Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge very frutefull for all christen people to rede. Bradshaw, Henry, d. 1513. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A21466 of text S3798 in the English Short Title Catalog. 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. 347KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 113 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2018 B11729

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info(at)umich.edu for further information or permissions.

 Early English books online text creation partnership. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. B11729) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 173062) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 27:07) Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge very frutefull for all christen people to rede. Bradshaw, Henry, d. 1513. [224] p. : port. Imprinted by Richarde Pynson, printer to the kynges noble grace, with priuilege to hym graunted by our souerayne lorde the kynge, [[London] : A⁰. M.D.xxi[1521]] By Henry Bradshaw, whose name appears in the prologue. In verse. Imprint from colophon. Signatures: [par.]⁴ a-s·⁴. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

Header created with script mrcb2eeboutf.xsl on 2016-01-28.

Manually keyed and coded text linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines available at TCP web site (http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/docs/)

 eng Werburge, -- of Chester, Saint -- Early works to 1800. eebo Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge : very frutefull for all christen people to rede. Bradshaw, Henry, -1513. 1521 226 50113 13 0 0 0 0 0 2.59 B The rate of 2.59 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the B category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2014-02 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2014-04 Sampled and proofread 2014-04 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2015-03 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge / very frutefull for all christen people to rede .

The prologe of . I.T. in the honour & laude of saint Werburge / and to the prayse of the translatour of the legende folowynge . H onour / ioye / and glorie / the toynes organicall E ndeles myrthes with melodies / prayse ye all the princes N ourisshed in vertue / intact / as pure as cristall R elefe to all synners / o Werburge lady maistres I n grace thou passed / all other and in goodnes Whan thou was present in this mundayne lyfe None was the lyke / wydowe / mayde / ne wyfe B y diuyne grace / to vs a ryche present R eioyce we may / in Werburge one and all A gemme of vertue / a virgin resplendent D ilect of our lorde ( in ioye and blis eternall S urely she is set ) to intercede and call H er mouth nat cessyng / for them to call and crye A nd in her trust / of synne to haue mercy O good lady maistres / declyne thy syght a fer And graciously beholde / thy seruaunt chast and pure Henry Bradsha / sometyme monke in Chester Whiche only for thy loue / toke the payne and labour Thy legende to translate / he dyd his busy cure Out of latine / in Englisshe rude ande and vyle Whiche he hath amended / with many an ornate style Alas of Chestre / ye monkes haue lost a treasure Henry Bradsha / the styrpe of eloquence Chestre thou may wayle / the deth of this floure So may the citezens / alas for his absence So may many other / for lacke of his sentence O swete lady Werburge / an holy Abbasse glorious Remembre Henry Bradsha / thy seruaunt most gracio{us} In hym remayned no vice ne presumpcion Enuy and wrath / from hym were exyled Slouth ne Venus in hym had no dominion Auarice and glotony / he vtterly expelled No vice in hym regned / his felowes he excelled As clene as cristall / he bare these vertues thre Chastite / obidience / and wylfull pouerte O cruell deth / whiche art the perfite ende Of this noble clerke / and euery mortall thyng Agaynst the / no man may hym defende Thou causest wo / languor / and anguissyng And who on this / wolde haue remembryng Howe from erth / to erth he must agayne He wolde dispise all thynges that be mundayne . Vale .
The table of this boke . FIrst the prologue of the translatour of this litest treatyse . Cap. i . A descripcion of the realme of merciens of the boundes and commodites of the same . Cap. ii . A descripcion of the geanologie of saynt Werburge and howe she descended of .iiii. kynges of this lande and of the riall blodde of Fraunce . Cap. iii . A playn descripcion of the act{is} and chiualry of kyng Penda grauntfather to saynt Werburge / and of his noble and vertuous progenie . Ca . iiii . Howe after the deth of kyng Penda / and of his prince Penda his seconde son Wulfer father of saynt Werburge was elect to be kyng of merciens Cap. v. A lyttell descripcyon of the noble maryage bytwene kyng Wulfer and saynt Ermenild the kyng{is} doughter of Kent / and of the solempnite done at the same season The syxt chapitre . Abreue declaracion of the holy lyfe and conuersacion of saynt Werburge / vsed in her tender youth / aboue the comon cours of nature . Cap. vii . Howe this yonge virgin saynt Werburge was desired of dukes and erles in mariage / and of the reasonable answere she gaue to them in auoydyng suche wordly pleasures . Cap. viii . Howe the false Werebode desyred kynge Wulfer to haue his doughter Werburge in mariage / and howe he graunted thervnto . Cap. ix . Howe the quene saynt Ermenild wolde nat consent ther to / & how her bretherne saint Wulfade / and Ruffin were agaynst the sayd mariage . Cap. x . Howe the false Werebode complaynned vpon saynt Wulfade & Ruffyn to kyng Wulfer / and was the cause of their deth . Cap. xi . Howe kynge Wulfer was conuerted / and toke great repentaunce for his offence . and by the counsell of saint Ceade was a deuout man / and a good benefactour to holy churche / and founder of diuers places Cap. xii . Of the feruent desire & singular deuocion saynt Werburge had to be religious / and of the dayly supplicacions she made to her father for the same . Cap. xiii . Of the reasonable & meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father / whan he moued her to haue ben maried . Cap. xiiii . How saint Werburge was made an nōne at Ely aft{er} her desire vnder saint Audri lady and abbasse . Ca . xv . Of the great solemnisacion kyng Wulfer made at the gostly mariage of saynt Werburge his dought{er} at Ely / to all his louers and frendes . Cap. xvi . Of the holy profession and gostly conuersacion saynt Werburge vsed at Ely in religion vnd saint Audri . xvii . A litell treatise of the lyfe of saynt Audrie abbasse of Ely / & of her holy conuersacion & great deuocion which Audrie was aunt and cosyn to saynt Werburge . xviii . A breue rehersal of the lyfe of saint Sexburge graunt moder to saint werburge / & of her comyng to Ely to her syst Audrie thabbasse from Shepay monasterie . c . xix . Howe saint Ermenild after dethe of kynge Wulfer was made a noune at Ely / vnder her moder Sexburge and Werkurge her doughter . Cap. xx . Howe kyng Ethelrede seynge the holy conuersacion of Werburge his nece / made her lady and president at Wedon / Trentā / & Hambury . Also by her example and counsel made hym a monke at Bardeney abbay . c . xxi . The holy conuersacion of kyng Kēred brother to saynt Werburge / & howe he refused his crowne / & was made a monke at Rome / & there de{per}ted a holy confessour . xxii . Of the gostly deuocion of saynt Werburge & vertuo{us} gouernans of her places / and of the great humilite she vsed to her systers and all creatures . Ca . xxiii . How at Wedō wilde gyse were pynned at her commandement / and also relesed & put at liberte . Ca . xxiiii . How a tyrande without pite was punysshed his face set backewarde / and by his mekenes was restaured to helth and prosperite agayne . Cap. xxv . How deuers princes folowyng sensualite entendyng to violate this virgine by power : by myracle were put to confusion . Cap. xxvi . How saynt Werburge gaue knowlege to her systers of her departure / & howe she ordred in vertue her sayd monasteries after her departure . Cap. xxvii . Of the gostly exortacion saint Werburge made to her systers in her sekenes / and howe deuoutly she receyued the sacramentes of holy churche afore her deth . c . xxviii . Of the departure of saynt Werburge at Trentan vnto heuen from this miserable lyfe / & what lamentacion her systers and subiectes made for her deth Ca . xxix . Howe the hamburgens toke the blessed body of Werburge from Trentā by myracle & brought it to Hābury / and of the buriall of this virgin / and manyfolde signes shewed of god by her merites / the space of .ix. yere afore her translacion . Cap. xxx . A litel breue treatise of her hole lyfe / and how for her myracles shewed after her deth / the couent of Hamburi purposed to translat her body by helpe of kyng Coelrede reignyng in mercelande . Ca . xxxi . The solempne translacion of this glorious virgine saynt Werburge , and of the great myracles done at the same season by the might of god / and merite of this gracious lady . Cap. xxxii . Howe the body of saynt Werburge continued hole / & substancial at Hambury after the translacion by the space of . CC . yeres / tyll the dayes were comon to this lande / or it fell & resolued was vnto powder . Cap. xxxiii .
Here foloweth the lyfe of the gloryous virgyn saynt werburge / also many miracles that god hath shewed for her / & fyrst the prologe of the auctour .
The prologe of the translatour of this lytell werke the lyfe of saynt Werburge . WHā Phebus had ron̄e his cours in sagittari And Capricorne entred a sygne retrograt Amyddes Decembre / the ayre colde & frosty And pale Lucyna / the erthe dyd illumynat I rose vp shortly / fro my cubycle preparat Aboute mydnyght / and cast in myne intent How I myght spende / the tyme conuenyent . I called vnto mynde / the great vnstedfastnes Of this wretched worlde / not by cours of nature How there be brought / some men to busynes Oppressed with pouerte / langour / and dyspleasure Some other exalted / to felycyte and pleasure The maker of mankynde / most in maieste Ruleth all at his wyll / it may non other be . Beholde dyscretly / and se the fyrmament Consyder the sonne / and the mone also With all the planettes / and sterres resplendent How they kepe theyr cours / bothe to and fro Euer obedyent / theyr creature vnto And byrdes besely / syngynge euery day Praysynge theyr prymate all that they may . The .iiii. elementes / in lyke condycyon The fyre / the water / the ayre / and the londe Obseruen theyr duty / after theyr creacyon And buxum ben / and euer so be fonde Thus euery creature / as we vnderstonde Obeyeth to his creature / with humylyte Except dyssolute man / folowyng sensualyte . If man wyll remembre / how he was create To the lykenes and figure / of god almyghty And set in paradyse / a place moost delycate To haue the fruycyon / of eternall glory / If not synne expulsed hym to the vale of mysery But that he wolde enclyne / his naturall reason To serue his maker / truely at due season . Dyuers people / haue dyuers condicions Comynly proued / it is euery day Some set to vertu / and good disposycyons In penaunce / prayer / all that they may Some in contemplacyon / the sothe to say Some in abstynence / to chastyce the body And make it subget / to the soule perfytely . Some other reioyce / in synne and ydelnes Some seruauntes to Venus / both day and nyght Other to couetyse / and worldly besynes Some to deceyue / by subtylte in syght Some vnto marchandyse / & wynnynge full ryght Some ferefull and tymerous / without audacyte Some sadde and sobre / and of great grauyte . Many haue pleasure to speke of rybaudry Some of fyghtynge / braulynge / and actes marcyall Other to flater / and paynt the company Some to syt bytwene the cuppe and the wall Some to blaspheme / and dyssemble withall To backbyte and sclaunder / by malyce and enuy Some to extorcyon / thefte and playne robry . Thus after fraylte / and sundry compleccyons Dyuers men dyuers in lyuynge there be Dysposed by a contrary dysposycyon Some vnto vertue / some vnto vanyte Many maners of people / now we may se Wauerynge in the worlde / without quyetnes As a shyp by tempest / is dryuen doubtles . Whan I reuolued / with due circumstaunce The dyuers maners / and mutabylyte Of worldly people / and the great varyaunce And how this lyfe / is of no suerte Now in great langour / now in prosperyte yet after our meryte / we shal be sure To be rewarded / at our departure . Than to vertuous labours / we shulde apply And spende not our tyme / all in ydlenes For as a byrde is made / by nature to fly Ryght so we shulde vse / some good busynes To our soule helthe / with great mekenes For tyme euyl spende / in labours vayne Is harde to be well / recouered agayne But now syth I am / a relygyous man For losynge of tyme / can not me excuse Therfore I purpose / to do as I can All suche ydlenes / whylom to refuse With the grace of god / the tyme for to vse Some small treatyse / to wryte breuely To the comyn vulgares / theyr mynde to satysfy . To descrybe hye hystoryes / I dare not be so bolde Syth it is a mater / for clerkes conuenyent As of the .vii. aeges / and of our parentes olde Or of the .iiii. empyres / whylom moost excellent Knowynge my lernynge / therto insuffycyent As for bawdy balades / ye shall haue none of me To excyte lyght hertes / to pleasure and vanyte . But now in auoydynge / suche great folysshenes I purpose to wryte / a legende good and true And translate a lyfe / into Englysshe doubtles I meane the spouse / of our lorde Ihesu Blessed saynt Werburge / replete with vertue A noble prynces borne / & vyrgyne pure and gloryous After an holy monyall / and an abbesse gracyous . In the abbay of Chestre / she is shryned rychely Pryores and lady / of that holy place The chyef protectryce / of the sayd monastery Longe before the conquest / by deuyne grace Protectryce of the Cytee / she is and euer was Called specyall prymate / and pryncypall presydent There rulynge vnder / our lorde omnypotent . And yf I vnworthy / begynne this lytell werke I praye all the reders / mekely of pardon To correcke and amende / syth I am no clerke Excuse my ignoraunce / and take the entencyon My mynde is to shewe / her lyfe and deuocyon That euery man and woman / ensample maye take At this pure vyrgyn / synne to forsake . And syth that she is / in blysse now gloryfyed It were no reason / her name be had in scylence But to the people / her name be magnyfyed To her laude and prayse / honour and reuerence Her parentes and bretherne / the floures of experyence Haue ben kepte in close / secrete many a day Wherfore I purpose / somwhat of them to say . Fyrst I entende / to make playne descrypcyon Of her fathers kyngedome the realme of Mercyens How longe it endured / vnder his tuycyon Vnder how many kynges / it had prehemynens Also of her petygre / the noble excellence For so many sayntes / of one kynred certayne Is harde to be founde / in all the worlde agayne . Vnto this rude werke / myne auctours these shal be Fyrst the true legende / and the venerable Bede Mayster Alfrydus / and Wyllyam Maluysburye Gyrarde / Polycronycon / and other mo in deed Now gloryous god / graunt me to procede Blessed vyrgyn Werburge / my holy patronesse Helpe me to endyte / I praye the swete maystresse .
A descrypcyon of the realme of Mercyens / of bondes and commodytes of the same . THe yere of our sauyoure / by full compulacyon Foure hundred / nyne & fourty frome his natiuite As venerable Bede / maketh declaracyon Duke Hengyst came to this lande in great royalte With Saxons / Angles / Iutes / thre people myghtre Desyred by Vortyger / than kynge of Brytons Came to defende / fro greuous oppressyons . Also the yeres of our blessed sauyoure Syxe hundreth foure score and nyne expresse The Brytons were expulsed / so sayth myne auctoure From Englande to walles / with great wretchydnes In Englande than ruled / seuen kynges doubtles Whose names we purpose / to shewe with lyeens But pryncypally / of the kyngdome of Mercyens . The fyrst realme of Saxons / began in Kent The yere of grace / foure hundreth fyue and fyfty Where duke Engystus / in honour excellent With septre and crowne / fyrst reygned royally The seconde was Southsex / sayth the hystory Wher Adla and Ella / reygned full ryght Whiche realme endured / but short tyme in myght . The thyrde was Westsaxons / famous and myghty Where fyrst reygned / kynge Cerdicus The yere of our lorde / fyue hundreth one and twenty Whiche realme by processe / and power vyctoryous Subdued all other / to hym full memorous The pryncypall Cytees / of his regalyte Were in olde season / Wynchester and Salesburye . The fourth was Estsex / Where duke Erchenwyn Fyrst reygned kynge / hauynge domynacyon By the kynge of Merselande / brought ofte to ruyne The chyef Cytee was Colchester / of his domynyon Also of eest Englande / was the fyfth kyngdome Where Vffa crowned / had fyrst the sufferaynte Of Northfolke and Southfolke / knowen in certaynte . The syxthe was the kyngdome of Merslande Where Cryda was crowned / fyrst by auctoryte Hauynge nyne shyres / obedyent to his hande As after shall appere / more euydent to be The seuenth was Northumberlande / vnder Ida & Alle Whylom dyuyded / in sondry kyngdomes twayne The chyfe Cytee was yorke / wher the kynge dyd reygne The realme of Mercyens / by olde antyquyte As playnly declareth / Polycronycon Thre hundreth yeres / endured in auctoryte . Vnder eyghtene kynges / worthy nomynyon Greatest of gouernaunce of all this regyon Where Vulfer reygned / a kynge vyctoryous Father to saynt Werburge / vyrgyn moost gloryous The boundes and lorshyppes / of the sayd Mercyens As shewen dyuers bokes hystoryall Were large and myghty / and of great prehemynens Where the sayd kynge reygned by power imperyall This realme to dyscrybe / begyn we shall At the Cytee of Chester / and the water of Dee Bytwene Englande and wales / of the west partye And so transcendynge / vp towarde Shrewysbury By the water of Sabryne / vnto Brystowe The Eest see mesureth / the Eest parte truely The water of Thamys / the south parte doth shewe Flowynge vnto London / whoso dothe it knowe The water of Humbre was on the north , syde With the water of Mersee / theyr landes to dyuyde . Of the foresayd ryuer / and water of Mersee The kynge of Mercyens / taketh his name As moost sure dyuydent / to be had in memorye Mesurynge and metynge / the bondes with great fame Of Mersee and Northumberlande / kynges of the same Bitwene chesshyr / & lancashyr theyr kingdomes certayne As auncyent Cronycles descryben it full playne . The sayd myghty kyngdome / of Mercyens dyd holde Many noble Cytees / with townes and burghes royall Whiche Penda optayned / enlarged manyfolde As Chester / Stafford / Lytchefelde / Couentre memorall Lyncolne and Huntyngdon / Northampton withall Leycester and Derby / Cambrydge and Oxonforde Worchester and Brystowe / with other mo & Herforde . Many royall ryuers / were conteyned in the same With sundry kyndes of fysshes / swete and delycyous It were tedyous to shewe / of them the dyuers name In ryuers and in pooles / swymmynge full plentuous Also forestes / parkes / chases large and beauteous And all beestes of venery / pleasaunt for a kynge To cours at lyberte / befounde there pasturynge . Also this royall realme / holdeth as we fynde Habundaunce of fruytes / plesaunt and profytable Great plente of cornes / and graynes of euery kynde With hylles / valeys / pastures / comly and delectable The soyle and glebe / is set plentuous and commendable In all pleasaunt propurtes / no part of all this lande May be compared / to this foresayd Merselande . The people of Mercyens / the trouthe yf we dare saye Lordes / barons / knyghtes / with all the comunete In musture and in batayle / euer the pryce haue they The kynges grace to serue / moost valyaunt in artylere In all artes Marcyall / euer hauynge the vyctorye With herte / mynde and harneys / redy day and nyght Theyr enemyes to subdue / by power mayne & myght . If they be well ordred / vnder a sure capytayne And set to suche busynesse / theyr honour to auaunce The tryumph they optayne / knowen it is certayne In Englande and Scotlande / & in the realme of Fraunce Fewe of them haue countred / by manhode and valeaunce Great nombre of enemyes / with knyghthode & polycy We meane them moost specyall / in the Weest party . Many other commodytes / pleasures and proprytes This sayd realme / holdeth of olde antyquyte In royaltes and lordshyppes / landes and lybertes Honourably dylated / in worshyp and polyce Flourynge in wysedome / honours / and chyualre Veryfyed by kynge Offa / moost myghty and excellent Proued in his actes / by playne experyment This Offa subdued / in hystory as is founde The kynge of Westsaxons / Northumberlande & Kent Droue Brytons to wales / out of this lande And made a depe dytche / for a sure dyuydent Bytwene Englande and Wales / & to this day presente Is called dytche Offa / so that no Bryton On payne of punysshement / shulde entre this regyon . Kynge Offa translated / as sayth Polycronycon By myghty power / the see of Canterbury Vnto Lychefelde chyrche / with famous oblacyon For euer to contynu / confyrmed by auctoryte Also he founded / saynt Albans monasterye Fyrst of deuocyon to Rome gaue Peter pens Thus royall somtyme / was the realme of Mercyens .
A descrypcyon of the Geanalogy of saynt Werburge and how she descended of foure kynges of this lande / & of the royall blode of Fraunce .
Regnum Mert{er} . ex{per}te {pro}r̄is . THis noble prynces / the doughter of Syon The floure of vertu / and vyrgyn gloryous Blessed saynt Werburge / full of deuocyon Descended by auncetry / and tytle famous Of foure myghty kynges / noble and vyctoryous Reynynge in this lande / by true successyon As her lyfe hystoryall / maketh declaracyon . The yere of our lorde / frome the natyuyte Fyue hundreth .xiiii. and also .iiii. score Whan Austyn was sende / frome saynt Gregorye To conuert this regyon / vnto our sauyoure The noble kynge Cryda than reygned with honoure Vpon the mercyens / whiche kynge was father Vnto kynge Wybba and Quadriburge his syster . This Wybba gate Penda / kynge of mercyens Whiche Penda subdued / fyue kynges of this regyon Reygnyge thyrty yere / in worshyp and reuerens Was grauntfather to Werburge / by lynyall successyon By his quene Kyneswith / had a noble generacyon Fyue valeant prynces / Penda and kynge Wulfer / Kynge Ethelred / saint Marceyl / saint marwalde in fere . And two holy doughters / blessed and vertuous Saynt Kene burge / and saynt Keneswyde the vyrgyn Whiche ladyes were buryed / full memorous At peturborowe abbay / and now there lyen in shryne The sayd kynge Ethelrede / by sufferaunce deuyne Had a prynce Cochede / whiche after reygned kynge That translated Werburge / the .x. yere of her buryenge . Saynt Merwalde specyfyed / vncle to saint Werburge By his quene saint Ermēberge a princes doughter of kent Gate .iii. holy vyrgyns / saint myldred & saint mylburge Saynt Mylgyde the thyrde / of vertu equypolent With a sone Mereum / whiche frome the holy sacrament Of baptym was taken / by myracle expresse To the blys of heuen / to reygne there endelesse . The seconde sone of Penda / we meane kynge Wulfere A noble valyant prynce / by lynyall dyscent Reygnynge vpon the Mercyens with royalte & power Maryed saynt Ermenylde / the kynges doughter of kent Where throughe the grace of god omnypotent They had fayre yssue / saynt Werburge / saynt Kenrede Saynt wulfade / saynt Ruffyn / in story as we rede .
Regnum Northumbrorum / ex parte matris . The seconde realme of whom saynt Werburge dyd descende Was of saynt Edwyn / kynge of Northumberlande Whiche maryed Quadryburge / his ryghtes to defende Doughter of Gryda / kynge of Merslande Bytwene them descended / as we vnderstande Two comly prynces / the fyrst we call Eadfryde The seconde sone in batayle slayne was named Offryde Kyng Eadfryde gate Hereryc that was kynge of Deiram This Hereryc by Beorswyde his quene fayre & fre Had saynt Hylde the abbesse / saynt Bede sayth the same Lady also foundresse / of the abbay of Whytbye This sayd kynge Hereryc / had another lady The quene of eest Englande / saynt Heryswith she hyght Mother to saynt Sexburge / & thre other ladies bryght . This holy Sexburge / full of grace and goodnes Was maryed to Ercombert / a noble kynge of Kent Bytwyx them descended / a precyous ryches The blessyd Ermenylde / humble and pacyent Whiche for her vertue / was maryed full excellent To Wulfer kynge of Merciens / with great solempnyte And mother was to werburge / aswete floure of chastite
Regnum Estanglorum / ex parte matris . The thyrde noble kyngedome / of her parentage Was the realme of eest England / whylom in great degre Tytylus kynge of the same / vyctoryous and sage Gate Redwald his fyrst sone / a chrysten prynce was he This Redwalde had .ii. sones flourynge in chyualrye The fyrst was Kenuherus / a noble man of fame The seconde Eorpwaldus / called by his name . This foresayd kynge Tytylus / had a seconde sone Called Egnicius / accepted as a martyre Whiche sayd Egnicius / by lynyall progressyon Had .iii. noble prynces / that worthy euer were The fyrst was called Ethelwood / the seconde Adelhere The thyrde was saynt Anna / a kynge moost vertuous In batayle slayne vnryghtfully / now a martyr gloryo{us} This forsayd kynge Anna / maryed as we rede The holy prynces Hereswith / for loue and amyte They had a noble yssue / to encrease theyr mede The blessed Sexburge / faynt Audry of Elye Saynt Ethelburge the thyrd / in Bryges now lyeth she Saynt Withburge the .iiii. the martyr saynt Iurwyne And Aldulph after kynge / whiche regned a longe tyme . The lady saynt Sexburge / eldest of them all A gracyous matrone / endurynge all her lyfe Was maryed to Ercombert / the kynge of Kent royall They brought fourth a progeny / noble to dyscryue The blessed Ermenylde / vertuous mayd and wyfe Whiche lady was mother / by grace of god almyght Vnto blessed Wrburge / our confort and our lyght
Regnum Cancie et Francie / ex parte matris . The .iiii. myghti kyngdome / of whom this royal princes Saynt Werburge descended / was the realme of kent Where reygned fyrst Hengystus / by vyctory & prowes Whiche was the fourth man / by lygnage euydent Procedynge fro Woden / a prynce full prepotent Of whom our {pro}genytours / Angles / Iutes / & Saxons Lynyally succeded / kynges of dyuers nacyons . This foresayd prynce Wodē / as dyuers auctours sayne Was the .xv. fro Noe / by naturall progressyon Of his eldest sone Sem / descendynge playne In saxons tongue Geaf / after ryte and custome Not of the lygne of Iaphet / by theyr opynyon Retourne we to Hengyst / and to his successoures And speke of theyr royalte / to please the audytoures . Ermenrycus kynge of kent / reygned with great powes The yere of our sauyoure / fyue hundreth fyue & thyrte Vnto whome Engystus was great graundfather This sayd kynge Ermenryc / had yssue fayre and fre A doughter called Ricula / which maried was to fledde Of Estsex and Mydylsex / gouernoure and kynge Of whom a myghty kynred / by proces was comynge . This Ermenryc gate Ethelbryct full vertuous Whiche kynge reygned in kent / the yere of our sauyou● Fyue hundreth fyue & fyfty / & baptysed was gracyous By blessyd bysshop Austyn / of Englande called doctour He was fyrst crysten kynge / & pryncypall protectour Of the ●ayth within this lande / and founder was also Of dyuers holy places / and monasteryes both tow . This sayd kynge Ethelbrye / for the great habundaunce Of ryches and honour / was maryed solemply To the prynces Berta / the kynges doughter of Fraunce And of them proceded a vertuous progeny Eadburg & Ethelburg saintes / whiche Ethelburg truly By Edwyne kyng of North / had .iiii. princes honorable And .iii. holy doughters / gracyous and commendable . Also kynge Ethelbryct / had to his successoure Kynge Eadbalde / in Kent reygnynge a longe space He maryed lady Emma / of fraunce the chosen floure And by her had yssue / saynt Enswyde full of grace Also prynce Ermenred his seconde sone / whiche wace Maryed to quene Oslaua / of them dyd procede Two holy martyrs / Ethelbryct and Etheldrede . This prynce Ermenred / had .iiii. ladyes bryght Lyke the .iiii. floodes of Paradyse / shynynge in vertu The eldest of the systers / saynt Ermenberge hyght The seconde saynt Ermenburge / the spouses of Ihesu The thyrde saynt Adeldryde / all vyces dyd subdu The .iiii. saynt Ermengyde / sayth theyr lyues hystoryall Thre of them holy vyrgyns / the fourth matrone we call This foresayd Eadbalde / a souerayne myghty kynge By Emma of Fraunce / had to his enherytoure The noble kynge Ercumbert / full gracyous in lyuynge Whiche maryed Sexburge / with worshyp & honoure The kynges doughter of cest England specyfyed afore This prynce loued vertue / prayer and deuocyon Commaundynge all his realme / to kepe the fast of Lenton Ercombert .xxx. yere / regnynge in his regaly Had a noble progeny / in grace and all goodnes His prynce hyght Egbryct / his seconde sone Lothary Whiche prynce reygned but ten yere / kynge expresse Lothary succeded hym / raynynge .xii. yeres doubtlesse Also he had two doughters / saynt Ermenylde the quene The other hyght saynt Erkengode / amoynes serene . This lady Ermenylde / was maryed royally To the aforesayd Vulfer / kynge of Mercyens Bytwene them descended / full gracyously A noble Margaryte / of hye magnyfycens A roose of Paradyse / full of prehemynens Moost blessed Werburge / the gemine of holynes Our synguler suffrage / and sterre of our clerenes .
A descrypcyon of the actes & chyualry of kynge Penda graundfather to saynt Werburge / & of his noble and vertuous yssue and progenye . Ca . iiii . THe yere of grace .vi. C. syre and twenty The foresayd prynce Penda / began for to reygne The tenth man fro Woden / a prynce in Saxony Sone and heyre to Wybbe / sayth myne auctour playne Fyfty yeres of aege / that tyme he was certayne Whan he was fyrst crowned / kynge of Mercyens Thyrty yeres he reygned / with great reuerens . Fyue kynges in batayle / this Penda dyd subdue Saintes Edwyn & Oswald / kinges of Northumberlande With Sygebert / Egnycius / and Anna full of vertu Thre noble kynges / regnynge in eest Englande With helpe of Brytones / by Bede we vnderstande Dylated his regyon / with worshyp and honoures Moche more than dyd / any of his predecessoures . He maryed Keneswith / a lady fayre and bryght And by her had yssue / a goodly generacyon Peada his prynce / Vulfer a noble knyght Saynt Ethelred / and Merwalde full of deuocyon Also saynt Mersellyn / of holy conuersacyon Saynt Keneburge / also saynt Keneswyde Auntes to saynt Werburge / vpon the fathers syde . Thre of his chyldren / as we vnderstande Prynce Peada / Kyneburge / and Ethelrede He maryed with Oswy / Kynge of Northumberlande To .iii. of his yssue / for loue and for mede Vulfer and Merwalde / the story sayth in dede Were maryed vnto / the royall blode of Kent To Ermenylde and Domueue / two ladyes excellent . Soone after by grace / the myddyll parte of Mercyens Vnder prynce Peada / were baptysed euery chone Whiche Peada maryed / Elflede with reuerens Doughter vnto Oswy / kynge of the North regyon Penda therto graunted / without contradyccyon Vnder a fre lycence / his people were at lyberte Within all his regyon / baptysed for to be . Also prynce Alfryde / sone to kynge Oswy Maryed saynt Keneburge / syster to prynce Peada Whiche sayd Peada / brought from the north party Foure holy preestes / Ced / Beccy / and Adda To preche to his people / the fourth was Duyna Whiche .iiii. selden seased / day / nyght nor tyme To conuert the people / vnto chrystes doctryne . Kynge Penda consented / as afore is sayd And permytted doctours / to preche in euery place Thrughout his realme / and neuer it denayed To baptyse his subgectes / by fayth and ghostly grace He ayded them with socour / and helpe in that case That wolde be conuerted / for theyr synguler mede As sayth myne auctour / the venerable Bede . But by the temptacyon / of our ghostly enemy This sayd kynge Penda / this vyctoryous knyght Of valyaunt men in armure raysed a great company And to the North partyes went / purposynge to fyght And cruelly to flee / by power / mayne / and myght The foresayd kynge Oswy / as he afore had slayne Sayt Oswalde his brother / kynge and martyr playne . Shortly was forgoten / the fauour of his affynyte That fully was contracte / bytwene these kynges twayne Ioyned at the maryages / of theyr chyldren thre Euer to haue endured / in loue by reason playne yet Oswy offered Penda / many ryche gyftes certayne To auoyde his malyce / and for to kepe the peas Whiche Penda refused / replete with wyckednes . Bytwene these .ii. kynges / was a stronge myghty batell Not ferre frome yorke / ny the flood of Wynwed In the regyon of Leedes / where by fortune cruell Kynge Penda perysshed / & carefully was leed And .xxx. dukes with hym / were slayne and lefte deed The kynge Oswy offered gladly / with good entent His yonge doughter Edelfled / to god omnypotent . He set her for doctryne / to the abbesse saynt Hylde Lady of Strenyshalt / now called Whytby And gaue .xii. possessyons / a monastery to buylde Whiche place is from yorke / myles thyrty He gaue great landes to his sone in lawe Peade But the thyrde yere after / this sayd prynce was slayne By treason of his wyfe Elflede / for certayne .
How after dethe of Penda & his sone prynce Peada his seconde sone Vulfer / father to saynt Werburge was electe to be kynge of all the Mercyens . Ca . v. AFter that this Penda / of Mercyens kynge In batayle by kynge Oswy / cruelly was slayne And his prynce Peada / after hym thre yeres reygnynge Was put vnto deth / by his quene in certayne These people of Mercyens / rebelled fore agayne The foresayd Oswy / kynge of Northumberlande And hym refused / as ye shall vnderstande . All the sayd Mercyens / by a generall counsell Fortyfyed themselfe / with power myght and reason And crowned prynce Vulfer / as Bede doth vs tell with honour / worshyp / and great renowne Whiche prynce to kynge Penda / was the seconde sone This prynce was preserued / afore tyme secretly And saued by his subiectes / frome dethe and malady . This valyaunt prynce / and redoubted knyght Kynge Vulfer thus crowned / with great prosperyte Vpon the Mercyens regned / by tytle and myght Whiche realme was dyuyded / whylom in partes thre Fyrst in the West marches / & in the South parte truely The thyrde parte was nomynate / mydle Englonde Ouer them all thre / he reygned as is fonde . This sayd kynge Vulfer in honour famous Was deuoutely baptysed / with great solempnyte By two holy bysshops / the blessed Finanus And bysshop Ierumannus / saythe the hystorye The kynge made a vowe / of hye auctoryte All temples of ydols / within his regyon To destroy and chaunge / vnto chrysten relygyon . This Vulfer was polytyke / replete with wysdom Vyctoryous in batayle / proued by his chyualry His enemyes oppressed / by manhode and reason Subdued his aduersaryes / and had the vyctory From his realme expelled / all cruell tyranny Conquered in batayle / at Ashdum ryght famous The kynge of West Saxons / called Kenwalcus . Also he subdued / vnto his Empyre The Ilande Vecta / called the yle of wyght And after that he had / of it his desyre He gaue the sayd yle / by tytle full ryght To the kynge of eest Englande / to enlarge his myght Vnder that condycyon / that he baptysed wolde be . And was his godfather / of pure charyte In lykewyse as this prouynce / of Mercyens Whylom was greatest realme / within Englande Many yeres contynuynge / in prehemynens Ryght so the spyrytualte / well knowen and founde How fyu ? bysshop sees / within this sayd Merselande As at Chester / at Lychefelde / also at Worcester The fourth at Lyncolne / the fyfth at Dorchester . Forthermore after dethe / of Ierumannus Bysshop of Lychfelde / Vulfer the sayd kynge Desyred the archebysshop / and prymate Theodorus To graunt them a bysshop / of holy lyuynge To gouerne the people / by spyrytuall techynge To shewe to his subiectes / the ensample of vertu And to preche and teche / the fayth of Chryst Ihesu . This holy archebysshop / and prymate Theodorus Desyred saynt Cedda / of the kynge Oswy For his perfeccyon / and lyuynge vertuous To be remoeued / to the prouyce of Mercy Kynge Vulfer was gladde / of his comynge truly Ryght so were all / the people of his realme Thankynge therfore / the kynge of Ierusalem . Kynge Vulfer graunted / to saynt Cedda the confessoure Than bysshop of Lychefelde / moche possessyon To edyfy chyrches / vnto chrystes honoure But namely he gaue a certayne mansyon In the prouynce of Lyndesy / ny vnto Lyncolne Suffycyent to suffyse / and well for to content Fyfty seruauntes / of good relygyous obedyent . This noble sayd prynce / and redoubted souerayne Flourynge in manheed / wysedome and polycy Excelled the peres / of this realme certayne In person / fortytude / and proued chyualry Lyberall to his seruauntes / gentyll in company Gracyous to the poore / and a sure protectour A founder of chyrches / and a good benefactour .
A lytell descrypcyon of the noble maryage bytwene Kynge Vulfer & saynt Ermenylde the kynges doughter of Kent / & of the solempuyte done at the same season . Ca . vi . IN meane whyle the kynge / mynded maryage By the sufferaunce of our lorde god omnypotent Issue to encrease / acordynge to his lygnage After hym to succede / kynge and presydent He mynded moost / the kynges doughter of Kent . Prynces Ermenylde / nomynate she was A beautefull creature / replete with great grace . Certaynly her father / was called Excomberte As afore is specyfyed / the kynge of Kent Her mother Sexburge / humble in her herte Of whome Ermenylde / a lady excellent Lynyally descended / by tytle full auncyent Her graundfather Edbalde / kynge Ethelbryctes sone The fyrst crysten prynce / of Saxons nacyon . Of foure myghty kyngdomes / she is descended From the royall blode of Fraunce / also of Kent Vpon her fathers party / as afore is notyfyed And on her mothers syde / by lyne auncyent Frome the eest Englande / famous and excellent Also of Northumberlande / flourynge in honour Conuerted and baptysed / vnto our sauyour . This sayd Ermenylde / this floure of vertue Was euer dysposed / from her natyuyte Vnto the dyscyplyne / of our lorde Ihesu Enspyred with his grace / and benygnyte Refused this worlde / ryches and vanyte He vsed the maners / of sadde dysposycyon Passynge fragyll youth / and naturall reason . Suche synguler confort / of vertuous doctryne In her so dyd water / a pure perfyte plante Whiche dayly encreased / by sufferaunce deuyne Merueylously growynge / in her fresshe and varnaunt With dyuers proprytes / of grace exuberaunt As sobrynes / dyscrecyon / and mekenesse vyrgynall Obedyence / grauyte / and wysedome naturall . Euery tree or plante / is proued euydent Whyther good or euyll / by experyence full sure By the budde and fruyte / and pleasaunt descent Aswete tree bryngeth forth / by cours of nature Swete fruyte and delycyous / in tast and verdure Ryght so Excombert / by his quene moost mylde Brought gracyously forth / the swete Ermenylde . She folowed her father / in worshyp and honoure At her mother Sexburge / she toke imytacyon To lyue in clennes / presentynge in behauyour Her father in power / her mother in relygyon Humble in herte / hauynge compassyon Pyteous and lyberall / where was necessyte Ioyfull to obserue / the dedes of charyte . Forther of her lyfe / to make declaracyon As the true legende playnly dothe expresse Consyder the hystory / with good inspeccyon Of blessed Sexburge / that noble pryncesse The sayd conuersacyon / and ghostly swetenesse That is perceyued / in her holy mother The same perfeccyon / was in the other . Neuerthelesse Ermenylde / escape ne myght Worldely honours / and seculer dygnyte As requyred so noble a state of ryght Ryches / possessyon / namely her beaute But vnto maryage / compelled was she Of her parentes / contrary to her entent To whome she was founde / euer obedyent . This noble lady / by deuyne prouydens Elected to her / a spouse commendable A valyaunt prynce / the kynges sone of Mercyens Called kynge Vulfer / famous and honorable Reygnynge in Mercelande / with ioy incomparable Excellynge many other / prynces of this regyon In ryches / retynu / fortune / honour / and wysdome At this maryage / was moche solempnyte Her father Excomberte / and her frendes all Tho prynces her vncles / Egbryct and Lothary The kynge of eest Englande / Aldulph in specyall Dukes / erles / barons / and knyghtes in generall Whiche sayd company / were redy that same day To worshyp the matrymony / in theyr beest aray . This royall maryage / was solempnysed With synguler pleasures / ryches and royalte Theyr frendes cosyns / redy on euery syde To do theyr deuoyre / and shewe humanyte Nothynge wantynge / euery thynge was plente Of delycate metes / and myghty wynes stronge With mynstrels / melody / and myrthes amonge . Whan this fayre prynces / resplendent in vertue Came vnto Mercelande / in the order of matrymony Than grace with good gouernaunce / dyd vyce subdue Vertue was maystres / chefe ruler and lady The faythe of holy chyrche / dyd growe and multyply Relygyon encresed / honour and prosperyte In euery place pacyence / true loue and charyte . At the solempne spousage / of this lady bryght Kynge Vulfer promysed / on his fydelyte Errours to correcke / by his wysdome and myght Clerely to expell / all sectes of ydolatrye Frome his realme / and fulfyll by his auctoryte The promyse truely made / at the fonte of baptyme The chyrche to conserue / and saue it from ruyne . The myghty realme of Mercyens / also of Kent That season were brought / bothe vnto vnyte And as one kyngedome / ruled full excellent Theyr subiectes and seruauntes / in tranquyllyte Kynge Vulfer by his quene / had a noble progenye Vulfade and Ruffyn / with prynce Kenrede And Werburge / of whome we purpose to procede .
A breue declaracyon of the holy lyfe and conuersacyon of saynt Werburge / vsed in her tender youthe / aboue the comyncours of nature . Ca . vii . THis blessed lady / and royall prynces Descendynge of noble / and hye parentage Was doughter to Vulfer / the legende dothe rehers Kynge of Mercelande / and of famous lynage Her mother Ermenylde / ioyned to hym in maryage They dwelled somtyme / a lytell frome Stone At a place in Stafforde shyre / amyddes his regyon . They had bytwene them / other chyldren thre Vulfade and Ruffyn / martyrs full gloryous Synt Kenrede his prynce / of greate auctoryte Tumylate at Rome / a confessour gracyous The lyues of these thre / we wyll not now dyscus But speke of the ghostly / and meke conuersacyon Of blessed Werburge / now at this season . For as declareth / the true Passyonary A boke wherin / her holy lyfe wryten is Whiche boke remayneth / in Chester monastery I purpose by helpe / of Ihesu kynge of blys In any wyse to reherse / any sentence amys But folowe the legende / and true hystory After an humble style / and from it lytell vary . This blessed Werburge / from her natyuyte Folowynge the counseyll / of her noble parentes Dysposed her selfe / euer to humylyte Obedyent to them / with all reuerens Loth to dysplease / or make any offens Or dysquyet any reasonable creature Thus was her maner / in youthe be ye sure . Sadde and demure / of her countenaunce Stable in gesture / proued in euery place Sobre of her wordes / all vertu to auaunce Humble / meke / and mylde / replete with grace Many vertuous maners / in her founde there was And dyuers gyftes naturall / to her appropryate As was conuenyent / for so noble a state . And as she encreased / moore and more in age A newe plant of goodnes / in her dayly dyd sprynge Great grace and vertue / were set in her ymage Wherof her father / had moche merueylynge Her mother mused / of this ghostly thynge To beholde so yonge / and tender a may From vertu to vertu / to procede euery day . No merueyll it is / who so taketh hede In naturall thynges / the dyuers operacyon Dothe not a royall rose / from a brere procede Passynge the stocke / with pleasaunt dylectacyon The swete ryuer passeth / by due probacyon His heed and fountayne / ryght so dothe she Transcende her parentes / with great benygnyte . And tho her bretherne / delyted for to here For theyr soule helthe / ghostly exortacyon yet she them passed / manyfolde more clere In loue of our lorde / and meke conuersacyon And lyke as Phebus / in his heuenly regyon Passed other stretes / shynynge moost pure So dothe this vyrgyn / aboue the cours of nature . Lordes / dukes / barons / within the kynges hall Merueyled on her maners / and constaunte sobrynes The plente of wysedome / and dyscrecyon withall In so tender age / they neuer knewe expresse Her mynde so perfyte / auoydynge all ylnes But they knewe well / it pretended by all reasone Synguler grace and goodnes / to her comynge soone . Affyrmynge on this wyse / ys she wolde contynu With suche vertuous maner in yeres of hye dyscrecyon That she sholde do honour / by the grace of Ihesu Vnto all her kynrede / and synguler consolacyon An ensample of vertu / and humylyacyon Theyr conforte / theyr tresure / and sterre full bryght And chefe lumynary / shynynge day and nyght . Fyrst in the mornynge / to chyrche she wolde go Folowynge her mother / the quene euery day With her boke and bedes / and departe not them fro Here all deuyne seruyce / and her deuocyons say And to our blessed sauyour / mekely on knees pray Dayly hym desyrynge / for his endeles grace and pyte To kepe her frome synne / and preserue her in chastyte . Where youthe is dysposed / of naturall mocyon To dysportes and pleasures / full of vanyte This mayde was euer of sadde dysposycyon Constaunt and dyscrete styll and womanle Gladde in her soule / to her speke of chastyte Clennes and sobrenes / and ioyfull for to here Ghostly exortacyons / to her herte moost dere .
How this yonge vyrgyn saynt Werburge was desyred of dukes & erles in maryage / and of the answere she gaue to thē / in auoydynge worldly pleasures . Ca . viii . AS tender youthe passed / this blessed maydyn Dayly encreased / more and more in vertue In ghostly scyence / and vertuous dyscyplyne Obseruynge the doctryne / of our lorde Ihesu Had his commaundymentes / in her herte full tru So that no creature / more perfyte myght be In vertuous gyftes ( by grace ) than she . She was replete / with gyftes naturall Her vysage moost pleasaunt / fayre and amyable Her goodly eyes / clerer than the crystall Her countenaunce comly / swete and commendable Her herte lyberall / her gesture fauourable She lytell consyderynge / these gyftes transytory Set her felycyte / in chryst perpetually . She hadde moche worshyp / welthe / and ryches Vestures / honoures / reuerence and royalte The ryches she dysposed / with great mekenesse To the poore people / with great charyte But her sadnes / constaunce / and humylyte Vertue / gentylnes / so pacyent and colde Transcended all these other / a thousande folde . The vertuous maners / and excellent fame Of this holy vyrgyn / redoubted so ferre In all this regyon / in praysynge her name That the nobles of this lande / wolde not dyfferre But with ryche apparell / and myghty power Came for to seke her / lyke as to Salomon Quene Saba approched / to here of his wysedome . So lykewyse some came / to her of her vertue Some of her sadnesse / and prudent dyscrecyon Some for her constaunce / so stable and true Some of her chastyte / and pregnaunt reason Some for her beaute / and famous wysedome And some that were borne / of kynges lygnage Desyred yf they myght / haue her in maryage . In beaute amyable / she was equall to Rachell Comparable to Sara / in fyrme fidelyte In sadnes and wysedom / lyke to Abygaell Replete as Delbora / with grace of prophecy Equyualent to Ruth / she was in humylyte In pulchrytude Rebecca / lyke Hester in lolynesse Lyke Iudyth in vertue / and proued holynesse . The prynce of Westsaxons / a pere of this lande Wyllynge to haue her by way of maryage With humble reuerence / as we vnderstande Sayd to her these wordes / wysely and sage O souerayne lady / borne of hye lynage O beautefull creature / and imperyall prynces This is my full mynde / that I now rehers . From my fathers realme / hyder I am come Vnto our presence / yf ye be so content With worshyp and honour / and moche renowne In all honest maner / aperynge euydent My mynde is on you set / with loue feruent To haue you in maryage / all other to forsake If it be your pleasure / thus me for to take . ye shal be asured / a quene for to be ye shall haue ryches / worshyp / and honour Royall ryche appareyll / and eke the sufferaynte Precyous stones in golde / worthy a kynges tresour Landes / rentes / and lybertees / all at your pleasur Seruauntes euery houre / your byddynge for to do With ladyes in your chambre / to wayte on you also . With these kynde wordes / the vyrgyn abasshed sore And with mylde countenaunce / answered hym agayne The playnes of her mynde / to rest for euermore Sayenge : o noble prynce / I thanke you now certayne For youre gentyll offer / shewed to me so playne ye be well worthy / for your regalyte To haue a better maryage / an hundreth folde than me . But now I shewe you / playnly my true mynde My purpose was neuer / maryed for to be A lorde I haue chosen / redemer of mankynde Ihesu the seconde persone in trynyte To be my spouse / to Whome my vyrgynyte I haue depely vowed / endurynge all my lyfe His seruaunt to be / true spouses and wyfe . Therfore noble prynce / hertfully I you pray Tempte me no forther / after suche condycyon Whiche am so stedfast / and wyll be nyght and day Neuer for to chaunge / nor make alteracyon Take ye this answere / for a sure conclusyon The promyse I haue made / and vowe of chastyte Endurynge my lyfe / shall neuer broken be . Dyuers other astates / came her for to assayle Made instaunt requestes / vnto this vyrgyn fre For all theyr busynesse / they myght not preuayle So constaunt fyrme & stable / in herte & mynde was she A mountayne or hyll / soner leue ye me Myght be remoeued / agaynst the course of nature Than she for to graunte / to suche worldly pleasure . She well consydered / the texte of holy scrypture Who byleueth her chast / for the loue of Ihesu The temple of god / they be clypped sure And shal be rewarded / for that noble vertu An hundreth folde ( by grace ) vyces to subdu And heuen for to haue / at theyr departynge Whiche she remembred wysely / aboue all thynge .
How the false Werbode desyred kynge Vulfer to haue Werburge his doughter in maryage . And how the kynge graunted therto . Ca . ix . AS afore is sayd / whan Penda the kynge By saynt Oswy kynge / at Leedes was slayne And Vulfer his sone / the fourth yere folowynge Was baptysed and crowned / By bysshop Fynane A solempne voue he made / faythfull and certayne All temples of ydolles / in his realme to destroy And chaunge them to chyrches / and newe edyfy . The same he promysed / as he was true knyght Whan that he maryed / blessed Ermenylde Dredynge sore the iustyce / of god almyght For his fathers demerytes / vnreconsyled On hym to fall sodeynly / and so be begyled Promysynge a mendes / at his conuersyon Vnto holy chyrche / with humble deuocyon . Whiche kynge Vulfer / as was the more pyte By the wycked counseyll / of a fals knyght Called Werbode / ranne soone in apostasy For a lytell whyle / wantynge perfyte lyght The bryghtnes of the day / was tourned to nyght Whan he gaue credence / that creature vnto Prolongynge the actes / he promysed to do . Vnder kynge Vulfer / chefe stewarde of his hall Was this false Werbode / ruler of euery porte Whome the lady Venus / brought vnto thrall Persed and wounded / so greuously his harte Enflammed with loue / and with her fyry darte Plonget with sorowe / syghynge day and nyght The beaute of Werburge / moeued so his syght . The blynde goddes Cupyde / vexed so sore his mynde With interyor loue / and sensuall desyre Of worldely affeccyon / that reste coude he none fynde His spyryte was troubled / he brenned as dothe the fyre Vpon this holy vyrgyn / his loue was so entyre To haue her in maryage / was all his intent That euery houre was a moneth / after his iudgement . Prouyded in his mynde / how that he well myght Enforce hym wysely / with boldynesse and polycye To shewe his full entent / in maner good and ryght No dyspleasure taken / vpon his lordes partye By this ymagynacyon / he fell vpon his knee Afore his lorde and kynge / desyrynge a petycyon His mynde to declare / with fully grace of pardon . Excellent prynce he sayd / and moost worthy kynge That reygnes now within the realme of Englande Flourynge in chyualry / in honour encreasynge Transcendynge other prynces / of this forsayd lande My full intencyon / now ye shall vnderstande Requyrynge your grace / in this poore cyrcumstaunce At my petycyon / to take no greuaunce . My synguler good lorde / hertfully I you pray With instaunte request / and humble supplycacyon Graunte me your doughtes Werburge / as ye maye To haue her in maryage / auoydynge all treason If your grace deny / this present petycyon Dethe me behoues / full soone and hastely My loue is so feruent / there is no remedy . Stande vp Werbode / kynge Vulfer than sayd Our chyfe champyon / in all our chyualry your humble desyre / shall not be denayd Of Werburge our doughter / now consent wyll we If ye may optayne / her wyll and mynde truele Her mothers also / vnder that condycyon We graunt her to you / at your meke suggestyon . Of this gracyous answere / a gladde man he was Reioysynge in his herte / began to conspyre Castynge in his mynde / craftely by compas How he myght optayne / to the hye empyre And reygne after Vulfer / at his owne desyre But tho man prepose / god dysposed all Who clymbeth to hye / often hath a fall
How the quene saynt Ermenylde wolde not consente therto / & how her bretherne saynt Wulfade and Ruffyn were agaynst the sayd maryage . Ca . x . OF this busynesse / whan the quene had knowlege Namely of Werebode / the greuous presumpcyon How he had moeued / thrught his wycked rage The kynge in suche causes / by synguler petycyon And how the kynge consented / to his supplycacyon She was sore greued / at this prowde crafty knyght Called hym in presence / and sayd these wordes ryght . Thou wycked tyraunt / and vnkynde creature Folowynge thyne appetyte / and sensualyte Thou cruell pagane / presumynge at thy pleasure Blynded with ygnoraunce / and infydelyte Who gaue the lycence / and suche auctoryte Our doughter Werburge / to desyre of the kynge Without our counseyll / therto consentynge . Consyder ryght well / thy kynred and pedegre It is well knowen / thou arte comen of nought Nother of duke / erle / lorde / by auncetre But of vylayne people / yf it be well sought Agaynst our honour / now that thou hase wrought Whiche consequently / shall be to thy payne For all thy labour / is spende in vayne . Thou knowes of a certayne / refused she hase Many a ryche maryage / within this londe A thousande tymes better / than euer thou wase Is now orels shal be / by any maner fonde Our doughter to the / shall neuer be bonde Nor suche a caytyfe / shall haue no powere With kynges blode royall / to approche it nere . Vnder my souerayne lorde / and me also An offycer thou arte / and of great royalte To be a true seruaunte / now thou arte our foo Tryed / proued / founde fals / in eche degre Thou hase well deserued / to be hanged on a tre For thy mysdede / thou shall soone repent Thy hye presumpcyon / proude and dysobedyent . As for our doughter / and dere derlynge By the grace of god / and our aduysement Soone shal be maryed / to the moost myghty kynge That euer was borne / and in this erth lent We meane our sauyour / lorde omnypotent Wherfore thy wretchydnes / wyll vpon the lyght Thou taynted traytour / out of our syght . With that saynt Werburge / came into presence Afore her mother / and all the company Doynge her duty / with all due reuerenc Folowynge her doctryne / full sapyently With lycence optayned / spake euydently After suche maner / that all the audyence Reioysed to here / her lusty eloquence O souerayne lady / and kynges doughter dere My dere mother / ouer all thynge transytory O gracyous prynces / and quene to kynge Vulfere To your ghostly counseyll / do me euer apply As I haue promysed / ryght euydently To the kynge of kynges / and lorde celestyall I wyll obserue / endurynge this lyfe mortall . And thou false Werbode / folowynge sensualyte I meruayle greatly / thy hye presumpcyon To moeue our father / with suche audacyte Knowynge my mynde / set on relygyon yet for thy soule helthe / accepte this lesson Aske mercy and grace / of my spouse eternall Lest vengeaunce sodeynly / vpon thee do fall . Wherwith her bretherne / Vulfade and Ruffyn Two noble prynces / manfull sadde and wyse Sore vexed with peyne / theyr hertes were within At this false stewarde / whiche can so deuyse Agayne theyr honour / to do suche preiudyse As to attempte theyr father the kynge In so great a mater / they not consentynge . They called Werebode / afore them all Sayenge thou caytyfe / who gaue the lycence To moeue this cause / so he and specyall Touchynge a lady / of suche prehemynence A kynges doughter / of moche magnyfysence None comparable to hym / in all this regyon In honour / royalte / power / and dyscrecyon . And as our mother sayd / to the byforne Loke well thy progeny / and all thy lynage A vyllayne orels wers / sothly thou was borne Now our dere syster / wolde haue in maryage As semynge for a prynce / of hye parentage Than for suche a carle / by a prouerbe auncyent A lad to wedde a lady / is an inconuenyent . Therfore we charge the / vpon greuous peyne Moue no suche mater / nor speke of it no more For yf suche mocyon / come to vs agayne Of hye presumpcyon / as is done afore Thou shalt repent / the cause and dede full sore Now we commaunde the / no forther to contryue But cease of suche busynesse / in peyne of thy lyue .
How the false Werbode complayned vpon Vulfade and Fussyn to kynge Vulfare by malyce and enuy / and was the cause of theyr dethe . Ca . xi . THis wycked Werebode / the bedyll of Belyall The minister of myschef / & sergeaunt of sathanas Consyderynge he was / despysed of them all And sore rebuked / for his outragyous trespas He brenned in enuy / as a man without grace Cast in his mynde / how he myght wroken be Vpon her bretherne / by some subtylte . Euer from that tyme / he lay in wayte Sekynge occasyons / on them to complayne Dayly ymagyned / with subtyll deceyte Them to subdue / and cause to be slayne Attendynge oportunyte / to take them in a trayne By the false entysement / of his mayster Belyall Prompte to all myschefe / as dyscyple naturall . In fauour of his prynce / by crafte he hym brought ( As now is in custome ) with false flatery Some please theyr mayster / and that is ryght nought So dyd this Werebode / by subtyll polycy His vengeable mynde / was hymselfe to magnyfy And vtterly to lose / these prynces twayne Or destroye hym selfe / by mysfortune playne . Lyke as Archythofell chefe counselour to absalon Sundry tymes moeued hym / vnto varyaunce And with kynge Assuerus / in fauour was Amon Counseylynge hym euer / vnto great myschaunce In lyke cause Werbode / moeued to vengeaunce Was chefe counseler / to Vulfer the kynge Whiche brought hym selfe to shame / and euyll endynge . The elder prynce Vulfade / in his dysporte Vsed haukynge huntynge / for a past tyme But vnto huntynge namely / was his resorte Euery day in the morowe / longe afore pryme And as it fortuned / vpon a tyme A myghty harte reysed was / coursed a longe space Whome Vulfade pursued / with pleasure and solace . This harte sore strayned / ranne for his socour As all deer done / of theyr propryte To a well with water / after his great labour Hym to reconforte / and the more fressher be Wherby saynt Cead / had his oratorye The wylde harte there lay / full secrete and styll And suffered this holy man / to do all his wyll . This blessed bysshop moeued with pyte Couered this sayd harte / with bowes and leues also Put a small corde / aboute his necke trule And after commaunded hym spedly to go To the wylde woodes / whens he came fro His pasture to seke / for saynt Cead knewe truly It was a sygne folowynge / of some great mysery . ( As Bede wytnesseth ) this holy confessour Was bysshop of Lychefelde / and Couentre Whiche for the loue of our sauyour In wyldernesse dwelled / all solytarye Contented with fruytes / of the wylde tree With rootes / herbes / water / for his sustentacyon Endurynge penaunce / with due contemplacyon . This venerable prynce / ensuynge this great harte Approched to his cell / with great dylygence Tenderly requyrynge / where and in what parte This harte escaped / so ferre out of presence This holy man answered / with all reuerence Beestes / byrdes / fowles / I kepe none at all But I knowe the instructour / of thy helthe eternall . By this brute beest / thou shall perceyue well The sacramentes of holy chyrche euerychone To encrese thy byleue / by our ghostly counsell And so to be baptysed / and haue remyssyon By dyuers brute beestes / for mannes saluacyon Our lorde hath shewed / secretes mystycall To his electe persones / by grace supernall . To Noe came conforte / after the great deluge By a douue / bryngynge a braunche of Olyue To the prophet Hely / a rauen dyd refuge Brought hym his sustenaunce / and saued his lyue Vnto saynt Eustach / full memoratyue Our lorde appered / in a hartes lykenes To whome he obeyed / gladly with mekenes . Of whiche examples / prynce Vulfade gladde was Thankynge god and saynt Cead / that he thyder come And sayd holy father / fulfylled with grace If ye can supply / my instaunte petycyon That the sayd harte / myght retourne hydersoone Whiche is now in wyldernesse / vnto our presence Than to your doctryne / I wyll gyue fully credence . Saynt Cead vnto prayer / deuoutely went And the wylde harte / frome the wood came hastely With the corde in his necke / apperynge euydent And in theyr presence / stode full ryght soberly My sone than he sayd / byleue than stedfastly Vnderstande ye may / all thynge possyble is To a faythfull persone / that perfytely byleuys . Vulfade conforted / and in the fayth probate Fell downe to his fete / with humble deuocyon Desyrynge baptym / to be regenerate Vnto our sauyour / for his soules saluacyon Saynt Cead blessed / the well that season And baptysed this prynce / in name of the trynyte Was preest and godfather / for want of companye . This chrysten prynce / taryed with hym all nyght In fastynge / prayer / and medytacyon And was refresshed / naturally in syght With bodyly and ghostly sustentacyon The next day receyued / the holy communyon With lycence departed / to his father agayne The harte to the forest / recoursed certayne . The thyrde day after / his brother Ruffyn Folowynge the same harte / by deuyne prouydence Was well instructed / in ghostly doctryne Baptysed by saynt Cead / & communed with reuerence And as it fortuned / by playne experyence Of all the proces done / to the elder brother All thynge dyd happe / ryght so to the other . Afore this season / chrystes fayth moost gracyous Thrugh this lande / was preched in euey place By bysshop Fynane / and Ierumannus Whiche Ieruman of eest Englande / fyrst byssop was And with saynt Ermenylde / came hyder by grace yet fully conuerted / was not Mersee regyon Clene frome ydolatry / vnto this season . These forsayd prynces / conuerted newly By blessed Cead / to chrysten relygyon Dayly to hym resorted / for counseyll ghostly To encreace in vertue / and holy perfeccyon With lycence pretended / they wolde togyder come Vnto his oratory / from the kynges hall Vnder colour of Huntynge / as they dyd it call . And as it is wryten / in holy scrypture Who so is a sure frende / loueth stedfastly And who is enemy / putteth dylygent cure Myschefe to accomplysshe / moost studyously The false Werebode suspectynge / euydently The newe conuersyon / of these prynces twayne Prepared hym craftely / to take them in a trayne . He watched on them / secretely euery day To knowe theyr resorte / and vnto what place Kyke as a hounde folowynge / these prynces to bytray Or a dogge dothe a dere / by sent of the chas Whan he had perceyued / how all thynge was He compased in mynde by false inuencyon To complayne to the kynge / for theyr destruccyon . My synguler good lorde / and moost pryncypall Sayd this Werebode / the fals traytour Pleaseth your goodnes / and grace specyall To my supplycacyon / to be a protectour ye haue two prynces / myghty in honour Whiche are my lordes / and euer shal be If they wolde be true / to your soueraynte They haue refused / the more pyte is your auncyent lawes / and sectes euerychone And with your lycence / haue done yet more amys For now they be subiecte / to a newe relygyon Vtterly refusynge / your decrees and olde custome Folowynge the counseyll / and mynde of a senyor Called bysshop Cead / theyr specyall auctor . your strayte commaundymentes / they dayly despyce And purpose I tell you / in secretenes Vnto your persone / to do moche preiudyce To murther or poyson you / shortly doubtles And so for to reygne / and gouerne your ryches Bytwene them twayne / to dyuyde your lande By fals conspyracy / as ye shall vnderstande . With these false tales / and many other mo The kynge was moeued / to malyce and yre By his compleccyon / as he was wont to do More cruell than a beest / as feruent as the fyre Depely affyrmynge / that dethe shulde be theyr hyre If he myght take them / in any place They shulde be slayne / and suffer withouten grace . In the morowe after / whan Phebus began to clere The kynge toke Werbode / with hym secretly To try out the truthe / and how it wolde appere Wheder his prynces / were gone to the oratory If it were so / he sende hym pryuely To gyue them knowlege / of his entent For to remoeue / from his hasty Iudgment . The father had pyte / vpon his chyldren naturall Wolde not haue slayne them / the sothe to say Wherfore he sende / the seruaunt of Belyall To conuay them fro thens / some other way The kynge knewe hym selfe / not able that day To refrayne his yre / and cruell hastynesse Gyuen to hym of nature / in suche great dystresse . This wycked Werebode / came to the oratory And sawe these prynces / in great deuocyon Counceyled his message / by malyce and enuy Retourned to the kynge / hastely and soone Newly complaynynge / by fals ymagynacyon A hundreth folde worse / than at the fyrst tyme With new addycyons / to brynge them to ruyne . And whan the kynge / approched nygh the cell Herynge the complayntes / of this fals knyght The chyldren perceyued / a voyce ryght well Cessed of theyr prayers / and came forth full ryght On whome whan Vulfere / had ones a syght He was sore moeued / as hote as the fyre Agaynst hes chyldren / that loued hym entyre . But by the malyce / and wycked temptacyon Of the deuyll / mannes olde mortall enemy And what by the false crafty suggestyon Of Wycked Werebode / fulfylled with enuy And by his owne hastynesse / and cruell fury These prynces were slayne / Vulfade and Ruffyn Now gloryous martyrs / reygnynge in heuyn . After whan kynge Vulfer / approched his castell And vnneth was entred / into his hall Incontynently a spyryte / the false fende of hell Entred fals Werebode / after the people all Inwardly hym vexed / with peynes contynuall That his armes and handes / he dyd horrybly tere Whiche sodayne vengeaunce / all the courte dyd fere . He rored and yelled / lyke a wylde bull Shewed all the myschefe / malyce and enuy Done agaynst the martyrs / with a mynde yrefull So sore constrayned / with peynes greuously The deuyll ceased not / his dolours to multyply Tyll his fylthy soule / compelled sore was For to expyre / for his hydeous trespas .
How kynge Vulfer was conuerted & toke great repentaunce for his offences . And by the counseyll of saynt Ceade was a deuoute man / and a good benefactour to holy chyrche / and a founder of dyuers holy places relygyous . Ca . xii . THan Vulfer consyderynge with due dyscrecyon His cruell hastynes / and furyous mynde How ferre he had / abused his reason Agaynst his chyldren / by nature and kynde He sore repented / in hystory as we fynde His greuous trespas / and homycyde vnnaturall In conscyence greued / for his synnes mortall . Namely lamentynge / in foule his apostasy After his baptyme / and ghostly conuersyon And for the departure / of his prynces truly Contrary to ryght / kynde and all reason The losse of his fame / thrugh this regyon A dethe to his quene / and his louers all Greuous to his kynnesmen / and frendes naturall . All these consydered / with due cyrcumstaunce He wayled and weped / sobbynge fullsore Plonged in sorowe / heuynes / and greuaunce Lamentynge his offence / a thousande tymes therfore His intollerable peyne / encreased more and more Wofully he went / to his bed by and by Supposynge some dethe / withouten any remedy . Some of his louers / beynge there present Gaue hym theyr counseyll / to hunte in the forest Some to dysportes / and pleasures euydent Some vnto melody / all thoughtes to degest But Ermenylde his quene / whiche loued hym best Counseyled hym truly / to take contrycyon And mendes make / by due satysfaccyon . Of this ghostly counseyll / the kynge was very glad And in the morowe after / prepared besyly With mekenesse to seke / blessed saynt Cead So whan the kynge came / to his oratory The bysshop was at masse / and ryght consequently Fro heuen descended / so gloryous a lyght That of the mystery / Vulfer had no syght . Whan masse was ended / saynt Cead his vestures caste Vpon the sonne beame / by myracle there hangynge Supposynge on a forme / and made moche haste To mete at the doore / mekely the sayd kynge Whiche laye there prostrate / penaunce desyrynge With reuerence hym eleuate / and gaue an exortacyon The kynge was agreable / for to do satysfaccyon . The bysshop hym enioyned / in parte of penaunce To destroye all ydolles / and sectes of ydolatry In all his realme / and the temples of paganes To translate to the honour / of god almyghty With preestes and clerkes / to pray and synge deuoutly Also peas and iustyce / to be kepte contynuall With the werkes of mercy / to be vsed in specyall . Forther he enioyned hym / of his charyte Monasteryes to make / of great perfeccyon Endowed with landes / possessed in lyberte Therin for to set / men of relygyon To pray to our lorde / for his saluacyon Whiche Vulfer promysed / to fulfyll gladle As soone as he myght / by possybylyte . Than the foresayd kynge / and the holy confessour Went to theyr prayers / in the oratory And as the kynge loked vp / to our sauyour The sayd sacrat vestures / he sawe euydently Hangynge on the sonne beame / full merueylously His gloues / his gyrdell / the kynge had vpon Whiche shortly to grounde / falled adowne . Wherby he perceyued / the great holynesse Of blessed saynt Cead / and interyor deuocyon Desyred his prayer / dayly with mekenesse To almyghty god / for his remyssyon Frome thens departed / with his benedyccyon Ioyfull in his soule / towarde his place Thankynge god mekely / of his great grace . As the kynge promysed / to our sauyour Shortly he auoyded / all ydolatry Brenned theyr ydolles / correcked theyr errour Translated theyr temples / vnto god almyghty Founded monasteryes / of relygyon many Of men and women / gaue them possessyons Landes / rentes / ryches / to encrese deuocyons Namely he founded / a ryche monastery For dethe of the prynces / in satysfaccyon To the honour of god / and saynt Peter truly Called Peterborowe abbay / in all this regyon Endowed it with rentes / lybertes / possessyon A place where many / relygyous persones be Seruynge day and nyght / our lorde with charyte . Also there was founded / at Stone a pryore In the honour of god / and the martyrs twayne Possessed with landes / rentes and lyberte Where deuoute chanons / ben inhabyte certayne Myracles and sygnes / haue ben shewed there playne To the laude and prayse / of god omnypotent And of these holy martyrs / patrones there present .
Of the feruent desyre & great deuocyon that saynt Werburge hadde to be relygyous / & of the dayly supplycacyons she made to the kynge her father for the same . Ca . xiii . AS this myghty prynces / encreased in age So dayly encresed / her good condycyons That greatly enioyed / her honorable lynage Consyderynge in her / suche vertuous dysposycyons In vygyls / prayers / and ghostly medytacyons Set all her mynde / power / myght / and mayne To serue our sauyour / day and nyght certayne . She well consydered / with due dyscrecyon Of this present lyfe / the great wretchydnesse How dredefull it is / full of vatyacyon Deceuable / peryllous / and of no sykernesse The tyme vncertayne / to be knowen doubtlesse For here is no cytee / nor sure dwelyynge place All thynge is transytory / in short proces and space . Wherfore this vyrgyn / gladde and benyuolent Folowynge the counseyll / of blessed Mathewe Was on of fyue vyrgyns / euer redy present Had her lampe replete / with oyle full of vertue Redy for to mete / her spouse swete Ihesu With charytable werkes / in her soule contynuall Therfore she was taken / to his blys eternall . She well consydered / the wordes of the gospell Who refuses pleasures / and naturall generacyon For the loue of Ihesu / rewarded shal be well With a hundreth folde grace / here for theyr guerdon And after this lyfe / haue eterne fruycyon Whiche she remembred / and euer fro that day On her father wolde call / and mekely to hym say . Reuerent myghty prynce / and lorde honorable Moost dere byloued father / my synguler helpe & socour My trust / tresure / and solace / to me moost amyable Instauntly I beseche you / for loue of our sauyoure And of his mother mary / of vyrgyns the floure With all the company / that in heuen be My humble petycyon / now graunt it vnto me . Well byloued father / this is my fully mynde My instaunte desyre / and humble supplycacyon By the grace of god / maker of all mankynde And by your lysence / helpe / and tuycyon I purpose to enter / into holy relygyon And vtterly refuse / all pleasures transytory To be professed / at the house of Ely . O my dere doughter / sayd this noble kynge My pleasure / solace / and hope of my gladnesse Moost dere byloued / and my synguler swete derlynge I well consyder / your vertue and sadnesse your instaunt request / and humble gentylnesse And of your desyre / inwardly I am gladde But yet your motyon / makes my herte full sadde . All my ioye and conforte / now resteth in the Syth thy dere bretherne / from vs ben agone Thou arte the trusty treasure to thy mother and me Our synguler solace / and sure consolacyon Wherfore swete derlynge / as for my heyre alone I wolde the mary / and a quene the make If thou wyll consent / and my counseyll take . Consyder and beholde / thrugh all this lande Take the a maryage / at thyne owne pleasure A prynce moost valyaunt / moost noble to be founde And of helpe and ayde / I shall the assure With ryches / royalte / welche / and tresure Clothes of golde / and royall ryche apparell And all thynges necessary / as man can of tell . Remembre also / how after course of kynde Aege dothe sore greue / thy moder and me also Therfore naturall loue ( swete chylde ) dothe me bynde To gyue the best counseyll / what thou shall do To honour and worshyp / how thou may come to Whiche great renowne / and hye astate certayne To se the a quene / wyll make vs yonge agayne . God ordeyned matrymony / fyrst in Paradyse Bytwene man & woman / whan he the worlde dyd make That mankynde myght encrese / multyply and ryse Eche persone at pleasure / a spouse for them to take Now ioyned by holy chyrche / all other to forsake The chylde of the father / to take his dyscyplyne And after that to teche / his yssue theyr doctryne . Also man and beest / haue dysposycyon naturall To brynge forth theyr lykenesse / by generacyon But man hauynge reason / and foe wyll with all As lawe requyreth / hath his procreacyon Vnder true matrymony / by his owne eleccyon Orels to obserue / and lyue in pure vyrgynyte For the greater meryte / and rewarde of glorye . And yf all maydens / shulde kepe theyr chastyte As ye now do / how shulde the worlde encrese Swete louely creature / ryght ioyfull wolde I be To kysse a chylde of thyne / hauynge thy lykenesse And se the also coronate / as a myghty pryncesse Enclyne dere derlynge / thy mynde to myne entent And all these sayd honours / wyll folowe consequent .
Of the meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father whan she was moeued to maryage . Ca . xiiii . THe holi mayd / whan she knewe her fathers mynde Her soule was replete / with woo & pensyuenesse And sore began to wepe / after cours of kynde The salte teeres dystylled / for payne and heuynesse By her ruddy chekes shynynge / full fayre doubtelesse Pyteous to beholde / but whan the foresayd mayde Ceased of her sorowe / thus to hym she sayde . Moost beest byloued father / nexte to god almyght your kynde gentyll mocyon / wolde moeue inwardely The mynde of any creature / to folowe you ryght Or any stony stomake / to relent and apply And resolue eche harde herte / to waylynge dolefully Consyderynge on euery parte / with good dyscrecyon To accepte or refuse / this harde eleccyon . Father I haue ben to you / meke and obedyent Euer syth I had / yeres of dyscrecyon Gladde to obserue / your hye commaundyment With loue interyor / and humble intencyon And so wyll contynue / with lowly submyssyon In this present lyfe / whyle I do endure Of my loue and prayer / euer ye shal be sure . But moost louely father / I pray you hertfully Take no dysplesure / pardon what I shall say My soule / my herte / and mynde / is set stydfastly To serue my lorde god / nyght and also day Neuer to be maryed / by no maner of way For sothly I haue vowed / my true vyrgynyte Vnto Ihesu / the seconde persone in trynyte . That is my spouse / and blessed sauyour For Whose loue refused / in certaynte haue I All worldely pleasures / welth / ryches and honour With all voyde busynesse / and cures transytory My loue on hym is sette / so sure and feruently That nothynge shall separate / my hert hym fro Sekenes nor helthe / pleasure / peyne / ne wo . Also my full entent / was neuer otherwyse Than to be handmayde / to my lorde Ihesu And of my soule and body / to make hym sacryfyce For my ghostly welthe / all vyces to subdue He is my dere spouse / solace / helthe moost true On hym is all my herte / and hase ben set alway And euer shal be / vnto my endynge day . In this wretched worlde / we can not longe endure And of this present lyfe / we are in no suerte As we haue deserued / so we shal be sure After this pylgrymage / rewarded for to be For mercy and grace / therfore mekely call we Whyle we haue tyme and space / for than it is to late Whan dethe with his darte / fayth to vs chekemate . Wherfore dere father / I shewe you now agayne All my hole herte / desyre and entent Whiche euer hath ben / and so shal be certayne For to be relygyous / chast / and obedyent Namely at Ely / for theyr vertue excellent Father I requyre you / for chrystes loue and charyte My meke supplycacyon / now graunte it vnto me . The kynge well consydered / his doughters desyre Her constaunte true mynde / and pure deuocyon Graunted her petycyon / with synguler loue entyre Trustynge by her prayer / and dayly supplycacyon Vnto heuen blysse / the rather for to come Her mother Ermenylde / was gladde of this tydynge And lauded full lowly / our lorde and heuen kynge .
How saynt Werburge was made a moynes after her desyre at the monastery of Ely vnder saynt Audry / lady and abbesse . Ca . xv . THan the kynge remembred / with due cyrcunstaunce The excellent vertue / sadnes / and grauyte Of his dere doughter / and the perfyte constaunce Her humble petycyon / and pure vyrgynyte He thanked our lorde / with great humylyte Of his infynyte grace / that so royall a floure Frome hym descended / to his prayse and honoure . He sende messages / in all goodly hast With letters myssyue / thrugh his regyon Commaundynge his subiectes / they shulde full fast By a day assygned / be redy euerychone In theyr best maner / with hym for to gone To brynge his doughter / to the hous of Ely There to be relygyous / after her desydery . Whan the day was come / of theyr appoyntment The nobles of the realme / and lordes were redy To attende on theyr souerayne / at his commaundyment Kynge Vulfer prepared / all thynge pleasauntly And of his court / had chosen a noble company In theyr best aray / royalte / and renowne To offer saynt werburge / to god and relygyon . The kynge on his Iourney / rode for the royally The quene hym folowed / as is the custome , Werburge succeded them consequently The peeres and his counseyll / knewe well theyr rowme Dukes / erles / lordes / and many a worthy barowne Knyghtes / squyers / gentyls / of her kynred also With ladyes and gentylwomen / & seruauntes both two . Whan the kynge approched / the sayd monastery Saynt Audry than abbesse / toke her holy couent And mette the sayd kynge / and all his company With solempne processyon / and gretynge benyuolent Praysynge our lorde god omnypotent Whiche of his goodnes / to that congrecacyon Sende them a syster / of suche perfeccyon . Wereburge requyred / by the order of charyte Mekely on her knees / to enter relygyon Saynt Audry receyued / of her benygnyte And graunted fre lycence / after her petycyon Gladde were also / the hole congregacyon And sange ( Te deum ) with moche reuerence Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his prouydence . She was receyued / with moche solempnyte Into the holy order / after her entent To proue her sadnes / and humylyte ( As is the custome ) and so be obedyent To lyue euer after / humble / chast / and contynent Than dyd theyr Ioye / merueylously encreas Consyderynge her pacyens / and perfyte holynes . Her royall dyademe / and shynynge coronall Was fyrst refuted / for loue of our sauyoure The poore vayle accepted / and the symple pall The royall ryche purpull / reiected that same houre With other clothes of golde / sylkes of great honoure She toke lowe appareyll / vestures that were blake All her plesaunt garmentes / she clerely dyd forsake . Also she refused / her fathers realme and royalte All ryches / rentes / / pleasures / possessyon With all worldely honoures / full of vanyte Lowly submyttynge her / vnder subieccyon Vertu to encrese / myndynge moost relygyon She refused yet more her owne proper wyll Put all to her abbesse / her order to fulfyll .
Of the great solempnyte kynge Vulfer made at the ghostly maryage of saynt Werburge his doughter / to al his louers / cosyns / and frendes . Ca . xvi . Kynge Vulfer her father / at this ghostly spousage Prepared great tryumphes / and solempnyte Made a royall feest / as custome is of maryage Sende for his frendes / after good humanyte Kepte a noble housholde / shewed great lyberalyte Bothe to ryche and poore / that to this feest wolde come No man was denyed / euery man was well come . Her vncles and auntes / were present there all Ethelred and Merwalde / and Mercelly also Thre blessed kynges / whome sayntes we do call Saint keneswyd / saint keneburg / theyr systers both two And of her noble lygnage / many other mo Were redy that season / with reuerence and honour At this noble tryumphe / to do all theyr deuour . Tho kynges mette them / with theyr company Egbryct kynge of kent / brother to the quene The seconde was Aldulphe / kynge of the eest party Brother to saynt Audry / wyfe and mayde serene With dyuers of theyr progeny / and nobles as I wene Dukes / erles / barons / and lordes ferre and nere In theyr best aray / were present all in fere . It were full tedyous / to make descrypcyon Of the great tryumphes / and solempne royalte Belongynge to the feest / the honour and prouysyon By playne declaracyon / vpon euery partye But the sothe to say / withouten ambyguyte All herbes and floures / fragraunt fayre and swete Were strawed in halles / and layd vnder theyr fete . Clothes of golde and arras / were hanged in the hall Depaynted with pyctures / and hystoryes manyfolde Well wrought and craftely / with precyous stones all Glyterynge as Phebus / and the beten golde Lyke an erthly paradyse / pleasaunt to beholde As for the sayd moynes / was not them amonge But prayenge in her cell / as done all nouyce yonge . The story of Adam / there was goodly wrought And of his wyfe Eue / bytwene them the serpent How they were deceyued / and to theyr peynes brought There was Cayn and Abell / offerynge theyr present The sacryfyce of Abell / accepte full euydent Tuball and Tubalcain / were purtrayed in that place The inuentours of musyke / and craftes by great grace . Noe and his shyppe / was made there curyously Sendynge forthe a rauen / whiche neuer came agayne And how the douue retourned / with a braunche hastely A token of conforte and peace / to man certayne Abraham there was / standynge vpon the mount playne To offer in sacryfyce / Isaac his dere sone And how the shepe for hym / was offered in oblacyon . The twelue sones of Iacob / there were in purtrayture And how into Egypt / yonge Ioseph was solde There was inprysoned / by a false coniectour After in all Egypte / was ruler ( as is tolde ) There was in pycture / Moyses wyse and bolde Our lorde apperynge / in busshe flammynge as fyre And nothynge therof brent / lefe / tree / nor spyre . The ten plages of Egypte / were well embost The chyldren of Israell / passynge the reed see Kynge Pharoo drowned / with all his proude hoost And how the two tables / at the mounte of Synaye Were gyuen to Moyses / and how soone to ydolatry The people were prone / and punysshed were therfore How Datan and Abyron / for pryde were lost full youre . Duke Iosue was ioyned / after them in pycture Ledynge the Isrehelytes / to the lande of promyssyon And how the sayd lande / was dyuyded by mesure To the people of god / by equall sundry porcyon The Iudges and bysshops / were there euerychone Theyr noble actes / and tryumphes Marcyall Fresshly were browdred / in these clothes royall . Nexte to hye borde lorde / appered fayre and bryght Kynge Saull and Dauyd / and prudent Salomon Roboas succedynge / whiche soone lost his myght The good kynge Esechyas / and his generacyon And so to the Machabees / and dyuers other nacyon All these sayd storyes / so rychely done and wrought Belongyng to kyng Vulfer / agayn that tyme were brought But ouer the hyedesse / in the pryncypall place Where the sayd thre kynges / sate crowned all The best hallynge hanged / as reason was Wherin were wrought / the .ix. ordres angelycall Dyuyded in thre Ierarchyses / not cessynge to call Sanctus / sanctus / sanctus blessed be the trynyte Dominus deus sabaoth / thre persones in one deyte . Nexte in ordre suynge / sette in goodly purtrayture Was our blessed lady / floure of femynyte With the twelue apostles / echeone in his fygure And the foure euangelystes / wrought moost curyously Also the dyscyples / of chryst in theyr degre Prechynge and techynge / vnto euery nacyon The faythtes of holy chyrche / for theyr saluacyon . Martyrs than folowed / ryght manyfestly The holy innocentes / whome Herode had slayne Blessed saynt Stephan / the prothomartyr truly Saynt Laurence / saynt Vyncent / sufferynge great payne With many other mo / than here ben now certayne Of whiche sayd martyrs / exsample we may take Pacyence to obserue / in herte for chrystes sake . Confessours approched / ryght conuenyent Fresshely enbrodred / in ryche tysshewe and fyne Saynt Nycholas saynt Benedycte / and his couent Saynt Ierom / Basylyus and saynt Augustyne Gregory the great doctour / Ambrose & saynt Martyne All these were sette / in goodly purtrayture Them to beholde / was a heuenly pleasure . Vyrgyns them folowed / crowned with the lyly Amonge whome our lady / chefe presydent was Some crowned with rooses / for theyr great vyctory Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete / saynt Agathas Saynt Cycyly / saynt Agnes / and saynt Charytas Saynt Lucye / saynt Wenefryde / and saynt Apolyn All these were brothered / the clothes of golde within . Vpon the other syde / of the hall sette were Noble auncyent storyes / & how the stronge Sampson Subdued his enemyes / by his myghty power Of Hector of Troy / slayne by fals treason Of noble Arthur / kynge of this regyon With many other mo / whiche it is to longe Playnly to expresse / this tyme you amonge . The tables were couered / with clothes of Dyaper Rychely enlarged / with syluer and with golde The cupborde with plate / shynynge fayre and clere Marshalles theyr offyces / fulfylled manyfolde Of myghty wyne plenty / bothe newe and olde All maner kynde / of meetes delycate ( Whan grace was sayd ) to them was preparate . To this noble feest / there was suche ordynaunce That nothynge wanted / that goten myght be On see and on lande / but there was habundaunce Of all maner pleasures / to be had for monye The bordes all charged / full of meet plente And dyuers subtyltes / prepared sothly were With cordyall spyces theyr ghestes for to chere . The Ioyfull wordes / and swete communycacyon Spoken at the table / it were harde to tell Eche man at lyberte / without interrupcyon Bothe sadnes and myrthes / also pryue counsell Some adulacyon / some the truthe dyd tell But the great astates / spake of theyr regyons Knyghtes of theyr chyualry / of craftes the comons . Certayne at eche cours / of seruyce in the hall Trumpettes blewe vp / shalmes and claryons Shewynge theyr melody with / toynes musycall Dyuers other mynstrelles / in crafty proporcyons Made swete concordaunce / and lusty dyuysyons An heuenly pleasure / suche armony to here Reioysynge the hertes / of the audyence full clere . A synguler mynstrell / all other ferre passynge Toyned his instrument / in pleasaunte armony And sange moost swetely / the company gladynge Of myghty conquerours / the famous vyctory Wherwith was rauysshed / theyr spyrytes and memory Specyally he sange / of the great Alexandere Of his tryumphes and honours / endurynge .xii. yere . Solemply he songe / the state of the Romans Ruled vnder kynges / by polycy and wysedome Of theyr hye iustyce / and ryghtfull ordynauns Dayly encreasynge / in worshyp and renowne Tyll Tarquyne the proude kynge / with that great confusyon Oppressed dame Lucrece / the wyfe of Colatyne Kynges neuer reygned in Rome / syth that tyme . Also how the Romayns / vnder thre dyctatours Gouerned all regyons / of the worlde ryght wysely Tyll Iulyus Cesar / excellynge all conquerours Subdued Pompeius / and toke the hole monarchy And the rule of Rome / to hym selfe manfully But Cassius Brutus / the fals conspyratour Caused to be slayne / the sayd noble emperour . After the sayd Iulyus / succeded his syster sone Called Octauyanus / in the imperyall see And by his precepte / was made descrypcyon To euery regyon / lande / shyre / and cytee A trybute to pay / vnto his dygnyte That tyme was / vnyuersall peas and honour In whiche tyme was borne / our blessed sauyoure . All these hystoryes / noble and auncyent Reioysynge the audyence / he sange with pleasuer And many other mo / of the newe testament Pleasaunt and profytable / for theyr soules cure Whiche be omytted / now not put in vre The mynysters were redy / theyr offyce to fulfyll To take vp the tables / at theyr lordes wyll . Whan this noble feest / and great solempnyte Dayly endurynge / a longe tyme and space Was royally ended / with honour and royalte Eche kynge at other / lysence taken hace And so departed from thens / to theyr place Kynge Vulfer retourned / with worshyp and renowne Frome the house of Ely / to his owne mansyon .
Of the holy professyon & ghostly conuersacyon saynt Werburge vsed at Ely in relygyon / vnder saynt Audry her abbesse and cosyn . Ca . xvii . SO whan this vyrgyn / the spouse of Ihesu Had fully contynued / in holy relygyon With mekenesse / pacyens / and all vertu Fully the yere / of her probacyon Than she made instaunce / for her professyon Vnto saynt Audry / her lady and abbesse Whiche soone was graunted / with great gladnesse . Ordynaunce they made / and great royalte Her frendes were called / agaynst that season She was professed / with great humylyte The obseruaunce done / with due deuocyon She made solempne vowe / of ghostly conuersacyon Mekely to obserue / obedyence and chastyte Endurynge her lyfe / and wylfull pouerte . By the exsample / of her perfeccyon Many dyuers persones / of her noble lynage Refused this worlde / and entred relygyon Renounsynge vayne pleasures ryches and maryage Enclyned to vertue / for theyr ghostly auauntage As may be specyfyed / here after folowynge Theyr names / theyr astate / and theyr good lyuynge . Now this gloryous vyrgyn / after her desyre Is ghostly maryed / to our lorde Ihesu Accordynge to her entent / and true loue entyre She dayly encresed / frome vertu to vertu With more strayter lyfe / vyces to subdu The longer she endured / in relygyon The better she prepared / her herte to deuocyon . And tho this vyrgyn / clerely dyd forsake All ryches honours / and pleasures worldly With all possessyons / for her lordes sake She thought than she reygned / moost lyke a lady Cause that she lyued in chrystes seruyce dayly And certayne it is / holy scrypture recordynge Who serues well god / dothe reygne lyke a kynge . In prayer / penaunce / and / contemplacyon Was all her busynesse / and study alway Compasynge by what maner of medytacyon She myght best please / our lorde to his pay Offerynge her persone / a true sacryfyce euery day No labour her greued / loue was so feruent Her body vpon erthe / her soule in heuen lent . Swete / comly creatures / ladyes euerychone Sekynge for pleasures / ryches and arayment Blynded by your beaute / and synguler affeccyon Consyder this vyrgyn / humble and pacyent A spectacle of vertue / euer obedyent . Beholde how she hase / clerely layde away Her royall ryche clothes / and is in meke aray . your garmentes now be gay and gloryous Euery yere made / after a newe inuencyon Of sylke and veluet / costly and precyous Brothered full rychely / after the beest facyon Shynynge lyke angels / in your opynyon Where lesse wolde suffyse / and content as well As all that great cost / folowynge wyse counsell . A playne exsample / now ye may take Of this myghty kynges doughter dere Whiche for the loue of god / dyd forsake All suche vayne pleasures / and garmentes clere She gaue herselfe / to penaunce and prayere Wherfore fayre ladyes / do way suche vanyte Prepare yourselfe / to vertue and humylyte . Some of lowe byrthe / excellynge theyr degre Done couet to haue / as royall ryche vesture Worldly honours / also the sufferaynte As they were ladyes / by lyne of nature Of dredefull mysery / they here the fygure Prowde as a Pecocke / whelynge full bryght All is but vanyte / contentynge the syght . O Gloryous vyrgyn / replete with synguler grace Endowed with souerayne gyftes celestyall Refusynge voyde pleasures / whan thou had space And honours transytory / whiche hath brought in thrall A thousande persones / in ruyne to fall A myrrour thou arte / of vyrgynall clennes Of true obedyence / and perfyte mekenes . So Werburge professed / to her rule full ryght A redolent floure / all vertue to augment As Lucyfer shynynge / a clere lampe of lyght For whome her spouse / god sone omnypotent Shewed many myracles / to euery pacyent A sygne her loue was / supernaturall Closed in our lorde / by grace supernall . The excellent goodnes / of this moynes And fame of vertue / with humylyte Transcended all other / in perfyte holynes So that sundry persones / approched that party For ghostly conforte / counsell and remedy Suche as to her came / pensyue / woo / and sadde Departed ioyfull / in soule mery and gladde . She dayly prouyded / for ghostly treasure To buylde her a place / a sure mansyon Euer to remayne / with ioye and endure In pleasure perpetuall / without corrupcyon Whiche she optayned / by her deuocyon After this departure / to reygne as a presydent In eterne blys / with god omnypotent
A lytell treatyse of the lyfe of saynt Audry abbesse of Ely / and of her holy couersacyon and great deuocyon / vnder whome saynt Werburge was made nonne / and professed . Ca . xviii . THe yere of our lorde .vi. C.ix . and thyrty Regned saynt Anna / kynge of eest Englande Whiche maryed saynt Hereswith / of the North party They had noble yssue / as we vnderstande Prynce Aldulph and Iurwyne / in story as is founde Saynt Sexburge the quene / and blessed Audry Saynt Ethelberge / Withburge / a holy progeny . This blessed Audry / called Etheldred Of two great kyngedomes / lynyally descendynge Was borne in Suffolke / as sayth saynt Bede In a lytell vyllage / called Exmynge This noble prynces / and dere derlynge With many great vertues / of grace illumynate Magnyfyed her parage / and royall astate . This blessed Audry / from her yonge aege Was dysposed euer / vnto sadnes Obedyent lowly / vnto her parentage Encreasynge in vertue / and constaunt sobrynes Worldely pleasures / dysportes / and wantonnes Lyghtnes of language / and all presumpcyon In this sayd vyrgyn / had no domynacyon . Sad and demure / she was in countenaunce Nothynge enclyned / vnto fragylyte Benynge and pacyent / without perturbaunce Meke / curteys / gentyll / full of humylyte Pryde / statelenes / and sensualyte Were not in her founde / by any condycyon Curteyse in byhauour / vnto euery persone . No man was greued / nor toke dyspleasure At this sayd mayden / in her fathers hall Euery honest persone / and reasonable creature Were pleased with her / bothe one and all None dyscontent / pryuate nor generall She was so meke / and full of pacyence That people desyred / to come to her presence . She was beauteous / fayre and amyable Pleasaunte to beholde / in gyftes of nature Her countenaunce comly / swete / louely / and stable Nothynge dysposed / vnto worldely pleasure More lyke an angell by all coniecture Than a fragyll mayde / of sensuall appetyte For in vayne pleasures / she had no delyte . Whan that she came / to yeres of dyscrecyon Dyuers her moeued / in way of maryage Some offered ryches / royalte / and renowne Some other possessyons landes and herytage And some the sufferaynte / her mynde to asswage All these she refused / for the loue of Ihesu To whome she auowed / her chastyte full tru . After that Venus / had her longe assayled To peruerte her mynde / to worldly affeccyon And of all nettes and engynes / therof had fayled Than came to her presence / a prynce of renowne Called duke Tombert / of the eest regyon Whiche longe desyred / to haue her in spousage At the laste optayned / the wyll of her parentage . Vnto whiche thynge he wolde neuer enclyne For all the mocyon of her hye parentes Tyll she was assured / by heuenly doctryne To kepe her vyrgynyte / clere in conscyens Than she consented / without concupyscens And with the sayd duke / she lyued in chastyte Bothe mayden and wyfe / almost yeres thre . After whose dethe / she remayned in Ely In fastynge / prayer / vygyls / and penaunce Whiche place was gyuen / to her Ioynt and dowry By Tombert her husbande / with great pleasaunce This yle of Ely / by deuyne purueaunce With muddy waters / is compased aboute Theyr enemyes to greue / and strongely to holde out . Thyder came Ggbyrct / kynge of the north parte To desyre saynt Audry / in matrymony To whome she wolde neuer / consent in herte For no maner counseyll / that myght be done truly Tho her syster Sexburge / moeued her tenderly Tyll the angell of god / assured her to be Quene / wyfe / and mayde / kepynge vyrgynyte . Than Audry graunted / maryed for to be Vnto this foresayd / noble kynge Egfryde And at the maryage / was great solempnyte Tryumphes honoures / on euery syde Great cost and royalte / they dyd prouyde Frome Ely departed / vnto his owne place In the North parted wellynge / with great solace By the grace of our lorde god / moost of myght And helpe of his mother / blessed mayd mary By prayer of Audry / and by myracle ryght Togyder they lyued / bothe in pure chastyte The naturall mocyon / of his lascyuyte Was shortly slaked / and feruent desyre By myracle / as water quencheth the fyre . Whan he apperceyued / her asured constaunce Her perfyte holynes / and chast contynence His herte reiosed / of her contynuaunce Of whome she desyred / with humble reuerence And synguler supplycacyon to haue fre lysence At Canwod abbay / to enter relygyon Whiche the kynge graunted / for her deuocyon . Saynt Ebba syster / vnto saynt Oswolde Was abbesse and ruler / of that congregacyon Where blessed Audry / ryght as she wolde Was reuerently receyued / into relygyon And after the yere / of her probacyon Professed there was / by bysshop Wylfryde Where all worldly honours she set on syde . Frome thens she departed / to the yle of Ely More quyetly to lyue / out of busynesse For drede of the kynge / her husbande truly Purposynge to take her / frome that holynesse She toke two maydens / with her doubtlesse And in theyr Iournay / our lorde of his grace Shewed dyuers myracles / at eche restynge place . The archebysshop of yorke / Wylfryde her confessour Was depryued frome his benefyce / by the kynge cruelly Obserued pacyence / laudynge our sauyour And folowed saynt Audry / to the place of Ely Whiche ( as afore is sayd ) was her Ioynt and dowry And electe her abbesse / on that congregacyon Moost worthy to be / for her holy conuersacyon . Where Audry buylded / a chyrche of our lady With helpe of kynge Aldulph / her brother naturall Dystaunt a myle / frome the olde monastery Founded by saynt Austyn / for meryte spyrytuall Whiche place all desolate / she edyfyed full specyall By her prouysyon / an other noble monastery The yere of grace / syxe hundreth seuenty and thre . Whan the werke was ended / as her wyll was She endowed the abbay / with fraunches and lyberte And gaue the hole yle of Ely / to that place With all commodytes / profettes / and yssues fre Frome all exaccyons / exempte clerely to be Of kynge and bysshop / confyrmed it at Rome With all prelates & prynces / consentynge of this regyon . In short tyme and space / to Audry dyd resorte Relygyous men and women / a great company Professed in that place / for theyr ghostly conforte Renounsynge vayne pleasures / & honours transsytory Amonge whome saynt Werburge / professed solemply Promysed in audyence / to lyue a lyfe monestycall After saynt Bene●tes rule / for the lyfe eternall . Also the yere of grace / syxe hundreth seuenty and nyne In the moneth of Iulii / in the nynth kalendas To heuen departed / saynt Audry the quene Than reygnynge in Kent / kynge Lothary by grace Aldulph in eest Englande / her brother whiche was Kynge Offryde her husbande / in Northumberlande Also kynge Ethelrede / than reygnynge in Mercelande
A breue rehersal of the lyfe of saynt Sexburge / graund mother to saynt Werburge . And of her comynge to Ely to her syster Audry from Shepay monastery . Ca . xix . THe holy matrone / and quene saynt Sexburge A kynges doughter / & moder to kynges twayne Syster to saynt Audry / & graundmother to Werburge Of noble parentage / is comen certayne Of two realmes descendynge / lynyally and playne By her father / from the realme of eest Englande And by her mother / frome Northumberlande . Her father saynt Anna / as sayth myne auctour Was kynge of the eest parte / sone to Egnicius Whiche Anna was maryed / with moche honour To Hereswith / doughter to kynge Herericius And syster to saynt Hylde / the vyrgyn gracyous To whome saynt Edwyn / the gloryous martyr Kynge of Northumberlande / was great graundfather . This sayd kynge Anna / lyued a longe space In welthe / worshyp / honour / and prosperyte With his quene Hereswith / by synguler grace Obseruynge Iustyce / pacyence / and equyte Kepte the preceptes / of god almyghte Mercyfull and lyberall / to the poore in payne Whiche kynge by Penda / was murdred and slayne . As the ryuer passeth / oftetymes the heed fountayne The lytell graffe or ympe / transcendeth the tree Lykewyse theyr chyldren / encresed certayne In mekenes / pacyence / and perfyte charyte Aboue theyr parentes / in vertue and benygnyte So that theyr name / lynage / and hye a state By them was magnyfyed / praysed and decorate . Kynge Anna and Hereswith / had a noble yssue Syxe goodly chyldren / pleasaunt to beholde None fayrer in this lande / myndynge all vertue And to all good maners / dysposed manyfolde yet was theyr fayrenes / not equall to be tolde To theyr deuocyon / and synguler goodnes Whose names expressed / ben afore doubtles . Sexburge the eldest / of the systers all Instructe by her parentes / in vertuous dyscyplyne Folowynge theyr counsell / in herte full specyall Prepared her soule / after theyr doctryne For aboue the age / of so yonge a femynyne So that euery day / by grace and wysdome In her dyd growe / some plant of deuocyon . In all this realme / dylated was her fame That whan she approched / vnto lawfull aege Prynces / dukes / erles / herynge of her name Desyred to haue Sexburge / in maryage And busyly laboured / vnto her parentage This mayd was maryed / with honourfull excellent Vnto Ercombert / the noble kynge of Kent . To whome kynge Ethelbryct graundfather was The fyrst chrysten kynge / of Saxons and chefe floure Baptysed by saynt Austyn / thrughe heuenly grace He was to holy chyrche / a specyall benefactour Monasteryes and pryores / founded with great honoure Kynge Eadbalde his sone / exemple of hym toke Whiche was father to Ercombert / as sayth my boke . This lady Sexburge / cyrcumfulsed with grace After her desyre / and vertuous entent Had leuer the monastery / than the fayre palace The chyrche to vysyte / than with maryage be lent But to her parentes / she was euer obedyent Folowynge theyr counseyll / and of her frendes dere In lawfull maryage / toke the sayd kynge her fere . A noble generacyon / she hadde by the kynge Egbryct and Lothary / two prynces prepotent And two holy doughters / in vertue shynynge Ermenylde and Erkengode / by lynyall descent This Ermenylde maryed / with honour equyualent Vnto kynge Vulfer / had a royall yssue The gloryous Werburge / replete with vertue . Her syster Erkengode / refused vtterly Honours / worshyp / and worldly possessyon Ryches / maryage / and pleasures transytory Went vnto Fraunce / with humble deuocyon At the Cytee of Burges / entred relygyon Where Ethelberge her aunt / was ruler and abbesse Togyder they lyued / in perfyte holynesse . This honorable Sexburge / and blessed matrone Refusynge worldly honours / and solempnyte Preferred mekenesse / and perfyte deuocyon Aboue all ryches / power and dygnyte Auoyded ambycyon / obserued humylyte Vpon poore people / euer had compassyon And them releued / with due mynystracyon . She made her palace / manytymes an hospytall Her pryuate cubycle / a deuoute oratory As a kynde mother amyable / in courte and in hall Mekely fulfylled / the seuen werkes of mercy Oftetymes in the chyrche / selde amonge company yet euer whan she myght / haue tyme and space Magnyfyed and praysed / our lorde in secrete place . She instructe her husbande / in ghostly vertu To great lolynesse / and synguler perfeccyon So by her counseyll / with the grace of Ihesu Frome infydelyte / purged was that regyon Destroyed theyr ydolles / theyr sectes euerychone Bestaured temples / vnto chrystes honour Founded monasteryes / by her cost and labour . The kynge by her mocyon / commaunded straytly All his people and subiectes / vpon sharpe correccyon To obserue prayer / and penaunce deuoutely And truly for to fast / the holy tyme of Lenton The archbysshop Theodorus / and fathers of relygyon Consyderynge her pacyence / and benygnyte Reioysed in her dedes / and praysed the trynyte . Whan the famous Ercombert / the sayd kynge of Kent Foure & twenty yere had reygned / in honour full royall With blessed Sexburge his quene excellent Than he departed / frome this lyfe mortall The quene prepared / the obsequyes funerall With great lamentacyon / and great royalte As was conuenyent / for his state and degre . After that Sexburge / refused worldely pleasure Entred relygyon / professed chastyte At Shepay monastery / in Kent full sure Buylded at her cost / full honorable After electe Abbesse / and ruler of that companye To whome she was / a myrrour of mekenes And exemple of vertue / and proued holynes . As she was occupyed / in medytacyon An heuenly messanger / to her was sent Shewynge how for synne / and transgressyon Englande shulde suffer / great punysment And be subdued / with greuous torment Wherfore she lefte / in good rule that place And dyd electe to them / an other abbace . Sexburge toke lycence / of her systers all Commendynge them / vnto the trynyte And so departed / fro her chyldren spyrytuall With labour attayned / to the hous of Elye There to be subiecte / to Hersyster Audrye And to her doctryne / apply her entent Vnto relygyon / euer founde obedyent . Saynt Audry was gladde / of her systers comynge In lyke maner / were all the hole congregacyon With myrthes and solace / in soule reioysynge To haue the presence / of so worthy a persone There lyued togyder / in perfyte deuocyon Tyll blessed Audry / frome this lyfe mortall Departed was / to the lyfe eternall . After whose buryall / Sexburge was electe To be abbesse and ruler / ouer that couent Whiche to all vertue / her mynde dyd erecte And the .xvi. yere after / with labours dylygent She translate saynt Audry / that noble presydent Beynge hole incorrupte / also substancyall In body and in vesture / by grace supernall .
How saynt Ermenylde after the dethe of kynge Vulfer her husbande was made a nonne at Ely / vnder her mother saynt Sexburge abbesse / and Werburge her deuoute doughter . Ca . xx . OF Mercyens the kynge / whan the foresayd Vulfere Had regned in honour / worshyp and royalte With saynt Ermenylde his quene / fully .xvii. yere Vnto euerlastynge blysse / departed than he And buryed was / with moche solempnyte In Lychefelde chyrche / after hym there dyd succede In to the kyngdome / his brother Ethelrede . The quene for her husbande / made great lamentacyon Dolefully lamentynge / nyght and day his departure As nature enquyred / endurynge a longe season Remayned in wydohode / and mournynge vesture yet after all heuynesse / penaunce / and dysconfyture She reioysed in soule / to be at lyberte Entendynge relygyon / by grace of the trynyte . Soone she departed / to the hous of Ely Refusynge this worlde / pleasures possessyon Instauntly requyred / with perfyte humylyte To be a moynes / accepte in relygyon Gladde was the abbesse / of her conuersyon And thanked our lorde / of his specyall grace So dyd all the systers / within the sayd place . Her naturall mother / blessed Sexburge That tyme was lady / and chefe presydent There was professed / her doughter Werburge An exemple of mekenes / to all the couent Ermenylde thanked god / and was obedyent To her mother Sexburge / a myrrour of vertu Also to her doughter / the spouses of Ihesu . It passeth mannes reason / playnly to expresse Her vertuous lyfe / and ghostly conuersacyon In prayer / penaunce / and proued mekenesse In perfyte obedyence / and synguler deuocyon In vygyls / abstynence / and in hye perfeccyon The cotydyane labours / her body to chastyce That her soule may be / to god true sacryfyce . Bycause that Werburge / in order was senyoure Her mother Ermenylde / gaue her the sufferaynte Preferrynge her doughter / with mekenes and honoure But yet her doughter / of a naturall amyte Preferred her mother / with humble senyoryte And so bytwene them / was a swete contencyon Wheder shulde more subiecte be / to other in relygyon . Afore whan Ermenylde / was vnder maryage Vnto holy matrones / she was comparable Sara / Rebecca / Rachell / and Sybell sage And saynt Elysabeth / with other mo honorable Now in relygyon / she is moost notable Knowen by her vertues / and sadde dysposycyon What vnder matrymony / was her intencyon . Ermenylde subdued / by synguler deuyne grace All fragyll mocyons / and sensualyte Lyke maner as Iudyth / Olofernes slayne hace She mortyfyed all pleasures / lustes and volupte Lykewyse as Iaell / dyd the prynce Sysare A duches of vertue / as whylom was Delbora Vsed the oratory / in prayer as dyd Anna . After the departure / and wofull buryall Of Sexburge her mother / abbesse and lady Her doughter Ermenylde / the blessed monyall Was chosen abbesse / and ruler of Ely As sheweth dan Wyllyam / of Maluysbury How fyrst was Audry / than Sexburge her syster Afterwarde was abbesse / Ermenylde her doughter . The lyfe of Ermenylde / was euer vertuous Pleasaunt to god / and her systers euerychone In the syght of god / her dethe was precyous Playnly notyfyed / by her conuersacyon She vertuously gouerned / her congregacyon Frome this lyfe departed / to eternall glory As sayth her legende / the Idus of February . And buryed was / with moche lamentacyon In the holy monastery / and house of Ely Amonge her parentage / and congregacyon Where she is shryned / with her aunt saynt Audry And with her mother / saynt Sexburge rychely For whome our sauyour / of his specyall grace Sheweth dayly myracles / in that sayd place . One of the myracles / we shall now rehers Our lorde for her shewed / at Ely abbay After her translacyon / the story dothe expres It fortuned in Whytson weke / vpon a thursday An Englysshman was bounden / in wofull aray Fetered with yrons / bothe on handes and fete Wrongfully accused / as ye may all wete . By instaunt request / he gate hym lycence To vysyte the tombe / of saynt Ermenylde Whome he requyred / with humble reuerence And meke petycyon / frome the herte full mylde To be delyuered / and fully reconsylde Whose humble desyre / and synguler supplycacyon Was fully graunted / to his consolacyon . At this tyme / whan this holy man was prayenge Whan the Deken redde the holy gospell By meane of Ermenylde / to our lorde and kynge Frome his handes and fete / the yrons done fell By grace aboue nature / merueylously to tell That the sayd yrons / in syght of all the bretherne Sprange vp sodenly / and lyght vpon the aulter . Aliud miraculum . AN other myracle / declare now may we Done at the sayd Ely / by this holy matrone In presence of the pryor / and all the fraternyte Whiche pryor of this mater / had best notycyon Ascole mayster of Innocentes / after the custome Gaue lysence / vpon saynt Ermenyldes day To all his chyldren / to sport them in play . Whan the feest / and solempnyte was done The yonge tender chyldren / wanton and neclygent Dredynge theyr mayster / for fere of correccyon To the holy shryne / they assembled full dylygent Trustynge therby of pardon / after theyr entent Desyred theyr mayster / forsaynt Ermenyldes sake To pardon theyr trespas / and no dyspleasure take . The mayster fulfylled / with hastynes and euny Toke them frome the tombe / with great indygnacyon Without dyscrecyon / punysshed them greuously Gyuynge no honour / to the saynt ne deuocyon Rebuked them sore / sayenge with insultacyon Trowe ye to be spared / from punyshment this day For saynt Ermenyldes sake / nay nay do way . After all this done / the nexte nyght folowynge Whan the sayd mayster / to his bedde was gone His great vnkyndenes / saynt Ermenylde remembrynge Rewarned hym Iustly / after his guerdon His handes and his fete / prompte to persecucyon Were sodenly smytten / made lame / contracte also No power had to ryse / to moeue nor to go . This sodayne punysshement / langour / confusyon Vexed hym greuously in all his body Moost terryble of all of helthe desperacyon Inwardly hym troubled / with peynes horryble But yet by grace / he thought best remedy Sende for his chyldren / vpon the other day Humble asked them pardon / in a wofull aray . Desyrynge his scolers / for loue and charyte To cary hym moost carefull / to her sepulture To requyre for hym grace / helthe and prosperyte Of god and saynt Ermenylde / with all theyr cure They toke hym tenderly / ye may me leue full sure Amonge them all with mynde dylygent And brought to the shryne / this wretched impotent . They prayed for hym / to our blessed sauyour And to saynt Ermenylde / a longe tyme and space Knelynge on theyr knees / wepynge full sore In prayer and psalmody / for his helthe and solace And so contynuynge / by our lordes great grace He that afore was lame / bothe on fote and hande Restored to helthe / departed hole and sounde .
How kynge Ethelrede seynge the holy conuersacyon of Werburge his nece / made her lady and abbesse at Wedon / Trentam / and Humbury . And by her counseyll and exsample was made monke at Bardeney abbay . Ca . xxi . THe famous prynce / and foresayd Ethelrede Brother to kyng Vulfer / as lawfull enherytour To the sayd kyngedome / dyd nexte hym succede Electe of his peeres / with worshyp and honour Permytted by his chyrche / to be theyr gouernour Bycause prynce Kenrede / his brother fone Was yonge and not able / to rule his kyngdome . This sayd kynge Ethelrede / clerely consyderynge With due cyrcumstaunce / the hye perfeccyon Of Werburge his nece / and vertuous lyuynge Her great holynesse / and ghostly conuersacyon Dayly encresynge / with feruent deuocyon The excellent fame / and myracles full ryght Shewed by our sauyour / bothe day and nyght . These good exsamples / grounded in vertu Moeued kynge Ethelrede / in soule and in mynde And clerely conuerted / throwe the grace of Ihesu To despyse this worlde / wretched and blynde Pryncypally by grace / wryten as we fynde For her great goodnes / and vertues excellent He made her lady / ruler / and presydent . Ouer all the nonnes / of euery monastery Within his realme / to gouerne and to guyde To instructe and informe / and to exemplyfy To encrese deuocyon / vpon euery syde Vertue to exalte / to subdue vyce and pryde That holy relygyon / pleasaunt to chryst Ihesu Myght dayly encrese / frome vertu to vertu . Also he gaue Werburge / great possessyon Landes / and rentes / ryches withall To edyfy and repayre / places of relygyon After her desyre / with fauour specyall Wherwith she buylded / famous memoryall Two fayre monasteryes / Trentam and Humbury Possessed with rentes / landes / and lyberte . Also by sufferaunce / of the sayd kynge truly She translate the kynges maner of Wedon Whiche was in Hamptonskyre / vnto a monastery Of holy women / obseruynge relygyon Suffycyently endowed / with lybertes / possessyon Of whiche sayd places / she had the gouernaunce As worthy maystres / all vertue to auaunce . The yere of grace / syxe hundreth foure score and nyen As sheweth myne auctour / a Bryton Giraldus Kynge Ethelred / myndynge moost the blysse of heuen Edyfyed a collage chyrche / notable and famous In the subbarbes of Chester / pleasaunt and beauteous In the honour of god / and the Baptyst saynt Iohan With helpe of bysshop Vulfryce / and good exortacyon . Also at the humble / and synguler supplycacyon Of blessed Egwyn / bysshop of worcestur This kynge gaue a place / for a fundacyon To buylde a monastery / to relygyous brethur At Eusam vpon Auen / for heuenly tresur With a large precynct / to compas all the abbay More quyetly to serue / our sauyour nyght and day . After this tyme / Ethelrede the kynge By his counseyll maryed / a beautefull lady Called quene Ostryde / a woman of good lyuynge Borne in the North parte / doughter to kynge Oswy To whome saynt Oswalde / was vncle truly The yssue bytwene them / after to succede Was a noble prynce / nomynate Colrede . Agaynst his enemyes / the kynge gate vyctory Fortunate in batayle / sore oppressed Kent In all this regyon / famous was his chyualry Namely he subdued / at the water of Trent Egfryde of Northumberlande / a kynge auncyent His brother in lawe / whan Egfryde agaynst reason Entred his landes / by subtyll intrusyon . But after that Ostryde / his quene was slayne By people of the North parte / moost cruelly The kynge frome that tyme / by grace certayne Chaunged his maners / and lyuynge dayly Frome temporall cures / and busynesse worldly To ghostly werkes / and contemplacyon Sekynge for heuen / with pure deuocyon . Specyally he folowed / saynt Werburge counsell Vsynge hym after / her swete ghostly doctryne The clere exsamples / as we afore dyd tell Moeued his conscyence / to ghostly dyscyplyne With suche contrycyon / by specyall grace deuyne That all vayne pleasures / and honours transytory Were clere expulsed / and put out of memory . This kynge refused / his septre and crowne Clothes of Tyshew / and purpull full royall With ryches / lybertes / pleasures / possessyon For the loue of Ihesu / in herte pryncaypall And for the meryte / of his soule helthe withall So whan he had reygned / nyne and twenty yere He chaunged his habyte / sayth the story clere . At a relygyous place / nomynate Bardenay In Lyncolneshyre / vnder his domynyon Synguler byloued / of hym alway Desyred the habyte / with meke supplycacyon And was receyued / professynge relygyon Euer after to obserue / the essencyals thre Obedyence / chastyte / and wylfull pouerte . He assygned his crowne / and temporall dygnyte Vnto prynce Kenrede / his brother sone As true enherytour / to haue regalyte For in pure obedyence / prayer and medytacyon Ethelrede encresed / with feruent deuocyon And as declareth / wyllyam of Maluysbury After was made abbot / of the sayd monastery .
The holy conuersacyon of kynge Kenred brother to saynt Werburge / & how he refused his crowne / and was made monke at Rome / & ther departed a holy confessour . SO whan kynge Etheldrede / by heuenly grace At Bardenay abbay / professed relygyon Than prynce Kenrede / his successour was And toke the Empyre / the septre and the crowne With moche worshyp / royalte / and renowne As nexte of inherytaunce / by law naturall To be kynge of Mercyens / by dyscent lynyall . This noble kynge Kenrede / replete with vertu Brother to Werburge / obserued truly The commaundymentes of god / & his lawes moost tru Obedyent to our sauyour / and lorde almyghty Loued holy chyrche / moost tenderly Mynystred Iustyce / to his subiectes all Mercyfull to the poore / pyteous and lyberall . In all his realme / was no dyuersyte Malyce was subdued / rancour and debate Vertue encreased / true loue and charyte Enuy was exyled / and all pryuy hate Thefte / murthur / robry / were founde at no gate True men myght lyue / without vexacyon Pollers / promoters / had no domynacyon . He gaue to our sauyour / and bysshop Egwyn For ghostly meryte / with moche honoure Of tenementes and landes / playnely to determyne Within worceturshyre .iiii. score and foure To maynteyne the monastery / spoken of before Euesham vpon Auen / byfore lawfull wytnes As the legende of Egwyn / truly dothe expres . To the courte of Rome / kynge Kenred went So dyd Offa kynge / of the eest Saxons Also bysshop Egwyn / by one assent Deuoutly to vysyte / all the hole stacyons Of the cytee of Rome / with humble supplycacyons Thankynge our lorde / of his mercy Hath them preserued / and all theyr company . This holy bysshop / and kynge Kenrede Offered to our holy father / pope boneface With mekenes deuocyon / for ghostly mede Afore his collage / wytnes in that case The foresayd monastery / and relygyous place Frome that day euer after / to be clerely exempte To the popes holynes / immedyatly obedyent . Whan they had optayned / perfyte expedycyon Of all theyr bulles / after theyr entent They toke lycence / and had the popes beneson And towarde Englande / retourned and went Praysynge our lorde / with herte and loue feruent For theyr good spede / and prosperous Iournay Preserued in good helthe / all to theyr countray . After all this done / Kenrede the sayd kynge Commaunded to be had / a counseyll generall By letters myssyue / his peeres and lordes cytynge Shortly to be present / with hym one and all As well the spyrytualte / as the temporall The Seyn was kepte / at a place called Alue And thyder assembled / his prelates of degre . Berthtunaldus / the archebysshop of Canturbury The archbysshop of yorke / called Wylfryde With bysshops / suffreganes / archdekens many Dukes / erles / barons / vpon euery syde Kynghtes / esquyers / and comunes that tyde Were redy to knowe / the kynges mynde and pleasure Well ordred in place / and scylence kepte sure . This gloryous Kenrede / crowned with golde Clothed in purpull / rose vp fro his place After due salutacyon / the cause mekely he tolde Why he for them sende / and wherfore it was That they shulde testyfy / with hym in this case What landes he gaue / towarde the fundacyon Of the sayd monastery / with grete deuocyon . And how for that abbay / he went to Rome And made the place subiecte / immedyatly To our father boniface / and gate an exempcyon For euer to remayne / to the sayd monastery With pardons and pryuyleges / there redde openly And many other benefytes / of great commodyte Wryten in theyr grauntes / wholyst them to se . Requyrynge the lordes / spyrytuall and temporall To graunte to the same / with good entent And it to confyrme / and roborate specyall With charters and dedes / and seales patent To whose petycyon / they dyd all consent Made confyrmacyons / and grauntes them amonge With a terryble sentence / who dothe the place wronge . Kynge Kenrede consyderynge / the great holynes Of his noble parentes / his vncles euerychone Theyr royall progeny / the sufferaunt goodnes From this lyfe transytory / to heuen agone Namely the vertue / and feruent deuocyon Of his syster Werburge / and his auntes all Moeued his mynde / to seke for lyfe eternall . And as saynt Bede sayth / whan this noble kynge Had regned fyue yere / in great prosperyte He forsoke this worlde / and chaunged his lyuynge Refusynge his crowne / septre / and dygnyte All vayne honours / ryches and regalyte And made his vncles sone / prynce Coelrede To take his empyre / after hym to succede . So with all gentylnes / and humylyte The kynge of his subiectes / toke leue specyall Commendynge his people / to the trynyte Them to conserue / spyrytuall and temporall Of his departure / dolorous were they all Thus for the loue / of our sauyoure He refused this worlde / pleasures and honoure . And went to Rome agayne / the yere of grace Seuen hundreth and eyght / by full computacyon Vysytynge the stacyons / frome place to place There was professed to saynt Benettes relygyon Vsed vygyls / fastynges / prayer / medytacyon Where this holy monke / frome this lyfe transytory With vertu departed / to eternall glory .
Of the feruent & ghostly deuocyon of saynt Werburge & vertuous gouernaunce of her places / & of the great humilite she vsed to her sisters / & al other creatures . Ca . xxiii . THis venerable Werburge / & moynes gracyous For her great vertue / and perfyte holynesse Electe to be gouernour / ouer the nonnes relygeous By her vncle kynge Ethelrede / of his goodnesse Ouer dyuers monasteryes ( as is sayd ) expresse Was consecrate abbesse / and lady gracyous By the bysshop of Lychefelde / nomynat Sexwulfus . And thus she departed / fro the hous of Ely Wherin she vsed / heuenly medytacyon With lycence optayned / in mynde sad and heuy So were the systers / and all the congregacyon Of her departure / knowynge her conuersacyon But as wolde charyte / they had great gladnes Knowynge by her vertue / relygyon to encres . The spouses of Ihesu / and floure of benygnyte Consyderynge her selfe / a lady and presydent Ordered her monasteryes : ryght well and wysele Receyued in systers / chast / humble / obedyent Ouer them made rulers / vertuous / and pacyent Her subiectes to instructe / and counseyll day and nyght Vertue to exalte / and vyce depryue aryght . This noble abbesse / remembrynge her duty What charge it is / to rule a congregacyon Humble requyred / the grace of god almyghty And dylygently prepared / to supple her rowme Pryncypally she gaue / to them euerychone Perfyte exsample / of vertue in her dede With vertuous doctryne / the same to procede . A myrrour of mekenesse / she was to them all A floure of chastyte / and well of clennes The fruyte of obedyence / in her was specyall Refusynge vayne pleasures / honours and ryches Content with lytell / an exsample of lowlynes As dothe belonge / vnto wylfull pouerte Pryde had no resydence / but all humylyte . She was a mynyster / rather than a maystres Her great preemynence / caused no presumpcyon She was a handmayd / rather than a pryores Seruynge her systers / with humble subieccyon Subduynge her body / to penaunce and afflyccyon Subiecte to the soule / as reason wolde shulde be A true sacryfyce / offered to the trynyte . It was no merueyll / tho all her couent Vnder suche a ruler / encreased in vertu Seynge her exsample / afore them dayly present Euer augmentynge / throwe the helpe of Ihesu Worldy desyres / she clerely dyd subdue She neuer ware lynon / by day or by nyght All ryche vayne vestures / she set by them but lyght . In prayer medytacyon / the tyme she dyspent Proued : for euery nyght / longe afore matyns The wolde vpryse / at an houre conuenyent And deuoutely say / afore our lordes presens Dauyd spalter holly knelynge / with great reuerence Or that her systers / came to the oratory To say dyuyne seruyce / fyndynge her all redy . At after matyns / she vsed contemplacyon Contynually abydynge / vnto the day lyght Prostrate on the grounde / or knelynge in deuocyon Wepynge full tenderly / with teeres downe ryght Many holy oraysons / she sayd day and nyght Pyteous mercyable / and fulll of charyte To the poore people / in theyr necessyte . This lady obserued / suche sharpe abstynence That one dayly repast / wolde her well suffyse Delycate dysshe meetes / were put out of her presence So nature were content / in moost humble wyse The Worde of god / was moost delycate seruyse Myndynge moche more / the soule to satysfy Than please and content / her enemy the body . These sayd exemples / with many other mo Pleasaunte vnto Ihesu / she taught her couent Them to preserue / frome theyr mortall fo By synguler vertue / grace to augment Her precepte and lyuynge / were euer corespondent She neuer commaunded syster / do any thynge But it was fulfylled / in her owne doynge . She exorted her chyldren / euer to deuocyon With many folde doctrynes / ydlenes to exchewe Lyke a tender mother / had pyte and compassyon She dayly fedde them / and nourysshed in all vertue And dylygently prayed / our sauyour Ihesu Them to preserue / of his infynyte grace Frome peryll of peryshynge / in blysse to se his face . Also the .xii. degrees / of humylyte Pacyence / quyetnes / and great perfeccyon Were well obserued / with true loue and charyte Amonge her systers / the hole congregacyon And the thre essencyals / of relygyon Wylfull pouerte / chastyte / and obedyence were truly fulfylled / proued by the consequence . As for a pastyme / amonge her systers all She caused to be redde / auoydynge ydlenesse The swete legendary / for a memoryall And Vitas patrum / shewynge great swetenesse With other narracyons / of grace and goodnesse Ofttymes to her couent / she had a comyn sayenge Please god and loue hym / and doubte ye nothynge . All reders excuse me / tho I can not expresse For lacke of lernynge / the vertues morall The hye perfeccyon / and proued holynesse Of this pure vyrgyn / and sanctymonyall Wherwith was decorate / her lyfe monestycall Manyfest With myracles / by meryte of her mekenesse As the true hystory / playnly dothe expresse . The worthy myracles / of this vyrgyn pure Dylated were / thrugh all this regyon By deuyne sufferaunce / aboue nature Profytable / to euery chrysten synguler persone In sekenesse / trouble / peyne or vexacyon Of her they haue refuge / helpe / and socoure By her merytes / and prayer / that euery honoure . Her merytes were / moche more commendable Than were her myracles / manyfest and playne For why by her merytes / famous and notable Sygnes and myracles / were shewed full playne In the house of Ely / by grace of our sufferayne And in euery place / where she kepte resydence Of whome parte folowen / in this rude sentence .
How at Wedon wylde gees were pynned by her commaundyment & also releshed & put at lyberte . Ca . xxiiii . THis holy vyrgyn / whan she dwelled at Wedon In Northampton shyrn / with a deuoute couent Whiche place somtyme / was the kynges mansyon Translated to an abbay / by her commaundyment A myracle was done / by this noble presydent As the true legende / playnly dothe vs say And all the inhabytauntes / vnto this present day . A great multytude / somtyme of wylde gees Comunely called Gauntes / made great descrypcyon Vpon her landes / pastures waters / and feldes Deuourynge the cornes / and fruytes of Wedon Greuous to her subiectes / within that possessyon The people coude fynde / no suffycyent remedy . But shewed theyr complaynte / to Werburge theyr lady . Whan Werburge had herde / this greuous complayne How the cornes were wasted / the tenauntes hurte therby Her herte was moeued / with charyte than certayne To saue her fruytes / and helpe her company Wherfore she commaunded a seruaunt go hastely To dryue those wylde gees / & brynge home to her place There to be pynned / and punysshed for theyr trespace . The messanger merueyled / and mused in his mynde Of this straunge message / stode styll in a study Knowynge it well / it passed course of kynde Wylde gees for to pynne / by any mannes polycy Syth nature hath ordeyned / suche byrdes to fly Supposynge his lady / had ben vnreasonable Commaundynge to do / a thynge vnpossyble . With wordes of conforte / she sayd to hym agayne Go in my name / do my commaundyment The seruaunt went forth / thynkynge all but vayne Vnto the foldes / where the byrdes were lent And sayd his message / with mynde and good entent My lady commaundes you / byrdes euerychone Afore me to go / vnto her proper mansyone . A merueylous thynge / transcendynge nature Vnto his wordes / the gees were obedyent Not one departed / fro thens ye may be sure Of all the nombre / that there were present Towarde her place / afore hym they went Mekely / as yf they had reason naturall Vnto her presence / he brought the gauntes all . Dredefully darynge / comen now they be Theyr wynges traylynge / entred into the hall For great confusyon / after theyr kynde and propryte Mournynge in theyr maner / abydynge one and all Her wyll and Iudgment / with mercy specyall Lamentynge all nyght / there in captyuyte Tyll the morowe after / withouten lyberte . All that same nyght / Werburge dyd contynue In deuoute prayers / and ympnes celestyall After her olde custome / vsed in all vertue In the mornynge after / the byrdes that were thrall With hye voyces ( as yf it were ) on her dyd call For grace and pardon / of theyr offence And of departure / to haue fre lycence . Than she full pyteous / to euery creature Vpon these byrdes hauynge compassyon Delyuered them / frome all daunger and cure Frely to departe / vnder this condycyon That none of them / vpon the lordshyp of Wedon Shulde make destruccyon / nor lyght by any way On cornes or fruytes / neuer after that day . Neuertheles a seruaunt / one of the gees dyd take And pryuely hydde it / agaynst iustyce and ryght Vnknowynge to Werburge / suche brybry to make The byrdes departed / moost glad to take theyr flyght From theyr tender Iudge / but whan they sawe in syght One of theyr felawes / taken frome theyr company The sayd great nombre / of gees retourned hastely . They flewe ouer / this blessed vyrgyns hall Mournynge and waylynge / after theyr entent And wolde not departe / but fast on her dyd call . yet they durst not lyght / for drede of her commaundyment But in theyr maner & kynde they sayd / o swete presydent Why suffer ye suche wyckednes / done for to be Anendes our felawe / agaynst all ryght and charyte . Werburge went fyrst / to knowe wherfore and why These byrdes retourned / so hastely certayne By grace she perceyued / the cause of it truly And tryed out the truthe / of all the mater playne She restaured the byrde / to his felyshyp agayne And gaue them a lesson / or they went her fro How they shulde prayse / theyr maker and sufferayne Sayenge ( benedicite volucres celi domino ) But as Wyllyam Maluysbury / sheweth expresse The goos that was taken / and stollen afore away Was rosted and eten / the same nyght doubtlesse So whan it was asked / for vpon the other day The bare bones were brough / after this lady veray And there by the vertue / of her benedyccyon The byrde was restaured / and flewe away full soone . Certaynly frome that tyme / vnto this present day As all the people knowe / dwellynge aboute Wedon The foresayd wylde gees / attempten by no way To hurte theyr fruytes / ne lyght in that possessyon No merueyll it is / remembrynge the deuocyon And true loue she had / to god omnypotent For vnto vertue / all thynge is obedyent .
How a tyraunt without pyte punyshynge an Innocent was punyshed / & after made hole . Ca . xxv . FOrther to declare / the pacyence and humylyte And the synguler grace / grounded in this abbas As in the true legende / playnly ye may se We shall parte rehers / to augment your solas Werburge had a seruaunte / whiche named was Alnotus a man / of meke conuersacyon Knowen by his merytes / after due probacyon . Also a baylyfe she had / a cruell tyraunt Whiche pyteously punysshed / without reason And wounded greuously / Alnother seruaunt Without any greuaunce / at the place of Wedon Werburge for pyte / and great compassyon Afore this caytyfe / kneled on her knee Prayenge hym to cease / for loue of the trynyte . Sayenge why does thou punysshe / this innocent Causeles without mercy / whiche I byleue playne Is more acceptable / to our lorde omnypotent Than many other be / for his mekenesse certayne The baylyfe at her prayer / wolde not refrayne But punysshed hym styll / in his fury and pryde Tyll the vengeaunce of god / fell on hym that tyde . Incontynente his heed / his necke / and his face Were tourned backwarde / lyke a persone monstruous Contrary to nature / for his great trespace Crucyate with sorowe / and peynes hyduous Contynually encreasynge / to beholde pyteous At the last remembred / of the best remedy Fell prostrate to the fere / of Werburge his lady . And cryed vpon her / with wofull chere Wepynge / lamentynge / his great inyquyte My louely lady / and maystres moost dere Helpe me swete abbesse / in this necessyte I haue offended god / now pray for me And I wyll neuer / endurynge all my lyfe Dysplease no more / man / mayde / ne wyfe . Whan Werburge consydered / his great contrycyon His woofull herte / and lamentable crye Vpon hym she had / tender compassyon Beholdynge his greuaunce / and tender agony Good brother she sayd / who so wyll haue mercy Must be mercyable / as in prouerbe wryten is Who is without mercy / of mercy shall mys . Call vnto mynde / thy owne wycked dede In punyshynge this poore man / without offence To se his punyshment / my herte sore dyd blede I kneled afore thy fete / desyrynge indulgence Thou toke no regarde / to my prayer ne presence Wherfore the Iustyce / of god almyghty Vpon thee is fallen / for thy synne sodayly . Whan she had ended / her ghostly exortacyon Perceyuynge hym penytent / with great humylyte Gladde to amende / vyce and transgressyon Anone vnto prayer / she went with charyte Opteyned forgyuenesse / of the blessed trynyte His fysnamy / restaured to his kynde agayne Bothe bodyly and ghostly / cured was certayne . This forsayd Alnotus / by synguler grace Refused this worlde / pleasures and vanyte Went vnto wyldernesse / and machoryte was Whome theues martyred / to heuen blysse went he At Stow besyde Bukbrydge / buryed was trule For whome our lorde / of his infynyte goodnes Shewed many myracles / affyrmynge his holynes .
How dyuers prynces folowynge sensualyte intendynge to violate this vyrgyn bi power / bi myracle were put to confusyon . Ca . xxvi . ANother sygne was shewed / by the kynge of blys Of a wanton prynce / folowynge sensualyte And his fragyll appetyte / in doynge amys Entendynge by vyolence / power / and auctoryte To depryue Werburge / of her vyrgynyte Espyed a season / to fulfyll his entent Whan she was solytary / and no man there present . By force than he began / this mayd to assayle But she trustynge in god / to be her protectour Escapynge his presence / cast her sacrat vayle For lyghtnesse and ease / to fle from the traytour The sonne beame receyued it / whiche hanged that houre Whiche myracle sene / the prynce fledde away The vyrgyn was preserued / by grace that day . An other myracle / was done in Kent In the vyllage of Hoo / yet full memorous A sensuall prynce / of wycked consent Purposed to maculate / this vyrgyn gloryous Consyderynge her persone / so fayre and beauteous Taryed the season / to fynde her solytary By power to oppresse / this gracyous lady . Whan the tyme was comen / he thought conuenyent After her furyously / he ranne a fast pace She knowynge his mynde / add vnchast entent Seynge no remedy / by man in that place Called to our sauyoure / for his helpe and grace Sayenge blessed lorde / for thy endeles pyte Defende me this daye / and saue my chastyte . And as she fledde / frome this cruell persone She ranne for socour / to a great oke tree By grace the sayd tree / opened that same season Sufferynge this mayd / to haue sure and fre entree Wherby she escaped his / wycked tyrannye Whiche tree to this day / endurynge all the yere By myracle is vernaunte / fresshe / grene / and clere . Of the sayd oke tree / is a famous opynyon That no man may entre / the sayd concauyte In deedly synne bounden / without contrycyon But in clene perfyte lyfe / who soeuer he be May entre the sayd oke / with fre lyberte And nygh to that place / a chyrche is now dedycate In the honour of god / and werburge immaculate . Many other myracles / our blessed sauyour Shewed for this vyrgyn / of his goodnes Conforte to the people / in sekenes and langour That to her wyll seke / in theyr dystresse Her excellent vertue / and great holynesse By sygnes and myracles / were dayly manyfest To many a creature / with peynes opprest . The fame wherof sprange / so fast aboute Notyfyed playne / in all this regyon The people approched / withouten doubte To knowe her blessed / and holy conuersacyon And of these myracles / to haue probacyon By the syght wherof / they myght all gloryfy With ioy and gladnesse / our lorde god almyghty . There was no sekenesse / nor infyrmyte That mankynde had / nor vexacyon But by her prayer / and humylyte Makynge for them / to our lorde intercessyon They were restaured / to helthe and saluacyon All by the meryte / of this vyrgyn pure A synguler refuge / vnto euery creature . To the dombe was gyuen / speche and language To blynde theyr syght / to defe theyr herynge To halte and lame people / helthe in euery aege By deuyne grace / and her ghostly lyuynge The people approchynge / nygh to her in dwellynge By callyge to her / in the name of Ihesu Had theyr petycyon / by her synguler vertu . Some other that were / fully possessed With wycked spyrytes / vexynge the mynde Or with sekenes incurable / myserably greued By her dayly prayer / aboue course of kynde Of theyr dyseases / they shulde remedy fynde And from her departe / in soule with gladnesse Whiche to her came / sory in peyne and wretchednes .
How saynt Werburge gaue knowlege to her systers of her departure & how she ordered in vertue her sayd monasteryes afore her dethe . Ca . xxvii . THis blessed abbesse / and vertuous floure The well of clennes / and humylyte Called to mynde / the wordes of our sauyour Rehersed by Mathewe / in his euangely The vyctoryall crowne / of eterne glory Is gyuen to them / that be redy eche houre Wysely attendynge / whan they be sende fore . This texte was euer / in her memoryall Prompte alway redy / as a true spouses To wayte on her spouse / whan he wyll call Her lampe replete / with oyle of mekenes Synguler gyftes / she had of chrystes goodnes Inspyred with the spyryte / of prophecy Secrete thynges to come / knowynge therby . She knewe the season / was hastely comynge Of her departure / fro this lyfe mortall Wherfore she ordred / sadly euery thynge Within her monasteryes / and charges spyrytuall Vysytynge her couent / with her presence personall Gaue knowlege to them / that soone and hastely She shulde departe / frome this lyfe transytory . Afore her were called / the systers of yche place And were apoynted / who shulde succede After to be gouernour / ruler / and abbesse To the pleasure of god / and theyr ghostly mede Specyally commendynge / vertue as we rede What meryte they shall haue / of god almyghty In spyrytuall cures / that done well theyr duty . All other offycers / within eche monastery Were assygned by Werburge / theyr presydent And vnder obedyence / charged full depely Theyr offyce to execute / vertue to augment For the synguler profyte / of all the couent She gaue to yche place / landes and possessyon Suffycyently to serue / all the congregacyon . Whan she had ordeyned / eche place in charyte Dyschargynge her conscyence / chargynge them all To obserue relygyon / with perfyte humylyte After her exemple / and doctryne pryncypall She had perfyte knowlege / by grace supernaturall Her body shulde rest / in the place of Hamburgens After her departure / by deuyne prouydens . Wherfore she commaunded / the couent of Hambury Wysely to attende / with all theyr dylygence Vpon the ende / of her lyfe transytory Wheresoeuer it be / to come with benyuolence And incontynent ●ake / her body with reuerence And brynge it shortly / vnto theyr monastery There to be tumylate / after her desydery . As it pleaseth our lorde / and celestyall sufferayne To sende to his seruaunte / his vysytacyon The day was apoynted / the houre incertayne Of her departure / frome worldly vexacyon The messanger of dethe / the ende of trybulacyon Oppressed this lady / moost worthy fame Ryght at her monastery / nomynat Trentame . She thanked her maker / sayenge day and nyght Well come be the vysytacyon / of god almyghty She called her systers / present afore her syght Her entente rehersynge / to them tenderly Desyrynge all them / to folowe dylygently The lawes of god / with honour and reuerence And to her counseyll / to gyue fully credence . Sayenge dere byloued systers / in our sauyour O spyrytuall chyldren / my derlynges moost dere Whiche haue refused / all worldly honour To serue our lorde / with herte and mynde clere Suffer no synne / in your soule to apere But wasshe it away / by bytter contrycyon With prayer penaunce / and true confessyon . And trust ye well your true obedyence your chast lyuynge / and wylfull pouerte your dayly prayers / vygyls / and abstynence That ye haue obserued / her vnder me Shal be recompensed / a thousande folde trule Whan ye shal be taken / fro this lyfe transytory your rewarde shal be / with immortall glory . As for my dethe / whiche approches nere I drede nothynge / tho nature ferefull be I knowe for certayne / who departeth well here Is newe borne agayne / to Ioye and felycyte Iche chrysten man hath / a threfolde natyuyte Fyrst of his parentes / by cours of nature Borne to many troubles / and sorowes sure . By the seconde byrthe / whiche is more excellent At fonte of baptym / we haue regeneracyon By fayth professed / to god omnypotent And made the chyldren / of ghostly saluacyon To auoyde by grace / all wycked temptacyon To be inherytours / of Ioy perpetuall Folowynge the counseyll / of holy chyrche withall . The thyrde byrthe / moost ferefull and to be dredde Is whan the soule / departeth fro the body To payne or blysse / and leues the corps dedde To tourne agayne to erthe / to wast and putryfy In this thyrde byrthe / by callynge aferre for mercy Our soule shall lyue in blysse / euerlastynge Crowned with vyctory / for our chast lyuynge . The swete byrde closed / in a cage a longe season Gladly entendeth to fly at lyberte The prysoner fetered / and cast in depe dongeon Euer supposes / to be rydde frome captyuyte The soule of mankynde / moost dygne of dutye Naturally desyreth / proued by reason To be delyuered / frome bodyly pryson .
Of the ghostli exortacyon saynt Werburge made to her systers in her sekenesse / and how deuoutely she receyued the sacramentes of holy chyrche byfore her deth . Ca . xxviii . THe day knowen / to her by reuelacyon Of her departure / by sygnes euydent She sende for all / the hole congregacyon And in presence / of all her holy couent She called for the blessed sacrament To whome she sayd / with wordes expresse With wepynge teeres / and great mekenesse . Well come my lorde / well come my kynge Well come my sufferayne / and sauyour Well come my conforte / and ioy euerlastynge My trust / my treasure / my helpe and socour Well come my maker / and my redemptour The sone of god / moost in maieste Withouten begynnynge / and endeles shal be . I byleue that thou / for all mankynde Frome heuen descended / of thy charyte And was incarnate / scrypture dothe mynde In the vyrgynall wombe / of blessed marye And suffered dethe / to make vs all fre Descended to hell / roose the thyrde day Ascended to heuen / and our raunson dyd pay . And I knowlege to the / with pure entent On Shorpthursday / after thy passyon Thy moost blessed body / in sacrament Thou gaue to vs / for our communyon To be our defence / and ghostly tuycyon Now present here / informe of breed To Iudge mankynde / bothe quycke and deed . O sufferayne sauyour / replete with grace I the beseche / haue pyte vpon me And in my soule / make a dwellynge place Expulce all vyce / synne and mysery Defende my soule / frome our aduersary Saue and protecte me / from peynes infernall And brynge thrugh thy mercy / to ioye perpetuall Thus with reuerence / and great humylyte She receyued / the blessed sacrament The seconde persone / in trynyte In perfyte fayth / hope / and loue feruent With great contrycyon / as it was apparent Her herte lyfte vp / towarde heuen on hye Abydynge the wyll / of god almyghty . She exorted / her systers euerychone That were there present / in companye Desyrynge them all / with supplycacyon To remembre her / sayenge with humylyte My systers in god / now knowe may ye My dayes ben ferre past / comynge is the houre Wherfore I betake you / fyrst to our sauyour . Prayenge you tenderly / for the loue of me In deuyne seruyce / loke ye contynu Obseruynge pacyence / mekenes / and chastyte Encresynge in relygyon / by the grace of Ihesu Who so perceuers / in herte and mynde true Vnder obedyence / to the extreme day Is sure to be saued / scrypture so doth say . Also remembre / that all worldly royalte Honour / ryches / pleasure / possessyon If ye consyder / are but a vanyte Nothynge assured / to trust therupon Wherfore dyspose you / to vertue alon Whyle ye endure / in this lyfe mortall Tyll that ye come / to Ioy perpetuall . Secondly she sayd / systers I you pray Kept well the order / of perfyte charyte Neuer declynynge / fro it by no way As ye haue taken / exemple of me Iche loue other / and worshyp in theyr degre So that no murmure / nor dyssy mulacyon Befounde amonge / this holy congregacyon . Be euer lowly / humble / and obedyent With due reuerence / worshyp and honoure Folowe the mynde / of your presydent Vnto your heed / and ghostly gouernoure Kepe well chastyte / that precyous floure So that no thought / of sensualyte Corrupte your mynde / to breke vyrgynyte . Se that ye vse / dyscrete temperaunce Abstenynge frome vayne superfluyte Se that amonge you / be founde no varyaunce Kepe well the degrees / of humylyte These and many other / exemples of charyte She taught her couent / of synguler deuocyon How they shulde optayne / to hye perfeccyon . Thyrdly she prayed / sayenge with mynde dylygent O blessed sauyour / I desyre the Saue and defende / my hole couent And theyr monasteryes / of thy great pyte Frome peryll of peryshynge / and frome enmyte That all the subiectes / of our congregacyon ▪ May well obserue / theyr holy professyon . And graunt me swete lorde / throwe thy goodnes Who so in thy name / vpon me dothe call In langour / mysery / in peyne / or sekenes Also women with chylde / in peynes thrall May haue remedy / and helpe specyall And people in pryson / halte / blynde / and lame By me may magnyfy / thy gloryous name . Than she requyred / with humylyte The spyrytuall sufferage / of holy vnccyon Her soule to conforte / frome all aduersyte She toke her leue / and kyssed them yche on Alas what herte / myght shewe the lamentacyon The wepynge / waylynge / and wofull heuynes At the departure / of theyr swete maystres .
Of the departure of saynt Werburge vnto heuen at the abbay of Trentam / fro this myserable lyfe / & what lamentacyon her systers made for her dethe Ca . xxix . IN all her infyrmyte peyne and busynesse She vsed prayer / and medytacyon Callynge for mercy / by interyor mekenesse With wepynge eyes / and great lamentacyon Remembrynge in herte / our lordes passyon Commendynge her couent / vnto our sauyour To be theyr defence / ayde / and protectour . The peynes encreased / of her infyrmyte The panges doubled / her peyne to augment Nature decayed / vnto suche debylyte That the sygnes of dethe / appered euydent The houre approched / after all Iudgment Wherfore all thynges / were redy preparate As was conuenyent / for so noble a state . Her spouse Ihesus / hauynge pyte and cure Vpon his spouses / in extreme dystresse Wolde not suffer her peyne / longer endure But sende his angels / with great lyghtnesse To conforte his seruaunt / in peyne and sekenesse To dyssolue her wo / and great penalte And brynge vp her soule / to eterne felycyte . There derknes was tourned / all vnto lyght Langour and trouble / vnto prosperyte The day was gouernour / ouer the nyght Whan that she passed / this lyfe transytory Bondage and thraldome / were brought to lyberte The tyme of Ioye / and euerlastynge pleasure Was approchynge to Werburge / euer to endure . A multytude of angelles / shynynge moost clere Were redy to gyde / with humble reuerence The soule of werburge / as truly dyd apere And brought it to blys / vnto the hye presence Of almyghty god / moost of magnyfycence Clerely releashed / frome peynes of purgatory To be rewarded / with euerlastynge glory . This blessed vyrgyn / gloryous and pure In stedfast fayth / hope / loue / and charyte The thyrde day of February / ye may be sure Expyred frome this lyfe / caduce and transytory To eterne blysse / coronate with vyctory Chaungynge her lyfe / myserable and thrall For infynyte ioye / and glory eternall . With moche honour / these spyrytuall mynysters Conueyed the soule / aboue the fyrmament Passynge the seuen planettes / and all the sterres Vnto the presence / of god omnypotent Syngynge full swetely / theyr songes equyualent Of pleasaunt armony / of conforte and blys Salutynge her mekely / with wordes reuerent Veni dilecta : veni coronabitis . The thre Ierarcheses / were redy present With heuenly melody / to receyue this monyall The quere of vyrgyns / mette her incontynent With great solempnyte / and processyon royall Presentynge her soule / with myrthes angelycall To Ihesu her spouse / to whome he sayd truly Well come dere doughter / to blysse celestyall Intra in gaudium : domui tui . In meane tyme and space / this venerable body ( The soule departed ) lay whyte / streyght and colde Semynge as on slepe / she had ben verely With swete odours fragrant / passynge manyfolde All spyces and herbes / in erth may be tolde The place was so pleasaunt / full of delyce Lyke as it had ben / an erthly paradyce . This forsayd venerable congregacyon With wepynge teeres / and syghes lamentable Wasshed the swete body / after the olde custome And dressed the corps / with clothes honorable Prepared all necessaryes / pleasaunt and commendable To churche she was brought / solemply in syght With feruent deuocyon / to be watched all nyght . And as they watched / with due mynystracyon Ouer the sayd corps / deuoutly prayenge They made great mournynge / and lamentacyon Euerychone to other / for her departynge Alas they all sayd / with wofull waylynge Our solace / our helthe / is clere gone away Alas for sorowe / what shall we now say . The sterre of our conforte / is extyncte clere The lanturne of our lyght / is taken vs fro The floure of chastyte / is layd vpon a bere The myrrour of mekenes / now lyeth full loo The treasure of relygyon / from vs now is ago Our sorowe encresed / wretchednes / and mysery Syth thou arte departed / alas what remedy : Our hertes ben plonged / in great wo and peyne Our myndes are medled / with heuy langour How shulde we now rest / frome mornynge certayne Beholdynge now deed / whylom our protectour Swete lady thou art gone / frome vs for euermore Our deedly sorowe / replete with bytternes For waylynge and wepynge / can neuer ceas . With herte mynde and voyce / to the we do call O blessed Werburge / our moost dere maystres O sufferayne lady / and ruler of vs all Why hase thou vs lefte / in suche heuynesse If thy wyll had ben / it is knowen expresse Thou myght haue taryed / with vs by petycyon Alas remedylesse / is our lamentacyon Frome vs thou arte taken / and gone is our solace The myrrour of vertue / is deed now with the The tryed stock of truth / and the grounde of grace Is pyteously decayed / our hope and sufferaynte O blessed sauyour / vpon vs haue pyre Sende vs our conforte / by thy great myght agayne As thou hase reysed many / from dethe to lyfe certayne . O dredefull dethe / cruell enemy to nature With dolefull heuynes / on the we may complayne Takynge our heed frome vs / to our great dysconfyture Hath brought vs to thraldome / wofulnes and peyne Nother kynge ne emperour / thy fauour may optayne But he must departe / arested with thy launce . Thanke we god of all / for it is his pleasaunce .
How the hamburgenses toke the blessed body of Werburge frome Trentam by myracle & brought it to Hambury / & of the buryall of werburge / & of manyfolde myracles shewed for her merytes .ix. yere after her translacyon . Ca . xxx . THis gloryous vyrgyn / and moost blessed abbace Departed from this lyfe / caduce and transytory ( As afore is sayd ) the yere and tyme of grace Almoost seuen hundreth / the thyrde day of February To celestyall blysse / and infynyte glory Her subiectes oppressed / with wylfull pensyuenesse With great trybulacyon / care and heuynesse . But where werburge gaue / in commaundyment To bury her corps / at place of Hambury As was the wyll / of our lorde omnypotent Her subiectes of Trentam / whiche had her body Purposed her wyll / and entent to deny Prepared to kepe / the corps by stronge hande With them to remayne / as ye shall vnderstande . The sayd people of Trentam / watched full dylygent Her corps fulfyllynge / the obsequyes funerall Entendynge to auoyde / and frustrate her testament Gate a great company / by power Marcyall Closed fast theyr doores / and gates one and all Made sure yche place / by theyr prouydens For to kepe the corps / excludynge Thamburgens . But as Salomon sayth / sentencyously There may be no counseyll / power ne prudence Wysedome of man / nor naturall polycy To derogate or chaunge / deuyne sentence Proued euer day / by true experyence Tho mankynde prepose / his mynde to fulfyll yet god dysposeth / all thynge at his wyll . And as they watched / the same sayd nyght Moost busyly / to execute they wyll and entent By deuyne prouydence / passynge mannes myght Sodeynly on slepe / was all that couent Theyr company and mynysters / that were there lent Hauynge no power / for to waken doubtles God so prouyded / for theyr great maystres . Than shortly resembled / vnto that sayd place The people of Hamburgens / a great company With the mynysters of god / people full of grace And anone by the wyll / of our lorde almyghty The lockes and the barres / of that sayd monastery Fell downe to the grounde / by power supernall Without mannes hande / that enter they myght all . Whiche myracle proued / the people of Hambury Entred Trentam abbay / with mynde reuerent And founde there on slepe / all the other company Man / woman / and chylde / all that were present They kneled all downe / and worshypped the sacrament Praysynge our maker / of theyr good spede Theyr specyall socour / euer at theyr nede . Her blessed body / from Trentam they dyd take Gladly departynge / out of the monastery Nother man nor woman / had power to wake Tyll they were passed / all greuous Ieopardy Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his grace deuoutly Solemply syngyng their songes celestiall With infinite gladnes / and comfort spirituall . After all this done / this holy congregacion With reuerence / honour / and solempnite With wepynge tearis / for pure affection With lamentable songes / masse and dirige Buried the corps / of this blessed ladie Right in the chauncell / of the sayd abbay There bodily to rest / as her wyll was alway . All obsequies ended / therto belongynge As was agreable for suche a president The systers departed / with clamour and mournynge Plonged in heuynes / and to their celles went To wepe and wayle secretly / their hartis to content Criynge alas alas / nowe buried haue we The exemple of vertu / mekenes / and chastite . And as the history of her lyfe / doth expresse In a boke nominat / the thrid Passionary After the buriall of this patronesse The place was decorat / with myracles many Manifest to the people / of euery progeny Howe god almyghty of his speciall grace Hath done for his seruant / in short tyme and space . For many people greued with infirmite Dolorous of hert / and interiour tribulacion Heuynes of mynde / or other penalite To her graue resortyng / with feruent deuocion Sekynge for remedy / with great contricion Anon by her prayer / vnto our sauyour They were released from peyne and langour . Also by her merite suffrage and peticion Euery humble creature had helpe and succour To distract persons / was yelded reason Wikked spirites expulsed . were that same hour Impotent and feble to helth she dyd restour Halt and lame had passage / the blynde had {per}fect syght The dombe had speche / the deffe herynge ryght . Women with childe / beynge in great ieopardy Namely in trauelyng / greued with wo and payne Whan they myght nat come / sendyng to her oratorye Makynge true oblacion / restaured were certayne To helth and prosperite / from wo delyuered playne And if they obteyned a relique from the place The mother and childe / by it founde speciall grace . The deuour pilgrym / the perfit maryner The true laborer / the marchant with richesse The carefull pore man / the peynfull prisoner Were sondry tymes delyuered from wo and distresse Men / women / child / sekynge with mekenes This glorious virgyn / with humble supplicacion Founde soone remedie / helpe and consolacion .
A litle breue rehersall of her lyfe / and howe for her myracles shewed the couent of Hambury purposed to translate her body / by the helpe of Mercyens . Ca . xxxi . THis gloryous lady / and gemme of holynesse Of fyue myghty kynges / descended lynyally A prynces / an enherytryce / replete with mekenes Refused all pleasures / pompe / and vayne glory Entred relygyon / professed at Ely A spectacle of vertue / dwellynge in that place And a floure of chastyte / electe by synguler grace . Her honorable vncle / kynge Ethelrede Consyderynge her vertue / and hye deuocyon Made her gouernour / for ghostly helthe and mede Ouer all the monasteryes / within his regyon For the sure encresement / of perfyte relygyon Foure of these monasteryes / we haue in memory As Wedon / Trentam / Repton / and Hambury . Whan she was ruler / and chefe presydent Of these sayd places / vnder god almyghty Than vertue and goodnes / dayly dyd augment By heuenly grace / to the soule helthe of many And by her exemple / and doctryne ghostly Kynges / lordes / barons / refusynge theyr royalte Entred relygyon / with great humylyte . Her lyfe and doctryne / agreed bothe in one Proued in effecte / by specyall gyftes of grace Many she conuerted / vnto contemplacyon To prayer and penaunce / whyle they had here space Her couent and subiectes / within euery place By her excellent vertue / and hye dyscrecyon Were gratiously gouerned / for theyr saluacion . Her dwellynge Was most at the place of Wedon Where many myracles were shewed openly And at Trentam abbay / of her foundacion From peyne she departed to eternall glory After her entent was buried at Hambury Of whom it may be sayd / here lyeth nowe present A princesse / a virgin / a nonne / and a president . The deuout couent of her congregacion Whiche hath long wayled / with sorowfull payne Nowe haue great cause to make consolacion And gyue due honour to our lorde and sufferayne Knowynge that Werburge / in blysse is nowe certayne For them all dayly a true mediatrice In the heuynly trone / afore the hie Iustice . Our sauiour Iesus / graunter of all goodnes Consyderyng the mekenes / and pure virginite Of Werburge his spouse / and proued holynes By speciall grace / preserued her body To his laude and honour / his name to magnifye Both hole and sounde / from naturall resolucion As her soule was clere from vice and corruption . This immaculat mayde / shenyng more bryght Than radiant phebus in the triumphant trone With the quere of virgins / prayseth day and nyght The blessed trinite with due adoracion Of perpetuall pleasure hauyng the fruycion A singular intercessour for her seruauntes all That here in erth mekely to her wyll call And though her body do rest nowe in graue yet notable signes contynually be done Some warned in their slepe comfort to haue By visityng her place / callynge her vpon With contrite hert makyng true oblacion . Whiche thynge contynued by space of .ix. yere With meruailous myracles euydent and clere The couent consyderyng suche great company From diuers partes / resortynge to theyr place In pylgrimage to Werburge / for helpe and remedy Entended to translate this glorious abbasse To exalte her body replet with great grace To her great honour / comfort to eche creature Pite that suche a relique shulde lye in sepulture To the prayes and honour of god omnipotent And of saint Werburge laude and reuerence The couent and the people by one assent Desired Coelrede than kynge of merciens For aide in this case / helpe and diligence ( Whiche thynge graunted ) the day appointed was The clergy and the comons reioised with solace
Of the solempne translacion of this glorious virgyn saynt Werburge / and of the great myracles done at the sayd season by the myght of god and merite of this gracious lady . Cap. xxxii . At the day appoynted of her translacion Kyng Coelted and his counsell were redy present With bysshops and the clergy men of deuocion Her systers and subiettes a religious couent The comon people from eche place thider went With great gladnes / the hole for pleasure gostly The seke and impotent for helth and remedy The bysshops and clergy stode vpon one parte Of her holy graue / and her systers echone Syngynge and praysynge the blessed trinite The kyng and his counsell with great deuocion Stode on the other parte in contemplacion The graue was opened eleuat was the chest Wherin her holy corps .ix. yere fully dyd rest Whan this sayd monument discouered was Suche a suauite and fragrant odoure Ascended from the corps by singular grace Passyng all wordly swetnes and sauour That all there present that day and hour Supposed they had ben / in the felicite Of erthely paradise / without ambiguite . And as eche man thaught by naturall reason Nothyng shulde remayn of that blessed body But the bare boones / all els to resolucion The couerture remoued by the sayd clergy The corps hole and sounde was funde verely Apperyng to them / on slepe as she had ben Nothyng depaired / that ther coude be seen . Her vesture appered hole clere and white No parte consumed / for all the longe space Fragrant in odoure / repleit with delite As at the fyrst season whan she buried was But whan discouered was her swete face Beautye appered more white than the lile Mixt with rose colour / moost faire for to se Her louely countenaunce / so comly to beholde And her swete fisnomy / with fairenes decorat As fresshely apparant / moost pleasant to be tolde As at the fyrst day / whan she was tumulat No doubt therof / for she with synne nat macular Vsyng all her lyfe in clennes and virginite From bodily corruption / by grace must saued be . The clergy yet serchyng more diligently Her precious body / and interiour vesture Eleuat the corps full reuerently With moche worchip honour and cure Founde nothynge perisshed in shap nor figure For all the long space tyme and contynuaunce She lay in sepulture by diuine ordynaunce . Whiche famous myracle / notified so clere The clergy with her systers in ioy and honour The kyng and his counsell all therat present were With voice melodious made a great clamour Praysyng and magnifiyng our blessed sauiour With celestiall songes / and hymnes full of blys Deuoutly rehersyng / with all their deuour Mirabilis deus in sanctis suis . With that the comon rude people euerychone In the sayd churche yarde standyng without Heryng the clergy syng with suche deuocion Towarde heuen they cried / and busely dyd shout The space of .iii. houres / or nere there about Worshippyng our lorde / with voice shrill and loude In hert wyll and mynde / as well as they coude . After all this done / her blessed body Was wasshed and reclothed with vesture precious By the sayd couent of the place of Hambury The bysshops were reuesshed in pontificalibus And all the clergy syngyng with voice melodious Kneled all downe and gaue due reuerence Honour and worship to her corporall presence . Thus they resceyued with perfit humilite This sacrat relique hole and substanciall And layd it in a shryne with great solempnite Enowrned with riches sumptuous and roiall Prepared by the kyng / and ordeyned inspeciall Entendyng that this relique and gostly treasure Perpetually with them shulde remayne and endure People oppressed with greuous infirmite Distract persons / halt blynde and lame Resortynge to her shryne with humilite Shortly were cured by callynge of her name Impotent creatures ( the legende sayth the same ) Touchyng her tumbe / were cured from payne Whiche tumbe remayneth at Hambury certayne After she was translate / knowen it is well The clergy to procession / went after to mas Honoryng and praysyng / the kyng of Israell And blessed Werburge / with moche solace Whan diuine seruice duely ended was The bisshops gaue theyr holy benedictions The people departed glad to their mansions This holy sayd fest of her translacion Was ordeyned and celebrate with solemnite As sayeth Ranulphus in his policronicon About the yere of grace .vii. hundreth and .viii. sothie The .xi. Kalendas of the moneth Iulii Regnyng in mercelande the said Kyng Coelrede Than bysshop of Lichefeld was Hedda / as we rede
Howe the body of saynt Werburge contynued hole / and substanciall at Hambury after the translacion by the space of two hundreth yeres / tyll the danes were comon to this lande / or it felle and was resolued vnto powder The .xxxiii. Chapitre . This rutilant gemme and specious floure Hole and substanciall remayned at Hambury Two hundreth yeres in beaute and colour By singular grace / and angelicall custodye Tyll the danes were comon of malice and misery Of ire and myschief / as we vnderstande We meane the comyng of pagans to this lande Whiche danes by sufferaunce and dispensacion Of almyghty god / for synne and iniquite Punysshed vnpiteously all this region with a wofull plage of great crudelite The sharpe swerde of deth / hauynge no pite Spared no creature / prest nor religious Long tyme duryng in their malice odious Than this vitall glebe by diuine ordinaunce Voluntary permytted naturall resolution Lest the cruell gentils / and wiked myscreauntes With pollute handes full of corrupcion Shulde touche her body / by indignation Whiche pagans were enemyes to our lorde Iesu Rebels to holy churche vnfeithfull and vntrue Howe be it the power of our swete sauyour Myght haue continued the body of his syruant All that longe season in worshyp and honour As he preserued of his grace abundaunt Many sayntes of this realme hole fresshe and veruant viii . hundreth yeres agon / to this present day And like so to endure / hole and clere alway . Sothely to considre / our lorde omnipotent Glorious in his sayntes / scripture doth specifie Of his diuine prouidence / pleasure and intent Some haue resolued / for the greatter glorie Of their resurrection for the tyme truly Some other to continue without corruption To the true example of his promission Many holy martyrs / for Christ haue byn slayne The hie prestis of god murdred cruelly Some with wylde bestes deuoured in certayne Some cast in fiers on cooles to broyle and fry Vpon many other byrdes fedyng openly Of whom the prophet clerely doth reherce The more peyne here and wo / the more glory doubtles . The glorious martyr Stephan ( as is red ) In this present lyfe dyd myracles many Neuertherles / he raised no people that were deed But after the resoluynge of his blessed body He raised deed men to lyfe agayne truely That the great power of lyfe myght sprynge From iniurie of deth / by our heuen kynge . Great was the respect of diuyne grace In the body of Werburge / without resolucion Shewed by her myracles / for mannes helth and solace But greatt{er} was the hope of the eterne reuouacion In her body resolued to naturall consumption Whiche for her merites to this present day Helpeth all her seruantes that to her wyll praye Therfore worshyp me with singular deuocion The holy lyuynge of this virgin gratious For why / all the halowynge of her conuersacion Belongeth to the honour of our lorde Iesus Whiche of his grace hath made her so glorious And graunteth his mercy / and of synne remyssion To all them / for whom / she maketh intercession . Blessed pure virgin / moines and abbasse O venerable werburge / mekely we the pray Make thou supplycacyon / to the graunter of grace After this lyfe present / that all we may Come to heuen blysse / whiche lasteth for ay There to beholde / the gloryous trynyte To whom be laude / worshyp / honour / & endeles glorye .
The table of the seconde boke of the gloryous vyrgyn saynt Werburge . OF the comynge to this lande of paganes / and of the trouble of this lande / and how the kynge of Mercyens for drede departed out of this lande / and how longe saynt Werburge contynued incorrupte and hole at the abbay of Hambury . Ca . i . How the people of Hambury brought the shryne to Chester / and of the solempne receyuynge of it / by all the inhabytauntes of the countre . Ca . ii . A lytell descrypcyon of the fundacyon of Chester / and of the abbay churche within the sayd cytee / where the holy shryne remayneth . Ca . iii . A breue rehersall / of the fyrst fundacyon of the mynster of Cherster / & of the instytucyon of seculer chanous / in the tyme of kynge Edwarde senyor . Ca . iiii . Of the notable myracle of saynt Werburge in the tyme of chanons / and fyrst how she saued Chester from the destruccyon of Walshe men . Ca . v. Howe saynte Werburge cured and healed a woman thre tymes whiche was halt and lame to helthe and prosperite agayne . Cap. vi . Howe saynt Werburge saued and defended Chester from innumerable barbarik nacions purposynge to destroye and spoyle the same cite vtterly . Cap. vii . Howe saynt Werburge by her merite sent fruyte to a barayne Woman by synguler prayer made vnto her . Cap. viii . Howe a woman with childe by peyne brought out of her mynde & reason by saynt Werburge was restaured to prosperite and helthe agayne . Cap. ix . Of another woman vnlaufully wurkyng was made blynde and sore punysshed / and by saint Werburge was restored to syght agayne . Cap. x . Howe saint Werburge restored to helth & prosperite . vi . lame & halt persons by singular grace . Ca . xi . Of a yonge man vnryghtfully hanged was thries delyuered from deth by saynt Werburge to helth and prosperite . Cap. xii . Howe at the maner of Vpton saynt Werburge refrayned wilde horses from distruction of her cornes . ca. xiii . Of a chanō of Chester hauyng his leg broken was restored to helth by saint Werburge his pr̄ones . Ca . xiiii . A breue rehersall or cronicle of certayne kyngis / and howe kyng Edgar came to Chester / also howe erle Leofrice repared diuers churches . Ca . xv . Of the comyng of Willyam conquerour to this lande / & how Lupe was fonder of Chester monastery . ca. xvi . Howe saint Werburge taught her monke to kepe pacience for the greatter merite and glori to come . ca. xvii . Howe sandes rose vp within the salt see ayenst Hilburghde by saint Werburge at the peticion of William constable of Chestre . Ca . xviii . Howe Matild countesse of Chestre counsellynge her husband agaynst the monasterie was drowned at Bart flowe with many other mo . Cap. xix . Howe a great fire like to destroye all Chestre by myracle ceassed whan the holy shryne was borne about the towne by the monkes . Ca . xx . A breue rehersall of the myracles of saynt Werburge after her translacion to Chestre . Ca . xxi . A charitable mocion / coumsel / & desire to al thinhabitant{is} within the countie palatin of Chest{er} for the monastori . ca. xxii . A litle orison or prayer to the blessed virgin saint Werburge by the translatour of this warke . Ca . xxiii . A short conclusion of this litle werke to the reders by the translatour . Ca . xxiiii .
The prologe of the translatour of this lytell treatyse in the seconde boke . NOw whan we consyder / with mynde dylygent The merueylous maners / & synguler condycion Of the comyn people / symple and neclygent Whiche without lytterature / and good informacyon Ben lyke to Brute beestes / as in comparyson Rude / wylde / and boystous / by a prouerbe certan Good maners and conynge / maken a man . Saynt Paule sayth / shewynge to the Romans How all thynge wryten / in holy scrypture Is wryten for our doctryne / and ghostly ordynans For our great conforte / and endeles pleasure All thynge is knowen playnly / by lytterature Morall vertues / be noted by it full playne Frome vyce and neclygence / to abstayne certayne . What were mankynde / without lytterature Full lytell worthy / blynded by ignoraunce The way to heuen / it declareth ryght sure Thrugh perfyte lyuynge / and good perseueraunce By it we may be taught / for to do penaunce Whan we transgresse / our lordes commaundyment It is a swete cordyall / for mannes entent . How shulde the seuen / scyences lyberall Haue ben preserued / vnto this day The wysdome / of the phylosophers all But alone by lernynge / it is no nay The notable actes / of our fathers I say ( yf litterature were nat ) myght nat nowe be tolde Nor auncient histories and cronycles olde The lawe of ciuile / and of holy canon By study be preferred with moche honour To execute iustice / and for due reformacion The most blessed doctrine of our sauiour The actis of the apostoles / with the doctours four Be preserued by wrytyng / and put in memorie With the lyues of saintes many a noble storie Of whiche histories we purpose speciall To speke of saint Werburge / vnder your protection Declaryng the ende of her lyfe historiall As we haue begon / and made playne mencion In the fyrst volume by breue compilacion There playnly descriuyng her liniall discens Of .iiii. myghty kyngdomes by true experience Also we haue shewed in the sayd littell boke Her goodly maners / and vertuous disposicion Of her yonge age / who so lyst theron to loke And howe her bretherne suffred martyrdome Of her fathers realme a litell discripcion Howe she was professed in the place of Ely Of her conuersacion within the sayd monastery After for her vertue / howe she was made abbasse Of diuers monasteries flouryng in vertue And of the great miracles whiche there done was For her great charite / by the grace of Iesu Howe diuers of her kynrede dyd clerely exchewe All wordly pleasures and honours transetory Professynge obedience at the place of Ely Also we haue shewed vnder your licence Of her departure from this lyfe mortall And of her sepulture at the place of Hamburgence The manyfolde myracles shewed by grace supernall The wofull lamentacion of her systers all And howe after .ix. yere of her translacion By diuine ordinaunce miracles were done We humble require you of your charite To this seconde abstract to graunt pardon Consyderynge we omytte whilom the historie And speke of cronicles / makyng a digression It is of no ignoraunce / nor presumption But to enlarge the mater and sentence To gladde the auditours / and moue their diligence In our seconde boke expresse nowe wyll we Vnder your licence and speciall tuicion Of this blessed virgin / flourynge in chastite Why and wherfore she came to Chestre to wne Principally by miracle / and diuine prouision And howe for synne / vice / and wykednes Danes oppressed this lande with wretchednes And howe she was receyued at Chestre citie Of the fyrst foundacion of towne and the place Of the great myracles there shewed openlie To chanons and monkes / by singular grace Vnto euery creature in extreme case Howe Werburge delyuered the towne from enmite From dredfull fire / and plages of miserye Also encronicled foloweth here expresse A brefe compilacion of kynge Edwarde seniour Of kyng Ethelstam / the great worthynes Of humble kyng Ergar regnyng as emperour Of his comyng to Chestre / of his great honour And howe Erle Leofrice repared of his charite The mynstre of Werburge gyuyng therto liberte Of the seconde foundacion of the sayd monastery From secular chanons to monkes religious Soone after the conquest sayth the historye By the erle of Chestre nominar Hug . Lupus With counsell and helpe of blessed Anselmus And of the great compas of the sayd abbay Enuired with walles myghty to assay Howe Ric erle of Chestre by myracle ryght Was preserued from daunger of Walshemen And howe he was drowned about mydnyght Purposyng to distroye the monastery certen Celestiall signes were shewed to men and women To children and innocentes by singular grace Of blessed Werburge patronesse of the place These miracles specified / and many other mo This virgin shewed within Chestre cite Whiche at this tyme we let ouer go Lest to the reders tedious it shulde be Almyghty god both one two and thre Sende vs of theyr grace to make a good ende Helpe lady Werburge this warke to amende
Of the comynge of cruell pagans to this lande / and howe saint Werburge longe lyenge hole and incorrupt at Hambury . than was resolued to pouder . And howe the kynge of merciens was chased from his lande . Ca . i . AFore the comyng of danes to this lande Merueilous signes were shewed in syght To conuert the people ( as we vndestande ) Sterres in the heuen shynyng full bryght Dyuersly mouynge apperyng day and nyght Rennynge in the ayre dredfull to beholde By longe continuaunce sayth the story olde Flamyng fire / dragons in the ayre fleynge Thondryng / and layth / erth quake moost terrible With many other signes / as cometis blasynge Were seen in the ayre / to nature horrible Vpon clothynge of people bloddy dropes odible Euydently appered : the yere of grace vii . hundreth . lxxxvi in many a place By whiche sayd signes wonderfull to se Two plages of pestilence folowed incontinent The first was great derthes hungre and pouerte The seconde was the greuous and sore punysshement Of the cruell danes cursed and fraudulent Whiche trouble began the .iiii. yere of Bricticus Kyng of west saxon / saith maister Alfridus . The thyrde yere folowyng these signes in certen Danes and Norwaies enterprised this lande In the north partie . an hoost of armed men Whiche cruelly spoiled and distroied holy Ilande With Tynmouth abbay / and all that myght be fonde Drowned and slewe the people euerychone Brenned churches / townes / spared no religion In short tyme after the prenominate pagans At tamysmouth reentred this realme agayne Destroyed many cites by their myghty ordynaunce Oppressed London / Canturbury by power certayne The kynge of Merciens to escape was fayne Kyng Adoulfus made the danes a batell To whiche kyng by grace the victorye befell yf ye wyll consydre the cause wherfore and why Our lorde suffred pagans to punysshe this region The treuth was this : for synne specially For in the primatiue churche / with great perfection Kynges / quienes / dukes entred religion Professed obedient chaste without propurte Vertue to encrease / true loue and charite That tyme was iustice ministred with mercy True loue and amite founde in euery place Dissimulacion / pride and fals enuye Durst nat appere in halle nor in palace Extorcion pollynge opteyned no grace The commaundementes of god were obserued a ryght Charite was feruent / encreasynge day and nyght By proces of tyme / as sayth myn auctour Through great possession / power / and liberte Vertue decreased in holy churche day and hour Holy religion decayed pitiousle Charite was colde / iustice and equite Extorcion disceyte were vsed euery day Couetise / pride / lechery were ryued alway Therfore our lorde of his great ryghtwisnes Suffred cruell people to entre this region Ascourge to correct synne and wykednes Like a swarme of bees from dyuers nacion Whiche had no pite mercy nor compassion Danes Gotes Norwayes and scottes also Pictes and the wandeles with mony other mo These foresayd fearfull and cruell nacions Moost cruell pagans dyd great persecucion From the begynnyng of Adelwlf kyng of westsaxons / Tyll the comynge of normans vnto this region The space enduryng by full computacion Two hundreth yeres complet .xxx. also With the swerde of vengeaunce fire and moche wo The yere of our lorde . D . CCC . fyfty and one At Tamysmouth arriued a great hoost of pagans With .iii. hundreth ships and .l. men of armes echone Whiche destroied Douer / and put the land to greuans Agayne Bernulphus the kyng of Mercians The paynyms preuayled / and caused his hoost to fle Whiche fortune enforced them more bolder to be But the yere of grace . D . CCC . sixe and sixtie The greattest noumbre of the pagans all viii . kynges entred this realme by victorie Norwaies / ghotes / Wandels / danes in especiall With many other nacions within in generall Kyng Hingwar and Hubba than came to this lande Whiche slewe saint Edmunde kyng of Estenglande The cruell paynyms and tyrauntes moost furious Repleit with malice / pride / and enuye Seruauntes to satan and ministres malicious Purposed to desolate holy churche wyckedly Brenned monasteries and spoiled vtterly Many churches chapels of a mortall hate Slewe religious men and nonnes dyd violate The people were punysshed in euery place To olde sicke and impotent they shewed no mercy yonge soukyng children coude fynde no grace Wyddowes and wyues were put to vilany Maydens were corrupt / and slayne chamfully So all this realme endured confusion Put to greuous peyne / deth / and affliction After these infidels had ben at London And there accomplisshed theyr cruell entent They soone proceded towarde Lincoln region From thens directly with hasty iugement To the realme of Merciens noble and auncient Right vnto Repton where the kynge lay Robbyng and spoilynge all in theyr way This kynge of Mercelande called Burdredus Regnyng .xxii. yere vpon the merciens Was clerely expulsed by the pagans furious And went vnto rome with pure conscience Where he is buried by diuine prouidence Whiche kyng was cosyn by discent liniall To blessed Werburge so glorious and pudicall This gracious virgin and preelect abbasse Buried at Hambury ( as is sayd before ) Continued incorrupt and hole in that place In vesture and body .ii. hundreth yere and more But whan the danes came with suche rigour To Repton abbay / than she was resolued And of deuocion full richely shryned
Howe the people of Hambury brought the shryne to Chestre / and of the solemne receyuyng of it by all the inhabitauntes of Chesshyre . Cap. ii . IN meane tyme the danes pitously destroyed The monasteries of Werburge / Trentā & Wedō As they many other places had euyll oppressed In the north and eest part of this region The kyngdome of Kent suffred lyke punicion The I le of Wyght endured moche turment So dyd the Westmarches / for punysshement The people of Hambury Wysely consyderyng The comynge of danes vnto Repton And of the departure of Burdred theyr kyng Howe all Englande was in great affliction And howe they were next to endure punicion Whiche forsayd Repton was distaunt from Hambury The space of .v. mile sayth the history The Hamburgens̄ with all the comons and clergy Dredynge full sore the pagans flagellacions Of their lyues desperate / but for the shryne specially To our blessed sauiour made dayly inuocacions With vigils prayers and feruent meditacions To preserue the countrey / the relique / the shryne From daunger of enmite and miserable ruyne As they continued in cotidian prayer The best remedie sekyng for to fynde To auoide vexacion and all greuous daunger Of theyr great ennemies cursed and vnkynde The holy goost inspired theyr mynde To take the shryne with great humilite And brynge it to Chestre from perill and enmyte They toke this triall relique of reuerence With great mekenes deuocion and feruour Through the grace of god theyr helpe and defence Came towarde Chester with diligence and honour A place preordinat by our sauoiur Where her body shulde rest and worshipped be Magnified with miracles next our ladie Whan the clergie of Chestre and the citezens Herde tell of the comynge of this noble abbasse They made preparacion and great diligence In theyr best maner worship and solace To mete this relique of singular grace The great estates / and rulers of the countray Were redy to honour saint Werburge that day First was ordeyned a solemne procession With crosses / and baners / and surges clere lyght The belles were tolled for ioye and deuocion The ministres of god in coopes redy dight With censours of siluer / to encense her body right All prestis and clerkes redy to say and synge Proceded in ordre / this holy virgin praysyng Next to the clergie approched in degree The lordes of the shyre knyghtes barons all With feruent deuocion / praysyng the trinite Whiche sent to them suche comfort spirituall The citezens ensued with gladnes cordiall With bokes and beades / magnifieng our maker For this great treasure to kepe them from daunger Venerable virgins next sette in ordre clere With lilies in theyr handes coronate with chastite Good widowes and wyues appoynted well were Gyuynge true thankes vnto this virgin fre Nex them assemble all the commonte In all goodly maner dyuised by discrecion Praysynge saynt Werburge with humiliacion Whan they approched to her hie presence And comon were afore this relique most riall They kneled all downe with mycle reuerence Salutynge the shryne with honour victoriall Magnifiyng with melodye and tunys musicall This glorious virgin / nothyng done amis Syngynge Te deum to the kyng of blysse The lordes / the citezins / and all the commons Mekely submytted them selfe to the shryne With manyfolde prayses and humble supplicacions With interiour loue / and morall discipline Tru●●yng all in her to saue them from ruyne From greuous daunger / and cruell enmite By her entercession vnto the trinite They gaue due thankes vnto this abbasse Deuoutly sayenge knelyng vpon kne Welcome swete lady replet with grace The floure of mekenes / and of chastite The cristall of clennes and virginite Welcome thou art to vs euerychone A speciall comfort for vs to trust vpon Welcome swete princesse / kynges doughter dere Welcome faire creature / and rose of merciens The diamonde of dignite / and gemme shenyng clere Virgin and moiniall of mycle excellence Welcome holy abbasse of hie preeminence The rutilant saphire of syncerite Welcome swete patronesse to Chestre cite Thou art our refuge / and singular succour Our sure tuicion next to the trinite Our speciall defence at euery hour To releue thy seruauntes in all necessite Thou art our solace and helpe in eche degre Our ioye / trust / and comfort / and goostly treasure Welcome to this towne for euer to endure Agaynst her comynge into Chestre cite The stretes were strawed with flours fragrant The mancions and halles edified rialle Were hanged with arras precious and pleasaunt Torches were caried on eche syde flagrant Also ouer the shryne was prepared a canaby Of cloth of golde and tissewe riche and costly Thus with great worship decour and dignite Of all the clergie lordis and citezens She was receyued with great humilite Into the cite with humble reuerence The clergie syngyng with mycle diligence The comons prayeng with loue feruent Folowynge this relique after their entent In procession they passed all in to the towne With ioye and great gladnes ye may be sure In ordre togyther in charite and deuocion Praysyng our sauiour and this virgin pure They brought full solemple with gostly peasure This riall relique to the moost noble place Within all the cite as our lordes wyll was This seconde translacion of this virgin bright From Hambury abbay vnto Chestre cite Was celebrate with ioye and gladnes full right The yere of our saueour in his humanite viii . hundreth complet .v. and seuentie Alured regned than kyng of this region Victorious and liberall / coronate at London This kyng deuyded in .iiii. partes his richesse One parte to the poore the seconde to religion The thyrde part to scholers / the fourth to bild churches And of a day naturall / he made trium diuision viii . houres to rede and praye with feruent deuocion viii . houres occupied with businesse naturall And other .viii. houres to rule his realme riall Henric . lio . v. Nobilitas innata tibi probitas honorem Armipotens Alurede dedit / probitasque laborem : Perpetuumque labor nomen : cui mixta dolori Gaudia semper erant : spes semper mixta timori . Si modo victus erat / ad crastina bella parabat Si modo victor erat / ad crastina bella pauebat . Iam post transactos regni viteque labores / Christe ei sit vera quies / sceptrumque perenne .
A litel descripcion of the foundacion of Chestre / and of the abbay churche within the sayd cite / where the holy shryne by grace remayneth . Cap. iii . Two cites of legions in cronicles we fynde One in south Wales / in the tyme of Claudius Called Caeruska / by britons had in mynde Or els Caerleon / buylded by kyng Belinus Where somtyme was a legion of knyghtes chiualrous This cite of legions was whilom the bysshops se Vnto all south wales / nominat Wenedocie Another cite of legions we may fynde also In the west part of Englande / by the water of Dee Called Caerlleon of britons longe ago After named Chestre by great auctorite Iulius the emperour sende to this sayd cite A legion of knyghtes / for to subdue Irelande Like wyse dyd Claudius ( as we vnderstande ) The founder of Chestre / as sayth Policronicon Was Lleon Gauer / a myghty stronge gyaunt Whiche buylded caues and dongions many one No goodly buyldyng / propre ne pleasaunt But the Kynge Leil a briton sure and valiaunt Was founder of Chestre by pleasaunt buyldyng And of Caerleil also / named by the kynge Ranulphus in his cronicle yet doth expresse The cite of Chestre edified for to be By the noble romans prudence and richesse Whan a legion of knyghtes was sende to the cite Rather than by the wysdome of Britons or policie Obiectyng clere agaynst the britons fundacion Whiche auctour resteth in his owne opinion . Ao gratie . lxv . Kyng Marius a bryton regnyng in prosperite In the West partie of this noble region Ampliat and walled strongly Chestre cite And myghtyly fortified the sayd foundacion Thus eche auctour holdeth a singular opinion This Marius slewe Reodric kyng of pictis lande Callyng the place of his name Westmarilande This cite of legions so called by the Romans Nowe is nominat in latine of his proprete Cestria quasi castria / of honour and pleasance Proued by the buyldynge of olde antiquite In cellers and lowe voultes / and halles of realte Lyke a comly castell / myghty stronge and sure Eche house like a toure somtyme of great pleasure Vnto the sayd Chestre all northwales subiect were For reformacion Iustice and iugement Theyr bysshops see also it was many a yere Enduryng the gouernaunce of brutes auncient To saxons and britons a place indifferent The inhabitauntes of it manfull and liberall Constant sad and vertuous / and gentyll continuall Of frutes and cornes there is great habundaunce Woddes / parkes / forestes / and beestis of venare Pastures / feeldes / comons / the cite to auaunce Waters / pooles / pondes / of fysshe great plente Most swete holsome ayre by the water of dee There is great marchandise / shyps / and wynes strang With all thyng of pleasure the citezens amonge The yere of our lorde a hundreth sixe and fyfty Reigned vpon this lande a briton kyng Lucius Whiche with great desire required instantly His realme to be baptized of pope Elenthertus Whose charitable mocion was harde full gratius The pope enioyed / graunted his peticion And sende .ii. doctours to conuerte this region The doctours by prechyng and singular grace In short tyme conuerted the greatter Britayne The people confessed their synne and trespase Baptized all were / forgyuenes dyd attayne Idolatrie cessed through out this lande certayne With grace circumsulced and lyghtned was England By faith to god professed was all Wales and scotlande Kynge Lucius ordeyned by the doctours mocio● xxviii . bisshops in this realme for to be And .iii. archebisshops for gostly exhortacion To reduce the people to vertue and humilite At London was set the chief archebisshops se The seconde in south Wales at cite of legions The thyrde was at yorke all subiect to the britons Churches were edified in many a place Here in the more Britayne with diligent labour Christ is faith encreased by speciall grace Faithfull religion delated euery hour Diuine seruice was songon & sayd with great honour True faith and deuocion were dayly encreasynge Namely in Chestre by grace continuall abidynge Certaynly sith baptym came to Chestre cite Soone after Lucius and afore kynge Arthure By the grace of god and their humilite The faith of holy churche dyd euer there endure Without recidiuacion and infection / sure Wherfore it is worthy a singular commendacion Aboue all the citees and townes of this region The perfect begynnyng and fyrst foundacion Of the monasterie within the sayd cite Was at the same tyme by famus opinion That baptym began within this countre The great lordes of Chestre of landes and auncetre First edified the churche for comfort spirituall In honour of the apostels Peter and Paule Whiche churche was principall to all the citie And the mouther churche called withouten doubt It was their buriall by great auctorite To all this sayd cite / and .vii. myle without The cemiterie was large to compasse it about But what by sufferaunce and processe of tyme Many olde customes ben brought now to ruyne In whiche mother churche of Peter and Paule All holy sacramentes ministred dayly were With great encreasement of vertues all Continuall endurynge more than . CCC . yere In the britons tyme / of blodde noble and clere Afore the comyng of saxons to this lande Whiche with apostasie enserted all Englande So after that the Angles / Iutes / and saxons By fortune of batell / power and policie Had clerely subdued all the olde britons And them expulsed to wales and wylde countre The faith of holy churche remayned at chestre cite In the sayd chu●che conely by singular grace alone Like as the faith of Peter neuer f●yled at Rome What tynie saint Austin the doctour of Englande Had baptized Ethelbrut kynge of Kent And by relacion dyd fully vnderstande That the faith of Christ most digne and excellent In the citie of legions was truely remanent In the churche of the apostoles Peter and Paule He magnified our lorde with thanke speciall That season there was a noble monasterie xii . myles from Chestre nominate Bangour Where religious monkes lyued vertuouslye Almost .iii. thousande / obedient euery hour Without possessions / lyuyng by theyr labour Vnto whiche place he sende for helpe at nede To conuert the saxons ( sayth venerable Bede ) Saynt Austin approched the cite of legions Where the sayd couent afore hym were present Whom he required to preche to the saxons The faith of holy churche and baptym diligent To whose humble prayer / they were disobedient Obseruyng no charite / yet for theyr great pride Many of them were slayne by kyng Ethelfride That season the britons remayned vnder licence Of Angles and saxons within the sayd cite Tyll the dayes of Offa kynge of merciens Regnyng in the west marche with great victorie Whiche kynge expulsed by power and chiualrie All brutes and walshemen clere out of his londe In peyne of punysshement none there to be fonde Whan the said churche hauynge great liberte Dayly augmented in vertue and holynes Prestis and clerkes praysed the holy trinite And the sayd apostoles with great mekenes The cite encreased in worshyp and ryches Churches were edified with feruent deuocion In sondrie places within the sayd towne This noble kyng Offa agaynst the pagans Of .xvii. batels had euer the victorye Confederate was with great Charles kyng of Fraunce / And edified saint Albans monasterye Of Englande first toke the hole monarchie Gaue Peter pens vnto the court of Rome Translate to Lichefeld the se of Canturbury xxxix . yere regned fully in this region .
A brefe rehersall of the first foundacion of the mynstre of Chestre / and of the institucion of secular chanons in the tyme of kyng Edwarde senior . Cap. iiii . THe yere of grace . D . CCC . seuynte and fyue Kyng Alured regned vnpon this region The relique the shryne full memoratyue Was brought to Chestre for our consolacion Reuerently receyued set with deuocion In the mouther churche of saint Peter and Paule ( As afore is sayd ) a place moost principall In whiche holy place vnto this present day She bodilye resteth by diuine prouidence And so by his grace shall continue alway In honour worshyp / and mycle reuerence A deuout oratorie of vertue and excellence Prepared by our lorde / where speciall remedy Is agayne all greuans in soule and in body The primatyue gyftes gyuen to the place Immediatly were after her comynge Of deuout people replet with grace In the dayes of the forsayd Alured kyng Of landes and libertes they made moche offerynge To god and saint Werburge / after theyr possession Tristyng to her prayer and sure protection The people with deuocion and mynde feruent Gaue diuers enormentes vnto this place Some gaue a coope / and some a vestement Some other a chalice / and some a corporace Many albes and other clothes offred ther was Some crosses of golde / some bokes / some belles The pore folke gaue surges / torches / and towelles The citezens offered to the sayd virgine For the great miracles amonge them wrought Many riall gyftes of Iewels to the shrine Thankynge our lorde that hath vs all bought And blessed Werburge in worde dede and thought Women and children she mynded full gracious As testifieth the archebisshop Antoninus Diuine seruice was obserued deuoutly Euery day encreasyng with feruent adoracion As the feest required / and the solemnite To the honour of our lorde and hie glorificacion Preistis and clerkes with pure meditacion Obseruynge their dutie gaue vertuous example Of great perfection to the comon people After kyng Alured / regned his son Edward senior by liniall discence Crowned the yere of grace .ix. hundreth and one with wordly glorie and great preeminence Buylded castels townes of myghty defence Subdued the danes .vii. tymes in batell Encreased his realme manfully and well That tyme the realme of merciens was translate By the kynge / and gyuen to duke Ethelrede A noble man of auncetre / politicke and fortunate Whiche maried his syster lady Elflede Doughter to the forsaid valiant kynge Alurede The sayd gentilman was wyse and vertuous Sad and discrete pacient and famous This lady Elflede duchesse of merciens Had speciall loue and singular affection To blessed Werburge and true confidence Wherfore she mynded with great dilectacion To edifie a mynstre a place of deuocion To this holy virgin for profite of her soule Enlargynge the churche of Peter and of Paule She moued her husbande with great mekenes To supplie the same dede of his charite And diuers other nobles of theyr goodnes For aide in that cause after their degree Ioyfull was the duke of the mocion gostle Glad were the nobles within all the shire To founde a mynstre after her desire Afore the holy roode in a table writen is At saint Iohans churche without the sayd cite Howe that prince Edmund the thyrde son ewis Of Edwarde senior true foundour shulde be To whom lady Elflede was aunt by auncetre So betwix twayne was founded in short space An holy mynstre of vertue full and grace They sende for masons vpon euery syde Counnynge in geometrie / the foundacion to take For a large mynstre longe hie and wyde Substancially wrought / the best that they can make To the honour of god / for saynt Werburge sake At the est ende taken theyr sure foundacion Of the apostoles churche / ioynynge both as one Whan it was edified / and curiously wrought And all thyng ended / in goodly proporcion Than riche enormentes were offred and brought Of the said nobles with great deuocion Temporall landes / rentes / possession Were gyuen for euer to mayntayne the place Of blessed Werburge by singular grace Spirituall ministres were elect also Secular chanons of great humilite To synge and psalmodise our sauiour vnto Within the sayd mynstre hauynge a perpetuite Prebendes were assigned to that fraternite With townes / borowes / and fredomes manifest Continually encreasyng vnto the conquest And the olde churche of Peter and of Paule By a generall counsell of the spiritualte With helpe of the duke moost principall Was translate to the myddes of the sayd cite Where a paresshe churche was edified truele In honour of the aforesayd apostoles twayne Whiche shall for euer by grace diuine remayne Also we may note holdyng none opinion This lady Elflede of her charite Of the sayd mother churche translate the patron Caused the sayd oratorie reconciled to be In the honour of the most blessed trinite And of saynt Oswalde martyr and kyng For the loue she had to hym continuynge The yere of our lorde .ix. hundreth and .viii. This noble duchesse with mycle royalte Reedified Chestre / and fortified it full ryght Churche / house / and wall decayed piteousle Thus brought vnto ruyne was Chestre cite First by Ethelfride kyng of Northumberlande And by danes / norwaies vexyng all Englande Also she enlarged this sayd olde cite With newe myghty walles stronge all about Almost by proporcion double in quantite To the forther byldynge brought without dout She compassed in the castell enemies to hold out Within the sayd Walles to defend the towne Agaynst danes and walshemen to dryue them all downe After the deth of her husband Ethelrede She ruled the realme of mercelande manfully Buylded churches / and townes repared in dede As Staford / Warwike / Thomwort / and Shirisbury Of neweshe edified Runcorn̄ and Edisbury The body of saynt Oswald also she translate From Bardeney to Gloucetur there to be tumulate Where she edified a noble monastery With licence of her brother afore nominate In honour of saint Peter / ouer the blessed body Of the sayd saint Oswald / kyng and martyr coronate In wiche monastery this lady was tumulate The yere of our lorde .ix. hundreth and nyntene Whom myn auctour prayseth in this wordes serene Henric . li . v. O Elfleda potens / o terror virgo virorum : Victrix nature nomine digna viri . Te quoque splendidior fecit natura puellam Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri . Te mutare docet sed solum nomina sexus Tu regina potens / rexque trophea parans Iam nec cesarei tant{er} meruere triumphi Caesare splendidior virgo virago . Vale .
Of the notable myracles of saynt Werburge shewed in the tyme of chanons / and fyrst howe she saued Chest{er} from distruction of walshemen Cap. v. THis glorious Werburge and virgin pure By singular grace of god omnipotent Shewed many myracles to euery creature To blynde / dombe halt / lame / and impotent In the cite of Chestre / whan her shryne was present Like wyse as in her lyfe at Wedon / at Hambury Witneseth the same her true legende and history Where to the honour / prayse / and laudacion Of Iesu / the seconde persone in trinite And of this virgin a speciall commendacion We purpose to reherse nowe with charite Vnder the protection of you that shall the reders be Parte of the myracles / with mynde diligent In this humble stile / and sentence consequent The first myracle / that our blessed sauiour Shewed for his spouses / after her translacion To Chestre : was nye the tyme of Edwarde seniour Son to kyng Alured famous of renowne The Name of britons was chaunged that season Were named walshemen in the montaynes segregate Euer to the saxons hauynge inwarde hate The Walshemen that tyme had ouer them a kyng Called Griffinus / to be theyr gouernour Electe by the comons their appetite folowyng Endurate with malice / couetise and rancour Ennemies to englisshemen / as is said before This kyng entended by mortall enuy The cite of Chestre to spoyle and disfrye A myghty host discended from the mountans Well armed and strongely approchyng the cite Prepared for batell with them great ordinaunce The sayd Griffinus and all his company With his power passed ouer the water of De●… Whiche ryuer adioynneth to the sayd towne Betwene Englande and Wales a sure diuision This kynge layd siege vnto Chestre cite With all his great host / there honour to wyn By policie of warre / encreasynge myghtyle For whiche the citezens remaynyng within were sore disconsolate like for to twyn With wofull heuy hartes they dyd call and crye Vpon blessed Werburge for helpe and remedye The charitable chanons with great deuocion Toke the holy shryne of theyr patrones Set it on the towne walles for helpe and tuicion Trustynge on her to be saued from distres But one of the ennemyes with great wyckednes Smot the sayd shryne in castyng of a stone And it empaired / piteous to loke vpon Anone great punysshement vpon them all lyght The kyng and his host were smytten with blyndnes That of the cite / they had no maner of syght And he that smote the holy shryne doubtles Was greuously vexed with a sprite of darkenes And with hidous payne expired miserably The kynge was sore a dred / and all his company Shortly the kynge remoued his great host Departed from the cite without any praye And gaue in commaundement in euery coost Saynt Werburge landes to meynteyne alway Assigned her possessions euer after that day With the signe of the crosse a token euident In pleasyng this virgin / for drede of punysshement .
Howe saynt Werburge cured and healed a woman thre tymes ( whiche was halte and lame ) to helth and {pro}sperite agayne . Cap. vi . IN the cite of Chestre ( the legende doth expresse ) An honest matrone dwelled / Eagida nominat Whiche by continuaunce / and payne of sickenes Was made halt and lame / of helth all desperate yet to saynt Werburge her hart was eleuate Instantly required with humble supplicacion This holy virgin for helth / and preseruacion Anone by the merite of this lady clere The pacient restored to helth and prosperite Gaue honour and thankes to Werburge and prayer Entendyng euer after her true seruaunt to be And truely continue lyuyng in pure chastite But shortly she brake her promesse made in syght Folowyng her appetite and carnall lustes full ryght She had great riches welth and prosperite And maried with pleasure after her entencion Where thries she endured her olde infirmite And thries was cured by meke intercession To helth of body from peynfull contraction Thus by the merite of this virgin pure She was deliuered from peyne thries to pleasure This forsayd Gadgide prudently ponderyng These notable miracles with her gostly eye Gaue great commendacion and speciall thankyng To almyghty god / with feruent humilite And to saynt Werburge knelynge on kne Came to her oratorie and gaue an oblacion To the holy shryne with singular deuocion
Howe saynt Werburge saued Chestre from innumerable barbarike nacions / purposynge to distroye and spoyle the sayd cite vtterly Cap. vii . AN other tyme innumerable barbarike nacions Came to spoyle Chestre to robbe it and distry ( Sayth the historye ) from diuers regions Harolde kyng of danes / the kynge of gotes & galwedy Maucolyn of Scotlande and all theyr company With baners displayed well armed to fyght Theyr tentes rially in hoole heth were pyght They set theyr ordinaunce agaynst the towne Vpon euery side / timorous for to se Namely at the northgate they were redy bowne By myght police to haue entred the cite The citezens dredyng to be in captiuite Made intercession vnto this holy abbasse For theyr deliueraunce in suche extreme case The deuout chanons sette the holy shryne Agaynst theyr enemies at the sayd northgate Trustynge to Werburge to saue them from ruyne And shewe some myracle to them disconsolate For the citezens were of their lyues desperate Passynge mannes mynde to escape theyr daunger But all only by merite of this virgin clere As the kynges were sautynge this forsayd cite Trustyng for a praye to haue it euery hour One of the sayd ennemies replet with iniquite Nat worshyppyng the virgin / nor dredyng our sauiour Smote this riall relique with a stone in his rancour Brake therof a corner curiously wrought Cast all to the grounde : than sorowe came vnsought The sayd malefactour nat passynge the place Vexed with the deuill for his greuous offence Roryng and yellyng his outragious trespase Tore his tonge a sonder in wodely violence Miserable exspired afore them in presence Satan ceased nat to shewe great punysshement Vpon his soule and body / by signes euident These kynges considerynge this soden vengeaunce Amonge them all lyght so soone and hastely Shortly remoued theyr great ordinaunce Departed from the cite with theyr company Callyng on this virgin fast for grace and mercy Promyttynge neuer after to retourne agayne To disquiete her seruauntes and cite in certayne
Howe saynt Werburge by her merite sent frute to a barrayne woman by syngular prayer made vnto her The .viii. chapitre . A Noble gentilman / a consul in office Descendyng of the hie and riall blodde of costy Elected a spouses at his owne deuice A swete faire gentil woman curtes and comly Nominat Iudith / ioynned to hym in matrimony With whom this lady lyued a longe season Barrayn and fruteles of generacion She daily lamented her great wretchednes As woman infortunate full of miserye Prayed to saynt Werburge with interiour mekenes For remedy and helpe agaynst that wofull infamye Desired to haue issue and frute of her bodye If it pleased god / and this virgin also Most greattest comfort to brynge her hert from wo Saynt Werburge appered to her in vision In white bright vesture / clere as the cristall Expressynge wordes of great consolacion Most ioyfull to Iudith to make rehersall Commaundyng her by the effect speciall To go to her churche with singular deuocion And praye our sauiour with humble supplicacion Also for to compasse her holy aulter With a linen cloth / knelyng on herkne And after for to take the same cloth in fer And compas her wombe about reuerentle This Iudith was ioyfull / and rose vp yerle And truely fulfylled this gostly vision From thens departed to her propre mancion Soone after this wyfe afore rehersed Conceyued a childe and had succession Praysyng this virgin in hart worde and dede And after the tyme of her purificacion Of the same faire cloth she made oblacion Richely set in syluer / well wrought in compas With many riche enormentes she sende to this place After came her selfe vnto the monastery With many of her neyghbours / ther nye dwellyng Praysyng and laudyng this glorious lady With cordiall thankynges makyng theyr offeryng Of this great myracles true witnes bearyng Departed from the place with ioy and deuocion All the sayd company / eche to theyr mancion .
Of a woman great with childe with peyne brought out of her wytte / by saynt Werburge was restoured to reason agayne . Cap. ix . IN the prouince of Chestre / knowen it is of olde A certayne man dwelled / of great honeste Whiche had a doughter disposed manyfolde To sondrye vertues / clennes / and humilite This humble mayde ioyned was in matrimonye To an honest yong man / of whom she conceyued And was great with childe / openly perceyued Whan the tyme approched of her deliueraunce Vexed she was with mycle wo and payne Continually enduryng / with suche hidous greuaunce That out of her mynde she went incertayne All phisike and medicyns were founde to her in vayne No comfort in erth helpe nor remedye For hee myght be founde in suche extremite Her father and mother / and her frendes all Brought theyr dere doughter with great deuocion To saynt Werburge churche / requiryng speciall This blessed virgin / with humble intercession To helpe the pacient from all vexacion Promyttynge an oblacion to this lady bryght Whan she vnto reason were comen a ryght And as she slepped at the aulter ende Wofully cruciat with peynes hiduous Passyng mannes cure it for to amende Anone by the merite of this virgin glorious She was released from all payne greuous And fully restored to her reason agayne Had good deliueraunce / and spedde well in certayne Whiche myracle knowen / her frendes euerychone And all the good matrons of the sayd cite Came holly togyther with theyr oblacion To the holy shryne thankyng with hart fre This blessed virgin of her benignite Whiche is so redy a mediatrice alway To helpe her true seruauntes both nyght and day
Howe an other woman vnlaufully wurkynge was made blynde / and by saynt Werburge restored was to her syght agayne . Cap. x . Within the same cite afore the abbay gate Dwelled a woman / which brake the commaundement Of god and holy churche / hye sabbot day dyd violate Vnlaufully wurkynge : wherfore great punysshement Fell vpon this woman with peynes equiualent Sodaynly smytten / wurkynge full busely With greuous blyndes / and mycle miserye This woman consyderynge her syght was gone The pleasure of this worlde her helpe and succour Hauynge to lyue by / small riches or none Cried maynly out out alas euery hour Wo is me wretche fulfylled with dolour Alas I was borne to abyde this wofull day My maker to displease / alas what shall I say ? She called to memorie with hye discrecion The myracles that Werburge shewed to mankynde By grace she repented / with suche contricion That water distilled from her eyes blynde Dolefully lamentynge / that she was so vnkynde Ruthfully was brought to Werburge oratory Trustyng in this virgin to haue remedy As she continued in her supplicacion Wofully wepynge / abidyng the great grace Of blessed Werburge / with singular inuocacion Anone she was cured to helth and solace Restored to her eye sight / she passed the place Praysed our lorde and this virgin pure Was a holy woman after ye may be sure .
How saint Werburge restored to helth and {pro}sperite vi . lame and halt {per}sons by singular grace . Cap. xi . THe excellent fame of this glorious lady Dilated was through all this region Manifest by myracles full honorably Therfore from diuers partes came many a person For helth of body and gostly conuersacion Some to be cured from payne intollerable And some of olde sores that were incurable Amonge whom there came vnto her place Sire wofull persones / cured for to be Halt blynde and lame besekyng her of grace With humble supplicacion vpon them haue pite With wepynge treares sayenge / o souerayn ladie O imperiall princesse / and kynges doughter dere Heele our disease by thy instant prayer O blessed virgin and holy moiniall O glorious abbasse / and worthy gouernour O pereles parens and ministre spirituall O celestiall gemme resplendent with honour Praye for vs wretches vnto our sauiour That we may opteyne here mercy and grace Cured of our sekenes / after to se thy face Thy name transcendeth this realme swete lady Thy myracles magnifien thy great goodnes Thy worshyp encreaseth with honour and glorie Daily euermore through thy great holynes Shewe nowe thy power / cure vs from sekenes That by the we may prayse the kyng of blis As thou hast cured many one or this By these meke prayers / in hert full penitent And many other orisons sayd priuatly Callyng on this virgin with deuocion feruent For certayne / or they passed the monastery They were all cured from peyne and malady In wytnes wherof / and triall as it was Theyr staues remayned longe after in the place
Howe a yonge man thries hanged vnlaufully Was thries delyuered by saynt Werburge from dethe to lyfe and lyberte . Cap. xii . ALmyghty god gaue in commaundement By moises lawe / to his people echone No innocent to slee by wrongfull iudgement Nor causeles to punysshe by greuous oppression Also to beware of lyght suspection Wherof a myracle we shall nowe expresse Done in Chestre cite by Werburge theyr patronesse A certayne yonge man dwelled in the cite Honest in maners / and of good conuersacion Disposed to vertue and humilite Was arrest and taken of a lyght suspicion By the officers and rules of the sayd towne Gyltles accused most innocently Condemned and iudged to deth shamfully After sentence gyuen / ministres were all redy Vpon the iudgement to do execucion He was fettred and brought to the gebbet by and by And as a stronge thefe hanged thervpon His frendes and cosyns for hym made great mone Alas what tonge myght expresse the wo They made that tyme departynge hym fro And as this innocent hang in his payne He called to mynd the manyfolde goodnes The myracles of Werburge shewed her certayne Howe she had saued many in great distres So whan he myght no wordes expresse In mynde he required her / and humblie dyd pray From shamfull deth to saue hym that day Whan all the officers departed were thens Supposynge the soule seperate from the body A white done descended afore them in presence And lyght vpon the gebbet immediatly The byrde with his byll brake the rope truely The prisoner escaped that tyme from deth Shortly reuiuynge toke naturall breth Whiche thynge notified so meruailous in syght The ministers returned / theyr labour in vayne Toke this innocent by power and myght Vpon the sayd gebbet hanged hym agayne Thus he was delyuered by myracle from payne The tortuous turmentours cessed their tyrranny Permytted the prisoner to go at liberte Whiche myracle knowen / his frendes and cosyns all Returned agayne with glad mynde and chere The prisoner mette them louyng god in speciall And blessed Werburge in his best manere The deuout citezens approched them nere Went all to the shryne the virgin thankyng The belles were tolled for ioy of this thyng
Howe at the maner place of Vpton saint Werburge restrayned wyld horses from distruction of cornes put in by theyr ennemyes . Cap. xiii . ALso the thyrde season approched to Chestre cite Many cruell ennemyes in the part of Wirall Purposyng to spoyle and distroy all the countre The people and theyr frutes / theyr corne and catall The citezens dredyng to be captyue and thrall Fortified the cite with men of armes bright Hauynge sure artillarie for to defende and fight The husbandes of the countrey about there dwellyng Agaynst the sayd ennemyes makyng sore prouysion Brought their corne & cattell / their husold remaynynge In assurance to be / to the parke of Vpton Saynt Werburge landes from all distruction Whiche parke from Vpton was distaunt a myle space A prebende to a chanon of her mynstre and place These Wycked ennemies fulfylled with malice Agaynst all conscience and ordre of charite In no maner wise dredynge the hie iustice Entred the sayd parke with mycle cruelte Pulled downe the paale at pleasure and liberte Put in theyr horses made great distruction Of cornes and catell of a hie presumpcion Werburge remembrynge theyr great wyckednes Theyr malice and myschief agaynst her possession By myracle shewed her power and goodnes Preseruynge her seruauntes from all vexacion And punysshyng her ennemies with great affliction As she hath done many seasons or this By mean to her spouse our lorde kyng of blis Whan the corne sheuys laye broken afore them playne The horses had no power any part to take For why ? by myracle / theyr heedes all in certayne Were vp holden in the ayre / theyr bodyes sore dyd quake They touched no frutes / wast they dyd none make Of the principall doers / some raged out of mynde Some smetyn with palsy / some lepre halt and blynde Whiche punysshement knowen vnto all the host The rulers and captens without any delaye Knyt agayne the sheuys / that none shulde be lost With tremblynge hartes humbly began to praye This holy virgin to saue them that daye Vpon a condicion / escapynge from payne Endurynge theyr lyfe neuer to turne agayne From that tyme furth ther dar no nacion Consyderyng the power of this virgin pure Approchyng Chestre cite to make derogacion Denmarke Goet nor Galway scot ye may be sure Cruell danes nor walshemen dare nat procure Wherfore the citezens haue cause to loue the place And thanke this virgin for her helpe and grace
Howe a chanon of Chestre hauyng his leg and thie broken was restaured to helth by saynt Werburge hys patronesse . Cap. xiiii . Within Chestre mynstre that holy place Dwelled a chanon nominate Vlminus Sad of disposicion by syngular grace Humble and pacient / discrete and vertuous Liberall and honest / gentyll and piteous And for a pastyme this was his pleasure To hunt and to hauke to confort nature And as this chanon rode for his solace On huntyng with other honest company By fortune vnfrendly / the more pite was Both horse and man fell to grounde sodendly In perill of theyr lyues standynge in ieoperdye The horse downe lyenge oppressed the chanon Brake his leg a sondre / with blod great effusion Whan by his company the chanon was vp take He fell in a swowne for anguisshe wo and payne All wordly riches redy to forsake For one hour of quietnes to be had agayne Vnto his mancion they brought hym certayne Where he continued in mycle wo and langour Abydyng all only the mercy of our sauiour Counnyng surgeans were sought vpon euery syde To cure this gentylman from penalite But none of them / by wysdome coude prouyde Clerely to heele hym / and do hym remedye Thus he remediles / in extreme ieopardye Prayed to saynt Werburge his patronesse For helth and remedye / of her great goodnesse Whose humble prayer with inward loue feruent Was graciously harde of her charite For right soone after appered euident A byrde like a doue most clere for to see Into the chanons chambre the byrde flow trule Among the company / and anone doubtles The place was repleit with odour and swetnes Soone after the company euerichone Were sadly on slepe a thynge meruaylous And afore the pacient by playne vision Saynt Werburge appered in his syght full glorious Sayeng : my chaplayne and seruaunt vertuous Why be ye absent from diuine seruice Nat doynge your dutie accordyng to iustice Madame he sayd / and swete president It is well knowen to all the cite Of my mysfortune and harmes euydent Howe my horse almost had oppressed me Wherfore an impotent I endure mysere It is no feyned cause / that I do expresse I beseke you of helpe nowe swete maistres Saynt Werburge euer piteous and merciable Vpon her seruantes in great distresse Conforted her chaplayne with wordes delectable Proued in effect by her excellent goodnes To his syght and felynge as he dyd expresse She touched the foote that sore and broken was Cured it holly from payne by singular grace Whan she had cured thus this impotent Anone she departed out of his syght The chanon gaue honour to god omnipotent And to this virgin and lady bryght Of this gostly vision comfort and lyght All peyne was past sekenes vexacion Helth was come by playne probacion The chanon rose vp the same mydnyght And went to mattens as custome was His bretherne were glad with all theyr myght Praysed our lorde of his singular grace And Werburge patrones of the sayd place Also with honour reuerence and humilite The bretherne sange te deum solemle
A brefe rehersall of certayne kynges / and how kyng Edgar came to Chestre . Also howe Leofrice Erle of Chestre repared diuers churches . Cap. xv . After the decesse of kynge Edwarde seniour Ethelstan his sonne was coronate at London Kyng of this lande / regnyng in honour With power regalite by true succession Valeant in chiualry and actes euerychone Subdued danes / scottes / norwayes / britons all Opteyned triumphe / and dignite imperiall The fourth yere of his reigne / and the yere of grace viii . hundreth .ii. and seuenty by full computacion Guy erle of Warwike by fortune slayne hase Colbrond the gyaunt / floure of danes nacion The sayd kyng Ethelstan by power and renowne Thries subdued danes / and slewe the kyng of Irelande Nominat prince Anlaff . as we vnderstande This noble Ethelstan was good and gracious To all holy churche namely to religion Ryghtfull in iudgement / liberall and piteous To his true subiectes through his dominion To mynstres and holy places had great affection Confirmed theyr foundacions with libertes clere Whose noble actes be touched a lytell here Regia progenies produxit nobile stemma . Cum tenebris nostris illuxit splendida gemma Magnus Ethelstanus patrie decus / orbira recit Illustris probitas a veronescia fleert . After Ethelstan regned Edmunde his brothur Fyue yeres in honour / hauyng great victory Princis Elred and Edwyn succided eytherothur In great busines with scottes and danes truly Next whom meke Edgar / sayth the history xvi . yere of age / coronate at Kyngston With peace and quietnes first ruled this region . In whose natiuite the blessed Dunstan Herde angels singe with mycle melody Peace is nowe come to Englande certan Quietnes / and rest / honour / and victory Of cornes and frutes that tyme was plentie Danes / norwaies / scottes / britons in euery place Submytted them selfe to the kynges grace Science encreased true loue and amite Vertue was exalted in all this region Monasteries were edified of his benignite Endowed with riches / and riall possession xl . religious places by famous opinion Were newly buylded by the sayd noble kyng In sondry places of this realme standyng Secular prestes expulsed sothely were From diuers monasteries with great discrecion Religious persones repleit with vertue clere Entred their places cause of deuocion Charite was feruent and holy religion The lyues of sayntes were soth in eche place And written in legendes for our comfort and grace Many shyps were made vpon the kynges cost To serche by these all his lande about That no alian entre in no maner cost By policie and manhod to holde all his ennemies out Danes / norwaies / scottes durst nat ones loke out Suche drede all nacions had ensuynge the tyme That kyng Edgar regned by prouidence diuine In progresse he passed ones in the yere Eche quarter of the realme with his company To se that his subiectes well ordred were And the lawe obserued / iustice with mercy Than was none oppression wronges nor iniury Debate malice rancour myght nat be founde True loue and charite was in all the londe Kynge Edgar approched the cite of legions Nowe called Chestre / specified afore Where .viii. kynges mette of diuers nacions Redy to gyue Edgare reuerence and honour Legiance and fidelite depely sworne full sore At the same cite : after to be obedient Promyt at his callyng to come to his parliament From the Castell he went to the water of Dee By a priue posturne through walles of the towne The kyng toke his barge with mycle rialte Rowyng vpwarde to the churche of saynt Iohn The forsayd .viii. kynges with hym went alone Kynge Edgar kept the storne / as most principall Eche prince had an ore to labour with all Whan the kynge had done his pylgrimage And to the holy roode made oblacion They entred agayne into the sayd barge Passynge to his place with great renowne Than Edgare spake in praysyng of the crowne All my successours may glad and ioyfull be To haue suche homage honour and dignite Also it is to be had in memory That this sayd Edgar and his princis all Came with great reuerence vnto the monastery To worshyp saynt Werburge with mynde liberall Where he gaue fredoms and priuileges speciall With singular possessions of his charite Confirmynge the olde grauntes by hye auctorite This Edgar was nominate in cronicles expresse The floure of Englande / regnyng as emperour Lyke wise as Romulus to romains was of prowes Cyrus to the persis / to the grekes their conquerour Great Charles to frenchemen / to troians Hectour Famous in victorye preignant in wysdome Vertuous and pacient / feruent in deuocion Henric . lio . v. Auctor opum vindix scelerum / largitor honorum Sceptriger Edgarus regna superna petit . Hic alter Solomon / legum pater / orbita pacis Quod claruit bellis / claruit inde magis . Templa deo / templis monachos / monachis dedit agros : Nequitie lapsum / iusticieque locum . Also from the byrthe of our blessed sauiour A thousande fyfty yere / and seuyn expresse In the tyme of saynt Edwarde kyng and confessour As William Maluesbury beareth wytnes Than Leofricus a man of great mekenes Was erle of Chestre and duke of merciens Son to duke Leoffwin by liniall discence This noble Leofric sayth policronicon Of his deuocion and beningne grace Namely by the counsell and vertues mocion Of his lady Godith countes whiche was Reedified churches decayed in many a place Also he founded the monastery of Leonence By the towne of Herford / and the place of Wenlecence This erle repareled a noble olde monastery Euesham vpon Auen / gaue them great riches Also founder was of the abbay in couentre Made the cite free for loue of his countesse At the cite of Chestre of his great goodnes He repared the College churche of saynt Iohn Endowed it with riches and enormentes many on . This erle of Chestre the sayd Leofricus Of his charite / and feruent deuocion To the honour of god / reedified full gracious The mynstre of Werburge within the sayd towne Gaue vnto it riches and singular possession Endowed the sayd place with fredoms and liberte And speciall priuileges confirmed by auctorite So the sayd place encreased in honour In great possessions / fredoms / and richesse With singular deuocion vnto our sauiour And prayse to saynt Werburge theyr patronesse The chanons obserued vertue and clennes Daily augmentyng by diuine sufferaunce Vnto the comyng to this lande of normans
Of the comyng of Willyam conquerour to this lande and howe Hug . Lupe his syster sonne was founder of Chestre monasterye Cap. xvi . THe yere of grace . M. sixe and threscour The .xiii. day of the moneth of october The duke of Normandy / William conquerour Pight a stronge batell / displayed his baner Of normans and frenchemen hauynge great power Subdued kyng Harold / opteyned all the londe Was coronate at London / made saxons all bonde For diuerse great causes he came to this countre First for deth of Alured his nere kynsman The proscripcion of Robert archebisshop of Cant{er}bury The periury of Harolde agaynst conscience playne The promys of saynt Edwarde made to hym certayne That the sayd Wylliam shulde enioye the crowne If the kyng departed without succession A generall counsell was celebrate at London That all bysshops sees by helpe of the conquerour From borowes shulde be translate to a famous towne Within their dioces̄ / to the greatter honour Ryght so they all were / sayth myn auctour Also the see of Lichefeld was translate to Chester By helpe and sufferaunce of the bysshop Peter With Wylliam conquerour came to this region A noble worthy prynce nominate Hug . Lupus The dukes son of Britayne / and his syster son Flourynge in chiualry bolde and victorious Manfull in batell / liberall and vertuous To whom the kyng gaue for his enheritaunce The counte of Chesshire with the appurtinaunce By victorie to wynne the forsayd Erledom Frely to gouerne it as by conquest right Made a sure chartre to hym and his succession By the swerde of dignite to holde it with myght And to calle a parlement to his wyll and syght To ordre his subiectes after true iustice As a prepotent prince / and statutes to deuise This valeant knyght with a myghty host Descended from London to wynne the sayd counte But the lordes of Chesshire rose from euery cost Agaynst hym made batell and had the victorie Thries they preuayled agaynst the erle trulie After he optayned to his fame and honour The erledome of Chestre entred as a conquerour He gaue to his knyghtes after theyr desire Lordshyps and franches / and great possession With riche mariages within all Chesshire Exalted his seruauntes to hye promocion Vnto holy churche had special deuocion Maynteynge iustice / commendyng vertue Deposyng vice by the helpe of Iesu After the departure of his vncle the conquerour Whan William Ruff . toke the regalite Than blessed Anselme the famous doctour Dyd viset this lande oft tymes of his charite Glad to refourme / and brynge vnto vnite Where was debate / and mycle diuision By diligent labour and good exhortacion This forsayd erle of his benignite Interiously louynge holy religion Repleit with vertue and feruent charite Sende for saynt Anselme vnto London To come to Chestre at his peticion And there for to founde a religious place In honour of Werburge by diuine grace Blessed Anselme at the erles supplicacion Came vnto Chestre with gladde chere shortly Where he founded an abbaye of holy religion A pleasaunt place and a noble monasterye In worshyp of god / and saynt Werburge sothely The yere of grace by full computacion A thousande .iiii. score .xiii. yere alon All secular prestes / and chanons also Within the sayd place afore tyme dwellyng Were clerely dismyssed / and letten go Religious monkes perfect in lyuynge Receyued were gladly their rule professynge Saynt Anselme ordeyned Ric of Beccens̄ To be their abbot with great preeminence Landes / rentes / libertes / and great possession Franches / fredoms / and priuileges riall Were gyuen mekely to that foundacion Maners borowes / townes / with the people thrall And many faire churches / chapels withall Wardes and mariages were gyuen that season To god and saynt Werburge cause of deuocion Kyng Wyllyam Ruff , son to the conquerour Confirmed the foundacion / with great auctorite Endowed the monastery with mycle honour Of fredoms / franches / also liberte The place that tyme was made as fre As the sayd erle was in his castell Or as hert myght thynke / or tonge myght tell Saynt Anselme departed thence vnto London And was made archebisshop of Canturbury To the place he gaue a sure confirmacion With singular priuileges to be had in memory Of whom it is written here folowyng truly Hic vir dum vixit extirpantes maledixit Werburge iura presentia sine futura . This noble prince gaue of his charite Riall riche enormentes vnto the sayd place Coopes / crosses / Iewels of great rialte Chales / censures / vestures / and landes dyd purchace A librarie of bokes to rede and synge there was Of whiche riall iewels and bokes some remayne Within the sayd monastery to this day certayne The founder also buylded within the monasterie Many myghty places / conuenient for religion Compased with stronge walles on the west partie And on the other syde with Walles of the towne Closed at euery ende with a sure postron In south part the cimiterie inuironed rounde about For a sure defence ennemies to holde out The .ix. yere aftre this riall foundacion This noble founder the .xxvii. day of Iuly Departed towarde the heuenly mancion Next whom his son Richarde succeded truly Than regnyng in honour the first kyng Henry Also the place had their fraunces and fredom Afore the sayd cite a hundreth yere and one
Howe saynt Werburge taught her monke and chaplayne to kepe paciens for his greatter merite and glorye to come . Cap. xvii . AFter the translacion of Chestre monasterye From secular chanons to monkes religious By helpe of Anselme archebisshop of Canturburye Supportyng therto the founder Hug . Lupus As afore is specified full memorous A monke there dwelled of vertuous disposicion Vnder obedience / nominate dan Symon This brother Simon his tyme well vsyng Nowe in vertuous study / nowe in contemplacion Nowe in deuout prayer / nowe busely wryttynge Somtyme in solace / and honest recreacion Obserued deuoutly his holy religion Obedience / pacience / and wylfull pouerte Mekenes / meditacion / with pure chastite For whiche examples and signes of vertue Diuers of his bretherne repleit with enuy Were fully confederate entendyng to subdue This honest prest by malice and policy They layd to his charge open wronges and iniury They punysshed & oppressed hym with great affliction Dayly augmentyng by subtyll colluston Dan Symon offendyng no brother at all Obserued pacience / euer callynge for grace Wepyng lamentyng with syghes cordiall His fortune vnfrendly remediles in that case Entended to depart to some other place Of a scrupulous conscience / seyng no redresse Was redy to procede plouged in heuynes Werburge appered to this monke in vision Bryghter than Phebus in his meridian spere My seruaunt she sayd callyng hym vpon Why be ye so sad / and heuy of chere ? Wheder entende ye ? shewe the mater clere Alas he sayd madame and patronesse For sorowe I can nat my peynes expresse Diuers of my bretherne ben greued at me Vexyng me dayly with great tribulacion Causeles on my part deserued trule In worde or en dede gyuyng none occasion I can nat be quiet amonge that congregacion Wherfore swete lady vnder your licence I purpose to departe in sauynge my conscience Saynt Werburge pacified his mynde and entent With wordes of comfort and holy scripture Made hym be humble in hert and pacient Thy sufferaunce shal be great ioye and pleasure And for thy pacience thou maist be sure To haue rewarde in blis perpetuall At thy departure from this lyfe mortall Wherwith saynt Werburge departed sodein●… To the blys of heuyn euer endurynge The monke was meke in hert and mery Obserued her doctrine this lyfe continuyng Gaue good example of perfect lyuynge Vnto his bretherne / and at his departure For his pacience passed to eternall pleasure
Howe sondes rose vp within the salt see agaynst Hilburghee by saynt Werburge at the peticion of the constable of Chestre . Ca . xviii . THe seconde erle of Chestre after the conquest Was erle Richard / son to Hug . Lupus Whiche Richarde entended all thyng to the best To visite saynt Winifride in hert desirous Vpon his iourney went / myn auctour sayth thus Deuoutly to holy well in pylgrimage For his great merite and gostly aduantage Whan the wicked walshemen herd of his comyng After a meke maner vnto that party They made insurrection inwardly gladdyng Descended from the mountaynes most furiously Agaynst the erle raised a cruell company Bytwxt hym and Chestre lettynge the kyngis way Purposynge to flee or take hym for a praye The erle son perceyued theyr malicious entent In all hast possible sende to Chestre secretly To warne his constable by loue and commaundemt Wyllyam the son of Nigell / to rayse a great army To mete hym at Basyng werke right sone and spedely For his deliueraunce from deth and captiuite Of the wyld walshemen / without humanite The constable congregate in all goodly hast A myghty stronge host / in theyr best arraye Towarde Hilburghee on iourney ridyng fast Trustyng vpon shippes all them to conuaye Whiche was a riall rode that tyme nyght and daye And whan they theder came shyppyng none there was To carie all them ouer in conuenient space Alas what hert may thynke / or tonge well expresse ? The dolorous greuaunce / and great lamentacion That the host made / for loue and tendernes Knowynge their great maister in suche persecucion Some wept and wayled without consolacion Some sighed and sobbed / some were in extasy Without perfect reason / alas what remedy ? Wyllyam the constable most carefull man on lyue Of his mysfortune in suche extreme necessite Called to hym a monke there dwellyng contemplatyue Required hym for counsayle and prayer for his charite The monke exhorted hym to knele vpon his kne Humblie to beseke Werburge his patronesse For helpe and remedy in suche great distresse The constable content anone began to praye O blessed Werburge and virgin pure I beseke the mekely helpe me this day That we may transcende this ryuer safe and sure To saue and defende my lorde from discomfiture And here I promytte to god and the alone To offre to the a gyfte at my comyng whome Whiche prayer ended with wepyng and langour Beholde and consydre well with your gostly ee The infinite goodnes of our sauiour For like as to Moises deuided the redde see And the water of Iordan obeyed to Iosue Ryght so the depe riuer of Dee made diuision The sondes drye appered in syght of them echone The constable consyderynge / and all the company This great myracle transcendyng nature Praysed and magnified our lorde god almyghty And blessed Werburge the virgin pure They went into wales vpon the sondes sure Deliuered their lorde from drede and enmite Brought hym in safe garde agayne to Chestre cite The said Wyllyam constable came to the monasterye Thanked saynt Werburge with meke supplicacion Fulfylled his promes made in extremite Offred to the place the village of Neuton Afterwarde he founded the abbay of Norton And where the host passed / ouer betwix bondes To this day ben called the constable sondes
Howe Marild countesse of Chestre counsellyng her husband agaynst the monastery of Chester was drowned at Barflewe with many other mo . Cap. xix . AFter the decesse of Hug . Lupe prenominate Richard his son .vii. yeres of age Was elect Erle by the kyng and creat With counsaile gouerned his landes and heritage At yeres of discrecion he toke in mariage The lady Matild / nece to the first kynge Henry Doughter to erle Stephan ( sayth the history ) At his begynnyng he was a benefactour A founder to the place by landes and possession By franches and libertes / ayde / helpe / and succour Gyuen to the abbay / augmentyng the foundacion Proued by his actes of singular deuocion Enduryng long tyme / tyll that his lady By wycked counsaile moued hym the contrarye It is red in scripture howe quene Iesabell Ambicious of honour agaynst all ryghtousnes Peruerted her lorde Achas / kyng of Israell Tosle Nabath for his vineyard doubtles Also Athalia / the bible sheweth expresse Commaunded to slee the kynges children all That she myght regne sole princesse imperiall Ryght so this Matild clerely refusyng The steppes of Sara / Rebecca / and Rachell And other good matrons : but mutacion takyng Of these wycked women Athali and Iesabell Peruerted her husbande by her subtyll counsell To aske of the abbot the maner place of Salton With the appurtinaunce / by famous opinion Thabbot by counsell of his bretherne all Denyed to graunt their propre possession The patrimony of Christ and their landes seuerall To the sayd erle Richarde and his succession Gyuen by his father at the first foundacion For Whiche thyng the erle and Matild his lady Hated thabbot / the bretherne / and the monastery The erle and his countesse went to Normandy To viset their frendes and cosyns naturall So dyd the princis / their father kyng Henry With many estates of the blodde riall These princis fauored no saxon at all The erle conominat in malice and hate Agaynst the monasterie / as a man endurate Satan sende forth his seruauntes in hast To enfect the erles hert with venomous poison The bedyls of Belial attempted full fast The erle and his countesse / to kepe theyr opinion Detractours flaterers cause of promocion Trustyng therby to opteyne fauour and grace Excited their myndes agaynst the sayd place The erle sore attempted by his gostly ennemy By wycked people callyng hym vpon Namely by the counsell of Matild his lady Entended to alter and chaunge the foundacion Of the sayd abbay to a nother religion Confirmed the same sweryng most depely At his whom comyng to Englande / from Normandy Thabbot and couent knowyng this great perell By speciall louers and frendes secretly Were pensyue and sorowfull ( it was no meruell ) Their hertes plonged in wo and misery By naturall reason hauyng no remedy Consyderyng his malice encreased more and more Agaynst the monastery / with wordes of rigour They had their hope trust and confidence In blessed Werburge their patronesse With wepyng eies clere in conscience They called her vpon in all their distresse O glorious virgin lady and swete maistres Metigate the malice by thy benignite Of Richarde our lorde / mekely we praye the Suffre hym neuer to distroye thy place By wycked consell malice and enuy Founded and dedicate by heuenly grace In honour of god / and the specially Protect / defende / and saue thy monastery Thy landes / thy libertes / and thy seruauntes all As thou afore tyme hast done continuall In meane tyme the erle entended spedely From thens to depart / and retourne agayne To fulfyll his entent agaynst the monasterye By the subtyll mocion of his countesse playne A ship was prepared / all thyng redy certayne The prince of England / the erle and his lady Toke shippyng at Barflewe and all their comp Certaynly they sayled but a lytell space Whan agaynst them roose a contrarie wynde The mariners to gyde the ship had no grace The stormes so great hiduous agaynst kynde On a rocke they ranne / no remedy myght fynde Incontinently the ship barst all in sondre The erle and his feliship were turned all vndre No man ne childe scaped from deth that tyme But one pore seruaunt whiche swamme to the londe Suche was theyr fortune by sufferaunce diuyne Many of theyr bedis were neuer fonde Thus was their power made thrall and bonde Theyr lyues were lost within a sort space Whiche were cruell ennemyes vnto her place ▪ On saynt Katharins day at after mydnyght Whan matens were ended / and bretherne gon Some mournyng waylyng for drede full ryght Some busie in prayer and contemplacion Werburge appered to the secristan alone Sayenge : ye may be ioyfull in god and mery Erle Richarde is drowned your mortall ennemy The same glad tidyng shewed an honest woman Tollyng at the churche dore the sayd day and hour As she was commaunded by Werburge incertan To thabbot and couent plonged in great langour ( Whiche myracle herde ) they prayed our sauiour And blessed Werburge / with hert deuoutly Syngyng Te deum full solemply
Howe a great fire like to distroye all Chestre by myracle ceased / whan the holy shryne was borne about the towne by the monkes . Cap. xx . FRom the incarnacion of our sauiour A thousand / a hundreth yere .lxxx. also On sonday in mydlenton / the .viii. hour Whan euery paresshen theyr churche went to As all christen people of dutie shulde do A fyre by infortune rose vp sodeinly All flamyng feruent or the people dyd espy This fearefull fire encreased more and more Piteously wastyng hous / chambre / and hall The citezens were redy their cite to succour Shewed all their diligence / and labour continuall Some cried for water / and some for hookes dyd call Some vsed other engins by crafte and policy Some pulled downe howses afore the fire truly Other that were impotent / mekely gan praye Our blessed lorde / on them to haue pite Women and children cried out and waile away Beholdyng the daunger and perill of the cite Prestes made hast diuine seruice to supple Redy for to succour their neyghbours in distres ( As charite required ) and helpe their heuynes The fire contynued without any cessynge Feruently flamyng euer contynuall From place to place meruaylously rennyng As it were tynder consumyng toure and wall The citezens sadly laboured in vayne all By the policie of man was founde no remedy To cesse the fire so feruent and myghty Alas great heuynes it was to beholde The cite of Trope all flamyng as fire More pite of Rome cite was manyfolde Feruently flagrant / empeiryng the empire As to the quantite the cite of Chestire Myght be assembled this tyme in like case To the sayd citees remedeles alas Many riall places fell adowne that day Riche marchauntes houses brought to distruction Churches and chapels went to great decay That tyme was brent the more part of the towne And to this present day is a famous opinion Howe a myghty churche a mynstre of saynt Michaell That season was brent and to ruyne fell Whan the people sawe their power insufficient By diligent labour / wysdome and policye To subdue the fire / but styll dyd augment To almyghty god they dyd call and crye And to saynt Werburge the gracious lady For helpe and succour in suche wretchednes Wepyng and waylyng for woo and heuynes Thabbot and couent of the sayd monasterie Religiously lyuyng in holy conuersacion Repleit with mekenes and feruent charite Toke the holy shryne in prayer and deuocion Syngyng the letanie bare it in procession Compasyng the fyre in euery strete and place Trustyng in Werburge for helpe aide and grace Whan they had ended the holy letanye From place to place procedyng in stacion Anone a stremyng sterre appered sodaynlye A white doue descended afore the congregacion Approchyng as to helpe them / a signe of consolacion The people reioysed of that gostly syght And praysed saynt Werburge with power and myght So by the merite of this blessed virgin The fire began to cesse / a myracle clere Nat passyng the place / where the holy shryne Was borne by the bretherne / as playnly dyd appere The citezens dyd helpe in their best manere The feruent great fire extincted was in dede By grace aboue nature / in story we may rede The clergie the burges / and the comons all Consyderyng the goodnes of this virgin bright With tendernes of hert and loue in speciall Magnified and praysed our lorde god almyght And blessed Werburge by day also nyght Whiche hath preserued of her great charite Chestre from distruction in extreme necessite Vnto her shryne the people all went The clergie before in maner of procession Thankyng this virgin with loue feruent For her mercy and grace shewed them vpon Deuoutly knelynge there made oblacion Sayeng full sadly / we shall neuer able be The place to recompence for this dede of charite
A breue rehersall of the myracles of saynt Werburge after her translacion to Chestre . Cap. xxi , THese foresayd myracles and signes celestiall By diuine sufferaunce shewed manifestly Magnifien this virgin and blessed moiniall With mycle worshyp honour and victory Playnly declaryng vnto your memory What singular grace / worshyp / and excellence Our sauiour shewed for his spouse openly As is rehersed at masse in her sequens To expresse all myracles written in the place In a boke nominate the third passionarye It wolde require a longe tyme and space To the reders tedious ( no meruayle sothly ) Where we omytte to writte of them specially But touched in generall vnto your audience To reioyse and comfort your hertes inwardly As ye may considre in her sequens Certaynly it is knowen by bokes expresse Sith that saynt Werburge came to Chestre cite By the power of god and myracle doutles She hath defended the towne from ennemite From barbarike nacions full of crudelite Of whom we haue shewed with diligence Preseruyng her seruauntes / and the monastery As is declared in her true sequence Also of her goodnes preserued she hase The sayd towne from fire in extreme necessite Many diuers tymes to their ioye and solace Releuyng the citezens in wo and penalite For it is well knowen by olde antiquite Sith the holy shryne came to their presence It hath ben their comfort and gladnes truly As playnly appereth in her sequens Also to blynde men she hath gyuen syght To dombe men speche right perfectly To deffe men their heryng pleasaunt and right And helth to sicke men repleit with debilite Delyuered prisoners from captiuite Passage to lame men / to mad men intelligence Suche myracles shewed this blessed lady As ye may vnderstande in her sequens Women with childe by her had good delyueraunce Virgins defended from shame and vilany Her seruauntes were cured from wofull greuaunce Marchantes and mariners delyuered from ieopardye Other were saued from hangyng shamfully A speciall comfort succour and defence To all carefull creatures sekyng for remedy By singular grace / as sayth the sequens No wofull person in payne and wretchednes Man woman childe / who so euer they be Comynge to the abbay with perfit mekenes Makyng supplicacion to this lady free But they departed ioyfull and merie To theyr dwellyng place by her beniuolence And for their lyuyng had all thyng necessarie As written is playnly in her sequens For whiche great myracles and signes continuall This blessed Werburge floure of humilite Of the people is called for grace supernall Patrones of Chestre / protectrice of the countre Where next our sauiour and his mother Marie She hath great honour prayse and preeminence As most condigne to beare the principalite In witnes wherof recordeth her sequens This holy abbasse and lady imperiall Hath ben president in Chestre monasterie Theyr trust / theyr treasure / and defence speciall In mycle reuerence .vii. hundreth yere trulie And so shall continue by grace of god almyghty To the worldes ende in hie magnificence To whom be honour worship and glorie Euer to endure / as sayth her sequens
A charitable mocion and a desyre to all the inhabytauntes within the countie palatine of Chestre for the monasterie . Cap. xxii . O ye worthye nobles of the west partye Considre in your mynde with hye discrecion The perfite goodnes of this swete ladye We mean saynt Werburge nowe at this season Whiche hath ben your helpe and singular tuicion And so euer wylbe / haue this in your mynde Whan ye to her call with humble supplicacion Wherfore to the monasterye be neuer vnkynde Remembre / at the foundacion of the sayd place your predecessours and fore fathers redy were To gyue for their soule helth by singular grace Parcell of their landes and possessions mere To our sauiour and to saynt Werburge clere Redy to offre them with humble hert and mynde In perfit oblacion with Hug . Lupe their foundere Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde Many helde their landes of the sayd monasterie By tenure grand seriant / and some by homage By tenur franke almoigne / other by fealtie With seruice de chiualer / and some by escuage Some by petit seriant / and by tenur burgage As in their euidentes and grauntes they may fynde Tres maners de rentes / with tenur villenage Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde The place hath speciall franches and liberte Hauynge certayne wardes of landes and mariage Of diuers gentilmen within the sayd counte All theyr tenauntes and seruauntes haue fre passage Within all chesshire without tolle and pillage Suche auncient fredoms in their dedes they fynde Gyuen by theyr founders for gostly auauntage Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde The erle gaue the place many great fredoms Within Chestre cite / whiche ben knowen of olde With singular priuileges and auncient customs Saynt Werburge faire / with profites manyfolde That no marchandise shulde be bought ne solde Enduryng the faire dayes ( in writyng as we fynde ) But afore thabbay gate / to haue and to holde Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde Therfore lordes barons / ye rulers of the countre We you nowe exhorte in our sauiour Discretly considre with your gostlie eie The myght of this mayden and chaste floure Shewed by myracles euery day and hour Whan she was required with true hert and mynde In all busines she hath ben their protectour Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde Whan your forefathers haue ben in great perell In ieoperdie of lyfe on see and on londe Or like to be slayne by ennemies in batell Or taken by warr in prison fast bonde Vnto this virgin / as we vnderstonde Whan they called and cryed with contrite mynde They escaped all daunger / cam whom safe and sonde Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde Marchauntes passynge with marchaundise From lande to lande truly entendyng If they were taken with cruell ennemyse Or els were put in perill of perisshyng If they to this virgin deuoutly praying Made supplicacion with humble hert and mynde Anone they opteyned theyr humble askyng Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde If any of you vexed with infirmite With sekenes incurable / or other vexacion Ar wronges iniuries and other maladie Vnto saynt Werburge makyng intercession And to her place promysyng an oblacion With contrite hert and penitent mynde They were soone cured from all affliction Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde And you honest matrons remembre you all The goodnes of this virgin full of grace Whan ye in trauelyng vpon her do call Or haue any relique sende from the place ye fortune and spede well in short tyme and space And diuers maydens louyng a chaste mynde From vilany ben saued by her purchase Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde But eche contray / shire / and congregacion Some be disposed to vertues generall And some to the contrarie proued by reason Folowyng their mynde and appetite sensuall Haue sheweb vnkyndnes to the place spirituall And haue ben sore punysshed / take this in mynde To all other folowynge and example speciall Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde Ther was neuer man of high nor lowe degree Lorde / baron / knyght / marchaunt / and burges Attemptyng to infringe their rightes and liberte Remaynyng in the same malice and wyckednes But if they repent shortly theyr busynes Askyng absolucion to theyr conscience blynde Vengeance on them doth lyght doutles Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynd Diuers malefactours agayne good conscience Attemptyng to take there seuerall possession By subtell policy and wrong feyned euidens By proued periury and fals collusion Whiche in theyr iniury and wronge mesprision Without repentauns in theyr consciens blynde Sodenly haue ben drowed a sharpe punycion Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde Other haue be glad to alienat the patronage Of certayne churches by malice and enuy By a fals enquest for theyr owne auauntage Defraudyng the right of the holy monastery Suche euill doers remaynynge in theyr tyranny Without satisfaccion in their consciens blynde Lyke wretches expired moste myserably Whrfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde Other haue ben besy serching day and nyght To infringe theyr fraunchis and fridome auncient By fals recordes oppugnant to ryght As hath ben proued by persones indifferent yet they haue procured and sought wronge iugement Agaynst their libertes in conscience blynde Sodayne and euyll deth folowed them consequent Wherfore to the monasterye be neuer vnkynde Some other haue be parauenture on late Studious to disquiet the place the company And diuers libertes haue alienate Also tolled their franchis fraudulently From the sayd place well knowen in memory Suche mysdoers we moue in conscience blynde To maende their wronges lest payne come sodeynly Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde Suche malefactours considre nat discretly Howe all suche landes libertes and fredoms Were gyuen to Christ and ben his patrimonye And nat all only to religious persons For all suche fraunches priuileges possessions Of charite were gyuen of pure conscience and mynde To god and saynt Werburge with great deuocions Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde Nowe for to make a small conclusion We well perceyue in auncient bokes olde All suche transgressours / holdyng their opinion Obstinate in malice indurate and bolde Some haue ben slayne / some drowned in water colde Some shamfully hanged rebukyng their kynde Some wretchedly departed / some cruciat manyfolde Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
A litell orison or prayer to the blessed virgine saynte Werburge by the translatour of this werke . Ca . xxiii . O Blessed Werburge and virgin glorious Descended by auncetrie of blod victoriall Doughter to kynge Vulfer / and Ormenild vertuous O sufferayne lady and famous moiniall With hert and true mynde on thee I call Thou art my succour / my helpe in all distres Defende and saue me from peynes infernall By thy meke prayer swete patrones O rutilant gemme clerer than the cristall O redolent rose repleit with suauite Whiche for the loue of thy spouse eternall Refused hast all vayne pleasures transetore Honours / riches / and secular dignite Nowe regnyng in heuyn as a quene doutles Praye for thy seruaunt to the lorde of mercy Mekely I beseke the swete patronesse O sufferayne lady full of singular vertue Myndyng most religion from thy infancy Elect to the a spouse our sauiour Iesu Professed obedience at the house of Ely Where thou obserued the sensuals thre By grace aboue nature playn to expresse Opteyne me power to haue victory Ageynst myn ennemyes swete patrones O floure of virgins and comly creature Syngyng with angels in the heuenly toure Transcendyng the saphir and diamounde pure In worship praisyng beaute and decur What tong can reherse thy ioy and honour Whiche is ineffable for man to expresse Beseke thy spouse our blessyd sauiour To graunte me mercy swete patrones For thy great vertu and hie discrecion Chosen thou was a pyler here to be Of diuers monasteryes to encrease religion By thy gostly doctryne and humilite Exsample thou gaue of perfit charite Vnto thi subgettis as a kynde maistres Helpe me thy seruaunt of thy benignite To please my maker swete patrones No maruell it was thought thy subgettis all Were vertuous and perfect in contemplacion Vnder suche a ruler a hed and principall Whose gostly example and exortation Were corespondent accordyng in one Thy precept and deed were vnit with mekenes In this vale misery be my protection I humble the require swete patrones Glorious abbasse and floure of chastite Carboncle shenyng bothe day and nyght All this region by thy noble progenie And by the is decorat vnder god almyght The presens of thy blessyd body right Reioisith thy seruauntis in all distres Thou art our refuge and lanterne of light Succour thy seruauntes swete patrones O pereles princes lady imperiall O gemme of holynes and noble president Comfort to all creatures in paynes thrall Releuyng all secke feble and impotent A myrrour of mekenes to euery pacient Whose myracles magnifien thy great goodnes Defende thy seruaunt from greuous turment By thy supplicacion swete patronesse O noble sufferayne and singular protectrice Of thy true subiectes by speciall grace In all necessite a sure mediatrice From greuous oppression preseruyng thy place A lanterne of lyght in eche wofull case To illumine thy people plonged in heuynes With great consolacion and gostly solace Nowe lyghten our conscience swete patronesse Swete louely lady mekely I the praye For thy great mekenes and perfect charite Make thou intercession both nyght and day For thy true seruauntes vnto the trinite That we may opteyne here grace and mercy And of our synne to haue forgyuenes Afterwarde to come to eternall glorie Helpe nowe and euer swete patronesse
A breue conclusion of this litell werke vnto the reders by the translatour . Cap. xxiiii . With tremblynge penne / and hand full of drede In termes rude translate nowe haue we The noble historye of saynt Werburge in dede Besekyng all them for their good humanite Whiche this litell proces shall beholde and se For to adde and minisshe and cause reformacion Where nede requireth after your discrecion At her lyfe historiall example may take Euery great estate / quene / duches / and lady To encreace in vertue / and synne to forsake To obserue mekenes and prayer deuoutly With pacience of hert / and almesdede truly If thou be widowe / her lyfe well folowyng Thou mayst be sure in blis to haue a wonnyng If thou be religious / wearyng blacke vesture Take good example at this holy abbasse Her lyfe wyll teche thee how thou shult endure In holy religion / opteynyng mycle grace With mekenes / meditacion / mesure in eche place And howe thou shalt kepe thy sensuals thre Consideryng in heuen thy rewarde to be If thou be a virgin of hie or low degre Takyng imitacion of this virgin bright Thou mayst well obserue the floure of chastite And thy spouse shal be the lorde most of myght On whom if thou attende redy day and nyght Thou shalt haue merite as recordeth scripture With v. wise virgins after thy departure The cause mouyng vs this werke to begyn It was to auoyde slouth and idelnes And most for the loue of this holy virgin Whiche is our sufferayn lady and patrones As for baudy balades full of wretchednes And wanton wylde gestis / we purpose none to make For drede of losyng tyme / clothed in vesture blake Go forth litell boke / Iesu be thy spede And saue the alway from mysreportyng Whiche art compiled for no clerke in dede But for marchaunt men / hauyng litell lernyng And that rude people therby may haue knowyng Of this holy virgin / and redolent rose Whiche hath ben kept full longe tyme in close To all auncient poetes litell boke submytte the Whilom flouryng in eloquence facundious And to all other / whiche present nowe be Fyrst to maister Chaucer / and Ludgate sentencious Also to preignaunt Barkley / nowe beyng religious To inuentiue Skelton and poet laureate Praye them all of pardon both erly and late If there be any thynge within this litell boke Pleasaunt to the audience / contentyng the mynde We praye all reders / whan they theron do loke To gyue thankes to god maker of mankynde Nat to the translatour ignoraunt and blynde For euery good dede / done in any cost It cometh all only of the holy gost . Almyghty god both one two and thre We desire thee with humble supplicacion Saue holy churche of thy benignite And all ministres in holy religion Preserue the kyng is grace the Peeris the region Defende our monasterie and thy seruantes all And graunt vs by grace to come to blis eternall
Finis .
A balade to the auctour . O thou disciple of Tully most famous Nowe flourisshyng in the floures of glorious eloquence Like as appereth by your stile facundius Full worthe laude prayse and preeminence Put forth your werkes full sure of sentence Whose auctour / what though vncertayne be his name Of all the reders exalted shal be in fame Alas why shulde this delicious werke Thus surely sette by pured science To be examined by my rudenes all derke Whiche knowe full well myn insufficience Sith I haue lerned by longe experience That dulled age in werkes of poetry Must nedes gyue to poetes place and victory Glorious god and kynge eternall We magnifie thy name as is but ryght Sith thou gaue to vs a floure most riall Redolent in cronicles with historicall syght Whiche nowe is departed from this temporall lyght The present yere of this translacion M.D.xiii . of Christis incarnacion Cuius anime propicietur deus .
An other balade . O frutefull histore / o digne memoriall Enbawmed with doctrine of vertues infinite With termes exquised / and sence retoriall To spirituall hertes a singular delite Fragrant and facunde / of englisshe exquisite Holsome in doctrine / for those that it desire Auaunce you to rede it / for it is exquisite Folowynge theffect to kepe you from hell fire Reioyse Chestre / reioyse ye religious And thanke your maker of his beniuolence That hath you gyuen suche treasure preciouse Aduocatrice / in your most indigence O virgin werburge / of double excellence Conserue thy seruauntes dayly familier Preseruyng them from inconuenience The for tensue / that art theyr lode sterre Amonges the whiche to thyn honour One of thy clientes / with morall retorique Hath chaunged newly / o mayde most swete flour Thy legende latine / to our language publique Preserue his soule / and make hym domestique Within the heuyns / in whiche that thou art sonke With deth preuent / he myght nothyng replique Harry Braddeshaa of Chestre abbay monke O cruell deth / o theffe vindicatyfe To persons vertuous ennemy mortall Of this good clerke thou hast abbreged the lyfe Preuentyng hym with thy dede stronge fatall yet in dispite of thy most venomus gall He hath translate this legende profitable And left it for holsome memoriall To all his sequaces / a gyft most couenable With polysshed termes / and good sence litterall No place there voyde / but vertue abundeth Theffect is manifest : for science ouer all Rethorically thy sentence groundeth All vices surely it confoundeth Shewynge the legende of this mayde pure Her shenyng lyfe eche where redoundeth Suche steppes folowyng / we hope in them t endure . An other balade to saynt werburge With hert contrite accepte my supplicacion Aydynge my fraylete and lyfe vacillaunt Renegate and contumace in all obstinacion Be wrapt with all synne / detestable and recreaunt Vouchsafe to supplie Iesu and geat graunt Remyssion to haue of my synnes generall Greuous and thrall that I may the auaunt A gentill Werburge / to thy doctrine me call Wherfore thy father / thy mother Ermenild Enclined both to dedes catholique Ruffine and Kenrede / thy bretherne were fulfild Both with great grace / through martyrdome both like With diuers of thy kynne magnifique Redact in the catholique papall Geat me suche grace to voyde all synnes inique And gentill Werburge to thy doctrine me call With faithfull clennes / thy soule was surep●… Euer contynuynge in doctrine celicall Refusyng vanite / from vertue neuer swarued But in all grace remaynyng principall Vnto thy deth exhortyng great and small Ruled to be / to the preceptes diuine Gouerned by grace / were thy disciples all A gentill Werburge call me to suche doctrine Wordly felicite abiect from my courage Enuy and pride / with lustes voluptuous Rancorous cupidite myn hert sore do aswage Bryng oyntmentes sanatiue for my sores dolorous Vnclose thy succours / and be beniuolous Redy to be preseruyng me from pyne Gouerne my lyfe from all actes daungerous And gentill Werburge call me to thy doctrine Be nowe beniuolent / whan I shall on the call Vnto thy slaue / as my trust hath ben sure Leue vnto me for a memoriall Knowlege effectuall of thy lyfe pure Lyuynge ther after / and so t endure Euer in purite my lyfe to contynue yeldyng thankes for thy most holsome lure Christ ouer vs holde his hande / al vices teschue . Amen . And thus endeth the lyfe and historye of saynt Werburge . Imprinted by Richarde Pynson / printer to the kynges noble grace / with priuilege to hym graunted by our souerayne lorde the kynge . Ao . M.D.xxi .

printer's device of Richard Pynson