Lives of the Saints

S. Pauline was a much noble widow of Rome, of whom S. Jerome wrote the life, and saith first thus: If all my members were turned into tongues, and all my arteries should resound in human voice, yet I might not worthily write the virtues of S. Pauline. I take witness of God and of his holy angels, and also of the angel that was keeper of this woman that I shall say nothing for praising but that same that I shall say shall be less than appertaineth to her virtues. She was born among the nobles of the senators of Rome, and of the lineage of the noble Gregois, rich of good and puissant of seignory at Rome. She was the most humble of all other, for like as the sun surmounteth the clearness of the stars, so surmounted she the beauty of others by her great humility.

When her husband was passed out of this world, she abode lady of all the goods and riches. It happed that, at the mandment of the Emperor, many bishops came to Rome, among whom were there the holy man Paulinus, the patriarch of Antioch, and Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus, of whom she was esprised in good virtues, so that she gave largely of her goods for God’s sake. Her parents, ne her friends, ne her own children could not turn her, ne make her to change her purpose, but that she would become the pilgrim of Jesu Christ, for the amorous desire that she had to Jesu Christ surmounted the love that she had to her children. Only among all her children she had put her affection in Eustochium her daughter, whom she led with her in this pilgrimage. She took the sea and sailed so far that she came into the holy land of Jerusalem. O how great devotion she had to visit the sepulchre of Jesu Christ and the other holy places, and how all weeping she kissed them, there can no man rehearse. All the city of Jerusalem could speak of it, and yet best of all knew the Lord for whose love she had forsaken all things.

She had been at Rome so puissant and so noble, that every man coveted to do to her honour for her great renomee, but she that was founded upon humility sought the humble places and religious, and came at the last to Bethlehem. And when she had devoutly visited the place in which the Virgin Mary infanted and childed Jesu Christ, she fell in a vision, and as she sware to me, she saw in that vision the child wrapped in poor clouts Iying in the crib or in the rack, and how the three kings worshipped him, how the star came upon the house, and how the shepherds came to see him, and how Herod made persecution upon the innocents, and how Joseph bare the child into Egypt. And this vision she said, all in weeping and in laughing, and said: I salute thee Bethlehem wherein he is born, that descended from heaven, of thee prophesied Micah the fifth chapter, that of thee should be born the God that should govern the people of Israel, and the lineage of David should endure in thee unto the time that the glorious virgin should enfant Jesu Christ; and I wretched, as unworthy to repute me to kiss the crib in which our Lord wept as a child, and the virgin childed, here I shall take my rest and my dwelling, for my Saviour chose this place in Bethlehem.

She made there her habitation with many virgins that served God, and how well that she was lady of all, nevertheless she was the most humble and meek in speaking, in habit, and in going, in such wise that she seemed servant of all the other. She never ate after the death of her husband with no man, how good that he was; she visited as it is said tofore, all the holy places and the monks of Egypt, among whom were many of the ancient fathers and many holy men, and her seemed that she saw Jesu Christ among them. And after, she founded in Bethlehem an abbey in which she assembled virgins as well of noble estate as of middle and low lineage, and departed them in three congregations, so that they were departed in work, in meat, and drink, but in saying their psalter and adoring were they together at the hours as it appertaineth. And she induced and informed all the other in prayer and in work, by example giving, she was never idle. And all they were of one habit, and they had ne sheets ne linen cloth but to dry their hands, and they might have no licence to speak to men, and they that came late to the hours, she blamed debonairly or shortly, after that they were, and suffered not that any of them should have anything save the living and clothing, for to put away avarice from them. She appeased them sweetly that strove, and also she brake and mortified among the young maidens their fleshly desires by continual fastings, for she had liefer have them good, suffering sorrow and sickness, than their heart should be hurt by fleshly will. And she chastised them that were nice and quaint, saying that such nicety was filth of the soul, and said also that, word sounding to any ordure or filth should never issue out of the mouth of a virgin, for by the words outward is showed the countenance of the heart within, and she that so spake and was rebuked therefor, if she amended it not at the first warning, ne at the second, ne at the third, she should be dissevered from the others in eating and in drinking, by which she should be ashamed, and thus should be amended by debonair correction, and if she would not, she should be punished by right great moderation. She was marvellous debonair and pitiful to them that were sick, and comforted them and served them right busily, and to them largely to eat such as they asked, but to herself she was hard in her sickness and scarce, for she refused to eat flesh, how well she gave it to other, and also to drink wine. She was oft by them that were sick, and laid the pillows aright and in point, and frotted their feet and chauffed water to wash them. And her seemed that the less she did to the sick in service, so much less service did she to God, and deserved less merit, and therefore she was to them pitiful, and nothing to herself. In her right great sicknesses she would have no soft bed, but lay upon the straw or upon the ground, and took but little rest. For the most part she was in prayers both by day and by night, and she wept so much that it seemed of her eyes a fountain. So many tears ran from them, and when we said to her oft-times that she should keep her eyes from weeping so much, she said: The visage ought to be like to be foul because it hath so much been made fair and gay against the commandment of God, and the body ought to be chastised that hath had so much solace in this world, and the laughings ought to be recompensed by weepings, and the soft bed and the sheets ought to be changed into the sharpness of hair. I that was accustomed to please man and the world, I desire now to please Jesu Christ. And what shall I say of chastity in which she was ensample unto all ladies of time past when she was yet secular? For she conversed in such wise that they that were envious durst not avise on her any evil fame. She was debonair and courteous unto all, for she comforted the poor and warned the rich to do well, but in largess she passed so that no poor man complained of her. And this did she not by the great abundance that she had of goods, but by her wise governance, and when I said to her that she should have measure in doing alms, after that the apostle saith that, the alms that is done to another be not grievous to him that doth it. But she said that for the love of our Lord she did all, and that she desired to die, begging in such wise that she should not leave one penny to her daughter after her, and that she might be wrapped in a strange sheet when she should die.

And at the last she said: If I should demand ought, I should find enough that would give to me, and these beggars, if I gave to them nought and they so departed and died for poverty, of whom should God demand this? Oft said she so: They be happy that be merciful, and alms quencheth sins as the water quencheth the fire, but for to do alms it cometh not always to perfection, for many do alms that abide in their carnalities, they seem to be good without forth. but within they be mortal.

Pauline was not such an one, she affeebled her body right sore in fasting and in labouring, that unnethe she set her eyes to her meat, without eating fish, ne milk, eggs, or white meat, in which many ween to do great abstinence without eating flesh. For our Lord gave to her an adversary, the stimulation fleshly, by which she held her in humility without savouring anything of pride for the foison of her virtues, and also that she thought not to be higher than other women. She had always in her mind the holy Scriptures against the deceptions of the fiend, and especially this that Moses saith: God assayeth you if he love you, and this that saith Isaiah the prophet: Ye that have been at the solace and joys of the world and now be withdrawn from them and left them, lookafter none other thing but to suffer tribulation upon tribulation and know ye by tribulation is had patience, and by patience is had poverty. It is said, Job, primo capitulo, when it was showed to him the loss of his patrimony, he answered: I issued naked from the belly of my mother, and I shall re-enter naked again into the earth, like as God may be pleased so be it done, his name be praised and blessed. He learned us that we should not love the world, for the world shall finish in her covetise. When one told her that her children were right sick, she said: Who loveth his son or his daughter more than God is not worthy to be with God. A man, that seemed to be her friend, sent her word on a time that she had great need to keep well her brain, for because of the ardour that she had in virtues, she seemed to be out of her wit, and she answered: In this world we bereputed as fools for the love of Jesu Christ. And our Lord said to his apostles: The world hateth you, for ye be not of the world, if ye were of the world, that is to say of the conversation of the world, the world should love you. Fair Lord God we mortify ourselves always, and we be reputed as sheep that be brought to death, because that without plaining we mortify our bodies. In such patience was she unto the death, and suffered humbly the envy of them that were evil. She had in her mind the holy Scriptures, and she held her more to the spiritual understanding than to the histories of the Scripture. She could perfectly Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French, and read coursably the Scriptures in these four languages.

Who may recount without weeping the death of this woman? She fell in a malady mortal and saw well that she should die, for all her body became cold, and she felt that her spirit held her in her breast. Then said she without plaining, and without having any charge save to God: Fair sweet Lord, I have coveted the beauty of thy house for to be in thy habitation that is so fair, my soul hath desired to be in thy realm. And when I demanded her wherefore she spake no more, and she would not answer me, and I asked if she suffered great pain, she said to me in Greek tongue that she was well and in good peace. And anon she left speaking to me, and closed her eyes in saying to God: Lord, like as the hart desires to come to the fountain, so desireth my soul to come to thee; alas! when shall I come to thee fair Lord God? And in saying these words, she made a cross upon her mouth. There were bishops, priests, clerks, canons, and monks without number, and at the last, when she heard her spouse, Jesus Christ, which called her saying: Arise and come to me my sweet love and fair espouse, for the winter is passed. She answered gladly: The flowers be showed in our country, and I believe that I shall see the goods in the realm of heaven of my Lord Jesus Christ, and thus she rendered her soul and passed out of this world. And anon all the congregation of virgins made no cry in weeping as do the people of the world, but read devoutly their psalter not only unto the time that she was buried, but all the day and all the night. And with great pain could not Eustochium, her venerable daughter, the virgin, be withdrawn from her, but she kissed her and embraced her piteously in weeping the death of her mother. And Jesus witnesseth that S. Pauline left not one penny to her daughter, she had so given alms of all her great riches. Many give largely for God’s sake, but they give not so much but some abideth.

When she was passed as said is, her lips ne her face were not pale, but was as reverent to look on as she had been yet alive. She was buried in a sepulchre in Bethlehem with right great honour by the bishops, priests, clerks, monks, virgins, and all the poor people of the country, which plained that they had lost their good mother that had nourished them. She lived in Rome holily thirty-three years, and in Bethlehem twenty years, and all her age was fifty three years seven months and twenty days, from the time of Honorius, emperor of Rome. Then let us pray to this holy woman that she pray for us.

Here followeth of S. Julian, the bishop, and first the interpretation of his name.

Julian is as much to say as jubilus, singing, and ana, that is on high, and thereof Julian as going to high things in singing. Or it is said: Julius, that is as much to say as not wise, and anus, that is old, for he was old in the service of God, and not wise in reputation of himself.

The Life of S. Julian.

S. Julian was bishop of Cenomanence. It is said that it was he that was said Simon the leper, whom our Lord healed of his measelry, and bade Jesu Christ to dinner, and after the Ascension of our Lord, he was ordained of the apostles bishop of Emmaus, full of great virtues. He appeared to the world, he raised three dead men, and after he ended his days in great praising of God. Of this S. Julian some say that this is he that pilgrims and wayfaring men call and require for good harbourage because our Lord was lodged in his house, but it seemeth better that it is he that slew his father and mother ignorantly, of whom the history is here after. There was another Julian born in Alvernia, which was of noble lineage, and yet more noble in faith and in virtue, which for the great desire that he had to be martyred, he offered himself to the tyrants where he had not forfeited.

Now it happed that Crispinus, which was one of the governors of Rome, sent to him one of his ministers for to put him to death. Anon as the minister came to him, he issued out of his place and came tofore him, and offered to him to suffer death, and his head was smitten off. And they took the head, and showed it to S. Feriol that was his fellow, and said they would so do of him if he sacrificed not, and because he would not obey to them they slew him, and took the head of S. Julian, and the body of S. Feriol, and buried them both in one pit, and a great while after S. Mamertine, bishop of Vienne, found the head of S. Julian between the hands of S. Feriol, all so whole as it had been buried that same day.

Among the other miracles of S. Julian it is said that a deacon took all the white sheep that were of the church of S. Julian, and the shepherds defended them, but he said to them that S. Julian ate never no mutton, and anon after a fever took him, so great and hot that he knowledged that he was of the martyr so burnt, and he did water to be cast on him for to cool him. And anon issued out of his body such a fume and smoke, and therewith so great a stench, that all they that were present were constrained to flee, and anon after he died. Another miracle happed of a man of a village that on a Sunday would ear his lands, and when he took the share to make clean his coulter, it cleaved to his hand. And two years after, at the prayer of S. Julian in the church, he was healed.

There was another Julian which was brother to one named Julius. These two brethren went to the Emperor Theodosius, which was a very christian man, and they prayed him that they might destroy all the idols that they might find, and that they might edify churches, each which thing the emperor granted them, and wrote that all men should obey them and help them, upon pain to lose their heads. Now it happed that they edified a church, and all men by the commandment of the emperor obeyed and helped them. It happed that there were some men that led a cart which should pass by, and thought how they might do and pass without arresting for to help them, and they thought that one of them should lie on the cart as he were dead, and thereby they would excuse them, and so they did, and bade him that lay in the cart to hold his eyes closed till they were past the pass. And when they came in the place where they edified the church, Julian and Julius, his brother, said to them: My sons, tarry a while and come and help us to work. They answered that they might not for they carried a dead man. S. Julian said to them: Why lie ye so? They answered: Sir, we lie not, it is so as we say to you. And S. Julian said to them: So may it fall to you as ye say. And anon they drove forth their oxen and passed forth. And when they were passed a little they called their fellow that he should arise and drive forth the oxen for to go the faster, and he answered not one word. And they called him again on high and said: Art thou out of thy wit? Arise up and drive forth the beasts, and he moved ne spake not one word. They went up and discovered him and found him dead as S. Julian had said to them. Then took they such dread and fear that after that they ne none other that heard of the miracle durst lie no more tofore the holy servant of God.

Another Julian there was that slew his father and mother by ignorance. And this man was noble and young, and gladly went for to hunt. And one time among all other he found an hart which returned toward him, and said to him, thou huntest me that shall slay thy father and mother. Hereof was he much abashed and afeard, and for dread, that it should not happen to him that the hart had said to him, he went privily away that no man knew thereof, and found a prince noble and great to whom he put him in service. And he proved so well in battle and in services in his palace, that he was so much in the prince’s grace that he made him knight and gave to him a rich widow of a castle, and for her dower he received the castle. And when his father and mother knew that he was thus gone they put them in the way for to seek him in many places. And so long they went till they came to the castle where he dwelt, but then he was gone out, and they found his wife. And when she saw them she inquired diligently who they were, and when they had said and recounted what was happened of their son, she knew verily that they were the father and mother of her husband, and received them much charitably, and gave to them her own bed, and made another for herself. And on the morn the wife of Julian went to the church, and her husband came home whiles she was at church, and entered into his chamber for to awake his wife. And he saw twain in his bed, and had weened that it had been a man that had lain with his wife, and slew them both with his sword, and after, went out and saw his wife coming from church. Then he was much abashed and demanded of his wife who they were that lay in his bed, then she said that they were his father and his mother, which had long sought him, and she had laid them in his bed. Then he swooned and was almost dead, and began to weep bitterly and cry, alas! caitiff that I am, what shall I do that have slain my father and my mother? Now it is happened that I supposed to have eschewed, and said to his wife: Adieu and farewell, my right dear love, I shall never rest till that I shall have knowledge if God will pardon and forgive me this that I have done, and that I shall have worthy penance therefor. And she answered: Right dear love, God forbid that ye should go without me, like as I have had joy with you, so will I have pain and heaviness. Then departed they and went till they came to a great river over which much folk passed, where they edified an hospital much great for to harbour poor people, and there do their penance in bearing men over that would pass.

After long time S. Julian slept about midnight, sore travailed, and it was frozen and much cold, and he heard a voice lamenting and crying that said: Julian come and help us over. And anon he arose, and went over and found one almost dead for cold, and anon he took him and bare him to the fire and did great labour to chauffe and warm him. And when he saw that he could not be chauffed ne warm, he bare him in to his bed, and covered him the best wise he might. And anon after, he that was so sick and appeared as he had been measell, he saw all shining ascending to heaven, and said to S. Julian his host: Julian, our Lord hath sent me to thee, and sendeth thee word that he hath accepted thy penance. And a while after S. Julian and his wife rendered unto God their souls and departed out of this world.

Another Julian there was, but he was no saint but a cursed man, and was called Julianus Apostata. This Julian was first a monk, and showing outward signs of great religion and of great holiness, after that that Master John Beleth reciteth. There was a woman that had three pots full of gold, and because the gold should not be seen she had put in the mouth of the pots above, ashes, and delivered them to this Julian tofore other monks for to keep, whom she reputed a holy man, but she said not to him that they were full of gold. When he had these pots he looked what was therein, and he found that it was gold and took it out all, and filled them full of ashes, and fled with all to Rome, and did so much that he was of the councillors and governors of Rome. But the woman, when she would have again her pots, she could not prove that she had delivered to him in keeping gold, for she made no mention thereof tofore the monks, and therefore he retained it, and procured withal the office of a consul of the governance of Rome. And after that he procured so much that he was instituted emperor. Whiles he was young he was taught in the art of enchantment and of the invocations of fiends, and gladly he studied, and it pleased him much, and had with him divers masters of that science. Now it happed on a day that as his master was out he began alone to read the invocations, and a great multitude of fiends came about him and made him afeard, and he made the sign of the cross, and anon they vanished away. And when his master was returned he told him what was happed to him, but his master said to him that always he had hated and feared that sign. When then he was emperor he remembered thereof, and because he would use the craft of the devil, overall where he found the signs of the cross he destroyed them, and persecuted christian men because that he knew well that otherwise the fiends would not do for him. Now it happed that he descended into a region that is called Persia, and from thence he sent into the occident a devil for to have answer of that he said to him, and this devil went and abode ten days in one place without moving, because there was a monk continually in prayer night and day, and when he might not do he returned. Then Julian demanded him where he had been so long, he answered: I have been in a place where I found a monk night and day praying, and I supposed to have troubled him that he should no more pray, and all this while I could never turn him from his prayer, and thus I am returned without doing anything. Then Julian the apostate had great indignation and said when he came thither he would avenge him of the monk, and when he went in to Persia the devils promised him that he should have victory of a city. The master of enchantments, which divined by the devil for him, said to a christian man: What doeth the smith’s son? He said that he made a sepulchre for Julian his master. And as it is read in the history of S. Basil, he came in Cæsarea of Cappadocia and S. Basil came against him, and presented three loaves to him, which he sent to him. And Julian had great indignation of this gift, and for the bread, he sent to S. Basil hay, saying: Thou hast sent to me meat for dumb beasts, therefore take this that I send to thee. S. Basil said: We have sent to thee such as we eat, and thou sendest to us of that thou nourishest thy beasts with. Of which answer Julian was wroth and said: When I shall have done in Persia I shall destroy this city in such wise that it shall be better ordained for to ear and sow than people to dwell in. And the night ensuing, S. Basil saw in a vision, in the church of our Lady, a great multitude of angels, and in the middle of them a woman being in a throne, which said to them: Call to me Mercury whom Julian the apostate hath slain, which blasphemeth me and my son. Mercury was a knight, that for the faith of God had been slain of Julian, and was buried in the same church. Then anon Mercury with all his arms, that were kept, was present, and at the commandment of the lady he went to battle. S. Basil awoke all affrayed, and went to the tomb where the knight was buried in, and opened the sepulchre, but he found neither body ne arms. Then he demanded of the keeper who had taken away the body. And he sware that in the even tofore it was there. S. Basil after on the morn returned, and found the body and the armour and the spear all bloody. And anon came one from the battle which said that Julian the apostate and emperor was in the battle, and thither came a knight unknown all armed with his spear, which hardily smote his horse with his spurs and came to Julian the emperor, and brandished his sword and smote him through the body, and suddenly he departed and never after was seen again. And yet when he should die he took his hand full of blood and cast it into the air saying: Thou hast vanquished man of Galilee ! thou hast overcome! And in crying thus, miserably he expired, and died in great pain, and was left without sepulture of all his men. And he was flayed of the Persians, and of his skin was made to the king of Persia an undercovering, and thus he died cursedly.

Thus end the Lives of four holy saints every each named Julian, and of one that was a false apostata.

Here followeth the Life of S. Ignatius bishop, and first the interpretation of his name.

Ignatius is said as one suffering fire and burning, for he was embraced and all esprised of the divine and burning love of God.

Of S. Ignatius.

S. Ignatius was disciple of S. John Evangelist, and was bishop of Antioch. And after that, as some say, he sent a letter unto our Lady or an epistle in this wise: Unto Mary the Virgin, that bare Jesu Christ in her body, I, humble Ignatius, her servant, send greeting, I, that am yet a novice in the faith and disciple to Jesu Christ and to John thy dear friend, desire to have of thee some comfort and consolation of some good enseignment and teaching. For of Jesus thy Son I have heard say many marvels, of which I am enjoyed to hear only of thee, which hast been always in his company. Thou knowest well the secret desires of him, thou hast been plainly informed, and they that be yet young in the faith with me trust much to be endoctrined of thee, and informed in their creance and belief: Lady, God salute thee.

And to this letter answered the glorious Virgin Mary in this manner: Ignatius, good disciple of Jesus and his special friend, the humble handmaid of Jesu Christ sendeth to thee greeting. I do thee to wit that all that John hath said to thee of Jesu Christ and all that thou hast learned of him is true doctrine and thing certain. Go alway in good creance, and believe and keep firmly the promise of thy christian faith, and do thy works according to the same. I shall come with S. John for to visit thee and other christian men with thee. Hold thee always well in the faith and in good works, and let no persecution ne adversity that thou shalt suffer move thee from thy faith ne from thy creance, but have solace and affiance in Jesu Christ thy Saviour. This was the answer of his letter.

S. Ignatius was a man right well learned, and the third bishop after S. Peter, the apostle of the church of Antioch, and much desired to be a martyr for the faith of Jesu Christ. It happed that Trajan, which was emperor of Rome, passed by Antioch, to whom Ignatius showed to him and blamed of this, that he persecuted christian men, wherefor the emperor did him to be taken and put in irons, and in that wise by ten knights to be led to Rome. There he was presented tofore the emperor and all the senators of Rome, and was constrained by promises, by menaces, and by torments, many and great an horrible, for to adore the idols. S. Ignatius showed to them clearly that their gods had been thieves, ribalds, and men of abominable and evil life, and that they were damned in hell, and that they had been in great error in this, that of so cursed men they made their gods and worshipped devils, and had forsaken God which had made and created all the world, and his blessed Son which in human nature had redeemed and saved the world.

Finably, after this, that he had been tormented by fire, and by beating and prison, the emperor did send for the Romans in a place and there did do set S. Ignatius, and did do bring thither two lions for to devour him. But he had never dread for death ne for other torments, of which he had suffered many, but was always comforted for to die for the love of Jesu Christ. And he said at the last: I am wheat of Jesu Christ, which ought to be grounden between the teeth of these beasts, by which I may be pure bread for to be presented to my Lord; and anon the lions came and strangled him without tearing of his flesh, or anything hurting it, wherefor Trajan had great marvel and departed from the place. It is read that S. Ignatius in all his torments and all the pains of martyrdom that he suffered, that his tongue never ceased to name the name of Jesus, and when they that tormented him demanded him wherefore he named this name so oft, he answered: Know ye for certain that I have in my heart this name written, and therefore I may not leave to name this name oft. And because hereof, when he was dead, they that heard these words opened his body and drew out his heart and cut it open, and they found within the name of Jesus written with fair letters of gold, for which miracle many received the faith of Jesu Christ.

Of this saint saith S. Bernard upon the psalm, Qui habitat: S. Ignatius, martyr of God glorious, is of great merit, which was minister to the disciple that Jesus so much loved, and in his epistles, the which he sent to the glorious Virgin Mary, he saluted her as mother that had borne Jesu Christ and she resaluted him again, in sign that he was a person of great honour, of great dignity, and of great authority. The body of whom was honorably buried of christian men, to the worship of Jesu Christ which is blessed in secula seculorum. Amen.

Here followeth the Purification of Our Lady.

Postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis Marie secundum legem Moisi, tulerunt Jesum in Jerusalem. Lucæ, cap. ii. The ancient law had his course until the time that God hath suffered death for us. And when he died on the cross he said, Joh. cap. xix. Consummatum est, that is to say: All thing is finished and ended that hath been written of me. Which law he kept during his life; as it is written: I am not come for to break the law; in which he gave us example of humility and of obedience, like as S. Paul saith. In like wise our Lady, for to obey to the law, bare her sweet son Jesu Christ unto the temple of Jerusalem after the fortieth day of his birth, for to offer him to God, and for to give offering for him such as in the law was ordained, that is to wit, a pair of turtles or two doves was the offering of poor folk, like as it is written.

Our Lord, which in all case came to make our salvation, deigned not only to humble himself and descend from his realm, and became man mortal, semblable to us. Also he deigned to be born of a poor woman, and was poor for to enrich us, and draw us out of the misery of this world to the riches permanable. And we that be poor because of our sins, and without riches of good virtues, so worthily should we come and be at the feast of our Lord; we should offer to him that which by the offering is signified. The dove which is of her nature simple and without gall, and the turtle naturally chaste, for when she hath lost her mate she will never have other mate, and with that she taketh the weeping for her song; we ought to offer to our Lord instead of two doves, one simple will and a good intention, without retaining in our heart any gall of anger or of hate towards our neighbour; for as our Lord saith, if thine eye be simple all thy works shall be in light. And hereof saith S. John the Evangelist in the Apocalypse: The city needeth no sun ne moon to shine in it, for the clearness of God shall illumine it, and his lantern is the lamb; the lamb is the light. By the lamb, which is simple, is signified to us a simple conscience and righteous, which maketh true judgment of the intention, for all works be good or evil. If they be done in evil intention or by hypocrisy they be evil and without profit, like as saith Jesu Christ: If thine eye be evil, all thy body shall be dark. By the eye is understood the intention, with goodness simple, and debonairty is signified by the doves. We ought also to offer a pair of turtles to our Lord, that is to say, a chaste life and a very intention to leave our sins, the which is signified to us by the chastity of the turtle, and by her weeping the contrition. As Bede saith: Contrition ought to begin in dread and end in love; for the soul faithful, when she remembereth her sins in her conscience, she weepeth for the dread of the pains of hell that she hath deserved, and thus offereth she to God a turtle; and when she hath wept, there cometh to her a hope to have mercy and pardon of her sins, and this hope is conceived of dread in him and love of God, to serve and to be in his company; so that soul that ought to sing, weepeth for love, which hath delivered her so soon from the perils and miseries of this world, and for to come to the sweet company of our Lord. And thus offered she that other turtle, in weeping with David the prophet the long pilgrimages that she hath made in the miseries of this world saying: Heu me quia incolatus meus prolongatus est; for when she beginneth to think after the joyous company of angels, and of the souls that be in heaven, and what joy and deduit that they have in the over desirous sight of our Lord, then all the world grieveth them, and they desire to be delivered from the faits of the body for to go into the company of these holy souls.

And also that S. Simeon, which by revelation of the Holy Ghost came into the temple of Jerusalem in the same hour that the blessed Virgin brought her dear son for to offer him, and the Holy Ghost had showed to him, that tofore that he should die corporally he should see Jesu Christ come in to the earth, the which birth he knew long before to be showed by the prophets. And when he saw Jesu Christ brought into the temple, anon he knew him by the Holy Ghost to be very God and very man, and took him between his arms and said: Fair Lord God let thy sergeant and servant from henceforth be in peace, and suffer that after this revelation showed to me, I may depart and die for to be delivered from the evils of this world, for mine eyes corporal and spiritual have seen thy blessed son Jesu Christ, which shall save the creatures human from their sins; the which thou hast made ready and ordained tofore the face of all creatures human, for to be light to all people by his doctrine, to illumine and take away darknesses; that is to say, of their idolatry, after this that Isaiah the prophet hath prophesied of him: Populus gentium qui ambulabat in tenebris, etc., the people of gentiles or paynims which walked in darkness to worship idols and devils for very God, saw a great light when they issued from their sins by the doctrine of Jesu Christ which came also to the glory of the Jews, for they received his sight bodily, like as was promised them by the witness of the prophets, by which they might glorify them of this, that their rightful King was born among them and conversed bodily in their country. And S. Simeon said: Nunc dimittis servum tuum domine, etc. Sire, let thy servant depart in peace after thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy health, which thou hast made ready tofore the face of all peoples, that is light to the revelation of paynims and to the glory of thy people of Israel. Jesu Christ is called peace, health, light and joy. Peace, because that he is our moyen and our advocate; health, for he is our redeemer; light, for he is our informer; and glory, for he is our governor. This feast is called Candlemas, and is made in remembrance of the offering that our Lady offered in the temple as said is, and every each beareth this day a candle of wax burning, which representeth our Lord Jesu Christ. Like as the candle burning hath three things in it, that is to wit, the wax, the wick, and the fire, right so be three things in Jesu Christ, that is the body, the soul and the godhead. For the wax which is made of the bee purely, without company and mixture of one bee with another, signifieth the body of our Lord Jesu Christ, and the fire of the candle signifieth the divinity of our Lord Jesu Christ, which illumineth all creatures. And therefore if we will appear in this feast tofore the face of God, pure and clean and acceptable, we ought to have in us three things which be signified by the candle burning: that is good deeds, true faith, with good works. And like as the candle without burning is dead, right so faith is dead without works as S. James saith, for to believe in God without obeying his commandments profiteth nothing. And therefore saith S. Gregory: The good work ought to show withoutforth that thy intention abide good withinforth the heart, without seeking within any vain glory to be allowed and praised. And by the fire is understood charity, of which God saith: I am come to put fire in the earth, and whom I I will, I will burn.

This feast is called the purification of our Lady, not for that she had need ne ought make her purification, for she was pure and clean without having of any tatche of deadly sin ne venial, like as she that had, without company of any man, by the virtue of the Holy Ghost, conceived the Son of God, and was delivered without losing of her virginity, so she came with her blessed son at the fortieth day after his nativity for to obey the commandment of the law, after the manner of other women which had need of purification, and also for to show to us the example of humility. He is very humble that is worthy to be praised for his virtues. This glorious Lady is queen of heaven and Lady of angels, nevertheless she is pure and humble among the women like as a poor woman, without making any semblant of her great humility, ne of the high majesty of her son, whereof S. Bernard saith in this manner:

O who may make us to understand, glorious Lady, the thought of thine heart that thou haddest among the services that thou madest to thy blessed son in giving him suck, in laying down and raising, when thou sawest a little child of thee born on that one part, and of that other side thou knewest him to be God Almighty? And now thou believest and seest him created that had created all the world, now thou seest him feeble as a child which is Almighty and all puissant, now thou feedest him that all the world feedeth, and now thou seest him not speaking, that made man and speech. O who should con show hereupon the secrets of thine heart? How savoured thy courage when thou heldest thy child between thine arms whom thou lovedest as thy Lord, and kissed him as thy son. Who should not marvel of this miracle, when a virgin and a clean maid hath enfanted and childed her maker and Lord of all the world? To him let us address our thoughts, and embrace we this child of one very belief, whom we ought to love because he hath humbled himself for us, and to doubt him, because he is our judge and our Lord, to whose commandments we owe to obey if we will be saved.

We read an example of a noble lady which had great devotion in the blessed Virgin Mary, and she had a chapel in which she did do say mass of our Lady daily by her chaplain. It happed that the day of the purification of our Lady, her chaplain was out, so that this lady might that day have no mass, and she durst not go to another church because she had given her mantle unto a poor man for the love of our Lady. She was much sorrowful because she might hear no mass and for to make her devotions she went into the chapel, and tofore the altar she kneeled down for to make her prayers to our Lady. And anon she fell asleep, in which she had a vision, and her seemed that she was in a church, and saw come into the church a great company of virgins, tofore whom she saw come a right noble virgin crowned right preciously. And when they were all set each in order, came a company of young men which sat down each after other in order like the other; after, entered one that bare a burden of candles, and departed them to them above first, and so to each of them by order he gave one, and at the last came this man to this lady aforesaid and gave to her also a candle of wax. The which lady saw also come a priest, a deacon and a subdeacon, all revested, going to the altar as for to say mass. And her seemed that S. Laurence and S. Vincent were deacon and sub-deacon, and Jesu Christ the priest, and two angels bearing tofore them candles, and two young angels began the introit of the mass, and all the company of the virgins sang the mass. And when the mass was sung unto the offering, her seemed that thilk virgin so crowned went tofore, and after, all the others followed, and offered to the priest, kneeling much devoutly, their candles. And when the priest tarried for this lady that she should also have come to the offering, the glorious queen of virgins sent to her to say that she was not courteous to make the priest so long to tarry for her. And the lady answered that the priest should proceed in his mass forth, for she would keep her candle and not offer it. And the glorious virgin sent yet once to her, and she said she would not offer her candle. The third time the queen said to the messenger: Go and pray her that she come and offer her candle, or else take it from her by force. The messenger came to this lady, and because in no wise she would not come and offer up her candle, he set hand on the candle that this lady held and drew fast, and she held fast, and so long he drew and haled that the candle brake in two pieces, and that one half abode still in the hand of the lady aforesaid, which anon awoke and came to herself; and found the piece of the candle in her hand, whereof she much marvelled, and thanked our Lord and the glorious Virgin Mary devoutly which had suffered her that day not to be without mass. And all the days of her life after she kept that piece of that candle much preciously, like an holy relic, and all they that were touched therewith were guerished and healed of their maladies and sicknesses. Let us pray then humbly to the glorious Virgin Mary, which is comfort to them that forsake their sins, that she will make our peace to the blessed Son and impetre and get of him remission of all our sins, and after this life to come to the glory and joy of heaven, to the which bring us the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Here followeth the Life of S. Blase, and first of his name.

Blase is as much to say as glosing, or it is said as belasius of bela, which is habit,and syor, which is to say, little. And thus he is said glosing by the sweetness of his word,meek by his habit of virtues, and little by humility of manners and of conversation.

S. Blase was so sweet, holy and humble in manners, that the christian men of Cappadocia of the city of Sebaste chose him to be a bishop. The which when he was bishop saw that Diocletian the emperor made so many persecutions to christian men that S. Blase sought and would dwell in an hermitage in a ditch, in which place the birds of heaven brought to him meat for to eat. And it seemed to him that they came to serve him and accompany him, and would not depart from him till he had lift up his hands and blessed them. And also sick men came to him and anon were cured and healed. Now it happed that the prince of this region sent his knights to hunt, and they could take nothing. But by adventure they came unto the desert place where S. Blase was, where they found great multitude of beasts which were about him, of whom they could take none, whereof they were all abashed and showed this to their lord, the which anon sent many knights for him, and commanded to bring him and all the christian men with him. And that night Jesu Christ appeared to him thrice, which said to him: Arise up and make to me sacrifice. Lo! here be the knights that come to fetch thee at the commandment of the prince. And the knights said to him: Come out from this place, the president calleth thee. And S. Blase answered: My sons, ye be welcome, I see now well that God hath not forgotten me. He went with them and continually preached, and did many miracles tofore them.

There was a woman that had a son dying, in whose throat was a bone of a fish athwart, which estrangled him, and she brought him tofore his feet, praying him that he would make her son whole. And S. Blase put his hand upon him and made his prayer to God that this child, and all they that demanded benefits of health in his name, that they should be holpen and obtain it, and anon he was whole and guerished.

Another woman there was that was poor which had a swine, which the wolf had borne away, and she humbly prayed to S. Blase that she might have again her swine. And he began to smile and said: Good woman anger thee not, for thou shalt have again thy swine, and anon the wolf brought again to the woman, which was a widow, her swine.

And anon after he was entered into the city, the prince commanded to put him in prison, and after another day he made him to come tofore him, whom he saluted by fair words, saying to him: Be thou joyful, Blase, the friend of God. S. Blase answered to him: Be thou joyous right good prince, but call not them gods whom thou worshippest, but fiends, for they be delivered to fire perdurable with them that serve and worship them. Then was the prince much wroth, and made to beat S. Blase with staves, and after to put him in prison. Then said S. Blase: O mad man, weenest thou by thy torments and pains to take away from me the love of my God whom I have with me and is my helper? And when this good widow, which by S. Blase had recovered her swine, heard thereof, she slew it, and the head and the feet with a little bread and a candle, she brought to S. Blase, and he thanked God and ate thereof, and he said to her that every year she should offer in his church a candle, and know thou that to thee and to all them that so shall do shall well happen to them, and so she did all her life, and she had much great prosperity. After this that the right cruel prince had brought him tofore his gods, and in no wise might make him incline for to adore to their gods, he made him to be hanged on a gibbet, and his body to be torn with combs of iron, and this done he was remitted again to prison. And there were seven women that siewed him, which gathered up the drops of his blood, which women anon were taken, and constrained to sacrifice to their gods. The which said: If thou wilt that we worship thy gods, and that we do to them reverence, send them to the water for to wash and make clean their visages, to the end that we may more cleanlier worship them. Then the prince was right glad and joyous, and anon sent them to the water, and the women took them and threw them in the middle of the stagne or pond, and said: Now shall we see if they be gods. And when the prince heard this he was out of his wit for anger, and smote himself all wroth saying: Wherefore retained not ye our gods that they should not have thrown them in the bottom of the water? The ministers answered:Thou spakest shrewdly to the women, and they cast them into the water. To whom the women said: The very God may not suffer iniquity ne falseness, for if they had been very gods they had well eschewed that they had not been thrown there, and had seen what we would have done. Then the tyrant became wroth and did do make ready lead molten and iron combs, and seven coats of iron burning as hot as fire on that one side, and that other he did do bring smocks of linen cloth and said to them that they should choose which they would. And one of them that had two small children ran hardily and took the smocks of linen cloth and threw them in the furnace for to go after herself if she had failed. And the children said to the mother, leave us not after thee, but right sweet mother, like as thou hast nourished us with thy milk so replenish us with the realm of heaven. Then the tyrant did do hang them, and with hooks and crochets of iron did do tear their flesh and all to-rent it. Of whom the flesh was as white as snow, and for blood they gave out milk. And as they suffered these great torments the angel of God descended from heaven and comforted them, and said to them: Have ye no dread, the worker is good that well beginneth and well endeth, and who deserveth good reward shall have joy, and for his work complete he shall have his merit, and for labour he shall have rest, and that shall be the reward. Then the tyrant did do take them down and did do throw them into the burning furnace, which women, by the grace of God issued without taking harm, and the fire was extinct and quenched. And the tyrant said to them, now leave ye your art of enchantment and adore ye our gods. And they answered: Do that thou hast begun, for we be now called to the kingdom of heaven. Then he commanded that they should be beheaded; and when they should be beheaded they began to adore God kneeling on their knees, saying: Lord God which hast departed us from darknesses, and in to this right sweet light hast brought us, and of us hast made thy sacrifice, receive our souls, and make us to come to the life perdurable, and thus had they their heads smitten off, and sith their souls went to heaven. After this the prince made S. Blase to be brought before him, and said to him: Hast thou now worshipped our gods or not? S. Blase answered: Right cruel man I have no dread of thy menaces, do what thou wilt, I deliver to thee my body whole. Then he took him and did him to be cast in to a pond, and anon he blessed the water and the water dried all away, and so he abode there safe. And then S. Blase said to him, If your gods be very and true gods, let them now show their virtue and might and enter ye hither. Then there entered into it sixty-five persons, and anon they were drowned. And an angel descended from heaven, and said to S. Blase: Blase go out of this water and receive the crown that is made ready of God for thee. And when he was issued out of the pond the tyrant said to him: Thou hast determined in all manners not for to adore our gods. To whom S. Blase said: Poor caitiff, know thou that I am servant of God, and I adore not the fiends as ye do. And anon then the tyrant did do smite off his head, and S. Blase prayed to our Lord tofore his death that whosoever desired his help from the infirmity of the throat, or required aid for any other sickness or infirmity, that he would hear him, and might deserve to be guerished and healed. And there came a voice from heaven to him saying that his petition was granted and should be done as he had prayed. And so then with the two little children he was beheaded about the year of our Lord three hundred and eighty seven.

Here followeth the Life of S. Agatha, and first the interpretation of her name.

Agatha is said of agios, which is as much to say as holy, and theos, that is God, that is to say the saint of God: and, as Chrysostom saith, three things make a man holy, which three were perfectly in her; that is cleanness of heart, the presence of the Holy Ghost, and plenty of good manners. Or she is said of A, which is to say without, and of geos, earth, and of theos, God, as a goddess without earth, that is without earthly love. Or she is said of aga, that is to say speaking, and of thau, that is perfection, that is that she was speaking and accomplishing much perfectly, and that appeareth well in her answers. Or she is said of agath, that is service, and thaas, sovereign, which is as sovereign service, and because she said that servage is sovereign noblesse. Or she is said of aga, that is solemn, and of thau, that is perfection, for the perfection was right solemn, like as it appeareth by the angels that buried her.

Of S. Agatha.

S. Agatha the virgin was right fair, noble body and of heart, and was rich of goods. This glorious virgin served God in the city of Catania, leading a pure and holy life. Quintianus the provost of Sicily, being of a low lineage, was lecherous, avaricious, and a miscreant and paynim, and for to accomplish his evil desires fleshly, and to have riches, did do take S. Agatha to be presented and brought tofore him, and began to behold her with a lecherous sight; and for to have her himself, he would have induced her to make sacrifice unto the idols. And when he saw her firm in her purpose, he put her in the keeping of a woman named Aphrodisia, which had nine daughters, over foul, like unto the mother. This did he for to induce S. Agatha to do his will within thirty days. Aphrodisia and her daughters entreated the holy virgin to consent to the will of the provost, and sometime they made to her great promises of temporal goods and of great eases, and sometimes they made to her menaces of grievous torments for to suffer, and great pains, to which S. Agatha answered freely: My courage and my thought be so firmly founded upon the firm stone of Jesu Christ, that for no pain it may not be changed; your words be but wind, your promises be but rain, and your menaces be as rivers that pass, and how well that all these things hurtle at the foundement of my courage, yet for that it shall not move. In this manner answered she, and alway wept in making her prayers, and much great desire had she to come to Jesu Christ by martyrdom and by torments. When Aphrodisia saw well that in no wise she would be moved, she went to the provost Quintianus, and said to him: Sooner should the stones wax soft, and iron turn to soft lead, than turn the courage of this maid, or to take from her the christian faith. I and my daughters have done none other thing night ne day, one after another, but to labour how we might turn her heart to your consenting. I have promised her in your name your precious adornments, clothes of gold, houses, lands, towns, servants, and great meinys, and all this she despiseth and reputeth them at no value. When Quintianus heard this, anon he made her to come tofore him in judgment, and demanded her of her lineage, and at the last he would constrain her to make sacrifice unto the idols. And S. Agatha answered that they were no gods, but were devils that were in the idols made of marble and of wood, and overgilt. Quintianus said: Choose one of two; or do sacrifice to our gods, or thou shalt suffer pain and torments. S. Agatha said: Thou sayst that they be gods because thy wife was such an one as was Venus, thy goddess, and thou thyself as Jupiter, which was an homicide and evil. Quintianus said: It appeareth well that thou wilt suffer torments, in that thou sayst to me villainy. S. Agatha said: I marvel much that so wise a man is become such a fool, that thou sayest of them to be thy gods, whose life thou ne thy wife will follow. If they be good I would that thy life were like unto theirs; and if thou refusest their life, then art thou of one accord with me. Say then that they be evil and so foul, and forsake their living, and be not of such life as thy gods were. Quintianus said: What goest thou thus vainly speaking? make sacrifice unto the gods, or if thou do not I shall make thee to die by divers torments. S. Agatha abode firm and stable in the faith. Then Quintianus did do put her in a dark prison, and she went also gladly, and with as good will as she had been prayed to go to a wedding.

On the morning Quintianus made her to be brought tofore him in judgment, and said to her: Agatha, how art thou advised for thy health? She answered: Christ is mine health. Quintianus said: Reny Christ thy God, by which thou mayest escape thy torments. S. Agatha answered: Nay, but reny thou thine idols which be of stones and of wood, and adore thy maker, that made heaven and earth, and if thou do not thou shalt be tormented in the perpetual fire in hell. Then in great ire Quintianus did her to be drawn and stretched on a tree and tormented, and said to her: Refuse thy vain opinion that thou hast, and thou shalt be eased of thy pain; and she answered: I have as great dilection in these pains as he that saw come to him that thing which he most coveteth to see, or as he that had found great treasure. And like as the wheat may not be put in the garner unto the time that the chaff be beaten off, in like wise my soul may not enter into the realm of heaven, but if thou wilt torment my body by thy ministers. Then Quintianus did her to be tormented in her breasts and paps, and commanded that her breasts and mammels should be drawn and cut off. When the ministers had accomplished his commandment, then said S. Agatha: Over felon and cruel tyrant, hast thou no shame to cut off that in a woman which thou didst suck in thy mother, and whereof thou wert nourished? But I have my paps whole in my soul, of which I nourish all my wits, the which I have ordained to serve our Lord Jesu Christ, sith the beginning of my youth. After, Quintianus did do put her in prison, and commanded that none should enter for to heal her, ne none should give to her meat ne drink. And when she was fast closed in the prison, there came an ancient noble man, and tofore him a child bearing a light, and divers ointments in his hand. This noble man said that he was a surgeon, and in comforting her said: How well that the tyrant hath tormented thee bodily, nevertheless thou hast more tormented him in his heart by thy answers. I was there when he made thy paps to be cut off, and saw how I might well heal them. Then said she: I knew never of medicine corporal, and it were shame to me to take it now. That which I have avowed and kept to my Lord, sith mine infancy, yet I shall keep it if it please him. The ancient nobleman answered: I am also christian, and a good master and leech, be not ashamed. She answered: Whereof should I be ashamed? Thou art ancient and of great age, and how well that I be a young maid, nevertheless my body is defeated by the torments, that the wounds suffer nothing to enter into my thought whereof I should be ashamed, and not for but I thank thee fair father that thou art so diligent to heal me, but know that my body shall receive no medicine of no man. And this nobleman said: Wherefore sufferest thou not me that I may heal and guerish thee? She said: Because I have Jesu Christ, my Saviour, which with a word healeth all, and if he will he may heal me. And the good man smiling said: And he hath sent me hither for to heal thee; I am his apostle, and know verily that thou art whole in the name of him, and anon the apostle vanished away. Then she fell down in prayers and said: Lord Jesu Christ, I yield thee thankings that thou hast remembered me, and hast sent thine apostle S. Peter to me, which hath comforted me, and healed my wounds. And after the orison made, she saw that her paps were again restored to her and all her wounds healed. And all that night was the prison fulfilled with great clearness and light, so that the keepers fled for the great dread that they had, and left the prison all open. Then said to her the other prisoners that were in the prison, that she should go their way, and she said: That shall never happen that the keepers of the prison shall suffer any harm for me, ne that I shall lose my crown; I shall abide in the faith of Jesu Christ my Lord, which hath comforted and healed me.

After four days Quintianus made her to be brought tofore him in judgment, and said to her that she should do sacrifice to the idols. She answered: These words be vain, and thy commandments evil, they make the air to stink, he is much mechant that believeth in a stone without entendment, and leaveth our Lord the very God that hath healed me, and hath restored to me again my paps. Quintianus demanded her: Who is he that hath healed thee? She said: Jesu Christ. Quintianus said: Namest thou yet Jesu Christ? She answered: I shall have in my heart Jesu Christ as long as I shall live. Quintianus said: Yet shalt thou see if he may help and heal thee. And then he made her, all naked, to be rolled upon burning brands, and anon the ground where the holy virgin was rolled on, began to tremble like an earthquave, and a part of the wall fell down upon Silvain, counsellor of Quintianus, and upon Fastion his friend, by whose counsel she had been so tormented. And then all the city of Catania was abashed, and the people came running unto the house of Quintianus, saying, in a great bruit, that the city was in a great peril for the torments that he did to S. Agatha. Quintianus redoubled the bruit of the people, and went out behind and commanded that she should be remised in prison. When she came into the prison she joined her hands, holding them up to heavenward, and said in praying: Lord God Jesu Christ which hast created me of nought, and sith my youth hast kept me and hast suffered me to live well in my youth, which hast taken from mine heart the love of the world and hast made me to overcome the torments, and hast lent me patience among the pains, I pray thee that thou take my spirit, for it is time that thou make me to depart from this world and to come to thy mercy. This orison and prayer made she on high tofore many persons. And anon after she gave up the ghost, and rendered her soul, the year of our Lord two hundred and fifty-three in the time of Decius, the emperor of Rome. After this the Christian people took the body for to bury it worshipfully, and whiles they arrayed it with ointments for to embalm the corpse, anon came a young man clad in silk, and well an hundred that followed him, richly clothed, which were never tofore seen in the city, ne never after also. This young man, whom followed the fair company, set him on that one side of the tomb in which the body should be put, and when the body was embalmed within the tomb, this young man set, at the head of the body, a short table of marble stone, in which was written this scripture: Mentem sanctam, spontaneam, honorem deo dedit et patriæ liberationem fecit; which is as much to say: The holy saint Agatha had always holy thought and pure, and gave honor to God with a free will in all her works, and purchased by her prayers peace and deliverance to all the country. After that the table containing this scripture was set at her head, the young man and all his company departed from the tomb, being closed, without appearing any more afterward, wherefore it is supposed that this young man was her good angel. This was published over all, whereof the Jews and Saracens began to sing and worship the sepulchre of the tomb of S. Agatha. Quintianus, the provost, died of an evil death in the way as he went for to seek the goods and riches of S. Agatha, and also for to have taken her parents, and never after could be known where her body became. And for to prove that she had prayed for the salvation of the country, at the beginning of February, the year after her martyrdom, there arose a great fire, and came from the mountain toward the city of Catania and burnt the earth and stones, it was so fervent. Then ran the paynims to the sepulchre of S. Agatha and took the cloth that lay upon her tomb, and held it abroad against the fire, and anon on the ninth day after, which was the day of her feast, ceased the fire as soon as it came to the cloth that they brought from her tomb, showing that our Lord kept the city from the said fire by the merits of S. Agatha. To whom pray we that she by her prayers may get and impetre grace of our Lord to be kept from all perils of fire in this world, and when we shall depart hence to eschew the perpetual fire, and to come to the glory and joy in heaven. Amen.

Of S. Amande, and first the interpretation of his name.

Amande is as much to say as amiable, for he had in him three things that make a man amiable. The first is to be courteous and gracious in company, as Solomon saith in his Proverbs the nineteenth chapter: Vir amabilis ad societatem. The second is to be honest in conversation, as it is said of Esther, Esther secundo. Quod omnibus oculis amabilis videbatur: The third is to be virtuous in faith of prowesse, as it is said in the book of Paralipomenon the second chapter: Saul and Jonathas amabiles et decori.

Of the Life of S. Amande.

S. Amande was born of noble father and mother. On a time he entered into a monastery, and, as he walked and went in the church, he found a great serpent, whom by the virtue of his prayer and with the sign of the cross, he made him to issue out and to enter into the great pit out of which he never issued after. And after S. Amande came to the sepulchre of S. Martin and there abode fifteen years, where he lived with barley bread and water, and ware always the hair. After that he went to Rome and went into the church of S. Peter, and abode there by night. The keeper of the church put him out right rudely; and S. Peter appeared to him as he lay and slept tofore the church door, and sent him in legation into France, where he found the king of Dagobert, the which he reproved strongly of his sins. The king was angry and put him out of his realm. After, when the king had no son he made his prayers to God that he might have one, and God sent him one, and when he was born, he thought much, and sorrowed who should baptize him, and it came into his mind that he would that S. Amande should baptize him. S. Amande was sought and brought to the king, and as soon as he was come, the king fell down to his feet and prayed him that he would pardon him of that he bad trespassed to him, and that he would baptize his son. And S. Amande granted benignly to the king his request, the first petition, but not the second request, for he dreaded that he would have desired about some worldly occupation or secular things, of which he would not gladly intermeddle, and went his way and departed; but at the last, as vanquished by the prayers of the king, he granted him. And thus then as he baptized the child, and no man answered, the child with a clear voice said and answered: Amen. And after this the king promoted him to be bishop of Sens. And when he saw that the word of God in predication was despised and not set by, he went into Gascony, where he saw a juggler who mocked his words. The fiend took him, and with his own teeth he tare him, and confessed that he had done injury to the person of God, and anon died miserably.

Now it happed on a time that he washed his hands, and a bishop made the water to be kept, of which water a blind man had his sight again. It happed that in that place, by the will of the king, he would edify a monastery of monks; then a bishop that was of the next city took it grievously and was much angry therewith, and commanded his servants to cast him out or else they should slay him. And anon they came to him and said to him, in guile and treason, that he should go with them and they would show to him a place apt and good, and water enough, for to edify upon a monastery for monks. And he that knew their malice and their evil purpose went with them unto the top of an high mountain whereas they would have slain him, and he desired much the martyrdom for the love of our Lord, and for to come in his company; but anon suddenly descended from heaven such a tempest of rain and of orage, that it covered all the mountain so much that that one could not see that other, and supposed to have died suddenly. And they fell down to the earth upon their knees, praying him to pardon them, and that they might depart thence alive. For whom he put himself to prayer, and anon the storm was appeased and the weather fair. They went to their place, and S. Amande thus escaped from this peril. And many other miracles he showed and did in the honour of our Lord, and finished in holy virtues his life, and departed out of this world in the time of Eraclius, the emperor, about the year of our Lord six hundred and fifty-three.

Here next followeth the Life of S. Vedaste.

S. Vedaste was ordained Bishop of Arras by the hand of S. Remigius. And S. Vedaste was of much great holiness and cleanness: for when he came to the gate of Arras he found there two poor men of whom that one was lame and that other blind. These two poor men demanded of him some alms. And S. Vedaste answered to them and said: I have neither gold nor silver, but this that I have I give to you. Then he made them both whole by virtue of his prayer. It happed on a time he came into a church destroyed, and found there a wolf among the bushes; and he commanded him that he should go his way, and anon he obeyed to him and fled, so that sith that time he was not seen. At the last, when he had converted much people, by his word and predication, to the faith of God, and also by good ensamples showed evidently to the people, in the fortieth year of his bishopric, he saw a dove of fire that came from heaven to his house. And by that he understood well that he should finish and pass out of this world, and so he did, for he died anon after, about the year of our Lord five hundred and fifty. When his body should be translated, S. Omer which was blind for age, was sorry that he might not see the body of S. Vedaste and anon our Lord enlumined him, and rendered to him his sight. And he saw the body of S. Vedaste, but anon after, he was blind again as he had been tofore. Let us pray to him, etc.

Here beginneth the Life of S. Valentine, and first the interpretation of his name.

Valentine is as much to say as containing valour that is perseverant in great holiness. Valentine is said also as a valiant knight, for he was a right noble knight of God, and the knight is said valiant that fleeth not, and smiteth and defendeth valiantly and overcometh much puissantly. And so S. Valentine withdrew him not from his martyrdom in fleeing, he smote in destroying the idols, he defended the faith, he overcame in suffering.

Of S. Valentine the Martyr.

S. Valentine, friend of our Lord and priest of great authority, was at Rome. It happed that Claudius the emperor made him to come tofore him and said to him in demanding: What thing is that which I have heard of thee, Valentine? Why wilt thou not abide in our amity, and worship the idols and renounce the vain opinion of thy creance? S. Valentine answered him: If thou hadst very knowledge of the grace of Jesu Christ thou shouldest not say this that thou sayest, but shouldest reny the idols and worship very God. Then said to S. Valentine a prince which was of the council of the emperor: What wilt thou say of our gods and of their holy life? And S. Valentine answered: I say none other thing of them but that they were men mortal and mechant and full of all ordure and evil. Then said Claudius the emperor: If Jesu Christ be God verily, wherefore sayst thou not the truth? And S. Valentine said: Certainly Jesu Christ is only very God, and if thou believe in him, verily thy soul shall be saved, thy realm shall multiply, and he shall give to thee alway victory of thine enemies. Then Claudius turned him unto all them that were there, and said to them: Lords, Romans, hear ye how wisely and reasonably this man speaketh? Anon the provost of the city said: The emperor is deceived and betrayed, how may we leave that which we have holden and been accustomed to hold sith our infancy? With these words the emperor turned and changed his courage, and S. Valentine was delivered in the keeping of the provost.

When S. Valentine was brought in an house in prison, then he prayed to God, saying: Lord Jesu Christ very God, which art very light, enlumine this house in such wise that they that dwell therein may know thee to be very God. And the provost said: I marvel me that thou sayest that thy God is very light, and nevertheless, if he may make my daughter to hear and see, which long time hath been blind, I shall do all that thou commandest me, and shall believe in thy God. S. Valentine anon put him in prayers, and by his prayers the daughter of the provost received again her sight, and anon all they of the the house were converted. After, the emperor did do smite off the head of S. Valentine, the year of our Lord two hundred and eighty. Then let us pray to S. Valentine that he get us pardon of our sins. Amen.

Here followeth the Life of S. Juliana, and first the interpretation of her name.

Juliana is as much to say as burning plainly, for she burnt herself against the temptation of the devil which would have deceived her, and she helped many others to believe in the faith of our Lord Jesu Christ.

Of S. Juliana.

S. Juliana was given in marriage to the provost of Nicomedia, which was named Eulogius, and he was a paynim, and therefore she would not assent to the marriage, ne assemble with him, but if he would first take the faith of Christ and be baptized. When her father saw this, anon he did do her to be naked, and made her to be beaten sore, and after delivered her to the provost. And after when the provost beheld her, and saw the great beauty in her, he said to her: My most sweet Juliana, why hast thou brought me in such confusion that I am mocked because thou refusest to take me? She said: If thou wilt adore my God, I shall assent and agree to take thee, and otherwise shalt thou never be my lord. To whom the provost said: Fair lady, that may I not do, for the emperor should then smite off my head. And she said: If thou doubtest so much the emperor, which is mortal, why should not I doubt mine emperor Jesu Christ, which is immortal; do what thou wilt, for thou mayst not deceive me. Then the provost did do her to be beat most cruelly with rods, and half a day to hang by the hairs of her head, and molten lead to be cast on her head. And when he saw that all this grieved her not, he made her to be bounden in chains, and to be set in prison. To whom the devil came then in the likeness of an angel, which said to her in this manner: Juliana, I am the angel of God, which hath sent me to thee to warn thee and say that thou make sacrifice to the idols for to escape the torments of evil death. Then she began to weep, and made to God this prayer: Lord God, suffer not me to be lost, but of thy grace show to me what he is that maketh to me this monition.The same time came to her a voice that said that she should set hand on him, and that she constrain him to confess what he was, and anon she took him and demanded him, and he said that he was the devil, and that his father had sent him thither for to deceive her. She demanded him: Who is thy father? And he answered: Beelzebub, which sendeth us for to do all evil, and maketh us grievously to be beaten when we come vanquished of the christian people. And therefore I am certain I shall have much harm because I may not overcome thee. She said to him: Of what craft is thy father Beelzebub? The devil said: He contriveth all evil, and when we come into hell he sendeth us for to tempt the souls of the people. She demanded: What torments suffereth he that cometh vanquished of a christian creature? The devil said: We suffer then much grievous torment, and by cause when we be vanquished of a good man we dare not return, and when we be sought and cannot be found, then commandeth our master to other devils that they torment us wheresomever they find us, and therefore we must obey to him as to our father. And of what craft art thou? I take solace in the shrewdness of the people; I love homicide, luxury, battle, and make debate and war. And she demanded him: Goest thou never to do good works and profitable? The devil answered: Madam, to the end that I answer the truth, to my right great harm and evil am I come hither, for I had well supposed to have deceived thee, and made thee to make sacrifice to the idols and to renounce thy God. When we come to a good christian man and we find him ready to do service to God, we send into him many thoughts vain and evil, and also many evil desires, and turn his thought by this that we set tofore him, and we send errors into his thoughts, and we let him not persevere in his orisons ne in no good works; yet if we see any that will go to the church or in other place for any good, anon we be in their ways, and cast into their hearts divers thoughts and occasions by which they be distorned for to do well. But whosomever may understand our temptations and apperceive them, to the end that he put away from him evil cogitations and thoughts, and will make his prayers, and do his good works, and hear the words of God and the divine service, of him we be cast out, and when they receive the body of Jesu Christ we depart forthwith from them. We set our intent to nothing but to deceive good persons that lead an holy life, and when we see them do good works, we send into them bitter and grievous thoughts for to leave all and do our will. S. Juliana said: O thou spirit! how art thou so hardy to tempt any christian person? And the devil answered: How darest thou thus hold me, if it were not thou affiest in Jesu Christ? Right so trust I in my father, which is a malefactor, and I do that pleaseth him; I have pained me to do oft many evils, and sometime I come to mine intent, and accomplish my desire, but at this time I have failed: I would I had not come hither! Alas! how understood my father of this that should not hap. Madam, let me go, and give me leave to go in to some other place, for it is no need that I accuse thee to my father. At the last she let him go.

On the morn the provost commanded that S. Juliana should be brought tofore him in judgment; and when he saw her so well guerished, and her visage so fair and so shining, then said the provost to her: Juliana, who hath taught thee, and how mayest thou vanquish the torments? And she said: Hearken to me and I shall say to thee: My Lord Jesu Christ hath taught me to adore the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for I have overcome and vanquished Satan thy father, and all his other devils; for God hath sent his angel for to comfort and to help me. Mechant man, knowest thou not that the torments be made ready for thee everlasting, where thou shalt be tormented perpetually in a perpetual darkness and obscurity. Anon the provost made to be brought a wheel of iron between two pillars, and four horses to draw it forth, and four knights at one side, and four knights on that other to draw, and four for to draw forth the wheel, so that all the body was tobroken in such wise that the marrow came out of the bones, and the wheel was all bloody. Then came an angel of God and brake the wheel, and healed the wounds of S. Juliana perfectly. And for this miracle were converted all they that were present. And anon after, for the faith of Jesu Christ were beheaded men and women to the number of one hundred and thirty persons. After, commanded the provost that she should be put in a great pot full of boiling lead, and when she entered into the said pot, all the lead became cold, so that she felt no harm. And the provost cursed his gods because they might not punish a maid that so vanquished them. And then he commanded to smite off her head. And when she was led to be beheaded, the devil appeared to the provost in figure of a young man, and said: Spare not good people, and of her have no mercy, for she hath blamed your gods and done much harm, and me she hath beaten this night past, therefore render to her that she hath deserved. With these words S. Juliana looked behind her for to wit who said such words of her. Anon the devil said: Alas! alas ! caitiff that I am, I doubt me that yet she will take and bind me, and so he vanished away. After this, that she had admonished the people to love and serve Jesu Christ she prayed them all to pray for her, and then her head was smitten off. The provost entered into a ship with thirty-four men for to pass an arm of the sea; anon came a great orage and a tempest, which drowned the provost and all his company in the sea, and the sea threw their bodies to the rivage, and wild beasts came thither and ate them. Thus this holy virgin S. Juliana suffered martyrdom for our Lord the fourteenth calends of the month of March. Let us pray to her that she pray for us, etc.

Of the Chairing of S. Peter the Apostle.

The chair is said in three manners, that is, the chair royal, as it is said in the book of Kings: David sitting in a chair. And there is a chair of priests, as Regum primo, Eli, the priest sitting upon a chair. And the third is the chair for a master as is said, Matt. xxiii.: Upon the chair of Moses, etc. Then S. Peter sat in a chair royal, for he was prince of the apostles, and he sat in the chair of priests, for he was lord of all the priests, and in the chair of the master, for he was a great doctor of christian men. The first was of equity, the second of quantity, and the third of truth and of virtue.<