oft tymes bothe daye and nyghte he came. and vysyted hym / And askyd hym how it was wyth hym. And he answered alwayes that he had none hope more of lyfe / by cause of the cryenges and callynges that the deuelles made day­ly and nyghtly abowte hym / ¶Why­che shewed vnto hym the wrytynge y^t he hadde made vppon his promyse to the prynce of helle / Sayenge vnto him ¶Goo vnhappy man. thou arte come vnto vs / And not we to the / What we neste thou for to do / ¶The holy man comforted hym. and moeuyd and sty­red hym in sayenge to hym / That he sholde euer haue stedfaste faythe and good hope in god. ¶He gaue hym a lytyll mete / And blessyd hym wyth the signe of the Crosse / ¶And after he made hym to entree in his place where he was byfore / ¶Whanne he hadde ben there [...]i the space of fourty dayes / The holi man came to him / And examyned hym how he dide / ¶He answered that he was in good suretee / For that nyghte he had seen the sayd saynt Basylle. that bataylled for hym agaynst the deuylles / And that he hadde ouercomen theym / ¶Thenne the holy man brou­ghte hym streyght to his chambre where his slepynge place was / ¶And the nexte daye by the mornynge. he gadred togyder all the Clergye. and other fol­ke of deuocyon / To whom saynt Ba­sylle declared and shewed this that fo­lowyth / ¶My chyldren ye knowe that I am your Pastour / And that I muste yelde acompte of your soules / I hadd lost a shepe / The whyche god hath sente agayne to me / ¶And by cause that the good Pastour for to quyte his cōscyence oughte to praye contynuelly for [Page] his shepe / I enioyne and cōmaūde you y^t ye bothe day & nyght be wyth me for to praye god. to thende y^t this shepe soo come ayen to me may purchace his saluacōn / ¶Soo began they al togider to praye god. wyth wepynge & syngyng) Kyrieleyson (After the gode pastour toke the pore man by the honde. & broughte hym in to the chyrche / ¶The de­uyll vnto whom he had done hōmage. & all his company. came to y^e assemble / trowynge to haue take the poore syn̄ar out of the holy bysshops hondes / & soo began he to crye wyth an horryble voyce. sayeng / O thou holi man of god helpe me / ¶Then̄e saynt Basylle torned his wordes vnto the deuill & sayd to hȳ What askest thou y^e deuyll dampned. & the worste of alle other wicked tendes / It suffyseth the not that thyself & all th [...] company be dampned. but art abo­wte full belye thrugh your cursed temptacōns for to make the pore creatures of god to false wyth you in hell / The deuyll answerde / Basylle y^e doost me w [...]ge to my grete harme / for I & my felowes here well the voyces of theym y^e synge Kyncleyson / Saynt Basylle answerd / God dooth this to thi harme & not I / The deuyll yet agayn sayd to hym / Basylle thou doost me grete wrō ge / for this synnar is come to me. & not I to hym / He hath forsake his Creatour in my presence / & therof he hath gyue to me his writynge wyth his honde wryten. for a wytnesse of the same / the whyche wrytyng I goo present byfore the euerlastȳg Iuge / ¶Saynt Basylle then̄e sayd to y^e deuyll / Blessyd be god / My people shall neuer ceasse to praye / nor shal not brynge downe theyr hon­des. whiche are heued vpward to heuen tyll that thou haste gyuen ayen the sa­yd wrytynge vnto this poore synnar / ¶Alle this noble assemble made after more deuowte prayers. than afore had done / And ceassed not tyll that the sayde wrytynge was taken in to the hon­des of y^e sayde holy man / The whyche after the receyuynge of it. he yelded graces vnto god / And sayd to the syn̄a [...] byfore all y^e peple y^t was there / ¶My broder knowest not thou this letter / He answerde ye / And that it was wryten w^t his owne honde / ¶Then̄e saynt Ba­sille brake it in peces. and brought him to the chirche for to make Confessyon / Whyche thynge done. he Receyued his Creatour / And after sente-hym home agayn vnto his his wyfe / The whiche of his grete grace she thanked deuowt­ly our lorde /

¶Of a woman to whom her sin̄es were forgyuen by the prayer of saynt Basylle / And begyn̄yth in latyn ¶Mulier quidā. &c. Caplm .C.lxiiii.

A Woman ryche & noble full of the vanitees of the world· vsed euyll of her facultees / For she was prodyge & lecherous / Soo that in all maner of her dedes she was vnagreable to god / And as a sowe dooth laye herself in a fowle putdel. soo was thys woman wrapped in all fylthe & vnclē nesse of flesshe ¶And somtyme by a sȳ guler grace that god gaaf her. she alo­ne to herself made knowlege of the grete multytude of her synnes. and in we­pynge sayd to god / Alas my Redemer I that am a poore synnar. how shall I make satysfaccōn towardes the of my synnes / I oughte for to be the temple of the holy ghost / And by my synnes I haue defoylled & hurte my soule / I am the moost vnhappy of all the worlde / & I byleue not that euer ony woman syn her Crystendom dyde soo syn̄e gretely / and soo abhomynable as I haue done ¶Alacke how shall I mow be in certayn that god woll receyue my penaunce ¶And whan she had well bethoughte herselfe vpon her byfall / God Inspy­red her to thȳke vpon the grete euylles and synnes that she had sinned and done syn her yongthe vnto her olde aege. And theym she broughte in mynde. & wrote in a rolle / And this done / she se­aled theym vnder leed / And after pur­posed whan saynt Basylle sholde co­me to the chirche for to sȳge masse that she sholde delyuer he Rolle vnto hym / ¶The whyche thynge she dyde soo in cryenge wych an hyghe voys / ¶O holy man and seruaūte of god haue pyte of me moost wretched of all other syn­nars / ¶Saynt Basylle askyd her the cause of her wayllynge / and she answered / Alas my lorde I haue wryten in this Rolle all my mysdedes and wyc­kydnesse / I byseche the that thou wolt not loke vpon theim / But vouchesauf to doo soo moche for me by thy pray­ers towarde god / That they maye be forgyuen to me / ¶I wote wel that he that hathe gyuen me vnderstondynge and wyll for to knowe theim / shall enhaunse the prayer that thou shalt ma­ke for me in this byfalfe / ¶Therfore I byseche the socour me now at my grete nede / ¶The holy man toke the rolle of her / And heued his hondes vp towarde heuen sayenge / ¶O my god it aperteynyth thy dygnytee. for to doo that this poore synfull woman askith / thou mayste putt and enrase oute wythin a moment alle the synnes of the worlde / ¶I byseche the mekely for her / All oure synnes are in a certayne nombre by­fore thy mageste / ¶But thy mercy is wythoute ende / ¶His prayer thus do­ne / he sette the Rolle vpon the awter / And there the holy man abode. prayenge god a daye and a nyghte contynuelly / ¶The nexte morowe he called vn­to hym the sayd woman in presence of some clerkes. and sayd to her / ¶Womā thou knowest well y^t thy synne can not be pardonned· but by the power of god the whyche answerde / ¶Holy fad (er) I by leue that y^t thou sayst / And therfor I by seche mekely that it woll playse the to be myn helper towarde him. ¶Then̄e the rolle was opened. & at openynge of [Page] it· It was founde that all her syn̄es were to her foryeuen. except do grete syn̄e. whiche was not enrased nor putt oute. ¶The pore woman was sore heuy. & dyscōforted. & felle to the fete of y^e holy mā & cried / O mā of god haue pite vppon me. and lyke as thou haste prayed for all my synes. Yet ayen pray for me towarde god that this syn̄e maye be also pardon̄ed to me / ¶Saynt Basylle began to wepe & sayde to the woman / My frende stonde vpp. I haue as grete nede of pardon̄e as thiself / For I am a syn̄er / He y^t hath put out thyn other sȳ ­nes may emase the same whyche is lefte behynde / And therfore yf in tyme comynge y^u kepe the cōmaundements of god He shall not only forgyue the this lyue / But wythall he shall gyue the y^e lyf eternall in euerlasting blysse / Thou shall goo in to the Hermytage. where a man is namyd Effrem. to whom thou shalt take thy rolle. And Ie [...]st in god y^t by his prayers thou shalt be delyuerd of the same synne and shalt haue of it a full absolucōn. to the saluacōn of thy soule / ¶The woman walked solonge thrugh the wyldernesse y^t she fonde the holy man Effrem Soo begane she to knocke att his do [...]e cryenge ¶O holy man of god haue pite of me / Effrem y^t bi the knowlege of god. knewe the cause why she was come. answerde vnto her / ¶Woman goo thou th [...] way for I am a synnar as y^e arte / Wherby I haue nede of y^e mercy of god as y^u hast / The woman then̄e cast to hym her rolle sayeng / O holy fader the bisshop Basylle sendeth me to the. gyuynge to me a hope. y^t thurgh thy prayers the greetest of my synnes shall be foryeuen vnto me ¶Effrem sayd vnto her / Naye my do­ughter naye / He that by his prayers hathe gote remyssyon of thin other syn̄es may yet do y^t the same syn̄e for y^t whi­che thou comest toward me shall be pardon̄ed vnto the / ¶Torne ayen lyghtly towarde him. to the ende y^t thou mayst speke wyth hym byfore his deth / The woman retorned anone / But whā she entred in Cezaree the cyte. she mett the corps of saynt Basille y^t men brought to his graue / ¶Thenne she made gre­te cryenges sayeng / Ha poore vnhappy what shal thou doo now / O holi man of god. whi haste y^u sent me to the holy fad (er) Effrem. syn y^t thou myghte gete remyssyon of my synne / I byleue it was by cause I sholde not gyue the man lettyng at thy dethe / ¶The poore synful woman layed her rolle vpon the corps of the holy man / The whyche thynge knowen of one of the prestes that was at the buryenge of hym he wolde see & rede y^e same rolle / And opened it in de­de / But he fonde noo thynge wryten therin / ¶Then̄e he sayd vnto the wo­man / ¶O woman what desyrest thou Thy rolle is wythoute ony scrypture Thou knewe not the Indulgence that god had done to the / ¶All the peple seenge this myracle. beganne to thanke god that hath gyuen myghte to y^e quirke. to enrase and put oute by pardonne the syn̄es fulfilled and done by y^e wretchyd synnars /

¶Here folowyth of the holy fader Ef­frem / And begynnyth in latyn ¶Fra­tres ena [...]racionem volo facere / & cetera Caplm .C.lxv.

SAynt Iherom makith mencōn in y^e laste chapytre of y^e fyrste part of the lyfe of fad (er)s of y^e holy Heremyte Effrem y^t. was vnknowe of saynt Basylle ¶And of the whiche Effrem saynt Iherom saythe to haue had knowlege by tellynge vnto hȳ made of certain fad (er)s / ¶And for to shewe therof. It is trouthe y^t the sayd Effrem was borne of Syrie / He beynge in hys hermitage a frende of his shewed vnto hym y^e perfyte astate of saynt Basylle ¶And for to haue of it some experyence. he prayed god ryght hertely y^t it wolde playse hym to gyue hym by reuela­cōn some knowlege of the holynesse of saynt Basylle / Our lorde that herd his prayer made to hym suche a reuelacōn That is to wyte that he beynge as halfe a slepe and halfe wakynge. he sawe a pyller of fyre whiche was so long y^t it retchyd to the heuen / And in seenge the same. he herde a voys that sayd to hym ¶Effrem Effrem. suche as thou seeste this pyller. suche is Basylle / Thenne went he in to the chyrche of Cezaree in Capadoce. where the sayde saynt Ba­syll was vpon a daye that men made solempnytee of Epiphanye / ¶And by cause that he vnderstode noo Greke. he toke an expowner with hym. to whom he sayde whan he sawe saynt Basylle ordeyned in soo grete honour / We haue loste our payn / For this Basylle is not suche as I haue seen hym / ¶The sa­me time saynt Basylle was clothio in suche ornaments. acompanyed of ma­ny clerkes / ¶Soo was Effrem angry in himself / Sayenge we Heremytes endure bothe colde & heete in the wylder­nesse. and haue noo rewarde / And thys Basylle here whiche is in honour proferred is a pyller of fyre / ¶And as he was in this malencoly. saynt Basylle sente to the holy fader Effrem one of his Archedeakens for to tell hym that he sholde come. for to speke wyth hym / ¶The Archedeaken came to the sayd holy fader Effrem. and to hym he sayde / ¶Thy fader Archebisshopp of Cezaree sendyth the worde that thou co­me speke to hym / Effrem answerde to hym / ¶My frende it is not to vs that thou shold speke / We ben not they that he wolde haue / For we ben Straungers The Archedeaken reported this answere to saynt Basylle. whyche sent hȳ a­yen to saynt Effrem· & charged him to [Page] doo his message in this wyse / Syre Effrem I cōmaūde the to come to thy ar­chebisshop / Effrem was moche merueyled. & gloryfyeng the name of god answerde to tharchedeaken / Truely Ba­sylle it is a very pyller of fyre / For the holy ghost spekyth bi his mouth / Thei neuer had seen eche other. but in spiryte ¶Fynably y^e seruyce ended Effrem came to saynt Basylle / & then̄e they made thone to thother deuoute salutacōns Saynt Basyll greted hym in this manere / O fad (er) of holy Heremytes thou arte welcome / y^u that haste multeplyed the dyscyples of Ihū Cryste y^u arte welcom̄ Alas good fad (er) thou haste moche payn. in comynge hither for to see a poore sȳ ner. god yelde the mede after thy laboure / ¶Effrem answerd to hym / & to the holy fader all y^t thy herte desyreth / Af­ter he receyued his maker of y^e hondes of saynt Basylle / And whan they had be longe togyder. Effrem prayed saynt Basylle that he wolde graūte to hym a requeste / Saynt Basylle sayde vnto him / Cōmaūde me. & saye what y^u wol For I am gretely bounde vnto the forthe traueyle that y^u haste take for to vysyte me / ¶Effrem sayd vnto hym. I know that all y^t thou shal aske of god shall be of hym graūted vnto the gladly / For it is wryten that god dooth fulfyll the wyll of those y^t drede hym. and shall enhaūce theyr prayers / Therfore I biseche y^e that y^u wolt praye hym that he woll gyue me that grace. y^t I maye speke Greke / Saynt Basylle consen­ted vnto his requeste. sayenge y^t it was honeste / ¶Then̄e they sett theymselfe to prayer. & were so longe ynough / And this done saynt Basille rose vp. askȳg to saynt Effrem why he made not hȳ ­selfe to be promoted to the ordre of prestehode. syth that he was worthy to be a preest / Wherat he answerde. y^t he defer­red to doo the same. takynge hȳself vnworthi therunto. bi cause he was to grete a syn̄ar / Saynt Basille answerd vnto him / After my mynde. wold god thy syn̄es were myn. ¶Yet ayen they kne­led on theyr knees to y^e groūde / & ano­ne y^e tonge of the holi fad (er) Effrem was enfourmed to speke grekysshe langage & redily began to speke it. as he had be born in the myddes of Grece / ¶They yeldes graces & thankes to god therfor in loouynge & praysynge his gloryous name / And after they were thre dayes togyder / Duryng the whyche space. he that Effrem had broughte wyth hym. for to be his Expownar of Greke langage vnto his mod (er) lāgage. was made deaken / And the holi fad (er) Effrem also ordened in the order of preesthode / And after they commaūded eche other vnto god yeuynge thākes vnto hym of that they had seeen eche other /