The lyf of the holy [and] blessid vyrgyn saynt Wenefryde

¶ Here begynneth the lyf of the holy & blessid vyrgyn saynt Wenefryde /

IN the west ende of grete Britayn / whiche now is callyd Englond is a prouynce whiche is named walys / This said prouynce was somtyme inhabyted of sayntes of many & dyuerse merytes / & embelisshed & decorate vnto this day with Innumerable prerogatyuys in many wyses / Emong whom ther was an holy & deuout man named beunow a man of hye merite / & this holy man lad religious lyf / & was a monk in the said englond / he edyffyed chirches / & ordeyned certayn bretheren & prestes for to serue god in many places / & hit was so / that by dyuyn prouydence he was warned & admonested to desyre & aske of a myzty man named Theuith a certeyn place to bylde on a chirch for his helthe / which he dyligently demanded / & the seid theuith graunted to hym gladly & with good w●● & also commysed to hym his douzter named wenefrede whome 〈◊〉 ●●uyd tenderly for to be instruct & tauzt / prayeng hym to bisech almyzty god / that he wold dispose her conuersacion to the 〈◊〉 & honour of hym / which thyng god knowyng what shold ●●●we therof wold not suffre her to be lost ne perisshed / for the maid wenefrede desyred by an ardaunt desyre to be the temple of god in tyme comyng / And suche thynges as she vnderstode by stryng of her eres she held & enprynted fast in her mynde / & that she conceyued in her thouzt / purposed verily ●accōplyss●● hast●ly in werkes / so thenne by th ynspyracion of the holy ghost this holy vyrgyn prouffytyng in vertues shewed vnto ●er mayster fe● now the very purpose of her mynde sayeng / I haue determyned in my self to forsake al the lust & plaisir of the world / & haue disposed to conserue & kepe my virgynyte vndefowled vnto Cryst / whiche thyng o holy fader I byseche the deuou●●ly that thou wylt impetre & gete graunte of my fader & moder / whiche thynge he shewed to hem / & they gladly consentid / & therwyth were wel pleasid / Thenne this holy vyrgyn recordyng & desyryng tenprynte in her mynde suche holy wordes & lessons as floweden oute of the mouth of her mayster / suffred none er●●ely n● worldly vanytees to entre in to her / but laye oft in the nyztes in the chirche / And of tyme she solycyted the holy man to make a sermon / and to treate to her / of her spouse Ihesu crist / & to shewe his werkes digne & worthy of laude & p●ysynge / ¶ It happed on a sonday that her fader & moder were gone to the Chirche / & this blessid virgyne was lefte for certayn cause at home / & one named Cradoke sone of kyng Alane entryd & sawe this holy virgyne syttyng by the fyre / whiche anone as she sawe the kynges sone aroos / & humbly demannded hym what was his playsir / and he sayd to her / thou knowest well that I am a kynges sone / whiche haue plente of rychesses & honours / & of them shalle departe largely to the yf thou wylt consente to my peticion & desyre / she anon felyng hym to make his request for to haue a do with her / & a lytyll case doun shamefastly her chere dyssymylyd her to be a shamed that he had founden her not well arrayed ne apparaylled / & sayd to hym suffre a whyle lest my fader come & I shal go in to my chambre / & shal come to the ageyne withoute taryeng / to whiche the yong man graunted / & she wente in to the chambre & by a bye dore of the chambre she wente oute / & ran faste toward the chirche / whiche so fleyng was anone knowen to the yong man / & thenne he beyng wood wroth by cause she fledde fro hym / by cause she wold kepe her virgynyte / & with a suerd 〈◊〉 folowed after & ouert●ke her & holdyng hir with a sterne 〈◊〉 said to her in this wyse / somtyme I louyd the / & desytrd the to be ioyned to myn enbracementes / & now thou despysest hym that desyreth the / Now know thow for certayn that either thou shalt this present tyme suffre me to haue my wyl of the or without ●●ryeng I shal smyte of thyn hede with this swerd The holy vyrgyn hauyng her ful hope & truste in oure lord answerd hym in this wyse / I am coupled in matrimonye to the sone of the euerlastyng kyng & Iuge of al men / wherfor I may haue none other / And by cause I wyll not long abuse the why be I lyue I shal neuer loue ne forsake hym / & therfor be thou assured that thy menaces / ne fair wordes / thretenynges / ne promesses maye departe me fro the swetenes of his loue / to whos enbracementes I am strayned & coupled by deuocion / This becherous yonge man herynge hym self to be despysed / and put fro his voluptuons desyre toke oute his swerd / and smote of the hede of this blessyd vyrgyne /

¶ And anone as the hede of the virgyne fylle to the erthe / In the same place a bryght and fayre welle beganne to sprynge vp / largely gyuynge oute water and plentyuously whiche contyn●eth to flowe vnto this day / gyuynge helthe by the merytes of this blessyd vyrgyn to many seke peple & malades / Now was it so that the place where her hede was smyton of was hangyng of an hylle / & the hede rollyd doun to the chirche dore / & whan the peple in the chirche sawe the hede / there was a grete noyse & rumour / in so moche that her fader & moder cam / & sawe how her doughter was biheded / wherof they were sore basshed / & made a lamentable noyse & sorow sayeng that they had hoped / that she shold haue ben a seruaunt of god & to haue lyued an holy lyf / & whan beunowe herd this noyse & rumour / he cam & sawe ; this hede of the holy vyrgyn & 〈◊〉 none he took it vp / & sawe where the kynges sone stode a 〈◊〉 his swerd on the grusse / to whom he said be kyng in his vsage these wordes / O thou wycked man whiche hast 〈◊〉 thy fair yongth / & arte sone of the bygnage of a kyng 〈…〉 slayn by cryme as an homycyde this noble vyrgyn 〈…〉 pentest the not that hast commysed so grete a synne 〈…〉 troubled the pees & hast defowled the chirche by thy 〈…〉 & hast gretely trespaced & wratthed out lorde / & 〈…〉 not / Now for as moch as thou hast not spared the 〈…〉 hast gyuen reuerence to the sonday / I byseche my lorde 〈…〉 whom thou hast commysed synne vnworthely that 〈…〉 the by digne recompensacion / & these wordes said & 〈…〉 the yong man forthwith fyll doun to th erthe & e●spyred 〈…〉 / & incontynent wonderfully the body of hym so dede 〈◊〉 ●yght & presence of many was molten & 〈…〉 in to th erthe / & his soule drowned in helle them 〈…〉 moder hauyng no confort / but wayl●yng the deth of 〈…〉 desyred to make bewaillynges / & the holy man 〈…〉 to th aulter to say the masse / whiche beyng fynyss●●d 〈…〉 peple awaityng on hym / & hauyng hope vnto god / he went to the body lyeng dede / & vnto the peple made a sermon 〈…〉 al other wordes he said how this blessid virgyn had / made a vowe to almyzty god / but for taccōpliss●e the same by cause of her deth she had not tyme eōgrue to fulfylle it / & therfor I exhorte & desyre you to knele doun to the ground & to pray deuou●●●ly vnto almyghty god that of his grace it wold plese hym to reyse her fro deth to lyf / to th ende that many be the better / and more constaunt in the faythe / and that moche good shold therof enfolowe / ¶ After thenne this longe prayer / the holy man beunowe aroose vp holdyng his hondes vp in to heuen sayde / O lord Ihesu crist for whos loue this holy virgyn hath forsaken all worldy thynges / & hath desyred heuenly thynges we humbly byseche the with al oure myght & deuocion that thou at this tyme graunte to vs th effect of our peticion & prayer / & for what cause this vyrgyne hath suffred deth we knowe not but that she is in euerlastyng ioyes / hauyng no nede of oure company / thou neuertheles most debonayr fader graunte to vs thy sonnes / mekely besechyng the benyngne & exaudyble / that it may please the to gyue thyn assente to oure peticions & prayers / & commaunde thou that the sowle of this holy vyrgyne may be brought ageyn to her body / & that she may be restored to her fyrst lyf / And that by the grace of thy mercy may magnefye thy name / And after longe space of lyf / she may retorne to the her spouse / that is the only sone of god the fader with whome / & with the holy ghost lyuest world without ende / & whan al had answerd amen / he sette the hede to the body / & the holy vyrgyne aroos / as she had arysen fro slepe / wypyng her visage / & clensynge it fro the duste & swette / & replenysshed alle the assistentes stondynge with wonderfull admyracion & ioye / Neuertheles in the place of her necke where as her heede was smyten of / And after by dyuyne operacion was sett on ageyn & resolydate / a lytil redenes in maner of a threde wente aboute the necke / and shewed the place where as hit had be cutte of / And that euer after abode for to shewe the absicycion and th ostencion of the myracle / as longe as the vyrgyn lyuyd / and alwey abode in one maner / and the place where as her blood was shedde was callyd fyrst / the drye valeye / And after that the hede of the holy vyrgyne was cut of and touchyd the ground / as we afore haue said sprang vp a welle of spryngyng water largely / enduryng vnto this day / which heleth al languours and sekenesses as well in men as in bestes / whiche welle is named after the name of the vyrgyn & is called saint wenefredes welle & by cause ther was moch blood of her shed in the welle & the descente of the hylle / the stones yet in to this day appiere as wel in the welle as in the ryuer rennyng doune al besparklyd with blood / whiche thynge is merueyllous / For yet at this day is sene the droppes of blood / lyke as hit was the fyrst day / And the mosse that groweth vpon the sayd stones / smellyth lyke encence / whiche welle 〈…〉 famous and of grete renomme / and well knowen / to 〈…〉 goo thyder / and endureth as it dyd the fyrst tyme / and the stones as we sayd to fore ben yet dayly blody / 〈…〉 with dropes of blood / shewynge openly / that by the 〈…〉 of the sayd vyrgyne / alle they that calle on 〈…〉 or dysease / oure lord shalle case and delyuer them /

¶ Thenne for to knowe how this holy vyrgyne 〈…〉 lyuyd after that she was trysed fro de●he to lyf 〈…〉 of lyf she hadde vnto the ende she departed 〈…〉 world / ye shalle here al alonge herafter folowyng 〈…〉 ¶ Thenne after she was thus ●ysed as aftre 〈…〉 that daye after she was abydynge al the 〈…〉 Beunowe / and entended wyth 〈…〉 deuocion vnto his sermons / and to alle thynge● 〈…〉 to god / desyrynge with a 〈…〉 formed fully to serue & please 〈…〉 she sufficiently Instruc●e and enformed after 〈…〉 of the disciplyne of the holy Chirche 〈…〉 desyred humbly of her mayster to be 〈…〉 n● the holy v●yle / Sayenge / I may in no 〈…〉 thy feet vnto the tyme / that thow ●as● 〈…〉 theff●●t of this holy pro●ession / & so thou to 〈…〉 in thabyte of relygious disciplyn / & that I may 〈…〉 thyn hondes in suche wyse that I may in the inward 〈…〉 my soule perseuere in the seruyse of our blessed lord 〈…〉 fader I humbly byseche the / that thou wil not 〈…〉 my peticion ne desyre / but to fulfylle my 〈…〉 late me make myn auowe as it 〈…〉 this holy man shewed the desyre & wil of this 〈…〉 to her fader & moder / & said to them / that they shold 〈◊〉 the desyre of her / for she was chosen of god / & had 〈…〉 her his dyuyn grace / they thenne benyngnly 〈…〉 & the holy man thenne to fore moche peple g●f / to her the 〈◊〉 vayll / & professyd her / & halowed in the 〈◊〉 of them 〈◊〉 whiche blessyd vyrgyne after tha●complysshement and vowe made of her holy desyre / anone she flouryd in alle vertue / and deuoutely studyed / how she myght best obserue the rewlys of the disciplyne of Relygyon / And in short space she acquyred and was ful Instructe in the perfection of alle the obseruaunce that therto bylongeth / After this this holy man Beunow was admonesshed by a vysyon / that he shold departe thens / and goo dwelle in another place / to th ende that he myght auaylle and do moche prouffyte to moche peple / And ther vpon he called the fader and moder of the blessyd vyrgyne / & sayd to them / ye shall vnderstande / that I must departe from hens / and may no lenger be here with yow / For god hath callyd me to another place / wherfore / I exhorte yow / that ye besyly entende vnto the admonycions and ensamples of youre doughter / knowynge for certayne that she is not ordeyned an only ensample to yow / but also a very ensample of helthe vnto alle peple herafter for to come / Thenne he torned hym to the holy vyrgyne / and sayd to her / Our lord almyghty god hath commaunded / the for to succede and folowe my labours and excercysitees / and to honoure this habytacle / to folowe the weye of lyf / by me to the shewed / And the same to shewe to other / Thy charge shall be from hens forth for the loue of god to haunte and dwelle in this place / and to gadre and assemble vyrgyns to lyue here in the seruyse of god with the / But one thynge knowe thow for certayne / that thow shalte not fynysshe thy lyf in this place / For whan thow hast seruyd god here in besy abstynence of the body and afflyction of spyryte / by the space of seuen yere / hit behoueth the to goo to another place / whiche shall be shewed to the by oure lord / and he shal adresse the thyder / where thow shalt enlumyne the derkenesse of many hertes / And reteyne well / that thy memorye and remembraunce shall be clerly spred in this world / & as moche thow shalt be more of meryte / so moche more shall many be remedyed by the of their myseryes and hurtes /

Whanne this hooly vyrgyne vnderstode the departynge of her mayster and doctonr / she was moche sorowful and heuy / And wepte sorowfully for his departynge and absence / Thenne the holy man Beunowe ladde her by the ryght honde to the welle whiche sprange at the place where her hede fylle / whanne hit was smyten of / wherof we haue to fore remembryd / and made her to stande vpon a stone / which lyeth there on the brynk of the sayd welle vnto this daye / and is callyd the stone of saynt Beunowe of them that dwelle there / And he sayd to her these wordes folowynge / Beholde sayd he and see here the steppes of thy passion / loo these stones here besprynct with thy blood shewe that thow hast for goddes loue suffryd here mar●● dome / & to the perpetuel honoure of the / & to the monumente of many other they kepe the shedynge of thy blood of whiche they ben besprynct / fresshe and rody / Now therfore with a dylygent and good mynde reteyne and kepe my wordes / that they maye come reuerently to the knowlege of many 〈◊〉 / Knowe thow for certayne / that thre yeftes ben gyuen and / graunted to the of almyghty god / whiche shall be 〈◊〉 shewed to the tytle of thy lawde and praysynge / And shalle be arettyd to the loue of thy deuocion in the myndes of them that shalle come herafter / The fyrste is this / that the 〈◊〉 besprynct and wette by spryn●lyng of thy bloode 〈◊〉 neuer in this world be wasshen awey / and putte oute 〈…〉 the swyfte cours of this water be taken awey / but for 〈◊〉 aud shewyng of thy passion shullen alwey 〈…〉 blody / doynge myracle vnto the glorye of god and 〈…〉 geste / and also to the tryumphe of thy chastyte / The 〈◊〉 yefte or graunt is this / that who someuer he be / that is 〈◊〉 by ony Infortune / and requyreth the / & desyreth to be 〈◊〉 by the fro his dystresse or oppressyon / the fyrst / the 〈…〉 the thyrd / certaynly the thyrdde tyme / yf it be done effectu●lly with a good wyll he shall enioye that thynge that he demaunded and asked / And yf hit so happe that he gete ne haue not tht thynge that he desyred / ne that it folowe not after his reticion / knowe he for certayne / that yf ther be ony thynge more godly for the helthe of his sowle / than hit / that he demaunded that it shal folowe & come to hym for his good / for oftymes we of our frelnes aske and desyre thynges / whiche parauentur shold torne more to our hurte / than to our we le / god knoweth what it best for vs / The 〈◊〉 yefte is thy● / that 〈◊〉 now I shal departe & go for the for to dwelle in a conuenyent place stondynge on the see syde / whiche god of his benygne grace hath graunted to me / And though hit be soo / that I shalle be ferre fro the / yet almyghty god hath commaunded the to remembre me euery yere with thy yeftes / wherfor when thow wylt adresse to me suche a thynge / as thow shalt make redy for me / thow shalt hastely come with thy yeft to this present welle / And what someuer it be / commytte his fyrste vnto god / and after put it in to this welle confidently / and thou shalt see anone that thynge soo putte in be taken vp fro the welle / and be ledde forth by the myght of god by the coure of the water in to the grete floode vnhurte / And by the wy●e of almyghty god thorugh the flodes of the see / it shall come vnto the yate of my lytel lodge or dwellynge by the tornynge of the wawes vndefowled / And this behoueth the to 〈◊〉 euery yere / as longe as god wylle that I shalle lyue / for god commaunded the so to do / These thre thynges ben graunted to the of oure lord god / assigned specially / and gyuen to the by dyuyne prerogatyf / And as longe as the world 〈◊〉 endure / this shalle be magnyfyed to the halowyng of 〈◊〉 memorye and glorye of thy lawde / by the tellynge and 〈◊〉 of moche peple / These thynges thus expressyd and 〈◊〉 / the holy man fynally departed fro her / For whiche cause 〈◊〉 yere the fyrst day of Maye she sente to her mayster a 〈◊〉 whyle he lyued in the maner as is afore sayd / ¶ And though soo be that the space bytwene them / and the distaunce was more than fyfty myle / yet neuertheles in space and tyme of one nyght / by the rollynge of the wawes and stremes of thesee it was broughte to the yate of his monasterye / and was founden on the grauell of the Ryuage / And the fyrste yefte that she sente to hym was a chesyble of her owne makynge whiche was founden vnhurte / as afore is reherced /

¶ Hit happed that after this holy man Beunowe beynge aged departed oute of this world and deyde / whoos dethe whanne it was told vnto saynt Wenefryde / she left for to sende more ony yefte to hym / And she remembrynge his wordes that she shold after seuen yere goo in to another place for to dwelle in / And after seuen yere complete she departed fro that oracle and place / lyke as she was warned by the holy man / And wente vnto seynt deyfere / This man was an holy man and grete toward oure lord kepynge his commaundementes / and not departynge from his Iustyfycacions / And after whan she was come as he was in the nyght besy in his prayers and perseuerynge in deuocion / A voys from heuen souned in his eres sayeng / Saye thou to my most dere doughter wenefryde / that she go in to the place whiche is callyd henthlacus / For there she shalle obteyne the desyre of her vowe / & whan he had told to her this / anone she toke leue of this holy man / and bad hym fare well / And gladly wente vnto that place / And there she fyndynge saynt Saturne / whiche knewe by dyuyne reuelacion the purpose of hyr iourneye and sayd to her th effecte of her comynge / and gaf to her this answere / There is a certeyne place called wytheryacus / where as is Abbot Elerius a man of grete vertues / he shalle telle to the what the behoueth to doo / whiche thynge anone as she had vnderstanden / forthwith she tooke her way and wente to that holy man / whoos comynge the holy man hauyng knowlege ●●fore by the holy ghoost / wente to mete her / and broughte her in to the Chirche / there for to praye and saye her deuocions and that fynysshed he tooke her by the honde / and ladde her 〈◊〉 the Couente of vyrgyns / whiche was there / to whome he sayd these wordes / loo almyghty god hath ordeyned this 〈◊〉 vyrgyne for to dwelle with yow / This is that mayde 〈◊〉 frede / whoos clere fame now late hath brought to youre 〈◊〉 whiche hath despysed for to kepe her chastyte the blandysshyng wordes / and the concupyscence of hym that persecuted her / And chase leuer the smytynge of / of her hede / than to lose her vyrgynyte / and rather to deye than to consente for to do synne / Therfore now she is comen to yow for to dwelle with you And to abyde here the day of her departyng out of this world wherfore be ye ioyefull for her comynge / and receyue ye en●encynge her deuoutely / as celestyall tresoure dwellynge amonge yow entendyng besyly to her workes / and with all your entente folowynge her / For this place as longe as the world shalle endure / for her sake shalle be renommed by grete fame / ¶ After thise wordes he torned hym vnto a lady whiche was his owne moder / and was prelate and chyef aboue the other relygyouse nonnes / and sayd to her / O thow my mooste der●moder / I commytte to the specially the cure and charge of this vyrgyne / whiche is wel byloued to god / thow therfore folowe her stappes and werkes / And take thou the charge of all thynges that long to her / And what thow mayst knowe that shall please her / that do and execute dylygently and incontynent / These wordes fynysshed and sayd / the holy confessour departed and wente his wey / And saynt wenefrede remayned and abode from than forthon with the maydens seruauntes of god / Thenne was in her / grete abstynence / kepyng her good and hooly lyf / prayer perseueryng / and humble conuersacion / Other vyrgyns took of her ensample of pacyence & obedyence / They made her in alle thynges that apperteyne to theyr helthe / a forgoar and ensample to them / And in her were fonnden alle thynges plentyuously that were of honeste and vertue / wherof for to recyte or reherce of what abstynence that she was in her lyf / what anguysshes or what payne that she suffryd in her body / what scarcenes or penaunce she excercysed it were ouer longe to telle / but shortely I shalle saye yow / that she lefte no thyng vndone that she knewe myght le to the helthe of her sowle / or to the good ensample of other / dyuerse and many of deuoute peple cam to her by companyes desyryng to see this blessyd vyrgyne / and to beholde the place where as the when was in her necke / that her hede was smyten of for the loue of Ihesu Cryst / and by the prayer of the hooly confessour was reysed fro dethe and reuyued ageyne / And they helde the place worthy of hyhe reuerence in which she duel ●yd / to somme it suffysed only to see her / and to speke wyth her / And somme were so importune / that they wold not be content / but they myght see the place in her neck of the cuttynge of / of her hede / and humbly prayd her to shewe in to them / To whoos deuocions and requestes she dredde to warne or gayn saye / lest their deuocion myght ther by be lassed / or that they myght depute it to the pryde of her / And whanne they sawe in her necke the skynne / and the place of the cuttynge by a moch● differente colour vnlyke to the remenaunt / they couthe / ne myght not absteyne them fro wepyng / blessyng & gyuyng laude to almyghty god in his grete and merueylous werkes And retorned home with grete wondre and admyracion / ¶ On a certayne daye the blessid Elerius th abbot entryd into the cloystre of the nonnes for to vysyte saynt wenefrede / ¶ Thenne the holy Abbot for occasion to shewe to her / that he ofte had remembryd in his mynde sayd to the holy vyrgyne saynt wenefrede / I Ioye gretely sayd he / that god hath prouyded the to come to this place / For to helpe to brynge my body to sepulture / And after my deth that thou remembre and haue me in thy mynde and prayers / To whome the holy vyrgyne answerd / Not so fader / shall it not be / neyther it is not so predestynate ne ordeyned of god / But it behoueth the to lyue after me / and fyrste thou brynge to the erthe my lady thy moder after that she shall be departed / & after certayn yeres passed after that for to burye my body / For thus god hath ordeyned / ¶ And whanne this holy man had herd these w●●des he took his leue and departed fro her / And soone after● he fonde her prophecye true / For after a lytell tyme 〈◊〉 his doughter deyde and departed oute of this world / And after that the holy saynt wenefrede was made prelate and 〈◊〉 perist of alle the couent of the nonnes / And had the 〈◊〉 gouernaunce of them many yeres / And at the laste our 〈◊〉 syd lord Ihesu Cryst desyrynge and wyllynge to take 〈◊〉 handmayde and seruaunt fro the lawrouse seruytude of 〈◊〉 lyf / and to brynge her to the rest of perpetuel blysse ¶ On a nyght as she was in her oratorye / our lord lete her haue kn●●lege of the daye of her obyte and departyng oute of th●● lyf whiche shold hastely ensiewe and folowe / And anone as she vnderstode and felte her self called and vysy●ed by the grace of god / she with an holy deuocion beganne to make her redy vnto the ioyes that she was called to / Thenne contynuelly in the nyghtes she was prayenge in the Chirche / And in the day tyme she vertuously occupyed her self in all thynges longynge to her cure and charge / And whanne this rumour cam to the knowlege of saynt Eferius / he anone was in grete anguysshe and wayllynge for the departyng of this holy virgyne / whome he entierly loued / knowyng certaynly / that she was endowed with specialle grace / And desyred for 〈◊〉 synguler we le / that as longe as ●e shold in the 〈◊〉 of this lyf endure / that he myght dwelle and avyde with her And this he desyred with grete deuocion ¶ Thenne after this the blessyd vyrgyne beganne to suffre grete sekenes in all her body / ¶ And as the languour and maladye was vehement and encreaced dayly / she knewe veryly that she approched toward hir last ende / Thenne she lyfte vy her mynde toward almyghty god / and humbly prayd hym to hane mercy on her / And that he wold be the kepar and wardeyn of her sowle / And that the deuyll shold haue no praye of her / Thenne she dyd do calle to her the hooly Confessour saynt Elerye th abbot whiche houseled her with the blessid body of oure lord / Thenne the day of the kalendes of Nouembre / she beganne to wexe feble by the dissolucion of her body / but for all that she rested not for al her payne and sekenesse to preche and enfourme them that were assistent with holy and blessid exhortacions ¶ Thenne whanne she was enfeblyd with ouermoche payne / of greuous sekenesses / And felte well that on the morne she shold departe and fynysshe her bodyly lyf / she lete doo calle to her saynt Elerye / and prayd hym that her body myght be buryed / and put in the sepulture by the body of saynt Theonye / his moder / whiche request the holy man graunted benyngly / And thenne the holy vyrgyne entendyng with all hir hohe herte in prayer vnto almyghty god the day of the thyrdde Nonas of Nouembre / she commended her spyryte in to the handes of her maker to be associate vnto the celestyalle companye of sayntes / Thenne the holy man commendyng her sowle vnto god / beganne to procure besyly / and make al thyng redy that he sawe apperteyne to the exequyes of the blessyd virgyne / And whanne alle was done that appert●yned to her funerall seruyse / he buryed her in the place that she desyred / And with grete wayllynges and lamentacions her body was leyd in the sepulture / And in the same place the sayd body lay vnto the tyme of kyng Steuen kynge of Englond / In whos tyme by dyuyne reuelacions and myracles before goynge the bones of the blessyd vyrgyne were translated vnto thabbeye of Shrewsburye / where moche peple comyng by the suffrages and merytes of many askyng remedye of theyr Infyrmytees and sekenesses haue ben heled and maade all hole

¶ Thus endeth the martirdome of this blessyd saynt / Saynt wenefrede / whiche passion and decollacion was the one and twentyest day of Iuyn /

¶ And also as is afore sayd the lyf whiche she after hyr decollacion lyued by the space of xv yere / and the departyng of hyr oute of thys lyf was the thyrdde day of Nouembre /

¶ And herafter by the grace of god shalle folowe the translacion of this blessyd vyrgyne saynt wenefrede / how by grete myracle her bones were broughte to th abbay of Shrewsbury / whiche translacion is halowed the xix day of Septembre

whiche thre festes ben solempnly halowed in the sayd Ab●●ye of Shrewesbury to the laude and praysynge of almy●●ty god / and of this blessyd and holy vyrgyne seynce wenefryde / To whome late vs praye to be a specialle aduo●●t r●ce for vs in alle thynges to vs necessarye and behoeffulle /

¶ The Translacion of saynt wenefrede

Fter that the blessyd vyrgyne saynt wenefrede shynynge by Innumerable vertues was departyd ente of thys lyf vnto the celestyall regne and blysse / many yeres after kynge william regnynge / whiche fyrste of the Normannes regned in Englond / One Rogere Erle a noble man and shynynge in alle honeste of maner and Rely●●yon beganne to edyfye a monasterye in the Towne of shrewesbury To whiche entendynge for to performe hit endowed it wyth his propre cost and expencys / And ordeyned therin an Abbot / And constytued certayne bretheren monkes for to serue god / By processe of tyme / that place encreacyng by the mercy of god prouffyted moche to many the way of helthe / And was renommed of good fame and full of vertues vnto all them that dwellyd in that countreye / whan thenne the bretheren of that Abbeye shone by vertues / And all that was vertuous they beganne folowe dylygently / Oftymes they complayned among them self that they had nede to haue relykes And for to gete and purchace somme they dyd alle their deuoyr and dylygence / And for as moche as in wales whiche was fast by them they herde saye that there were reteyned the bodyes of many sayntes / whoos merytes were prechyd in dyuerse places / And for to haue somme of them they studyred & sought alle the meanes they couthe / knowyng veryly / that by the suffrages of suche one they myght the better serue our lord and be kepte the better from alle aduersytees / whoos dayly seruyse they shold kepe with deuocion here in this world / to th ende that he shold to them be a patrone in heuen / For whiche to gete / they dylygently endeuouryd them / And trouth it is / that sythe many holy and excellente Confessours were in the sayd countrey / they beganne to doubte whome they myght specially desyre and haue / ¶ Hit happed afterward that one of the bretheren of that Abbaye was oppressyd by grete Infyrmyte / And the other bretheren hauyng grete compassyon on hym were sore troublyd for his disease / And for his helth they prayd deuoutely with the Inward deuocion of their hert vnto god / And sente vnto other howses of Relygyon prayeng them that they the same wyse wold haue theyr seek broder recommended in their special prayers / And specially they lete haue knowleg of the greuous Infyrmyte of hym vnto the Monkes of the chirche of Chestre / And thenne they in the same astonyed in theyr mynydes wente in to the Chirche for to praye deuoutely for his helthe / whiche fylle doune flatte to fore the holy Aulter / and sayd with humble deuocion the seuen psalmes / And one of them named Randolf whiche was Suppryour of the hows a man of good lyf and symple courage fylle a slepe / And he sawe by a vysyon an excellent & fayr virgyne stondynge to fore hym / whiche with a moche plesaunt chere sayd to hym these wordes / what is this said he And for whome is it that ye thus prostrate praye / The monke answerd / It is for a broder of our ordre whiche is payned by grete Infyrmyte / And for his helthe here we bye prestrate for to offre our prayers to god for his helthe / To whome she sayd / I knowe wel sayd she that that same Monke suffreth alienacion of his mynde / but & yf ye desyre veryly his helthe / late one of yow go to the welle of saynt wenefrede / And in the chirche that is ther by / late hym saye masse in the remembraunce of hir / And anone the seke broder shall be delyuerd of his sekenes / And this sayeng she vanysshed awey / The monk awoke & comyn ageyn to hym self / remembryng what be had sene and herd in his mynde / wold not shewe his vysion to his bretheren / dredynge to be had in soorne of them / & that they wold depute for a fantasye that he had sene & herd / So after this nyghe vpon a fourty dayes / the seke man was alwey gretely vexyd / & lay in his bedde / And it was shewed ageyne to the monkes of Chestre of the grete and greuous payne that the sayd Monke suffred / And for to speke of hym it gaf occacion to the monkes of Chestre / And after many wordes when they bewaylled the seke man / he that had sene the vysyon toke hardynes to hym / And told to them of by ordrr what the holy vyrgyn had said to hym / Thenne they whiche afore tyme had herd the fame of hir / & knowyng alle that many myracles had be done by her merytes / anone made them lyghtely to bileue to that whiche was sayd / and also gaf faythe to the vysyon / For sithe they were warned to go to her welle / and in t honoure of her to saye masse in the chirche / they were callyd therto by saynte wenefrede / And sayd certaynly that she had appiered to the sayd broder / Thus thenne they takynge their counceylle to gyder / two monkes were sente to the welle of saynte wenefrede / And for to saye masse in the chirche that was fast by / and there to pray for the seke man / And it was so that the same houre that the masse was ther songen / the seke Monke at shrewesbury was made al hole And thanked the said Monkes for his helthe / And a lytel whyle after / the same broder that had len seke was ladde to the same place for to gyue laude and praysynge to god and to the holy vyrgyne for his helthe / And whanne he had fyrst made his prayers in the chirche / And after had dronken of the welle / And with the water therof wasshen / he was parfyghtely made hole / & retorned to his monastery in good helth And fro thenne forthon the memorye and remembrounce of this holy vyrgyn / beganne tencreace more deuoutely in the hertes of the bretheren / in suche wyse that they estemed them blessyd and happy / yf they myght haue and gete a lytel parte cerelyque of her most blessyd body / And though this semed to them hard and dyffyeyle / and supposed shold passe theyre power / yet they ordeyned to tempte and proue it / knowynye that ther is nothyng may resiste the wylle of god / prayenge hym that he wold be debonayr and helper to bryng their purpos to effecte / by whoos wylle alle thynges hard diffyale & impossyble withoute doubte may lyghtely be broughte by his myght to honde / And therof they doubted not / ¶ That tyme that kynge harry the fyrst an hyhe and excellent prynce / and frende of pees gouerned the Royamme of Englond / by whos auctoryte alle the yle obteyned surete and pees / in soo moche that euery man myght go and ryde peasybly whyder someuer he wold / By occasion wherof the sayd bretheren sente messagers in to wales for to knowe where the most and excellente relyques rested / and in especiall to seche where the tombe of the forsayd vyrgyne was / And whan they had founde that place in whiche the bones of the blessyd vyrgyn wenefrede rested / they were gladde and fulfylled with ouer grete ioye / And by the consente of the Bisshop of Banguour / in whos dyocise the place was / they made the prynces and noble men of the countrey to be consenty●ge and fauourable to them / This thynge procedyng dayly forward gaf grete courage to the bretheren that they shold come to th enteut of theyr desyre But the dethe of the forsayd kyng harry sodenly comynge on oppressyd al Brytayne by ouer grete stryf and trouble / and constrayned them a certayne tyme to leue theyre erande and desyre / & the second yere of kynge stephen the troubles ceased and the lond restored to tranquyllyte and pees / ¶ Thabbot of the forsayd monasterye by the counceylle of his bretheren ordeyned for to sende in to wales the pryour named Roberte with another Monke his felawe named Rychard / This pryour was moche dylygent in the procuracion of this thynge / than the other messagers had ben / And sente his lettres and messages in the countrey / And had answer ageyne / that yf he cam hym self / that he shold retorne ioyefully / and haue his entente of that he desyred /

Thenne he wente / and cam fyrste to the Bisshop of Banguour / And fro hym he was sente to the Prynce of that countrey / And of hym was benyngly receyued

And whanne he had shewed to hym by ordre the cause of his iourney / he sayd to hym / and ansuerd in this wyse I suppose that thy self / ne thy felawes haue not taken on yow 〈◊〉 g●●te a laboure withoute the wylle of god / and of the bless●d vyrgyne / peraduenture seynge not due reuerence done to her of them dwellyng in this contrey / wherfor she desyred to be 〈◊〉 in to somme other place / to thence that she be honoured of ●●●●ungyers / whome they that duelle here forgete / and 〈◊〉 none reuerence / wherfore I graunte it gladly / and to her 〈◊〉 syr I knowlege me to assente / lest in resystyng and gaynsayenge of hit / I be compellyd to suffre her indignacion 〈◊〉 ●●uengyng it on me / And though I be de●owled in 〈◊〉 unclennesse / and am werst of all other men / yet neuertheles 〈◊〉 shal helpe to breke vp hir tombe / and touchyng her holy 〈◊〉 I shal delyuer them to yow but yf so be for the comyn ●●●●fyte of the countreye I muste nedes otherwyse entende ▪ For pour labours and vysyons manyfeste and shewe that 〈…〉 her wylle / that her bones be transported from 〈◊〉 / Therfore go ye confermed by the lycence of myn 〈◊〉 vnto the ●●ce where the blessyd vyrgyne resteth / and as I suppose ye shal fynde somme rebelles ageynst your disposicion / but tru●●e ye veryly that the virgyne shall appease them / whos affection hath incyted yow to so moche laboure / Neuertheles I shal sende a messager to tho men / in whos patrymonye the body of the blessyd vyrgyne resteth / whiche shal enforme to them my 〈…〉 and shall make them somwhat the more reasyble to 〈…〉 sayd gaf them leue to goo forthe in pees / Thenne they wence strayte vnto the place where the body of the venerable wenefred was leyd / And they were of them seuen persones / that is to wyte the pryour / And with hym the pryour of Chestre named wulmare / & a preest a man of grete vertue named Idon born of the same countrey / a monke also whome the pryour toke with hym / and thre other men / And as they wente walkynge and spekynge of the mater that they wente fore / they met a man of the same countrey / demaundynge of them whiche of them was priour of Shrewesbury / To whome whanne he was shewed sayd these wordes / I haue an erand to the from tho men that duelle in the place / in whiche reste the bones of saynte wenefrede whiche is called wytheryake / And lete the haue knowlege / that they be moeued ageynst the by grete indygnacion / by cause that thou labourest to haue awey the bodyes of sayntes buryed by them / to whome they haue commytted them self / and alle their goodes / And knowe thou for certayn / that neyther the drede of the prynce / ne the thretenyng of his lordes / ne the couetyse of ony money shal not make them to consente to yow in this thynge / And this sayd / he went his way / The pryour thenne and his felawes for these wordes were heuy and soroufull / & what to doo / ne whyther to torne they wyste neuer / Thenne they torned them to almyghty god And prayd to hym with alle the deuocion of theyr myndes that it myght please hym to sende to them his spyryte of counceyl / And that he whiche only by the commaundement of his word appeaseth the tempestes of the wyndes and the see / that it plese hym to appease these inimytres / & to confedere the myndes and courages of these men vnto them / they humbly praid Thenne they hauynge very confidence in the holy ghoost held forth their iourney as they had begonne / whan they cam nygh vnto the place where as were conteyned the bones of the holy virgyne / the pryour by counceylle sente two of his felawes / that is to saye the pryour of Chestre / and the forsayd preestete fore whiche were wel knowen in al the countreye for to prouyde and solyeyte all thynges that shold be necessary to them he reteynynge his felawe with hym abode that nyght in a thorpe by cause of the message that he had herd / & was therfor sore troubled / & whanne he had said the laudes of his matyn●sadde & an honest persone in lykenes of a woman appiered to one his seruaunt sayeng these wordes / Aryse anone / and saye to thy lord that he put awey his heuynes / and sorowes that he is oppressyd with / And that he lyft vp his hope in god knowyng for certayne that he shall from hens with grete ioye●sse for whos loue he is comen to this prouynce / shal accomplysshe and fulfylle th effect of his desyre / For in haste he shall haue that for whiche he shalle Ioyously retorne home / & shal glade alle his felawes in his comynge / Another vysyon that same nyght happed to the same pryour / Ther was an Abbot a man of grete deuocion / whiche had ben afore tyme fader of that same Abbaye of Shrewesbury / And hauyng old age & ful of vertues departid oute of this lyf named Godfrey / whiche ●●piered to hym that same nyght / & of the drede that he had ●●●med hym sayeng / Be thou not of faynt herte but haue 〈◊〉 faythe & truste / For we shal well ouercome oure enemyes 〈◊〉 with them that shalle assiste vs by the helpe of god we 〈◊〉 vaynquysshe them / & knowe thow verily that we shal 〈◊〉 opteyne that thyng which we with hyhe deuocion so moche ●●syre / After these wordes he vanysshed aweye from his 〈◊〉 Of these vysyons grewe somme surete in their myndes / & 〈◊〉 gyuen to them an hope to opteyne that they sought And on the morne erly they told what they had sene in their 〈…〉 gaf grete comfort to the herers / & sodenly one of the messagers that had ben with them the daye before cam & sayde that they myzt surely come / warnyng them to folowe hym / for that they desyred they shold fynde / whiche anone toke their 〈◊〉 and cam thyder / & fyrst their prayers sayd / they called the 〈◊〉 of the sayd place secretely / & prayd hym hertely that he wold 〈◊〉 helpyng to them / The preest paciently heryng their wordes gaf to them an answer in this wyse / I shal lyghtly 〈…〉 your entente with good wyll / & by cause I shall the 〈◊〉 be confedered to yow / & that I knowe the wyll of god & of the blessid virgyn touchyng your desyre I shal here in your presence shewe to yow / On the satirday the vigyle of after in the chirche whiche ye here see & beholde I was al the nyght for to syng & say matyns & ympnes whan tyme was / & whan I had said the psaulter to fore the aulter / I l●yd me doun vpon the 〈◊〉 a lytel to take my rest / and I sawe a vysyon whiche moche fered me / And by cause I shold not resiste ne be rebell to yow / by thretenynge he warned me / And as me thought no grete slepe oppressyd me / but as I had be half wakyng / a fayr yong man hauyng an augels chere stode before me and callyd me sayeng aryse / I wenyng that he wold haue awaked me that I shold haue begonne my nocturnal offyce / & ansuerd to hym / It is not yet tyme to begynne th offyce / I wyl not aryse / And be thenne as me semed wente his way / And the second tyme he cam / & callyd me ludder / & sayd / aryse / aryse / & I wolde not take no hede to his wordes / & ansuerd hym as I dyd before / And with my mantell that I ware I couerd my hede and fylle in to a sadde slepe / and after a lytel whyle the same yong man cam & with his hand drewe awey by grete strength the mantel fro my hede / & leyd it vnder my sholders sayenge to me the thyrd tyme / Aryse / aryse / aryse / & folowe me / ¶ Thenne me thought I aroos / and folowed hym / And we cam to the sepulcre of the blessyd vyrgyne saynt wenefrede / whiche shewynge to me with his fyngre seyd / Marke dylygently thys place / And the wordes that I shalle saye reteyne faste in thy mynde / yf ony come hyder this yere or the nexte whiche wil remeue this stone / & remeue the erthe / In no wyse gaynsaye it not / & yf he wyll bere away with hym the bones of this blessyd vyrgyn / repugne not ther ageynst / but put hond to / & in ahl thynges that thou mayst helpe hym / & yf thou therin be neclygent / & be founde a despysar of my wordes / whiche ben shewed to the by goddes commaundement / thou shalt be payned by myserable & long languour and sekenes / & sone after lese thy self / This said / the angelyk visyon vanysshed away / Therfore be ye assnred that I shal helpe to spede your purpos And dylygently mynystre to yow after my myght / Therfore of me be ye sure / & calle the other to you / whiche ye may applyr to your desyre / for I wyll with all the studye & Industrye that I may & can shall execute your playsyre / & the good wyll of them of whom the ryght of this toune apperteyneth / I shal do my best to brynge them to your wyll / & by cause they now be here present / say ye to them what ye will / for they be redy for to here you / Thenne the pryour by the moyen of the preest or by his Interpretacion spacke vnto alle the companye of men that were there / And exposed to them the cause of his iourney / And desyred them by fayre wordes / that they wold gyue theyr assente / shewynge no thynge to them of theyr vysyons ne recytynge what hadde happed to them / but only for deuocion that they hadde to the vyrgyne they had taken the labour on them / After many wordes and causes leyd / And after Innumerabro incidentes / and reasons alledged / atte last they were al acorded / And that they desyred / they benyngnly consentyd / The pryour and his felawes gyuynge thankynges to god / desyred / that they shold shewe to them the place / And sothly the place where so moche tresour was reteyned is a chirche yerde of agood distaunce fro the chircheyerd where now the bodyes of dede men ben buryed / And in that chirche yerd resten the bodyes of many other sayntes / And is 〈…〉 soo grete renerence of them that dwelle in the countrey / That none of them dare presume to entre in to it / but yf it be by ●●●se for to praye / And whan the sayd Monkes with theire 〈◊〉 laushyp were brought to that place / the sayd pryeure 〈◊〉 before his felaushyp by th ynstynct / as I suppose of the 〈◊〉 ghoost anone withoute ony man ledynge or shewynge 〈◊〉 strayte to the sepulture of saynt Wenefrede / And ●e whiche 〈◊〉 uer was there before ne knewe by techynge of ony man 〈◊〉 place by the ledynge of god withoute goyng oute of the 〈◊〉 cam to the tombe of the blessyd virgyne / And standynge 〈◊〉 the hede of the blessyd vyrgyne abydynge his felawes haue admonysshed by a dyuyne reuelacion within forth / that 〈◊〉 was the sepulture of the blessyd vyrgyne / and there ●e sholde haue that he desyred / Thenne they comyng that sheld 〈◊〉 shewed the place / assigned to hym that same place that in to fore had chosen / and stode by / Thenne the peple beyng remeued two of the monkes / with pykoys and spades beganne to digge in the ground / tyll they cam to the tresour desyird / And the other sayde and redde theyr psalmes / ¶ And whanne the body was founden / they gaf and rendryd thankynges vnto god / And tooke oute the bones fro the erthe / And as they thought that tyme best for them / bonde them fair in theyr mantels / & honestly leid them therm / And they there honestly toke their loue / commendynge them that there were to god / beganne to retorne homeward with grete ioye / And soo they wente forth with grete ioye / sayenge oftymes emonge other wordes that they had goten a grete tresour / whiche was better than many and grete Rychesses / And knewe not of what meryce hit was / besechynge almyghty god that they myghte haue somme token therof / And it was not long to / but that god wold satisfye their wylle and desyre / For anone the daye beganne to faylle and to wexe derke / and were lodgyd in a good mannes hows / And there they beynge sette to souper they berd in the Inner parte of the hows / a seke man grone and gyuynge oute a terryble voys / Thenne the pryour demaunded the cause of his dysease / And it was answerd / that ther was a man veyid with grete sekenesses / And yf he myght be ●e●●d / he shold gyue a grete reward therfore / Thenne the pr●cur toke a lytell water / and blessyd hit / and he took a 〈◊〉 of the pouldre or dust that was in her hede / and put 〈◊〉 And badde to gyue it to the seke man / whiche anon after he badde receyued hit slepte / And anone after he awoke / & aroos all ●●ele gyuynge thankynges to god and to the blessyd vyrgyne / And by this myracle / they were confermed in the fayche / and were gladder than they were to fore / & more deuoute in worshippynge of the vyrgyne / And many other signes and myracles they had by the waye / whiche affermed that hit was a godly yefte that they bare / And whanne they cam to a place vpon a ten myte fro shrewesbury / they resiyd / & taryed there / And whanne they sholde haue departyd / they ceude not remeue the bones / wherfor they counceyled to gyder / And concluded that the bones shold be wesshen at that place / And thenne there was no water / but anone sprang vp there a fayr welle / whiche yet renneth a grete cours contynuelly in to this day lyke to the rather welle / In whiche welle they wesshe the bones of the blessyd saynt Wenefrede / And euer after the stones that lye and reste in that water ben besprynct as it were with dropes of blood in so moche that for certayne ther hath ben certayne deuoute persones / whiche haue done to beleyd certayne whyte asshen aippes in this sayd welle / And whanne they haue ben in the water a seuen dayes or ther aboutes / they haue appieryd al besprynct as it were with blood And this is dayly shewed / whiche is a grete myracle /

¶ Thenne they sente messagers vnto the toune of Shrewessbury / from whens they were departed / And sente word to the monastery / that they had that / for whiche they were sente fore / Thenne the congregacion herynge these tydynges were ryghte Ioyeful and thankyng our lord / concluded / that the bones sholde be sette in the chirche of saynt Gyles / whiche is in Issuynge oute of the towne / sayeng / that so holy a tresour oughte not to be receyued in to the monasterye withoute auctoryte and be 〈◊〉 nediction of the bisshop / and with the grete concourse of the peple of that prouynce / This counceylle pleased them alle / And thenne they sente ageyne the pryour to the Bisshop / for to conferme by his auctoryte what they shold doo with 〈◊〉 a relyque / to them graunted from heuen / ¶ And in the menwhyle the Monkes were departed for to synge th offyce of 〈◊〉 daye and nyght before the body of the blessyd vyrgyne 〈◊〉 deuoute courage / To whome they songe besyly on the day 〈◊〉 me / moche peple cam / that were dwellyng there in that 〈◊〉 commyttynge them self to the prayers and merytes of the holy vyrgyne saynte wenefrede / ¶ There was in the same 〈◊〉 a certayne yonge man whiche was gretely veyyd with 〈◊〉 ueyllous sekenes / And was benomen in alle his membres in so moche / that his hede lowed doune almost to the erthe / And in no wyse he myght lyfte vp his hede / And whanne he ●●id of the noyse of the comyng of this holy vyrgyne / he dyde do be made redy an hors / And by helpe of his Frendes was 〈◊〉 theron / And holden on bothe sydes by the handes of two men And soo broughte to the chirche / where the relyaues of saynte wenefrede were conteyned and kepte / And there abode all myght in prayer / And there was vxyd with moche greuous payne / And on the morne / whanne the day beganne to weye clere / And as the preest beganne th offyce of the masse / he beganne to amende / And anone was restored to his fyrst helth And whanne the gospell was redde / he lefte his bedde / that be laye on / And wente hastely to the Aulder for to make his offryng to god / and to the blessyd vyrgyne saynt Wenefrede yeuyng grete thankes to god / and hyr deuoutely / for the helthe that he had receyued / And retorued all hole and stronge on his feet to the hows of his fader and moder / whiche the day before was brought thyder on an hors by the handes of other / This grete myracle gladded the hertes of alle them that there were gadred / And anone in short space after was shewed & told this myracle thorugh alle the prouynce whiche excyted moche the myndes of them that herd hit vnto the deuocion & reuerence of the blessyd saynt /

¶ The name of hir grewe euery day more and more / and the memorye of her / Thenne the pryour retorned fro the Bisshop hauynge his auctoryte / that alle they that in the worship of the holy virgyne / and in her honour were deuoute shold haue goddes blyssynge and his / And thenne a certayne day was named / And shewed vnto the paroches there aboute / that alle they shold be warned that wold come to the venerable translacion of thys holy vyrgyne / ¶ Thenne on the day assigned the monkes wente in procession with crosses and candellys / & Innumerable multitude of peple for to fetche the holy body of the blessyd vyrgyne saynt wenefrede / euery man knelynge with his knees / and many for ioye myght not absteyne them from wepyng / The couente of the bretheren that wente out for to receyue this holy Iewel / receyued celestyall bienfaittes by the merytes of the blessyd vyrgyne saynt Wenefrede / For hit rayned by grete shoures al aboute in the feldes therby / And the couent that were gone oute cladde them with precious ornamentes of the chirche to mete with the blessyd body / and dredde not a lytell / that the ornamentes & munymentis shold be sore hurte by the fallyng of the rayne / but that they hadde begonne in no wyse wold leue / mekely prayd to oure lord / that by the prayer of saynt wenefrede they myghte be kepte drye / and that they myghte be preseruyd fro the fallynge of the rayne / Thenne in al that procession of them that went out of the monasterye / And in the receyuynge of the holy relykes ye shold haue sene the water of the shoures nyghe to the erthe hangynge ouer them / And the dropes redy for to haue fallen by the myght of god reteyned / so that none fylle on them / And where alle the peple that were there / beyng gretely aferd ●e●te the grete rayne that was lyke to falle shold haue troubled and haue fallen / yet by the myght and power of god / & by the merytes of the holy vyrgyn they were withdrawen / whiche caused them to gyue the more worship and lawde to the merytes of hir . And at the laste it pleased to alle the peple that the pryour whiche had brought thyder the venerable ●e lyques of the sayd hooly vyrgyne shold preche and enforme the grete multytude of the peple of what vertue / and of what meryte this hooly vyrgyne was of / of whome that tyme there was made the translacion / And whanne he had told to 〈◊〉 al this / a longe / ye shold haue sene the shoures falle aboute nyghe to them / and fleynge in the ayer / and wetynge alle the countreye by the infusion of the water / excepte only the ●re cession / thenne was the holy body taken vp of the couent and / bretheren / And with couenable reuerence syngyng on hye 〈◊〉 synges and lawee to almyghty god / and brought to the monasterye / and sette vpon the aulter / whiche was made in 〈◊〉 nour of the holy appostles Peter and pawle honourably 〈◊〉 for to shewe the prerogatyf of the same holy vyrgyne is 〈◊〉 there to sekemen helthe / and haue ben shewed Innumer●●●● vertues there to the glorye and lawde of almyghty god / to 〈◊〉 me be gyuen honour glorye and Imperye world without ende AMEN

¶ Thus endeth the decollacion / the lyf after / and the trans●●cion of saynte Wenefrede virgyn and martir / whiche was reysed after that her hede had be smyton of the space of yv yere / reduced in to Englysshe by me William Cayton /