¶
The
fyrst
chaptre
.
THis
blyssed
virgyn
saynt
katheryn
was
by
the
dyscent
of
the
lyne
and
of
the
noble
kyn
rede
of
the
Emperoure
of
Rome
/
as
it
shalle
be
declared
more
playnly
here
after
/
by
a
noble
cronycle
whiche
moost
blyssed
lyfe
and
conuersacyon
was
writen
of
the
solempne
doctour
Athanasius
that
knew
hir
byrth
hir
kynred
hir
holy
lyfe
&
conuersacyon
.
And
this
same
Athanasius
was
done
of
hir
maysters
in
hir
tender
age
/
and
by
the
grace
of
the
holy
gost
she
was
conuerted
to
the
faithe
.
And
after
that
she
was
conuerted
/
she
conuerted
the
same
athanasi
us
by
holy
and
meruelous
werkes
that
oure
lorde
wrought
in
hir
.
and
after
by
his
wysdom
he
was
made
bisshop
of
Alisandre
/
&
was
a
glorious
pyler
of
holy
church
/
by
the
grace
of
oure
lorde
god
&
hir
holy
meritis
/
as
we
do
fynde
by
credible
cronycles
For
in
the
tyme
of
th
emperour
Dioclesian
&
maximian
/
so
great
&
cruel
tyranny
was
shewed
in
the
worlde
&
not
only
of
cristen
but
also
of
paynymes
that
in
that
tyme
many
a
realme
that
was
sub
get
to
tome
put
a
way
the
yok
of
ther
seruage
&
opē●y
rebelled
aienst
th
emperour
amonge
which
the
realme
of
Ermony
was
one
of
the
mooste
that
myghtely
withstode
the
tribute
that
longed
to
the
emperour
of
rome
wherfore
ther
was
chosen
to
apeas
that
rebellyon
a
lorde
of
greate
dygnyte
of
the
counseyle
of
highe
constancius
which
was
afore
al
other
manly
in
armes
/
and
therwith
right
discrete
and
fulle
of
vertues
.
The
which
lorde
than
whanne
he
cam
in
to
Ermony
staunched
so
by
hys
vertue
and
man
lye
gouernaunce
that
rebellyon
/
that
he
deserued
the
loue
of
all
his
ennemyes
/
soo
ferfurthe
/
that
the
kynge
and
alle
his
people
desyred
that
he
shulde
wedde
the
doughter
and
the
heire
of
the
lande
and
whanne
this
was
doone
within
a
whyle
after
the
kynge
of
Ermonie
dyed
/
&
constancius
was
crowned
kynge
of
that
lande
the
which
within
a
while
after
had
a
son
by
the
quene
the
which
was
clepid
costus
And
sone
after
that
died
the
quene
for
whom
was
made
great
lamentacion
of
hir
people
.
After
whos
dethe
constancius
the
kynge
tourned
agayne
to
Rome
for
to
se
the
emperoures
welfare
/
and
for
to
se
&
knowe
howe
his
lordeshyppes
were
gouerned
in
tho
partyes
.
and
in
the
mene
tyme
came
tydynges
to
th
emperour
of
Rome
howe
that
greate
brytayne
that
nowe
is
called
Englonde
rebellyd
agaynste
the
emperour
of
Rome
.
wherefore
it
was
sene
amonge
the
counsel
/
that
it
was
to
requyre
constancius
the
kyng
of
Ermonie
to
take
on
hym
for
to
redresse
that
rebellyon
.
the
which
request
he
godlly
graunted
&
drew
him
towardes
the
ꝑties
&
in
hi●
comminge
he
ruled
hym
so
by
his
vertue
&
prudence
wherefore
we
be
in
derkenes
&
tyl
the
light
of
grac●
come
we
may
not
se
the
clere
waye
.
and
whanne
hym
lyst
to
come
he
shal
voyde
away
the
derk
clothes
of
ignorance
.
&
she
we
hym
clerely
to
me
whiche
I
so
feruently
desyre
and
loue
.
And
if
so
be
that
hym
lyste
not
that
I
fynde
hym
/
yet
reason
commaundeth
me
to
kepe
hole
that
is
vnhurt
.
wherfore
I
beseche
you
humbly
my
lady
my
moder
that
ye
ne
noone
other
neuer
meue
moore
of
this
mater
For
I
byhyghte
you
playnely
that
for
to
dye
therfore
I
shalle
neuer
haue
other
but
oonly
hym
that
I
haue
dyscryuyd
/
to
whome
I
shall
truely
kepe
al
the
pure
loue
of
my
herte
.
And
with
this
she
rose
vp
/
and
hir
moder
&
all
the
lordes
frome
the
parliament
.
And
with
great
sorowe
/
and
lamētacien
they
toke
ther
leue
&
went
on
their
way
.
&
thanne
they
yonge
lady
went
home
vnto
hir
paleys
whose
herte
was
so
set
on
fyre
with
thys
husbonde
that
she
had
discryued
that
she
coude
no
thinge
thynke
n●…
do
but
all
hir
mynde
&
hir
intencyon
was
only
on
hym
/
wherfoore
she
stodyed
&
mused
contynually
howe
she
myght
fynde
hym
but
it
wold
nat
be
as
yit
/
forsoth
she
had
no
meanes
therto
.
Nat
wythstandinge
he
was
full
nere
hir
herte
.
for
he
it
was
that
had
kynled
hir
herte
wyth
a
brennynge
fyres
loue
that
shulde
neuer
be
quenched
by
no
peynene
tribulacion
which
was
wele
sene
in
hir
glorio●●
passion
herafter
.
Ere
I
leue
this
yonge
quene
as
for
a
tyme
syttyng
in
hir
palyce
contynually
thinking
and
ymagynynge
howe
she
myght
fynde
this
newe
spouse
with
many
a
tere
of
elongacyon
and
many
a
sore
syghe
/
for
hir
blynde
ignoraunce
and
nowe
I
shall
turne
as
our
lorde
wyl
gyue
me
grace
to
she
we
howe
oure
lorde
by
hys
speciall
my
racle
clepyd
hir
to
baptyme
/
in
a
synguler
manere
●hat
neuer
was
herd
of
before
ne
sith
&
after
howe
●●e
wedded
hir
visibly
in
a
glorious
maner
/
shewinge
hir
soueraigne
tokens
of
loue
/
that
neuer
was
shewid
to
none
exthly
creature
saue
only
to
oure
lady
his
blessyd
moder
.
¶
Besyde
Alysander
a
certeyn
space
of
myles
ther
dwelte
an
holy
fader
in
deserte
that
hight
Adrian
the
which
had
serued
oure
holy
fader
almyghty
god
the
space
of
.
xxx
.
yere
in
greate
penaunce
.
And
on
a
daye
as
he
walked
by
foore
his
celle
in
meditacion
/
ther
cam
agaynst
hym
the
most
reuerent
lady
that
any
erthly
creature
myght
beholde
.
and
whan
the
heremyte
bihelde
hir
most
excellent
estate
/
and
hyghe
beaute
aboue
kynde
he
was
so
sore
astoned
and
dredefull
that
he
fyl
downe
as
deede
.
Thanne
this
blessyd
lady
seynge
hys
great
drede
/
cleped
him
goodly
by
his
name
&
said
broder
Adryan
drede
ye
not
for
I
am
not
come
to
you
but
for
your
great
worshyp
honour
&
profyte
with
that
she
toke
hym
by
the
hand
myldly
&
conforted
hym
&
saide
to
hym
in
this
wise
.
Adrian
ye
must
go
on
a
message
to
the
cyte
of
Alisaundre
for
me
and
into
the
palys
of
the
yonge
Quene
&
ther
,
ye
must
say
to
hir
that
that
lady
gretethe
hyr
well
whose
son
she
chase
to
hir
lorde
and
husbonde
syttinge
in
hir
parlement
with
hir
moder
and
all
hyr
lordes
aboute
hir
where
she
had
a
greate
contluyte
and
batayle
in
kepinge
of
hir
virgynyte
/
and
tel
hir
that
the
same
lorde
that
she
dyd
chese
there
ys
my
son
that
am
a
clene
virgyn
and
he
desyreth
hir
beautye
and
he
loueth
hir
chastite
amonge
all
virgyns
in
erthe
/
&
byd
hir
without
tariynge
that
she
come
with
you
alone
into
this
place
and
she
shal
be
newe
clothed
and
than
she
shall
see
hym
/
and
haue
hym
to
hir
euerlastinge
spouse
.
The
heremyte
heringe
all
this
/
answered
thus
.
O
blessed
Lady
howe
shulde
I
do
this
message
.
for
nouther
I
knowe
the
cite
ne
the
wey
and
what
am
I
though
I
knewe
it
for
to
doo
suche
a
message
vnto
the
quene
Hir
meny
woll
nat
suffre
me
to
come
vnto
hir
presence
:
and
she
woll
nat
byleue
me
of
my
message
.
but
put
me
in
duraunce
as
thoughe
I
were
a
fay
.
toure
.
¶
Adryan
saide
this
blessyd
Lady
drede
ye
nat
for
that
that
my
son
hath
begonne
in
hir
must
nedis
be
perfourmed
:
for
were
ye
well
she
is
a
specyall
chosyn
vessel
of
grace
before
all
other
women
wherfore
tary
nat
ne
drede
nat
.
For
bothe
ye
shall
knowe
the
cyte
and
also
the
wey
into
hyr
Paleys
for
there
shall
no
creature
take
hede
to
you
.
¶
And
whan
ye
come
into
hir
paleys
take
goode
hede
whiche
dores
open
agaynst
you
/
and
enter
in
boldly
tyll
that
ye
come
vnto
this
faire
yonge
quene
whome
ye
shall
fynde
alone
in
hir
stodye
stodyinge
full
sore
in
hir
wittis
of
that
that
woll
nat
be
wherfore
my
son
hath
compassyon
on
hir
laboure
and
for
hir
goode
wyll
she
shal
be
specially
fed
with
his
grace
that
was
neuer
none
lyke
to
hir
/
out
ake
myn
owne
persone
that
am
his
owne
moder
.
wher
fore
Adryan
hye
you
fast
&
bringe
me
my
dere
doughter
that
I
loue
with
all
myn
herte
.
And
whan
Adryan
had
receyued
hys
message
/
he
layde
hym
downe
flatte
before
hys
souerayne
lady
saynge
in
this
wyse
.
All
worshyp
&
Ioy
be
to
my
lorde
god
your
blessyd
son
.
&
your
blessyd
wyll
be
fulfylled
&
I
woll
go
at
your
commaundement
.
¶
The
vii
.
chapter
.
And
anone
adrian
rose
him
vp
&
hied
him
fast
to
the
cyte
of
alisander
&
passed
the
desert
and
so
furth
tyll
he
came
to
the
cyte
/
and
soo
he
wente
furth
to
the
paleys
as
he
had
lerned
so
dyd
he
/
and
entred
in
at
the
dores
the
whyche
opened
ageynste
hym
/
&
so
he
yode
from
chamber
to
chaumber
tyll
that
he
cam
to
the
secrete
stody
where
as
no
creature
vsed
to
come
but
she
hir self
alone
/
&
whan
that
he
entred
in
at
the
dore
he
sawe
where
sate
the
fairest
creature
&
the
most
goodly
that
any
creature
myght
beholde
/
and
she
sate
so
sadde
in
hir
stody
that
she
herde
hym
nat
vnto
the
tyme
that
he
kneled
hym