IN fraūce somtyme there was a noble man / & a ryche / the whiche loued & worshypped well god & holy chirche and specyally oure-blessyd lady saynt Mary. This man had a yonge man to his sone whom he taught well to loue oure lady / and bad that he sholde saye dayly to her wor­shyp .l. tymes the angels salutacyon / that is Aue maria &c. Sothely by prosesse of tyme afterwarde by the will and consente of his fader / this yonge man was made a monke in y^e monasterye of saynt Gyles / ¶And there lyued deuoutly in full grete-penaunce. And on a tyme his fader sende to hym that he sholde come home to his place / and brynge his mayster with hym for his recreacion. He had also in his maner that he dwelled in afayre cha­pell buylded in the worshyppe of our blessyd lady. in to the whiche his sone came whan he had leyser / and there deuoutely as he vsed al waye to do / say [...] fyfty tymes his ¶Aue maria &c. And after warde whan he hadde sayd them / the blessyd virgyn Ma­rye apperyd to hym vysybly in a whyte garment / that lacked bothe sleues & lappes: Than this mon­ke meruayled and sayd to her. O moost swete lady why haue your vpper clothynge no sleues ne lappes Than she sayd. This clothe thou hast gyuen me [Page] and it betokeneth the .l. Aue maryes that y^u sayste dayly to me. Therfore it is ryght behofull to the-that from hens forthe y^u saye thryes .l. tymes Aue maria. And after euery .x. Aue maria / adde to them a Pater noster. And the fyrste .l. saye in remem­braunce and worshyppe of that Ioye that I hadde whan the angell Gabryell gret me / & sayd I shol­de conceyue the sone of god / whiche sholde redeme-mankynde. The seconde .l. thou shalt saye in remē braunce & Worshippe of that grete Ioye that I had whan I brought forth in to this worlde god & man The thyrde .l. thou shalt saye in remembraūce and worshyppe of myn Assūpcion whan I was exalted and crowned quene of heuen / where my dere sone-regneth euerlastyngly. Sothely it was than satyr­daye whan these thynges were done / & she sayd to hym. The next satyrdaye. I wyll come hyder to the agayne / & than some tydynges I shall shewe the / wherof y^u shalt gretely Ioye. And whan she had tolde & sayd this to hym / she vanysshed awaye from hym / trewely this forsayd monke contynued in his deuocōn / & sayd euery daye Aue maria after y^e for­me y^t our lady taught hym. Than y^e next satyrday folowynge oure lady appered to the same monke agayne as she sayd before in y^e forsayd chapell ful semely arayed in fayre clothynge & sayd to hym. Lo this clotynge y^u hast gyuen me this weke y^t hath bothe sleues & lappes. Therfore gramercy / & well I shall rewarde the bothe here in this lyfe / and in [Page] tyme to come. And now go home vnto thy monaesterye / for whan thou comest thyder thou shalt be chosen abbot. And whan thou art abbot / teche the couent to saye my sawter / as I haue tolde the. And preche it ouer to all the people to do the same / that well it may be to them bothe in lyfe and in dethe. Seuen yere thou shalt lyue to preche and teche the people that they maye exarcyse and vse to saye my-sawter. And at the seuenste yeres end y^u shalt dye & come to me. Also knowe thou for certayne that many the whiche sholde haue perysshed and be loste / shall be saued by my sawter saynge. And whan she had this sayd she assended vp to heuen / and anone after this monbe was made abbot. And thanne he-taught his brethren &. y^e people there how they sholde say our ladyes santer. & also by y^e space of that-seuen yere he preched dylygentely to all folke / to kepe & vse the same forme & saynge / as he. was war­ned before of our blessyd lady· And whan this was done he blessedly dyed & went to heuen.

A Certayne abbot there was vpon a tyme the whiche had many worshypfull mennes so­nes dwellynge with hym to be nortured & brought vp in his abbaye / amonge the whiche childern one specyaly he loued / whome oftentymes syngulerly he desyred and wolde haue with hym / and specyaly dyde enforme and teche hym to beware of [Page] dyces and to kepe hym fro synne / & to vse hym to vertue and good lyuynge. Sothely the chylde toke good hede to the abbottes techyng / & after his wordes Innocently lyued / and euery daye at a certayne houre he toke his dyner. and wente in to the chirche to the aulter of oure blessyd lady. And there whan he had sayde our lady sawter / toke and yete his dyner that he had brought wyth hym / and this he v­sed to do often tymes. Sothely on a tyme he made hym redy to ete there as he was wonte to do. & the ymage of the chylde Ihesu came downe from his moders lappe & sat wyth hym / Mekely they louyd to gyder / etynge to gyder. & spekynge to gyder and also many swete wordes were betwixt theym / And what someuer Ihesu taught the chylde. he promysid to doo / And in this samr wyse they dyde often ty­mes to gydre / ¶Sothely on a daye whan he came from suche a swete breke faste It happened he met wyth the abbot there as he dwelled wyth al. whiche asked hym where he had be so longe. and the childe answerd and sayde that he had ben wyth his good felowe / Thenne the abbot asked hym. who is that good felawe. He sayde agayne / come wyth me and I shall shewe hym to the. And brought the abbot in to the chirche and shewed hym the ymage of the chylde Ihesu / in the lappe of the ymage of oure blessyd lady / Trewely thenne sayde the abbot. the fe­lawshyppe of hym is good. God defende that ony man sholde forbede the this felawshyppe / therfore [Page] be treue to hym and loue hym well. Trewely the abbot thought that on the morowe he wolde wayte y^e houre whan this childe after his custome wolde come to the same place / leste happely he hadde lyed lyke as chyldren vse to do. And on the morowe the chylde came as he vsed to doo to the same place / Whan he had sayd our lady sauter. he put his brede on his cappe and sayde to the ymage of the chylde Ihesu come hyder good felowe. and lete vs ete oure dyner to gyder. Thenne the ymage sayd to hym I wyll no more dyne wyth the For thou haste tolde y^e abbot of me. and hast shewed to hym my secretes / Than the chyde answered agayne and sayd. The abbot asked me where I had be / And I wote not what I sholde haue sayde other wyse / but I sholde haue lyed: And often thou haste taught me that I sholde not lye in no wyse. Thenne sayd the ymage agayne. I wyll not come to the but thou wyll an o­ther tyme come to me and dyne wyth me / Ryghte gladly sayd the chylde I wyl come to the and dyne wyth the / what daye that euer it please the / & than anone the ymage came downe to the chylde / So­thely the abbot aforsayde stode in a secrete place & behelde the ymage of our lorde Ihesu and y^e childe and herde theyr wordes / And for Ioye gretely he began to wepe / And so stylly wente his waye. And after they had eten and spoken to gyder / the chylde went thens home / The abbot met wyth hym ano­ne / and swetely spekynge to hym / clypped hym in [Page] his armes and sayde. My swete soone where haste thou be so louge. And the childe sayde. For the loue of god fader aske me no more / For the other tyme that I tolde you my felowe was very wroth / And soo moche he was dyspleased that he wolde not co­me to me tyll I promysed hym that I wolde come and dyne wyth hym an other tyme / Thenne sayd the abbot to the childe. Aa therfore sone thou must come to his dyner / And the childe sayde yes fader / and that algate / Than sayde the abbot. And thou wylt do ony thynge for me. And for my loue praye thy felowe that I maye come also wyth the to that dyner. Gladdely syr sayde the childe. I wyll speke for you. and doo also as moche as I maye / And on the morowe this childe came agayne after his cus­tome to the same place where the ymage of oure lady was / And the abbot preuely folowed after And stode in a secrete place as he dyde afore The childe not knowynge. Thenne the ymage of Ihesu came downe to the childe / And moche Ioye they had by­twene them. than the childe sayd to our lorde Ihesu Nowe good felowe here my tale y^t I wyll telle the. yesterdaye my lorde y^e abbot asked of me as he met w^t me where I had be so longe. & I tolde hym al to gyder & how I must dyne wyth you. & whan he herde me saye this. he wept sore & prayed me hertely y^t I shold pray to you for hym y^t he myght also come wyth me to that dyner / Wherfore good felowe and mooste beloued now I praye you graunte me this / [Page] Than our lorde Ihesu sayde to the childe. The abbot is not redy to come to that dyner. But saye fo-hym y^t he make hym redy as soone as he can to co­me to me on crystmasse daye / the whiche was than nyghe at honde. Than the abbot that stode by in a secrete place herynge this / for Ioye & gladnesse he-wept / & preuely wente awaye agayne. And aftwarde the childe came to hym / & tolde hym that he had sped his erande / & therfore the abbot gretely than­ked hym. Sothely whan crystmasse day was come the abbot made a feste to all his brethern / & sange that same daye the hye masse / & serued also his ges­tes in his owne propre persone. Than came y^e for­sayd childe to y^e abbot / & sayd to hym stylly in his ere. Syr it is tyme y^t we go to our dyner aforsayd lest happely my felowe our lorde Ihesu cryste shlbe wrothe. Than sayd the same abbot to the chylde. ¶Thou sayst wel my sone. And I wolde not y^t yo rue feloye sholde be wrothe for nothynge. Than y^e forsayd abbot gladly conforted his gestes / & prayed them to be mery & sayd. This same chylde and I be called to an other feste. And now it is tyme that we go / wherfore I commende me you to our lorde Ihesu cryste / the whiche graunte you for his grete mercy to come to the same feste. Trewely the for­sayd childe that same daye wold ete no thynge / for he wolde come fastynge to his good felowe our lorde Ihesu cryste. And whan the abbot & the forsayd childe were come to the same place they passed both [Page] to gydre / and yelded vp theyr soules to god

THere was a certayne kynge full cruell and wycked in all hys kyngdome and power. And whan he had thus longe contynued / he [...] & vnderstode at the laste his lyfe drawynge to an ende. And on a daye this kynge called for certayne bysshoppes & abbottes and other of his fren­des as he sholde seche helpe and counseyll of them. And as they were come to gyder he sayd I see and vnderstande my lordes & frendes that I shall not longe lyue / wherfore I dsyre you to gyue me hol­some coūseyl what I myght do for the helth of my soule For I knowe well that wyckedly I haue ly­ued hytherto. and I shall be dampned in helle. And therfore what maye I nowe do. Than they sayd Yf ye wyll haue forgyuenes of your synnes / & desyre to be saued / we auyse you that ye leue your kyngdome / and let your hede be shaue / and take on you the habyte and clothynge of a monke / for this onely remayneth for hope of your saluacyon / & many by this haue be saued. Therfore doo this that ye may be saued Than the kynge without ony tary­enge by the consent of theym all was receyued of-a certayne abbot in to his abbay / the whiche abbay was of oure blessyd lady saynt Marye / & there he-was made a monke. Sothely soone after he was-smyten [Page] with a greuous axis / and began to drawe faste out of this worlde. And anone came to hym wycked spyrytes and fendes to face hym. Trewely than came thyder an angell of god & sayd to them wherfore come you hyder. Than they sayd. For this kyng is oures. The angell sayd agayne. Ta­ke your kynge & go your waye. I. knowe hym not for a kyng / but for amonke. Sothely sythen he be­came the blessyd virgyn Maryes monke / she hath goten of her sone forgyuenesse of all his synnes / and tho haue also euerlastynge lyfe and. Ioye in he­uen: And therfore what thȳge haue ye to do with hym Knowe ye not that as in baptym all synnes be forgyuen / and euerlastynge lyfe is grauneted ꝭ Soo the grete mercy and pyte of our lorde Ihesu cryste dooth awaye a mannes synnes that taketh of hym the ordre of a monke and kepeth it: Ther­fore of some it is called a seconde baptymme: And how be it that this forsayd kyng synned moche yet at the laste he sore repented hym / and with his we­pynge wasshed awaye his synnes. And more ouer he was a monke of the gloryouse virgyne and mo­der of god saynt Marye / the whiche hath goten of her sone for hym remyssyon of his synnes / and euerlastinge lyfe in heuen. And also she hath sende me hyther to brynge his soule before god. And whanne the angell had sayd this / he toke vp with hym the soule with grete melodye / and wente his waye- ¶Trewly thanne these wycked spyrytes and my­nystres [Page] of the deuyll with a full grete crye vanys­shed awaye as the smoke doth fro the fyre not knowynge the grete mercy of our blessyd lorde Iesu cryste & the goodnesse of the gloryouse virgyne his moder to whome be now and euermore worshyp and Ioye Amen.

A Certayne knyght was take of his enem [...]s to whome came a woman bycause he shol­de synne with her and whan he cons [...]nted so to do / he asked what was her name. She sayd / Maria is my name Than he said to her by cause thy name is Maria / for the reuerence of the moder of god I wyl not synne wyth the. Than the blyssed virgine & moder of pyte seynge this / without ony taryenge opened the prison that this knyght was in and delyuered hyn thens.

ALso an other knyght on a tyme fylle in a­voutrye w^t his lordꝭ wyfe Neuertheles he had grete deuocyon to our blissed Lady saynte Mary / & euery daye by an hole yere he vsed for to saye thryes. fyfty. tymes Aue marya to the wor [...]hyp of-oure blyssed lady. Sothely it happened on a tyme as he was a slepe / he sawe hym thoughte our blyssed lady brynge to hym fayre mylke in a foule [Page] cuppe & styred hym to ete of it. And than he sayd that he loued mylke aboue all other metys / but of that mylke he sayd he myghte not ete for the foule and vnclene vessell that it was in. Than our lady sayd to hym agayn. So loue I the salutacyon that y^u sayst to me dayly. And bycause thy herte is vnclene. I lothe it of thy mouth. But be clensyd of it & thou shalt be rewarded.

AN other knyght also vpō a tyme was put in a full myghty towre / & whan he coude not be delyuered by prayer neyther by moneye / he prayed deuoutely to our blessyd lady / that she wolde wouchesuf to delyuer hym. Than oure blessyd lady whoos mercy. & pite is infynite / herde his deuoute prayers & lyghtned y^e pryson & loused his cheynes / & opened the dore / & so delyuered hym withoute ony knowlege of the kepers / and walked with hym in the nyghte a dayes Iourneye & so he escaped the daunger of his enemyes.

A Certayn knyghte there was that moche loued our blessyd lady / y^e whiche customably vsed to ryse oute of his bedde at mydnyght to go to his chapel / not knowynge his wyfe whether y^t he went / & there in y^e same chapel he vsed to saye euery nyght in y^e worshyp of our lady .l. ty­mes [Page] Aue marie Sothely it happened on a tyme as this lady sat at souper with her husbond y^e knight thynkynge that he was ful fayre & goodly / sayde to hym Sir is there ony woman that ye loue more than me Than sayde he to her / for certayne madame ther is no woman that I loue so moche as you saue one. Than she was full sory for this worde that he sayde saue one / & thought to her selfe that the next tyme that he rose out of his bedde fro her as he was wonte to do. she wolde slee her self that so he myght be slayne for her deth. And whan she had thought this / the next nyght folowynge this knyght her husbonde rose at mydnight as he vsed to do & wente in to his chapell. & sayde in the wor­shyp of our lady .l. tymes Aue maria / The mene whyle his lady toke his knyfe &. slytte her owne bely & slewe her self. for she had wende that he had gone that tyme to some other woman. And whan she hadde slayne her selfe / there was founde in her bely two yonge babyes deed lyenge in her blood / Trewely than whan this knyght hadde sayd his prayers bifore the ymage of our blessyd lady in his chapell / he came in to his chambre to his bed / and there he foūde his wyf deed & al blody. & two yonge babyes by her & deed also Thenne this knyght was full sore aferd of this horryble syght. & gretly drede leste his wyues kynne wolde therfore persue him to y^e deth. & therfore anone he retourned agayne vnto his chapell / and prayed deuoutly vnto our [Page] blessyd lady saȳt Marye for helpe / & sayd vnto her as many salutacyons as he dyde afore: And thāne he fyll a slepe / vnto whome came our blessyd lady & sayd / bycause chat oftētymes y^u hast come hyther and worshypped me deuoutely / therfore goo to thy chambre & there y^u shalt fynde mater of comfort & Ioye. And whan she had this sayd to hym / anone she vanysshed awaye. Than this knyght came to his chambre & founde his wyfe hole & a lyue / and two yonge babyes soukynge her pappes. And sayd to her. O my good lady be ye alyue: She sayd / yes yr / & blessyd mote ye be / for by your prayers I am saued whan I was dampned bycause I slewe my selfe that ye myght be kylled also for me. And thersfore that moost fayrest lady saynt Marye euermore loke that ye loue her more than me. And so he dyd & bothe they ended theyr lyues blessydly to gyd

ON a tyme a worshypful knyght fyll to grete pouerte by an vndyscrete lyberalnes that he vsed to gyue his godes awaye. This-knyght hadde a full honest woman to his wyfe / y^t whiche serued our lady full deuoutely. And on a tyme ther was a solēpne fest of y^e yere nye / as it myght be crystamas or est / in y^e which this knyght vsed afore to gyue large gyftes / & whan he sawe he [Page] had not to gyue at that tyme as he was wonte to-do / full gretely he was confounded & asshamed in hym selfe / wherfore tyll that solempne tyme were paste he wente to wyldernes to sorowe his mysfor­tune & to eschewe his shame. And anone came to hym a sterne & a gastfull man on horsbacke syttȳ ge / that asked hȳ why he was so heuy. Than this knyght tolde hym all thynge as it was. Than the other sayd to hym. And y^u wylte doo a lytyl thynge for me / y^u shalt haue more rychesse than euer thou haddest before. I promyse the sayd this knyght. I wyll do what someuer y^u byddest me / so that y^u wylt fulfyll in dede lyke as y^u sayest. Than sayd he to hym. Go to thy house / and in suche a place y^u shalt fynde grete weghtes of golde & syluer & precyous stones / And this y^u shalt do for me. At suche a day brynge hyther thy wyf wyth the. Than vnder this promyse this knyght retourned home agayne & in the same place where it was sayd to hym he foūde grete quantyte of golde & syluer & precyous stones Than anone he bought hȳ places / he yaue gyftes & quyte out hys pledges / & gate hȳ seruaūtes. And whan the daye was nye comen to fulfyll hys pro­myse / he called hys wyfe to hȳ & sayd: Take your horse / for ye muste go a good way hens. Than she fered not knowynge what he ment / but she durste not saye hym nay / & deuoutely cōmytted her to our blessyd lady / & so rode after her husbonde. Sothely as they rode forthwarde / they founde a chapell in [Page] theyr waye / & this lady lyghted downe of her hor­se & wente in to the chapel. the knyght her huysbonde bydynge her / wythout / & as she prayed deuoutly to our lady / sodenly she fyll a slepe / Than anone the gloryouse virgyn Mary tame out of the chapel in raymente & shap lyke this knyghtes wyfe in all thynges / & lyghted vp on her horse. she bedynge stil in the same chappel / This knyght knewe not but she that came out of the chapell had be his wyfe / & so wente forth his waye And whan he was come to the place that was assygned to hym anone the prince of derkenes the deuyll wyth grete fyersnes has­ted hym to that place / And whan he was nye it / he began anone to ro [...]e & sayd / O thou moste falseste of men. why hast thou this Illuded & desceyued me for soo grete benefetys that I haue done for the / I sayde to the that thou sholdest brynge me thy wyfe And thou hast brought with the the moder of god / I wolde haue had thy wyf / & thou hast brought the holy Mary / & for the grete wronges that thy wyfe doth to me. I wolde haue be auenged on her. And thou hast brought this woman that she myghe punysshe me & cōmaūde me to helle. And whan this knyght herde this. gretely he merueyled / & for dre­de & wondre myght not speke one worde / Thenne sayde the blyssyd virgyn Mary. By what boldenes hast thou presumed wycked spyryte to noye or [...]rouble my seruaūt this mannes wyfe. This shall not be vnpunisshed. And now with this sentence I bynde [Page] the that thou descende downe to helle / & here af­ter y^u presume not to noye or dyssesse ony persone y^t to me deuoutly prayeth: Sothely than this wycked spiryte wyth a grete crye voyded awaye & y^e knight lyghted downe & laye hym prostrate at oure ladyes fete: whome our lady blamed / & bad hym go agay­ne to his wyfe that was in the chapell yet a slepe. & that he sholde caste awaye all the rychesse y^t he had of the deuyl. Than he came ayene to his wyf as he foūde her slypynge & waked her vp / & tolde her all thynge lyke as it befylle hym. And whan they cam home they caste awaye all the deuylles ryches. and full deuoutly they contynued in laude & seruyce of oure blessyd lady saint mary / the whiche afterward sende to them bothe rychesse and prosperyte.

TRewly y^e deuyll Sathanas was aboute the space of thre yere to lette a certayne knyght fro the sayenge of our ladyes salutacōn y^t-is Aue maria. And whan he coude not brynge it aboute / he came to hym vysybly in the lykenesse of a fayre yonge man & tolde hym that he knewe all y^e wayes that he went / & all the flockes of his bestes. And whan this knyght herde this / he prayed hym to dwelle wyth hym in a castell that was inexpug­nable. And whan he had be wyth hym a foure yere he coude neuer make hym leue the saynge of oure ladyes salutacyon Aue maria / But he dyde moo [Page] cursed dedes the tyme that the deuyll dwelled wyth hym▪ than euer he dyde before in his lyfe. And on a tyme there was an heremyte that dwelled by hym the whiche by cause of frendeshypp came to visyte hym / whome this knyght wyth grete Instaūce desired to dyner / and tolde hym that for ony thynge. he muste tary & abyde dyner. and as this heremite sat wyth the knyght at mete / he sawe a deuyl seruyng hym / & called the deuyll & coniured hym by the passyon of the sone of god & his blessyd moder / to telle hym what he was. & wherfore he dwelled with this knyght. Than he sayde. I am a deuyl and of the felauship of Lucyfer. & I was sende hyther to dysceyue this knyght that thou seest. and bycause I coude not let hym fro sayng of the salutacions of the ho­ly virgyn mary. I came to dwelle with hym in this lykenes and shape / that I myght y^e soner strangle hym / & also it was graūted me yf he left ony daye euentyde or mornynge the saynge of the salutacion of the blessyd Mary / than to slee hym and to bere wyth me his soule to helle. And whan he had sayde this anone he vanysshed awaye. Sothely than this knyght restored all thynge agayne that he had ta­ken awaye fully / and chose hym a place in wyldernes to do his penaunce.

[Page]A Certeyn monke of the chartyrhouse at colayne the whiche afterwarde was made pryour of the same place. vsed to praye cō tynually deuoutly to god to haue somme vnderstā dyng what thinge he myght saye or do to the wor­shyp of oure blessyd lady. where by he myght beste please her. And att the laste his prayer was herde / Sothely on a tyme our lady apperyd to hym in his celle syttynge & sayd to hym. Lo longe tyme y^u hast prayed to knowe how thou myghteste please me / Saye euery daye lyenge prostrate vpon thy one sy­de l. tymes Aue maria. And well it. wyll please me And well it shall be to the / And whyle she sayde this to hym / one of his brethern a monke knocked at his celle dore. Than our blessyd lady asked him who is he / And he tolde her that it is one of his brethern. & named hym. Than sayde she to hym. Let hym come in for he is a specyall frende of myne / And whan he was come in. our blessyd lady saynt Mary kyssyd hym. and soo wente oute of her syght bothe /

IN a certayne abbay ther was a monke y^t was sexten full deuoute to our blessyd lady. and lo­ued her in a clene herte / Sothely he had his bedde in the chirche / & vsed euery nyght bothe afore ma­cyns and after full longe tyme deuoutely to prade vppon his knees on the bare grounde byfore an [Page] ymage of our lady largely wenyng for his synnes & whan he had wepte & sayd his prayers / thus he wolde saye to the ymage of our lady. O blessyd lady that art so fayre in erthe / how incomparble art thou moost fayrest in heuen. Sothely he were bles­syd that myght see thy fayrenes. I wote well that I am vnworthy. But good lady after the vertu of thy power y^u mayst make me worthy. And in this wyse longe tyme he exercysed hym selfe in mornynge & teres. Than at the laste the blessyd lady knowynge his desyre appered to hym in his slepe ha / uynge in her hande a boke wryten with golden letters. And it semed to a monke that all the chyrche was enflammed of fyre. And as he skypped out of his bed / he fyll before the fete of our blessyd lady / & loked in her face that was bryghter than the sone And she opened the boke / in the whiche was wryten the prophecye of Ysaye / of the whyche the monke gretely Ioyed but moche more he delyted to be­holde the fayrenesse & the rose coloure of her face. & sayd. O moost blessyd lady saynt Marye / suffre me ones to kysse thy fete. Than she smyled & sayd in this wyse to hym. I wyll not y^t thy mouth with the whiche y^u hast so oftymes lauded me / touche my fete / but thy mouthe shall touche my mouthe / & the clerenes of my face. Than our lady saynt Marye kyssed hym / & for Ioye therof he thought hym self rauysshed. And whan this monke remembred well that swete dreme / and for the grete gladnesse of his [Page] herte full largely he wept. And euer after all the-dayes of hys lyfe full deuoutely he serued our bles­syd lady.

IN a certayne grete abbay on crystmas nyght as the monkes were at matyns / full myghtely labourynge ī dyuyne seruyce sange-deuoutely Te deū laudamꝰ. Our blessyd lady saȳt Marye shewed her self to some of them / y^e whyche sawe her go vysybly through y^e myddes of the quere with a grete multytude of angellys / with Instrumentes of musyke / laudyng & praysynge our blessyd lorde Ihesu. And she bare in her handes her swete sone our lorde Ihesu cryste offerynge hym to them & sayd. Ecce merces vestra / that is to say. Lo this is your mede.

THere was a certayne yonge monke that so moche loued our blessyd lady saynt Mary that he wolde neuer leue her out of his mȳ de / & what someuer he dyde / or whether euer he wente / euer more he wolde deuoutely thynke on our blessyd lady. And on a tyme it happened that he fyl seke / to whome came deuylles in lykenesse of āgeles whiche had enuy at his clene & holy lyuynge / and moost bycause he loued our blessyd lady so moche. [Page] And one of them sayde to hym I wyl hele the. and thou wylt do after my coūseyl / Truely y^u doste consume thy selfe by ouermoche thynkynge on Mary / Leue this / & do by dyscrecyon There be many bles­syd men in this monastery that thynke not soo mo­che on her / what auayleth it to the yf thou be cause of thyn owne dethe & lese thy selfe. Sothely than this forsayd monke hadde knowlege by the grace of almyghty god that they were wycked spyrytes & de­uylles / wherfore he caste holy water amonge them- & than anone all tho wycked spyrytes vanysshed a­waye. Than the thyrde daye the gloryouse virgin saynt Mary came to hym with a noble heuenly felawshyp & sayd. Bycause thou hast had my euer in mynde I haue not forgoten the / gyue me thy soule / for it shall dwell with me euerlastyngly / when our lady had sayd this / the monke anone yelded vp his spyryte / & our lady assended vp to heuen berynge w^t her the monkes soule / & after the .iij. daye this monke appered to all his brethern as they were in the / chirche at dyuyne seruyce & sayd / brethern thanke-ye our blessyd lady / & worshyp her by whome I am saued / & bycause I had her euermore whyle I lyued in mynde / she hath set me in euerlastynge Ioyes of heuen / & therfore brethern be ye myndefull of her y^t after your deth ye may reygne w^t her / & whan this-was sayd he vanysshed awaye.

[Page]ALso it is not to leue out of a monke called Egnesanensi / the whiche wolde neuer leue ony thynge vndone y^t longed to the seruyce of our blessyd lady. This monke on a tyme was seke / & whan he was full nyghe his deth / he sawe the glo­ryouse virgyn Marye & moder of god comynge to hym / & ful gladde he was to see her come to helpe hym. & bowed his hede mekely to her as he myght and sange this response. Gaude maria virgo. And whan he had songe this response / he yelded vp his spyrite at the cōmaūdement of our blessyd lady / to be bore in to the blesse of heuen by y^e seruyse of angels. Therfore al crysten people ought of ryght to be feruent & brennynge in her seruyce / & to studye how they myghte please her / not onely they y^t ben well & vertuously dysposed / but also they that ben synners and proue to euyll. Sothely she is full benynge & redy to al / & euerychone / ryghte largely to rewarde theym with mede that woll deserue it. Ryghtful men & synners none she doth forsake / or refuse / gode men preseruynge in grace / & lyftynge vp synfull men fro wyckednes / & therfore all crysten people of what degree or meryte y^t they be of / sholde specyally take hede to her worshyppe and laude. For who someuer deuoutely contynueth in her seruyce / withouten doubte he shall come to the Ioyes of heuen.

[Page]THere was a symple monke y^t was called Iostyus / that to our blessyd lady was ful deuoute nyght & daye / beȳg carefull how he myght please her. And oftētymes w^t grete deuocyon he vsed to saye on his knees to the worshypp of our blessyd lady the .vij. psalmes with other thȳ ges that he lerned in his youth. And gretely he sorowed that he coude no propre thynge of laude and cōmendacyon to her / by the which he myght specyally worshyp her or grete her. So at the laste after his symple vnderstandyng / he dysposed hym to saye euery daye whyle he lyued fyue psalmes for the fyue lettres y^t be in oure blessyd lady saint Maryes name Maria: that is to saye. for the fyrst letter M Magnificat. for A. Ad dn̄m cū tribularer. for R / Retribue seruo tuo. for I. In conuertēdo. for the seconde A. Ad te leuaui. And this pleased our blel­syd lady saint mary. as was shewed after his deth Trewely there was foūde after that he dyceasyd fyue fayre rede roses springynge out of his mouth as fresshe & well smellynge as they had be gedryd the same daye And this was done be yonde the see at a place called Ad sanctū audomarū.

A Certayne knyght that was ryche & noble forsoke the world & entred in to a religyō called cisterciēsiū. And by cause he knewe no letter on bokes / the monkes put to hym a mayster [Page] that he myght somwhat lerne / & so by that oc­casyon to stonde amonge the monkes / for they were ashamed that suche a noble man sholde stonde amonge the lay people And whan he had be longe tyme with a mayster & no thynge coude lerne but these two wordes Aue maria. so faste he helde tho two wordes / y^t whether euer he went / or what some euer he dyde / euermore he wolde saye Aue maria. Than at y^e last he deyed & was buryed in the chirche yerde with other. And lo out of his graue spronge a fayre lylye / & euery lefe was wreten w^t gol­den letters. Aue maria. Than they ranne all thyd for to see so grete a syght. And as they dygged the erthe out of the graue they founde y^e rote of the same forsayd lylye spryngyng out of his mouth / where by they vnderstode with how grete deuocyon he vsed in his lyf to saye tho two wordes. Aue maria for whome oure lorde shewed so grete myracle of worshyppe.

THere was also on a tyme a good aged wo­man that knewe nomore of the salutacyon of our blessyd lady saynt Mary but these two wordes Aue maria. the whiche euermore she wolde say full deuoutly / to whose prayers our bles­syd lady was enclyned & dyde by her merytes ma­ny myracles. Than the bysshop perceyuynge this / made her to lerne of a clerke all the hole salutatōn [Page] of our lady. And whan she vsed dayly to saye it as she coude. there were no myracles shewed by her. & whan y^e byssop sawe this / he warned her to leue al y^t she lerned & so to worship our lady as she dyd before. & whan she so dyd. myracles came to her ayen

IN spayne in an house of the ordre of cisterciensiū was a yonge monke y^t was very feruent & deuoute in our ladyes seruyse. And ī saynge y^e houres of our lady he wolde be so well auysed & softe y^t he had mynde of her not only in euery verse / but also in euery worde / so y^t an houre of saȳg almost wolde last hym with full grete labour an houre of tyme. And whan he had lyued in his ordre .xvi. yere / he fyl seke almost to y^e deth. And whan it was asked of hym y^t serued hym how he dyde / he tolde hym & sayd. Our lady of heuen hath vysyted me & tolde me y^t I shall passe hens the vij. daye next co­mynge / & more ouer to me she sayd. bycause y^u hast (ser)ued me more deuoutely than ony other y^t lyue. I woll do to the y^t I dyde neuer to none other / & clypped me about the necke & kyssed me: Therfore the vij. daye our blessyd lady apered to this monke w^t a fayre multytude of aungellys / wiche passed hens the same daye as she tolde hym before.

[Page]A Certayn relygyous man that was labou­red with sekenes by the whyche he deyed & sawe before his deth him self rapt to Iugement. And whan he taryed to haue his Iugemēt the moder of god came & kneled byfor her sone cōplaynynge & sayd O moste ryghtwyse Iuge / thys mannes bretheren ful neglygently & breuely & vnreuerently saye myn houres & therfore cōmaunde Iugement to passe ayenst theym. Than the Iuge toke auysement & sayd in this wyse. Lete vs sende this man to his bretheren ayen that he may warne theym / yf they wyl amende them by hym. Sothely than soon after this forsayd seke man was retourned to hymself ayen / & sat vp in his bedde & tolde to them that stode aboute hym tho thynges that he had sene & herde / besechynge & exortynge them in our lorde Ihesu crystus behalue to amende them of all maner defautes & neglygences done in goddes seruyce and our ladyes / leste she be founde as she is to deuoute persones a moder of mercy / & to them for neglygence a quene of vengeaunce. And whan he had this sayd before them al he deyed.

ALso an other monke was that had his mynde wandryng about / & in his prayers vndeuoute / but to oure ladyes seruyce he behaued hym well & dylygently. And vpon a tyme whan his bretheren went to chyrche to say matyns / he bode alone [Page] at home lyenge in his bed & he sawe a blacke deuyl comynge to hym that toke hym vp & brought hym before a grete Iuge & sayd. Lo I haue brought to y^e one that longe tyme fayntly & neglygenfly hath sayd thy seruyce. And as the deuyll began to take power of hym he cryed and sayd / holy Mary hel­pe me / and anone our blessyd lady delyuered hym from the fende

WHo someuer wolde ordeyne to a grete lord a luce or a pyke / & therof wold some what stele / he wold take neyther the hede / nor y^e tayle / for it wolde be soon aspyed / but the myddes Sothely suche theues ben all prestes & clerkes that say theyr seruyce hastely / for the begynnynge & the endynge of the verses of y^e psalmes they stele not / but the wordes about the myddes. But wolde god it myght fall to them that so done / as it hapened to a certayne preest in the prouynce of Burgone as I herde of a brother of the place of dunene / how a certayne preest vsed to saye full shortly his dyuyne seruyce whome the deuyll often sythes lyfte vp on hye in his chauncell / & afterward myghtely wolde caste hym downe sore to the groūde. And this sayd the deuyll whan he lyfte hym vp. Dixit dn̄s dn̄o meo / & there made a good pause / & afterwarde he wolde caste hym downe & ende y^e verse & saye / sede a dexteris meis. Wherfore this preest amendyd him & afterwarde sayd his dyuyne seruyce perfyghtely [Page] Sothely they y^t tolde this / herde afore of this pres­tes fantes / & oftentymes went to him / and of his correctyon & amendement they gretely meruayled and asked hym y^e cause / and he tolde theym as it is sayd before.

IT is wryten & tolde of an holy man in en­glonde how he was holden & taryed in purgatory .l. yere after his deth bycause he vsed for to say his diuine seruice neglygētly / shortly / & breuely

Now of this myracle that foloweth here we haue taken ful faythful & worthy wytnes as by the mouth & saynge of the worshypfull fa­der Dan: Symon somtyme abbot of Los. The whyche besyde of other gyftes of vertue had specyally y^e vertue of mekenes aboue all y^e monkes of y^e prouynce. Sothely he sayd & tolde vs y^t there was ī a hous & a monasterye of the ordre of cisterciensis a certayne monke. And after the grace y^t our lorde Ihesu cryste gaue hym / full deuoute in oure ladyes seruyce. And leste he sholde leue in relygyon vnwarly but rather so moche the better as he dyde mekely our lord styred vp ayenst hym one of his owne bretheren of y^e cloyster / the whiche wolde constyre all thynge y^t. he dyde to y^e worst / & pursued his inocen­tenes both in wordes & in dedes / & not only in this [Page] (as a childe of grace) our lorde Ihesu cryste wolde haue proued but also he excercysed hym in other .ij. thynges of aduersyte. Of the whiche one was gostely / & the other bodely. Trewely as ofte as he herde thondrynge he myght not here it / & so he was so sore troubled & afrayde / that he was almoost at y^e poynt of deth. Also a sekenes of lepre that is called gutta rosia certayne tyme wold so corrupte his face that for the foulnes of syghte he was compelled longe whyle to byde at home in the fermory often tymes. And whan he was put in the fermorye for this cause / on a nyght after matyns as he went to reste / he blamed hym selfe by the sorowe of cōpunctyon & what someuer of leprye he had in his face / cōmytted it deuoutly to our lordes mercy Sothely a fewe dayes before our lorde had vysyted hym so that in shorte tyme the abbot & almoost .xv. monkes of the couent blyssedly paste fro this worlde to heuenwarde. And as this monke was walkyng in his prayers / he sawe a fayr felaushyp of monkes goynge through the myddes of y^e fermorye / amonge the whyche he knewe his fader the abbot & his brethteren that dyed a lytyll afore. Of the whiche one of theym came to hȳ & stode by his bed & sayd Dere broder we that go here whyle we lyued ī our bodyes dwelled here in this monasterye. And now we Ioye al in hope of the Ioye of the sone of god but yet we be dyfferred fro the entrynge in of the kyngdom of heuen for the neglygences of some of [Page] our bretheren. Of the wiche some vndeuoutly / and some slouly / al full vnkyndly done to the psalmes & prayers / the whiche of dute they ought to do for our soules. And not only for this cause they ben holde gylty to vs / but also to our blessyd lord Iesu cryste hath many thynges ayenst them. Sothely they prouoke & styre hym to cast them fro hym / bycause they folowe slouly the vowe of relygyon in pure & clene lyuynge / & the preceptes of holy relygyon w^t out ony drede of god they breke. Also whan they come to gyder as y^e tyme & place requyred to serue our lord god in psalmes / and ympnes / & other spyrytuell songes / than they neyther ete / ne taste spyrytuel fode / bycause that euerychone presumeth to delyte hym on vanyte after his herte / And they sus­pyre after carnall pleasures that they hadde in the worlde. and theyr soule sauoureth not the heuenly foode that is the worde of god the whiche they rede and synge / but as a mete that is lyght and contemtybyll / Trewely this prouoketh the wrath of god moost / that in that houre whan as the brethe­ren enclyne atte / Gloria patri. for the reuerence / and worshyppe of the blessyd trinyte / some mocke and scorne / some Iangell ydell wordes / And some make preuely sygnes of ydelnesse / And other ben so stiffe in herte & in body. that vnnethis after that Gloria patri is begonne / they be boūde. & or spiritu sancto be sayd. they be vp agayn. and with their syghte they notabely wander aboute in curyouse [Page] thynges in the walles. And other be stondynge in prayer lyke ymages / & so berafte in slepe that they wote not what is done about them / & yet neuertheles they enclyne [...] & ryse vp as other done of a certayne myserable & wretchyd custome. therfore go & say to the abbot on our behalue that he dispose him to correcte suche fautes of the bretheren. For to him it longet what someuer is done amis of his bretherē to whome he is ordeyned of god an ouerseer to tell theym theyr synnes whan this was sayd he vanysshed awaye. Than this monke that herde this rose vp stylly fro his bedde / & yede oute of y^e fermory & so came to y^e chirche as he vsed to do afore / & before one of y^e auters prayed to our lorde with all his herte / & anone he was rapte in spiryte. And as he loked to the wyndowe that was aboue y^e auter / he sawe a bryght beme of lyght shynyng & a maruaylouse fayre lady entred through the wyndowe to hym. And whan she stode by hym she sayd to him Knowest thou not me. He answered & sayd· No lady. Than she sayd to hym: I am Mary y^e moder of Ihesu / & now I am come to comforte y^e of thy sorowes & heuenes. I haue herde thy prayers and I sawe thy wepynges / & as she sayd to hym / the bretheren that were at dyuyne seruyce sange Gloria patri as they vsed to do & enclyned themself / & also our blessyd lady & quene of heuen· with her hondes crosyd full louely / & reuerently enclyned her self at that same Gloria patri. and stode not vp tyll they [Page] hadde songe Sicut erat in principio / Than after that she stode vp & sayde to the monke agayne. the broder the monke that pursued the / whiche is deed. after his grete malyce hath receyued full many sore paynes / & in token that this that I haue sayde to the is trouthe. thou shalt be hole of this two se­kenesse that y^u haste suffred. And whan our blessyd lady saint mary had sayd this to hym / she her self wiped his face wyth the sleue of her garment. & so vanysshed awaye Sothely on the morowe this mō ke preuely tolde to the abbot al thinge as it is sayd before. & shewed bothe to hym & to all his brethern certayne & very fayth of these same thinges by the meruaylous token of the alterynge & chaūgyng of his face / whiche outwardly was hole & clene to the honoure & worshyp of the gloryouse virgyn & mo­der of god. the whiche reygneth wyth hym lady of angels & quene of heuen euerlastyngly in all worl­des of worldes Amen.

THere was a monke / to whome al his me­tys semed soo harde / y^t vnethys he might take of it to susteyne his body / And on a nyght our lady apperyd to hȳ in his slepe & brou­ghte hȳ to an ymage of our lorde Ihesu cryst han­gyng on a crosse. & sayd to hym in this wyse. Wete thy brede in my sones wondes / & whan y^e forsayde monke had so doo. hym semed and thought that it had a full swete and a delycyous taste as a thynge [Page] that is wel poudered.

OVre blessyd lady appered in a vysyon to a certayn monke that was sore in temptatyon / & shewed hym the state of Ioye / & af­terwarde she brought hȳ in to egipte & wyldernes whether she fled with her sone Ihesu for the drede of Herode. Than she shewed the monke the horryblenes of wyldernes / & the dwellynge that she had with the wolues & lyons / & also the grete colde / hū gre / & thyrst / & y^e ful grete werenes that she suffred And whan she had shewed this to the monke / she sayd to hym. Loo sone by suche delycyousenesse my sone Ihesus was nourysshed vp & I by the same came to the kyngdom of heuen. Therfore take hede of the temptacōn that my sone Ihesus had▪ in wyldernesse / where he shewed to all his folowers & louers a forme of a spyrytuall vyctorye.

A Monke that was yonge of aege / but holy-of lyfe was soo feble and weke of his bo / dye that it was to hym paynfull to lyue / this mō ke on a nyght as he was at matynes in the chyrch & had sayd y^t noctornes thought to spare his hede & to rest hȳ tyll laudes / & layde hȳ downe on a blok y^t was before y^e auter / & there slept a lytyll / & anon our blessyd lady was at hym / and touched hym wyth her clothe and sayd. Brother this place is [Page] not to slepe in / but for to praye. And anone he wa­ked and sawe the backe of our blessyd lady as she went fro hym. And herde a womans voyce sayeng these wordes to hym.

IN a wood was a certayn theef that robbed men & kylled them that came by. Sothely on a tyme a certayn relygyouse man by the grace of god & gode exhortation tourned hym from his wicked lyuynge / & brought hym to a monaste­ry of the relygyous vyrgyn Mary & moder of god. And whan he was there a conuers / euery day often tymes greted oure blessyd lady saynt Marye with Aue maria. &c. And afterwarde whan he drewe towarde his laste ende / the brethe that wente out of his mouthe sauoured so swete y^t al the towne where the monastery was smeled swetely of it.

THere was a conuers of the order of the chartyrhous at theyr hede hous in fraūce that was meke of kynde / yonge of age / gētyll of condicions / and in holynes of lyfe well spedde. Sothely he disposyd hym with al hys power for y^e loue of god to mekenes & obedience / & to mortefye his fleshe so / that he was not onely crucefyed to y^e worlde / & y^e world to hym / but also he was as dede & buryed to y^e worlde / & specyally he gaue hymself to holy and deuoutely to be myndfull of our lady [Page] saynt Marye / that some good men the whiche knewe hym & his lyuynge thought & supposed that he knewe no thynge but our lord Iesu cryst crucefyed & his blessyd moder Mary a synguler & a specyall louer next after god of the helth and saluacion of mankynde. These studijs at y^e begynnynge of his conuersyon vertuously taken more & more / he la­boured to proferre fro vertue ī to vertue by y^e whiche he styred vp ayenst hymselfe the enuy & maly­ce of our olde & comon enemy the deuyll. And on a nyght as he laye alone in his celle as y^e vse of that relygyon is to refresse theyr bodyes after laboure & prayer he beynge wakynge & thynkyng on heuenly thynges / vy [...]ybly apyred to hym a company of deuyls in lykenesse of hogges / the whiche wente all aboute in y^e celle with a gastfull noyse / & gro­nynge as they were wode / and came & stode about him as he was in his bed sore tremblynge for fere & drede / & as it was tolde me / he swet for drede no thynge abydyng but his deth / & as he was in this trouble / his fere encreased & sawe also a certayne man of an horryble gretenesse come in to his celle & fater his demenynge he was y^e prynce of deuyls and at his fyrste comynge in / he tourned him to y^e hogges that were there & sayd to them / what doo ye cowardes / why do ye not all to tere hym. Than sayd the hogges to him / we haue be about it as moche as we myght / & we coude do no thyng ellys but tempte him with fere. Than he sayd ayen / and I [Page] shal do that / that ye cowardes myght not doo And whan he hadde sayd this / he straught forth to this gode holy man with a gastfull contenaunc [...] / a fere full Istrument of yron with croked hokes to take hym [...] & all to tere hym that for fere was all moost madde & oute of his mynde B [...]t god that euermore of his grete mercy prouydeth for his seruauntes helpe / brought this man out of this fere & delyuerd hym fro fere. Sothely anone as this wyckod spirite had straughte forth his honde to take hym / & with the boke of yron al to tere hym as it is sayd aboue Anone the gloryous moder of god / & truly the mo­der of mercy / in whome next after god he put all his hope vysybly came to hym & with a lyght yerd that she helde in her honde sayd to the wicked spy­rytes. How durste ye wycked spyrytes come hether. this man is not yours / ne ayenst hym in ony thynge ye shall preuayle / & whan she had sayd this / all that company vanysshed awaye as a smoke doth. Than after this our lady comforted hym that yet was ful sore aferde with these wordes and sayd / it pleaseth me that thou doost / And knowe wel also y^t the deuocyon of thy soule is ryght acceptable vnto god & to me. Therfore do as thou doost / & of these thynges studye contynuelly to profyte y^e better thynges / & as for ony synguler thynge that I may saye to the iij cōmaūdement at this tyme / dyspose the to be content with grosse metes / & abyect clothes / & deuoutely gyue the to bodely laboure / with these wor­des [Page] our bcessyd lady comforted & strengthed her seruaunte and descended vp to heuen.

A Certayne conuers that was a good relygyous man of the monastery called clareual­lys kepte his bestes in a grange longynge to the same abbaye. This man on a tyme as he was kepyng his bestes in a grete solempne feste of our lady began to be heuy / remembrynge that holy daye bycause he myght not be at home with his bretheren to halowe that solempne feste. And as he weped / the gloryous vyrgyn Mary stode before hym in a quenes arayment hauynge aboute her a Ioyfull multytude of angels and sayntes. This gloryou­se lady called the shepherde by his proper name / & swetely after her manere spake to hym as he had be knowe afore of her by longe famylyaryte / and asked hym why he was so heuy. Than he sayd to her by cause good lady I am not at your solempnyte▪ To whome she sayd agayne. Certaynely thou arte now at my solempnyte / And that is rygthe / & I wyll that thou be atte it. And anone he herde a quyre of angels and of sayntes stondynge aboute him syngynge laudes to god / and to the gloryouse virgyn Mary in maruelous swetenes The whyche swetnes of songe / & Ioyfulnes of syght contynued almoste all the nyghte / where in he gretely delyted [Page] And this knewe saint Bernarde that same tyme by the holy goste / wherfore on y^e morowe as he made a sermon in the chapyter house to the bretheren of y^e same feste of our lady / amonge other thynges this he sayd wolde god that we were so solempny­s [...]d in our oratoryes as this nyghte was a certeyne good man solempnysed in the felde.

AN other conuers of an abbay of the ordre of cysterciensis a laye brother kepte mares that longed to the same place longe tyme and bycause he myghte not be at home at oure blessyd lady seruyce with other in the tyme of the solempne festes sore it greued hym. This man on a tyme tolde his desyre to oure blessyd lady / & how that he myghte fulfyll it / & asked of her with full g [...]ete deuotyon. Also in the feste of the puryfycatyon of our blessyd lady saynt Mary he thought & cōsydered how that daye was processyon with candels about the houre of tyrce / & how the abbot sange that daye masse in the chyrche / and also how the lay bretheren behaued them / & full gretely he began to wepe. And take a candell in the grange that he kepte the same daye and with the candell began to go aboute y^e berne / Than the glorious vyrgyn Mary our blessyd lady seynge his deuotion came downe to him with an­gels / & made with him a solempe processyon. So­thely the abbot as he stode by the auter was rapte [Page] in spirite & sawe all this. And whan masse was done he tolde to his bretheren in y^e chapiterhous al thynge that was done / & sende to y^e same conuers a seruaūt & commaūded hym to come home to y^e monastery with the messangere without ony tary­ynge. And whan he was come home / the abbot cō maūded hym to telle before his bretheren all thyn­ge that was done y^t daye at y^e grange. And whan he hadde tolde them / the abbot asoyled hym from all offyces that longed to the laye bretheren & prayed hym to praye for all his bretheren.

WHan two yonge monkes on a day went to walke in the couent gardyn where was a ponde / they were fouden bothe to gyder drowned in y^e water clyppynge echeone other. Truly the abbot of the place drede to bery them in the chirche yerde with other / wherfore of this he asked saynt Bernarde abbot of clareuall counceyll. And the next nyght after saynt Bernard prayed to god that he wolde wouchesauf to shewe y^t / that pleased hym. And whan he had prayed / he fyll a slepe / and hym thought he was vpon a ful hye hylle / and he sawe our blessyd lady vpon an other hyl / & betwixt these two hylles was a full depe vale / and in this depe & lowe vale / he herde some synge this anteme Salue regina with an thyn voyce / & they ascen­ded vpwarde syngynge the same anteme. And as [Page] they ascendeth syngynge / euermore they lyfted vp theyr voyce hyer & hyer: And whan they songe O clemens. O pia. O dulcis maria / tho two monkes appyred that were drowned whyche had songe the forsayd anteme / & were before our lady in y^e top of the hylle. & as they sayd O dulcis maria / the bles­syd vyrgyn Mary toke them to her / & anone that vysyon vanyshed awaye. Sothely saynt Bernard kepte well in his mynde the forsayd anteme & made it to be wreten & noted as he herde & sawe / & ordeyned also the same anteme dayly for to besonge through all his order. And he in his owne propre persone buryed the bodyes of the two yonge mon­kes aforsayde before an auter in the chirche with grete Ioye and gladnes.

CErtayne relygyous persones were y^t custo­mably vsed after cōplene stondynge ordynatly by y^e quene before an auter of our lady to synge this anteme Salue regina. with .ij. tapers bren̄ynge deuouly w^t an hye voyce & whā they songe this anteme so / a certayn relygyous man & very faythfull oftentymes sawe in spyryte at y^t tyme as they songe Eya ergo aduocata nrā / how our lady y^e gloryous virgin & mod of god kneled downe before y^e presence of her swete sone & prayed to hym for y^e cōseruacōn of all y^t order / & therfore this we wryte here y^t her holy prayer is not only for y^e bretheren of y^e same ordre / but also for all theym y^• [Page] whiche desyre her to be a mene for theym to her sone / & that oftentymes worshyp her a quene of mercy with this forsayd anteme Salue regina.

ALso a certayne lay man that was of holy lyuyng dwelled with the fryers prechours in a certayne house in Englonde / whiche oftenty­mes sawe a grete globe of fyre goynge fro the one syde of the quere to the other syde / & descendynge downe of euery broders hede whyle thy songe de­uoutly after complyne Salue regina.

THere was a worshypful woman & a noble that loued moche prayer & cōtemplacyon in y^e chirche of fryers prechours with other whan the same fryers songe after cōplyne this an­teme Salue regina / w^t y^e versicle. Dignare me &c. & with this collecte. Cōcede nos &c. And on a tyme whan they songe deuoutly this holy anteme / she sawe vysybly how the gloryous vyrgyne oure blessyd lady bowed her hede to the mayster of the or­dre / & afterwarde to both the sydes of the quere / & also to euerychone syngulerly that songe to her this anteme deuoutly & as thankynge them for theyr labour. Sothely this worshypful woman a forsayde wolde neuer to ony man telle this vysyon tyll she was seke at her laste ende.

[Page]A Certayne holy woman was / y^e whiche gaue her selfe to prayer & contemplacion a­boue al other y^t wer her systers of y^e congregacion and it happened on a day as she was feruent in deuocyon / and contynuelly greted oure lady with sayenge Aue maria &c. she loked on the ymage of our lady that was before her / & herde a voyce of y^e ymages mouth sayenge to her in this wyse / what doste thou. Than she sayd w^t a meke voyce / lady do I not well. Than sayd y^• voyce to her agayne yes / but thou mayst do better. Than sdyd she. O gode lady what shall I do or saye. To whome the voyce answered. Knowest thou not / that what som euer I haue of godenesse or worshyp. I haue it of my swete sone Iesu cryst / therfore grete hym fyrste and than me. O good lady sayd she how shal I so do. Than the voyce sayd to her. Say gretynge my sone in this wyse. Aue benygne Iesu / & afterward saye forth Aue maria &c.

IN spayne there were certayne monkes that sawe vysybly the deuyl at a certayne wyn­dowe of the abbaye in a gastfull lykenes. And the forsayd monkes coniured hym in the name of the trynyte to goo thens / and he wolde not. Also they coniured hym by crystus passyon / and he wold not They red there our lordes passyon / and the .vij. psalmes with the letanyes / and he wold not obeye Afterward came thider a preest in holy vestymētis [Page] and cast holy water on hym / & yet he wolde in no maner wyse auoyde. For our lorde Iesu wolde she­we the vertue of his moders holy name Maria / & at the laste they coniured him by the holy name of the blessyd moder of god. And than anone he went his waye / for that name is [...]ul gastful to al deuyls

THere was a chanon ful deuoute to our blessyd lady saynt Mary [...] & afterwarde he be­came a graye fryre / & the more that he grewe in holy lyuynge of relygyon. the more the deuyl tempted & vex [...]d him Sothely on a tyme the wyc­ked spyryte & the deuyll aperyd to hym in a gast­full lykenes to trouble him of his deuocions / wherfore he named the holy name of our blessyd lady / & anone withoute ony taryenge he vanyshed awaye & afterwarde his holynes grewe so moche that he put out fro folke deuyls / and reysed dede men to lyue and also restored seke men to helth.

F [...]ll oftētymes our blessyd lady apperyd to [...] gode man a graye fryer. And whan he greted her w^t Aue maria. &c. he sawe her in so grete fayrenes / y^• vnethes a man mynght thyn­ke it. And whan he cessed gretynge her thā he sawe her as an olde woman euyll clothed. And on a ty­me as she aperyd to hym / he asked of her wh [...] she was. Than our blessyd lady answered and sayd▪ [Page] Sone I am she that thou gretest now knelynge / & as now thou sayst no fayrnesse of me apere to the soo no Ioye is to me of the whan thou gretest not me / wherfore I praye the / glorefye me with Aue maria. Sothely that brother afterwarde sawe not her but in gloryous lykenes. For he cessed not day­ly to salute & grete her with Aue maria.

A Certayne brother of Relygyon suffred w^t heuenesse abhominable sekenes. And vpon a daye whyles his bretheren were at dyner / the blessyd virgyn and moder of our lorde Iesu cryste ap­peryd to hym / and broughte him her swete sone in fourme and lykenes of a lytyll chylde sore woun­ded / and reprehended hym of his Impacience / and sayd to him in this wyse. See wretche what thyn­ges my sone hath suffred for the / and thou mayste not suffre a lytyll sekenes. And whan this seke brother herde this / gretely he began to wepe wherfore after warde he shewed so grete pacyence / that all other maruayled / & also he was afterwarde reco­uered to his helth by his pacience.

A seke brother that was a fryer prechoure herde that saynt Dnmynycke hadde prayed to our blessyd lady for a certayne man that was seke of the palseye / that our lady touchyng his lymmes [Page] with her propre hondes of the palsey washeled / called also on saynt Domynycke to gete for hym hel­pe of our blessyd lady. Sothely whan mete tyme came the bretheren went to theyr dyner and lefte the seke brother alone. Than the meke moder of god seynge thys / came & vysyted hym in her owne propre persone / wherby he was gretely conforted / and she sayd to hym. I wyl gyue the the holy sacrament and delyuer the fro all sekenes. Sothely at euen the suppryour came to vysyte hȳ yf he wolde ony thynge. Than the seke brother sayd to hym. I beseche you for charyte chat ye wyll ordeyne that the waye bytwene this and the chirche be made clene. Truly the suppryour wend he had bē madde & asked hym why he spake so vnwysely. Than y^e seke man sayd to hym. I am not madde / but I belyue that ye shall see a myracle of our lorde Ihesu cryste. To whom the supprynur sayd / and yf the bretheren auyse me th [...]rto it shall be soone done. Than they toke auy­sement / and afterward they ordeyned the waye to be made clene as he asked. Sothely on the morowe whyle the couent masse was sayenge / two angels came in to the chyrche with brennynge tapers. And oure blessyd lady folowed theym with a felaushyp of sayntes / and toke the holy sacrament of the au­ter seynge the suppryour and folowynge after / & with grte reuerence serued it to the seke brother. And this wyse by helpe of our blessyd lady he was fully restored to his helth.

ALso an other freer prechour suffred on a tyme so grete sekenes / that some had wende verylye he shold haue dyed. Sothely it happened that he was sore tempted in thyer presence that were there & his culoure was chaūged & shewed a fereful face. And whan it was asked hym why he shewed so grete heuenes / he sayd / the deuyl was come to hym and was about to put hym in disperacion / Sothely at that tyme the pryoure sayd his houres of the daye with the couent▪ And whan he was called of y^e bretheren / he came anone to y^e seke broder. And whan he was come / the seke man prayed him to saye this verse. Maria mater gratie / mater misericordie / tu nos ab. hoste protege / et hora mortis suscipe. And whan the pryour had sayd it / the deuyll voyded & went away. Than our blessyd lady saȳt Mary cam / and shewed her selfe vysybly to y^e seke man. And whan he sawe her / he was ful refresshed in his spirite & sayd to her. O moost swete lady / sythen ye be now come / the houre is y^t I muste goo and anone as he hadde sayd this / he expyred and was gone.

GRauerius a certayn chanon of the abbaye of saȳt Iohan at swession in fraūce was a man of grete holynes & of Innocence / the [Page] whiche before his deth laboured in grete sekenes. And so the deuyll y^t euermore wayted to hurte vs / put to his mynde a grete gladnes of a presumptu­ous Ioyenge / & so moche he was gladed in speche & in cōtenaūce / y^t al y^t stode about belyued y^t he had some syght of the Ioyes of heuen & all taryed with grete deuocōn to se his ende. Sothely whan he be­gan for to drawe to deth / he was broken fro that Ioyenge y^t he had & began to wepe. Than one of his brethern cam to hym & asked him why he was sory after so grete Ioye. Than he sayde make all the brethern come to me / and anone withoute ony taryenge it was done. And than he sayd to them. Alas my dere brethern / ye sawe in me by y^e deuyls suggestyon a boldenes of a presumtuous Ioyenge but the moder of mercy our blessyd lady saynt Mary hath not suffred me to peryshe / but hath repre­hended me of vayne gladnes / and warned me to byde my last day of with drede of god & mesure of hope. Therfore dere brethern I praye you to praye for me that oure blessyd lorde Ihesu wyll forgyue this faute & many moo / and that he wyl not Iuge me after my dedes / but that he wyll saue me after his mercy. And anone as he had sayd this wordes & al had sayd amen / his eyen breste out of teres / & so blessydly passed to god

[Page]A Certayne nonne called Beatryce ful semely of persone and sexton of her place / was full deuoute to oure lady saynt Marye / whome a certayne clerke greately moued throughe wycked counseyll desyred to haue. And at the laste the sa­me aforsayd nonne consented to the forsayd clerke & to go with him to a certayne place after complene to synne bothe to gyder And or she yede forth y^e forsayd nonne came to an auter & sayd to our blessyd lady saynt Mary. O good lady I haue serued the as deuoutly as I coude / & lo I resynge my keys to y^e for I maye no lenger bere the temptations of my flesshe: And whan she had sayd this / she layde the keys on the auter & went after the clerke. And whan he had synned with her / a fewe dayes after he caste her awaye & forsoke her. Than she hadde not wherof she myghte lyue / & goo agayne to her monastery she was asshamed / wherfore she beca­me a strompette / & so lyued by the space of .xv. yeres. Sothely on a day she came to the porter of the gate & asked hym / & euer he knewe one of the nonnes called Beatryce somtyme sexten of the chyrche he sayd that he knewe her wel / and sayd moreouer that she was holy & well dysposed of achylde and vnto this daye hath lyued here withoute ony complaynt / truly she vnderstode not his wordes and as she was goyng thens / our blossyd lady & moder of mercy appered to her & sayd. I haue ordeyned one that hath fulfylled thyne offyce for y^t this .xv. yere [Page] Therfore now tourne ayen to thy place & do pe­naūce / for no man knoweth of thy defaute. Sothely I haue made one in thyne one person & habyte to execute thyne offyce for the. Than she went in and made thankes to our blessyd lord Iesu cryste / and our blessyd lady saynt Marye / & by meke confessyon vttered all thynge that befell her.

A Woman that laye sore seke sende on a ty­me to y^e preest / & desyred of hym to be cō ­muned. Than he came to her & brought with him our blessyd lordes bodye. And whan he came in to the hous he sawe the gloryous vyrgyn & moder of god our blessyd lady saynt Mary with the woman holdynge her hondes at her knees. Than our blessyd lady saynt Mary with knelynge on her knees worsshypped anone y^e holy sacrament of her swete sones precyous body Sothely the preest seyng this dred grtely for dyuerse causes. Fyrste for her grete fayrenes / for all the hous was full of greate lyght Seconde for the maruaylouse swete sauour y^t he smelled anone as though he hadde be in paradyse The thyrde was for the grace of vnderstondynge that he had by the holy ghoost to knowe her wher fore he asked that blessed vyrgyn Mary and moder of god with grete reuerence and sayd How is this gode lady / that ye wouchesauf to apere to this woman and me. Thanne she sayd to the preest. For [Page] an hondred tymes in the daye this woman hathe greted me / many other thynges she hath done to me. And therfore it is worthy that now for this she haue mede. Also thou haste deserued to se me here also for this & many other thynges that thou doste to me. And whan the blessyd virgyn Mary hadde sayd this / the seke woman expyred anone & dyed / whoos soule our blessyde lady saynte Marye toke with her to heuens blysse Amen.

THere was a certayne clerke that ful gladly vsed to grete the glorious vyrgyn & moder of our lord Iesu cryst. Sothely on a tyme she appered. to hym and shewed hym the gloryfycacyon of her blessyd body. And whan she had conforted him with wordes swete as hony / she sayd to hym / by­cause oftentymes thou sayste deuoutly to me / bles­syd be the fruyte of my bely / thou shalte be blessyd with an euerlastynge blessynge.

ALso there was an other clerke that gretly loued our blessyd lady saynt Mary / and in so moche he was smyten in deuocyon and loue to her that he went on a tyme to Rome to se her ymage the whyche as it is sayd saynt luke the holy euā gelyste dyde make. And whan this clerke sawe this ymage of our blessyd lady saynt Mary. his deuocyon & loue begā to abate / bycause the ymage of our [Page] blessyd lady that he sawe was not so fayre as he wende it had be. Neuertheles he loued her / but not so feruētly as he dyde before. So at the last he came home ayen to oxenforde / & fyl afterwarde in a greate sekenes. & it happened on a daye as he laye alone in his chambre / there came vnto hȳ a fayre vyrgyn & sayd to hym. Syr how is it with you / & he sayd. I wote neuer. To whom she sayd ayen / ye haue ben at Rome to see me in myn ymage / & by / cause it pleased not you the fayrnes of it your loue and deuocion that ye had to me is abated. Sothely the blessyd vyrgyn Mary & moder of god was clo­thed in a blacke coote & hadde a gyrdell aboute her myddell / & a bende on her hede / and bare fote also whan the angell gabryell grete her & tolde her of the holy Incarnacion of the sone of god. And your loue & deuocyon had not be abated to me now / ye sholde haue be byfore my swete sone with me in heuen. But for the lessynge & slakenes of yure deuo­cyon & loue / ye shal yet suffre this sekenes these .iij dayes / & than I wyll come ayen & mete with you / and afterwarde ye shall be broughte in to Ioye & blysse / and so our blessyd lady saynt mary departed from hym.

THere was a certayne bysshoppe that loued feruently the quene of heuen. This bys­shoppe prayed to her dayly / that she wolde shewe [Page] to hym some synguler token of loue. And as he was perseueraunt ful deuoutely to her in supplicacyon / on a daye as he was at masse aboute the leuacyon tyme / ther fyll downe on the corporas a letter fro heuen. Sothely he meruayled at suche an vn­knowen gyfte / but he myght not touche it thanne with his hondes for the [...]endaunce aboute y^u holy sacrament. And whan [...]sse was done / he toke the letter. and with grete Ioye of herte rede it. Sothely the tenoure of the letter was this. The quene of heuen to her welbeloued bysshop. Thy petycy­on gladly herynge I wyll shewe to the / what shall be profytable to many. Thou shalte vnderstonde that I hadde in the worlde fyue spcyall Ioyes / the whyche openly thou mayst knowe in the salutacyons that here folowe.

¶Here folowen fyue specyall Ioyes of our lady.

¶Gaude virgo mater cristi. &c.

Therfore thou shalt vnderstonde / who someuer deuoutly saye to me these forsayd salutacyons / addȳ ge to euerychone of these forsayd salutacions a Pater noster & an Aue maria / shall neuer by my pro­teccyon / suffre the paynes of helle. And do this & tell to other the same.

IT is tolde of saynt Edmonde archebyshop of cauntorbury that he deuoutely prayed to oure blessyd lady saynt Marye on a tyme / that he myghte vnderstonde by some reuelacyon how many [Page] woundes our blessyd lord Ihesus suffred in his passyon. And as he was deuoutly prayenge a cer­tayne voyce sayd to hym. Euery daye through the yere saye .l. tymes Pater noster / and so many woū des hadde Ihesu chryste.