The fyrst chapitre is the lyf of saint ierom as it is take of legenda aurea The seconde is of his lyf also as saint austyn wryteth in hys pystill The thyrd is how saint Jerome apperid to sai[nt] Austin in grete ioye ... Vita Winter, Simon, d. 1448. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A04387 of text S100688 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 14508). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 90 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 30 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A04387 STC 14508 ESTC S100688 99836518 99836518 796 2248578897

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A04387) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 796) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 2:05) The fyrst chapitre is the lyf of saint ierom as it is take of legenda aurea The seconde is of his lyf also as saint austyn wryteth in hys pystill The thyrd is how saint Jerome apperid to sai[nt] Austin in grete ioye ... Vita Winter, Simon, d. 1448. [58] p. W. de Worde, [Westminister : 1499?] Signatures: A-D (-D6-8). By Simon Winter, of Syon Abbey. Imprint from STC; date of publication conjectured by STC. Printer's device on D5v, final leaf. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng Jerome, -- Saint, d. 419 or 20 -- Legends -- Early works to 1800. eebo The fyrst chapitre is the lyf of saint ierom as it is take of legenda aurea The seconde is of his lyf also as saint austyn wryteth in hys pystill The Winter, Simon, 1499 60 16588 23 0 0 0 2 0 25.92 C The rate of 25.92 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the C category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-04 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-05 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-06 Sampled and proofread 2005-06 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

The fyrst chapitre is the lyf of saint ierom as it is take of legenda aurea

The seconde is of his lyf also as saint austyn wryteth in hys pystill

The thyrd is how saint Ierome apperid to said Austin in grete ioye and swytnesse the same owre of hys deeth

The fourth is how fou●●●ther men hadd a merueillous vision of saint Ierome that same owre that he dyed

The v is how saint iohan baptiste and saint iorome arayed bothe alyche apperyd to saint austyn

The vi is how by merites of saint Ierome thre men wer areised from deth to lyf in destrucion of an heresy

The vii is of a meruellous and aferefull dethe of an holy man clepid Euseby and saint ierome apperid to hym & conforted hym in the owre of his deth

The viii is how the sayd iii men that wer araysed told of the peyines of hell and of purgatory /

The ix is of the dying of the same iii men and how saint ierome helpe them in their dying

The x is how the soulis of the same iii men after theyr dethe stode afore the dome and how saynte Ierome ladde them to see the ioyes of heuen the peyne of purgatory and of helle & sith bade them goo agayn to theyr bodyes

The xi is of two miracles of saynt euseby that were doo or hys body mere buryed

The xii is how an heretik called sabyman was merueillously hedyd and a byshop called syluan delyuered from dethe by thelpe of saynt ierome

The xiii is how the fend apperid in lykenesse of the same archybysshop syluan and sclaundred hym merueyllously and how saynt ierome helpe hym

The xiiii is saint ierome saued ii hethyn men that came to visyte hym from theuys and from dethe

The xv is how saint ierome saued ii yong men from dethe that came from rome to vysite hym

The xvi is how an abbey of nunnes was distroyed for symonye and couetise / And how saint Ierome saued oon of the nunnes that was not gilty in that synne whan alle the other were killed by vengaunce

The xvii is how iii heretykis were merueyllously punysshed for offence ayenst saynt Ierome

The xviii is how saint Ierome delyuered a man oute of pryson from oon land to another on a night

The xix is how oure lady praised saint Ierome as it is writen in the reuelacyon of saynte brigitte

The lyf of saint ierome as it is take of legenda aurea

SAynt Ierome came of noble kinne : and in his childhode he was sent to rome to lerne . And ther he lerned Grew latyn and Ebrew : And on a tym as he writeth hym self to the holy maide Eustace whan he studyed besyly nyght & day in bookis of poetis of holy scryptur : Hit happed so that about mydlent he was smete wyth a sodayn and a feruent feuour . In so mych that alle hys body was ded and cold vnto the herte / And whan they were besy to dyspose for hys burying / Sodenly he was rauysshed to fore the dom of god / And there he was asked what man he was & he ansuerd that he was a crysten man than sayde the Iuge thou saist not sothe for thou art an hethen man and nought a crysten man / For where thy tresore is there is thy herte And thy herte is more vpon worldli bookes than vpon holy wrytte / Saint ierome coud not ansuere but oon of the iuges bade bete hym hard / and than he cryed and seyd haue mercy vpon me and they that stode by syde prayed that he myght haue foryeuenes for he was but yonge . And than sait Ierom swere tofore the iuge almyghti god And said lord if euer I haue ony seculer or worldly bokis or rede vpon theim her after : than forsake me for a crysten man . and by hys othe he was lete go And anon he lyued ayen and fond hym self alle be wepte and hys body sore and fulle of woundes of the betyng that he suffred afore the iuge : And fro thens forthe he studyed and redde as besily vpon holy bokes as he hadde doon tofore vpon worldly bookis Than he made hym self a monk and ther he liued so holyly chastysing the lustes of the flesshe and with standyng the delites of the world that he caused other that were holy relygiouse to be the better for his example whan he was xxxix yere of age he was made a cardinal prest in the chyrch of rome And after the pope was dede al folke cryed that ierome was worthy to be pope But for as moche as he had vsed to blame the flesshelynes of mysgouerned clerkis and religiouse peple they with gret indignacyon lay in a wayt to doo hym repref : And on a nyght whan saint ierome shuld ryse to matyns as he was wonte : he dide vpon hym a womans cloth / and so wente in the the chyrch . wening it had be his owne : whiche his enemyes hadde leyed by his beddis forto make folke wene that he had a woman in his chambre : & so to scorne him / And whan he see theyr malyce he fledde thens and come to constantinnoble and ther he comyned wyth the bisshop of holy scripture and sithen went in to desert and ther he suffred gret penaunce and dissese un yere to gydre : wherfore he writeth vn to the said holy mayde Eustace and seith whan I was in deserte in grete wyldrenes wher is a ful horrible dwellyng place all to brent with the sonne me thought I was among the delices of rome Alle my body was deformed and cladde in a sack & my skin made blak lyke an ethiope or man of ynde / Euery day wepinges / euery day waylynges . And whan slepe com vpon me vnneth I wold suffre my ●ere bones to reste vpon the bare erth . of mete and drynke I spake not whan they that be sike vse ther but cold water . And it semeth glotony to ete ony thynge / soth I was felow of scorpyons and of wylde bestes / And yet in thys cold body & in my dede flessh I felt brenninges & sturinges of vnclennes : And therfore sith they fele suche temptacions that so despise their bodyes and fight only with theyr thoughtes : what suffre the men or wymen that lyue in delyces sothely as the apostel saith they lyue in body : but they are ded in soule / But our lord is my wytnes that after many wepynges / ful often tymes me semed that I was amongest the companies of angellis : After he had lyued thus in deserte foure yere he went ayene in to Bethlem & ther offred hym self as a wyld beste to abide at the crybbe of our lord & there he gadred many disciples . and founded a monastery & lyued vnder the reule of th apostelles and v yere & an half he trauailled about translacyon of holy wrytt And vnto his ende he lyued a virgine . also he wrot the lyf of holy faders in a book called vitas patrum : he was so wyse that what man had asked hym ony question he shuld anon wythout tarieng yeue him aresōable ansuere / & whan ther had be neuer set no certein seruice in holy chirche but eche body songe and redd what he wold The emperour prayed the pope that he wold ordeyne som wyse man to set dyuin seruice / & for the pope knew wel that saint ierom was perfit and most excellent in latyn tonge grew & ebrew & al wisedom he commytted to him that office & than saint ierom deuided the sauter in to nocturnes & assigned to eche day in the wike a ꝓper nocturne & ordeined that Glia patri shuld be sayd at the ende of euery psalme . He ordeined also pistelles & gospelles for al the yere and other thinges that longe vnto dyuyne seruice & sent theim from bethelem vn to the pope whiche he & his cardynalles receiued & approued & auctorised foreuer that wiht abstynence & labour he wex so weri & feble that whan he lay on his bed he myght not arise but as he pulled vy him self with a rope tyed vnto abalke for to go do the seruice that longed to be do in the monastery . After thus he made hym self a graue in the mowth of the caue where oure lord lay whan he was bore : & thus after he had lyued : lxxx yerè & xviii & vi monethes he deid & was buried the yer of our lord ccc xviii : Of the lyfe & passig of this holy doctour saint ierome saint austine writeth vnto cirille bysshop of ierlm̄ in this wise

O thow worshipfulle preste cyrille

truste thow that silence is not to be kepte from the preising of the preste ierome that was most glorious seruaunt of cristen faith & a corner stone of our moder holy chirche in whom it is in manere grounded and made sure / & now ashynygsterre in heuynli blisse / or elles thow drediste that I shulde speke of hym as a lisping childe or as a man with fowlle lipes : But for heuenes telle the gloire of god & al that god made preise him in his dedes shulde a resōable creature be stille for prising while vnresonable creaturis ar not stilli / therfore I shal other speke or be stille yf I be stille I shal be bede crie wiht stones / for sothe I shalle speke & nought be stille to preise the highe & worthi ierome for thouh I be vnworthi & insuficient preisere while that is no preising faire in the mouth of a synner yete I shall not sese of this p̄isyng . Thefore oure tonge & oure hande be made sure and the tonge may not cleue to oure palate : for certenly this man is gret rigthe holi merueillous & to be dradde aboue all that be aboute vs / Grete he is in holynesse of his right excellent lyfe : grete in depnesse of his vnspekable wisdome & gret in quantite of his grete ioye meruelous he is in vnwonte miracles & to be dradde for the grete power that is yeuen him of god / but how grete this glorious ierome is in holynesse of his lif how shulde one tonge make knowe whan vnnethe alle tonges of that be a lyue in erthe may not suffise to telle his excellence / be hit therfore leefull to calle hym another samuel another hely another iohan baptilte dwellid in deserte & made lene his body wyth sharpnesse of meet & of clothyng but moste glorious ierome was not of alasse leuyng whiche as an hermite dwellyng iiii yere in deserte had no felaw but wilde bestes & scorpions : & fourty yere to geder he neuer dranke wyne nor sither but fledde them so mych that vnnethe he wold here named : he ete no mete that came nygh the fire but only twies in the bitrest nede of sykenesse next his flesshe he wered a sacke of heer & hillid him aboue with a cloth moste vyle he knew neuer other bed but the erthe . ones on the day only after euensonge tyme he ete frute or leues or herbes or rotes : & after the yeuynge hym to praiees he woke tyl two oures within night And he slepe vppon the grounde tylle mydnyght / And thenne Anone he rose and tylle day he entenced to Redynges and to holy Scryptures / He wepte fore ryghte smalle venyall synnes / so bytterli that men myght haue wend that he had slain a man eche day thries he bete his flesshe with so hard betynges that ryuers of blood flowid fro his body he eschewid as a tempeste to speke ony euil word Idel was he neum but alwey occupyed in holy redyng or writing or techyng of other : what shal I say more yf I shuld sek the lyues of al saintis I wene I shuld find non more holy than he . but for we named samuelle to fore we may shew clerely that he was samuel for from hys moder tetys he was cleped to dyuerse studies of lecture and sette to seruice of holy scripture so that in the light of his chere al be flowed with godly wisedom we se light of both testamentis & in strenght of his arme a gret party of herytikis is disparpled he is the glorie of our vertu translating bothe the old lawe & the new fro the langage ebrew in to latin and in to grew dysposyng bothe to abide for euer vnto al that com after declaring many pryueteis & doubtꝭ & araīg the ordre of diuin seruice he edyfyed nygh al the chirche so that he appered grete in depnesse of vnspekable wisdom . he coud al liberal sciences so perfitly that as al men say non apperyth lik him & as I lerned my self by experience of many pystellis of holy writ that he ●ent to me I found neuer non lik vnto him for he coud the langage & lectres of ebrew : grew : calde . perse : mede arabike & of al nacyons as though he had be borne & norsshid among them what shal I say more neuer man coud ne know in kind that ierome coud not but worshipful fader wene thou not that I sai thise thinges wenyng that thou knew not the lyf & vertues of ierome but by me : wel wot I thy self wer his felow a long tyme but I calle god to witnesse that for the holynesse of so vnspekable a man I may not be stil though I wold for merueilles & myracles knowlech his holinesse and also the self heuenes in whiche he is gret & of mor blisse than many of the saintis that are therin / No man doubte but that he hath oon of the grettest & the hiest set among the mansiones of the euerlastyng fader for whyle euery man is rewarded ther after his lyf & his merites / and he was of most perfit lif / Hit sheweth that he is on of the gretest & the hyest cytezyens of heuenly ierusalem whiche that yt shuld more sekerly & plainly be byleuid to vs to fore alle men that ony age hath mynde of / He appered most merueillous in vnwonte tokens and innumerable miracles of whiche the worshipful man Euseby declared som to me by his lettres But of other wonders that be do ther eche day merueillously as I here by contynual relacion / I praye the ryght dere fader that whan thou maist haue laiser thou woldst gader as many of theym as thou may & sent theym vnto me that am so desirous to here of so worthi dedis and so profitable How saint ierom the same houre that he deyed appeired vnto saynte austyn

THat the merites of moost holy Ierome be not hydde I shall telle that befelle me thorgh goddes grace the same day of his passinge for the same day & our that the holy ierome dide of the cote of filthe and of vnclenesse & was clad with a clothing of ioye & of vndedlynesse while I was in my self thenkynge besili what glorie & mirthe was in the blessed soules that ioie with criste desiryng to make ther of a short tretis as / I was p̄ied / I toke penne & Inke to write a pistell therof vn to moste holy ierome that he sholde write ayen to me what he felt in this matiere / for I know well that in so harde a question I myght not be lerned so euydentli as of hym of no man a lyue & whan I beganne to write that begynnyg of my lettre sodenly an vnspecable light with ameruilous swetnesse of swete smel entrid in to my selle at complyne tyme / & whan I sey hit I was so gretli stoned that I loste my strenght bothe of herte & body : I wiste not yet than that the meruillous hande of god enhaunsed his seruaunt from corupcion of the bodi & araied him so hie a sete in heuen / but for my eyen had neuer sen suche a light my smellyng had neuer felte suche a sauor I was gretly a stonyed of so vnherde meruailes . And whyle I thought my self what it myght be A none ther sowned a voyce oute of the lyghte sayng thise wordes /

AVstyn Ausyn what sekeste Troweste thow that all the see shal be put in alitelle vesselle / Or weneste thow to close alle the erthe in a lytell fyste Or to lete the firmament from contynualle menyng / Or to lete the see of yys wonte cours / That neuer mannes yeen myght see shale thou se Or thynne ere here that neuer mannes herde weneste thow to mowe understande , that neuerman myght vnderstonde nor myght thynke what shal be the ende of an endeles thynge what shal be the mesure of a thyng that may not be mesured / Rather shal alle the see be spered in a lytel pytte / Rather shall the erthe be holde in alytel fyste : Rather shalle alle the see of ebbyng & flowyng cece than thow shuldest vnderstande the lest parte or porcion of the Ioyes & blysse that blyssed sowles of heuen haue withowt ende / but yf thow were taught by experyence and tastyng of the same blysse as I am / Therfore trauail thow not to do thinges that be inpossyble tylle the ende of thy lyf be come / Seche thow not here the thynges that may not be know but of them that be in blysse But rather trauaille thow to do suche dedis that thow may be in posession ther of suche thinges as thow desirest to knowe her : for they that euer entre theder go neuer ayen than I al astoned for drede & withowt strength of herte toke to me a lytel boldenesse and seid : who arte thow that droppest so swete wordes in to my throte / I am he sayd Ierome prest to whom thow haste begonne to wryte apistell I am his soule that this same oure in bethlem leuing the burdon of the flesshe am Ioyned vn to criste & felawe wyth al companyes of heuen clad in light & arayied with the stole of vndedeli blisse goo on to the enerlasting blisse in the kyngedome of heuenes and from hens forthe I a byde in no lassing of ioie / but moring whan i shal be ioined aien to the bodi hit shal be glorified & the glorie that I haue now alone / I shal haue then with the body in the day of the resurecxiō & we shal be rauished vp in to the eier to mete with crist austen not cesing aunswerd thow worthiest of men to be thy foteman but haue minde on thy seruaunte though I be most vnworthy whome thou louedeste in the world with so gret affectōn of charite that by thy prayer I may be clensed of synne by thy gouernaunce I may go without stombelynge in the righte way or vertue . by thy besy defence I may be defended fro my ēmies & by thy holy ledyng I may come vnto the hauen of helthe & now like it the to ansuer me to sōthinges that I shal aske the / than laid the soule ask what thou wilt / knowing that I shal ansuer to al thy wil / than I said I wold wyt if the soules that be in heuyn may wille ony thyng that they may not gete The soule ansuered / Austin / know thou one thinge that the soules in that heuenly blisse are made so sure & stable that ther is no wil in them but goddis wille for they may wil goddis wil & fulfille it : non of vs is defrauded of our desires aienst our wil for non of vs desireth ony thing but god & for we haue god alwey as we wil : our desires ar al wey fulfilled for we abyde perfitly in god & he in vs O fader ciril it were to long to writ in this short pistyl al thinges that the glorious soule ansuerd & made knowen to me but I hope with goddis helpe after few yeres to com to bethlem to visite his holi relikes & than to declare more openly that I herd & haue write . if I shuld spek with the tonges of al men I might in no wise worthly exp̄ss how sodenly how openly & how merueillously that holy soule abidinge with me many oures expressid vnto me the vnyte of the holy trynyte and the trinyte of vnite And the generation of the sone of the fader : and the goyng forth of the holy gost from the fader and the sone & the ierarchies and ordres of angellis and of blissed spirytes & theire ministracion and the blyssed ioyes of holy soules & other thinges ꝓfitable and harde to mannes vnderstondyng and after this the light vanyshed from myn eyen : But the swete smelle abode many dayes after ▪ how merueillous therfore is this man doyng so many merueillys & shewing to men so vnwont wonders therfor to hym crye we & ioye we : And yeue glorie vnto his praysyng for certaynly he is worthy all praysynge : & we are not sufficient to prayse hym for he is entred in to the house of our lord bright : & most fayre wher without doubte he hath an euerlasting seet a mongest the hiest mansyons of blisse . How foure other men had a visyon of saint ierome in the oure of his deth

But for the trouth shuld be declared moo witnes than oon I wil conferme more plainly the trouthe of this thinge : A worthy man called Seuere excellent in wisdom & connyng wyth iii other men being the same day and oure of the passyng of saynt Ierome in the cyte of turon saw auision lyke vnto myn of whiche the same seuere wytnessyth to me for that the hye ioye of ierome shuld not be hidde to the worlde : lest they that haue delite to folow the steppes of his holinesse if they knew not that he hath so gret reward they might wax wery & cesse fro the wey of holynesse god wold that they shulde see & know how many & worthy rewardes of holynesse he hath yeuyn vnto hym that they shuld the more surely drawe aster the steppes of hys vertue for the hope of reward lassyth the strengthe of labour : The day of sainte ieromes passyng at complyn tyme : The sayd seuere was in hys hous & thre other good men with him of whyche tweyn were monkes of saint martyns monastery entendyng to holy redynges sodenly they herd in heuyn in erthe and the eyre innumerable voyces of moste swete songes vnherde vnspekable : & the soun of organs . Symphans and of instrumentis of alle musike with the whiche as theym semed heuyn and erthe and alle thynges souned in euery syde : so that with swetnesse of that melodye theyre soules wer in point to goo out of theyr bodies . And thus astoned they loked vy in to the ayer in to heuyn . & saw alle the ayre and al that is about the firmamente shine with light brighter than the sonne out of which com we swetnesse of all swete odoure And then they prayed god that they myght knowe why alle this was Than ther come a voyce out of heuen and said late no merueille meue yow nor thenketh it not merueueillous though ye see and here suche thynges : for this day kyng of kynges : and lord of lordes cryste Ihesu comyth festefully ayenst the soule of glorious ierom in Bethleem goyng out of this wicked world to lede hym vp in to the kyngdome of heuen soo moche the more excellently and hye tofore other as he shyned to fore other in this world by merites of more hie & holy liuyng Thys day the ordres of aungelles ioyeng & syngyng with suche voices as ye here come wyth theyr lord . Thys day al the companyes of patriarkis & prophetis . This day all holy martyres / This day al confessours / and this day the glorious & most blessyd virgine marie moder of god with alle holy virgins aboue heuen & the soules of al that be in blis come ioyfully and festefully ayenst the contre man theyre cytezin and heyre of heuyn with theym This thynges said the voyce was styl but the lyght odour and songe abode an oure after and so cessyd : By thys thynges here is it shewed that he is one of the hyghest cytezyenes of heuenly iherusalem & noo man doubte but that as his wyll is more nere to goddis wille . so he may gete there what he wylle rather than other How saint Iohan baptiste and seint ierome appeyred to saint austyn in a vysion

NO man thynke that I am so hold to say that saynt ierome is better than saint iohan baptiste : for as our sauiour berith witnesse noone is more than he ne that ierome is in the blisse of heuyn to fore peter and paule and other appostols that wer specyally chose & halowed of Cryst hym self yet though resone forbede to sey that Ierome shuld haue more glorye in heuyn than they I see no reson why hyt shuld not be lefull to saye that ierome is in heuyn blyssed with theym while he is not discording fro them in holynesse And sith god is not acceptor of persons but he discerneth the merites of eche person he yeueth to eche as they deserue / yf it seme that ierome shuld haue lesse ioye than iohan baptiste and other aposteles : yet the merites of his holynesse the greues of his labours the bokis of his writyng the translacion of bothe lawes / The ordynaunce of diuine seruice the frutis and profitis of goodnesse that he dide not only to al that be nowe but also to them that be to comen seme to preue that ierome is euyn lyke to them in blysse / But leste that I make a suaar of scorninge to some that wold deme that for carnalle affection where through a man may lyghtly erre from trouth or for vnconnyng of my self : I lykened glorious ierome to saint iohan baptiste . or other apostoles I clepe god to wytnesse that I shall telle a thynge that I lerned neuer of man : but by the reuelacion of almyghty god that hiheth and magnifieth hys chosen . the fourth nyght after his passing whan I thought desirously vpon the praysinges of most blessyd ierome & beganne to wryt a pistelle therof vnto the about midnight whan the slepe cam vpon me there befille me a meruerueillous visyon there come vn●to me a grete multitude of aungellis and among them were tweyne men without comparison brighter than the sonne : so lyche that ther semed no difference safe the one bare thre crownes of gold sette full of precyous stones on hys hede . And the other but tweyne bothe they were cladde with mantels most white and fayre all woue with gold & precious stones They were so fayre that no man may imagyne it . They bothe com nere vnto me and stode styl in scylence whan he that hadde iii crownes seyde vnto me these wordes Austyn thow thynkest what of trouth thow sholdest say of Ierome . And after longe thynkyng thow wyste neuer Therfore we be come bothe vnto the to telle the blysse / Sothely thys my fellaw whom thow seese / is Ierome / whiche is euyn to me In alle wyse in gloire as he was euyn to me In leuyng : that I may he may : that I wylle he wyll / And as I se god so seeth he god / knoweth god and vnderstandeth god in whom is alle blessidnesse of saynetes None saynt hath more or lasse blysse than other but in asmoche as oon hath more clere contemplacyon and syght than other of the fayrenesse of god / That crowne that I bere more than he is the aurealle of martyrdome by whyche I ended my bodyly lyfe : For thaughe Ierome for the traueylles & disseses penaunces and afflictions wordes and repreues and other greuous thinges whiche he sufred Ioifully for cryste And so beyng a verray martyre hath not the rewarde of martyrdome : yet he ended not his lyfe by the swerde he hath not the aurealle that is gyuen in token of martrydome : The other crownes that bothe he and I / haue are the aureall that are dew only to virgins and doctours by whyche they are know from other . Than Aunsuerd and said who art thow my lord / he sayd I am Iohan Baptiste that am come downe to teche the of the gloyre of Saint Ierome that thow telle it to other people for know thow that wourshipe that is to doo to ony saincte . is do to alle sainctes for there is none enuye there as is in the worlde where eche man seketh rather to be aboue than to be vnder : Not so In heuen but there eche sawle is alle glad of others Ioye and blysse as yf he had it hym self / wherfore the Ioye of eche is the Ioye of alle / And the Ioye of alle is the Ioie of eche / whan thes thynges were sayd that blessyd companye went there wayes / And I awoke of that swete slepe / and felte in me so grete feruour and brennyng of loue & and charite that I felt neuer so moche to fore : And from thens forthe was there none appetyte in me of enuye or of pryde as was to fore / God is my wytnesse that there is so moche feruor of charyte in me that I Ioye more of anothers good than of myne / i desire more to be vnder than a boue eny / I sey not thys for to gete me vayne praisyng / But for no man shulde wene that these were vayne dremes where by we are ofte scornyd / but a trewe vysyon by whyche we are other whyle taught of god preyse we therfor god and hys saynctes / Preyse we most holly ierome that dyde grete thynges in his lyf / and hath receyued grete thynges in hys dethe . Man owht not be sleuthfull to peryse hym whom god hath manyfyed Nor wene to manne to doo wronge to sayinct Iohan and to the appostles / Euenyng Ierome vnto them for they wold gladly yf they myght yeue hym of theyre glorye . Therfore thow that worshipeste saynct Iohan and the Appostles wurship also saint Ierome / For he is euyn vn to theym in all thynges sykyrly therfore wyth out dred knowleche we wyth deuocyon that Ierome is euyn vn to Iohan : For yf we sey he is lasse than Iohan / we do derogacyon vn to Iohan : This tretys of praisyng of ierome I seyd vnto the Fader Cirylle prayng that thow scorned not my lytle wytte / Sith that thow wylt rede thys praysynges that I haue seid of charyte / yf alle tonges of alle men shulde praise hym thei ware not suffycient wurshipfulle fader haue mynde on me synner whan thow stondest on the place where the body of ierome lyeth / & commende me to hym wyth thy praiers / For no man doute but what euer ierome desireth in heuen he may gete it / for he may in no wyse be deffrawded of his desyre farewelle fader and praye for me /

Here endith the pystyl of saynct Austin vnto cirille and here begynneth the pistel of the same cyrille bysshope of Ierusalem vnto sainct Austyn of the Miracles of sainct Ierome And firste how thre dede men where areised & an heresye destroyed by seynt Ierome / TO the worshipful man worthiest of bisshoppes Austin Bisshoppe of ypon Cirille Bisshoppe of Ierusalem lowest of alle Prestes Sendyth gretyng

And to folowe hys steppes whos holynesse cessith not to shyne In erthe that is to say of gloryous Ierome whos mynde is hadde euerlastyng : And how worthy he is thow woste wel thy self for th●w vsedst ryght myche his spekyng and doctryn / But I to speke of hym sith I am in all wyse wycked and vnworthy I holde it to moche boldenes But yette for thy charite compelleth me to write to the somme meruellous myra●les that god liste to doo by hym in oure dayes to shew hym glorious to the worlde . And to all folke trustyng in thy prayers I toke it on hande & shortly I shall telle few of many / And firste I begynne at one holi man Eusebye discyple of the same Ierome / after the dethe of moste gloyrious Ierome ther rose an heresye Amongest the Grekys whyche come to vs that be of latī tonge whyche heresye laboured to preue by wycked resons that alle saued saules shulde not comme to the sight and knowliche of god in whyche is alle blysse tylle that day of dome : when they shul be Ioyned ageyn to the body / And also that dampned saules shulde haue no payne tylle that day / their reson was this For lyke as the saule wyth the body hadde do welle or yuelle ▪ so wyth the body it shulde receyue mede or payne They seide also that ther was no place of purgatory wher soules that hadde not doo fulle penance for theyr synnes shulde be purged / And whan thys wycked secte encresid we were sory that vs yrked to lyue eny leuger than I gadred to gyder alle oure byshoppes and & enioned theym fastings & praiers that the power of god shulde not suffer his fayth so to be troubled A merueylous thyng and in happes not seyn to fore thre daies of fastynge and prayers fulfylled gloryous Ierome Apperynge on the nyght followynge to his dere sone Euseby to forseid in his praiers & wyth benygne speche comforted hym and sayd drede the not of this wicked secte for hit shalle sone haue an ende then euseby loked on hym & he shone with so moche brightnesse that no mans eye myght loke vpon him but wepyng for ioie euseby myght vnnethe speke but as he myght he cried And saide thow art my fader Ierome and ofte rehersyng thes same wordes he said fader why forsakest me why despysed thow my companye Certayn I shal holde the And not leue the nor thou shalt not goo withoute thi sone he sayde / I shalle not leue the be comforted for the xx day after thowe shall folowe me . And be wyth me in ioie without ende : But say to Cirille and to his brethern that they alle And to alle Clerkes that be men of trewe crystyn feyth and also alle that be of the tothere secte come the morowe to geder to the chirche of oure lorde where my body lyeth / And make thou the bodyes of thre men that are this nyht dede / in the cyte to be brought vn to the place where my body is huryed And thow shalt ley vppon theym that sacke that I vsyd to were and anone they shal aryse And groundely dystroye thys beresye / Than gloryous Ierome bade hym fare well and apperyd no lenger on the morow worshipfull fader Euseby came vn to me that was than at bethlem and tolde me alle that he hadde seyn / And I doyng thanke to god and to gloryous ierome dyde brynge the thre dede bodyes to vs alle gaderyd to geder in the place where oure sauyour was borne of the clene vyrgyne marie where also lyeth the body buryed of gloryous Ierome / O meruellous mercy In how many worshyppes canne he enhaunce hys saynctes / In this tyme men of euell secte scorned men of ryght byleue / But beth gladde alle men of Ryght faythe and prayseth god in voyce of Ioyenge / For ye haue receyued mercy in myddes of his temple / The worshipfulle man Euseby come to the bodyes of eche one of these dede bodies of men and knelyng on his kneys and holdyng vp his handes to heuen he prayed alle men heryng / And seyd God to whome no thynge is Inpossible no thinge greuous that doest grete merueilous alone and dispisest none that hopeth in the Send to vs vertue of thy grace and strengthe and here the prayers of thy trwe seruantes And that the faythe that thow haste yeue mote a bde vndefowlyd / And that the Erroure of the other may Appere by merytes and prayers of the gloryous loued Ierome brynge ayen vnto these bodyes the saules that thow haste made go oute therof / After thys prayers he toke the sacke that Ierome vsyd and towched the dede bodyes ther wyth / And anone they opened her eyen and shewyng alle tokens of lyfe / veryly a roos and be ganne with a clere voyce to telle openly alle the Ioies of holy saules / And the paynes of synners in purgatorye and in helle / For as theye tolde me afterward sainct Ierome lad / de theym in to paradyse purgatorye and in to helle that they shulde telle alle folke what was doo there / And after bad theym go to there bodyes ayen and do penaunce for the synnes that they hadde doo / For the same day and oure the wurshipfulle Euseby shuld dye they shuld passe also / and yf they dyde welle they shulde haue Ioye with hym : And so it fylle as I shalle telle afterwarde these thynges doon : The grete multytude of people bothe of trewe feyth and this secte : seynge openly there erroures / & the grete merueylles of Ierome yafe grete praisyng vnto god that forsakyth not theyme that truste In hym : Thus dere Austyn we be taught not to drede the pursewers of oure faythe / And to know how redy oure pytefull lord is to helpe alle that calle vnto hym in tyme of trybulatyon / And how myghty gloryous Ierome is to promote the praiers of theym that in clene herte pray and truste vn to hym .

Of the merueylous dethe of the sayde Euseby and how saynct Ierome Appered vn to hym in the oure of his Passyng .

Whan tyme come that eusebi knew that he shulde passe as he was enformed by the sayd vysyon of seint ierome the iii day to fore he was myghtyly smyte with a feuere And than he made his bretheen ley him naked on the erthe and ley vpon hym the sake that Glorious Ierome vsyd to were than he kissed alle his brethren and benyngly confortyng theym / he stured hem to abyde stauely In theire holy lyuyng / He ordeyned by example of gloryous Ierome that he shulde be buried naked wythowt the chirche in whiche the body of sainct Ierome lyeth / After this he strengthed hym selfe with the Communyon of the holy body of oure lord Ihesu cryste / And commended hym to god and sainct Ierome And so he lay thre dayes whithowt bodyly sight or speche . His brethren standyng a bout hym contynually sayeng and redying theire sawter the passion of our lorde and othere holy thynges : But for sythe it is harde and feerfulle to all that lyue in this worlde this that I shalle telle / The day that he sholde deye two houres to fore the passing of the blessid sawle / worshipfulle euseby by ganne to behaue hym self so ferfully that the monkes that stode aboute him felle downe to the erthe for feer as men oute of theyre mynde / For other wyle he tourned vp his eyen and wronge his handes to geder / And wyth a feerfull face and an harde voyce / He sate vp and cryed I shalle not I shalle not thow lyest thow lyest After thus he felle dowun ayen to the erthe and festenyng hys face to the grounde as moche as he myght he cryed helpe me brotheren that I peryshe not / And they hyerynge thys wepyng and tremelyng for feer asked / hym fader how is it with yow he said se ye not the grete multytude of fendes that wolde ouercome me / They asked hym what wolde they that thow sholdest do : whan thow saydest I shalle not I shalle not he aunswerd they laboure & trauayle me that I sholde blapheme the name of god / And therfore I crye that I shulde not doo it / And they asked hym why fader haddest thow thy face doune to the erthe . He answered that I sholde not seye here lokynges whiche be so fowle and so hory●ble that the paynes of the worlde are ryght nought In regarde therof / Amonge these wordes he began to do and crye ayen as he dyde to fore / And so came to the laste ende of his lyffe his bretheen that stoode aboute hym / For fere and sorow felle downe as dede not wetyng what they myght doo : god that is gloryous in hys saynctes meruelous In mageste benygne and mercyfulle to theym that drede hym he forsaketh not hys seruauntes In tyme of nede / For whan worshypfulle fader Euseby came vn to the laste , ende : Gloryous Ierome apperyd and benynely comforted hym and whan he came alle that Innumerable companye of fendes for feer of hym vanysshed away as smoke as many of the monkes bere wytnesse / that by dyspensacyon of god sawe it / But alle that stode aboute herde how Euseby sayde / From whens comest thow fader why hast thow taryed so longe / I praye the for sake not thy sone And sodeynly alle they herde how ierome ansuerd ayen / Abyde sone be not a ferde for I shalle not for sake the whom I loue so moche : then afterward alytle while wurshipfull Euseby dyed / And the same oure died the thre men that were arerid and as I hope went with Euseby vnto euerlastyng Ioie for all the : xx . dayes after they were arerid they yeue theym to so moche penaunce that without doute they where worthy to be rewarded with endlese blysse /

How the sayd thre men after they were Areryd tolde Cirille of the / viii / paynes of purgatorye and of helle /

I Trowe it be not to kepe sylence of the thynges that I lerned of the thre men in the daies that they lyued after they were arerid for alle the tyme I was contynually with somme of theym from mydmorow tille euensong tyme desyryng to know the pryuetes of the lyfe / that we abyde after this shorte and passyng lyf But thoughe I lerned many thynges of theym yte now by cause of shortnesse I may telle but afew / On a tyme whan it happened me go to one of theym I fonde hym sore wepyng And after I felte he wolde take no confort by my wordes I askyd hym the cause of his wepynge And whan I hadde askid hym oftyn / And he answerd not at the laste compellyd be longe instaunce / He Answerd and sayd yf thow knew the thynges that I hadde by experyence of the laste day there shuolde none be but in cause of wepinges than said I y praye the tell me what thow seyeste he was stylle alytle while and than he sayd O what payne and tourmentes are ordeyned not only to dampned soules but also to theym that be in purgatorye Than sayd I of thynge that I know not / I can yeue no certayne sentence / But I trowe they be not lyke to the paynes and deseses that we suffer here / he ansuerde yf alle the peynes tourmentes and afflycions that myghte be thoughte in this worlde were lykned to the leste payne that is there Alle that semeth there payne and tourmente shulde be but soulas and comfort for yf ony man a lyue knew the paynes by experyence he sholde rather chese to be tormented vn to the ende of the worlde without remedye with alle the paynes to geder that alle men suffred from Adam tylle now than be tourmented a day in helle or in purgatoyre wyth the leste payne that is there And thetfore yf thow aske me the cause of my grete wepyng it is for drede of paynes that are ryghtfully yeue vn to synners for I know wel that I haue synned ayenste god And I dowte not but that he is ryghtwis And therfore merueylle not thoughe I sorowe / But rather thow oweste to be gretly merueylled why men that wote wel they shalle dye Atte the leeste by experyence / of other lyue heer in grete sikyrnesse and thynke not how escape so grete paynes / At these wordes I was so touched wyth inwarde sorowe so that vnnethe I myght speke and I sayde Allas what is thys that I heere : But I pray : the telle me what difference is there be twyxe the paynes of helle and of purgatore he saide there is no difference in gretnesse of paynes but in o wise ther may be difference for the paines of helle abydeth no ende but monyng at the day of dome whan the bodyes shal be tormented with the sowles and the paine of purgatoire hathe an ende : for after they haue doo her penaunce there / they shal be take vnto endlenes Ioye I asked be they that are in purgatoure tourmented alle I lich or ellis diuersly he sayd dyuersly somme more greuously and some more eisely : After the quantite of the synnes for in heuen alle blessid sawles be holde the face of god wherein is all blysse and thoughe eche of theym haue asmoche Ioye as they can wylle or thynke : yette they be not alle eueyn in Ioye for some hath more and some hath lasse after there dedes that they haue dso / And yf thow merueyle that there may be dyuerse Ioyes in saynctes while the only cause of theyre ioyes is god hym self in whom may be no dyuersite : The aunswere is thys that the knowyng of holding and vnderstandyng of god is alle the rewarde & ioie of saintes & therfore though al soules in blyse & know god as he is yet son se & vndèstād lases than other : & so haue lase ioie & some so & vndiystād hym clerly than other and so haue more Ioie So it may be sa●de of the paynes of dapned soules For though all dapned saules be in one place of paynes ytt they are tourmented wyth dyuerse paynes after the qualyte of the synnes for ther is so myche dyfference be twyx the paynes of crsten men and hetheen menne that the paynes of hethen menne in regarde of the that false crysten men suffer be as it were no payne And ther be vnspekable & may not be thought of ony that lyueth in erthe and so it is worthy / For crysten men receyue the grace of god in vayn and wolde not be amended of theyr synnes while they lyuid holy scripture cryeng vpon theym c̄tynuall and they set not there bye / I saide it is ryght horyble that thou seyst / And wolde god hit were bysylly festned in the myndes of alle that be alyue that they myght sece from synne for drede of payne / yf they wold not for loue of Ioye

Of the deyng of these thre men ▪ a reryd and how Sainct Ierome conforted theym in ther passyng /

NOw I praye the telle me how it was wyth the the laste day whan thy saule passid from thy body / he seid whan the oure of my deth came there came so grete multytude of euylle spyrites & eēdes in the place ther I lay that for multytude they myght not be nombred the lykenes of them was suche that ther may not thyng bi thought more paynefull nor mere / horyble for eny man of lyue wolde Rather put hym self to brenne in hottest flames of fire than ye wolde see the formes of theym in twynkelyng of on eye . Thes fendes came vnto me and brought vn to my mynde all the synnes that euer I dide sturyng me to truste no lenger in the mercy of god for I myght not escape nor wythstande theym to assente vnto theym / Glorious Ierome came with a / grete company of Aungelles aboute hym seuyn tymes brighter than the sonne and confortid me : And whan he saw the wicked spirites how harde thei troubeled me he was gretly sturid ayenste theym and saide with a feerfule voice ye spyrites of wickednesse and of alle cursidnesse . whi come ye heder wot ye not well that he thus shuld be socored by my helpes leueth hym anone . and with draw this wickednesse frome hym as ferre as the Este is from the weste / and anone with thes wordes alle that companye of cursid spirites was aferde : And with grete crienges and waylynges they went out of the place there I lay And tht glorious Ierome bade some of the angelles that they shulde not go from me but abyde tylle he come ayen . And with the other angelles in haste he went his wayes & whan he was gone : the Angelles that he lefte to kepe me : Bigyne to conforte me & behotyng me faire / yf I wolde suffre and abide with stronge herte / and these wordes of conforte an oure paste / And than came sainct Ierome ayen / And standyng in the doore he sayde com in haste / Then sodenly my soulle lefte the body so greuously And birterlly that no mannes mynde myght vndirstande what anguysshe and disseeses these were : But yf he lernyd theym by experience as I haue : For yf the vndyrstandyng of alle men shulde resceyue alle anguysshes and sorowes that they cowde they shnlde compte theym at nought in regarde of the departyng of the saule from the bodi But while he tolde me this and many mo thynges fulle harde and dredefulle to alle men whyche I wryte not her for lengthe . the day biganne to ende and therfore he must nedis leue to telle the thynges that by fylle hym after his dethe whiche I desyred moste to here /

How the saules of the iii men stode to fore the dome of god and how sainct Ierome hade theym to se the ioies of heuen the payne of purgatorie & of helle and sith bade theym go ayen to ther bodies

●He next day after I clepid the other tweyne with hrm to wete how they acordid that by wytnesse of theym alle thre I myght be taught the more surely And whan they beganne to telle me that / that the other had cold me to fore I seide though thes thinges be profitable / yet it is not veine to speke theym often yet leuyng thys that I haue herde / I praye yow telle it forthe what byfyl you after ye were departed from the body than seid he that spacke on the day to fore / what askest thow cyrille it is not possible to telle it fully for spirituell thynges may not be comprehendid in oure wytte thow knowest that thow hast asoule / and yette what a 〈◊〉 is thow knowest not / Also thow knowest that god is but what he is thow mayst not knowe in thys lyffe but by example So it is of Angelles and of alle vnbodely thynges for whyche ther is many thynges know in kynde that for oure lytle vnderstandyng we may not vnderstande heuenly and spyrtuel thynges that ben in alle wyse strange from / the knowyng of kynde / Than I seyde it is as thow sayst But I praye the telle as thow mayst : than he seid / as thyse men that ben hyer wyth me shalle here wytnesse that hadde experyence of the same thynges as well as I ▪ so shalle I tells as I may whan my soule was dyssoluyd from the body wyth so many anguysshes and sorowe as I sayd to fore / sodenly and unspekably in twynkelyng of an eye hit was bore to fore the presence of god demyng / But how or of whom it was boore I knowe not / & it is no meyrueyle for now I am in the heuy body and thenne was the sawle wythowt body of fleshe / Ther to fore the Iuge god wer the sawles of ryghtwys men tremelyng wyth vnthenkable feere what the Iuge shulde doo : Allas why know not they that be dedly to whom shalle befalle as then befulle vs Certeyn / were not the vnknowyng ther of : They shulde not synne in alle the tyme of oure lyfe / that myght be hidde from the Iuge / but all that euer we dyde was as clerli knowe to all that stode theere as yf they had be present / In so myche that the leste of alle thoughtes that euer we thought appereth there as it was By thenke that wyth grete feeres we were smyte with al at that tyme / there stoode many fendes beryng wytnesse of alle the euylles that we hadde do declaryng the tyme the place and the manere / And we oure . self myght not sey nay to that / that was putte vpon vs bothe for eche of vs knew well that it was true / and also that the Iuge knewe all thynges and was most ryghtfull : Allas allas what shall I sey what sentence abode we than / for mynde thereof I quake yet I am aferde Oure wyckydnesse cryed after vengeaunce vnto the Iuge And vnnethe appered there ony good wherby we myght haue hope of mercy / & alle that were there cryed that we were worthy to be in torment & peyne And whan there fayled no thynge but onli to yeue the sentence ayenst vs that is yeue ayenst synners Gloryous Ierome that is bryghter than alle the sterrys wyth sayncte Iohan Baptyste And wyth peter prynce of the appostles and wyth a grete multytude of aungels come vnto the trone of the Iuge and prayed that oure sentence myght be tarytd a while / And that we myght be yeue to hym for the reuerence of deuocyon that we had to hym & for nede to destroye the sayd heresie And as he wolde so it was graunted to hym After this he with his blessed company led vs with hym and declared to vs where all crysten soules haue euerlastyng Ioye that maye not be spoke that we shuld bere wytnesse the And thenne he hadde vs to purgatorie and to helle And not oonlie he shewed vs what was ther / But he wolde also we shuld assaye the paynes by experience / And whan alle this was doo that tyme that wurshipfull Euseby touched our bodies with Ieromes sacke The same glorous serome bad vs tourne ayen to our bodies And that we shuld bere wytnesse of alle that we hadde seen and behotyng vs that yf we dide dew penance for our synnes we shuld on the / xx / daie after haue endlesse blysse with worshipfull euseby that shulde departe from this world the same tyme and so were our soules ioyned ayen to our bodyes / O dere austyn many thynges lerned I of the thre men whiche yf they were Impressed to menis mynde they shuld vtterli leue a waye from them the loue of alle etherly thynges and the grete bisynes that is hadde ther aboute / that make many a man to erre / But for I bide thy commynge to visyte the relyques of glorious ierome : as thy lettres make mynde / I leue of now and wille touche of the sepulture of wurshipfull euseby . And sythe speke forth of the gloryous myracles of sainct Ierome :

Of tweyne myracles that euseby wrought Or hys body were buryed :

WHan this holy man was dede a boute mydmorowe anon ther shewed many myracles to bere wytnesse of the holynesse of his lyf of whiche I wylle tell tweyne / ther was a monke of the same abbey that for wakyng & for wepyng , had loste hys sight & a none as he touched the wurshipfull bodi of euseby he had his sight ayen as he had to fore / Another man ther was that had a fend with ynne him and was out of his witte & come & mette with vs as we bere the bodi of holy eusebi & a none he was delyuered & made hole . thynke we here meueyle how holy this man was in his lif that myght do so gret myracles soo hastly after his ende : thinke we on his holynesse with grete drede for sith that he that was so holy had so perilous a trouble & temptacyon at his ende how shal we sinful wretchis escape that hour & we wote not how sone we shal come therto ▪ than we buried the bodi of eusebi with worship but naked as his master was by the chirche in the whiche ierome was buryed & in the cherche yerd of the same chirche the bodies were buried of the said thre men that died the same houre

How an heretike called Sabynyan was mtruelously heded & ouercome by myghte of ierome

Ther was an heretike called sabynyan that sayd ther were two willes ni cryst some tyme varying In so moche that he said crist wold many thynges that he myght not doo . and with this heresie he dide vs soo moche sorow that I may not tell it withe my wordes / For he peruerted the folke that Is commytted vnto vs : As a Rauysshyng wolf / And for he shulde maynteyn his heresye the more effectuelly he made a tretyce therof / And sayd that gloryous Ierome had made it to make vs yeue fayth ther to . But I know well ierome made apistell ayenst the same errour a lytell afore he died And therfore I cleped the same heritike on a sonday with all his disciples in to the chirche of Ierusalem to dispute and preue his errour Ther was gadred also the same tyme all the bysshopes and many other true cirsten men And so our disputacyon from none endurid to euen And whan the said herytyke aledged ayenst vs the said tretice that he fadred vpon gloryous Ierome Siluayn archebysshop of nazareth myght not suffre so moche wronge to be put on saynct ierome for he loued & wourshiped sainct Ierome with soo moche affectyon and deuocyon of hert that at the begynnyng of ony thynge that he dede he asked helpe fyrst of god and of gloryous Ierome / And therfore he was called ierome ny of alle folke : he a roos ayenst the heretike and blamed hym sharply for the wyckednesse that he dide / And whan they hadde long stryued and eche of theym sayd ageynst other what they myght at the laste they acorded to geder thus / That yf saynct Ierome shewed by the seconde day at none that he hadde falslye made that tretyce the herytikes heed shulde be smyten of And els shulde siluayns the Archebysshp of nazareth / And thus eche man went home and alle that nyght we yaue vs to prayers Askyng help of god that faileth non that trusteth in hym But he is grete and ryght preysible & ther is none nombre of his wisdome whan the oure came on the next dai the heretik with his dyscyples came and went in to the chyrche rennynge aboute as a lyon sekyng to deuoure the seruaunt of trist and alle the people of true feith stode in the cherche clepyng the name of sainct Ierome But the gloryous ierome fared as thaugh he had slepte and toke noo hed to thayre prayers / And I all be wept stode estonyed and merueylled whi gloryous Ierome abode soo longe / and whan ther appered no thinge of myracle the heretyke crwelly cryed vpon Syluan to doo that he had be highte the holi Syluan came vnto the place where he shuld bi be heded Ioyng as though he had goon to ward a feste / And alle other bysshopes that stode ther wepyng he conforted and sayd Ioyeth with me my dere frendes Ioieth and be not heuy for god leueth not theym that hope in him than he kneled a doune and said moste holy Ierome helpe me if it plese the / And though I be worthy moche more tourment than this is / yet leest fallnesse hane place / doo ye socours to trouthe / And if it be not lefull that I be holpe be mercifull vnto me at myn houre of my deth that I be not departed from endlesse blysse / And thenne he held forth his neck and bade the tourmentour smyte & the left vp his swerd on highe desiryng to smyte of the bisshopes hed at oon strok than sodaynly al men sey●g come glorious Ierome and put vp his hand and held stil the swerde and bade Syluan a ryse / and thenne he blasfemed the heretyke / Shewyng how he had vntruly made that tretyce and vnderstande that scripture and therfore he thretened hym and vanyshed from the syght of alle people / And anone as Gloryous Ierome was a goo . the heretykes hed fylle vpon the grounde smytte of from the bodye as though it had be smytte of with aswerd at a strokt / And whan they alle sawe this grete merueylle : Sodeynly they were astonyed / and thanked god / and the dysciples of the heretykes tourned to the waie of trougth : Loo how the truste of this Bysshope Syluan was effectuellie in god and gloryous Ierome for he dred not to die for through yeuynge example to alle crysten men for he is noo cyrsten man that spareth to dye for trougth Sith cryst yaue his lyf for vs to bye vs from all thraldome we owe not to be aferde to yeue our lyf for hym whan tyme is for noo man maye gette the crowne of blisse without he fight lawfully for it :

How the fend appeyed in lykenesse of the sayd Archebysshop Syluan and disclaundered hym meruylouly & how he was delyuered by gloryous Saynct Ierome

FOr I haue sayd sumwhat of Syluayn I wyll sey a nother thyng of hym als merueyllous as the furst wherof be as many wytnesse as ther be folke dwellyng in the Cyte of Nazareth and of Bethēlem they sawe it with thayre eyen / The olde serpent the fende that for hys pryde was caste downe in to helle hauyng enuye at this wourshypfull Bysshope Syluayn greuously he was sturred agaynst hym / and gylefully he trauaylled to sclander hym : that as many as by ensample of his holynesse hadde encreced in the wayes of holy conuersacyon soo by hys falle that they be sturred to euelle / On a nyghte he toke hys lykenesse of the sayd holy man / And appered vnto awurshypfulle and a grete woman lyynge in her bedde / And besyed hym to comme vnto her vnlefully / Askynge the concente of hure body / than the woman not knowynge the man was aferde / And seeynge her self alone in hure chamber wyth a man wyste not what to doo / But cryed lowde and often So that with her busy creyng they awoke that were a slepe not oonly in the same house . But also her neyghbours aboute her / And alle they came rennyng to her chamber & asked her what her eyeld and she beynge sore aferd told theym / But in the mene tyme that gylefull serpente hydde hym vnder her bedde / And they soughte a boute longe to wyte what man it was / and at the last they founde hym wiith many candelles lyght that went verylly it had be Syluayn the Arshebysshop and thenne they stode astonyed & in theyre maner out of there wittes nor wyttynge what to saye nor doo : seynge both hys holynesse and that foull abomynable dede / At the laste they asked hym why he had doo suche wickednesse And he answerd what didde I amysse thoughe thys woman cleped me to doo thys / the woman herynge wyth wepinge answerd that he said vntrew thenne he wyllyng to sturre men more a yenst the sèruant of god to make theym sclaunder hym the rather / He bygan to speke soo foule and horrible word is of vnclennesse / That noo man myght suffre theyme for foulnesse : But with despite & grete repreues they compelled hym & made hym goo oute of the house and on the morowe they tolde aboute what was doo / And cryed that Syluayn the archebisshop was an Ipocryte / And worthy to be brent In somoche that alle nazareth was sturred ayenst him that they myght not here his name but yf they cursed hym a meruylous pacience of this man a token of grete holinesse whan he herd alle this sclaundre & reprefe he moued not onys his mouth to speke ony euell word nor his hert was nothyng sturred to vnpacience : but alwais he thanked god & sayd his synnes had deserued it Alas Augustyn what shall I saye not oonly I flee as moche as I maye wronge & repreues / but often I am greued with a few wordes I desyre reward of heuen But I take noo kepe to trauayll therfore and yet I wote well ther can no man comme there / But by the waye of trauayles and of affliccyon & desseses / And what shalle I elles deme while I fynde my self discordyng from holy men in my lyfe and maners / But I must be founde discordyng from theym in my deth / And in rewarde it is fulle greuous and heuy to me : to thynke on holy mennes lyfe : & on myn it is merueylous to here how men speke & rede of holy mennes dedes as I doo / and wylle nothyng doo as they dede / This I saye to shewe myne owne folye I know well that I haue often herd of th● same syluayns mouth that he thought hym self neuer soo well at ease / as whan he sawe hym dyspised and trode downe of alle folke / But thys sclaundre of hym grewe soo ferre that it went in to alyzaūdre and Cypre and othere landes and Cytees somoche that there durst no man comme within his dore Merueylous god syttyng a boue and seeyng all folke / He suffred his seruauntes to fall in trybulacyons and desseses for theire better / But he fayleth not them whan nede is / After a yere was passed that the fend hadde vsed suche malyce a yenst the seruaunt of God the holy Bysshop the same Bysshop left alle other thinges and went pryuely in to the Chyrche where the body of saynct ierome was buryed as to an hauen of refuge / And ther at his tombe he sette hym to praye and after he . had beden ther two houres in his pariers ther comme a man in to the cherche full of the speryte of malyce / And fyndyng the Holy man ther prayng he ranne vnto hym as a dragon and repreued hym sayng that he laboured contynualy to stirre womennes hertes to vnlefull lustes / But the Innocent lambe Siluayn Ioynge of his of his owne despite answerd not . Than he with his ryght hand drow out his sword that he bare by hys syde and lyfte vp it to haue put it into Syluans throte / And whan thys wurshipfull Bysshop Syluan put ayenst hym this word help Glorious Ierome this man tourned hys owne throte and soo slewe hym self / After it hapened that a nother wicked man came in to the cherche and wenynge the holy Byshop Syluayn hadde slayne hym : He toke his swerde to haue slayne the said Siluan and shortly to telle he kylled hym self as the other had doo to fore : And vnneth was he falle to the ground or that other two camme in to the cherche and seyng thes men deed they wened the holy man hadde doo it and therfore oon of theym that more cruell began to crye and called hym theef . and sayd how longe shall thy malyce eudure thow styrrest women vnto thy fowle willes and therto thow sleest men thus preuely Certayn this daye shal be an ende of thy weekednesse / And a none he ranne with hys naked swerd to haue slayn hym / And whan Syluan sayd thys worde Helpe gloryous Ierome / this man slow hym self as the other hadde doo to fore with hys owne hand / The tother man that cam wyth hym seeyng this was aferd and ranne oute of the doore and cried out and said comme heder alle folke and seeth this wicked Syluan that not oonly defoulleth women but also Sleeth men wyth his wytchetraft Thanne alle the people of men and women came rennynge cryenge that Syluayn the Arshebysshop was worthy to by brent / And whan thys came to myn eres I went wepynge thyder fulle heuely / and ther I sawe how a monge cruell wulues stood that meke lambe Ioyefulle and mery as he hadde be in grete prosperyte : No thynge he sayd but I suffre thys ryghtfully for I haue synned a gaynst my god alle they bete hym and pulled hym and led hym vnto tourment / And he was so moche the more glad and the tourment was more greuous / but a none he was lad out of the cherche dore sodenly gloryous Ierome was sey Rysyng vp oute of the place where he laye / Soo bryght that mannes eyen myghte not well endure to loke vpon hym / And thus he appered that alle myghte see hym and with hys ryghte hand toke Syluayn by the ryght hand / And with aferefulle voyce he badde theym that helde hym leueth of whiche voyce and vysyon was of soo grete power that alle that were ther were aferde and alle the strenght of theyre bodyes fayllyng fylle downe to the erthe as dedde men In the mene tyme a woman bounde handes and fete and fulle of the fend was broughte vnto the cherche for helpe by t handes of many men / And anone as the womans fote touched the cherche doore the fende be ganne to crye ferefully by her mouth and sayd / Mercy Mercy Gloryous Ierome sayd vnto hym / Thow wicked sperite goo oute of this seruaunt of god and telle the wickednesse that thow hast doo agaynst syluayn shewyng thy self in lykenesse of Syluayn to alle folke / whan Gloryous Saynct Ierome hadde beden the fend appeere In the lykenesse of Syluayn / Soo that alle men myghte knowe It it had be Siluan the Archebyshop And ther he told all that he had doo to slcaunder the seruaunt of god And loo with grete crying the fend vanyshed a waie And thanne gloryous Ierome not leuyng the ryghte hand of the bishop sayd vnto hym with a softe voice what desirest thow of me my moost dere Syluan that I shall doo more for the / He answerd my lord my lord he saide / That thow leue me no more lenger her / Than sayd gloryous Ierome that thow askest shal be doo / And therfore comme thow after me anone / And this sayd anone he appered noo lenger / But after the space of a shorte houre / Syluan passed to cryst ▪ And thenne alle the people was astonyed and merueyled / After this the body of this wurshipfull Syluan was bore in to the cherche of Nazareth with dew wourship with the multytude of people bothe of Nazareth and bedlem / And ther in the cherche of Nazareth we buryed the body of silan as was semyng / But many wordes myght not expresse the wondres of this wourshipfull Bysshop for I haue more to saye of saynct Ierome I leue of

How hethen men that can to vysyte , Saynct Ierome were Merueylously delyuered from theues and from deth

THer were two hethen men riche & good on ther manere hering of the miracles of ierome comme from alizander with moch deuocion to visite the reliq̄s of gloryous Ierome and goynge in theire waye if hapened them to erre in theyre waye in to agret wod where they saw no steppes of men nor of horsses / & therfore they cleped vnto the name of gloryous ierome / & commytted them to his kepyng in the same wood dwelled a prynce of theues hauyng vnder hym more than / v : honderd sendyng somme oon waye & somme an other waie to sle men and to bryng there bodyes to hym of goodis bothe This prynce seyng thes two men he cleped iii theues and bad them goo sle them / And whan they had taken theyre armoure & were nye them where they sawe tofore but two they see an Innumerable multytude and oon goyng to fore them so bright that non myght loke vpon him Than the theues were aferd and wist not what to do but tourned ayen and whan they were ferre from theym they loked a gayn and sawe but two and than poursewed them ayen but assone as they comme nere thei saw as they dyd to fore then were they more astoned & in all hast went to theire prince & told hym & he called them , foles & cleped othere xii theues goynge hym self with theym and they alle were aferd they saw but two & whan they came nere they saw as many as they dide to fore than they were aferde & all theire bodies trembled & all theire strengthe of theire bodies failed & whan they came ayen to them self they thoughte to sew ayen after them pryuelly to see what shuld falle whan euen came these pilgrymes wiste not what to do ne where to be lodged & therfore they tourned to the said xii theues to aske counseell wenynge to them they be way faryng men . as they were and than they tourned to the theues ward . They see but two and than they were bold to mete with theym : : And after they mette the theues asked whens they were and whider they wold they aunswerd and sayd we be men of alyzaunder goyng to Bedlem to vysite the holy relyques of gloryous Ierome The theues asked what men were they that comme wyth them / the other meueylled & said we sawe none sith we comme to the wood saue you & other thre / than the prynce of the thues tolde them alle : prayng them to telle hym what wa● the cause & they said they knewe noo cause : But if it were for they commytted theym to the kepynge of gloryous ierome / than thees theues enspired sodaynly with the holy goost fyll downe at theire feet askyng them forgeffenesse and sith lad theim vnto theire felowes atte the bigyning of the nyght they comme to the other theues abydyng after them & tolde theym as it had befalle praynge theym to leue all theire synnes and go with theim to visyte the body of gloryous Ierome / The tother theues scorned them and sayd they wold sle them yf they spacke eny more therof and they not cessyng therfore many of the theues a roos and drowe out ther swerdes but they callyng after helpe of saynct Ierome they myghte neyther left vp theyre swerdes nor put theym vp / tylle they whome they wold haue slayn prayed to gloryous Ierome for theym / O the vnspekable mercy of our sauyour that in so many wise bryngeth whom he wylle to knowleche of trouthe / Anone alle the company of theues seeyng this thanked god and gloryous ierome and made auow to vysyte his relyques / Therfore whan morow came more than thre honderd theues that were there that tyme left the wod & went with the said men of Alyzander vnto the tombe of glryous ierome tellynge these wonders ther the hethen men were baptyzed and leuyng alle the vanytes of the world & went in to a monastery : And the theues also yaue them to holy lyuyng by the grace of god and by the merytes of Sanict Ierome :

How sainct Ierome saued two yonge men from deth that came from rome to visite hym / ●Han tweyn yonge men going from Rome to wardes Bethlem to visite the relyques of ierusalem hit happened they come by a vyllage xii myle from constantyn noble & two mile from the vilaige or they come therto two men were slain wherfore men of the towne gadred to geder & began to seke a bout who it shulde be that / dide that / & whan they had alle soughte they founde none but only the ii men that came fast by whom they toke wenyng they had slayn the ii men ▪ wherof the yonge men were amerueyled & swore asmoche as they myght that they knew not therof : but they sett not therby but lad forthe the yonge men to theyre vyllage / And they wyth rygour of gert tourment thei were compelled to knowlege them self gylty where they were not gilty / And so they were damned to be heded Alas what hert myght conteyne hym from wepyng to here soo many waylinges of Innocentes whiche were arayed both with yougth & with faryenes & with noble byrghte for wepinges and waillynges & syhynges contynuelly . They said Ierome is this reward that thow geuest to theym they serue the : is it that we haue deserued with trauaile of oure way Alas thou cyte of Rome thow knowest of oure birthe we went not that thow should haue ben so vnknowyng of oure ende / thus thei wer lad to the place where they shuld be beheded moche peple standyng there and abidyng / Aud there they kneled downe and held vp there handes & saide with a lowde voice gloryous Ierome maker of oure helpe and hauen of our hope bow thyn eres vn to our prayers at this tyme soo that if we dide not this synne : for the whiche we be punysshed we may fele of thy wonte pyte the helpe of thy delyuerrance and if we be gilty lete vs be ded as nede asketh & whan they had said thus thei put there neckes to the smyters sayng no thyng but helpe helpe gloryous ierome what merueyle thenne the helpe of glorious ieroeme myght not absteigne hym from shewyng of mercy to soo many teres of them that come vn to hym while the hertes of alle that stode aboute they of the self tourmentours were meued vnto compassion than they lyft vp their swerdes and smote on there neckes but theire neckes toke the s●●okes as though It hadde be a stone and thenne they smete ayen & ayen but they felt theym as they hadde be smytyn wyth a straw wherof ther aroos grete merueyle to alle that stood aboute : and gret multytude came rennyng to see at the last the Iuge that demed comme him self and bad theym smyte ayen that he myght see / And they smote but theyr neckes wold not be hurte thenne the iuge meruayled gretly and wist not what it myght be / But thought that thei had vsed some whitchecrafte And therfore thenne he commaunded in alle hast that they shuld be made naked and brent / thenne they made a grete fiere a boute them and putte theryn pitche and oile the rather to distroie theyr lyues : but he that delyuered theym from swerde coude also helpe hem cryeng contynuelly in the fier : the fier brent fast and the flames assendid vp ryght high but the yong men by the helpe of gloryous Ierome rested as in a mery herber / At last the Iuge wolde know wheder it were by myracles or witchecraft he had they shuld be hanged viii daies and yf they lyued soo they shulde goo wheder they wold : But the presence of glorious Ierome failled theym not for merneylously he kept theim the viii daies holdyng theyre feet with his handes On the viii daie all the people of the cyte and townes and the Iuge hym self went vnto the galowes and ther openli they see this Gloryous myracle the kepars tellyng theym what they had seen thenne alle merueyled and praysed God and Sainct Ierome & dide gret wurshyp vnto the yonge men / And than moche people went from constantynnoble vn to Bedlem to visyte the relyques of gloryous Jerome / And anon the yonge men castyng from theym alle worldly besynesse entered vnto the monasterie where gloryous Ierome lyued both nyght and daie entendyng to praier and penaunce and holi lyuyng

How a Monasterie of Nonnes was distroied for couetise and Symonye /

THis Myracle of thes yonge men to fore is to vs cause of grete meruaile Ioye and deuocyon But this that foloweth yeueth cause of grete drede namely to relygious people in a contre called Thebayde was a monasteri of nonnes right faire a boute two yer a goo / wheryn were aboute two hundred ladies honest in relygion and maners & in contynuelle reclucion / Now eche one blessed thayre eres / that the one lete not goo out al that the other taketh ynne / for he that shal saile in dep see haue he neuer soo good a ship & hole it vaileth him not & if it haue one hole in the botome where water maie come ynne & drowne hym / why I saie this the mater of the storie shall shew : for the said monasteri had many vertues and holynesse of lyuyng but it kept oon synne of symonye that caused it to be distroyed for by instruccyon of the fende . the Nonnes had this Ambycion that whan ony shuld be receyued A none a mongest them they toke here not somoche for charite & mercy as they dide for money / ther myghte non entre to a byde in that monasterie but yf she broughte a certayn / some of money with here / In this monasterie wa● a nonne ferre in Age that had cast from her the loue of alle erthly thyng & from her childhode euer entended to god in her prayers and fastynges and gretly she hated & lothed this vice that was amongeste theim / To her on a nyghte beyng in prayers as she was wont Glorious Ierome appered in grete light And bad her goo on the morow and telle the abbesse and the other nonnes But if they wold cesse of the synne they shuld fele the sodayne vengaunce of god And whan he was a goo she merueiled gretli what he was that yaue her that charge / And all that nyghte she abode wakyng / On the morowe she ronge the chapter belle . And whan they were alle gadered merueylyng whi they called soo hastely this holy lady a roos vppe a mongest them and tolde what she had seen and herd / And anon alle thother scorned her and called her fole . And how she myghte in happes be dronke ouer nyght and dreme suche thynges But she takyng the repreffe defended her with the sheld of pacyence And sorowyng of thayre obstynacy : But Ioynge of theyre owne dispite went vnto her wont praiers beseching contnuelly that it be fyl not here susters as she had herde and / x daies after she abidyng in this prayer on a nyght aboute mydnighte Jerome appered vnto her & bad her goo without dred & telle her susteres as she had warned theim to fore than the asked what art thou that biddeste doo thes thinges he said ierome & anone went fro her tyght : But she knowyng of their hardynesse wyst not what to doo nor saie yet at the last she thoughte she had leuer behold of theym wood & dronke than doo ayenst the wylle of god : Therfore she did gader her sustres as she dide to fore / To haue tolde theym what she sawe and herde / But assone as they sawe her a ryse or she began to speke they went out of the chapterhouse with mowes and scornes / The thirde nyghte with a grete multytude of Angels Saynct Ierome appered vnto this lady beynge a slepe / And bad her a ryse and goo oute of the Monastery that she were not smyten with sodeyn sentence that shulde comme vpon theym / but whan she prayed with grete wepyng that they myght be spared sainct Ierome bad her goo vnto her abbesse in hast and to here susters and telle theym that but yf they dide penaunce for theire synne that same nyghte they shuld fele the vengaunce of god : and yf they abode stylle obstynat thenne she to goo and tary no lenger in that monasterie / Than this nonne full of anguysshe and of heuynesse went to the chapter and rong the belle hastely wherwith the abbesse a woke and whan she wiste who it was she was wroth and came to the chapter & blamed her gretly & wolde here no word of her saing & but yf she left suche thynges she shuld noo lenger abyde in the place with her / that lady answered tari not to doo that thow saist for I will noo lenger abide in this place sainct ierome hath appered vnto me & saith that this monasterie shal be symte anone with the wreche of god Than the abbesse wenyng● she had said this of madnesse bad the kepar driue her oute / & whan she had been out a whyle she toke her in again hopynge that therby the wold haue cesed of suche dedes : but this nonne was glad to goo and full of wepyng for the myschef commyng to the place O ferfull god stronge & myghty : And who shall withstande him : allas whi dred we him not to prouoke somoche his wreche & maie not flee his handes / but his grete dome muste nedes take theym at lest wretches beth aferd by thes examples here they that trust in their rychisses that sturre god vnto wrathe with drynesse of theire couetise what dome god sent from heuen vpon this monasterye tournyng a waie their face from him for loue of money / vnnethe was the nonne goon out at the doore but sodenly all the monasterie fill don to the grounde sleyng alle the nonnes soo that ther bode not oon a lyue / But this lady went vnto a Monastery in A contre fast by & ther lyued in grete holynesse : To this myracle I will Ioyne other shewyng the ferfulle dome of god that the hard hertes of syners myghte be tourned to the fastenesse of penaunce /

How iii. heretikes were meruelously punysshed for offense ayenst Sainct Jerome

AN herytike of the grekes disputed openly on a sonday with a prest in the cite of ierusalem and whan the prest for his defense of his parti alleged an autorite of Ierome to destroie the resons of the greke the greke wyth a bold voice was not a shamed to saie that Jerome lyghte of all trouth lyed / & for he ded suche a wickednesse with his speche he spake neuer word after a nother herytike of the arraians whan oon had brought an auctorite of ierome ayenst him in disputacion & heritike had boldli said he lyed anon he was smytte with the vengaunce of god . for he had not fully ended the word but that all daie he cryed mercy glorious ierome for I am tourmented of the with hard paines & whan he had cried thus aldaie asmoche as he myghte at complyn tyme all men seeng that were there wrechedly he died / a nother herytyke sawe in the chirche of sion an image of sainct ierome & said wold god that I had : had the in hand while thou lyuedest that I myghte haue slayn the with my swerd / & than he pulled out his knyffe & smote it in the throte of the Image : and how gret is this ierome doynge thus many merueiles this heretike smote his knifft myghtly in the images throte but he myghte not gette out his knyf from his throte nor hys hand from the knyffe tylle it was know openlly / but a noon ther came blod folowyng oute at the wounde as of a lyuyng man whiche cesse●● not yet in shewyng of the myracle : the same tyme that this was doo the iuge of the contre was in the chyrche yerd to whom gloryous ierome appered with a knyf in his throte askyng hym to doo vengaunce for that ofence tellyng hym how that it was / The Juge was a stonyed & alle that were there & goyng to the cherche they see the herityke stonde wyth hys knyffe in the throte of the Image / And as sone as they saw it he myghte take a waie his hand than they toke hym & for he abode obstynatly in his wille & euyll sayng that he sorowed for no thyng but that he had slain ierome in his lyffe / The multytude of the people with speres and swerdes stones and staues slew hym /

How sainct ierome delyuered a man oute of prison from one Land to a nother on a nyghte

IOhan myn neue whom thou knowest arraied with all fairenesse whom I chose to me in sted of a sone told the as I wene what befyll him / But yet that it may be the better had in minde I wil write it the lame whan was take two yere a goo of men of perse and sold to the officers of the kyng of percy & for his fairnesse he was ordeyned to serue the king & whan he had be a yere with gret sorow & heuynes in the kingis court / the same daie twelmouth seruing the king at mete he myghte not for heuynesse kepe h●m fro wep̄ig & whan the king sawe it & had besily asked & knew the cause he had certeyn knyghtis take & kepe him in a castell in the nyghte folowyng he beyng ther alle bewept : in his slepe Ierome came vnto him & as him thoughte toke him by the hande & bad him come to the cyte of ierusalem : on the morow Iohan a woke wenynge hym self he hadde be amonges the knyghtes / He found hym self in the house were I duelle / And than he was nye madde for merueile and coude not witte wether he were in the castelle or in my howse : At the laste he comme to hym self and cryed And a woke theym that were a slepe / Than they all came rennyng to me and said Iohan was commen . yet I was doutfull tyll I came my self a sawe hym present whyche I went had be in bondes among the persiens / than he told vs how he was holpe & than we praised god & glorious Ierome bi whoos merites & praiers our lord deleyuere vs from all euyll & brynge vs to the cyte of all we le to dwelle with him in endlees blysse & Ioye AMEN

Here endeth the pistell of cirille to sainct Augustyn of Sainct Ierome
How oure lady commendeth sainct ierome in the reuelacions of brigitte

WHan saincte brigitte was in praier she sayd on a tyme blessid be thou my god / that arte thre & oon thre personnes in oo nature thow art very goodnesse & veray wisdome thow arte very fairnesse & power thou art veri rightwisnesse & trouth by whom all thinges lyue : & haue their beyng thow arte lyke a flower growyng syngularly alloon in the feld of whiche flowre all that nyghe therto : resceyue swetnesse in theire tastyng releuyng in theire brayn delectacion in theire syghte & strength in all theire membres so that all that nyghe vnto the / are made the fairer by leuyng of synne . wiser folowyng the wille of the & noughte of the flesshe more ryghtwis folowing the profite of the soule & the worship of the therfore moost pytefull god graunt me to loue that pleseth the myghtly to withstande tēptacōs & to despise al wordly thinges & to hold the besili in my minde the moder of iesu answerd this salutacō gate the ierome bi his merit that went from fals wisdome to trew wisdome that dispiseth erthely wurship Blessid is that Ierome & blessed ar they that folow his teching and lyuyng / he was a louer of widowes A myrour of all that be perfite in vertu A doctour A techer of alle trouth and clennesse : A nother tyme our lady said to saincte Brigitte doughter haue mynde that I told the / How Jerome was a louer of wydowes a folower of perfite monkes / And an auctor and defensour of trouthe that gate the be his merytes that prayour that thow saidest and now I adde to and saie that Ierome was a trompe by the whyche the holy gost spake / He was also a flame inflamed of that fire that comme vpon me and vpon th aposteles on pentecoste day And therfore blessyd arre they that here this and folowe after that AMEN /

Oracio ad sanctum Ieronimum

Antifona Iste est qui ante deum magnas virtutes operatus est et omnis terra dotrina eius repleta est ipse intercedat pro pecatis omni populorum

versus Amauit eum dns et ornauit eum

℟ Stola glorie induit eum

Oremus DEus qui nobis per beatum Ieronimum cōfessorē sacerdotēquam tuum scripture sancte veritatem et mistica sacramenta reuelare dignatus es presta quesumus vt cuius natalicia colimus eius semper et erudiamur doctrinis et incritis adiuuemur / ꝑ xpm

Explicit Vita beati Ieronimi confessorris
Alia Oracio :

Antifona Aue amator quam famose Ieronime gloriose Magnus amator xpi : Doce nos bene viuere Deum vere diligere vt in libris scripsisti / O amator castitatis . Tenens vitam puritatis Cordis per mūdiciā fac nos corpus castigare ꝓ pecatis quam plorare diuinam per gracian : Emuli te ianiabāt Sed neququam superabant per inpaciēeiā Ob amorem thesu xpi Fac implere quod fecisti Nos per diligenciam /

v Ora pro nobis gloriose ieronime

℟ vt deum diligamus corde ore & opere

DEus qui gloriosum cōfessorē tuum ieronimum multis di 〈…〉 rum nacionum linguis peritum . sacre bibli e tra●●tore magna ex parte voluisti et ecclesie tue doctorem luminosum fecisti presta q̄s nobis xp̄ianis et omnibus in mundo creaturis racionis capacibus vt eius doctrinam & exēpia bone vite sequentes in te fideliter credamus mentis mūdiciā teneamus te toto corde diligamus pro inimicis ex corde vero preces fundamus : et in hiis perseuerantes : te doctore : te duce / ad te in celum perueniamus Per xp̄m. dominum nostroum amen .

W C printer's or publisher's device

Printed by Caxton 〈…〉