Here begynnethe the glorious lyfe and passion of seint Albon prothomartyr of Englande, and also the lyfe and passion of saint Amphabel whicheconuerted saint Albon to the fayth of Christe. Life of Saint Alban and Saint Amphibal Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A15310 of text S108894 in the English Short Title Catalog (STC 256). 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. 245 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 89 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 A15310 STC 256 ESTC S108894 99844546 99844546 9370 2240908533

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A15310) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9370) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 21:06) Here begynnethe the glorious lyfe and passion of seint Albon prothomartyr of Englande, and also the lyfe and passion of saint Amphabel whicheconuerted saint Albon to the fayth of Christe. Life of Saint Alban and Saint Amphibal Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? [180] p. : ill. J. Herford]the .xxvi. yere of our soueraigne lorde kyng Henry the eyght. and in the yere of our lorde God. M.D.xxx.iiii.], [[St. Albans : [1534] By John Lydgate. Colophon reads: Translated out of frenche and laten in to Englisshe, by Ioh[a]n Lydgate. Lydgate did use French and Latin sources. Publication date from colophon; place of publication and printer from STC. There are two settings. Leaf B2v last stanza ends "The said Albon" (British Library and Bodleian Library copies) or "The sayd Albon" (Ripon Cathedral copy)--STC. Signatures: A-X⁴ Y⁶. Imperfect: torn at top of title page, affecting text; lacks leafO4. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng eebo Here begynnethe the glorious lyfe and passion of seint Albon prothomartyr of Englande, and also the lyfe and passion of saint Amphabel, whicheconuerte Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? 1534 178 35128 24 0 0 0 0 0 6.83 B The rate of 6.83 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-10 Assigned for keying and markup 2006-01 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-03 Sampled and proofread 2006-03 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

✚ Here begynnethe the glorious lyfe and passion of seint Albon prothomartyr of Englande / and also the lyfe and passion of saint Amphabel / whiche conuerted saint Albon to the fayth of Christe .

TO call Clio my dulnesse to redresse with all systers dwellyng at Elicon what myght auayle to wryte the perfytenes Of the holy martyr slayne full yore agone For Christis fayth / the holy man Albon Called of ryght through euery regyon Prothomartyr of Brutis Albion I not acqueynted with muses of Maro Nor with metris of Lucan / nor Virgile Nor sugred deties of Tullius Cicero Nor of Homerus to folowe the ●●esshe style Croked to clymbe ouer so high a style Or for to folowe the steppes aureate Of Fraunces Petrake the poete laureate The golden trompet●● the house of fame with full swyfte wynges of the pegasee Hath full farre the knyghtly mannes name Borne in Verolame a famous olde citie Knyghthode in Rome the cronycle who lyst se Aand as I fynde this yonge lusty man Toke fyrst order by Dyoclesyan whose lyfe to wryte / of wyt I am barayne His high perfection curyously to tell Dredyng my labour shulde be in vayne That neuer dranke of Pegaseus well But for his goodnes so hyghly doth excell I stande in hope his influence shall shyne My tremblyng penne by grace to enlumyne In tender age this goodly yonge Albon Borne as is sayde in Brutis Albion A lordes sonne more lykely was there none To marciall prowes by disposition whiche for his persone as made is mention For conditions and hygh byrthe of blode In great fauour of all the lande he stode And for that he in vertue dyd excell Beloued and cherysshed of euery maner man By kynge Seuerus myn auctor can well tell Sent vnto Rome to Dioclesyan with a yonge prince called Bassian They bothe tweyne as the statute bonde To be made knyghtis of his owne honde with them also went Amphybalus There baptised by pope zepheryne Lefte all the worlde and becam vertuous Of wylfull power folowed the doctryne By whose reachyng and vertuous discipline Blessed Albon as myn auctor sayth was afterwarde conuerted to our fayth All his processe in order for to sette My purpose is / if I haue tyme and space If ignorance not my style let By influence only of goddes grace The troubly mystes from me to enchace Of rude langage / so that I may in dede To write his lyfe and ceryously procede Vnder supporte of this martyr benygne My penne directe by meane of his prayer The gracious stremes sent downe for a signe Of his celestyall goodly eien clere To forther my labour and teache me the maner Of his name to write and specifie So as I can the ethymologie This name Albanus by enterpretation Compowned is of plente and of whytnes Plente he had in great perfection Made whyte also with lylyes of clennesse with whyte roses ment stable in theyr rudenesse It was well sene that he stable stode For Christis fayth / whan paynyms shed his blode whiche two colours dyd neuer fade Of these lylyes nor of these roses rede In blessed Albon but euer ylyche glad within his bapteme the lylyes dyd sprede The roses splayed whan he dyd shede His purpurate bloude spared for no deth The storme abydyng tyll he yafe vp the breth Thus was the chapelet made of red and whyte whyte for his clennes I haue so tolde aforne To chese the red he dyd also delyte whan from the chaffe was tryed whete corne In the holy martyr that hath the bront borne Grayne of this frument was this man Albon In the gospell remembred of seynt Iohn This chose greyne for Christ was mortified To get encrease of his eternall glorye The frute grewe vp by fayth multipliplied Through meke sufferance he gate the victorie A palure of conquest to be put in memorie A lauret crowne by tryumphes many folde For his merites set on his hede of golde Nowe to this martyr crowned hygh in heuen Deuoutly knelyng with humble and meke visage whiche syt so high aboue the sterres seuen O blessed Albon / fro that celestiall stage Cast downe thy lyght to enlumyne my langage whiche of my selfe am naked and bateyne In this great nede thy fauour may be seyne I haue no colours / but only blacke and whyte Of longe or shorte wantyng proporcion where ought doth fayle / I must beare the wyte Golde nor asure / nor fresshe vermylyon But with thy gracious supportation In hope thou shalte conueye my penne and lede To wryte thy lyfe / thus I wyll procede . Explicit prologus .
Tyme remembred of olde antiquite The same tyme whan Cesar Iulius was was passed out of Rome the cite Ouer the Alpeys in knyghthode famous By assent of fortune notable and glorious This marciall man armed with plate and mayle Had ouer ryden the boundes of Itayle Brought the countres through his hygh renowne Magre theyr myght to stande in obeysance And ben subiectes to them of Rome towne All Germany conquered in substance Downe descendyng in to the realme of Fraunce Daunted theyr pryde / and after dyd ordeyne with a great armye to aryne vp in Briteyne Twyes put of by recorde of Lucane At his arryuayle / of very force and myght By the prowesse of Cassybylan Touchyng the title were it wronge or ryght Of the sayd Cesar deme euery maner wyght what that hym lust / for inconclusyon Cause of his entre / was false deuisyon Amonge them selfe / wherby he gat that londe Made the Britons to be tributarie To the Romayns by statute and by bonde None so hardy / to be therto contrarye Cause of this conquest / to wryte and not tarye was deuision / the cronycle ye may se Betwene Cassybylan / and duke Audrogee Ouermaistred was Brutus Albion By Iulyus sworde remembred in scripture Recorde the gospell where is deuision Frowarde discention of case or auenture That region may no whyle endure In prosperite / for by discorde and tweyne To subiection was brought all Bryteyne whan Cesar was put in possessyon Rather by force than by tytell or ryght Ordent statutes in that regyon And this was one / that no maner wyght Sulde in that londe receyue th order of knyght For worthynes / for mede / nor fauour But by the handes of the emperour And this was done / lest parauenture Sondry persones enclothed with rudenes Not disposed of blode nor of nature Shulde not presume of rurall boystousnes Though he had strength and hardynes To take vpon hym / what euer that he be The sacrament of knyghtly dignite An other cause in order to deuise was / none suche shulde haue gouernance wherby he myght in many sondry wyse Catche occasyon to make purueyance By force of kynred / or strength of allyance Through newe rebellyon in token worde or signe Agaynst the Romayns proudely to malinge And in suche case / occasions to eschew The prudent Romains / castyng all thyng toforne For comun profite / thought it was moost dew Of high estate / nor low degree borne No man shulde / but if he were sworne To the Romains / with hert body / and might Ay to be trew / that shulde be made a knight . By a decree / concludyng in sentence with faith assured / as she statute bonde First they shulde appere in the presence Of th emperour / sent thither of eche londe Than take theyr othe / next by touche of honde Toforne the goddes / assuraunce made of new For life or dethe / to th emperour to be trew . This statute kept in euery region Beynge subiect to Rome the citie / Stretchynge theyr lordshyp and dominion with theyr Imperiall marciall dignitie Ouer the boundes of many countree So prouided by prudent policy To them was subiect all worldly chiualry . Hauynge all kyngdomes redy to theyr honde Voide of rebellion / whan they had ought a do A prince of knighthood they set in euery londe For gouernaunce . A stewarde eke also Euery region to be ruled by hem two In rightwisnes / lawes they dyd ordaine From wilfull surfettes / the comons to restraine . First prouided of high discretion ( As Argus iyed in theyr inwarde intent ) To se there were no werre nor conspiration Against the Emperour / neither thought nor ment . To redresse all thyng by iugement These two estates / of prudence to attende At prime face all outrages to amende . It hath ben sayn and writen here beforne By olde expert Poesy / called doctrine without principles : Leest aboue the corne The wede wex / ayenst good graine to maligne To late amonge is made a medicine whan that a sore wexith ded and corrumpable For lacke of surgiens is waxen incurable . Semblably / in kyngdomes and cities Stormy troubles for to set aside Meued sodeinly amonge the comenties At the begynnyng / in all haste to prouide Them to reforme / no lenger to abide For first meuers / as law and right obserued Punysshe them duely / as they haue deserued . Like theyr desertes / receiue theyr rewarde Cherisshe the trew / robbers to redresse The prince of knightes / and also the stewarde Ordeined were / by law of rightwisnesse As the statute plainly dyd expresse / Like true Iuges / and kepers of the law Of high prudence / all riot to withdraw . And the reporte of Cronicles that ben olde Auctorised by great aduisement As a Diademe / or a crowne of golde Is of a kynge called the ornament : So to a prince doth long a garment Frengid with golde / that people high and lowe By that difference theyr stewarde might knowe . The prince of knightes vsed a pallion For a prerogatife in especiall / He and the Stewarde by election Of th emperour in party and in all Toke theyr charge / priuate and generall / No man so hardy paine of dethe rebell Against theyr power to vsurpe no quarell . That same tyme was reignyng in Britaine Kyng Seuerus / a famouse knightly man who cast hym fully to do his busy paine To please the Emperour Dioclesian Sent his sonne / named Bassian with a thousande and fiue hondred yonge of age Lordes sonnes / fresshe / and lusty of courage . Som of this nombre were borne in Britaine Some in wales / & some in Cornewaile / And amonge all / if I shall nat fame There was one / of stature and entaile / As ferre as kinde coulde her crafte preuaile By her fauour / gaue to his person A prerogatife to be set asoon . A goodly man / and but yonge of age / A princes sonne of wales / as I fynde Called Amphiball / gracious of visage In whom there was non errour founde in kynde By disposition / nought was left behynde / In myn Author / as it is compiled To all languages his tongue was filed . And for he was borne of high kynred He was sent furth with notable apparaile Like his estate / with many a riche wede Not forgettyng harnesse of plate and maile Curiously forged / after moost fresshe entaile As was moost likely in euery mannes sight To them that shulde receiue the order of knight . And while they were assembled euerichone It was a paradise / vpon hem to se / Lyke as I fynde / amonge hem there was one A lordes sonne / excellyng in beautie Borne in the citie of Verolamy Called Albanus / right semely of stature To all vertue disposed by nature . The said Albon / by discent of lyne Borne to be gentill of condition By aspectes of grace / whiche is diuine Predestinate by election For to be called of his region Prothomartyr / whan he the faith hath take And shed his blood for Iesu Christes sake . Gracious he was in euery mannes sight well beloued / and a likely man / with his felowship toke the way aright Towarde Rome / rode with Bassian Come to the presence of Dioclecian / And for they weren so likely in shewynge He passingly was glad of theyr cummynge . A chosen people / out piked for the nones Right well besene / and manly of theyr chere Arayed in golde / perle / and precious stones As princes children / souereigne and intere Them demeanynge in porte and in maner That if it shall shortly be comprehended In them was nothynge for to be amended . This Briton people / likely for the werres Stode in comparison amyd all nacions As dothe the sonne amonge heuenly sterres Alike to theyr birthe weren theyr condicions High blood requireth thrugh all nacions To resemble in high or low parage Fully accordynge / like to theyr lignage . To high kynred longeth high noblesse On high mountaines stande Cedrysse grene To princes children perteineth high prowesse As amonge stones the Ruby is moost shene The tarage of trees by the frute is sene : Semblably / nature dyd so ordeine There to make knowen the blood of Britaine . Vpon the Emperour this people ( as I tolde ) were a waityng / as they were of degree / Beynge pope in those dayes olde zepherinus / whiche kept in Rome his see / And whan that he behelde the great beaute Of thls people that comen were of newe within hym selfe / sore he gan to rew . Musynge in his hert / thus he gan complaine Full secretly with sighes lamentable / Halas ( quod he ) this people here of Britaine In all theyr port and maners moost notable So fresshe / so semely / and so honourable / Halas full ofte vpon the day he saith why stant this people in errour from our faith ? The Pope / of ruthe and compassion Considerynge with mercifull pitie : Ganseke wayes / fyndynge occasion To get leyser and oportunitie How this people / excellyng in beautie Might by his labour / thrugh spirituall vertue Receiue baptisme by grace of Christe Ihesu . The lorde aboue consideryng th entent Of zepheryn in especiall Suche a grace to hym he hath sent By influence very celestiall To further his purpose / that he hath Amphiball In Christes faith / grounded by his saw And conuerted vnto Christes law . Amphibalus . as ye haue herde the case A semely man / god beyng then his guide First by the pope / when he baptised was Lefte his treasure / his pompe / and his pride For Christes sake / with pouertie chose to abide Forsoke the worlde kept hym selfe secree Of great perfection / lyued in pouerte Other there weren that made no delayes Of zepheryn / herynge his preachynge To be baptised deuoutly in thoo dayes But whan the rumour and the knowlegyng Cam to the Emperour / without more tarienge Thrugh all the citie commaunded them be sought To his presence / by force to be brought . By londe and see / his ministers left nought To serche hem out / but in no manere They were nat caught : but than cam to the thought Of Dioclecian / to worke as ye shall here Them of Britaine / to make them to appere / Vpon a morow / when Phebus shone full bright They of his hande to take order of knight Of antiquitie / as put is in memory : when th emperour shulde knightes make They dyd assemble beside an oratory That reised was / and bylt for martis sake / In whose worshyp all night they shulde wake . The next morow / after the maner At Phebus vprist / they shulde appere The oratory in compas rounde and large Beside a temple of Bellona the goddesse where Dioclecian shulde giue first the charge Of hole assuraunce to auoide all doublenes First to kepe theyr bodies in clennesse For life or death / bothe in peace and werre The comon profite of th empire to preferre Next this charge / th emperour anon right In all his moost imperiall maiestie Like theyr rightes girt them with swordes bright So as they weren of state and of degree Obseruaunces kept of authoritie First chargynge them that they shulde entende Chiefly theyr goddes to worship and defende . Of theyr temples to saue the liberties Prestes of that law in right to make stronge wydowes / maidens / pore folke in cities Suffre in no wise no man to do them wronge Appease debates that haue endured longe For comun profite / as moost soueraine good In theyr defence / redy to spende theyr blood . withdraw theyr hande from lucre and couetise Specially to eschewen idlenes Pursue armes for knightly excercise In causes knowen / grounded on rightwisnes Gyue theyr Eaptaines suche trouthe and stablenes And in suche case / rather knightly dye Than theyr statutes to breke or disobey . Of comon profite deuised an ymage Called Knighthood / an arme of theyr defence To holde vp trouthe / suffre non outrage Cherishe the pore / do no violence / After theyr wages / gouerne theyr expence Full assuraunce / made with mouth and hande Susteine trouthe / bothe on see and lande . Make prouidence that no derision Fall vnwarely on high or low estate / whiche caused hath / great dissolution Made many a region to be infortunate / For where as a strife continueth / or debate By experience of many great citie The light is eclipsed of theyr felicitie . Of olde custome / knighthood toke non hede Vnto theyr owne singuler auaile withdrew theyr hande from guerdon and fro mede wrought nothyng but by wyse counsaile The hed of maters peysed with the taile This is to saine / there shulde no Romaine knight Begyn no quarell / nor ende against right . For the Romaines in theyr election . Chose to that order / folke iust and stable Manly of hert and of condition Sober / nat hasty / feithfull / honourable For comon profite preued profitable Benigne of porte / not proude / but debonaire That worde and worke for nothynge be contratre Take no quarell grounded on falshed Specially the pore not to oppresse Flee Tiranny / eschew blood to shed Of innocentes by wilfull sturdynesse Blood cryeth vengeaunce to god of rightwisnesse Fals homicides / contrary to nature God suffreth them no while for to endure All thyng odible to euery gentill knight Hatefull murder not support nor mainteine Theyr office is / as they are bounde of right Maidens / widowes / and pore folke to susteine Fraude and extorcion anon while it it is grene In knightly wise to serche out the offence And chastice it by marciall violence . Then tonge and hert by one accorde shall draw On theyr promesse stedfastly to abide Of antiquitie / Romains set a law To punisshe periury / spare non homicide Represse of Tirauntes the vengeable pride If nede fall / theyr life and blood to spende The right of goddes and temples to defende In token wherof / who toke th order of knight This was the vsage of olde antiquitie He shulde first be shaue of very right Token to auoide all superfluitie Of vicious lyuynge / & all dishonestie Shauen away by vertuous diligence All olde outrages out of theyr consciences . They had of custome also this maner Romaine knightes of yeres yonge and grene To entre a bath of water cristall clere From all ordures to wasshe theyr bodies clene whiche bath / plainly it dyd mene / As bokes olde / notably don expresse Vnto knighthode longeth all clennesse First / specially by attemperaunce Voide all surfettes / lyue in sobernesse By prudence and vertuouse gouernaunce / Mainteine trouthe / chastise all falsnesse Restreine theyr courage from riotous excesse Dishonest speche / and ribaudry to flee Eschew auoutry / liue chaste like theyr degree . Clennesse longeth to euery gentill knight As theyr bathyng dothe plainly specifie Thrugh theyr perfection / was made to Mars aright whilom Romains by prudent policie Had in custome theyr bodies to applie To serue Diana / that was the cast goddesse That Venus had with them non intraunce . Venus / to vertues contrarious Causeth in youth flesshely insolence Giueth great occasion to folkes couragious Of theyr nature loueth riot and exspence withdraweth in knighthode marciall diligence For whiche the bathe was made for a figure To wasshe away of Venus all ordure . If they be wedded / holde them to theyr wyues / If they be syngle / no woman to opresse For in suche case began the blody striues Betwene Troy & Grekes / the story berith witnesse Caused many a knight to dye in distresse For by th auoutry of Paris and Eleine Grekes & Troyans theyr mischiefes dyd complaine After this bath / tokened by chastite Fully made faire / and voide of vnclennesse with a white shirte he shulde clothed be To signifie the chefe founderesse Of all vertues / that called is mekenes Clene of entent / without whom certaine All other vertues stande but bareine For who so lyst in bokes for to rede Chaste in vertue / expert for to be Moost redy way is / his purpose for to spede Set his foundacion vpon humilitie She berith vp all / and hath the souereynte whose buildyng euer / the grounde if it be sought Goeth euer vpwarde / and descendeth nought . As a shirt the body next doeth touche with whose touche the body is nat offended So mekenes ( on authors I me auouche ) Among vertues is souereinly commended She and pacience of one stocke be discendyd yet in som case / reken nigh & ferre Peace hath conqueryd more than hath the werre . By prudent writyng & humble pacience Kynge Dindinus was nat recheles To notifie the surquidrous science Of Alisaunder / thrugh mekenes doubtles To Brigmannus / mekenes brought in peas Meke language appeasyd the rygour Of this forsayd famous conquerour . whiche considered / the Romains vnderstode This noble vertue of humilitie was in some case nedefull to knighthode Moost expedient to euery comontie Them to preserue longe in prosperitie Very mekenes vsed in prudent wyse Is nat atwited with no cowardise As to knighthode longeth gentilnes Thyng appropried to his religion Voide of surfettes / founded on mekenes As a lambe in chambre in bataile a lion where place and tyme gaue iust occasion By manly suffraunce / benigne of face & chere And play the lyon when tyme dothe require . By the processe of theyr obseruaunces Next the shirt of mekenes for more spede They had a custome / with sundry circumstaunces Of high prowesse from hem to auoide drede In a mantell / for to be clad of rede To recompence the white shirt of mekenesse with Martis colour / by knightly high prowesse . This rede mantell / so as the mater stode Touchyng the colour / dyd plaiinly specifie They shulde nat drede for to spende theyr blode For comon profite vpon any partie By profession of theyr chiualrie For this cause to auoide all drede They vsyd of custome a mantell of fyne rede This colour rede / token of high prowesse To susteine and holde vp trouthe and right Nor entremete of wronges nor falsnesse For loue nor hate of no maner wight To no party / for fauour cast theyr sight Indifferent / stande egall as a lyne By non occasion to wronge to decline A thyng ferre of / fro knightly desires Straunge and forein to theyr professions For to appere at cessions or at shires By maintenaunce of fals extorcions Or to supporte by theyr protections Causes vnlefull / by brocage surmitted beforne To make Iurrours falsly to be forsworne . A thynge ( god wote ) this day to moche abused Experience in dede as it is saine They haue no colour of right to be excused Saue to theyr client / the partie to susteine But if they had before ben wasshen clene Bathyd as I said / in vertues also made faire To suche places they shulde haue no repaire . It is a maner of apostasie A knight in peace to play the lion Nat accordynge vnto chiualrie To draw his sworde / vsynge extorcion The pore compleine for oppression A thyng contrary by signes manifolde To them that were spores of golde Sporis of golde / rounde and sharpe to ride So as golde is metall moost souereigne Right so worshyp to knighthode is chief guide To high noblesse / by manhode to attaine A sworde also Romains dyd ordeyne In foure causes plainly to be draw After the rightes of the paynym law . As I tolde erste / the first for defence Of theyr goddes / and next for the fraunchise Of theyr temples / that no violence Be done to them in no maner wise As ferre as theyr power and might may suffise And the seconde / neuer to be present where dome shall passe of fals iugement The thirde point / toforne as I haue tolde widowes / maidens / to helpe them in theyr might Punysshe robbers / and tirauntes that ben bolde To spoile the people by theyr frowarde might This was vsed / when Albon was made knight The last charge for a conclusion Neuer to bere armes against Rome towne . Other articles / mo than I can tell Tolde and remembryd by Dioclecian Notable in knighthode / by them that dyd excell when th emperour to dubbe hem first began Among other / the Briton Bassian Son of Seuerus / in Britaine kynge Gan thus abraide his conceite declarynge . My lorde ( quod he ) with supporte of your grace Sithe it is pleasure to your magnificence As ye haue shewed / here present in this place Of your imperiall famous excellence Singuler fauour / royall diligence As greatest lorde / called on see and lande To make vs knightes with your owne hande Lowly besechynge to condescende and se Of your notable prudent policie Graunt vs goodly of your high maieste The first fruites of your chiualry Mars our patron / knightly to magnifie In your presence / with Iustes or tournay Or som other famous marciall play To haue in armes knightly excercise Our grene youthe and courages to amende To lerne the maner and the Romain guise In palestre / day by day to entende So that ye lyst of grace to condiscende Graunt vs fredom / and a place to assigne Of your imperiall support moost benigne . The Emperour considerynge first theyr cheres Conde them great thanke for theyr knightly request And commended greatly theyr desires Set a day / and helde a royall feest All nacions to come at the leest As th emperour freely dyd ordeine To haue adoo with knightes of Britaine . with Romaine knightes / first they had ado By commaundement of Dioclecian Durynge the vtas / the story telleth so Amonge all Albon that knightly man with his Cosyn called Bassian Gree of the felde gyuen to them twaine Among Romains and knightes of Britaine . Of Ficulnius cam many a worthy knight Of Spaigne / of Cipre and also of Sardine And of Almaine / in stele armed bright Mars was present / the felde to enlumine But among all / to the Briton line The souerein price aboue euerichone was by heraldes giuen to Albon . His name worthy to be put in memory He quit hym selfe so like a manly knight Graunted to hym the price and the victory Thrugh his desert / of very trouthe and right Called in Rome the lanterne and the light Of knightly prowes / and Phebus soueraine Thrugh all Italie / and day sterre of Britaine . Of blessed Albon / the armes in his shelde Square on his shulders by antiquitie Of fyne asure sothely was the felde Therin of golde depicte was a sautree In whose story / at Leicester who list se After his passion / as I affirme dare In his cote armour / kyng Offa sothely bare . Of whose mynster he after was founder As the Cronicle maketh mencion A manly knight / a noble gouernour In his dayes / thrugh many a region His name sprad / and his high renowne Vnder these armes / as put is in memory In euery felde had alway the victory . Aforne prouided ( I trow of yore agoon ) By grace of god and heuenly influence And by the merite of the glorious saint Albon Had in knighthood marciall excellence And for to acquite hym by vertuouse prouidence To this martir / called saint Albon Of that minster laid the first stoon . After whose hande / masons dyd wyrche He bare the cost / of great deuocion The said armes he left vnto the chirche This kyng Offa / as made is mencion And finally / by myne opinion By these armes / againe all that dothe them wrong with helpe of Albon they shall be made stronge . The felde of Asure betokeneth stedfastnes The Sautree / lyke a crosse of saint Andrue The colour heuenly shall giue them perfitnes By the holy crosse / force in our lorde Iesu From day to day / to encreas all in vertue The Prothomartir / theyr patron saint Albon Shall them defende fro theyr mortall foon . After these iustes and famous tournement Fully accomplisshed / tolde here in sentence Bassian / disposed in his entent To awaite a tyme of intiere diligence Of the Emperour to aske goodly licence with the Barons / beyng in Rome towne Home to retourne to Brutes Albiowne . His request was graunted anon By Dioclecian / made non exception Saue onely thus / he sayd that Albon Shall not departe by no condicion / To hym he had so great affection For high noblesse and semelynes alone He shulde abyde / and awaite on his persone . To Albon / egall in fayrnes with Dioclecian / non so great as he / Of manly force and hardynes Famouse in knighthode / like Iudas Machabe As Scipion / of prudent aduyse was he Of chere benigne / discrete and vertuous Gyuyng councell right sad and compendious . Mars in armes / with Mercury eloquent Amonge Romaine knightes / rekened yonge & olde For whiche the Emperour by great aduisement Of prouidence ( toforne as I haue tolde ) Before all other / Albon he hath withholde On hym to awaite and abide day and night Of his empire / as for moost worthy knight . whan Bassian had his leue take Of Dioclecian / with knightes of Britaine The Emperour for Albons sake At theyr departynge list nat for to faine To make hem chere / and after in certaine For his pleasaunce / as saith the croniclere Fully complete / Albon abode seuen yere . This mean while ( myne author writeth thus ) when this prince was come home in dede Into his contree : A knight Carauseus Greatly disposed to kyll and blood to shede Of the Romains gate licence ( as I rede ) And of the Cenate by great auctorite To be made keper of the Brittisshe see Bassianus by iust succession At his comyng home to Britaine / anon right was crowned kynge of that region His father dede / a full notable knight Called Seuerus / whiche in the peoples sightes Great fauour had / but Bassian in that Ile ( The story saith ) reigned but a while . By Carauseus ( of whome I tolde beforne ) This Bassian was slaine traitrously Ceptre and crowne this yonge prince hath borne Car●useus vsurpyng moost falsly To be crowned kynge of that party Hauyng no title to the regally But a fals traine of murder and tiranny On Bassian thus when he was awroke By intrusion the kyngdom vsurpynge To the Romains had his othe broke And in Britaine toke vpon hym to be kynge The Romaine tribute the whiche was hangynge To th emperour / he falsly can deny Graunted also within Albany . To the pietes for to haue a dwellynge place The whiche now is called Scotlonde And from Rome they bode no longer space A Cenatour cam downe with mighty honde Called Allectus / the malice to withstande Of Carauseus with Romaine champions Brought in nombre fully thre legions This Carauseus in story as I fynde whiche traitrously had murdred Bassian Slaine by Allectus / his name put out of mynde Romaine knightes / with many a manly man For to accomplisshe theyr purpose they began Brought Britons thrugh theyr renowne Almoost by force vnto subiection . To theyr socour / hopynge it shulde auaile Against Romaines to make resistence / Asclepeodot / duke of Cornewaile They chose of new / to stande at defence whiche thrugh his manly knightly excellence Slew Allectus of very force and might And put his felow Galles to the flight . The proude Romains he dyd so encombre They might afore hym abyde in no maner He slew of them at London so great a nombre Thrugh his knighthode / beside a ryuer / After whose name / as saith the Cronicler Is called there as Romains did blede Vnto this day / walbroke as I rede . In memory of that discomfiture The noble Britons / after that bataile Of one assent / did theyr busy cure The same day / armed in plate and maile Proudly to chose the duke of Cornewaile Asclepeodot / theyr purpose to attaine To crowne hym kynge / and lorde of all Britaine . This mighty duke / knowynge theyr intent Agreed well vnto theyr election / To be crowned / that wolde he nat assent But auctoritie from Rome were sent downe By th emperour to Brutes Albion / For whiche / caused Dioclecian To Britaine to sende Maximian . The chefe cause in sothe of his cummynge ( with other maters that were collaterall ) Into that londe / was for to crowne hym kynge There for to reigne in his estate royall And Dioclecian in especiall / Hath a conceite in the meane while with hym to sende Albon into that i le . Bothe for trust / plainly to deuise And to gouerne notably that londe Parcell also to guerdon his seruise For trouth in knighthod in Albon that he fonde Ordeined hym / and made hym suraunce in honde Prince of knightes / and stewarde soueraine Vnder Romains / thrugh all Britaine . He sent hym thither also for that entent For his wysdom and high discrecion with Maximian for to be present At this solempne coronacion Of Asclepeodot / lorde of that region Albon as stewarde in that solempnitie And prince of knightes receiue his dignitie . By the byddyng of Dioclecian Like custome vsed of antiquitie Make his othe to Maximian As prince and stewarde of moost auctoritie To th emperour in his imperiall see As he was bounde by statutes olde and new For life or dethe / euer to be trew . All thinges accomplished like as I haue tolde Maximian retourned is againe with a tribute thre thousande pounde in golde Beh●nde of olde / denied of disdaine whiche was withdraw / the story saith certaine To the Romains the tyme of Carauseus A fals tiraunt / cruell and furious Come into Rome when Maximian Returned was with all his chiualry That tyme the pope named Poncian That busy was on that other party In Cecile and in Lombardy By deuout teachynge / as myne author saith To turne people vnto christes faith In that time / made was non obstacle That yere in dede there was ( as it was sene ) Thrugh christes law / turned by miracle To the nombre of thousandes fally sixtene The chirche of christe / tender & very grene when th emperour hath the wonders same was greatly meued of malice and disdaine To christes faith had so great enuie when that he saw to his confusion The nomber of christen encreace and multiplie Let call in haste by fals collusion All the lordes of that region And all the Cenates afore hym to apere At a certaine day to treat of this matere . Echone assemblyd in his high presence Byd cast theyr wyttes togyther / and take hede And faithfully do theyr diligence In this mater theyr purpose for to spede what was to done in so strait a nede For thynges that toucheth the welthe of the citie Must of wyse councell take first authoritie . For this mater / touched one and all A thynge expedient for to be amended whiche to amende / first they dyd call The pope in hast / that hath theyr lawe offendyd And to this pointe they be all condescended To dampne hym by hasty iugement And all christens that were of his assent . Banyssshe all christens out of Rome towne And punysshe them by mortall crueltie Not onely there / but in eche region with diuerse tourmentes / serched euery contree This statute made in Rome the citie Thrugh all the worlde a decree forthe sent They to be slaine / and theyr bodies brent . Spare no place / where men dyd them know But them pursue vpon eche partie All theyr chirches cast downe and ouerthrowe Plaine with the grounde / where men coude them espie Thus stode our faith in mortall ieopardie Of miscreauntes / foes to Christes law For drede of dethe that they haue them withdraw . Against them the painems were so stronge Droue them for feare eche man fro his contree And Amphiball that bare non armes of longe Saue in knighthod of wilfull pouertie Constrained was with other for to flee Paciently / with trauayle and with paine Passynge the see / came into Britaine . Conueyed he was by grace and vertue In his repaire homewarde ( as I rede ) His safeconduite stronge in our lorde Ihesu who so trusteth hym / amys he may nat spede The holy goost dyd his brydell lede To Verolamy / whiche of antiquitie was in Britaine a great famous citie .
Verbi autores . OF this place here nowe I am aduerted Of this matter for to stynte a whyle And to procede howe Albon was conuerted To christen fayth the processe to compyle The holy martyr directe shall my style To whose worshyp first I vndertoke The translation of this lyttell boke At the request and vertuous byddyng Of my father th abbot of that place A clerke noble perfyte of lyuyng Hauyng in custome euery houre and space To auoyde slouth and vertue to purchace Lyke any Ampte all seasons of the yere To gader grayne and stuffen his garner By whose notable compylations Illumyned is not only his gaye library By also full diligent occupations Agaynst ydlenes to all vertue contrary Hat set in order in his famous grauery A boke compyled rycher than golde in coffers Lyues of poetes and prudent philosophers Of his name the Ethymologie Is sayd of am Home or stede of whete Of god prouyded doth clerely signifie whete gleues of the mouthe of th olde poete Greyne / frute / and floure with rhetoriques swete Of philosophers callyng to memory Of his labour the laureat reportory And as I sayde by his commaundement I toke vpon me this translation First to compyle it in all my best entent His famous knyghthode and renowne And nowe to tell of his conuersation To Christis lawe I cast me for to wryte Folowynge the storye his passyon to endite To procede lyke as I am bounde For to accomplysshe brefly in substance This lyttell boke and call it the seconde Of his martyrdome and meke suffraunce And put aforne clerely in remembraunce Howe Amphiball as the cronycle sayth Tourned Albon vnto Christis fayth Eche of them ( by recorde of writynge ) was plainely without others remembraunce For Albon had lost the knowlegynge Of Amphabell / and all olde acqueintaunce But by the meane of goddes ordynaunce I wyll declare / as I am bounde of det In Verolamy / to tell how they met . Plainly procede / as I vndertoke The residue to accomplysshe for his sake Make here an ende of the first boke / But now forsothe my penne I fele quake Voide of all colour / saue of letters blake In this processe my dulnesse to acquite The martirdome of Albon to endite .
Finis . Here endeth the first boke / whiche treateth of the lyfe of Albon before he was conuerted to the faythe .
Here begynneth the prologue of the secunde boke / treatynge of the conuersion of the blessed prothomaptyr of Englande called Sainct Albon . SO as Aurora parteth the derke night Towarde the tyme of Phebus vprisynge And Lucifer with agreable light Bryngeth kalendes of a glad mornynge : So by ensample / the true lyuynge Of olde tyme in saint Albon vsed Caused the lorde whiche guerdoneth euery thynge That the merites of hym were nat refused . Euery thynge draweth to his nature Like as kynde gyueth heuenly influence For to disposen euery creature Some to profite / some to do offence Some to encreace by perfite prouidence where vertue hath the dominacion Of god ordeined by intere diligence That sensualitie be bridled with reason . Amonge painems / Iues haue be saine That vertue hath many of them gouerned Taught by nature / wrought nothynge in vaine But as kynde / and reason hath vs lerned Good graine from chaf was discerned Thus hath he proued in many a sondry place Good from yuell / by them truely conserned Recorde vpon Cornelly and on saynt Eustace who taughte Troyan whylom to done ryghte whan the wydowe complayned her greuaunce To her grefe th emperour cast his sighte Reason taught hym for all his great puissaunce To her request to holde the balaunce Of ryghtwysenes to se though he were stronge In her pouerte to perswade her perturbance By egall dome he to redresse her wronge The storye of olde it put in memorye For ryghtwysenes in especiall Howe that Troyan by prayers of Gregorye was preserued from the paynes eternall From dampnation and cloyster infernall To exemplifie howe god taketh hede Of his greattest power moste imperiall Of ryght and mercy acquiteth eche good dede And to the purpose of my mattiere Durynge his lyfe of great power and myght This blessed Albon who so lyste to here Though lyke a prince his power yafe great lyght Fostred trouthe / dyd wronge to no wyght For whiche the lorde his hande hande nat withdrawe To call and clepe hym his owne chosen knyght To be conuerted and turned to his lawe His trouthe / his vertue / his natife gentylnes Of custome stable grounded in many wyse Caused god of his mercifull goodnes To the this prince into his seruice All fals ydols manly to despise This choson chapyon borne of the breton tyne This newe Tytan / whose beames dyd auise Out of orient to lorde to enlemyne Nowe hensforth shall be my processe with gods helpe my penne to apply Howe in his tyme he keped ryghtwysenes And lyke a prince / howe he dyd hym gye To set his citie vpon eche partie In gouernaunce from ryght they not twynne Vnder the reignes of prudent polycye whiche to reherse / thus I wyll begynne Here endeth the prologe of the seconde boke .
Here begynneth the seconde boke of the glorious Prothomartyr saynt Albon howe he was made gouernour of the citie of Verolamye . VNder the Romaynes chefe and principall with great auise it lyked them to ordayne By commyssyon and titell imperiall Prince and stewarde thorughout all Bretayne To chefe Albon / whiche dyd first his payne Lyke a prince not slowe nor recheles To auoyde all trouble / and rule the people in peas By polecy he hath so prouyded Set statutes so myghtye and so stronge And his lawes so vertuously deuyded For common profyte to endure longe That no man shulde do other wronge And where he sawe innocentes oppressed Set a payne inhaste to be redressed The ryche he made lyue to theyr estate without extorcion do to the portayle Repressed ryot suffered no debate Idell people constrayned to trauayle Aforne prouyded for plente of vitayle Lyke his office with vertuous diligence By suffisaunce there were none indigence Beloued and drad with hygh and lowe degre For frende nor soo declyued not fro trouth The good hym loued for his benignite The ryche drad hym / on the pore he had reuth wronges to redresse there was in hym no slouth In his domes stedfast as a wall Not singuler founde nor yet parciall Nature taught hym all vices for to flee Lyke the lawes / to whiche he was bounde A chastiser of all dishoneste Gafe neuer dome tyll trouthe were out founde Nother to heuy / nother to iocounde But as tyme and mater gaue hym occasyon So was demened his disposition He had also of his acqueyntance Foure vertues called Cardynall The reine of his brydell led temperance Ryghtwysenes with mercy ruled all Trouthe to defende / and manhod marcyall By force also through hygh prowes Spared not to chastise all falsenes He coulde appese folke that lyste debate Refourme all rancour where he coude it espye Lyke a prince knyghtly he dyd hate Suche as coulde falsely forge and lye Stopped his eares from all flaterye To foren quarelles lyst yeue no credence Tyll the partie come vnto audience Enuious sclaunder be punyswed rygorously Compassed of malyce hatred and di●●ame To double tonges euer he was enmye whiche to say yuell of custome haue no shame And backbyters that haue theyr lyppes lame To say well / this prince yonge and olde Voyded all suche out of his householde By discreeion he coulde punysshe and spare His harte ay voyde of all duplicite Large of custome / to naked folke and bare His gate ay open for hospitalite That if his vertues shulde rekened be Here in this boke tolde from yonge age I haue therto no connyng nor langage Oot withstandyng as I haue behyght I wyll procede and not excuse me To declare howe god sawe to his knyght The tyme rehersed / the date also parde whan Amphibalus entred the citie Of Verolamy tolde eke the occasion Howe he and Albon met in the town Amphibalus entred the citie Of auenture to seke herburgage By the stretes vp and downe wente he Lyke a pylgryme of chere and visage Tyll it fell so he met in passage The noble prince playnely to conclude Blessed Albon with a great multytude This myghty prince by great fortune After custome vsed that tyme of olde Amyd the citie walked in his estate In a garment frenged all with golde Amphibalus vertuously made bolde with humble chere and meke visage Besought hym lowly to graunt hym herbergage For whan that he on Albon cast his loke And hym behelde with euery circumstance By longe auyse of hym good hede he toke It fell anone into his remembrance Full yore agone of his acqueyntance Howe they in one of fortune dyd assent Out of Brytayn / and vnto Rome went For gods sake this Amphibalus Of herborgage can lowly hym require To be receyued and take in to his hous Albon anone as the story doth vs lere was in suche case straunge in no manere Hauyng a custome to hye and lowe degree Frely to graunt hospitalite In to his house hym goodly hath receyued This symple clerke lyst no lenger tary His porte his there benyngly receyued Mynystred to hym all that was necessary From Christis lawe though Albon dyd vary Lyke a prince benyng and vertuous Receyued hym full goodly into his hous Not after longe onely by goddes grace Of knyghtly fauour sought oportunyte To get a tyme / a leysour / and a space To auoyde from hym his people and his mayne with this pylgryme alone for to be And secretely whan they were met in fere To hym he sayde anone as ye shall here By many signes and tokens that I can Dyuers daungers straunge to recure In soth that ye be a christen man And of hardynes durst your selfe assure To put your body and lyfe in auenture Amonge paynyms your persone to ieoparte without dethe howe myght ye departe Quod Amphibalus Christe Iesus of his grace Of his mercy / be it that I haue deserued From all daunger and euery peryllous place Christe goddes sonne my body hath preserued Ben my gyde / and my lyfe conserued To this citie brought me safe to preache His glorious lawe and his faythe to teache Quod Albon than / howe may this trewe what that he is I wolde fayne lere The sonne of god / a straunge thynge and a newe Had god a sonne declare this mattiere Quod Amphiball / so ye lyst to here Paciently / for nothyng wyll I spare Curiously the trouthe to declare Amphibalus is entreated by reason On the gospell to grounde his processe And to confirme his disputation Of holy writte he toke iustly wytnesse Howe our beleue recordeth in sothnesse Of god the father and god the sonne also This is our belefe take good hede therto The sonne moste perfyte & moste good For mans helthe and saluation was incarnate and toke flesshe and blode And semblably for shorte conclusyon Of his moste benigne consolation Ryght so as he firste made man in dede So come he downe to take our manhede And as hym lyste of grace and of mercy By his power / whiche that is deuine Ordayned maydens to lyue here parfytly So he agayn warde playnly to determyne Toke flesshe and bloude of a pure virgine The tyme come there was none obstacle But that he wroughte his maruaylous myracle The tyme approched of grace and gladnes Towarde sommer whan the lustye quene Called Flora with motleis of swetenes Clothed the soyle all in newe grene And amerous Veer / agayne the son shyne By the cherysshynge of Apryll with his shores Bryngeth kalendes of May & of his flowres So in the season heuenly and deuine Of wynter stormes was passed all outrage And in the rayne Phebus gan to shyne The same tyme to our great auauntage Downe from heuen was sent a message whiche concluded for our felicite A braunche shulde sprynge out of iesse This newe tydynge to Nasereth was sent And Gabrell come on his message The trynyte hole beinge in one assent For to accomplysshe this gratious viage The holy goste holdynge his passage Downe descendyng ryght as any lyne In to the breste of a pure virgyne Lyke as Luke in his gospell sayth As is remembred in the same place whan Gabryell lowly gan abrayde Mekely sayde : Hayle Mary full of grace Thou chosen of god euery houre and space The tabernable of the trinyte Amonge all women blessed mote thou be whan she had herde the angell thus expresse Troubled in his wordes of femynyte Thought in her selfe of very chast clennesse This chosen myrrour of humylyte This salutation / what it myght be The angell seinge her aferde of womanhede Sayd : O Mary haue herof no drede Afore god thou hast founden grace Thou shalt conceyue a chylde in all clennesse Of whose byrthe Bedleme shall be the place As the gospelll can bere herof wytnesse And his name playnly to expresse Thou shalt hym name of moste vertue whan he is borne and call hym Iesu Howe may this be sayde this glorious mayde That knowe no man in wyll dede nor thought Thangell than vnto Mary sayde As I toforne haue the tydynges brought By the holy goste this myracle shal be wrought The vertue also of hym that syt highest Shall ouershadowe and lyght into thy brest For that lorde that shall of the be borne As thynge moste holy men shall hym call The son of god / as prophetes wrote beforne Suche heuenly grace is vpon the fall By a prerogatyue aboue women all with lyght surmountyng aboue the sterres seuen This message I haue brought the from heuen Quod Mary fulfylled be the wyll After the worde / which thou hast brought vnto me Beholde this handmayde / & this humble ancille This was her answere with all humylyte Thoo god was pleased with her virginite yet was that lorde / doctours beare wytnesse Pleased more with her deuoute mekenes Thus hath a mayde through her perfytnes To beare her lorde graciously deserued A chosen doughter by her pure clennes To beare her father / her chastite concerued By her merytes that were to her reserued As I sayde erst by a prerogatyue She amonge women was mayden mother & wyfe To god a mayde to fulfyll his wyll And to the lorde a seruant by mekenes Doughter & mother / & eke faythfull ancyll whiche to remembre hath brought gostly gladnes Of all welfare / our daungers to represse Aforne by recorde of prophetes in substaunce Vs to defende agayne all mortall greuaunce For whiche dere host sith it may auayle To my doctrine yeueth hartily credence God hath me sent to teache you and counsayle So that ye lust with humble diligence Become his knyght and do hym reuerence Obeye his lawe & his preceptes all Taketh good hede to you what shall befall His fayth to you shall gyue so great vertue That blynde folke ye shall make for to see By inuocation only of Christe Iesu Delyuer the people from all aduersite Leprous folke / and tho that lame be To be made clene / and make them go vpryght And euery sykenes recouer thrugh his myght ye shall escape by his prouydence All myscheues to you that ben contrary Lyue longe tyme / go free from pestilence From Christis fayth if that ye wyll not vary To graunt your askynge the lorde shall not tary But at last or ye hens wende By martyrdome ye shall make an ende By martyrdome ye shall ende your lyfe And blessedly from this worlde shall passe Out of all trouble and transitory stryfe whiche day by day / doth you here manasse Thrugh Christis myght and influence of grace ye shall to god / to your great auantage By meke suffraunce make your passage This was chefe cause and grounde of my commyng Sent by Iesu vnto this towne As a bedyll to brynge you tydyng Howe by his myghty visitation ye shall endure payne and passyon For Christis fayth in his moste pacient wyse As knyght and martyr chosen to his seruice That is his wyll ye shall fynde in dede To recompence the great humanyte whiche ye haue vsed of fredome and manhede To indigent folke and people in pouerte And specially for hospitalite with other dedes in nombre called seuen Dedes of mercy registred nowe in heuen To fede the pore / whiche had no vitayle And to viset folkes in prison Receyue them that herburgh dyd fayle Bedred folkes that lay in myschiefe downe Comforte the syke mynystre them foysowne Parte with them of that they had nede And vury them that laye in myschiefe dede To his seruantes / & all that ye haue mynystred Cronycled ben in the heuenly consistory In his boke perpetually registred Eche good dede the lorde hath in memory It to guerdon with a palme of victorie Perpetually with hym to reigne in ioye Greatter conquest than was the sege of Troye Sith ye your handes haue not withdrawe From hospitalite pore folkes for to fede whyle ye haue lyued in this paynym lawe Causes of the poore to promote and to spede God forgetteth not to quite your mede If this be done after ye be baptised A double palme for you shal be deuysed Lyke a prince in moste knyghty wyse Albon obeyed with entiere diligence All these wordes gan wysely aduertise Answerynge these wordes in sentence what maner worshyp / what maner reuerence Shall I do than whan I am withdrawe From ydolatry / and turned to Christis lawe Amphibalus yafe answere to Albon ye must beleue & in no doubte be There is no god in this worlde but one The father / the sonne / the holy gost these thre Ioyned in one by perfyte vnite The foundation as I can well preue Firste article & grounde of our beleue This fayth in soth shall clerely you directe If that you lyst gyue therto credence All olde errours to auoyde & correcte If ye so done with humble reuerence I dare affirme and conclude in sentence That your begynnyng to god is acceptable And to your soule treasure moste profytable Of the father the power eternall Of the sonne souerain sapience Of the holy gost in especiall Grace dothe procede by vertuous prouidence And to descryue the magnificence Of all the thre / called thre and one Vndeuided / they neuer asonder gone And if ye lyste vnto this lawe tourne Of his most dignen imperiall maieste He shall you make with hym to soiourne This blessed lorde / this blessed trinite where ioye is euer and all felicite Tofore whose face eternally lastynge Thre Ierarchies one Osanna synge Of this matiere be nothyng in doute Set asyde all ambiguyte Forsake your mawmettes / and all that false route For they be made of metall / stone / & tree whiche may not helpe nor forther in no degree Saturne / Iubiter / Mars / and Appollo with the false goddessis Dyana and Iune Though they haue eares / in trouth they may not here with eien great / of lokyng they do fayle They be forged in golde & stones clere who calleth to them they may nothyng auayle Nowe dere host forsake all this rascayle As I haue sayde / and do in Christ delyte And he by grace shall make you perfyte A large space Albon kepte hym close Fayned in maner as he had disdayne From his place in great hast arose yet or he went he gan to sayne ye be not wyse your doctrine is in vayne If it were wyst ye were in this citie ye shulde endure full great aduersitie For your sake there shulde be practysed Dyuers tourmentes for your destruction For your blasphemye cruelly chastised without fauour or remyssyon At the last for shorte conclusyon your heed smyten of / without grace If ye were knowne or founden in this place In this mater I can none other fele For your persone somwhat I stande in doute you ben here / yet I shall counsayle And you preserue that no man shall take hede Of your consayte / nor what ye mene in dede And with that worde / out of the place he goth Sheweth a chere lyke as he had bene wroth By grace of god and fauour of fortune All that he sayde was done with reuerence Of gentylnes he was not importune Suffered all thynge with humble pacience Albeit so he gafe no full credence To his doctrine of thynges whiche he tolde Stode in doute / what partie he shulde holde Albon in hast thought for the best whan Lucyna shone full shene and bryght with slepe oppressed for to take his rest Amphibalus satte all that longe nyght Vpon his knees as gods owne knyght For loue of Albon with great deuotion Makyng full mekely his orison To whose prayer of grace god toke kepe And lyste to consydre his affection And in this whyle as Albon lay and slepe The same nyght he had a vision Straunge and dyuers by manyfolde reason And wonder fer from his intelligence what it ment or what was the sentence Towarde morowe whan Albon dyd abrayde Out of his slepe / and Phebus shone full shene Gan to maruayle / and no worde he sayde Touchyng his dreame / newe fresshe and grene Vnderstode not what it shulde mene Rose vp in haste / and to the pylgryme went Besechyng hym to declare what it ment My frende quod he / if all thynge be trewe whiche ye haue preached of Christ & of his lawe Dyuers maruayles vnknowne straunge & newe Shewed to me this nyght or it can dawe I you beseche your witte ye nat withdrawe For to declare the exposition whan I haue tolde you myn auision The whiche truly as I reherce can Lokyng vp to the heuenly mansion Me thought sothly that I sawe a man From that place to this worlde come down Of whose beautie was no comparysown Eke me thought of boystous folke & rude He was beset with a great multitude This people enuious & frowarde of entent As it semed of malyce and hatered with many a sondry fell turment with sharpe scourges made his sydes blede Bounde his handes / I toke therof good hede And on a crosse they hang hym vp full blyue with spere and nayles they yafe him woundes fyue Naked he was / body / fote / and hondes On length and brede drawen with great peyne By the constreynt of myghty stronge bondes Drawen a sonder was euery narfe and veyne with a sharpe spere his herte clouen in twene Persed he was so depe and profounde That bloude and water ranne out of that wounde with a reede spere they raught I toke hede To gyue hym drynke / eysell mengled with gall A crowne of thorne set vpon his heed And amonge his cruell paynes all Kynge of iewes in scorne they hym call And in despite malycyously cryenge Of Iewery saluted hym as kynge As me thought they greately dyd offende To make all his body so for to blede And from the crosse downe bad hym discende If that he were gods sonne in dede His skynne to rent / all blody was his wede Lyke a meke lambe / myne herte dyd agryse To se hym turment in so cruell wyse After these paynes greuous and intollerable And all his hydous mortall tourmentry with a great voyce pitous and lamentable Vpon the poynte / whan he shulde die To his father thus he gan to crye In to thyne handes father I commende My goste / my spirite / and thus he made an ende And with that crye as he yafe vp the go● From the crosse his body they toke downe Lyke well stremes vpon euery coost His grene woundes shed out great ●oyson Of blody droppes / and for a conclusyon Of all his paynes / his body was anone Closed and ensealed vnder a great stone And whyle that he with stronge honde was kept close Maruayle of maruayles most I can maruayle The deed body / to lyfe agayne rose Maugre the knyghtes with all plate and mayle A soden slombre theyr hedes dyd assayle An angell moste souerayne of delyte I sawe appere / and he was clothed in whyte Amonge other maruayles there was one whiche I behelde in myne auision Out of his graue closed with a stone He rose vp lyke a stronge champyon with open eien I had aspection Of all this thyng no parte lefte behynde From poynt to poynt all marked in my mynde Rad nor songen amonge the Brytons layes was neuer herde so soote an heuenly sowne After the nombre full of forty dayes Folowed after the resurrection To the tyme of his assention what multytude of angels all in fere Conueyde hym aboue the sterres clere I sawe this thyng and knewe it well ynowe By a maner vncouth apparence The garmentes whytter than mylke or snowe Of all th angels that dyd hym reuerence This was theyr songe and refret in sentence Blessed be the father / blessed mote he be The sonne eke blessed in his humanyte These vncouth tydynges I sawe them in my slepe And many other thynges mo withall Secrete thynges I toke of them good kepe Not to be shewed to no man mortall And he tolde vnto Amphibell all whan he a woke in full humble entent Besechyng hym to declare what it ment whiche thynges to here greatly was delyted within hym selfe of spirituall gladnes Saw that his herte was of god visited And full deuoutly a crosse he gan forth dresse Lo here quod he / this token beareth wytnesse Of all the signes clere as the sonne beame That were vnto you shewed in your dreame The man whiche to you dyd appere Sent from heuen so fayre and glorious He was the same as I shall you lere My blessed lorde / myn owne lorde Christ Iesus Most benyng / moste meke / and most vertuous whiche on a crosse suffred passion As ye sawe clerely in your auision Only by mercy by his gratious aduise Of the trespas to make redemption Touchyng the aple / whiche in paradise Adam ate of by false suggestion Of a serpent to great confusion Fyrst of hym selfe / nexte of all his lyne Tyll Christis passyon / that was our medycyne Agayne Adam the serpent was so wode To staunche his venym was founde none obstacle Tyll on the crosse Christ Iesu spende his blode A medycyne bawme and chyefe triacle Lycour of lycours / dystyllyng by myracle From the cundytes of Christis woundes fyne Man to restore ayen from deth to lyue whose blessed passyon is our restauratyfe Helth and diffence of moste excellence To asswage the bolynge of our mortall stryfe Bawme imperyall agaynst fendes violence The phylosophre celestiall queynt essence To all welfare mankynde to restore Helpeth all sykenesses / whan leches can no more Our leche / our ypocras / our gostely galyent Our samson called that venquisshed the lyon Our myghty champyon the famous stronge Achilles That bare vp heuen for our saluation Hye on the crosse makyng our raunson He that ye sawe was the same man In your auision that ouercame Sathan The multytude that aboue hym stoode were false iewes / his deth immagynyng Of cursed malyce / nayled hym to the rodde Lyst not receyue his gratious comyng Of theyr prophetes refused the wrytyng Knewe not theyr lorde / but as folke aduersary For his goodnes / were to hym contrary Mercyfull Iesu gayn deth to stynte our stryfe Lyst suffre deth / from deth to make vs free Venquisshed deth / with deth to brynge in lyfe whan lyfe was slayne an high vpon a tree Forbode frute / brought immortalyte By a rounde aple was caused all this losse By frute refourmed / that henge vpon the crosse Let me I praye you haue veray knowlegyng By your discrete faythfull diligence As ye that ben experte in many a thyng what obseruaunce / what due reuerence Vnto the father and his magnificence To the holy goost / tell on fyrste of those two And to the sonne / what seruice shall I do whan Amphabell gan playnely to aduertise His faythfull askyng with all humylyte Gan reioyse in many sondry wyse This Albon where as he stode free was godly moued to aske of these thre By god enspired conceyued of reason Only of grace came this question Thanked god / and goodly gan hym dresse To comforte the trewe affection Of blessed Albon / and truely to expresse Hym to quite for shorte conclusyon Of his demaunde made a solution His conceytes discretely to appese Thus he sayde to set his herte in ease These thre persones / whiche ye haue named here The father the sonne the holy goste these thre Ben sothfastly lyke as ye shall here Truste me ryght well on god in trinite Ioyned in one by perfyte vnite Beleue this iustly / and your wyttes dresse For lyfe or deth / this article to confesse This is my fayth / and I beleue thus Quod blessed Albon with all humylyte There is no god but my lorde Iesus whiche that come downe from his fathers see Mekely to take our humanyte For our helth and our saluation Lyst of his mercy to suffre passyon He with the father the holy goste these thre Amphibalus rehersyng vnto Albon They be all one god by perfyte vnite And other god in all the worlde is none And this belefe loke ye not forgone This worde ofte rehersed in sentence Albon fell downe with deuoute reuerence Toforne the crosse / and with great repentance And sayde : O lorde Iesu on my mysdede O Iesu mercy / receyue my penaunce whiche on the crosse lyst for my sake to blede And on his knees fast he gan hym spede with contryte herte / great to god a lofte with wepyng teares the crosse he kyssed ofte with all his membres hath hym applyed As on the crosse Christ had be present And he with hym whan he was crucyfyed So of hole herte Albon was dilygent His face his eien with teares all be sprent This penitent his langour for to lysse was euer busye Christis fote to kysse His bytter teares from his eyen tweyne Lyke a christall well encreasyng at a floode Albon ay busy to make the water reyne To myngle his wepyng with Christis owne blode I mene the wounde grauen in the roode Vpon the crosse that was to hym shewed Of drery sobbyng the carectes all be dewed By grace enspired this Albon gan hym drawe To take the order of religion Of Christis fayth and bynde hym to that lawe with wyll and herte and hole affection And secretely made his professyon To Christe Iesu tyme and houre deuysed By Amphibalus whan he was baptysed with humble herte this was the langage Of holy Albon quod he I here forsake The pompe of Sathan / and all his baronage And all the power of the vggely fendes blake My soule and body to Iesus I betake whiche for mankynde dyed it is no nay Thus I beleue / and rose the thyrde day Quod Amphibalus with a glad visage Be stronge of fayth our lorde is holde with the He wyll not fayle to confyrme your corage By tokens shewed of his beningnyte In especiall reporteth this of me To other aforne you as I reherse can That they were taught / they lerned it of man But your langage excellyng in vertue Experience hath yeue you knowlegyng By reuelation of our lorde Iesu whiche to you hath declared euery thyng His byrth / his passyon / his vprysyng Of all this thyng lyke as ye had in syght To call you to hym to be his chosen knyght whiche me semeth ought ynough suffice with the surplus of your auision To you expouned the maner and the gyse Of Christis fayth with full instruction Mekely of herte with supportation At my request your highnes not ye greue For to departe goodly to yeue me leue I am meued of veray conscience Other contrees to preache Christis lawe I hope to you it shall do none offence For a season though I me withdrawe It is a by worde / and a full olde sawe whiche hath be sayd / fyth gone many a yere Frendes alway / may not ben in fere Frendes quod Albon neuer depart asonder Ioyned in vertue and knyt by grace Though one be here and a nother yonder Theyr hertes ben one euery houre and space In god combined / ther parteth them no place Of one wyllaye in that they haue to done Of whiche I praye / departeth not so sone To abyde a weke ye may do me great ease By your doctryne to haue instruction My lorde Iesu howe shall I hym please with ryght hole herte and true affection To serue hym duely lyke my profession And in his fayth wherin I moste delyte with your teachyng that I may be perfyte Amphibalus knowyng his entent Lyst in no wyse denye his askyng The longe nyght they to gether spent Only in prayer and deuoute praysyng For out of syght they chose theyr abydyng From noyse of folke they gan them selfe withdraw And all that whyle they spake of Christis law Of Christis fayth and of his religion was theyr fayth and theyr dalyance Amonge to god they mayde theyr orison Them to detende from fendes accombrance In this whyle god yafe them sory chaunce A cursed paynym of malyce and enuie where they met the place he dyd espie To auoyde them of comforte and refuge This paynym aforsayd of malyce lyst not spate For to accuse them bothe vnto the iudge Of theyr metyng the maner to declare And moreouer yuell mote he fare Of malycyous frowarde cursednes The iuge he set a fyre with wodenes with enuious sturdy violence Through the citie they serched were & sought And commaunded to appere in the presence Toforne the iuge both two to be brought The towne serched / but they founde them nought Blessed Albon meued of corage To kepe his maister & saue hym from damage Vpon a nyght before the dawnyng This blessed Albon his maister gan conueye with heuy chere most pituously wepyng Out of the citie brought hym on the waye At the departyng fared as they wolde dye So were theyr hertes ioyned in one cheyne Not lyke to twynne / tyl deth departe them in twayne O faythfull loue standyng in suche a state By resemblaunce in comparyson As whylome dyd Dauyd and Ionathas Maugre kyng Saules persecution Faynyng was none nor dissimulation Lyke to endure playnly to termyne Tyll Antropos theyr lyues tryed atwyne Theyr loue more sad stable and vertous In comparyson than the poetes made Of Pyrothe or of Thedeus Of Norestes / outher of Pylade Fresshe for a season / that wolde sone fade As whylome dyd the loue of Achylles And Patroclus slayne amyd the prees whan that Ector the Troyan champyon Slowe Patroclus for his frowardnes Maugre Achylles for all his high renown To exemplifie there is no stablenes In worldly loue / but chaunge and doublenes Be it of blode kynne or alye without vertue all standeth in ieoperdye Of these tweyne the loue was a nother By enterchaungyng / betwene them set a lawe Albon to abyde and to dye for his brother Amphibalus his presens to withdrawe In theyr hertes the feruence dyd adawe Of perfyte loue to endure longe As Salamon writeth / that loue as deth is stronge In all suche case the loue maketh hertes bolde And by ensample that loue auoydeth drede Albon for loue toke his cloth of golde And lyke a prince lyst to chaunge his wede Of entier herte he gan it for to sprede Ouer the shulders of Amphibali anone The houre whan they atwynne shulde gone From all his fone he iustly was assured who that euer had on this clothe of golde Tyll he the place fully haue recured To stande atlarge aforne as I haue tolde Thus with sobbyng and wepyng manyfolde God suffered them a sondry to deuyde Forsoke them not but was theyr bothes gyde A symple sclauenne fortorne and threde bare Of Amphabals a full olde garment This noble prince Albon lyst not spare To cast vpon hym though it were all to rent So hole to Christe was set all his entent And in his pouert to shewe that he was playne To his Tygurry returned home agayne Amphibalus northwarde to his passage There of herte / god to be his gyde For a tyme to eschewe the cruell rage Of paynyms as fortune lyst prouyde But holy Albon dyd the bront abyde To lyue and dye as goddis champyon Christ bare his standerd / the crosse was his penon His sodayn chaunce he helde it was no losse Forsoke ryches toke hym to pouerte His treasure was to knele aforne the crosse His hertie ioye and his felicite And for a whyle thus I let hym be In his prayers / and tel I wyll in dede Howe his enemyes agaynst hym procede There was a statute proclaymed in the towne who that wolde not do no reuerence Vnto theyr goddes / nor mekely knele downe In to theyr fyre for to cast ensence He shulde anone by cruell violence Be take and layde vpon an aulter bounde Toforne theyr goddes & slayne with many a wounde Of his body to make sacrifice Superstitious was this oblation whiche of newe paynyms gan practise Agayne the doctryne and predication By Amphybalus brought into the towne By the iudge set in ordynaunce On hym and Albon fyrst to do vengeance So to punysshe one and one by rowe without mercy or longe auisement To blessed Albon this statute was well knowe Bothe of theyr dome and cruell iugement And ay this prince / stable in his entent Made stronge in god / for lyfe or deth tendure The lordes hande / and his auenture whan somer floures blowed whyte and redde And were in theyr highest lusty fresshe season And fyry Phebus / from the crabbes hedde Toke his passage towarde the lyon At Verolamy / in that royall towne The same tyme paynyms haue auerted To Christis fayth / howe Albon was conuerted For whiche agaynst hym so obstynate they stode Lyke wylde boores or tygyrs in theyr rage Vengeable of herte furyous and wode Malancoly and pale of theyr visage And all the nyght with cursed fell langage Gan to manace lyke wolfes rauenous This blessed Albon and Amphibalus The darke tydes of the cloudy nyght withdrough theyr shadowes and their skyes blake And Lucyfer gan shewe his beames bryght And Aurora hath the bedde forsake Of fyry Titan and her leue take And Phebus Chariot draweth vp with flegoute And gan illumyne all the Orisoute The holsome bawme gan in meddowes flete Amonge the flowres and holsome leues grene The syluer dewe gan the soile to wete Lyke perles rounde as any christall shene whan nature of worldly thynges the quene Ordeyned a day of fresshenes plentous whan Albon was beseged in his hous The paynyms gan make theyr selfe stronge This noble prince Albon to pursewe Vpon that houre whan the larkes songe In theyr leden and gan the day salewe Theyr purpose was specially to sewe Amphibalus but that he was gon In stede of hym they fyll vpon Albon Aforne the crosse they founde hym knelyng In his prayer and they vpon hym went He rose vp and made no taryeng And the great multytude that the iuge sent Fell vpon hym and lyke wolfes hym rent In theyr furyous mortall fell deluge They hym present anon afore the iuge Meke as a lambe of porte and chere benynge To done his batayle / lyke Christis owne knyght His banner was his standerde and his signe The crosse of Iesu / whiche he bare vpryght Magre paynyms in theyr alder syght Lyke a champyon agayn them to warrye Vnder that penon cast hym to lyue and dye God was with hym to susteyn his partie Stedfast of herte / hardy as a lyon Put his lyfe for Christ in ieopertye Of body naked / trouthe was his habergon His shelde was fayth / his sworde and his burdon His spere his pollax / surer than stele to endure was only hope / the victorie to recure His sabbatons set on grounde of trouthe And his greues forged with stabilnes And his polayns plyant without flouthe And his quisshews borne vp with high prowesse A payre of curesse / closed with ryghtwysenesse And his vauntbrace was truste that went beforne Rerebrace of charyte / which myght not be forlorne Gloues of plate to beare of and defende was true affection medled with the dede A large pauice greatly to commende Of trewe meanyng to auoyde away all drede And thus in trouthe who so lyst take hede All in vertues enarmed for defence with a cote armour aboue of pacience Charyte was chefe of his counsayle Taught hym the maner / agayn his cruell sone Howe that he shulde do to his great auayle Enter in to the felde / and knyghly to gone All that it so were / that he was but alone His banner splayed / full erly on the morowe Grace was his guyde with saynt Iohn to borowe Fyrst he was led by mortall violence Drawe and torne in moste cruell wyse The holy crosse vp borne for his defence And brought he was to do sacrifice Vnto theyr ydols / but he them dyd dispise Asclypiodot the iuge there present And all the citie gathered of entent This goddes knyght holdyng the crosse in honde Inuisible by vertue of that signe And paynyms that aboute hym stonde Cruell and cursed agayn hym gan malygne Though they were there borne of one lyne The iuge troubled whan that he toke hede Of Christis crosse / & had in maner drede Albon alway this prince full notable Stode ay vpryght with loke moste coragious Euer of one herte / as any centre stable The crosse afforne banner most gloryous Moste agreable and moste victorious And fyrste of all the story doth vs lere Of his maister / the iudge of hym dyd enquere And asked of hym to what partie he was gone By his sleyght and his vncouth wyle whiche dispysed theyr goddes euery chone Come of nowe theyr citie to begyle At whose wordes Albon stynt a whyle And sayde at last with sobre countenaunce He was departed by goddes ordynaunce Quod the iuge where euer that he be Either embesyled orels set a syde Touchyng the fayth that he hath taughte to the And therin ben thy maister and thy guyde And is nowe fledde / and durst not abyde By his doctryne a reason full notable His preachyng is nought or he is not stable I trowe he wolde haue come to presence If in his fayth had be no varyance Other some remors of his conscience Hath cast his herte in newe repentance If he had had in his fayth constance Lyke a maister he shulde nat haue gone And his disciple in myschefe leaue alone In this doctryne as to myne entent There is disceyte vnder some falsenes Or in his teachyng he is fraudolent whiche the brought in so great wodenes To forsake thy treasure and ryches Of all our goddes in so frowarde wyse Of wylfulnes / and malyce them to dispise Thou standist nowe in a full perlous poynt The clerke hath brought the in so great a snare And set thy reason so farre out of ioynt And made thy wyt so naked and so bare That thou arte pleynly to declare In Christis cause / and so from our fayth to erre Agayne all our goddes to begyn mortall warre whiche thynge consydered / as it is skylle & ryght And egally paysed in balaunce wronge to do them by any maner wyght Nother by fauour / frendshyp / nor suffraunce May not passe without great vengeaunce Vpon blasphemy the lawe doth ordeyne Agayn the goddes / deth to be theyr peyne Vnto a foole thou gafe hasty credence And by his foly he hath the begyled Fyrst to the goddes / thou dost no reuerence Of despite wylte not be reconsyled Thou farest as a man whiche is vnabyled Stondyng as nowe from grace desolate Vyle and abiecte out of thyne olde estate In suche case eche man may be disceyued By suche false foren information But nowe thyne errour is clery apperceyued So by counsell / for thy saluation Or thou incurre the indignation And or iugement by rygour the manare Forsake that seete / fall downe and axe grace To thyne estate thou mayst thus be restored with humble herte / do them sacrifyce And thy treasure & thy ryches shal be mored And encreased in many a sondry wyse To great worshyp / and sodeynly aryse Of townes / castels / lorde we shall the make So thou wylte the fayth of Christe forsake Of herte and thought very indiuisybel Albone stode hole and kept his grounde & place The iuges promysse flateryng and fallybel Boystous threatnynges / with whiche he gan manace Voyde of drede / of one chere / and one face This manly prince / this hardy knyght Albon Stode betwene bothe / stable as any stone To the iuge sayde as ye shall here Thy manaces nor promys of pleasance In frowarde speche / nor thy frownyng chere Shall me not meue on poynt from my constaunce In Christ Iesu / is hole my suffisance For me lyst not here longe processe to deuise Thy golde thy treasure thy goddes I despise And where thou hast my maister eke accused Of inconstance / and duplicite Be ryght well sure god hath hym excused That he dyd / the counsell come of me He fled not god wote for feare of the I was assented to kepe hym absence And elles he had come to audience From the trouthe me lyst not to declyne All thy wordes be sayde but in vayne Of my maister / I confesse the doctryne For lyfe nor deth / neuer to turne agayne From Christis fayth / whiche standeth in certeyne For it causeth folkes lame to go vpryght And folkes blynde to recure theyr syght This fayth so hole infyxed is in my mynde Vnto me more precious and more dere Than all the stones / that comen out of Inde Or all the ryches that thou rehersyst here Golde or treasure / rekened all in feare worldly worshyps / pompe or veynglorye To fayth compared be thynges transytorye . This faythe in god maketh me so ryche and stronge All worldely good for it I do despise what shulde lenger drawe the alonge To false goddes in no maner of wyse I wyll not do worshyp nor sacrifise Echon ben false and haue nother wit nor wynde ye that serue them be very mad or blynde Most deceyuable whan a man hath nede Ben your goddes with all your mawmetrye It hath ben proued aforne in my kynred And many other borne of myn allye All suche rascayle of purpose I defye False and faylyng of olde tyme and newe To all theyr seruauntes of custome most vntrewe I cast neuer with them to haue a do Nor make fyre vpon theyr aulteris This is myn answere take good hede therto Nor none ensence cast in theyr senseres Nor knele aforne them this . C.M. yeres This is in somme for one worde and all My last wyll and answere fynall . with this answere ther rose vp a sodeyn crye Noyse of the people clamour and wepyng Aboute the martyr they wente busylye Lyke wodemen vpon hym gauryng He herde all theyr speche / spake agayn nothyng The iuges manace / the peoples violence He suffred all / and kept his pacience The people agayne hym vengeable and cruell Vnto theyr temples brought hym anone ryght By violence they gan hym to compell To theyr goddes to offre and to set vp lyght Blessed Albon as goddes owne knyght Stable of herte / and hole in his entent To sacrifice wolde neuer assent The people then in theyr furyous hete By the iewes cruell commaundement They strypte hym fyrst / and with scourges bete Tyll his body and skynne was all to rent But he with glad chere sufferde his torment His eien vplyfte / to god began abrayde And to the lorde deuoutly thus he sayde Lorde god quod he kepe myn inwarde thought Graunt of thy grace in my greuous payne Pacience / that I ne grudge nought Of thy mercy O Iesu not disdeyne My freyle flesshe / from murmour to restreyne Syth that my wyll stant hole without stryfe To the to offre my soule and eke my lyfe Remembre the lorde on thy seruant Albone For nother flody stormes / wynde / nor reyne May hurte that house bylte on stable stone And semblably it is full selde seyne who byldeth in Christe / byldeth not in veyne Syth my byldyng stant holy in thy grace Suffre not my wyll remeue from this place My voyce / my tonge / my wyll fully record All of assent without excepcion For lyfe for dethe they neuer shall discord But thou Iesu madest our redemption Nowe by the vertue of thy passyon O blessed lorde graunt me constance Amonge the paynes hole wyll and meke suffrance whyles the martyr was scourged and bete This was his voyce / on Christ Iesu to cry To call his helpe wolde neuer lete Nother for smerte / nor paynfull tormentrye Vnto paynyms lawe / he wolde neuer applye Nother for manace rebuke nor rygour For fayre speche / for promysse nor fauour Lyke a dyamande he wolde not be broke Nor restreyned from his olde constance From Christis fayth they myght not reuoke with all theyr fayned wordes of pleasance Than was he put vnder gouernance Of the iuge / as a lambe amonge houndes Full syxe wekes not to passe his boundes Duryng this tyme the boke maketh mention He streytly kept of moo than one or twayne Lyke a martyr holde in streyte pryson Myght not reche further than his cheyne The elementes his wronges gan to compleyne In theyr maner agaynst natures lawe Theyr benefytes of kynde to withdrawe Vpon the erthe / on herbe / grasse / nor floure On all these thre was no dewe sene The grounde to cherysshe come nother rayne nor shoure For no moisture fell vpon the grene Flora slepte / that is the floures quene Eolus the smothe wyndes softe All this whyle enspired not alofte The erthe scaldeth with the feruence of the sonne Hete on nyghtes was intollerable There grewe no frute / the skyes were so donne Greynes come none / vplande was not erable Thus by a maner complaynt lamentable Heuen and erthe complayned them of ryght The iniurie done vnto goddes knyght The people playned for lackyng of vitayle Demed it cause of some sorsery That Thelementis lyst to holde a batayle For Christis knyght to holde vp his partye Agayne myscreantes with theyr tormentrye Magre theyr malyce to make the martyr stronge To shewe by signes the paynyms dyd him wronge Astlepeodet syttyng as iuge than Though he to Albon had great hatered yet bicause of Dioclesyan To slee the martyr durst not procede Tyll he had sent letters as I rede To th emperour rehersyng howe Albon Forsaken had theyr goddes euery chone Enformyng hym of his obstinacy Howe all theyr goddes he set also at nought And howe theyr power pleynly he doth defye And was made christen of herte wyll and thought And hath also subtylly wayes thought The peoples hertes from our goddes withdrawe In theyr despyte to folowe a newe lawe But the great and kynde famylyaryte whiche Albon had with the emperour Bycause also of his great dignite And of his kynne had so great fauour That the iudge drad for to do rygour Vpon this prince of deth or cruelte Tyll from the emperour he had auctorite And but there done great execution By hygh aduise of all the hole empire To punysshe all tho from false rebellyon whiche to destroye your goddes so desyre with whiche letters the emperour set a fyre Abode no lenger / but hastyly gan ordeyne To sende his felowe downe into Brytayne And in great hast the story telleth expresse Dioclesyan hath sent a great power with Maxymyan called Herculesse Into Braytayne to serche out the mattier wher that any were founde farre or nere Of Christis fayth to sleyne euerychone without mercy / except only Albon His lyfe to saue by a condition If to theyr sectes he wolde agayne restore From Christis loore / turne his opinion Of theyr goddes / the stantes to support To Dioclesyan that they may report Howe that Albon doth hym sore repent To Christis fayth / that he dyd assent Made hym promyse / so that he wolde turnen To theyr idols / with fayned fayre langage Amonge with thretninges they dayly him adiuren To peruerte his herte and his corage But euer ylyche of chere and of visage Betwen fyre & water / now harde now blandysshyng From his constance they myght hym neuer bryng Lyke a stronge towre bylte on a hygh mountayne Toke none hede of theyr monitions Stode in our fayth so stable and so certayne Theyr ryche promysse of castels and of towns with many lordshyps in dyuers regyons He set at nought / by grace and by vertue His grounde to stable he abode in Christ Iesue Than by precepte of Dioclesyan If he not chaunge for fayrenes nor for drede The charge was yeuen to Maxymyan By iugement and dome to taken hede To assigne a knyght to smyten of his hede Suche one as had in knyghthode hygh renoune Shulde on this prince done executioune This was so commaunded by sentence Of the emperour that Amphibalus If he were take by notable violence without mercy shulde be serued thus By iugement cruell and furyous Made naked fyrst and to a stake bounde At his nauyll made a large wounde He compelled amonge the cruell route At the nauyll his bowels to be take And his guttes serched rounde aboute Lyke a longe rope tyed to a stake And of his lyfe so an ende make And at laste voyde of all pytye Smyte of his heed by furyous cruelty . This was the dome touchyng the tormentes Of blessed Albon and Amphibalus Falsely concluded in the iugementes Of Maxymyan / myn auctor telleth thus with Asclepeodet wode and contraryus In that citie bothe two there present In Verolamy / whiche yafe this iugement The citezyns gathered enuiron For this matter with great diligence Bothe of London and many other towne Of iugement to here that sentence youen vpon Albon in open audience Vnder these wordes put in remembrance As ye shall here rehersed in substaunce Tyme of the emperour Dioclesyan whan he stode hyest in his maiestie At Verolamy the story tell can whan Albon was lorde of that citie Tho days called for his dignitie Recorde of cronycles / whiche lyst not feyne Prince of knyghtes and stewarde of Bretayne Duryng his lyfe to haue possession All his power aforne hath be practysed But nowe for he by false rebellyon Of wylfulnes and malyce hath despysed Beforne these dayes by antiquite deuised The olde worshyps notable and famous Done to Iubyter Appollo and Venus For whiche cause let euery man take hede Lyke as the lawe concludeth of ryght By iugement in hast he to be dede His hede smyten of fyrst in the peoples syght By the handes of some olde worthy knyght Bycause the martyr was of high renowme There shulde a knyght done execution By dome also after whan he were deed The place assigned by sorte or auenture From the body / whan parted was the heed The corps there shulde haue his sepulture Passyng an other priuate creature There to be grauen the body with the heed Ioyned to gether in a great chest of leed with hym buryed his crosse and his sclaueyne A large tombe for a memoryall This was the dome of the iuges tweyne In Verolame citie full royall To auenge theyr goddes infernall Vpon Albon whan they dyd deme Agayne theyr lawes for a false blaspheme Dempte he was cause of mysauenture That theyr landes brought forth no grayne The benefytes withdrawen of nature To cherisshe theyr frute come noder dew nor reyne By sodeyn vengeance as ye haue herde me seyne Diuersely theyr sorowes were made double To fynde the cause what made all this trouble Either it come by some frowarde aduenture By wytchecrafte or by sorcery whiche so longe vpon them doth endure Either by artmagyke or by nygramancy Eche dempt after his fantasy within the citie they sayd eke many one It come for vengeance of saynt Albone with this sodeyn vnware aduersite I troubled was all the regyon Of Verolamy the greattest of that citie Made amonge them a conuocation Of all the countre / citie / borough / and towne The wysest come downe from eche partie Agaynst this myschefe to shape a remedye Amonge them selfe cast a prouydence wronge that was don to Albon in that towne Agaynst trouthe and good conscience Of this myschefe / was chefe occasyon And by assent to relece his prison Theyr aduersite so myght be amended By meane of hym / to whom they had offended Barefote and bare whan that he was take Lyke a prisoner brought to theyr presence Of this matter a counsell they gan make Dempt of reason in hym was none offence For at them selfe began the violence And he stode quite in theyr opinion Of his iniury hauyng compassyon They consydered his blode and his kynred His alyaunce and his hygh noblesse For they stode a parcell in great drede All the citie troubled with heuynesse To se theyr lorde brought in suche distresse Causyng that citie and that famous towne To stande in rumour and great discention Seinge theyr stewarde that was so noble a knight And a man fre borne of that citie His famous lyne downe descendyng ryght From the Romayns of olde antiquite By comparyson the cronycle who lyst se The stocke conueyed of hym that was so good First from Troyans and from Romayn blode Fyrst from the partye / for to speake of Troye He had with Ector magnanimyte Of whose noblesse all Brytayne may haue ioye Sad a Scipion voyde of duplicite And Verolamy that famous olde citie May well reioyse / renewed euer in lyche with his relyques that it is made so ryche And to reherse of his conditions A ryghtfull prince in all his gouernance In hym was neuer founde occasyons Of frowarde meanyng / nor double varyance Neuer ment to no man displeasance Peysed all this alas voyde of refuge Nowe lyke a thefe he stande aforne the iuge But to refourme his byrth and lyberte The chefe of the citie dyd theyr busy payne This noble prince amonge them to go free From bonde or fetters / or noyse of any chayne But therupon the martyr gan complayne within hym selfe leste suche noyse and sown In any wyse shulde let his passyon That kynde of mercy / whiche they dyd hym shewe Of his paynes by a maner of allegeaunce The martyr 〈◊〉 to speake in wordes fewe It was to hym moste odious vengeaunce For his desyre and his herty pleasance was only this shorte processe to make To suffre dethe only for Christis sake with herty sobbyng profounde and depe Towarde heuen mekely he kest his syght Of inwarde constreynt pitously can wepe The crosse aforne hym deuoutly helde vpryght Cryenge to Iesu haue mercy on thy knyght Let not the fende by no collusyon Stere the people to let my passyon To the people turnyng his knyghtly face Sayd vnto them of herte and hole corage your fayned fauour your dissymuled grace May in this case do me none auauntage Fully disposed to perfourme my viage For to accomplysshe lyke as I haue begon In Christ Iesu my tryumphe may be won Syth I am redy for to endure payne Of my free wyll why suffre ye so longe Of my desyre I desyre moste souerayne For Christis sake to endure paynes stronge My martyrdome / why do ye so prolonge In your ententagayne me ye do erre That I do couet so longe to differre I maruayle howe ye may susteyne Of neglygence so longe to abyde whyle the martyr is newe fresshe and grene Execution for to set a syde Loke your statutes and therupon prouyde Vnto your goddes reporteth how that I Of all the worlde am theyr most ennemy Syth they be wrought of men that ben mortall Vnworthy preued to beare any dignitie But forged ydols of stones and metall Falsely vsurped agayne the deyte Foles do wronge to knele vpon theyr knee For who calleth to them they yeue none audience Domme as a stocke / voyde of intelligence A fole is he amonge foles all To a blynde stocke / that kneleth to haue syght And so is he that doth for strength call To hym that hath no power nor no myght Can not discerne betwene darkenes and lyght Large lypped wordes haue they none Of tonge meued / as any stocke or stone O fruteles hope / O false trust dispayred O vanyte / O rudenes detestable O apparence with manhode foule appared O ignorance passyng abhomynable O Idolaters of corage most vnstable why worshyp ye in your conceytes blynde Cursed mawmets / that haue nother wyt nor mynde They be proued worse of condition Lasse of power sothely than be ye Of worldly thynges ye haue inspection They haue great eien yet they may not se Boistous handes / they fele nothyng parde Theyr armes longe they make no diffence with theyr defe eares may haue none audience what thynge is worse than yeue the souereynts Of your handwarke to forge fals ymages Defe blynde and dombe / vnto whose deyte Though ye call ay afforne theyr visages They knowe nothyng th entent of your langages Of all fyue wyttes they be so defectyfe what causeth this / but lacke of soule and lyfe For howe myght he verrayle in dede without felyng of ioye or heuynes Restore to lyfe folkes that ben deed Or make them hole that playne of theyr sykenes For all distresse disceyte or doublenes Of worldely myscheues sought on eche partie was fyrst brought in by false ydolatrye A man that hath memory of reason whom god hath made lyke to his ymage Is foule blent in his discretion To fals ydols to knele or do homage wo be to them ruyne and damage Trouble myschyefe vnto one and all To suche mawmettry that for helpe call whan the paynyms herde and vnderstode That they myght not remoue his conscience From Christ Iesu that dyed vpon the rode For fayre nor foule / for fauour nor violence To do by theyr counsell and all of one sentence A place assigned lyke theyr opinion Shulde at Holmehurst suffre his passyon In theyr opinion by controuersye Stode at debate as they were applyed what maner deth Albon shulde dye whiche hath theyr goddes and theyr secte denyed Some of a crosse wolde haue hym crucyfyed Other there were / that dyd in malice raue wolde haue hym quicke karued in his graue Some also aforne or he were deed Of false enuie and furyous wodenes wolde haue his eien out of his heed That he shulde in myschefe of blyndnes All desolate and abiecte in darkenes Folowe his maister with his eien blynde Of auenture tyll he myght hym fynde Echeon concludyng that he shall be deed And fynally thus was theyr iugement Lad to Holmehurst there smyte of his heed The cruell iuges with paynyms of assent Lyke a lambe / monges wolfes all to rent Towarde his dethe and pitous passyon In cheynes bounde led hym through the towne No fauour shewed lettyng nor obstacle But cruell rygour voyde of all pitie Lyke as men gone to some vncouth spectacle People come downe his martyrdome to se The iuge alone lefte in the citie Lyke turmentours this was theyr furyous cry Out of this towne drawe forth our ennemy By experience at eye ye may deme Lyke his desert so foloweth hym his chaunce To our goddes moste odious blaspheme Grounde and gynnyng of our sodeyn greuance On whom they lyst to shewe theyr vengeance This was theyr noyse far from all reason As they hym lad towarde his passyon There was so great concors of folkes aboute The multytude gan alway to multiplie Of paynyms contagious was the route The grounde so full on euery partie Men myght vnneth any space espie To stande vpon / myn auctor lyst not feyne whan blessed Albon was led towarde his peyne The feruent hete of the sommer sonne Hath with his streames / the soile so clad & brent Vp in the lyon as his course hath ronne with his brennyng the grounde was almost shent Vnder the fete where as the people went The soyle so hote of sodeyn auenture For enchaufynge they myght not endure Lastynge this hete / whan Phebus shone so clere The people in nombre waxed more then lasse Tyll that they come to a great ryuere whose sturdy wawis wolde not suffre them passe The great depenes gan them to manasse The brydge streite / the people so great and huge That many one were dreynt in that diluge Great preace of people downe to the water cam The ryuer depe / the brydge narowe & small They that coude ouer the ryuer swam who that coude not turned ouer as a ball The comberous preace caused many a fall The noyse was great the rumour & complaynt In his passage of people that was dreynt Fauour was none of brother vnto brother They were so busy to passe the ryuer In that great pryde eche man oppressed other To passe the brydge there was so great daungere The hete importable that tyme of the yere Caused many one / whiche on the brydge stode For great fayntnes / to fall in to the flode This great myschefe whan Albon gan beholde Moued of mercy and of compassyon with wepyng eyen as they water wolde Vnto the erthe fyll on his knees downe His loke vpcast with great deuotion Towarde heuen makyng his prayere To Christ Iesu sayde as ye shall here O lorde Iesu out of whose blessed syde whan thou for man were nayled on the rode Through whose herte / there dyd a spere glyde At whiche wounde ranne water out and blode O blessed lorde moste mercyfull and good So as I sawe in myn auisyon Out of thyn herte two lycours ranne adown That is to say / red bloud and water clere Those two lycours of our redemption At my request drye vp this ryuer Staunche the floode and here myn oryson And take this people vnder thy protection Suffre that they with dry fete may wende Of my passyon to se an ende And whyls the teares from his eien ranne Downe by his chekes on eche partie By deuout prayer of this holy man All sodeynly the ryuer was made drye The flode staunched and vanysshed as a skye He neded not the maner out to serche whan god by grace lyst any thynge to werche For he that made maugre Pharao The people of Israell passe the red see with drye fete / the same lorde euen so was that Albon kneled vpon his knee Prayeng the lorde of grace and pitie Graunt the people to haue inspection And passe the ryuer to sen his passyon An vncouth maruayle / a gracious myracle Folkes drounde / lowe at the bottom sayne with goddes myght / where may be none obstacle The ryuer drye / founde was agayne Voyde of moysture / smothe was and playne Of the holy martyr / the vertue alway mored Folke aforne drownde / to lyfe were restored No token of deth was in theyr faces sayne But quicke and lyuely to euery mannes syght These great myracles notable in certayne Fyrst of the ryuer / dryed by goddes myght All this consydered the selfe same knyght whiche was assigned for to do vengeaunce On blessed Albon / fyll in repentance The same knyght astonyed and aferde whiche through Albon towarde his passyon Of god visited / cast away his swerde Afore the martyr / mekely kneled adowne And vnto god made his confessyon Besechyng Albon of comforte and socour In humble wyse beknowyng his errour Seruant of god / O blessed man Albon Thy god only / is very god certayne There is no god sothly but he alon All other goddes bere here name in veyne By the myracles / whiche that I haue seyne I dare affirme / the trouth it doth well preue He is very god / on whom that I beleue I wote ryght wele he is myghty and is good For in a moment / through his magnyfycence At thy request voyded hath the flood As lorde of lordes moste digne of reuerence None lyke to hym of power and potence whiche on this erthe as souerayne lorde and kynge Passyng all other / doth maruayles in werchynge Set all a syde the dede beareth wytnes Of no collusyon nor of no false apparaunce Of godly myght shewyng his greatnes Ryght as it is in very existence For whiche I aske of all olde neglygence Mercy / and pray for my trespace O glorious martyr / that lorde to do me grace There is no lorde / but only Christe Iesus He is my lorde and I wyll be his knyght whiche made these stremes to departe thus A great myracle wrought in the peoples syght His power is great / and he is moste of myght All fals goddes here I do forsake And to his mercy all holy I me take This knyght by grace thus sodeynly conuerted The name of whom was Araclius whiche thynge whan paynyms haue aduerted They fell vpon hym as wolfes dispitous Touchyng the ryuer / sayd it was not thus It weren theyr goddes and none other wyght That wrought this myracle by theyr great myght Our myghty goddes most famous and most good Of theyr benyngne gracious influence They haue auoyded this ryuer and this flood Of whose secretes we haue experience And in effecte full notable euidence whiche for our sake / if it be well sought For our passage this myracle haue we wrought For to accomplysshe that we haue begon Agayn our moste enemy lyke to our entention Our god most myghty the fyry feruent sonne with his great hete and beames yuyronne Hath rauysshed with a shorte conclusyon This gloryous Phebus with his streames clere The watry moysture of this great ryuere They haue consydered our great deuotion whiche we haue towarde theyr deyte Howe we labour for execution Agayne theyr moste ennemy founde in the citie But for hynder theyr magnanymytie Though thou in contrary accordyst with Albon Hast an opinion agaynst vs euerychone Thus was theyr langage and theyr dalyance Of hatefull malyce agaynst this trewe knyght with great rebukes for his repentance Fyll vpon hym lyke wolfes anone ryght And called hym in all the peoples syght To theyr goddes he was a fals blaspheme worthy to dye / of malyce thus they deme Ranne vpon hym with paynes full vncouth Of great malyce they had vnto Albon Fyrst they smyten the tethe out of his mouthe And there they brake his bones euerychone without wounde membre was lefte none Of mynde of herte alway hole he stode For in his brest the fayth of Christe abode Only by grace he had this auantage In his belefe so holy dyd he stande whiche for his fayth myght suffre no damage Kepte his promyse / whiche he toke in hande He lefte halfe deed lyeng vpon the strande Fro wycke or worse / fro cryme to cryme in dede Lyke homycydes the paynyms gan procede with broke bones / this pytous wounded knyght was on the stronde lefte with deedly chere Pale of hewe / myght not syt vpryght As the story in order doth vs lere By many a stubbe and many a sharpe brere Barefote they led hym / voyde of compassyon This blessed Albon towardes his passyon That he was bare the traces were welll seyne For with his blode the soile was dyed redde Made his passage towarde a hygh mounteyne Through sharpe stones / quare as speres hedde Thus entreated aforne or he was deed without wepyng / what erthely creature Myght se a prince / suche deadly payne endure Stedfast of herte his trust wolde neuer fayle Grounded in god and in his fayth so stable Goth vp the hyll to accomplysshe his batayle And there were people veryly innumerable The sonne was hote / the hete importable In poynt almost with feruence and with dust To slee the people with a sodeyn thurst Constrayned with hete gan cry eche one Of cursed malyce and great malyncoly Vpon the martyr made assaute anone And sayde through his magyke and his sorcery That they were lyke through mortall thurst to dye Agaynst whose deedly furyous cruelte Blessed Albon gan shewe his charyte To pray for them that dyd hym moste turment This was his custome and his olde vsage with hole herte and humble trewe entent Prayed god with teares in his visage Of this myschefe to stynt the great rage That the people shulde in no degre Bicause of hym to suffre aduersyre O lorde quod he / for thy heuenly empire Lyke as thou arte most myghty of pusance Thy smothe wynde by grace let enspire Called zepherus to do them allegeance This rygours eyre with dewe of attemperance Betwene hote and colde set a meane in dede Or thou do vengeance mercy may procede Of this myschefe ordeyne a relece without vengeance suffre people gone That whylom madest thy seruant Moyses with his yerde to smyte vpon a drye stone At whose touchyng come water out anone Nowe gracious lorde with newe stremes fresshe On this hyll these people do refresshe Thy gratious mercy from them do not expelle Of blessed Albon rehersed this prayer At his tete anone sprange vp a well Full plentous with cristall stremes clere A wonders thynge / and a maruaylous to here From a drye hyll of moystyr voyde at all To se spryng a well clerer than cristall Of whiche water there was so great foyson And of that sprynge so gracious habundance That from aboue there came a ryuer downe This holsom streme was of so great pleasaunce To staunche theyr thurst founde ther suffisance The hete aswaged the people out of dispreyre By goddes grace so temperate was the eyre Thus was the people refresshed at theyr lust By the holy martyr mercyfull and good yet of false malyce they had a frowarde thurst In theyr corages lyke furyous folke and wode Agayne nature for to shede blode The blode of hym / whiche in theyr disease By his prayer theyr myschefe dyd appese Theyr thurste was staunched / they were refresshed wele But a false thurst of malyce and hatered In theyr desyres / was staunched neuer a dele They were besye the blys full blode to shed Of hym that holpe them in great nede Lyke blasphemous / makyng a false obstacle Gaue vnto the sonne thanke for this myracle with voyce vpraysed falsely they began Thus they sayde of outragyous clamour Praysyng and laude be to you the sonne whiche in this myschefe hath be our sauiour Staunched our thurst / with his gracious lycour By his beames moste fresshe and clere shynyng Vs to releue made a well vp spryng .
Verba translatoris O people vnkynde blynded with fals errour O frowarde people / rude / dull / and obstinate O beastiall folke / forthest from all sauour Of grace and vertue / o people infortunate In your conceyte / o folke moste indurate That god hath shewed for loue of Albon ye gyfe thankes to ymages made of stone O most vnhappy / o people vngratious worse than beastis / o voyde of all reason O cruell tygrys / o wolfes furyous O folysshe asses / dull of discretion Falsely to deme in your opinion Thynge that Albon by grace of god hath wonne ye yefe the laude other to sterre or sonne ye set a syde the southfast sonne of lyfe The sonne of grace that doth all the worlde gye whiche may you saue agayn all mortall stryfe To all our sores may do best remedy ye do great wronge for to defye This worldly sonne from temporall bryghtnes And to forsake the sonne of ryghtwysenes Lyke false blasphemus forsoke your creature And do worshyp to a creature The sonne of lyfe may clyppis no shoure whose heuenly beames by recorde of scripture yeueth lyght of grace to euery creature But ye arne frowarde his influence to take And for your ydols his lordshyps to forsake what may auayle Iupiter or Saturne Or cruell Mars / that causeth stryfe or warre Or worldely Phebus / the one day doth her soiurne The nyght cometh on / the lyght is fro you farre And eke your Venus / called the day sterre All these rekened in your mad wodenesse Called of your custome goddes and goddesse God that this day shewed here To magnifie his gloryous knyght Albon with a fresshe well / and dryed the ryuer Reken vp your goddes and forget neuer one Of these myracles / forsoth his parte is none A fole is he that of them dothe retche Sith vnto suche thing their power may not stretche Of theyr power me lyst no more to entreate whiche leadeth men vnto theyr dampnation Mars nor Iupiter / nor Phebus with his hete May do no fauour nor mytigation Agayne the myschefe lyke your opinion The sayde myracles were wrought by vertue For loue of Albon by grace of Christ Iesue your disctetions ben so foule blent your conceyt derke / and false in your opinion Magre your mawmettes in all my best entent I woll procede with hole affection To accomplysshe vp the holy passyon Of seynt Albon by grace of his fauour In his translation folowyng myn auctour . After these myracles shewed at the well A gratious treasure a yefte of great price Lyke here toforne as ye haue herde me tell yet for all that folowyng theyr olde auice The people abode styll in theyr malyce From the mounteyne / cast not for to wende Of the martyr tyll they haue made an ende Fyrst hent his lockes that were longe and large Malycyously bounde them to a stake Chose out a knyght / and on hym layde the charge Tha● in all hast he shulde hym redy make And a sworde sherpe in his hande take And they hym bad hauyng of god no drede with a great stroke to smyte of his hede The hede hang styll / the body fell to grounde His crosse also all besprent with blode Kepte for a relyque / whan it was after founde Maugre paynyms contagious and wode For amonges them secretely there stode A christen man / the whiche toke kepe The sayde crosse deuoutly for to kepe This turmentour this cursed paynym knyght He that smote of the hede of saynt Albon By vengeance he hath lost his syght Bothe his eien fyll from his hede anone without recure his worldly ioye was gone whiche fyrste was glad to make the martyr blede Lyke his disceyt deserued hath his mede This wounded knyght / whiche in the valey abode Araclius as ye haue herde me deuise The deth of Albon whan he vnderstode whiche for feblenes myght not aryse Gan peyne hym selfe in full pitous wyse Amonge paynyms as he myght hym kepe with honde and fote vpon the hylle to crepe Vpon the monition of the same knyght Aforsayd hym selfe on hande and fote to gone The iuge hym met and spake to hym thus ryght Thou that hast so many a broke bone Clymbe vp fast and praye to thyn Albone Ceasse not / but crye vpon hym sore Thy broke bones and woundes to restore Fyrst of all renne to hym and take hede To be made hole of thyne infirmyte vnto the body / ioyne agayne the hede And in all hast thou shalte recured be From all sykenes and aduersyte And after that oo thy busy cure To ordeyne for his sepulture And syth thou arte a knyght of his doctryne Let se what he may nowe do the auayle To make the hole by crafte of medycyne Call vnto hym fast / & loke that thou not fayle And thou shalte fynde an vnkouth meruayle If thou not cesse vpon hym for to crye Agaynst all sykenes / thou shalte fynde remedye This maymed knyght yafe good audience To that the iuge sayde in derysyon All set in fyre with sodeyn hote feruence Gan to abrayde of great deuotion I truste quod he of hole affection Only by vertue and merytes of Albon God vnto helthe me may restore anone Through his power and his magnyfycence The eternall lorde may by his great myght By the prayer and mercyfull clemence Of hym that is his maister / and he his knyght I that am lame to make me go vpryght And these wordes sayde / with great loue & drede So as he myght crope vp to the hede with great deuotion he gan the heed embrace To the heed he brought it anone ryght All bedewed with wepyng was his face Of wofull herte to se that pytous syght That holy prince albon Christis owne knyght By whose meryte / whan he crepte on the grounde All sodeynly he rose vp hole and sounde And whan he was restored agayne to his strength He yafe praysyng laude and reuerence with humble chere fyll prostrate in length Thankyng god of entier diligence And in the peoples open audience Seased not saynt Albon for to prayse For loue of whom Christ Iesu dyd hym rayse His force agaynst Christe made hym to recure The people present myght se and knowe Than he deuoutly made a sepulture Gadryng stones lyenge on a rowe Layed the martyr in the grounde downe lowe And all a lofte his labour was wele sene He couered it with torues fresshe and grene wherof paynyms had great enuie whan they behelde howe the same knyght Restored was and hole in eche partye So sodeynly to his force and myght wherof astonyed was euery man and wyght Thought in them selfe it was agayn nature A brosed man so soone forto recure Agayne this knyght they toke theyr consayle Amonge them gan his deth conspyre Thought it shulde be to them great auayle To slee this man they were so set a fyre His hasty deth so greately they desyre Some sayd that he had in his entent Some wychecrafte or some experiment Some other sayde in theyr iugement Lyke theyr owne false immagynatyfe This was wrought by inchauntement Or by some magyke had a preseruatyfe Not to be slayne with dagger / sworde / nor knyfe But so were / the story doth remembre That he were hew in peces euery membre Amonge them selfe was great controuersy And eche of them gan his verdyte shewe Tyll it befell of malyce and enuye Fals paynyms in nombre not a fewe In peces smale / haue hym all to hewe Of his recuryng hauyng no maner of drede All of one assent they smote of his hede This blessed knyght as the story sayth Stode alway in one in his perseuerance Of wyll / of herte / stedfast in the fayth Lyst not chaunge for turment nor penance To holy Albon egall inconstance As he was made felowe of his victorye So is he nowe partable of his glorye After all this vengeable cruelte And all this mortall furyous violence For to go home agayne to theyr citie To all the people the iuge yafe lycence At theyr departyng all of one sentence And with one voyce / homwarde as they resorte Theyr langage was as the story doth reporte wo that iuge that doth none equite wo be to hym that doth no ryghtwysenes And wo to hym that can haue no pitie wo to that iuge gouerned with wodenes And wo to hym that of false hastynes worketh vpon wyll by false collusyon without tytle of trouthe or of reason This was the noyse the rumour and the crye whan they departed home from the mountayne Trouthe wyll out magre fals enuie Ryghtwysenes may not be hyd it is certayne As for a tyme it may be ouerlayne By ensample as passed is the daungere Of stormy weders / Phebus is most clere Our gracious lorde Iesu most benyngne whiche all gouerneth by eternall myght Lyst to shewe many a gracious sygne Folowyng vpon the selfe same nyght After the passyon of his blessed knyght Out of whose tombe was sene an heuenly stre●● Assendyng vpwarde bryght as the sonne beam● The same tyme whan folkes to bed went Ouer the citie / this bryght streme gan shyne Last all the nyght no man knewe what it ment Vpwarde erecte ryght as any lyne The people sawe / howe it dyd enlumyne The longe nyght as god dyd ordayne To all four partes stretchyng of Bretayne with this vncouth maruaylous myracle was sene and herde duryng all the nyght People gathered to loke vpon that spectacle Betwene ioye and drede / reioysyng of that lyght As they coude discerne and knowe of ryght This was the ditie / which in that lyght was songe As folowyng is wrytten in latyn tonge Albanus vir egregius martir extat gloriosus And were there sene assendyng vp and downe In the celestiall glorious bryght skye Heuenly angels that made noyse and sowne with this refret in this armonye Let vs with songe vpreyse and magnyfye The laude of Albon notable and glorious This day with martyrs made victorious Albanus vir egregius martyr extat gloriosus This songe was herde by reporte through the towne And remembred vpon eche partie For a synguler commendation Of hym that was prince of his chyualrye Stewarde of Bretons to gouerne them and gye whose synguler laude and tryumphe glorious This day with martyrs is made viccorious Albanus vir egregius martyr extat gloriosus This noble prince of Brutis Albion Hath suffered deth and mortall turmentrye Stable of herte this Christis champyon Hauynge dispite of all idolatrye This blessed martyr crowned aboue so hygh with angels songe soete and melodious This day with martyrs is made victorious Albanus vir egregius martyr extat gloriosus . O prothomartyr full famous of renown Amonge paynyms hauyng the maistrye To be cause grounde and destruction In Verolamy of all false mawmettrye Thy lyfe for Christe hath put in ieopartye For whiche this day with songe melodyous Thou arte with martyrs made victorious Be vnto that citie supportour and patron Kepe them from sorowe / sykenes / and malady From pestilence and yll infection And of theyr ennemyes represse all tyrannye whiche be fraunchised with the regallye Of thy presens / o martyr glorious with all that longeth to the and to thyn hous And blessed martyr most lowly I the requere whiche abydest in the heuenly mantion with laurer crowned aboue the sterres clere Only of mercy to haue compassyon If ought be sayde in this translation
Here begynneth the thyrde boke / whiche telleth of the conuersion of many of the paynims vnto the fayth . And also of the martyrdome of holy Amphibalus / whiche conuerted saynt Albon to the fayth of Christe . whiche Amphibalus was the princes sonne of wales . Myracles shewed / and maruayles many folde This blessed martyr for to magnyfye As here toforne ye haue herde me tolde The nyght illumyned with the golden skye Songe of angels with heuenly armony The people astonyed tremblyng in the derke To se howe Christ lyst for the martyr werke But on your brest remembre your trespas To th erth fall prostrate downe Prayeth to the lorde for to do you grace Of your offence and transgression Or that he take vengeance on your towne Trusteth playnly / whether ye be wrothe or fayne All this wrought for hym that ye haue slayne This lyght from heuen / whiche that is descended For Albon shewed / and the golden skye Let vs repent of that we haue offended Of our trespas mercy to Iesu crye And forsake all ydolatrye Takyng ensample all by one accorde Of this martyr that whylome was our lorde we may consydre a thyng agaynst nature Howe the nyght with her derke derkenesse Passyng reason of any creature Is by myracle turned to bryghtnesse Of angels herde a melodious swetnes And all thynge brefely to comprehende For the merytes of Albon to commende Maugre mawmettes / whiche can but disceyue Impotent and very feble of myght By experience as ye conceyue Bryghter than day hath made the derke nyght To declare the merytes of his knyght Playnly to shewe lyght of his perfytenes whiche may nat be clypsed by no foreyn derkenes Agayne this lorde / whiche is moste of myght we haue erred in our opinion And done vnto hym great wronge and vnryght To make our fayth and our professyon To fals idols / whiche in this royall towne we haue so longe in our paynem wyse As idolatres do frowarde seruice Let vs nowe dampne all suche errour And forsake with entier diligence All false goddes / whiche may do no socour To theyr seruantes present nor absence wherfore let vs nowe clere our conscience And axe forgyfenes of our lorde Iesu whiche hath in Albon shewed so great vertue Let vs not tary / but in all hast we can Go seche meanes for our saluation In dyuers countres to fynde vp the man whche by his labour and predication Conuerted Albon in the same towne To Christis fayth / that martyr moste benyngne This nyght declared by many an vnkouth signe From our rytes and ceremonyes olde And false errours enclypsed with darkenes Done to mawmettes / with whom we were wholde Of ignorance by consuete rudenes And to directe and clarifye our blyndnes From all errour and ydolatrye The best way that I can espie By these myracles / whiche Christ Iesu hath wrought For loue of Albon the same nyght That his maister may in hast be sought For it is lykely accordyng wele to ryght Syth god hath shewed suche myracle for his knyght He that was cause of his conuersion Myght best prouyde for our saluation I mene as thus in very equite Syth god in Albon hath shewed suche vertue His maister shulde haue great auctoritie That was sent hym by grace of Christ Iesu To put our doubte at a playne issue By myracles declaryng newe and newe His maisters teachyng faythfull was and trewe All that people beinge in presence Of god enspired as by one assent with one voyce commendyng that sentence Gafe the fauour in all theyr best entent Toke theyr way by great auisement Towarde wales and sought on euery syde Serchyng the countre where he shulde abyde Of whose preachyng notable was the fame Both in his lyuyng and perfyte holynes Full glad they were / whan they herde his name And towardes hym fast they gan them dresse As the story playnly beareth wytnesse Came by grace where he dyd teache The worde of god / and to the people preche And full deuoutly vpon hym they abode Hauyng aforne hym ryght great audience As they come to hym / euen as he stode And hym saluted with great reuerence Greatly reioysyng of his deuoute presence Offered to hym or they ferther gone The same crosse he yafe vnto Albon The whiche crosse was newly sprent with blode whan he for Christ suffered passyon By whiche token full well he vnderstode That he was slayne / fell on his knees downe Kyssyng the crosse with great deuotion In his armes with teares all be reyned That holy relyque full swetely he hath streyned He thanked god with deuout obseruance And that martyrs humble pacience This newe people with deuoute attendance whiche was come to yefe hym audience All at ones with full great reuerence And herte contrite knelyng on theyr knees Forsoke theyr ydols and olde vanytees Theyr myspent tyme to them was great losse To all vertue an odious spectacle Tyll tyme they were marked with the crosse In theyr forhede by grace and myracle with that victorious tryumphall signacle And folowyng on / lyke theyr fyrst entent Receyued of baptisme the holy sacrament within a whyle the fame went abrode Farre about in story as I rede Dyuers countres of this thynge howe it stode Tyll at last the noyse gan sprede Of Verolamy / howe verely in dede Citezyns theyr goodes haue forsake A full great nombre / and theyr iourney take To folowe the traces of Amphibalus A newe preacher straunge and foreyne Theyr olde rytes false and superstitious They haue renounsed and holde al that ben vayne They haue also of very high disdayne From them abiecte / myn aucter lyst not lye All theyr ydols and false mawmettrye whan the rumour was come vnto the citie They were troubled / hauyng great maruayle what it ment or what it shulde be At prime face lyke a great dissauayle To comen profyte they dempt in theyr counsayle It was full lyke theyr citie to encombre Enquered fyrst what fayled of theyr nombre In theyr rolles were a thousande founde And theyr names entytled euerychone A thynge lykely the citie to confounde But remedy ordeyned were anone That suche a nombre by assent were gone By great auise cast it was dewe A myghty thyng tho folke to pursewe And with stronge hande serched out the rote Of this matter in hope it shulde auayle They gathered them on horsebacke and on fote And gan ordeyne a myghty stronge batayle Of sondry folke armed in plate and mayle Agaynst fugytifes gon out of the cite And on Amphibalus auenged for to be Of whose persone so notable was the fame Through all wales and contres enuiron That the report of his good name Gan to encrease thorough all the regyon Of his doctrine and predication whiche through wales shone lyke a lode sterre Them to directe / which in our fayth doth erre Tho folke that were come to hym of newe From Verolamy his preachyng for to here Lyke a doctour in Christis fayth most trewe Receyued them with all his herte entiere Enformed them and taught them the maniere Cf Christis lawe with busy diligence And they were glad to abyde in his presence Lytell and lytell in he gan them drawe To catche fayth and sauour in his doctryne Of hole herte forsoke the paynyms lawe And with great wyll theyr corage dyd enclyne So to perseuer / and so theyr lyfe to fyne In Christis lawe as folke that lyst not tary So for to abyde and neuer more to vary Other there were / whiche gan pursewe The sayde people of malyce and of hate This newe doctrine of Christis trans●newe whiche come vpon armed with mayle and plate Sent from that citie of purpose to debate Agaynst them / whiche that for Christis sake Fayth of paynyms vnwarely hath forsake Folowed after with rumour noyse and sowne To fall vpon them with sodeyn auenture Serchyng in wales aboute towne and towne Of Amphibalus the presence to recure whiche lyke a clerke grounded in scripture To that people at reuerence of our lorde Stode amonges them / and preached goddes worde And one there was for anger almost wode That brake fyrst out shewyng his conceyte To Amphibalus amonge them as he stode wherof that people was all and hole receyte O thou quod he grounde of all disceyte Rote of fraude / falsenes / and trechery To all our goddes traytour and ennemye That thou hast done thou mayst it not forsake Of frowarde contempte malyciously practised Agaynst our goddes a quarell for to take Theyr lawes olde presumptously dispised As these people contagiously disguysed To great damage of vs and of our cite whiche trust me well shall not vnpunysshed be It is no doubte it shall not abyde longe Of theyr iniury and theyr godly greuance As they be moste myghty and most stronge They sodenly shall take on the vengeance But if thou wylte eschewe theyr pusance Fyrst do repent the / to fynde them more tretable And seche a meane to make them mercyfull Fyrst of all do thy busynesse Of theyr great ire to appese the rancour Afore these people / shewe outwarde thy mekenes To louse the bondes / whiche by thy labour Thou hast them brought in full great errour Be so besy agayne with faythfull attendance Them to counsell to fall in repentance Gyfe them counsell and make them to assent with herte and body no daunger for to make To axe mercy and sore repent Or sodeyn vengeance be on them take Of that they haue our goddes forsake For this no doubte but it be done in dede we shall agayne them vengeably procede For if they stande in theyr fyrst errour As they began frowarde and obstynate They shall of mercy fynde no fauour without exception of high or lowe estate But lyke as people most infortunate Dye vpon the sworde take this for full sentence As is concluded by marcyall violence yet there was one supprised with feruence Of Christis lawe stedfast in the fayth whiche had bothe connyng and eloquence And for his maister holy wryt he laythe To thylke paynym euen thus he saythe Our lorde god / whiche called is Iesu Shall be this day our refuge and vertue And our chefe helpe in tribulation whiche shall percase shewe some myracle By his most myghty dominacion Therfore these folke an vnkouth spectacle That there ayen shal be none obstacle Through goddes myght and mercyfull goodnes Some man to same of his sodeyn sykenes Our maister here whom that ye repreue In Christis name to shewe an euidence From all myschefe some syke man to releue whiche lyeth outraged by mortall violence But to declare the magnyfycence Of Christe Iesu anone without more To helth agayne suche one he shall restore Not incouert but in your alther syght we haue suche trust in his parfynesse Fro whose doctryne as we haue behyght we shall not chaunge for deth not distresse without faynyng or any doublenesse your counsellyng in Christis holy name Folowe his teachyng and to do the same ye threte fast to maken vs aferde But god alone he is our defence Iesu is stronge agayne spere and swerde Vnder whose pauise of parfyte pacience we shall abyde concludyng in sentence we forsake all false ydolatrye And for Christis sake redy for to dye Fauour of blode nor none allyaunce Cherysshyng of treasure nor promyse of kynred Experte kynred nor none acqueyntance Fayre behestes / manaces nor hatered All set asyde both loue and drede The fayth of Christ of hole herte we haue take All false ydols and mawmettes we forsake Of this answere the paynyms almost wode Lyke tygrys fell / vengeable as lyons Of innocentes to shede the christen blode with sharpe swerdes lyke rauenous felons They kyll and slee of all conditions As hongry wolfes in theyr beastiall rage whithout exception of olde or yonge of age The father ther agayn all skylle and ryght Of his sonne toke his deadly wounde Brother and brother was slayne in that fyght And with theyr speres / that were square & rounde Theyr nygh cosyns were glad to confounde There was none spared of blode nor kynred without mercy eche others blode to shed Of aged folke there was no reuerence In that vnkyndly sodeyn cruell shoure Myddell age / nor age of innocence Nor blode of blode lyst knowe his neybour Nor none to other lyst shewe his fauour Echon were slayne the story telleth thus And were conuerted by Amphibalus Frowarde tyrantes that this people sleeth Most mercyles with pollar swerde and knyfe Eche preased in aforne other towarde the deth So ametous was that charytable stryfe Lyke folke that were glad to lese theyr lyfe Of one corage and of one pacience To dye for Christe / so hole was theyr feruence Amonge these holy seyntes euerychone That forsoke theyr towne and theyr cite There was none lefte alyue but one Of all that come Amphibalus to see whiche by occasyon of his infirmyte Abode behynde feble and impotent whiche at theyr dyenge myght not be present whan Anphibalus sawe them all deed Lyggyng in the felde / turned vp set downe with pitous chere sawe theyr woundes blede Of wofull herte and compassyon Deuoutly made his commendation Prayenge Iesu with voyce full pytously On all tho soules to haue mercy At Lychefelde fyll all this auenture This great slaughter and made is mention Of whiche flaughter recorde of olde scripture By dayes olde named was the towne This worde Lychefelde by interpretation Is to say in that tonge as I rede A felde that lyeth full of bodyes deed There these martyrs suffered passyon Of one corage and of one stablenes The paynyms in theyr opinion Most obstinate in theyr cursednes Made a vowe in theyr wodenes Neuer to eate for none occasyon Tyll Amphibalus were brought to theyr towne Lyke wodemen they about hym ryde The holy man playnly to declare with speres wounded body backe and syde went aforne them with his fete all bare The more vngoodly / they dyd with hym fare The more the martyr with chere and visage Patiently suffred theyr owne outrage To hym they had frowarde fell langage The stone weye dyd hym great duresse And though that he felte in his passage Vnder his fete / constreynt of great sharpenes Mytygation of all his heuynes was whan he the place dyd approche where Albon lay graue vnder a roche The homecydes of whom to forne I tolde Had in this whyle a maner repentance Bakwarde amonge as they gan beholde The people slayne of theyr allyance By theyr owne furyous gouernance For they them selfe lyke folke that were wode The slaugter made vpon theyr owne blode Lokyng behinde fyrst whan they toke hede & beheld There owne brethern cosyns and kynred By theyr handes lay slayne in the felde They gan to wepe / to se theyr woundes blede This same tyme or they toke any hede They founde a man that lay lanquisshyng Vpon the felde moste pitous compleynyng This syke man with a full deadly face For great constreynt of his malady Sawe Amphibalus forby shulde passe with deadly voyce gan to hym crye Seruant of god do me socour or I dye For Iesu sake lowly I the requere To helpe his seruant that lyeth in myschefe here For by the callyng of his holy name I haue suche trust in Christ Iesu and the Though I lye here impotent and lame By thy merytes thou mayst helpe me To be made hole of this infyrmyte Maugre paynyms / that can about hym prece Of this clamour wolde not he sece In his prayer he doth alway continue Suche fayth he had in his opinion Paynyms sawe he was importune And so stable in his action Hadden in disdeyne and in derysion His great noyse / but magre her felnesse He arose vp hole of all his olde sykenesse This seke man that lay bounde in payne Of olde sykenesse greuous and importable By Amphibalus lay bounde in a chayne was made all hole / and of his lymmes stable This can the lorde whiche is most mercyable Of syke folkes here theyr complayntes And worche myracles for his holy sayntes This myracle gracious and vnkouth Fyrst of this man releued of his sykenesse The deth of the martyrs gan sprynge northe and southe Of theyr wylfull sufferance with mekenes Homwarde agayne paynyms gan them dresse But this myracle whan they dyd auerte They were greatly astonyed in theyr herte Amonge them selfe they brake openly Though they to Christ were contraryous Of this myracle wrought sodenly They spared not playnly to say thus The god of christen is great and maruaylous Great is his vertue the deed beareth wytnesse To heale a man so sone in his sykenes As they tolde erst / paynyms at last wonder desyrous towarde your contre They rode armed and began to hye fast And sped them so that they myght se The crested walles of theyr citie As they thought that tyme for the best After labour a whyle for to rest They were oppressed with hunger and with thurst For that tyme lyst no forther for to ryde And eche one of them folowyng theyr owne lust Chose his grounde a certayne home to abyde Their shelde theyr speres set them downe a syde Them to refresshe layser they haue founde whyles Amhibalus lay in his fecers bounde The turmentours refreshed at the best As I haue tolde after theyr werynesse The holy martyr myght haue no pece nor rest Bounden in chaynes by full great duresse In his most labour and greattest distresse Maugre paynyms whan he a layser caught To his most av the worde of god he taught This meane whyle that all this thyng was wrought As ye haue herde come tydyng to the towne Howe Amphibalus was to the citie brought Maister vnto Albon / as made is mention At whose entrynge great people there come downe Thought in them selfe all theyr heuynesse By his comyng was turned in to gladnes Dempte amonge them bothe one and all The matyre had standyng other wyse Howe Amphibalus from Christis fayth was fall Of that lawe lefte all his olde emprise Come to theyr goddes to do sacrifice All theyr frendes with them were repayrde Of whom toforne they dispayred The beastiall folke supposed in certayne Howe all the people that went by assent To Amphibalus were come home agayne By force of them / that were for them sent But they fayled foule in theyr entent For through the towne the noyse went anone Lyke as it was / howe they were deed euerychone Agayne Christis of malyce set a fyre Homecydes turmentours that dyd this cruell dede whiche fyll vpon them in theyr cruell ire Tho that made the martyrs for to blede Of indignation and of great hatered The selfe same made relation Of theyr slaughter through verolamy towne The fathers wepte with sorowfull syghes great whan they herde theyr sonnes were deed Pytous mothers theyr sobbyng can not let whose watrye eien with wepyng made red Through the citie bothe in lengthe and brede wydowes maydens ran with theyr here to torne That so sodenly haue theyr frendes lorne Suche pitous wepyng I trowe not ther was At the brennyng of the famous Ilyon In Troye whan the stede of brasse was by sleyght compassed of Synon For through euery strete of Verolamy towne This noyse was herde deedly and mortall Lyke as men synge at feastes funerall In theyr most wofull lamentation They said amonge them with hygh and low estate The tyme is come of our destruction Cite of citezyns forsake and desolate Most outragyous and most disconsolate To be noted of furyous fell hatered Blode agayn blode so felly to procede For our defence we haue nowe none excuse Folke infortunate by deuision we shall from hensforth be called the refuge As folke abiecte of euery nacion So importable is our confusyon That we be lyke neuer to fynde grace Amonge no folke to shewe ons grace we can nor may our seluen acquite For our excuse a reason for to make But here after that folkes wyll vs awyte Our kynne our blode theyr goddes haue forsake On whom vengeance so mortally was take In straunge countre so playnly to descryue Amonge also / that none was lefte alyue Alas alas vnburyed in the felde Cast out to the beastes that walke in pasture Kynne agayne kynne in armes bare on shelde An hatefull warre / a warre agayne nature whiche lye nowe deed without sepulture So late done it may not be socoured Of foule and beast a pray to be deuoured Alas our ioye is turned in to dispayre The staffe broke of our vnweldy age Our harpe troubled / our fortune is not fayre Frowarde to vs she turneth her visage wo to that man that with his langage Caused Albon our goddes to forsake And magre them / the fayth of Christ to take whiche hath alas perturbed the cite Brought our welfare to desolation Grounde and gynnyng of this mortalite Of our alyes and citezyns of the towne whose bodies nowe lyen vpsetdowne O myghty goddes of power immortall Defende the people of our cite royall To our request your eares downe enclyne Take vengeance vpon our enemy whiche is cause of our mortall ruyne And of our myschefe the rote fynally Reuenge your wronge ye that be most myghty On hym that causeth / that we be seke and grone Let the vengeance rebounde on his persone Of their plaintes and of their wofull clamours They seased not lyke folkes most vengeable Tyll it fyll so that turmentours Perceyued well they were not treatable Howe theyr sorowe was intollerable Of compassyon lyst no lenger spare Of all this thynge the trouthe to declare All sodeynly they began to abrayde Theyr deedly sorowes and playntes to refrayne Of the most worthy of the towne they sayde O citezyns / why lyst ye so complayne Leue your wepyng / your teares doth restraynt For by report of vs that were present Voyde of disceyte or meanyng fraudolent ye haue more cause of gladnesse than wepyng And greatter matter of consolation Than of distresse or of complaynyng For if the grounde be sought out by reason Touchyng your frendes slaughter and passyon ye haue more grounde vs lyst not for to fayne For to be glad / than for theyr deth to prayne By sondry tokens that were contemplatyfe Of signes shewed / the deed beareth wytnes Theyr deth was entred in to euerlastyng lyfe Ende of sorowe concluded on gladnes From this darke valey went vp to bryghtnes where day departed is from the nyght And bryght Phebus leseth neuer his lyght It is accordyng full well to nature A man to wepe for frendes that be dede But agayn warde by recorde of scripture For Christis sake / who lyst his blode to shede A thousande folde shall receyue his mede And for his lyfe / whiche is but transytory Eternally to abyde and lyue in glory where is no complaynt / nor no parte of sorowe But euerlastyng gladnesse in that place Ilyche newe both at eue and at morowe From wo to ioye from sobbyng to solace wher deth hath lost his power to manace Fye on dispeyre / for dethe to make stryfe where ioye foloweth of euerlastyng lyfe Dethe in this worlde shulde not be complayned Of them that passe from worldely vanite Suche as by grace and mercy haue attayned with Christ to reigne in his eternall see where ioye is euer and all felicite And for suche folke mydday eue and morowe It were wodenes for to make sorowe ye be bounde playnly to conclude To thanke god for frendes that ye mysse whiche hath chose so great a multitude Of this citie / and brought them vnto blysse Of ioye perpetuall they may neuer mysse Makyng a chaunge from this temporall For thylke lyfe aboue celestiall Take hede hereto / and yeueth good audience Of thynge that we shall make rehersale And it imprenteth in your aduertence Touchyng your frendes slayne in batayle whom that we dyd so mortally assayle All this consydered to complayne ye do wronge As ye shall knowe paraunter or ought longe Aforne rehersed the same turmentours with a great othe present there all the towne To them not only / but to theyr successours To be reported through all that regyon Maden there open protestation Touchyng this mater they cast to expresse Shall haue no touche nor spot of falsenesse They gan theyr matter brefly to conclude Touchyng the story to all theyr entent In Verolamy to all the multitude Of great and small beinge there present Rehersyng fyrst howe that they were sent with myghty honde to all contres enuiron To seke theyr frendes / were fled from the towne Vnder these wordes spake for theyr partie By your byddyng we went as ye wel knowe with force and armys / serchyng to espie To north wales in countres high and lowe Tyll it fell so within a lyttell throwe Lad by fortune / we founde them euerychone with hym that whylom was maister to Albon Out of this citie they were fled and gone Some that were full nygh of your allye Vpon the maister abydyng of Albon we founde eke gethered a great company And of Pectis we dyd also espie with walsemen of newe that were drawe And conuerted vnto christen lawe By thylke clerke that all these thynges wrought From whom they wolde departe in no maner Amonge all / our kynred out we sought Toke them aparte / and with full frendly chere with fayre speche requestes and prayere Maynte with manassis / and softnesse of langage From that doctryne to reuoke theyr corage But euer they stode in suche obstinacy On hym abydyng eche houre and moment By theyr answere rather for to dye All of accorde and echeone of assent Lyst in no wyse folowe our entent whan we myght not our purpose recure we lefte our tretes and toke our armour Of whiche they were not astonyed nor aferde For Christis sake / eche redyer than other who myght fyrst renne vnder the swerde In theyr metyng brother slayne of brother There was suche prese it myght be non other For Christis sake echon were fayne For a prerogatyue / who myght fyrst be slayne Vpon the sonne / whiche was the father heyre The father shewed most cruell violence whiche in nature was nother good nor fayre The sonne also voyde of all beneuolence To his father dyd no maner of reuerence There was no mercy / but marciall outerage without exception of olde or yonge of age Pacience was captayne in the felde Of them that suffered deth for Christis sake Theyr spere was hope / mekenes was theyr shelde Other defence they lyst not for to make In thylke quarell / whiche they had take Lyst not departe tyll spent was theyr blode whiche on the playn ran large as a flode The lorde that sytteth aboue the sterres clere Saugh and behelde the great pacience Of his knyghtes / whose blode lyke a ryuere Ran in the felde by mortall violence whom to comforte of his magnificence The heuen all open to shewe his great vertue Sayd vnto them that blessed lorde Iesu Cometh vp to me my knyghtes most entere Proued in batayle ryght victorious Assendeth vp aboue the sterres clere My gate is open and redy is my house Agayne your comyng most ryche and glorious with tryumphe that neuer shall disseuer And with a palme that shall lasten euer O Paradyse / o chosen citezyns For your notable tryumphall prowesse Makyng your clayme as very denzyns There to abyde your knyghtly nobylnes To spende your blode / was shewed no scarsenesse For me to suffre deth by great outrage Digne amonge martyrs / come take your heritage The amerous fayre of feruent desyres In your conquest of most souereyne price Haue gyue you title to be possessioners Eternally to clayme lyke your auise Abydyng space in the heuenly paradise To be registred fre from all worldly stryfe with the holy martyrs in the boke of lyfe From this worlde we saugh them flee to heuen By many signes whiche that dyd appere From deth to lyfe / aboue the sterres seuen we stode astonyed beholdyng the manere Howe Christe Iesu with a benyngne chere Lyst to receyue into his regyon These holy martyrs of Verolamy towne In these nombre of martyrs that were founde Full nyne hundred and nynty rekened clene And nyne therto slayne with many a wounde Of whose blode / as it was well sene All in to redde stayned was the grene The flode so great of blode that come downe lowe That one from an other no man coude knowe They lay so oppressed vnder the horse fete No man myght haue very knowlegyng The blody streme dyd ouer flowe and flete Theyr deedly faces vpon the grounde lyggyng But sodenly there fell a wonders thyng Eche from other only by goddes grace was thorough the felde knowen by the face By the prayer of Amphibalus Of the deed bodyes with woundes grene A great myracle the story telleth thus Theyr woundes hole that no carectes were sene Ioyned together and souded eke so clene A straunge syght / a syght of great delyte The blody streme as mylke ranne all whyte Thus by prayer of one ryghtfull man Of theyr woundes fyrst fearefull and terryble There was no carecte as we reherse can By apperance that outwarde was visible For vnto god nothyng is impossyble For they that were mangled and disfourmed By grace and prayer sodeynly were refourmed The people frowarde in theyr opinion Seing this myracle and were there present By a contraryous exposition Sayd aye the worst in theyr false iugement And vengably echon of assent Of false malyce dyd theyr busy cure To denye them theyr kyndly sepulture But cast them to beastis on malyce and disdayne To suche as weren disposed to rauyne without reuerence lyke an olde carayne They agayne them so felly gan maligne But Christe Iesus most gracious and benygne To preserue his martyrs by myracle Agayne paynyms haue shewed an obstacle A wolfe come downe with sturdy violence Terryble of loke and furyous of chere Agayne beastis wylde to make resystence Towarde the seintes that they came no nere An egle also with persyng eien clere Houyng alofte / as all men behelde Fro touche of foule / kepte all day the felde wherof Pictis greatly gan maruayle They of wales had a maner of drede Thought in them selues these tokes may not fayle It cometh of god and of no mans dede And of reason whan they toke hede Fyrst of the wolfe and of the egle alofte Stode astonyed and gan to wonder ofte It is appropred to the wolfe of nature As clerkes say mannes flesshe to attame Amonge all caryns where they may it recure They most reioyse / and therof haue most game But he that maketh wylde beastis tame Daunteth serpentes / whiche on grounde lowe crepe Hath made a wolfe his martyrs for to kepe From all beastis disposed to rauyne By his myracle and gracious worchyng And by his power heuenly and deuine Of later date he yafe eke the kepyng Of blessed Edmonde / mayde / martyr / and kyng Vnto a wolfe the heed most vertuous It to preserue from beastis rauenous In this myracle / who can vnderstande To be noted is great conuenience Of martyrs / whiche were with violent hande Slayne for the fayth by humble pacience And thylke martyrs / whiche made no resistence So were slayne for Christ / as it is founde At Lychefelde / with many a blody wounde Folowyng the ensample / these martyrs euerychon For Christ deth sufferyng and full great payne Of theyr prince / that called was Albon In his tyme stewarde of Brytayne As I trust these noble princes twayne Edmonde and Albon / these ioyned two Shall saue this lande in that we haue to do This kynges banner of assure is the felde Therin of golde be crownes thre The same campe beareth Albon in his shylde Bete in the myddes of golde a fresshe sawtre Agayn our enmyes / whan they together be In one assembled / shall make our partye stronge Magre all tho that wolde done vs wronge Of est Englande kynge and champyon Blessed Edmonde shall his baner sprede The prince of knyghtes in Brutis Albion And prothomartyr shall vs helpe at nede A thousande martyrs that theyr blode shede For Christis fayth slayne at Lychefelde Shall vs defende with spere sworde and shelde These tokens sene / the paynems gan to sease Of theyr pursute and furyous wodenesse And by myracle they sodenly gan to prease To kysse the relyques / on knees gan them dresse with many signes and tokens of mekenesse And where afore as they began to maligne They shewed them selfe most goodly & benygne Theyr olde malyce / and theyr frowarde disdeyne Hauyng the matters fyrst in derysyon From that conceyte they turned be agayne And caught in theyr herte a newe opinion Them to worshyp with great deuocion Gafe thankyng to god / & were therof full fayne That suche a nombre in that lande was slayne Of holy martyrs and holowed with theyr blode whiche thynge to put in token of victorie Perpetually they thought that it was good Theyr nombre and names to set in memorie whiche fro this lyfe fleynge and transitorie Be nowe translated / where they may not mysse Eternally with Christ to reigne in blysse whan the turmentours had theyr tales tolde Ryght as it fell in order of euery thynge Of Verolamy the people yonge and olde Present there that tyme / herde all theyr talkynge The more partye lefte theyr wepynge For by reporte only of theyr langage Of theyr sorowe / the constraynt gan to swage They gan the lorde to magnifie and prayse And to reioyse the glorie of theyr kynred whiche by grace he lyste so hygh vprayse By mertyrdome theyr precious blode to blede For his sake dye without any drede All with one voyce at ones in sentence This was theyr noyse with deuoute reuerence Great is that god / greatest and glorious Aboue all goddes of most magnificence That maketh his seruantes so victorious To gette so great tryumphe by theyr meke pacience And by his myghty imperyall influence This lorde Iesu most gracious and benigne Shewed in theyr deth so many an vncouth signe Theyr grene woundes terryble to beholde with sherpe swerdes seuered ferre a sonder For lacke of blode / whan they were sterke & colde One parte there / and an other parte yonder The redde blode / this was a great wonder Turned to mylke whyte as openly was sayne Theyr woundes large hath souded newe agayne He may be called a leche veryly whiche hath practised so hygh a medycyne Suche mortall hurtes to cure them sodeynly whose royall bawme is heuenly and deuine Galiene coude not imagyne Nor ypocras duryng all theyr lyues Suche consoudes nor suche senatiues The vertue shewed and power glorious Of Christ Iesu by great experience And of his martyr blessed Amphibalus That day declared by notable euidence By whose prayer they beinge in presence These myracles / who so lyst take hede The same day accomplysshed were in dede whiche thyng remembred the iuge was nygh wode whose sodeyn ire no wyght coude appese Great preace about in the place ther stode They of this matyr felte so great disease But for he cast hym fynally to please The paynyms in his malencoly Distraught of rancour thus he gan to cry Howe longe shall we endure or susteyne This great iniury / sclaunder / and clamour Let vs serche out what it shulde mene This hatefull noyse and furyous romour But I wote well grounde of this errour That this clerke / whiche not yore agon As ye we le knowe was maister to saynt Albon whose doctrine / if it were vertuous Or come of god as ye reporte and say He shulde not haue demeaned hym thus So great a nombre suffre for to dye Of innocentes that dyd his lust obeye But it is lyke I do well apperceyue This clerke was busye the people to disseyue By some false crafte of incantation Or by some sotell and straunge experience Folke for to blynde by some illusyon Or by collusyon of false apparence Lyke as it were soth in existence with some comurison or some charme made of new A thynge that is nought to shewe as it were trew For by his compassed false deception The worthyest borne of this cite Haue ben perysshed / as made is mention And brought to nought by great aduersite wherupon I make a newe decree Payne of deth yeuyng this sentence To the bochers / who that yeueth credence That all other therby may be aferde By playne ensample of theyr punysshon where they be founde go vnto the swerde without mercy of any remyssyon And after this he sent for all the towne Hygh estates and lowe dyd do call And whan they come he sayde to them all Let vs procede and werken fynally And therunto set an ordinance All of Asseus vpon our ennemy As we are bounde take on hym vengeance That euery man gan hym selfe auaunce with suche weapyn playnly as they founde Sworde / knyfe / dagger / or what come first to hande So great people out of wales come than In theyr furyous rage and cruelte That there was lefte vnnethes any man whiche that abode within the citie Eche cryed on other / go we hense let se who that can fyrst make hym selfe stronge To be auenged vpon our great wronge Theyr goinge out was to the north partye A medeled people of folkes nyse and rude That no man coude remembre fynally The great nombre nor the multitude All the citie playnly to conclude was almost voyde myn auctor tell can Lefte alone of woman chylde and man Amonge the bochers and turmentours stronge One was marked aforne in that passage whiche that thought his felowes abode longe Ranne forth fast to get hym auantage And lyke a wolfe in his cruell rage Stynt neuer tyll that he founde The place where Amphibalus was bounde Lyke a bocher persed his entrayles This homycyde that ranne afore the route Raffe his nauyll and toke out his bowelles And at a stake / whiche that stode without Tyed lyke ropes euyn rounde about And with a scurge the martyr he gan make In sercle wyse to go aboute the stake By the grace of god in his sufferyng Felly assayled with many a great turment Shewed no token of sorowe nor grudgyng But alway one stable in his entent Tyll his bowels were rased out and rent with turmentours in theyr cruell rage He chaunged no chere of loke nor visage Two turmentours accorsed all theyr lyues Amphibalus set vp for a signe And cast at hym swerde dagger spere and knyues And euer the more agayne hym they dyd maligne The more they founde hmn gracious and benigne A pronosticke maruaylous in nature Saue goddes grace howe he myght endure To wonder vpon a merueylous myracle was sene that day in peoples syght Nowe this martyr vp set for a spectacle So longe lyued agayne natures ryght His blode was spent and lost was all his myght And his humedite called radicall In synewes and ioyntes wasted was at all His soule his spirite his goostly remembrance Stode in theyr strength of spirituall swetnes His heuenly feruence / his charite in substance Appalled not by no foren duresse Fors bore his baner agayne his mortall feblenes To preue this texte / sayd ago full longe Nowe persed loue / as any deth is stronge O bodely force feble to stande vpryght After his flesshely disposition In goostly strength lyke Hercules of myght For vertuous noblesse egall to Sampson Proued this day in Brutis Albion was Amphibalus / with whom who lyst aduerte was nothyng lefte / saue only tonge and herte In his herte as longe as ther was lyfe He ceased not gods worde to preache Grace was guyde / and trouthe his preseruatife Fayth bare vp all / charite was his leche His tonge enspired the people for to teache His body feble / his membres impotent yet tonge and herte were of one assent His herte stronge stable as a dyamant Fayth had of stele forged his ymage His hope in god was so perseuerant Dispayre in hym myght haue none auantage For his gracious influent langage And by myracles in hym shewed than That day to Christ was turned many a man His doctrine fyre in his remembrance Most souerently than gan therin delyte Let theyr ydols go vnto a myschaunce whiche myght them nother helpe nor profyte God with his grace lyst them to visite Of one assent / gan them redy to make After his counsell the fayth of Christ to take They were compuncte and maden theyr praye with repentance and voyce most lamentable To graunt them parte of that he suffered there Touchyng his passyon greuous and importable In that ioye / whiche is perdurable Touchyng the syghtes that they had sene Therof by grace to put them 〈…〉 Lyke as theyr trust and theyr perfyte beleue was in Iesu of herte thought and dede with hole affection that it shall them not greue For Christes sake theyr blode in hast to blede They stode so hole hauyng of deth no drede In theyr opinion our fayth to magnyfye That they dispised all ydolatrye Theyr prince and iuge the whyle in presence stode Lyke a man fall in to a franesye Voyde of reason and as a tyrant wode Commaunded all his turmentours to hye without exception of lowe or hygh partye To kyll and sleye and no mercy take That haue theyr goddes of dispite forsake They preased in the martyr to encombre Lyke gredy wolfes or tygrys of assent They slough that day a thousande full in nombre For to obeye his fell commandement Amphibalus beinge ther present whiche in spirite besyly gan entende To Christ Iesu theyr soules to commende A cruell paynem stoute indurate and bolde Spake to the martyr of hatefull cruelte whiche of the citie other newe or olde In any wyse hath trespased agayne the whiche hast caused theyr great aduersite These innocent people in so shorte a whyle with thy traynes and sleyghtes to begyle Our statutes and lawes thou hast foyled By occasyon of thy parlous langage And our citie most cruelly spoyled Of her people bothe olde and yonge of age Cause of theyr losse and mortall damage And thou aforne them forwounded to the deth Stondest in poynt to yelde vp thy brethe In suche disioynt thou mayst not recure Dissentrayled bounden to a stake And our goddes thou hast aboue measure Felly prouoked vengeance on the to take yet and thou woldest repent and forsake Thy Christis secte and fro thy fayth withdrawe And of hole herte turne to our lawe worshyp our god / whom thou hast offended And be in wyll to do so no more Of thyn hurtes thou myghtest be amended And axe grace as I haue tolde before To helth agayne they myght wele restore Thy woundes greuous / whiche seme incurable Make them full hole they be so merciable Vpon wretches benyngnly to rewe Suche as lyst falle in theyr grace And wyll repent lowly and be trewe Aske mercy of theyr olde trespas They may not fayle within a lyttell space To be accepte wounded halte and lame By my counsell do thy selfe the same whiche standest nowe as a spectacle Afforne the people / whiche haue them in disdeyne Praye our goddes to shewe some myracle By theyr power that it may be sene That thou maiste be restored newe agayne To that mercy / and afterwardes be assured Of all thy woundes for to be recured If thou thus do they wyll be gracious To modifie theyr vengable violence Let be thou paynym / quod Amphibalus Feble is theyr myght and mortall in sentence In thy langage thou dost great offence To yefe laude worshyp or praysyng To fals ydoles that haue no seing For they be voyde of grace and all vertue Haue nother tyme nor immaginatyfe There is no god but my lorde Iesu That deed bodyes restoreth agayne to lyfe He is my helth and my restoratife All your goddes of whiche nowe ye tell Ben but fendes that suffre payne in hell Them to prayse and worshyp ye be blynde For depe in hell is theyr abydyng ye do great wronge them to haue in mynde whiche euer endure in complaynt and wepyng And were tyrantes here in theyr lyuyng And of false drede toke theyr originall To be defied knowyng they be mortall In hell is nowe theyr habitation Perpetually ordeyned to abyde Of your false goddes the commemoration Is holden therwith all theyr pompe and pride with fyre beset on euery syde whiche neuer is queynte of infernall feruence Nor the worme deed of theyr conscience All they that serue them in theyr lyue Shall of theyr paynes be with them partable Out of charyte folke that lyst to stryue False aduoutrers / detractours detestable And homycydes most abhomynble That weren or ben here of theyr assent Haue and shall haue parte of theyr turment Lyke theyr desertes they must haue theyr mede And thou paynym shalte haue thy parte in payne For thy false errour but thou repent in dede Shalte eke with them I tell them certeyne Ben embrased in a fyrye chayne with Sathan stocked amyd the smokes blake But if thou wylte thy mawmettry forsake Forsake the ryghtes of false ydolatry Thy secte thyn errour of olde vanyte Dispayre the not / for great is the mercy Of Christe Iesu / whiche wyll accepte the with all other that here present be So that they wyll of fayth and hole entent Receyue of baptisme the holy sacrament Fyrst of baptisme the vertue to deuise Lyke as it is grounded in scripture It wassheth away / who so lyst aduertise Of mannes synne all fylthe and all odure Causeth a man all grace to recure Openeth heuen as sayen these clerkes Forsaketh sathan and all his mortall workes Tho that were children of perdition Vnder the fende by synne and wretchednes By grace of baptisme as made is mention Our fayth receyued standeth in sykernesse Flete to the grace and doth your busynesse As I to forne haue to you deuised Forsake your goddes / and beth in hast baptised water of baptisme doth synnes puryfye water of confort and consolation Clenseth the fylthe of all ydolatrye Originall well of our sauation Condite and ryuer of our redemption Called in scripture water regeneratyfe whiche restoreth a man vnto gostly lyfe It is the heed springe and the gostly streme whiche conueyeth a man to paradise Ryuer and porte vnto Ierusalem Of all ryuers this ryuer beareth the price As to folkes that be prudent and wyse Suche as wasshe them in this holsome ryuer Auoydeth from them all infernall daunger And scoureth away all venym serpentyne And spottis blacke called originall By grace causeth / whiche that is deuine Renewyng men to be celestiall And for a conclusion in this mater fynall To forsake your goddes / whiche may do you no goode By my counsell be bathed in this flode The streme therof shall glad your citie And race away the rust of olde outrages And with a flowe of all prosperite Renewe both your herte and your corages And you preserue from infernall damages ye stande free cheseth nowe of tweyne Eternall lyfe / or euerlastyng peyne After these notable exhortations Grounded on fayth and perfyte charyte The paynyms lyke tygrys or lyons In theyr hasty furyous cruelte Fyllen vpon the martyr bounde to a tree On eche syde assayled hym at ones with rounde kalyons and with sharpe stones A great myracle / god lyst that day to shewe And this martyr lyke goddes champyon Beset all aboute with paynyms not a fewe Stode aye vpryght / no partye downe Stable in prayer and in orison Erecte to god / not turnyng north ne southe The worde of god neuer out of his mouthe Saue the word of god / & his grace was impossible To abyde that bronte / where he had force or might In soule and spirite stondyng inuisible The eien vp lyfte of his inwarde syght Towarde heuen Phebus was neuer so bryght At mydsomer in his myd day spere As he sawe Iesu in the heuen appere On the ryght syde of his father dere Fyne of his tryumphe / and of his turmentry Herde of angels with sugred notes clere Celestiall songe / whiche in theyr melody Gan prayse the lorde / and there he gan espy His blessed Albon clad in purple wede Token of Christ he lyst his blode to blede To that martyr amonge martyrs all Of trust assured whylom betwene them twayne Amphibalus for helpe began to call O blessed Albon that sufferdist great payne For Christis sake of mercy not disdeyne To pray Iesu that lyst for vs to dye To sende his angels my iournay to conueye That cruel Sathan trouble not my passage Nor that his malyce may clayme in me no ryght By the martyr rehersed his langage Come two angels from heuen with great lyght This voyce eke herde in all the peoples syght There as he stode bounden to a stake Vpon the poynt to dye for goddes sake O Amphibalus after thy deuise with thy disciple glorious prince Albon Thou shalte this day be in paradyse Ryght in erthe as ye were both one with your triumphe ye shall together gone And with your palmes ye shall be in glorie with a tytle of euerlastyng victorie Amonge martyrs receyue this your mede Lyke your deserte of eternall guerdon A crowne of golde / and a purple wede Forged with saintes in the heuenly mansion Lyke to rubies most souerayne of renowne Albon and thou perpetually shall shyne In Verolamy the citie to enlumyne In this whyle two angels downe descende To the holy martyr for his gostly socoure On his soule benygly to attende whytter than snowe or any lyly floure His gost conueyeng vnto the heuenly towre Paynyms this tyme bydyng in the felde Greatly abasshed / whan they this thyng behelde Herder of herte than flynt or any stone After his spirite was borne vp to heuen Turmentours in theyr malyce ay one Feruent in fyry ire as any beuen Lyke as iewes fell vpon saynt Steuen So were they busy of hatefull cursednesse The deed body with stones to oppresse They had the martyr in so great disdayne After his deth gan make a newe affray That no memory shulde of hym be sayne Vpon the grounde where that he lay Safe ther was one / whiche that stole awaye The deed corps / and dyd his busy cure Most secretely to make his sepulture He was christen the man whiche dyd his payne The deed corps to close it in the grounde In secrete wyse tyll Iesu lyst ordeyne And prouide a tyme that he may be founde whiche for the fayth suffered many a wounde And this done by grace for the nones Maugre all tho that cast on hym stones Dukes erles and lordes of the towne were ouer come almost with fastyng Amonge paynyms rose a discention That wolde haue had the body in kepyng whiche had auowed in theyr out goynge To brynge the martyr by othe and surete Other quicke or deed home to theyr cite Amonge them selfe of vengeance gan to stryue with swordes drawe fell at deuision By their promyse outher deed or a lyue To brynge the martyr with them to the towne whiche were vnworthy to haue possession Of suche a treasure tyll god lyst shape a tyme Of gracious chaunge to sende a newe pryme Agayne theyr promyse god made an obstacle whan they of newe began the martyr to manace The body was besyled by myracle And eke buryed in a secrete place There to abyde tyll god lyst of his grace As I sayde erste this treasure of renowne May be founde to glad with all the towne Thus whan the paynims had shewed theyr vttrance Of the martyr the doctrine hole forsake God vpon them dyd openly vengance All theyr lymmes and membres gan to shake with a palsey theyr tonges were eke take with whiche membre attorne in many wyse The fayth of Christ they lyst falsely to dispise The handes touched of these homicydes Impotent of power and of myght Theyr bodyes vnweldy backe eke and sydes Their legges faltred for to stande vpryght Theyr mouthes stode wronge / a gogle stode theyr syght Eche membre and ioynt out of order stode And theyr iuge also sodenly waxe wode Hondes to godwarde whan they be vengable Feete that ranne of custome for damage Cruell eien / whiche be not merciable Mortall tonges that dampne men in theyr rage By detraction / mouthes for false langage Lyke theyr desertes of olde who lyst remembre God of his ryght gan punysshe euery membre The eighe for lokyng receyue his guerdon The tonge for speakyng taketh his salarie Bloud wrongefully shede requireth of reason Hastly vengance though it a whyle tary Murder homycyde / whiche be to god contrary Deth of martyrs / slaughter of innocentes Cryeth vengeance to god in their tourmentes Specially all the turmentours That were assented for to slee Albon Faded away as dewe on sommer floures And come to nought almost euerychone The mynde of the martyr abode alway in one And day by day the great laude and glorie Gan more and more encrease of victorie The sade vengeance no whyle was conseled Nor the great noyse of theyr aduersite Take vpon paynems wolde not be healed Theyr trouble and rumour was not kepte secrete For drede of whiche the chiefe of theyr citie Medled with grace as the story sayth were all at ones turned Christis fayth with ryght hole herte and full deuout humblenesse From theyr olde secte they gan away declyne Gan prayse the lorde for his ryghtwysnesse And some by grace heuenly and deuine By influence that dyd vpon hym shyne Lefte all the worlde treasure and substance And to Rome went for to do penance And by grace of our lorde Christ Iesu They renounced all theyr olde errour And sawe in theyr goddes there was no vertue Helpe at nede conforte nor socour But all at ones with diligent labour Of false ydols forsoke the sacryfyce Become christen in most humble wyse Myracles shewed and vertous doctrine Of Amphibalus with vertous diligence Grace annexed whiche dyd on them shyne Caused the citie of all theyr olde offence To axe mercy and with hole diligence Theyr false goddes of new they haue dispysed And moste mekely by grace were baptised And so longe continued / tyll at the last By a rurall person / disciple of pelagiane His her eticall doctrine / longe tyme begon & past Newly renewed and fast toke rote agayne Peruerted the people of this Brutis Britayne And specially in this citie of olde Verolamy Moche increased this doctrine of infamy wherwith sore troubled was all the hole clergy Not stronge inough / by lernyng and prudence These olde errours to refourme & rectify But glad to sende for helpe and defence To the clergy of Fraunce / to be theyr assistence where assembled a counsell of clergy in generall To prouide remedy for this myschefe in speciall Lastely concluded by the hole counsell Sent vnto Verolamy two auncient clerkes In lernyng and vertue / ryght famous and excell The one called Germayne a myrour in good warkes Confounder of heretykes / & all fyry sparkes Of scismaticall doctrine / by gostly influence He was consecrate bysshop of Antisiodorence And Lupus the bysshop of Trecassinensis In this holy iournay / with hym was associate And came to this citie of Verolaminensis where the people ꝑuerted / were greuously insensate And from the trewe fayth / crokedly abrogate By thereticall doctrine of the erroneus person Declared to the people with deuylysshe illusion Good people afore this tyme / of feruent deuocion For recours of pylgryms / had builded an oratory Ouer the tombe and 〈◊〉 of holy saynt Albon wheder these bysshops of blessed memory Came and made prayer to the martyr instantly That he for them in theyr batayle and conflycte wolde be meane to god / the heretyke to conuicte Theyr prayer to god / by the martyr preferred As ꝑueth the sequele / was ryght acceptable For than the heretikes / day ne tyme detec●ed was clerely conuicte of theyr errours detestable And reduced to grace / by treuthe infallable By Lupe and Germane in playne disputation Renounsyng theyr errours / made abiuration Than for that grace / gyuen them in especiall Of god by meane of the martyrs intercessyon To his tombe they returned / with hert & mynd effectual Redoublyng theyr prayer / with humble deuocion For the great tryumphe / and vtter subiection That th enmyes of god / had susteyned that day Exhortyng the people / to laude god and praye And mekely on theyr knees / with all dew reuerence Vncouered the tombe / where the corps lay There founde the reliques in state and essence All though he had layne ther many a longe day And of the same reliques they toke no parte away But of th erth all blody saint Germane toke a porcion To bere aboute with hym of feruent deuotion And for the same in full recompence A cophyn enclosed with relyques many one Of all th apostels / and 〈◊〉 with reuerence whiche he gathered in places where he had gone There he them offered to blessed saynt Albon For a perpetuall memory of that his acte and dede And to all pylgryms to haue rewarde and mede Than departed Germayne and his felowe Lupus In to theyr owne countres there to remayne within foure yeres after / agayne it happened thus Newly to sprynge / t heresyes of pelagyans Than the clergy sent of newe for saynt Germayne who hastely graunted to come and discusse All doutes associate / with holy Seuerus who breuely confounded and brought to vtterance All theretykesto theyr shame and confusyon That done they retourned agayne into Fraunce The people delyuered from deuyllysshe illusion Albert shortely after / theyr former abusyon Returned theyr myndes and brought in appostacy Theyr god forgettyng to laude and magnifie And all that was done by the greuous occasyon Of the furyous saxons / and theyr pagan ryte For after that they had in this lande made inuasion Churhes and clergy they distroyed quite To adnull Christis lawe was all theyr delyte And compell the christen to theyr false ydolatry In suche miserable lyfe was all theyr felicite Thus by them all this region in maner 〈◊〉 From 〈◊〉 fayth / and holy saynt Alb●● The 〈◊〉 and tombe decayed and 〈◊〉 Token or knowlege there was lefte none Deuotion and prayer forgotten and gone Tyll god of his goodnes and mercyfull pitie wold reuele his sayntes / to the laude of his deite Thus duryng this tyme thre hundred yere & mo The hertes ot the people / all derke & obumbrate From the fayth of Christ was clerely lost and go worshyppyng ydols of power aduychilate Reason of knowlege by wyll was obnubilate By longe continuance accustomed and vsed That good and trew doctrine / they vtterly refused Thylke holy saynt Albon / to the godhed directed His deuoute prayer / his countrey to reconcile To Christis owne fayth / all heresyes reiected with errours and scismes / from them put in exile The disceytes of the deuyll / hath the longe begyle To abate and suppresse / to the christen releue And to all heretikes shame and repreue His prayer well herde / god hath prouyde A captayne / a ruler / a prince of great pleasance Ouer this contre / to reigne rule and gye Discended of blode from royall aliance That by goddes helpe shortly made purueyance These fautes to redresse / by grace as he may This noble deuoute prince called kynge Off s It 〈…〉 t this kyng than beinge at Bygging Besy●●●ynstowe his owne maner place Callyng to memory all his former lyuyng How by the blody swerd his peace he had purchace Compuncte by contrition callyng for grace Besought god on his knees / with feruent deuocion Some knowlege to haue of his synnes remyssyon Than sodenly in the chapel came a maruelous light Inflamed the king with a swete fraragraūt odour The kynge fyrst astonyed / to se it so bryght Than after coforted gaue laude prayse & honour To that only god / grounde of all socour And set fast in hym / his trust and confidence Dayly to serue hym / with all dewe reuerence This kynge then lyinge in the citie of Bath Halfe slepyng in a slombre appered an angell Shewyng that of god suche fauour he hath And also commaundement as he dyd than tell All scismes and heresyes / from the contre texpell He shulde perceyue with all diligence anone To translate the reliques of holy saynt albon The kyng or this tyme of the pope had purchased That Lychefelde shulde be / th archebysshops see wherby Canterbury was greatly defased But for that tyme there was no remedy All whiche I on●ye and returns to our story Howe and by whom was done this translation Of archebysshop and bysshops with feruent deuocion After that the angell at Bathe had thus appered Of this ꝓthomartyr Albon / made the kyng relacion He called Humbertus / whome he had than arered Archebysshop of Lychefeld / and made declaration Of th angelles commandement / for the translation Of this holy martyr / than the bysshop anon ryght Obeyed and prepared therto w all his myght Accompanyed with suffraganes / two he had than Theyr names to recount / I let ouer passe The kyng & they to Verolamy / with many noble men Accompaned / came reuerently to the same place where as a fyrye pyllour bryghtly shynynge was Ouer the tombe & place / where as lay saynt Albon By whiche token / they founde the cophyn anone They toke vp the bones with all humble deuotion And bate them to the church with ympnes and songe The kynge and his nobles folowed the processyon where many fayre myracle was done than amonge The relyques enclosed in a shryne great and longe Of syluer and golde set with great ryches Thus with all solempnite / endeth this busynes Not without myracles as the story doth vs teache They that were blynde / recured haue theyr syghte The domme also was restored to theyr speche Folkes lame and podagryd / went than vpryght Lepres made cleue / by prayer of this knyght And palatyke folke / as the story doth remembre And all other diseased / were hole in euery membre Be glad and mery / thy title riche and goode Londe of brytane called brutes Albion whiche art inbaumed / with the purple bloode Of blessed saint Albon / prince of that region And specyally O noble and ryall towne Of verelamy / reioyce and be iocounde So riche a treasure / is in thy boundes founde . Richer treasure more worthy to be commended Moche better then in Troy / was euer Palladion For on thy soyle / of newe is discendyd A celestiall dew / of grace and all fosion And specially by / angelicall reuelation whiche on thy londe / of newe dothe rebounde That blessed Albon / is in thy boundes founde . Hector whylom / was Troyans Champion And Haniball protector of Cartago Marchus Maluius / saued Rome towne The capitolie / conserued frome dammage And in britayne nowe in more lattre age Of holy Albon when the corps was founde Made in that region all thinges to habounde . Kynge Offa as I sayd / hauynge this vision whiche of saynt Albon / was patron and founder By myracles shewed / for his good deuocion The place where was hyd / this ryche treasure He with cost and diligent laboure Lett call to gedre / of diuers regions Most cunninge maysters of wryghtes & masons . To buylde the churche / of blessed saint Albon Indowed the same / with londes and possession So that in all Britayne / lyke to that is none Replenished with people / of saynt benettes ꝓfession Almost .viii. C. yere continued in succession Takynge fyrst auctorite / as the hystorie telle can Graunted by bulles of pope Adriane . After went hym selfe / this noble worthy kynge Of great deuotion to Rome the ryall citie Spared no cost / tyll he in euery thynge Had of his purpose graunt and autoritie Priuileges / fredomes / and liberties By the pope then / confirmed to that place For loue of saint Albon with many especial grace . By auctoritie / as ye haue hard deuysed He had his askynge / by power spirituall And for his part / to be more auctorised He hath annexed his power in especyall with all liberties and fraunchies full ryall Perpetually bound yt in brede and in lenght In honour of saint Albon / to stonde in his strenght O Verolamy as I haue tolde beforne O Famous olde citie / amonge all nations whiche in thy boundes / hadst suche a prince borne Notable in knyghthode / with all conditions Of hygh prowes / by manyfold reasons wordy by vertu and by ryall lyen To be in degre / aboue all the worthies nyen . He that whylom was busy to compyle This noble historie / trewly of entent In latyn tonge to directe his style Ryght as he sawe / so was he diligent It to conuey / bicause he was present yet lyst he not I suppose of mekenes Tell what he was nor his name expresse To hym selfe / he gaue none other name After the story / as I reherse can Excepte he wrote of drede / and of honest shame He wolde be called as he wrote than Of all wretches the symplest man Of other name as by his wrytyng To vs he lefte no maner knowlegyng Saue he of trust and good confydence whiche that abode in his opinion There shulde come in great reuerence Tyme commyng folke of religion Specially to Verolamy towne whiche that shulde do theyr busy payne The fayth of Christe / for to preache in Britayne Than shall the trouthe be openly knawe whan the errour is loused and vnbounde Of paynyms and Christis worde be sawe Thorowe all the londe / false ydols to confounde Than to theyr hartes / gladnes shall rebounde That vseth our fayth / whan Iesu lyst by grace Of his infinite mercy / a tyme to purchase This same man / of full trewe intent whiche busy was / this story to endue Vnto the see of Rome / with the boke he went By great aduise his purpose to acquite And fynally lyke as he doth playnly wryte All false goddes and ydols to forsake Baptisme to receyue and Christis fayth to take And as I haue tolde / this boke with hym he brought To be sene ouer with meke and lowe subiection To all that courte / and humbly he besought Our lorde Christe Iesu with deuoute intention After theyr dewe and full examynation Called to recorde this story made of newe Lyke as he wrote that euery worde was trewe This boke accomplysshed / notable and famous Of hym that was in Brutis Albion Called prothomartyr most vertuous That for Christ suffered passion That yere accompted of his translation Fro Christis byrthe and his natiuite Fully seuen hundreth nynty yere and thre . Nowe perfyte reders / that dyuers stories hath sene Marke well the tymes / of this here expressed whan that saynt Albon by the paynyms kene For Christis fayth / from this lyfe was suppressed The commyng of saynt Germayn for errours to be After all these / the tyme of his inuention Done by kynge Offa / with his holy translation CC. lxxxx.iii . yeres of our lorde Christ Iesu The reigne of Dioclesyon the .xix. yere Christis holy fayth to reuyue and renewe Suffred saynt Albon / the story doth appere Maximiane & Asclipiodot / both his iuges were It was in the seconde yere / of the pope Gaius That holy saynt Albon was martyred thus Than one hundreth & one yere after his passion Began fyrst t heresies of false pelagyane which was . CCCC . iiii . yeres / by iust computation After that Christ / had take our nature humayne The .xiiii. yere of the Brittisshe kynge Graciane In the .iii. yere of the fyrst Anastacious And the .xvi. yere of th emperour Theodosius Foure hundred and forty / of our lorde .ix. yeres mo And in the fyrst yere of Vortigern the kynge And the fyfte yere of the fyrst pope Leo Theodose the seconde emperour than beinge In his .xxi. yere after iust rekenynge Saynt Germayn come fyrst / and lupus also To distroye t heresies / that were begon tho C.xliii . yeres by iuste computation After his passion / thus come saynt Germayn And forty and two yere without variation After the fyrst tyme of the falce pelagian yet within fyue yeres saynt Germayn come agayn As is shewed before / with holy Seuerus All former heresies by grace to discus CCC.xliii . yeres after saynt Germayne whiche was seuen hundreth / lxxx . & .xiii. yere Of our lorde Iesu / as stories doth determyne That th angell at Bath / to kyng Offa dyd appere To translate saynt Albon / with all heuenly chere The fyrst Adrian pope / the .vi. Constantine th emperour whan this translation was done with all honour Perceyue nowe good reders / & gyue true iugement Betwene the monkes of Colen / & of blessed Albon The Coloners wryteth after theyr entent To cause the pylgryms to withdrawe theyr deuotion From Verolamy / & to folowe theyr affection Sayinge that they haue the very body To theyr shame and rebuke / detendyng suche foly And to proue theyr intent / playnely they say That these heresyes of false pelagiane Began in the reigne of noble kynke Offa And also in the tyme of pope Adrian Affyrmyng that than shuld come in Germayne And with hym Lupus / a clerke of great substance And all t heresyes were brought than to vttrance And so by Germayn / were brought vnto Rauenus The body of saynt Albon / and there th emperour Valentiniane / he was nobly receyued than And also the body / with all godly honour where Germayn sore vexed with a mortall dolour Departed this lyfe and vale of all misery To th eternall lyfe / in the celestiall glory After whose deth th emperours mother Placida by name / as Coloners doth say To Rome brought this body / she with many other with all dewe reuerence / there abode many a day Tyll Otto th emperour / with his mother Theophana Brought it to Colen / to th archebysshop Brunon In to the monastery of holy Panthaleon Also at the tyme of this translation in dede Adrian was pope / and that they confesse And whan Valentiniane / to th empyre dyd procede Liberious was pope / in his .xii. yere doutlesse As diuerse Historiographers / playnly do expresse So that of the sees spirituall nor temporall Agreeth with theyr accomptes / after theyr memoriall They say also the body is yet incorrupt From the thyes vpwarde / they haue in possession whiche saiynge me semeth of trouthe be interrupte Onles they wyll graunt any vnsemyng diuision Of a corporall body to be cut in perticion yet I can not knowe what parte they shulde haue For kynge Offa founde nothyng / but the bones in his graue They say also that kyng Offa & saynt Germayne was bothe at one tyme / at this translation whan therisies was destroyde of false pelagian In whose tymes is a great alteration who lust accompt by iust compotation Shall fynde . CCC . yeres .xliiii. also That kynge Offa came after saynt Germayn was go They say also that th emperour Valentiniane Shulde mete . s . Germain / whan he came to Rauene whiche can not be trewe / but all spoken in vayne For CCC.lxvi . was the yeres of our lorde than whan Valentiniane fyrste began to reigne That was . lxxx.iii . yeres before that Germayne Came to distroye t heresies of pelagiane . Therfore good bretherne of holy saynt Benet Monkes of Colen leue this your bablyng ye be so ferre hense / in dede ye can not let Ony deuoute persons / for to do theyr offryng I wyll not denie / but your vntrewe surmysyng May brynge some people / pucyll and innocent For lacke of trewe knowlege / in a wrong iugement But they that be lerned can rede as well as ye Conferre histories / and also accompte the yeres Can well perceyue howe craftely ye do flye From trouthe / t history so playnly apperes And are not they accursed that false wytnesse beares And specyally in writing / to the derogation Of theyr bretherne in god of a nother nation Remembre ye ware in Englande but late with the .vii. Henry that myghty ryall kynge where couertly ye sought meanes with many a noble To staye & aide you in this vntrewe lesing estate But ye durst not abyde th ende of the rekenyng For feare of afterclappes that myght haue ensued ye where afrayde to drynke of suche as ye brewed wherfore reduce your selfe / false wrytynge reuoke Knowlege your offence / of wyll more than dede For if ye continue / ye shall haue but a mocke Men knoweth howe ye can in ony wyse procede But if that other ye loue god or drede Folowe the trouthe / so shall ye do best And in lytle medlynge / ye shall fynde moche rest . O blessed Albon / o martyr most beningne Called of Brytons stewarde most notable Prince of knyghtholde preued by many a signe In all thy workes iust prudent and treatable And in thy domes ryghtfull and mercyable Be in oure paueye / shelde of protection O prothomartyr of Brutes Albion Let all thy seruauntes grace and mercy fynde whiche that call to the in myschefe and distresse And haue thy passion and martyrdome in mynde Agayn frowarde ennemyes & all frowarde duresse Of thy benigne mercyfull goodnes Them to defende be thou theyr champion O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion Syth thou arte named gracious benigne & good The fyrste also / whiche that in Britayne Suffred paynems to shede thy gentyll blode For Christes faith to die and suffre peyne O glorious prince of mercy not disdeyne To here the prayers and deuoute orison Of all thy seruauntes in Brutis Albion Thou were a myrrour and of mercy and pitie Haddest a custome here in this worlde lyuyng To cherysshe pylgrymes and heldest hospitalite All poure folke and strangers refresshyng Graunt our requestes for loue of thylke kynge Called kynge Offa whiche had a vision where thou were buryed in Brutis Albion Lyke a prince of ryght thou muste entende To forther all them that lyue in thy seruyce All theyr greuous and mischefes to amende And by thy prayer a pathe for hym deuyse To lyue in vertue and vices to despise By thy most knyghtly mediacion O prothomartyr of Brutes Albion For his sake haue in remembraunce To all thy seruauntes to do succoure whiche of deuocion to do the pleasaunce was in thy chyrche chef bylder and foundous Of thy liberties royall protector There brought in fyrst men of religion One th eldest Abbeys in Brutes Albion Amonge all other remembre that place It to preserue in longe prosperite where thou arte shryned to grete encrece of grace As there protectour ageyne all aduersitie And doer haue mynde vpon ther citie whiche is made famous by thy passion O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion . To the cite be patron prince and guyde In thy seruice make them diligent with longe felicite on the othersyde Conserue thyn Abbot and thy deuout couent Syth they are bounde of herte and hole entent Euer the to serue by theyr profession O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion And specially pray / for our most riall prince Our redouted lord / and most gracious souerayne Most victorious kinge / our sheld and our defence Both kinge & Emperour / within all this Britane Defender of the faith / of Irlonde lorde & captaine Henry the .viii. surmountyng in renowne O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion Pray for his spouse / his louynge lady dere His riall quene Anna / notable and famous Indowed with grace / and vertu without pere Pray for oure princes / that she may be prosperous Elizabeth by name / both beautifull and gracious Pray that theyr issue / haue fortunate succession O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion Pray for princes that this londe gouerne To rule the people by prudent policie Pray for the chyrche that lyke a clere lanterne By good ensample ther subiectes for to gye And pray also that the chiualrie May holde vpryght agaynste falce extorcion O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion Praye for marchantes / and artificers To encrease by vertue in theyr busynesse That there be founde no fraude in theyr desyres So that false lucre haue none encreasse By thy prayer do also represse All tyranny and all false extorcion O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion And with these o martyr glorious Syth thy prayer may so moche auayle Pray to the lorde aboue most gracious Agayne indigence to sende inough of vitayle And specially pray for the porayll Them to releue with plenty and foyson O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion Noble prince most soueraigne and entier Corne frute and grayne to encrease and multiplie Blessed Albon praye for the labourer To plough and carte theyr handes so to applie That grace may so gouerne them and gye To great increase gyue all this region O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion All these estates remembred in substance Ioyne them in vertue by perfyte charyte Lyke a prince take them in gouernance And them preserue from all aduersyte Set peace amonge them and vertuous vnite All where nowe reigneth pride and deuision O prothomartyr of Brutis Albion . Finis .

Here endeth the glorious lyfe and passyon of seint Albon prothomartyr of Englande / and also the lyfe & passyon of saynt Amphabell / whiche conuerted saynt Albon to the faith of Christe . whose lyues were translated out of frenche and laten in to Englisshe / by Iohn Lydgare monke of Bury / and now lately put in print / at request of Robert Catton / abbor of th exempte monasterye of saynt Albon . The .xxvi. yere of our soueraigne lorde kyng Henry the eyght . And in the yere of our lorde God . M. D.xxx.iiii .