|b{John_Capgrave's}
|b{Lives_of_St._Augustine_and_St._Gilbert_of_Sempringham,_And_a_Sermon.}
|b{Ed._J.J._Munro.}
|b{EETS_OS_140_(1910).}



|p1


                       LIFE OF AUGUSTINE

                      |r[CAPGRAVE'S_PROLOG]

         |r<b> A GRETE reule to all lerned men was sette be Seint Paule in
         e first capitle Ad Romanos, where he saide at he was
     dettour on-to wise men and onwise. Wise men clepid he men
 |r4 gretly lerned, and onwise, simple ydiotis, to whom longith e
     blisse of heuene, and of whom our Lord Ihesu spak in e gospell,
     and seid at her aungellis see euyr e face of e Fadir whech is in
     heuene. To ese both e holy apostell saide he was dettour, to
 |r8 paye ech of hem aftir at he sauoured. And ou I at write now
     is be a man sumwhat endewid in lettirur, et dar I not take
     up-on me for to be dettour on-to hem at be endewid in sciens
     mor an I, but I dar sauely seye at I am detour to oir simpil
|r12 creatures at be not lerned so mech as I. Wherfor my dettis wil
     I pay of swech tresour as I haue in possession, with mor esy
     labour an euyr I receyued hem. The cause of is writyng whech
     meued me moost now will I telle. A noble creatur, a gentill
|r16 woman, desired of me with ful grete instauns to write on-to hir,
     at is to sey, to translate hir treuly oute of Latyn, e lif of Seynt
     Augustyn, grete doctour of e cherch. Sche desired is ing of me
     rather an of a-noer man be-cause at I am of his profession, for
|r20 sche supposed veryly at I wold do it with e bettir wil. Sche
     desired eke is lif of is Seynt more an of ony oir for sche was
     browt forth in-to is world in his solempne feste. Than wil I, in
     e name of our Lord Ihesu, beginne is werk, to e worchip of is
|r24 glorious doctour, and to e plesauns and consolation of is gentil
     woman at hath so willed me with sundry [r]etribucione[s] [l.5b] at
     I coude not disobeye hir desir. This glorious name Augustinus is
     mad comendable amongis our auctouris for iij ingis. On is for
|r28 e excellens of e man. The secund for e brennyng loue of
     charite with whech his hert was fyred. The ird for e noble



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     ethimilogie whech longeth to e name. Ethimilogie is cleped
     in gramer e trewe exposicion of a word. As touching e first,
     at is to sey, e excellens of is Seint, it acordith ful wel on-to
 |r4 his name, for is word Augustus was first oue on-to e emperour
     Octauiane, as to e moost honorable and excellent prince at euyr
     regned in e empir. For it soundith in our langage as a morer
     of e lordchip, and is same Octauiane engrosed ner al e lordchip
 |r8 of e world on-to e empir of Rome. So sey we of is glorious
     doctour at he berith is name for excellens aboue all oir.
     Therfor e oir doctouris be likned on-to e sterres and he on-to
     e sunne, as it is pleynly conteyned in the epistil red in his feest,
|r12 wher he seith at lich as e sunne schynyth in heuene, so schynyth
     he in e temple of our Lord. As touching e secund diuision, at
     is to seye, his feruent loue whech he had on-to our Lord, is
     acordeth eke on-to his name. For Augustus is at month in
|r16 heruest whech is e hattest month and moost ripening of frutes
     orw-oute all e ere. So is man, brennyng in charite, wrote
     on-to e cristen puple swech swete exhortaciones of loue at he is
     cause next God, dar I sey, at many a soule hath riper frutes of
|r20 deuocion be-cause of his labour. Off is brennyng charite whech
     is noble clerk [l.6a] had is spoken be his owne mouth in e ix book
     of his Confessiones, where he seith us of him & his felawis neuly
     conuerted on-to God: Thou Lord, he saide, hast hitte our hertis
|r24 with e hote arowys of charite, and eke we receyued i wordis
     in-to our hertis as ou ei had be scharp arowys. Eke touching
     e ethimologie of his name, it berith witnesse of his grete excellens,
     for is name, as auctouris sey, is compownyd of augeo auges, at
|r28 is as mech to sey as to make ing mor an it was; it is eke
     compownyd of ana, at is as mech to sey as a-boue; it is eke
     compowned of astim, whech is as mech to sey as a cite. So for
     to putte all ese parties to-gidir, e name of is glorious Seynt is
|r32 us browt on-to is reson, a morer of e cite a-boue, a gret
     encreser of e blis of heuene, for he was cause whil he lyued with
     his tonge and aftir his deth with his bokis at many a soule is
     ledde e rith weye to heuene.



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                        |r[CHAPTER_I]

       Of e cuntr & e town where he was bore. capitulum I.
                                                     cap. 1.

        |r<b> AT our beginnyng e schul undirstand at is world is departed
 |r4    in-to iij parties, and it was us departed as our auc_touris
     seye be our fader Noe. For in e flood were saued he and
     his iij sones, and to ese iij sones was all e world departed.
     Thei at cam of Sem were sette in e est side of e world, cleped
 |r8 now Asia. Thei [at] cam of Iaphet were sette in at partye of
     e world cleped now Europa. And ei at cam of Cam were
     sette to dwelle in at partie whech is cleped Affrica, where |r[l.6b] is
     glorious man was bore. Asia is in e est side of e world, and it
|r12 conteyneth as mech in space as do e othir too parties. In is
     Asia stant Ynde and Pers, Mede, Mesopothamia, Surry, Araby,
     Capadoce, Comagene, Palestine, Iude, Galile, & many mo pro_uynces.
     Europe conteyneth Scithie, Nussie, Hungarye, Achay,
|r16 Macedony, Dalmacy, Ytaile, and all e Duche tonge, with France,
     Ynglond, Spayn, & many moo. Affrica hath principali e
     prouynce of eugis where grete Cartage stant. It hath eke
     anoir prouynce clepid Tripolitane, Getuly, Byance, Numedye,
|r20 Mauritania. In is Numedie stant at cite where Seynt Austyn
     was bischop, cleped Ypone, and in is same Numedie stant at
     same cyte cleped Tagatenses, where is doctour was bore, sum_what
     upward mor on-to Cartage.Thus haue I schewid ou in
|r24 what partie of e world he was bore, -- nowt in e Greke tonge
     ne in e Latyn tonge, but in e Barbar tonge. Neuyrelasse
     we rede of hym at whan he cam to lerne dyuers sciens, whech
     were an most in Greke tonge, at he hated e Greke letteris
|r28 and loued weel e Latyn, be whech inclynacion we vndirstand
     at at same langage in whech he was bore was mor approximat
     on-to e Latyn tonge an on-to e Grek tong. For, in very
     treuth, he had so grete knowlech of both tongis at all his bokys



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     he mad in Latyn, and oute of e Greke tonge he hym-selue
     translate in-to Latyn a grete book whech Aristotle mad, cleped
     his Cathegories, for I wot who hath is book of ful eld hand.
 |r4 This seid to my entent to proue at he was bore a-mongis
     |r[l.7] hem at speke e Barbar tonge. The Barbar tonge is euery tonge
     in e world whech is fer fro e iij principall tongis, Hebrew,
     Grek, & Latyn.


|r[CHAPTER_II.]

 |r8   Off e progenitouris and e kynrod of is man.  cm ij.

         |r<b> OF his progenitoures us we rede at ei were not of e de_spect
         laboureres in e puple, but born of good and rich
     kynrod aftir e fame of e world, for is man aftir her deth had
|r12 sufficient possession for to lyue by. And he him-self seith in his
     Confessiones at whan he was sent to skole to Cartage, because
     ei herd sey at her child had a grete corage to lernyng, at
     he was founde as wel and with as grete cost as ony lordis son
|r16 at went to skole. This myth not be do with-outen at ei had
     substauns of possession. The name of his fader was clepid
     Patrik, whech was a hethen man on-to e tyme at he schuld deye,
     for an, be labour of his modir, he was mad cristen man, and so
|r20 deyed newly baptied. His modir hith Monica; sche was a
     cristen woman fro hir childhold, and norchid in e best con_diciones
     and moost plesaunt to God and to man. Sche had moo
     childyrn an him, as it semeth be his writing in his Confessiones.
|r24 And ou at he telle not her names ere, we haue sout hem
     oute of oir of his bokis. For in at book whech is cleped De
     Beata Vita, ere tellith he of his broir whech at at festfull day
     was with him and with his modir in an hothous whech ei clepe
|r28 a stewe, e day of his birth. Fore he was bore on Seynt Brices
     day, as at |r[l.7b] same book makith mencion, and custumablely he
     used whil he was paynem to make a gret fest on at day, but aftir



|p5


     he was mad bischop he turned is bodely fest in-to spiritual
     talkyng, and as I suppose is bok was mad at first day at he
     mad is chaunge or he was bischop, for his moder was at is fest
 |r4 and sche deyid befor at he was preest. This mannes name of
     whom we talk of her, whech, as we saide, was his broir, was
     cleped Nauigius. He spekith here eke in is same book of too
     cosynes of his; on of hem hith Latridianus. e othir hith Rusticus.
 |r8 Thei both were at his feest, of whom he seith at ei were trewe
     cristen but not lettered. He had a sistir, but I haue not herd hir
     name, and to hir he wrote a book whech he cleped e book of
     cristen mannes lyf; it begynnyth us: Et ego peccator. The
|r12 rubrich be-for e bok is writyn us: The book of Seynt Augustin,
     e bischop, on-to his sistir, a widow. Eke he had a-noir cosyn
     at hith Patricius, as his fader hith, and is man was on of e
     chanones at lyued with him in e ird monsterie aftir he was
|r16 bischop. In e ird monasterye, seid I, for be-cause at he mad
     iij, -- on or he was preest, a-noir whil he was preest vndir bischop
     Valerie. And who long he dwelt er, and who dwelt ere with
     him, schal be touchid aftir whan it comth in his place.


|r[CHAPTER_III.]

|r20   Of e condiciones of his fader and |r[l.8a] his modir.  capitulum
     tercium.

        |r<b> OF is mater spekith is glorious man in e ix book of his
        Confessiones, wher he seith of his fader at he was of nature
|r24 ful frendly and goodly and redy eke on-to ire as many men be,
     kynde and fre of hert and sone meued to malencolie. This holi
     woman weddid on-to hym, whan sche had aspied his hasti con_dicion,
     sche had swech gouernauns in hir dedis and swech moderacion
|r28 in hir wordes at he coude neuyr cacch no hold to be wroth with
     hir in all his lyf. Sche wold, if he excedid, as Augustinus tellith,
     abide til his ir were goo; an wold sche reherse on-to him e euel
     a-vised wordes whech he had spoke, or e onresonable werkis
|r32 whech he had do. Sumtyme it happed at sche sat a-mong oir



|p6


     matrones of hir knowlech, of whech women summe had merkys in
     her face whech her husbandis had mad only for ei wold speke
     a-geyn whan her husbandis wer wroth, and an wold ese women
 |r4 say on-to Monicha: We haue grete wondir of e and in husband
     at ou bringgist neuyr no merk of his strokys, ne non of us haue
     herd at euyr er was ony strif be-twix ou too, not-withstand at
     he is an irous man and hasty as ony dwellith amongis us. Sche
 |r8 wold answer on-to hem on is maner: Iff e haue mynde of our
     tables matrimonial at wer mad be-twix ou and our husbandis at
     our weddyng, |r[l.8b] e wold not an haue meruayle whi at I suffir my
     husband, ou at I haue wrong. For ere is it writyn at ou
|r12 wyuys and husbandis be o flesch and o blood, et ar wyuys put
     in swech maner of subieccion at ei be bounde to do dew seruyse
     on-to men; wherfor, as me inkith, e best seruyse at ei may doo
     is to kepe pes in houshold and suffir wrong rather an pes schuld
|r16 be broke. For hir wordis many of ese women were stered to mor
     paciens and leued in more rest an ei dede be-for. Ther was
     with hir e modir of hir husband dwellyng in houshold, and as
     often is sene ei make sumtyme debate betwyx wif and husband,
|r20 namely wher ong damesellis be with chateryng tongis. Swech
     seruauntis were in Patrik hous, but for no tales of hem ne no
     suspicion of e elde modir, Monicha was neuyr put in no blame,
     so redy was hir paciens, so besi was hir plesauns. The elde moder,
|r24 seing e good disposicion of hir doutir, was compelled be consciens
     to compleyne of hir seruauntis on-to hir son, desiryng of him at
     he schuld snybbe e maydenes at ei schuld not be redy to telle
     swech tales with whech pes mith be broke in Patrik hous.
|r28 Many mo noble condiciones rehersith is man of his modir whech
     as now schul not be touched, for in e orison, or ellis, e com_pleynt,
     whech he mad aftir hir deth, it schal be talked mor largely
     aftir e form of his Confessiones. |r[l.9a] O ing he touchith her gretly
|r32 longing to hir comendacion in norching of hir childyrn; he seith
     at sche trauayled for hem neuly a-geyn as often as sche say
     hem do ony ing whech was a-geyn e plesauns of our Lord; at



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     is to sey it greued hir as mech whan sche say hir childyrn trespas
     on-to our i Lord as euyr it greued whan sche bare hem bodyly.


|r[CHAPTER_IV.]

       Of e age of Seint Augustin whech is clepid Infancia.  iiij.

 |r4    |r<b> INfancia is on of e vij. ages, as our auctores say, whech
        lestith fro e birth on-to e tyme at e child is come to e
     age of vij ere, and ou it be soo at we sey comounly at
     childyrn synne not in is age, at is to sey, dedly, et in sum on or
 |r8 to haue be seyn e reuers, as Seint Gregorie tellet in his Dialoges
     li. 4, at a child of is age was sodeynly be e deuele rawt from
     his faderes armes. Not-withstanding is or oir whech myth be
     rehersed, as we said, comounly childyrn of is age be clepid
|r12 innocentis, for ei lak vse of reson for to discerne vice frovertu.
     But of is age, and of synnes do in is age, Seynt Augustyn
     makit open confession in e first book of at mater, wher he seith
     at sum childyr at can not speke, ei can loke angrily on hem at
|r16 greue hem, and with handes and teth proferen in maner of a
     veniauns. Nowt had is doctour mynde at he ded soo, but for
     he say oir childyrn do us, erfor supposed he at he ded soo. |r[l.9b]
     Mech more ing he rehersith of is mater in his first book of his
|r20 Confessiones, whech is now not gretly nedful to be writyn.
     
     
|r[CHAPTER_V.]

        Of at age of him whech ei clepe Puericia.  v.
     
        |r<b> PVericia also is e secund age, and at lestith fro seuene
        ere to xiiij ere. It is as mech to say in Englisch as e
|r24 age of clenne se, for is age is not mech defiled with dedis of
     leccherie or onclennesse. What defautes at be in is age of whech
     our maystir had ful grete consciens, is writin in e same book. At
     is age, he saith, he was put to skole, and whan he schuld be bete,



|p8


     he prayed God at he myth skape it, but our Lord herd him nowt,
     and at displesed him, for he knew not at tyme who profitable it
     was to his soule to be bete for lernyng. With sad men and eld
 |r4 men whech mad a game whan he was laschid, he was in partie
     wroth. He lerned lesse at he schuld or myth a lerne. He loued
     bettir veyn games an skole. The smale elementis of lernyng
     receyued he first in e same cite where he was bore. His gramer
 |r8 lerned he in a cite be-side, whech is cleped Mandauris. He loued
     bettir, as we sayde be-fore, e Latyn letteris an e Grek, not_withstand
     at he lerned first e Grek letteres. In is age he had
     grete sekenesse in his stomake, and euyr was his modir bisi at he
|r12 schuld be baptied, but e fader wold not suffir it. And is was
     e cause, as men |r[l.10a] suppose, whi our Lord wold not suffir him to be
     baptied, for it was lesse greuauns to his soule at e filth of
     heresie schuld be in him rather be-for his baptem an aftir his
|r16 baptem. Thus lerned he e smale scienses, as spellyng, reding and
     constrewyng in his ong age.


|r[CHAPTER_VI.]

        Who he was sent to Cartage to lerne gretter sciens.  vj.

        |r<b> VHanne he was fully xvj er old his frendis sent him to
|r20    Cartage, a grete cite whech helde batayle with Rome & alle
     Itaile many eres. There lerned he rethorik arid eloquens oute of
     Tullius bokes, and oir rethoricianes whech wer be-fore him. But
     in is first ere at he cam to Cartage, he a-bod litil at his study,
|r24 but rood to and fro, now to his fader, now to Carthage, for what for
     euel felauchip at he was falle in, what for insolens of his wauntown
     age, he used tauernes and stewis and swech sory gouernsuns as ei
     vse whech haue no men to vndirtake her defautes. For his fader
|r28 low at his gouernauns & rebuked him of no defaute. But his
     moder, with ful sad countenauns, forbade him all suspecious
     cumpany, and he took ful litil heed at hir wordis. In is same
     tyme was his fader conuerted on-to e feith, and mad a cathe_cume;



|p9


     a cathecume is as mech to seye as a newe receyuour of e
     feith, for in elde tyme men had certeyn dayes assined be-twix her
     conuercion and here baptem at ei myth lerne wel e articules of
 |r4 our feith or ei wer bounde erto. And so schuld men do now,
     as I suppose, if ei schuld be baptied |r[l.10b] at at age. He schryuyth
     him also at in is age he ded many insolens, more for vanite
     an for nede, and in special of an appil-tre at stood fast by his
 |r8 faderes vyne on a-noir mannes lond, of whech he makith grete
     consciens, be-cause at he myth haue had bettir appillis in his
     faderes possession, and eke for when he had ese appelles, he ete
     hem nawt, but rew hem on-to hoggis. In all is vanyte of his
|r12 lif he happed to fynde a book at Tullius Cicero mad, e grete
     rhetorician of Rome, whech book e maker clepid Hortencius,
     be-cause it exhorted men gretly to fle e vanite of e world, and
     to folow e noble study of philosophie. This book chaunged his
|r16 hert gretly, & mad him at he had not so gret ioye in oo vanites
     as he had be-fore. But for al at e book plesed him not fully, for
     he fond not e name of Crist in al is book. This name was
     couchid in his hert fro his moder tete, at what book he red, wer
|r20 it neuyr so wys ne so wel i-spoke, wer it neuyr so trew, he was not
     fully plesed with it but if Cristis name wer ere. Than purposed he
     for to rede holy scriptur, but be-cause at, as Seint Paule seith,
     cunnyng with-oute charite makith a man proude, and is sciens
|r24 requirith meke disciplens, erfor e eye of his mynde was
     I-qwenchid with e grete lith of sotil vndyrstanding whech is
     conteyned in scriptur, and us left he is holy study. Tho felle
     he in-to e grete errour of e Maniches, for ei saide at Goddis
|r28 son of heuene was not-bore of a may*de, |r[l.11a] ne he had not very flesch
     and blood as oir men haue, but rather a fantastical body mad of e
     eyr, in whech he semed for [to] deye, but deth was ere non, for very
     body was ere non. In is fals heresie, whech avoideth e most
|r32 substauns of our feith, fell he . Many mo heresies held ei whech
     were ful perilous to be rehersed, specialy in our tonge. In is



|p10


     heresie abood Augustin ny ix ere, inqwiring and sekyng groundes
     and treuthis, or ellis resones, for to defende is heresie, but he fond
     non.


|r[CHAPTER_VII.]

 |r4    Of the sorow at his modir had for his errour.  cam. vij.

        |r<b> HIs modir, whan sche herd at he was falle on-to is heresie,
        sche wept and sorowid more hertly an women do at folow
     her childyrn to e graue, and wit many menes and many exhor_taciones
 |r8 was bisi nyth and day to bring him fro is mischef. In
     all is tribulacion and weping, our Lord wold not suffer hir to
     go fully desolat, but schewed hir a consolacion be an aungel in hir
     sleep. Sche out at sche stood on a fair tre, planed al rith lich
|r12 a reule, and a fair ong man stood be-side hir with rich clois and
     a mery chere, whech inqwired of hir what was e cause of hir
     weping. Sche answered on-to him with ful heuy cher: The
     losse of my son Augustin, I wepe. Tho e ong man bad hir be of
|r16 good coumfort, and loke wel a-boute hir, for ere at sche was hir
     son schuld be, as he seide. Tho loked sche, and say Augustin hir
     son stand in e same reule |r[l.11b] where-as sche stood. The wise woman,
     and vsed to swech reuelaciones, took of is a gret coumfort, vndir_standing
|r20 herby at sumtyme sche schuld se him standing in e
     same feith where at sche stood. Aftir is not longe sche comound
     is vision with hir son, and seyd on-to him at sche hoped for to
     se him a trewe cristen man or sche deyid, for is consolacion had
|r24 sche fro heuene, and is voys proporcioned to hir ioye, wher at
     ou art ere schal he be. Nay, quod Augustin to his modir, e
     vndyrstand e wordis a-mys; he seide, ere at I am ere schulde
     e be. Nay, son, nay, quod sche, I vndirstod ful and noted his
|r28 wordes; he seid not, ere at he is ere schal ou be, but, ere
     at ou art er schal he be. Thus was e woman in her conso_lacion
     stabil and coude not be led oute fro hir trewe beleue with
     no sophisticacion at hir son coude make. Sche receuyed a-noir



|p11


     consolacion be an holy bischop at was gretly lerned in holy
     scriptur and gretly excersised to lede men fro errour. To is
     man went sche, oft desiring of him at he wold speke with hir son
 |r4 and comoun with him in at heresie, and schew e fals and e
     onresonable doctrine whech at heresie susteyned. The bischop
     answerd to hir a-geyn and seide: For soth, i son as et is not
     disposed for to be led any bettir weye, for he is neuly come on-to
 |r8 is doctrine, and mech redyer for to purpos questiones an to
     receyue ony doctrine. Wherfore |r[l.12a] jj be my councel, suffir him for
     a tyme & pray to God for him with-oute ony letting, and ou
     schal se at he in his redyng and in his stodie schal aspie ful wel
|r12 in what errour he is falle, and who many horible ingis at it
     techith. For I was sumtyme deceyued with e same doctrine and
     had ful grete corage to lerne e noueltes erof, but orw e mercy
     of our Lord, with long redyng of her bokes, I aspied at it was
|r16 a secte rather to be fled an folowid. This answere myth not
     suffise to e woman, so grete desire was in hir hert at he schuld
     speke with hir son, so at e bischop was compelled to voyde hir
     with swech wordys: Go fro me, woman, go fro me with is
|r20 sikyrnesse. It is impossible that a child whech hath so many
     teres wept for him schuld perisch. These wordis of e bischop
     imprended sche in hir mynde as ou an aungell had spoke
     hem from heuene.


|r[CHAPTER_VIlI.]

|r24    What at he ded fro e tyme at he was xx er on-to xxix.
                                                        cam. viij.

        |r<b> AT e age of xx ere he dwelt stille at Cartage, and e maystires
        at were redde him, e book of Aristotle cleped his Cathe_gories,
|r28 we clepe hem at ese dayes e Predicamentis. Augustinus
     gat is book of his maystir, and hom to his chambir he went, red
     it, vndirstood it, with-oute ony techer. For in the iiij book of his
     Confessiones he is a-knowe at alle e bokes of philosophie, or
|r32 gemetrie, or arsmetrik, or any of e vij sciens whech he myth



|p12


     haue at leyser, he vndirstood hem, with-outen maystir, |r[l.12b] or with_oute
     ony techer. Aftir he was us lerned in philosophie and oir
     dyuers sciens, he cam first hom in-to e cite where he was bore,
 |r4 and er taute he gramer, meruelyng all e cuntre of e noble.
     reules at he had founde to redinesse of childirn at schuld lerne.
     Whan he had kept is exersise longe in his owne cite, tho he
     resorted a-geyn on-to Cartage, and ere taute he retorik on the
 |r8 moost excellent wise. In e xxvj ere of his age he wrote iij
     bokes on-to a rethorician of Rome; ei cleped him Hermes: ese
     bokes be intituled De Pulcro & Apto, at is to seyin Englisch, of ing
     whech is fayre and able; ei are not in hand now. I coude neuyr
|r12 speke with man at sey hem, for his bokes which he mad aftir he
     was cristen be more in deynte an oo whech he mad be-fore. In
     e xxix ere of his age spak he with Faustus, a grete snare of e
     deuele, for is man was e moost famous heretik of all e Manicheis,
|r16 but he was ful famous in fayre endytyng. For he mad a ful cursed
     book a-geyn oure feith, to qwech book is same Augustin mad
     notable answeres in a grete volume whech conteynyth xxxiij
     bokes. The cause whi Faustus was desired for to cum speke with
|r20 Augustin is is: Augustin had many questiones with e Manicheis
     of her feith and of here lawe, and aspied so many notable errouris
     in her bokes at he, ne non of hem, coude make no answer to his
     resones. Tho seid ei whan ei were concluded with argumentis
|r24 on all sides at Faustus schuld come and he schuld make |r[l.13a] answere
     on-to all ese motyues. For Faustus was in swech opinion
     amongis hem at who-so-euer folowid him and was conuersaunt
     with him, ei saide at he folowid no man, but rather the Holy
|r28 Goost. So Faustus is come to Cartage; a-non as he was come
     Augustin with certeyn of his felawschip went on-to him. Ther
     had ei too grete comunicacion of oo questiones for whech ei
     were in trouble be-fore. And with-inne fewe dayes Augustin
|r32 aspied wel what Faustus was, a mery man and a iocunde, a fayr_spoke
     man eke, but not gretly grounded in sciens. Tho be-gan



|p13


     Augustin to reherse on-to him e doutes and e articules comound
     afore & writyn in billis a-geyn Manicheis lawe. Faustus, whan
     he had aspied e grete cunnyng of Augustin and e sotil inuec_ciones
 |r4 whech he mad he durst not dispute with him, but be-for
     hem alle he was fayn to sey at he coude not answere to o
     motiues. Fro is day forward had Augustin no deynte in her
     bokes whan at he say her grete maystir and here prince coude
 |r8 not satisfie his resones. Thus lyued he with suspense mynde, in
     grete doute what secte he schuld hold or what wey he schuld take.
     Al is is touched in e v. book of his Confessiones.


|r[CHAPTER_IX.]

        Who Augustin aftir is went to Rome.  cm. ix.

|r12    |r<b> CErteyn frendis at he had at at tyme, seing e grete desir of
        lernyng in him, oue him councel at he schulde go to
     Rome, and is was her cause. For at Cartage both he and his
     disciples were lettid gretly with felauchip and reuel, and as ei
|r16 herd sey, and summe |r[l.13b] of hem knew it be experiens, at Rome was
     more liberte oue on-to skoleres and more quiete an was at
     Cartage. This same desire at was in his hert was the dispen_sacion
     of our Lord. For our Lord knew ful wel where he schuld
|r20 be conuerted and what tyme, and had ordeyned be-fore e menes
     and e ministres and e places, as he wold dispose. Thus he dis_posed
     him fully for to saile to Rome. His modir folowid him to
     e se-side, for sikirly sche wil go with him. And he disseyued
|r24 hir in is maner. He feyned first at ei had no wynd ne likly
     non for to haue many day, wherfor he desired at sche schuld goo
     to hir in a-geyn, and whan tyme cam he wold clepe hir. To is
     wold not sche consent, for fro his presens wold sche not. Tho with
|r28 grete bisinesse he councelled hire for to a-bide as for at nyth in a
     oratorie at was consecrat in e name of Seint Cipriane, for it
     was ny e schip, and sikirly, he told hir, at e next day ei wold
     saile. Thus deceyued he his modir, for at same nyth ei pulled



|p14


     up sail & stale e schip from hir. All at nyth lay sche praying
     and sobbing, desiring of our Lord at ei schulde no wynd haue
     til at sche cam. In e morow whan sche cam to e brynk and
 |r4 say e schip goo, than wept sche intollerablely, and filt e eres of
     God with grete compleintis, and et wist sche not what ioye God
     wold cause hir of his absens. Thus went sche hom a-geyn and
     prayed for him deuly, and he went forth to Rome. Whan he was
 |r8 com idir he fell |r[l.14a] in greuous seknesse & his moder knew not at,
     but ou he were absent sche prayed for him deuly at our Lord
     schuld send her ioye of hir son, for in is mater sche had mor sorow
     for him an euyr sche had to bryng him forth on-to e world.
|r12 Euery day sche offered for him at e auter; euery day sche gaf
     elmesse. Twyes on e day went she to cherch, not for to telle
     veyn tales, but for to here tydyngis of our Lord of heuene in
     deuoute sermones, or elles for her diuine seruyse that God schuld
|r16 accept hir prayeres, whech wer principali for e goostly helth of
     hir son Augustin. Be hir prayeres Austyn is now rered fro his
     seknesse and hath begunne for to do ing for whech he was come,
     at is to seye, to tech rethorik; many disciples be gadered on-to
|r20 his skole, and his fame be-gan fast to springe.


|r[CHAPTER_X.]

        Who Austin eke was sent to Melan to lerne hem rethorik.  x.

        |r <b> AT is tyme e cyte of Melan, wher Seynt Ambrose was
        bischop, sent on-to e meyr of Rome, whech hith
|r24 Symachus, praying him at he wold sende on-to hem a weel
     lerned man for to teche her inuent rethorik. And he, with ful
     good a-vise, sent hem Austyn, a proued maystir, as he wrote, and
     a man of grete cunnyng. Thus be e prouidens of God cam
|r28 Austyn to Melan, and ere fell in knowlech of Seynt Ambrose e
     bischop, a noble man and a holy, knowyn orw all e world.
     Ambrose receyued Augustin ful faderly, and cherisched him in e
     best maner. Augustin went oft on-to cherch for to her Ambrose



|p15


     preche, not for [to] lerne |r[l.14b] treuthes of our feith, ne nowt to amende
     e erroures of his soule, but only to aspie wheithir his fame and his
     speche acorded. For he was noted orw-oute Itaile a fayr-spoke
 |r4 man, and gretly roted in rethorik. Thus went our Augustin day
     be day, only to reporte e wordis; for e sentens had he smal
     delite; and et, as he is a-know in his Confessiones, e wordes of
     Seynt Ambrose abiden in his soule magr his hed, and were dayly
 |r8 grucching a-geyn swech lif as he had. Happed on a day our fader
     Ambrose prechid of e incarnacion of our Lord Ihesu Crist, who
     at for e special loue whech he had to mankynde he disdeyned
     not to take e flesch and blood of man with all e infirmites, saue
|r12 synne. Augustin stood in e puple and sodeyn fere fell up-on
     him, so at e outes whech wer pryuy with-inne him mad his face
     pale and his body for to tremel at all e puple myth aspie it.
     Aftir e sermon was ended he went on-to Ambrose, and told him
|r16 of his new chaunge, and who longe he had ben in e Manicheis
     heresie, and who sith at tyme at he spak with Faustus at secte
     was ferre fro his plesauns. Whan Ambrose herd at he had no
     trost ne no confidens in e heresie of ese Manicheis, he ankid
|r20 God heyly, and be-cause he knew wel be inspiracion of e Holy
     Gost what Augustin schuld be, he treted him ful fadirly with
     swete exhortaciones, inking with swech menes to brynge him to
     e trew be-leue. Tho Augustin cast in his hert fully to |r[l.15a] despise e
|r24 Manicheis heresi, for euyr e feith of Crist he purposed for to take,
     but baptied wold he not be on-to e tyme at he myth know e
     treuthis of Cristis feith.


|r[CHAPTER_XI.]

         In what maner his moder sowt him.  cap. xi.

|r28    |r<b> IN is same tyme Monicha, his modir, took e se, and put hir_selue
        to grete perel for to se hir son. Hir grete feith and
     hope at sche had in God, hir grete charite at sche had to
     conuercion of hir son, mad e womannes hert bold, and in maner



|p16


     turned it to a mannes hert, at not only sche wanted feer or dred
     in e se, but e schipmen whech wer aferd sche coumforted in e
     best maner, saying on-to hem in is maner: Beth of good coum_fort,
 |r4 seres, for treuly I had a vision fro heuene at we schul skape
     is iornay ful weel. Sche is come to lond and to e speche of
     hir son, and after longe daliauns he told hir pleynly at out of
     Manicheis skole was he go for euyr, but on-to Cristis skole, whech
 |r8 sche desired him to come, was he not parfithly entred. et whan
     sche herd him sey is sche hopped with ful mery chere at sche
     had o part of hir desire, for too ingis desired sche, on at he
     wer delyuered fro at fals heresie of e Manichees, and at was
|r12 fulfilt, e oir at sche schuld se him a trew Cristen man, and is
     sche hoped. With a grete spirith and a merie chere sche cried and
     seide: Now beleue I in my Lord God, at or my soule passe out
     of is world I schal se him a trew Cristen man. Than sent sche
|r16 praieres on-to heuene with gretter bisinesse an euyr sche ded
     at our Lord schuld hast is mater, |r[l.15b] & make brith e irknesse
     of Augustines soule. Sche loued Ambrose as an aungel of God,
     for be him sche wist weel at hir son was brout us to swech
|r20 fluctuacion. Fluctuacion calle we her whan a man is broute fro
     an euel entent, and et e same man stand in study wheithir he
     schal to e good wey or nowt. In is plith stood our Austyn.
     The custom of his moder and eke of e cuntr whilles sche dwelt
|r24 in Affrik, was to offer bred and potage and wyne at the aucteris
     where martires were byried. And is custom was for-bode hir
     be e keper of e cherch at Melane, seying on-to hir at it was e
     bischoppis wil, Ambrose, at swech mete and drynk sche schuld eue
|r28 to pore men, and to e memories of the martires sche schuld
     brynge, he seid, a deuoute soule ful of holy prayeres. Whan
     sche herd is deuoutely sche chaunged hir vse aftir at informa_cion.
     Seynt Augustin, hir son, tellith of hire at sche used to fast
|r32 e Satirday, as deuoute folk ded an at Rome, and o persones at
     ete and dronk with hir continuely at Melane saide at it was not
     e vsage ere at Melane, wher-for hir dyuersite was in maner of
     a slaundir to e cumpany. In is mater sche took councell of



|p17


     Seyn Ambrose, and he sette hir is reule, at wher-so-euyr sche
     cam sche schuld do aftir e custom of e felauchip whech sche
     dwelt in. In is same tyme come too of Augustin grete frendis
 |r4 on-to him, Alipius and Nebridius. This Alipius was bore in e
     same town wher Augustin was bore, and Nebridius bore fast be
     Cartage, |r[l.16a] where he had fair possession, but it likid him bettir
     to forsake all at he had and com to dwell with Augustin.
 |r8 These iij men to-gidir at Melane had grete councell and grete
     stody what maner secte ei schuld chese, and what lyf ei schuld
     hald. At ese dayes was Augustin xxx er of age. So all iij
     were acorded first to chese hem wyues, and all sex dwell in on
|r12 hous, and ei for to stody swech bokes as ei wold haue and do
     non oir bisinesse. Than was alleggid a-mongis hem what sorrow
     ere schuld be if ei acorded not, & specialy for h[er] wyuys, who
     e[i] schuld lyue, if dista[uns] fel betwix. God our Lord had
|r16 ordeyned a-noir wey, and for at cause he put a delay in at
     mater, for he suffered e hert of Augustin to be sette on swech
     a mayde, and of so ong age, that he must nede abyde tyl sche
     were able.


|r[CHAPTER_XII.]

|r20    On what maner our Lord suffered Alipius to be appechid of
     theft.  xij.

        |r<b> THIS processe tell Augustin in e vj book of his Confessiones
        in is maner. Alipius, he seith, was at Cartage, stodying
|r24 in rethorik. It was e vsage at oo dayes a[t] e rethoricianes
     schuld pleten in court for euery cause whech was litigious. This
     Alipius, a litil be-for e court schuld be hold, walkyd a-lone with
     his reporting tables in his hand, stodying ful bysily, for it was his
|r28 cours at day for to plete. Be-neth at hous where he walked
     was housyng be e ground, in whech dwelt coynoures of siluyr,
     and wroute ere ful bisily. Owt of e strete comth a ong child,
     a theef, with an ex in his hand, and went on-to a certeyn roof
|r32 whech was cured with leed, and euene ouyr e coynouris hous
     he be-gan for to hewe. |r[l.16b] The coynouris herd e noyse and sent
     up too or thre of her felauchip to loke what theef was so bold



|p18


     at tyme of e day and so ny e dome-place to stele e metall of
     e houses. The boy herd men com with grete noyse; he left his
     exe ere, and ran hom in grete hast. Thus com e men and se no
 |r4 persone ere but Alipius alone; ei se e led broke, ei fynde e
     ex by, and on him ei go all and areste him for is dede. Alipius,
     at was innocent, and be-cause of his study took non hed at e
     boy, neythir whan he cam ne whan he went, is us led forth as
 |r8 a theef on-to e iuge. Happed a man at knew him and knew
     what vertue he was of for to mete him with ese tormentouris.
     He pulled him o side and inqwired of him who is myth be.
     A man of swech birth and swech kunnyng at he schuld be take
|r12 in swech defaute, he seid, it was grete merueile. Alipius answerd
     on-to him and told him at he was ongilty in is mater, but he
     had mynde at he say a boy renne fro e place and leue ere his
     ex. The man caused at ei turned all a-geyn in-to e same
|r16 strete, and as it happed, e same boy stood in e dore at had doo
     e dede. This man whech aue so grete fauour on-to Alipius took
     e ex in hand; rith us he seide on-to e boy: Her haue we
     founde an exe; knowest ou owt to whom it schuld longe? a,
|r20 forsoth, ser, seide he, at same ex is our. Thus was Allipius
     wrongfully attached and meruelously delyuered. God Almyty
     suffered is, as Augustin writith |r[l.17a] in his Confessiones, for to lerne
     him whech schuld be aftirward a iuge of mennes soules in e
|r24 cherch at he schuld not deme ouyr sone of signes owtward.


|r[CHAPTER_XIII.]

        Who he went to Simpliciane.  xiij.

        |r<b> NOW is Augustin dryuyn so ferr at he is fully consentid to go
        be e wey of Crist, but be-cause of e hardnesse of it, he
|r28 was ful loth erto. But our merciable Lord put a new coumfort
     in his hert at he schuld go to an hermyte in e desert fast by
     Melan, whech hermyte hith Simpliciane. Augustin had herd
     mech ing of him at he had serued God in ful vertuous lyf, and
|r32 e fame was trewe in-dede. This man Simpliciane lyued in
     a monastery fast by Melan with othir heremites of holy lyf



|p19


     at e costis & expens of Seynt Ambrose. For Seint Ambrose
     had Simpliciane in so grete reuerens at he worchipid him as
     his fader, and aftir his deth asined on-to his clerkis and his
 |r4 puple to be chose bischop successour on-to him, and so it was
     in-dede. To is Simpliciane teld Augustin e besinesse of
     his hert, in who many errouris he had falle an[d] what dowte
     he stood in to what lyf he schuld drawe. The good fader
 |r8 Simpliciane gaf him exhortacion to folow e meknesse of our
     Lord Ihesu and despise e fals delectacionis of is world. He
     rehersed on-to him eke a grete exaumple of e conuercion of on,
     Victorine, a worthi man, a grete rethorician, a famous philisophr,
|r12 whech man for grete sciens had a statua rered to his liknesse in
     e markette at Rome. This same man cam to Simpliciane often_tyme
     and inqwired of him many ingis, and oft-tyme wold
     say |r[l.17b] on-to Sympliciane: Knowe now wel at I wil be a cristen
|r16 man. Simplician wold say a-gayn on-to him: I wil not be-leue it
     til at I se e withinne e kirk. And Victorine wold anne in
     scorne conclude be maner of an argument: Ergo, e wallis of e
     cherch make a cristen man. This iteration of wordis was oft_tyme
|r20 vsed be-twix ese too men, but at e last our Lord enspired
     soo Victorines hert at sodeynly he seid to Simpliciane: Go we to
     e cherch, for in very treuth, I wil be a cristen man. Thus was
     is worthi man conuerted to e feith; and al is told Simpliciane
|r24 to Augustin at he schulde folow his steppis. Be is holy fader
     Simpliciane was Augustin brovt on-to is desire, at al maner
     wordly delectacion displesed him, for e loue of his hert is now
     only sette to serue God. He say many men in e cherch lyuyng
|r28 in sundry maner, summe us & summe us, wherfor he hat not
     chose as et e lyf whech he wil lede.


|r[CHAPTER_XIV]

        Off e comyng of Poncian on-to Augustin and of what ingis
     ei talked of.  capitulum xiiij.

|r32    |r<b> IN is tyme was Augustin & Alipius dwellyng to-gidyr, for
        Nebridius was not with hem at at tyme. So happed it at
a man of court whech was dwellyng in e paleys at Rome whos



|p20


     name was Ponciane, be-cause he was bore in Affrica, rith as ei
     were, cam on-to hem to se her welfar, as e maner of men is whech
     be bore in straunge cuntre & dwelle fer fro hom. He fonde hem
 |r4 sittyng in a hous and be-for hem a bord on whech ei vsed to
     pleye certeyn games |r[l.18a] to refresch with e sadnesse of her study.
     Vpon is bord lay a book whech book Ponciane supposed had be of
     sum seculer sciens whech as ei vsed. Poncian vnsperd e bok
 |r8 and say wel at it was a bok longing to cristen feith, whech bok
     we clepe e Epistoles of Seynt Paule. This Ponciane with myry
     cher mad in maner of a ankyng to God at Augustin his cuntre_man
     was falle in-to studye of swech holy bokes, for is same
|r12 Ponciane had neuly take cristendham and was a stedfast and
     a trewe cristen man. Augustin sayde on-to him an at al e
     felicite of his study was only oue to rede swech bokes. Tho
     be-gunne ei to speke of e dyuers cumpanyes of holy heremites
|r16 whech dwelled in wildyrnesse, both in Itale and in Egipt, and in
     special of grete Antonie whos name was ful famous to all e
     seruauntes of God, but to Augustin and his felawes it was
     on-knowyn on-to at hour. For whech cause he satte ful stille
|r20 and herd Ponciane with grete silens. Ponciane told him who he
     & oir thre felawis at dwelt with e emperour went on a day
     in-to e wodis to her disport, and happed Ponciane and his felaw
     to walk in e o side of e wode, and e oir too felawes in e
|r24 othir side. On of ese too with whech Poncian was not cam in-to
     a caue wheie a heremyte dwelled, whech heremite was up-hap
     in-to e cite for to fecch him mete, and fond ere a book with
     Seynt Antonies lyf; he sat down and red it, and in e redyng was
|r28 sodeynly compunct to forsake e world. Thus saide he an |r[l.18b] on-to
     his felaw: Here in is same place I purpose me for euyr to serue
     God, and is same hour I wil be-gynne. If ou list not to do as
     I wil, I pray e, grucch not my dede. His felaw answered a-gayn
|r32 on is maner, at he wold not part cumpany, but swech lif as he
     hath chose he wil folow, to forsake al is world and leue ere in
     solitarie lif. Ponciane and his felaw sey e sunne draw fast to
     inclinacion, sout ese oir too felawis, fonde hem and hasted hem
|r36 homward, for e day was ny at a ende, as ei saide. Tho told ei
     her holy purpos on-to hem, what a-vow ei had mad whech ei
     wold not breke. Ponciane and his felaw praised her entent, and



|p21


     ankyng God of her holy conuercion, went a-geyn on-to e paleys.
     Thus dwelt ese men stille ere in at caue, perseuering in holy lif,
     and to ong women whech schuld be weddid on-to hem, be her
 |r4 exhortacion avowid her maydenhed to God.


|r[CHAPTER_XV.]

        What sorow Augustin mad aftir is exhortacion.  xv.

        |r<b> GRETE sorow and horribil ran in Augustin mynde ann
        whan he had herd ese holy exaumples of e seruauntis of
 |r8 God, whech seruauntis our Lord God had brout fro e grete
     blaknesse of synne on-to e fair white vertuous lyuyng. For all
     ese exaumples had Augustin gadered in-to e bosom of his hert,
     whech brent him ful sore and mad him a-schamed at he was not
|r12 us disposed. And whan Ponciane had take his leue & was go,
     thoo Augustine with a troubled mynde be-gan |r[l.19a] to loke up-on his
     felaw Alipius, and with a sobir voys us he cried: What suffir
     we? What are ese ingis at we here? These onlerned men
|r16 rise and sodeynly wynne heuene, and we with all our doctryne are
     drenchid euene in helle. Be-cause ei went be-fore us erfor
     schul we be a-schamed to folow hem? Whil Augustin saide ese
     wordes Alipius besily loked up-on him, for he pronounsed not his
|r20 wordis as he was wone to doo. For nowt only wer ese wordes
     expressed with labour of his tunge, but his forhed, chekis, his
     eyne and all his membres in maner laboured in pronounsyng of
     ese wordes. Sodeynly ann he stirt fro at hous in whech he
|r24 had herd ese ingis, and in-to a gardeyn whech was annexid to
     at hous he stert; Alipius folowid him foot be foot, merueling sor
     of e sodeyn compunccion us neuly com. Thus ei sat in e
     gardeyn as fer fro e hous as ei myth sitte, and Augustin be-gan to
|r28 accuse him-self sor in e sith of our Lord of e slauth of his returne
     to God, and e grete hepes of synne whech he had vsed he gadered
     on-to mynde, whech mad him for to wepe plenteuously, and at he
     schul haue e mor leyser to wepe, he roos fro his felaw Alipius and
|r32 went on-to a figge-tre. ere he rew him-selue down vndyr e tre,



|p22


     and swech lamentable voyses he rew on-to heuene: O blissed Lord,
     who longe, who longe? Who longe wilt ou suffir, Lord, at I go so
     ferre fro i seruyse and differre my conuercion fro day to day?
 |r4 To-morow, schal it be to-morow? Why not now, Lord, whi schal
     not is same houre |r[l.19b] make an end of all my filth? Whil he lay
     us with grete contricion of hert and with ful sobbyng voys
     uttirryng all ese wordes, al sodeynly he herd a voys, as ou
 |r8 it had ben at e next hous, soundyng ese same wordes: Tak and
     rede, take and rede! Tho be-gan he for ink with-inne him-selue if
     childyrn with ony game at ei vse had ony swech wordes in her
     playing, and he coude not ink at he had herd ony swech. He
|r12 out an at is voys cam fro heuene, euyng him a warnyng at
     he schuld ope e bok whech he brout with him fro e hous on-to
     e gardeyn, and e first letter at his eye felle up-on he schuld
     rede. Thus ded he, and ese same wordis red he: Non in
|r16 comessacionibus & ebrietatibus, non in cubilibus & impudiciis,
     non in contencione & emulacione, sed induimini dominum ihesum
     christum et carnis curam ne feceritis in desideriis. The sentens
     of is texte may be englisched in is wise: Not in grete festis ne
|r20 in dronknesse, not in soft couchis and in schalful dedis, not in
     strif a[n] d envye, but be clad with our Lord Ihesu, & fulfille not
     e bisinesse of e flesch in his desires. He sperd the bok whan he
     had red is and leyd at e same reson a merk be whech he myth
|r24 rydily turne ertoo, for is same texte put in his hert a lite of
     swech a grace at alle e derk errouris whech he had hold wer
     passed a-wey fro him. Tho toke he e book on-to his felaw
     Alipius, and with his fynger or sum othir tokne schewid him
|r28 e clause be-for red. Alipius red ferer whech Augustin had
     not red, and schewid to Augustin what it was at folowid. us
     folowith in e texte: That man at is feynt in e feith, loke
     e be |r[l.20a] redy for to receyue. In-to e hous ei go both; ere ei
|r32 fynde e blessed woman Monicha, e modir of Augustin; ei
     told hir al is processe at sche whech had be in so mech sorow
     for hir son schuld haue part of his new ioye. Sche ankid God
     with ful humbil hert at oure Lord had graunted hir hir long
|r36 desir, & mech more at sche desired, for not only He had brout



|p23


     him to purpos to be a cristen man, but He had stered his hert to
     despise al is worldly plesauns.


|r[CHAPTER_XVI.]

        Who he left his skole of rethorik only to haue his hert
 |r4 fre to God.  xvj.

        |r<b> NOW be-gan his hert to be sette stedfastly in our Lord, for
        oo vanytees and oo opinyones in whech he had be-for
     ful grete ioye, now ar ei falle clene fro him, and at skole whech
 |r8 was a peyne to him at he schuld leue it, now for to leue it,
     it is to him ioye. But et him out for to leue his skole sodeynly
     and his skoleris desolat, at it was not best. For e heruest
     dayes wer ny whan skole is wone to cese; so longe he out for
|r12 to suffir hem, at ei schuld solemply goo fro him. Whan xx
     dayes were go, for an entred e cessacion, whech dayes wer
     on-to him longe for e grete desir at he had to serue God with
     mor solitarie lif, than was he dysmittid of his grete labour whech
|r16 he had in teching of rethorik. And because at al his desire
     was for to prey and study solitarily, he left e cite of Melan,
     and forth in-to e cuntr he went, in-to a feld ei cleped Cassiate,
     to a place longing to a worchipful man cleped Verecundus. This
|r20 Verecundus graunted him to dwelle ere |r[l.20b] on-to e tyme at he
     schuld be baptied. So in is same place abood he and Alipius,
     and oir frendis of his, with his modir, all in o desire to forsake
     e delectable onstabilnesse of is world. And in is same place mad
|r24 Augustin dyuers bokes, at is to sey a book De Achademicis, whech
     soundeth in our tonge of on-certeyn opiniones. For Achademia
     was a town where Plato tawt and all oo disciples of at skole
     held is opinion, at no ing is sette in certeyn. This book of
|r28 Augustin serueth not mech, for he was fayn aftir to make a book
     a-geyn is secte, and at is cleped Contra Achademicos. Aftir
     is he mad a-noir book in at same place, whech he clepith
     De Ordine, in whech book, as me semyth, he tretith be what
|r32 order or what forme a man schuld studie. The ird book mad



|p24


     he in at same place whech he clepith De Beata Vita; at is
     to sey, of e blessed lyf. The cause whi he mad is book is is.
     Many men in is world, specialy e hethen men, mad a gret
 |r4 feest at day at ei were bore. Augustin had vsed is al his
     lyf on-to at tyme. So happed at day to falle e same tyme
     at he dwelt in at possession of the forsaid man Verecundus.
     And be-cause he wold chaunge at fleschly fedyng in-to goostly
 |r8 talking, erfor with his moder and certeyn of his frendis, he mad
     at day at book wher he disputeth what we schuld calle e
     blissed lyf. All e cumpany saue his moder saide it is a blessed
     lyf a man for to haue all at he desireth. His modir put moo
|r12 wordis on-to is diffuncion. Sche saide |r[l.21a] he hath a blessed lif
     whech hath al at he desirith, and eke at he desire no-ing but
     good ing. Mech mor ing is touchid in is book, speciali of
     e knowlech of God, whech ing as now we may not declar.


|r[CHAPTER_XVII.]

|r16    Who bisily he red holy scriptur and speciali e Psalmes of
     Dauid, & of his baptem.  xvij.

        |r<b> NOW is e delectacion of Augustyn only sette in redyng of
        holy Scriptur; grete swetnesse hath he now in oo lessones
|r20 whech kyndeled e fyre of his hert and mad him to encrese sore
     in e loue of God. He mad ful grete sorow at he had be so
     bold to berke a-geyn ese holy letteris, whech be swete as hony
     to oo soules at desir heuene, for ei wer dewid fro heuene
|r24 be e holy vesseles of e prophetis, and most specialy be our
     Lord Ihesu and his aposteles. Tho cam Augustin on-to e
     Psalmis of Dauid, whech he red with ful ryp deuocyon, and
     specialy in iiij Psalme; ere mad he grete tarying, redyng euery
|r28 vers by and by with gret sobbyng of hert, with wepyng and
     lamentable voys. And whan he cam to at vers: In pace, in
     idipsum dormiam & requiescam, an wold he crye: A ou pes,
     a Lord, ou art e very pes in whech we schal both slepe and



|p25


     rest! A-mongis all ese swete consolaciones our Lord sent him
     sum bittirnesse, at he schuld tast e loue of ouar Lord both in
     bittyr & in swete. For at same tyme in whech he was come
 |r4 to is grete deuocion, he fel in greuous seknesse of e heed, most
     special of e teth, whech peyne encresed so at he myth not
     speke. Tho ran it in his mynde for to pray o men whech wer
     about him to make a |r[l.21b] supplicacion on-to our Lord, at he
 |r8 schuld of his mercy relese sum of is peyne. And be-cause he
     myth not speke is for peyne, erfor he took a peyre tables, and
     wroot in e wax al his desir, at ei of pite schuld pray for him.
     And sodeynly, as ei alle sette hem down on knees to pray for
|r12 him, e peyne went a-wey. Of whech chaunge he was gretly
     astoyned, for he had neuyr non experiens of so sodeyn helth in
     al his lyf. Tho sent he letteris to Seynt Ambrose, in whech
     letteris he renounsid for euyr all his elde errouris, and in e same
|r16 letteris he desired of Ambrose at he schuld assigne him what
     book of holy Scriptur was most neccessarie for him to rede, be
     whech redyng he myth be mor able and more redy to receyue
     e cristen feith. Ambrose wrote on-to him a-geyn at he out
|r20 best he schuld rede e book of Ysaie, e prophete, be-cause at
     is book tretith most openly of callyng of hethen men to e feith.
     Augustin red is book, and e beginnyng was passyng straunge
     on-to him, for he had not mech vsed at maner stile, wherfor
|r24 he leyd is book a-side as for a tyme, tyll he were mor vsed in
     study of scriptur. Sone aftir is he went to Melan a-gay[n] ,
     only for he cast him ere to be baptied, and et or he was
     baptied he mad ere a book whech is entituled, De Immortalitate
|r28 Anime. This book tretith who at a mannes soule is not dedly
     but hath lif for euer. Aftir e makyng of is book he was
     baptied of Seynt Ambrose, e er of his age xxxiij, in e pase-tyme,
     in |r[l.22a] e baptisterie whech is halowid to e name of Seynt Ion
|r32 Baptist, all e cite of Melan standyng aboute, meruelyng and
     praysing God. And ese too men in e time of baptising, whan
     e principal sacramental wordes wer said, mad is ympne whech
     e cherch vsith now, cleped Te Deum. Ambrose be-gan e first
|r36 vers, and Augustin e secund, and us ei said it to an ende.



|p26


     This witnesseth a seynt clepid Dacius, bischop aftir of e same
     cherch of Melan, in his Cronycle whech he mad, e x. book, e
     first capitule.


|r[CHAPTER_XVIII.]

 |r4    Of his son Adeodate whech was baptied with hym, and of
     othir also.  Capitulum xviij.

        |r<b> AUGUSTIN had a son be a sengil woman whech folowid
        up-on him wher he went as long as he was hethen, on-to
 |r8 at tyme at he and his felawis wer sette in at purpos for to
     wedde wyues of good birth, for aftir at tyme e woman sewid
     him no mor. These be his wordis in his Confessiones, wher he
     seith eke at he had neuer no woman but hir, ne sche no man
|r12 but him. O child was bor be-twix hem too, whom ei cleped
     Adeodatus, at is to seye, oue of God, a mal child, a child ful
     of witte and of vertu, but our Lord took him sone oute of is
     world aftir he was cristened with his fader. His witte was so
|r16 gret and so sotill, as Augustin tellit, at it passed in conyng
     many men of grete age and grete experiens. Augustin his fader
     had gret merueyl of him at a ong ing of xvj er age schuld so
     meruelously asken questionis, so sotilly argew. His fader had
|r20 mor bisinesse for to |r[l.22b] take heed at his questiones ann at e
     answeris whech schuld be oue ertoo. This child, with ful grete
     bisynesse, laboured to knowe e trewe wey of God, both in study
     of sotill sciens and eke folowing with vertuous lyf. But sone
|r24 aftir his baptem our Lord took him oute of erde, & sette him
     in swech place wher he is sikir of euyrlasting ioye. This same
     Adeodatus caused his fader to write at book whech tretith of
     e quantite of e soule, for it is a dialoge be-twix to, wher on
|r28 makith interogaciones and e oir eueth e answeres. Thus
     aftir her baptem Augustinus, with his felauchip, leued in ful
     grete ioye at ei had receyued so clene a lif, whech lyf was more
     dere on-to hem an gold or precious stones.



|p27


|r[CHAPTER_XIX.]

        Who Augustin had grete delite in e song and ympnis songen
     in e cherch of Melan.  cam. xix.

        |r<b> THUS whan he was confermed in e feith of holy kirk, al e
 |r4    ioye and e hope whech he had in is world he forsok,
     and in is tyme myth neuyr his soule be saciat or fulfillid of
     good desires, most special consideryng who at our Lord of His
     his councell had refreschid mankynde with His presens. He
 |r8 be-gan at ese dayes for to vse e cherch mech, wher he herd
     redyng and synging of delectable materes and swete melodies,
     whech melody was on-to him a ful grete solace. Ambrose had
     at time mad neuly many ympnys, for all e temporal ympnys
|r12 ar ny of his making, as Primo dierum omnium, & oo at
     folow, and is same bisschop Ambrose mad hem to be sunge
     delectabily with consent of dyuers tewnys whech |r[l.23a] had not be
     used ere be-for. The cause whi at ese newe songis were
|r16 be-gunne us in Ambroses tyme is is. The emperesse cleped
     Iustina was infect with e venemhous heresie of e Arianes,
     whech held at e Fader and e Son and e Holy Gost be not
     of o substauns, for e Son calle ei a creatur mad of e Fader,
|r20 and e Holy Gost clepe ei a creatur mad of a creatur, at is
     to sey of e Son. Thei sey ferermor, at Crist took flesch and
     blod with-outen ony soule. This woman, us infecte, at instauns
     of certeyn prestis whech taute hir at heresie, hated Ambrose,
|r24 for he prechid mech a-geyn hem. This persecucion was so gret
     at Ambrose was constreyned to kepe e cherch both nyth and
     day, and mech of his puple abod still with him in tuycion of
     his person, redy for to deye with her fader. So for to make
|r28 hem mor lith in her wecch, is same bischop ded ordeyn swete
     songis and delectable, aftir e vse of e cherchis in e est side
     of e world, at e puple us occupied with swech swete songis
     schuld forgete e heuynesse and e perel in whech ei stood. Eke



|p28


     whan is persecucion was ended et e good custom of ese songis
     abood stille. For on-to is day e vse of e cherch is for to
     singe his ympnis with mery notes, whech is plesauns to God
 |r4 and a grete encres of mannes deuocyon, specialy whan ei be
     songe deuoutly. For in ese songis had Augustin so grete delite
     at he herd hem with ful bisy eres, for ei mad him to ink
     on o songis whech aungelles syng in heuene, and in is same
 |r8 deuocion be alle |r[l.23b] his felawes now whech ar newly baptied. Thus
     can oure Lord make dyuers bodies lyue in on hous with o soule
     and on entent in e seruyse of God.


|r[CHAPTER_XX.]

        Who Augustyn aftir is took an habite of Sympliciane whech
|r12 his heremytes used.  xx.

        |r<b> BE-cause at Simpliciane with his holy exhortaciones had
        brout Augustin on-to e feith, erfor had Augustin grete
     recors on-to him, most special aftir his baptem. For of is same
|r16 Simpliciane took he e forme of an habite whech his heremytes
     vsed aftirward, and he eke. And nowt only e habite but e
     maner of holy conuersacion lerned he of e same Simpliciane rith
     as he sey with his eyne. The fornie of is habite is touched in his
|r20 bokes, wher ie seid at e habite was schape lich a crosse, and girt
     aboue with a girdil whech had no barres, and all was of blak colour
     at he schuld neuyr forgete who at he was hethen sumtyme and
     lyued in e blaknesse of synne. Off is informacion whech he
|r24 receyued of Sympliciane spekith him-selue in a sermone at he
     mad and it begynnyth: In omnibus operibus vestris &c. Thus
     he wrytith ere on-to e prestis whech were gadered be him in e
     monasterye at Ypone, he dwellyng in desert as for a tyme with his
|r28 hermytes: What is e cause at e grucch for I abood stille with
     myn heremites all ese estern halidayes? It plesed me as for
     is tyme to departe fro ou and dwelle with hem, whom, as
     I haue said often, I haue founden swech as I desire. Whi are e
|r32 troubled? Be not ei very pore men in Crist, and for his loue
     haue for |r[l.24a] sakyn al is world? Be not ei very buxum on-to all
     my comaundmentis? And in e forme of good lyf ei ar fer be-for



|p29


     ow. For be her good exaumples was I turned on-to e rith feith.
     Euyr haue I loued hem, and euyr haue I desired for to folow her
     holy conuersacion. Be at goodman Simplician, whech is amongis
 |r4 hem as a foundour, was I broute on-to cristendam and lerned in e
     feith. Wherfor be e not heuy of myn absens. Do thoo ingis
     whech are plesaunt on-to me, and I schal be with ou all dayes
     on-to e worldes ende.


|r[CHAPTER_XXI.]

 |r8    Who Augustin went on-to Simpliciane, and Simpliciane
     graunted him xij heremites whech went with him to Affrik.  xxj.

        |r<b> AFTIR is his moder Monicha desired at he and sche schuld
        go hom a-geyn on-to her owne cuntre and leue Melan and
|r12 all Itale, for sche had all hir desire whech sche desired in is
     world whan sche wist at he was a trewe cristen man. Tho went
     he to Simpliciane and prayed him in most special maner to graunt
     certeyn persones of his felauchip whech he wold lede on-to his
|r16 cuntre, as he saide, and leue ere with hem in holy conuersacion.
     Simpliciane was ful glad of his desir and graunted him xij e
     moost proued men in parfithnesse of all at college. So he and
     his moder and ese xij, with four of his frendis, Nebridius, Euodius,
|r20 Alipius & Poncianus, mad hem redy to go to e see, wher ei schuld
     schippe. Off is mater spekith is same glorious doctour in a
     sermon whech he mad of iij gendres of munkys; us begynnyth
     e sermone: Vt nobis per litteras, and us writith he ere: These
|r24 be e perfite men to whom I drow mech in tyme of myn errour,
     |r[l.24b] be whom eke I receyued e lith of my feith, & for e fame of
     her holinesse was I baptied in Crist. For at e comaundment
     of my moder and desire of my frendis I went on-to at god fader
|r28 Simpliciane, and desired of him certeyn persones of his felauchip,
     at we schuld leue to-gidyr in e boundes of charite at hom in my
     cuntr. And he, ful faderly, whan he sey me wepe for swem at
     I had whan I schuld depart fro him, grannted me e same men
|r32 whech I desired. But whi, hope e, at he graunted on-to nie is
     felauchip so redyly? For he knew wel at my desir was to edifie
     a monasterie in Affrik in whech we schuld dwelle, folowyng e



|p30


     steppis of e apostoles, specialy in forsaking of worldly richesse
     and in chois of wilful pouerte. Of e men whech I led with
     me fro Simpliciane in-to Affrik, ese be e names: Anastasius,
 |r4 Fabianus, Seuerus, Nicholaus, Dorotheus, Ysaac, Nichostratus,
     Paulus, Arillus, Stephanus, Iacobus & Vitalis. Off is Vitalis
     speketh he specialy in a book cleped, De Verbis Domini &
     Apostoli, in e sermone lxxxiiij whech beginnyth us: Beati
 |r8 apostoli epistola, where he tellith at is Vitalis was an huscher
     of gramer in Melan or at tyme whech he cam to e skole of
     Simpliciane. So happed him to fynde a grete bagg of gold at
     a marchaunt had lost. And a-non, as he had found it, he sette
|r12 up scrowes on certeyn gates in Melan, at what man cowde telle
     very toknes schuld haue his gold a-geyn. The man cam at had.
     rith ertoo and told him e very toknes, & he delyuered him his
     gold with[-oute] ony delay. Tho at |r[l.25a] man at had lost is mony
|r16 sey e treuth of e fynder, profered him for his labour xx s;
     Vitalus wold non receyue. He profered him x s, and an v s,
     & euyr he refused it. He at had lost e mony was in partye
     wroth with e fynder for he wold not take for his labour, rew
|r20 down e bagge, saying on is maner: I lost nowt, take ou al.
     So was is Vitalis compelled in partie to receyue is v s as for his
     labour, and he a-non gaue it to pore men, kepand to him-selue no
     part. For is good dede praiseth Seint Augustin is man, and
|r24 for is dede writith he here a comoun proposicion mech used in e
     decrees: Quicquid inuenisti & non reddisti rapuisti. This is to
     sey in our tonge: What-so-euer ou fyndist and gyuyst not a-geyn,
     ou stelist.


|r[CHAPTER_XXII.]

        Who Augustin with all is meny went to Rome to take e se
     in Hostia fast by Rome & whi he taried er.  xxij.

        |r<b> TO all is felauchip us gadered in fer was Monicha a very
        moder, as goodly and as frendly to hem all as ou sche
     had be moder to hem alle, and eke as seruyseable on-to hem as



|p31


     ou sche had be doutir on-to hem. Fro Melan he went to Rome
     be Tussie, wher he fond many heremites dwellyng in wodes and in
     feldis, euene sette in e same purpos in whech he was sette. Alle
 |r4 ese men for e moost partie he visite with swete exhortacion of
     our Lord, with whech both he and ei wer ful vertuously refreschid.
     Than cam he to Rome, and ere herd he mech noyse of e Manichees
     whech wer in Rome at at tyme, teching here errouris ful pryuyly,
 |r8 be nyth specialy, |r[l.25b] for aspying. There at e prayer of cristen
     men he mad too bokys. On hith De Moribus Manicheorum, the
     oir hith De Moribus Ecclesis Catholice. This is to sey in Englisch,
     of e maneris of Manicheis, and of e maneris of hem at be in e
|r12 cristen feith. In on of ese bokes tellith he at e Manicheis held
     her skoles be nyth, and edir cam both men and women, and all
     sodeynly aftir e lesson, e lith schuld be blow out and an schuld
     ei pley, as Wiclif disciples played, Sistir me nedith. In is cyte
|r16 eke, or he went ouyr e se, mad he e book of whech we spoke
     be-fore; it is cleped e book of e quantite of e soule, whech is
     mad be maner of a dialoge be-twix him and his son Adeodatus, in
     whech book many sotil inggis ar touchid whech long not to is
|r20 maner of wryting at is cleped narratyf. In is same cite and
     is same tyme eke mad he a notable book at is cleped De Libero
     Arbitrio, at is to sey, of e fre choys at a man hath to good or
     to euele. This book was mad in maner a-geyn e Manicheis, for
|r24 her he determineth a-gayn hem at all euele spryngith of is fre
     choys, for ei seid at euele was coeterne with God; so ei put to
     ingis coeterne, on called ei good, e oir euele. All is ing
     witnesseth him-selue in his first book of his Retractaciones.


|r[CHAPTER_XXIII.]

        Who ei went all in fere fro Rome in-to Hostie.  cap. xxiij.

        |r<b> THUS all ing sped at Rome for whech cristen men had
        reqwired him in defens of our feith, with all his felauchip
     |r[l.26a] he went forth to Hostie. Hostie is a fayr town xvj myle fro
     Rome where at Tibir rennyth in-to e se, for Hostium in e
     Latyn tonge is a dor, and at is clepid so as a dor of e se. Ther



|p32


     ei abood e wynd and mad hem redy for to sayle. So up-on
     a day, as his moder and he stood lenyng out at a wyndown and
     lokyng in a gardeyn whech longid on-to her, in fer fro pres of
 |r4 puple us a-lone, ei too talked ful sobirly of e euyr-lestyn lif
     whech is ordeyned for blessid soules. Thei talked so long erof
     and lyft up her hertis in contemplacion of at holy place, at ei
     had for-gete in maner is world and all erdly ing, so wer ei
 |r8 rauyschid with her holy wordis. Thei stood stille both a grete
     while and out swech ingis as ei coude not vttyr, and eke ageyn
     in her holy comunicacion ei fell. Tho saide sche on-to hir son
     swech maner wordis: Son, as to my part, I telle I haue no delecta_cion
|r12 in no maner ing at is in is world. What I schal do in is
     world, or why at I am here so longe, I wote not veryly. Sumtyme
     I desired to abyde at I schuld se e a trew cristen man or I deyid.
     God hath graunted me at and mech mor, for I se e now nowt
|r16 only a cristen man, but I se e a special seruaunt of God, for ou
     hast despised all worldly felicite. This saide sche to hir son with
     ful sobir chere, and with-inne v. dayes aftir sche fel in a feuer,
     whech feuer encresed so sore up-on hir at in maner as for a tyme
|r20 it had a-wey hir wittis. And whan sche was restored a-geyn to hir
     wittis sche lokid on hir son, and us sayd on-to him: Wher was I?
     Thei at |r[l.26b] stood a-bout were al astoyned, and answered not. Than
     spak sche a-gayn in is maner: Ley is body whan I am ded in
|r24 what place e wil; haue no besynesse in no maner wher it schal be
     byryed. O ing I pray ou of specialte, wher-euer e be, at ony
     aucter wher e schal ministir e holy sacrament, in at place haue
     of me sum special mynd. Sche had for getyn, as Augustin tellith
|r28 al her cuntr and e byrying of hir husbond whech was mad ful
     costly and a space left for hir wher sche schuld ly. For a litil
     be-for her seknesse ei at wer aboute hir, aftir grete communica_cion
     of e contempte of e world and of desire of good deth, ei
|r32 inqwyrid of hir if sche was not aferd for to deye so fer fro hir
     cuntr; sche answered to hem rith us: No-ing is fer fro God.
     I am no-ing a-ferd at God schuld not knowe fro whens he schuld



|p33


     reise me. So e ix day aftir e seknesse took hir, at religious
     soule, at meke soule, was losed fro e body, e ere of hir age lvj,
     e ere of Augustyn age xxxiij. And many noble men and religious
 |r4 women cam to hir exequies, as hir son tellith [in] e ix hook of his
     Confessiones. Thus was sche biried at Hostie and lay ere a ml er
     and mor or sche was translate to Rome.


|r[CHAPTER_XXIV.]

        The comendacion & e orison of Augustin for his moder.
 |r8 xxiiij.

        |r<b> IN e nynth book of his Confessiones, in e last ende, ere
        touchith he e deth of his modir and e grete compleynt
     mad for hir both be oir men and be him. Thus aftir oer
|r12 ingis he seith of hir: Thi seruaunt, Lord, whom |r[l.27a] ou hast now
     take on-to i mercy, as ou knowist & as I be-leue, aftir at
     tyme at sche had take i feith and i baptem, sche defouled
     neuer hir lippis with no vnclennesse whech schuld be offense
|r16 on-to i lordchip; no lesingis wer founde in hir tonge, no slaunder,
     no vice whech longith on-to at membir. Thou saide, Lord, at
     what man with angri hert said on-to his broir euele, or cleped
     him fool, was gilty on-to e peyne of helle. Here me, Lord, now
|r20 clepyng on-to i grace for my moder whech stant in i grace.
     Her me for e medycyne of oo woundis whech i son souered
     in his body for e helth of our soules. Forgif hir all e trespas
     with whech sche offendid e in out, word, or werk. Entyr not
|r24 with hir in-to i dom. Lete i mercy flete aboue i dom.
     I hope veryly at ou hast doo now al at I pray e, but et
     alowe my good wil whech i offer on-to e for hir as a deute of
     hir child. Sche bond hir soule on-to e prys of thi blod whil
|r28 sche lyued, for ere was no day left but sche wold be present
     where e sacrifise and e memory of i holy blod schuld be had
     in mynde. Inspire, Lord, all e rederes of is book at, in presens
     of e sacrament of e aucter, ei may haue of e soules of Patrik,
|r32 my fader, and Monicha, my moder, deuoute mynde, be whos
     flesch I was brout forth on-to is wor[l] d . Many oir holy
     conceytes hath Augustin her if we had tyme to reherse hem.



|p34


|r[CHAPTER_XXV.]

         Aftir deth of his moder who he went in-to Cartage with his
     felauchip.  cap. xxv.

        |r<b> Whann his moder was ded and byried at Hostie, as we seid
 |r4    be-for, with e next wynd he and his felauchip sailed streit
     |r[l.27b] on-to Cartage, whech was a grete cite and strong, and mech
     named in e world, specialy amongis marchaundis. I haue mynd
     at I haue red in Augustin bokes, I wot not now wher, at all
 |r8 marchaundise and al maner makyng of schippis be-gan er. Ther
     wer ei herborowid in a worthi mannes hous; ei cleped him
     Innocent. This same Innocent, swech tyme as Augustin was
     ere, had a greuous sor, whech sor myth not be hol, as e lech
|r12 said, with-outen at it wer slitte. The man was weyk and dred
     mech e knyf. So Augustin, meued of very compassion, prayed
     deuoutly to God for helth of his hoost, and sodeynly he was hool.
     Ther was gret merueyle of hem at dwelt aboute, but ei all
|r16 with grete deuocion ankid God of his werkis. Of is same
     myracle don at Cartage spekith Augustin in e xxij book of e
     Cite of God, so fer as ou a-noir man had do e same. Fro
     Cartage went ei hom to e houses and feldis at longid on-to
|r20 Augustin of herytage. Thus leued ei alle of o godis whech
     wer left him be his frendis, not vsyng husbondry but seld, now
     o part now an-oir, for ei leued all be at possession ny iij ere.
     Augustin had take et non ordres, but brout with him certeyn
|r24 prestis a-mongis oo heremites whech he had of Simpliciane, and
     ei all folowyng e steppes of e apostoles, dwelt to-gidir in on
     hous with o soule in prayer and fasting, |r[l.28a] and he him-selue, swech
     ingis as God had schewid to him, vttered it to oir men in
|r28 writyng and teching, to her gret lernyng.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVI.]

        What bokes he mad whil he leued us in his owne possession
     in e town of Tagatenses.  cap. xxvj.

        |r<b> DWELLYNG us in his owne possession he wrot too bokes
|r32    ageyn e Manicheis, & ese cleped he De Genesi, for ere
     tretith he mech of e werkis of our Lord whech he wrout in e



|p35


     begynnyng of e world. Ther al-so mad he an ende of vj bokes
     of Musik whech he be-gan at Melan. The first v. bokes ar not redyly
     founde, e sexte is had wher he tretith who we may ascende in owr
 |r4 vndirstanding fro bodely and chaungable noumbres on-to goostly and
     permanent, whech permanent noumbres be in at treuth whech is
     God. So he concludeth at oo inuisibil ingis whech be in heuene
     ar vndirstand e bettir for knowlech of bodely ingis whech God
 |r8 mad in erde. He seith ferermor at ou er be certeyn men
     her in erde at haue so dul wit at ei can-not vndirstand is
     mater, et if ei kepe treuly e cristen feith, ei schul sumtyme
     se all ese ingis. & fele hem in swech sikirnesse at ei may not
|r12 fayle. He seith eke at summe men at haue sotil wittis and
     vndirstand is wel I-now, if it be so at ei despise Crist, for al
     her sotil kunnyng, ei schal be da[m] pned in hell. In at same
     tyme eke, mad he a-noir book at is entitled e bok Of e
|r16 Maistir. is bok is |r[l.28b] in maner of a dialoge be-twix him and
     his son, for sone aftir e bok was mad his son deyid. In is
     book he seith at ere is no very mayster to tech men e treuth
     but God alone. That same tyme eke he mad a-noir book whech
|r20 he nameth De Vera Religione, wher he tretith at ere is no
     trewe ne very religion in al e world but in e cristen feith.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVII.]

        What was e cause whi he went first to Ypone.  xxvij.

        |r<b> THUS lyued our maystir in holy study and contemplacion
        so at his fame be-gan to sprede, what lyf he held and
|r24 what doctrine he comuned to hem at cam on-to hym, so at
     e lith of his doctrine myth not be hid but raer spred him-selue
     orw e cuntr. Of him herd a certeyn rych man at dwelt at
     tyme at Ypone swech meruelous tydyngis at e man was gretly
|r28 stered to se him a[n] d speke with him. For whech cause he sent
     messageris and letteris on-to Augustin, in whech letteris he
     comendid gretly his cunnyng and special his deuocion, at he



|p36


     was only oue to lernyng and good lyf, for whech exercise he had
     despised al is worldly felicite. This man wrote ferermor at
     if he wold com to Ypone he was redy to forsake al e couetyse
 |r4 of worldly possession and folow his steppes in e wey of God.
     For is cause Augustyn consented on-to e man, hauyng a grete
     desire to wynne swech a soule to Goddis seruyse whech was
     so defouled in worldly vanyte. A-noir cause was ere eke,
 |r8 for Augustyn out he schuld lyue ere in mor quiete contemplacion
     an at hom amongis his kynrod and aqueyntauns. |r[l.29a] For he is
     in very purpos to edifie a monastery and to lyue erin with his
     brether aftir e forme and e ordinauns of e aposteles. Thus
|r12 is he come to Ypone, and e man at sent aftir him receyued
     him ful worchipfully, but e principal cause whech Augustin
     supposed to spede, at failed. For e man herd deuoutly all
     hise wordes but to e very contempt of richesse coude he not
|r16 bring him as et. Summe men suppose at he cam to at ende
     aftirward, for, as ei sey, it myth not renne in veyn, e labour
     at our Lord purveyid in so swete a vessel. That ese to ingis
     wer e cause why at Augustin went on-to Ypone, he witnessisith
|r20 him-selue in a sermone intitled Of e Comon Lif of Clerkis, wher
     he seith us: I, at with e grete mercy of God, e se now our
     bischop, I cam ong on-to is cite, and many of ow knowe.
     I soute at tyme a conuenient place where I schuld make a
|r24 monasterie, to lyue ere with my bretherin. I cam eke on-to
     is cite for to wynne my frend on-to God, at he schuld lyue
     with us eke in e monasterie. Me-out at at tyme a sikir
     comyng on-to is cite, be-cause ei had a bischop. For at
|r28 place whech had non I refused as suspecte, at I schuld not
     be chose.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVIII.]

        Who he edified a monastery in desert for him and certeyn
     heremites.  xxviij.

|r32    |r<b> HE had not longe dwelt at Ypone or he fel in aqweyntauns
        of Valery, bischop an of at cite. This Valerie was
     a ful goodly man, fre-hertet and namely on-to straungeris. So



|p37


     Augustin, not fer fro e cite orw his fauour, edified a monasterie
     in desert, |r[l.29b] and sowt all e wodes aboute, for all e heremites
     whech he myth fynde he gadered in-to o congregacion, as he
 |r4 witnessith in a sermon writyn on-to e prestes of Ypone and
     alleggid be-fore, wher he seith us: As e know, I cam on-to
     is cyte with my welbeloued frendis Euodio, Simplicio, Alipio,
     Nebridio & Anastasio. I cam hidir with a maner of a sikirnesse,
 |r8 for I wist wel at e good fader Valerius was bischop her. I cam
     hidyr, not for to haue powere ouyr ou in dignite, but for to
     dwelle as an outcast in e hous of our Lord all e dayes of my lyf.
     I cam hidir, not for to receyue seruyse of oer men, but for to
|r12 lyve pesibily in desert with my breerin. I brout no richesse
     with me, but fauoured with e grace of our Lord and with e
     good help of e old man Valerie, I mad a monasterie here in
     desert with grete labour and bisinesse, whech monasterie stant
|r16 alone fer fro e puple, and with grete out I haue gadered ere
     seruauntes of God whech dwelt alone, disparplied be e wodes,
     and ere begunne we for to lyue after e maner and e forme
     of e aposteles lif, at all our godis schul go in comon and no
|r20 man haue no maner ing propir to him-selue. Thus lyue ei
     in prayer, and wecch, and fasting, & many oer vertues mor an
     we may now expresse. That is good old bischop gaue fauour
     and god on-to edifiyng of is-first monasterie witnessith Augustin
|r24 eke in e forsaid sermone, Vt nobis per litteras, wher he seith
     us on-to o same heremites: e be my vyne, chosen of me, sette
     in e myddis of e cherch, as ou it |r[l.30a] were in e myddis of
     peradys. This vyne haue I, in e vertu of God, gadered to-gydyr,
|r28 and werkmen haue I sette ere at ei schuld trauayle and
     bryrig forth frute in her tyme. To is vyne I haue chose ou,
     to is heritage I haue gadered ou, with e fauour of e holy
     man Valery, whech of e cherch godis aue me grete plente to
|r32 e edificacion of my monastery, for my patrimonie myth not
     suffise to e grete expense and he had not holpe me.



|p38


|r[CHAPTER_XXIX.]

        Of e noumbyr of o heremytes whech he gadered, and of
     her holy conuersacion.  capitulum xxix.

        |r<b> IN is same monastery Augustin, or he were prest, gadered
 |r4    a grete noumbyr of heremites whech lyued, as we sayde
     be-for, aftir e forme and e ordinauns of e apostoles, and he
     her began at ordr whech we clepe at is day, and e cherch
     of Rome clepith hem e same in all e bullis of her preuylegis,
 |r8 e ordre of e heremites of Seynt Augustyn. First dwelt ei
     in dyuers wodes, her on and ere anoer, and euerych of hem
     lyued as hym lyked tyl at our auctour gadered hem to-gidyr
     & mad of anachorites cenobites. He spekith him-selue of hem
|r12 in e sermone often rehersid, us: I cam in-to Affrik, my good
     modyr ded, & edified, as e se, a monastery in desert ferr fro dwell_yng
     of men. And blessed be God, I haue gadered ere a noumbir
     of breerin whos hertis are so inspired with gostly lith at
|r16 not only ei be foloweris of holy faderis whech lyued in solitarie
     lif, but now ei folow e noble steppes of e aposteles, for al
     ing is comon on-to hem. Many faderis wer be-for me whom
     for to folow is ful profitable, but non of hem went nyher e
|r20 apostoles lif an I. Therfor |r[l.30b] may I sey at I am fader and hed
     of ou all. The habite of is ordr was a blak cope girt with
     a girdil of ledir with-outen ony barr, as he witnessith in e
     forsaid sermone, hauyng ese wordes on-to e prestis at dwelt
|r24 in e monasterie: Go to myn heremites and lerne of hem to be
     meke of hert, pore of spirit, and childyrn of obediens. Loke
     if e be swech as ei be. Wold God e were swech as I fynde
     hem. e be renneres a-boute e cyte; and ei fle e sith of
|r28 men. e be arayed with dyuers colouris and dyuers furris; ei
     are content with a blak cloth. e haue girdilis lich knytys; and
     ei with ongis of chamel skynnys, as Hely and Ion, go girt in her
     lendes. To ese same heremites mad he a book of certeyn reules,
|r32 who ei schuld lyue, whech reules he cleped e Margarites of
     Paradise, and ei be comprehendid in e first sermone at he



|p39


     mad to hem whech sermone beginnyth, Fratres mei & leticia
     cordis mei. Many of o same put he aftirward in his reule whech
     he called a Merour as a man may sone perseyue.


|r[CHAPTER_XXX.]

 |r4    Who Augustin was chose prest of e monasterie vndir Valery
     e bischop, to haue e reule of e cherch.  xxx.
        |r<b> IN is same tyme e prest of e cherch at Ypone was ded, and
        is Valerius gadered e puple and e clergie to ordeyn a
 |r8 new successour whech schuld ber al e charge of e cherch, for e
     bischop was old and myth not labour; he was alsoo a Grek of
     birth and coude not parfithly e langage of at cuntre. A-mongis
     all oir Valery sent for Augustin, and before all e puple sayde it
|r12 was e custom |r[l.31a] at ei schuld haue e chois, but neuer-e-lasse,
     e puple knew wel be certeyn toknes at he wold preferre Augustin
     to is dignite. Augustin be-cause he had take et non ordres stood
     a-mongis e puple in a maner of a sikyrnesse, as he out at no
|r16 man schuld chese him be-cause he was not in ordr. Thus as he
     stood, sodeynly all e puple chase him with o voys, leyd handis up_on
     hym, and as e maner was, presented him on-to e bischop. He
     wepte, and with-drow him merueyling sore at ei wer us set on
|r20 him, allegging e perel of at dignite to haue gouernauns of so
     grete a puple; but e mor he refused it e mor ei desired him,
     and cryed for at Augustin schuld be her prest. Thus was he
     brout on-to e bischop, and he, with ful grete reuerens and deuo_cion,
|r24 gaf him his ordres. Afftir he was us mad prest of e cherch
     he dwelled stille with his heremites whos felauchip he had euer
     desired, but e bischop say wel at it was ouyr ferr fro e cite
     euyr for to go to and fro, and e occupacion of e cherch was
|r28 grete, e desir eke of Augustin euer for to be with his heremites, of
     grete discrecion ordeyned is mene whech fulfillid both ingis, at
     is to seye, at e cherch schuld be wel seruyd with e presens of



|p40


     Augustin, and eke he schuld not be fer fro his welbeloued heremites.
     The mene was is, at a fayr place schuld be mad fast be e
     monasterie and certeyn heremites schuld be chose fro e first
 |r4 place and dwell in e secund with whech our Augustin myth
     speke whan he list. This was fulfillid in-dede, and summe of e
     best of is first monasterie wer drawe to is secund, and Augustin
     gadered to her noumbir mo owt of |r[l.31b] e world, not lewid men but
 |r8 clerkys and lerned men, and ere sette he hem in e same reule
     at e first monastery had, at ei schuld lyue in comon, and no
     man to haue noing propir to him-self. This same processe
     writith is doctour ful pleynly in a sermone De Communi Vita
|r12 Clericorum, allegged be-fore, and in a-noir sermon to e prestis of
     Ypone begynnyng, In omnibus operibus uestris.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXI.]

        Who Augustin lerned ese men of e secund monasterie, &
     who he prechid eke in presens of his bischop.  Capitulum xxxj.

|r16    |r<b> THESE men us chosen to e secund monasterye studied in
        dyuy[ni] te and in morall bokes at e comaundment of her
     maystir, for he lerned hem so at ei schuld come to e cite to
     preche e puple & edifye hem with Goddis word. The bischop
|r20 Valery, seyng e grete cunnyng of Augustin, and eke e grete
     desir at he had to preche e word of God, ankid God often sithe
     at he had sent him in his age so good a viker. For, as he seid to
     e puple, his prayer was herd whech he had long prayed, at God
|r24 schuld send him swech a man at myth edifie his puple both with
     exaumple and doctryne. For he him-self was not rith redy to
     swech ingis, for he was not gretly letteryd, and eke born he was
     of e Grek tonge and coude not mech skil on Latyn bokes whech
|r28 wer vsed most in e prouynce of Cartage. Wherfor he graunted
     Augustin leue a-geyn e custom of e cherchis of Affrik to prech in
     e cherch in his presens. For whech ing many oir bischoppis
     grucchid a-geyn is new custom, be he rowt not, ne sette no pryse



|p41


     be swech grucching tongis e whilis at Augustin supplied swech
     good |r[l.32a] werkis whech he coude not do him-selue. For be e prechyng
     of Augustin many soules were goten to God. He ferd lich a gret
 |r4 lith sette all on hy, at all men in e grete hous of our Lord had
     direccion in her werkys be his schynyng. This ensaumple ran oute
     orw e lond of Affrik, at o prestis whech wer wel-lerned men
     had leue to preche in presens of her bischoppis. And as we saide
 |r8 be-fore, Augustin gat leue of Valery at ese heremites whech
     dwelt in e secund monastery were admitted to preche and
     schryue, not alle, but oo whech were lerned in diuinite and
     custumablely vsed in good lyf. This witnessith he in at sermone
|r12 often alleggid, Vt bene nostis, where he seith us: Tho bretherin
     sette in e monasterie whech our good fader Valery endewid, ou
     it be so at ei dwelle not in e cite, be-cause her fame was mech
     bor a-mongis e puple, erfor haue I ordeyned at ei schul preche
|r16 e word of lif on-to e puple, and bryng trew soules be her gode
     ensaumples to Him at mad al of nowt. Behold who ai deme e
     erde and bynde it & lose swech as ei wil euer with e fauour
     of God.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXII.]

|r20    Who he disputed with a grete heretik clepid Fortunatus and
     conuicte him of heresie.  xxxij.

        |r<b> IN at same tyme e heresie of e Manicheis encresid in e
        cite of Ypone, orw labour and doctrine of a grete capteyn
|r24 of hem cleped Fortunate, whech had peruerted many soules fro e
     trewe feith. For whech cause e best citeceynes requyred her
     prest, Augustin, to speke with is Fortunat, & refelle, if he myth,
     e heresie with whech he had deseyued many soules. Augustyn,
|r28 whech was redy |r[l.32b] to answere euery man and for to talk of e feith,
     hope and charite whech wer plenteuously with-inne him, forsok
     not is conflicte, but obeied rydily her peticion, inqwyring of hem
     if Fortunate wold consente to is dede. Tho went ei to Fortunate,
|r32 and reqwyrid him with swech instauns at he myth not denye her



|p42


     desir. Thus is e day come of is comunicacion; grete puple is
     gadered and notaries sette on both sides whech schuld report treuly
     e wordis at wer saide. For is was euyr e practik of Augustin
 |r4 whan he schuld dispute with ony heretik, to write her wordes, at
     ei schuld not denye o tyme whech ei graunted anoer tyme.
     Too dayes lestid is disceptacion. The question disputed ainongis
     hem was is, Fro whens at euel comth. Augustin held is
 |r8 opinion, at euel be-gynnyth in a man rith of his fre choys, for
     ere schuld no euel be in him but he wold. Fortunate held at
     euel was a natur coeterne with God, at is to sey, euene as God
     hath be. euyr so hath at natur euele euyr be. In is disputacion
|r12 is Fortunat coude not hurt Augustin with non argument, ne his
     owne opinione coude he not defende, so faylyng in his answeres
     & foule aschamed, he fled oute of e cuntre, and at heresie whech
     he held fel fro euery mannes hert. This act sette Seynt Augustin
|r16 in a book, at men aftirward schuld knowe e conflict be-twix hem.
     In is same tyme mad he anoir book whech he clepith Of e
     Sermon of Crist saide in e hill, where he hath a notable exposicion
     up-on e Pater-Noster, |r[l.33a] for at same is a grete part of at sermon
|r20 whech Crist sayde in e hill. Thus prechid at nobil prest, Augustin,
     with grete auctorite distroyed heresie and planted new religion, so
     at his name was spred orw e lond.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIII.]

        Who Augustin was chose bischop Vale[r] y lyuyng in at see.
|r24 cap.  xxxiij.

        |r<b> AMongis all e ioye at is bischop Valery had for our Lord
        had sent him swech a preest, he caute with at a gret fer,
     and in partye a gelosie, at Augustyn schuld not go fro hym, and
|r28 be chose a bischop in a-noer cyte. For at same had he do or
     is tyme had not Valery sent him owt of e weye, wenyng to
     many men at he schuld not sone come a-geyn. For is cause he
     sent priuy letterys to e bischop of Cartage, primate of at lond,



|p43


     at Augustyn schuld be promoted to is dignite, in whech lettres
     he alleggid his age, his febilnesse, and eke who he was not redy in
     langage to erudicion of e puple and destruccion of heresie as
 |r4 Augustin was. The bischop of Cartage at knew Augustin wel
     sent down letteris of confirmacion at all at Valery had reqwyrid
     him he held ferme and stable. This bischop of Cartage was
     primate orw all Affrik, an was ere anoir bischop primate of
 |r8 al Numidie, and for him sent Valery, and eke for a-noir worthi
     man, ei clepid him Megasie, bischop of a cite clepid Orilamense;
     mo bischoppis sent he for and clerkys to Ypone, and whan ei were
     gadered to-gidyr, be-fore e puple sodeynly he vttir his desire at
|r12 Augustin schuld be bischop and ei both schuld lyue to-gidyr in
     comon of e |r[l.33b] cherchis good. The puple, whan ei herd is, ei
     ankid God heyly and with o uoys ei cryed at Augustyn schuld
     be bischop. He mad grete allegaunce ageyn is eleccion and seide
|r16 it was not conuenient at ei schuld chese a-new, e old lyuyng, but
     for all at he coude say, Valerie is desir was fulfillid, and Augustyn
     consecrate, and e cure leyd only in him. And a-geyn is maner
     of eleccion wrot Seynt Augustyn aftirward to e court of Rome, at
|r20 he schuld be excused of his errour, for ere was mad a statute of
     holy cherch in e councell at Antioche, at ere schuld no bischop
     make a-noer whil he lyued, as it is pleynly conteyned in e decres,
     capitulum viij, quaestione I., episcopo non licet. So Seynt Augustin
|r24 wold not at ing do, in him not rithfully schuld not be drawe to
     oir men in ensaumple. Thus whan he was bischop with gretter
     auctorite and more feruent loue, he prechid e word of God, nowt
     only in his owne diosise, but wher-euyr he was reqwyred, most
|r28 specialy wher heresie regned, idir went he to defende e feith.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIV.]

        Off e ird monasterie whech he gadered of chanones with_inne
     e paleys.  cap. xxxiiij.

        |r<b> WHann he was mad bischop he say weel at for e grete
|r32    multitude of causes & e grete prees of straungeris at
     daily cam on-to him, he must hold a houshold, and he myth not go



|p44


     to his refeccion euery day to neir of ese to monasteries of whech
     we spoke, erfor he chase certeyn prestis of good lyf and gret
     lettirur to leue with him in at college, and |r[l.34a] o same men bonde
 |r4 to leue vndir obediens, chastite and fro propirte of temporal richesse,
     as o heremites lyued in e to monasteries saide be-fore. And owt
     of is colege cam ese chanones at ar called at is day of ordr of
     Seint Augustin, ou it be so at ei be distincte in oer habite
 |r8 an ei at wer with Seint Augustin, for ei went in dyuers
     colouris a[n] d furris, as chanones do now in cathedral cherchis.
     But be-cause at ese chanones in blak habite kepe mor streytly
     e reule of Seynt Augustin, as touching at poynt to lyue in
|r12 comon, erfor, I suppose, at ei be nyher Seynt Augustin an e
     othir. And erfor is ere meued a question in e lawe wheir
     e chanones of cathedral cherchis be bounde erw-oute e world
     for to kepe e reule of is doctour whech he mad on-to hem, & it
|r16 is cleped De Vita Clericorum, or nowt, and ei sey nay erto, for
     be-cause he myth bynde no cherch but his owne. Wherfor me
     semeth at o chanonis whech be clepid reguler ar mor ny Seint
     Augustin an oo at be clepid seculer. This same glorious
|r20 doctour in a famous sermone whech he mad of e comon lif of
     clerkys, and it beginnyth Propter quod nolui & rogaui, makyth
     mynde of is irde monasterie in swech maner wordes: It
     plesid God for to sey on-to me at I schuld ascende to hier degre,
|r24 for aftir e tyme at my fame was bore in e puple, I be-gan to
     drawe me fro euery place whech wanted a bischop. But a seruaunt
     may not sey nay to his lord. Wherefor, whan I was mad bischop,
     I aspied wel at I must chere men at cam on-to me with mete
|r28 and drynk, for if I ded not, I schuld |r[l.34b] be hald on-gentil, and if I led
     my gestis on-to o monasteries whech I haue mad, e custom
     schuld not be good, for e most part of o heremites desire not
     mech to haue grete conuersacion with e puple. This was e
|r32 cause whi at I gadered ese clerkis in o colege with-inne e hous
     or e place whech longith principaly to the bischoprich. These
     same wordes hath he in a sermone to e same prestis of Ypone
     whech be-gynnyth: In omnibus operibus vestris. Many ingis



|p45


     myth we plant in here, who at he loued bettyr e felauchip of
     e heremites an of e prestis in e cathedral cherch, and what
     grucching e same prestis made a-geyn is affeccion, but all is
 |r4 I ley be-side and wil procede to e oir part of his lif.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXV.]

        Who ese heremites wer founde be e possession of e cherch
     and what worthy men grew of his college.  xxxv.

       |r<b> NOWT only e prestis of e colege were founde and fedde with
 |r8   e possession of e cherch, but eke e heremites had part,
     ou her part wer not so plenteuous as was e oir. In a
     sermone at he mad on-to e same heremites, entitled, Of prayer,
     he makith mynde of is mater, and us he seith: Be not wery of
|r12 our prayer, for e haue bettir leyser to pray an summe oir
     haue. e be not ordeyned for to gouerne oir men, but for to
     leue in solitary lyf and deuoute prayer to God. And at e
     schuld pray e more hertly, and not be lettyd with no cold whech
|r16 schuld withdrawe our deuocion, for is cause, of swech godes as
     longe to e cherch of Ypone, I haue |r[l.35a] do mad ou clothis & hosyn
     and schon erto an hundred and xl, whech I wil at ei be kept in
     a comon vestiary, at euery man may haue part as him nedith.
|r20 Thus norchid is noble man ese pore creatures, and on e othir
     side oo persones at dwelt with him in e cherch he lerned hem
     dyuynyte, for at euery mel had ei notable communicacion of holy
     scriptur, and euer alle e answeres must fynaly come fro Augustin.
|r24 Owt of his hous, as we rede, him lyuyng, were chose x bischoppes,
     men of gret lettirur and of parfith lyf. For many famous men at
     oo dayes, seing e grete perfeccion and holy conuersacion of at
     felauchip whech Augustyn had drawe on-to him, forsok all e
|r28 pomp of e world, com and lyued with him in ful gret perfeccion,
     summe a-mongis e heremites, summe a-mongis e prestis, euery
     man aftir at he sauored. And many of hem, whan ei had be
     with him eres and were roted in religion, with his leue went fro



|p46


     him in-to oir cuntres, mad monasteries, gadered felauchip and so
     encresid his ordre, not only in Ypone, but orw e lond, him
     lyuyng.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVI.]

 |r4    Of e maneres and e habite of Seynt Augustin aftir he was
     bischop.  xxxvj.

        |r<b> THIS same glorious doctour, fader and norcher of clerkys, in
        his habite, in goyng, in sittyng, in his wordes, contenauns
 |r8 and maneres, was of swech sadnesse at euery man whech cam to
     his presens was edified be him. To religious men and women he
     was in his exhortaciones sad and sobir, euyng hem grete ensaumple
     who ei schuld do. To othir |r[l.35b] seculer men at were occupied in
|r12 e world he was familiar, and in his talkyng had on-to hem in
     maner of mery langage with stedfast cher of sadnesse. The o puple
     coumforted he with sad talking to conferme hem in her holinesse.
     The oir puple gadered he on-to a perfeccion with goostly myrth
|r16 and deuoute iocundnesse. Transgressiones a-geyn Cristis law or
     his holy preceptis he correctid not boystously, but fadirly and in
     fayre maner, at many euele men, seing his swete correccion, wer
     e rather turned fro synne. His clois whech he wered dayly,
|r20 & his clois at serued to his bed, ei wer not ouyr costful, ne
     ouyr wrecched, but in e most mesurable maner, he ordeyned ei
     schuld be. In summe men we lakkyn o grete cost of aray, and
     with summe ar we wroth with her sluttynesse. erfor went is
|r24 man e myd weye, at he schuld eue ensaumple in cloing to hem
     at wer his foloweris, and oir men whech wer not of his skole
     schuld haue no mater of detraccion. Thus spekith he in a famous
     sermon at begynnyth: Caritati vestre. I wil at no man yue
|r28 to me so precious clois whech at I, as of a specialte a-boue oir,
     schuld wer. Ensaumple he puttith. I sette case at sum man
     gyue me an amyse mor precious an I am wone to were, at
     I schuld haue swech a singuler ing passyng all my breerin.
|r32 Vphap it semeth a bischop for to were swech on, ou it semeth
     not Augustyn a pore man, born of mene men. For if I receyued



|p47


     swech a ing and wered it, |r[l.36a] men schuld sey at I haue founde
     mor precious garmentis in e cherch an I myth haue had in my
     faderes hous. Lete men gyue me swech clois at in nede my
 |r4 breerin, be ei prestis, dekenes or subdeknes, may were e same.
     I am a-knowe be-for God and ou at of a precious cloth I am
     a-schamed, for it is non pertinent to our profession, ne conuenient
     to my white herys.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVII.]

 |r8    Of his diete and seruyse at his table.  cap. xxxvij.

        |r<b> LYTIL mete for e most partye vsed he at his table, for he
        had more delectacion in e herying of holy lessones and
     talkyng aftir up-on e same an in bodely mete. Flesch ete he
|r12 but seldom, and at was whan he had gestis; wortes and letuse
     and swech herbis ete he most. I trowe at he had e vse of Itaile
     whilles he studied ere, and coude not litly out of e same vse, for
     ei ete not mech at onys. Wyn drank he euyr ful mesurablely,
|r16 and at medeled with watyr, for e wyn of at cuntr is hoot.
     Swech mete and drynk as he had in vse was not warned to no
     man at wold ask it, wer ei dwelleris of e cite, wer ei
     straungeris. A-mongis all oir vices he hatyd gretly detraccion,
|r20 specialy at mel, for a-geyn at vis had he writyn at his table ese
     too vers: Quisquis amat dictis absentem rodere vitam, Hanc mensam
     vetitam nouerit esse sibi. is is to sey in Englisch: What man
     with wordis absent bitith his broeris name, This bord fro him
|r24 forbodyn it is with blame. Sumtyme ei at sat er wold speke
     largely of hem at wer absent, & ann |r[l.36b] wold Augustyn say on-to
     hem at, but ei wold leue her detraccion, he must rase oute e
     vers. Eke sumtyme whan ei wold not leue lithly, he wold rise
|r28 and go fro hem fastyng. Grete wast was not in his hous of sotil
     metes. For on a tyme certeyn gestis schuld dyne with him, and
     a licorous felaw a-mongis hem stert in-to e kechyn to loke what
     mete was ere in araying, and fond e hous cold. Tho cam he
|r32 on-to e bischop and inqwyrid of him what mete he had ordeyned
     for his gestis, and Augustin answered him at he knew no mor
     an he. Deuoute puple cam mor to him for goostly communica_cion



|p48


     an bodely mete. Vp-on pore men had he grete compassion,
     and gaf hem largely of e cherchis good. For sumtyme made e
     vesseles of syluyr whech longed on-to e cherch to be molten, and
 |r4 e weggis erof be sold and departed to por men. And whan he
     was in grete nede at he myth not gyue hem whech wer in
     myschef, an wold he openly denouns is to e puple, and ei
     wold brynge him sufficiens to his entent. To his kynrod also he
 |r8 wold gyue part of at same cherchis good, but in no grete plente,
     for he wold help hem with at good, but not make hem rich.
     Thus spekith he in is mater in at same sermon at beginnith,
     Vt nobis per litteras: We bischoppis may not haue ese temporal
|r12 godes of e cherch as our possession, ne I at am a bischop haue
     not ese godes to non oir entent but for to dispense & departe
     hem on-to pore men, for e godes of e cherch |r[l.37a] ei be e patri_monie
     of por men. And erfor I must be ful war at I take not
|r16 e godes of my cherch fro por men and gyue it rich men, and God
     be ankid, I haue in is mater do wel on-to is tyme. For I haue
     mech folk of my kynrod, and summe of hem rich and wel at ese,
     and summetyme come ai to me with retis, sumtyme with fayr
|r20 wordis, and us ei sey: Fader, we be i flesch & i blood; gyue
     us sum of at good at ou hast in dispensacion. And for all her
     crying, ankid be God and our gode prayeres, I haue no mynde
     at euyr I mad with e cherchis godes ony of my kynrod rych.
|r24 Pore men be mor ny myn hert an rych men, for we at be
     cleped in-to e parfite lif in e cherch, if we haue cloth and mete,
     we schuld be content with-al, and in tokne erof be our hedes
     schaue al bar, at euene as e her is bar er, so schuld our hertis
|r28 be voyd fro couetise.

|r[CHAPTER_XXXVIII.]

        Off his conuersacion and oir blessid condiciones whech he
     had and vsed.  Capitulum  xxxviij.

        |r<b> FADERLES childyrn and widowes whan ei wer in ony
|r32    tribulacion he wold visite, and seke men eke with his owne
     handis wold he lefte and coumfort, and sumtyme o whech he



|p49


     visite wer made hool and sound. Ther wer certeyn men whech
     wer vexid with wikkid spiritis and he prayed for hem, and ei
     were hool. In e xxij book of e Cyte of God he tellith too
 |r4 myracules of him-selue in swech maner as ow a-noir man had
     do hem. I knew, he seith, a virgine at Ypone whech virgine
     receyued oyle of a prest, and whech tyme sche had anoynted
     hir with e same oyle and e prest with bittir teris prayed |r[l.37b] for
 |r8 hir, sche was hol. A-noir tale he tellith ere; he seyth he knew
     a bischop at prayed for a ong man in whom e deuele had
     entered, and a-non, aftir his prayer, e ong masi was hool.
       To elde men was is fader a very noryce and supported hem
|r12 with ful grete reuerens, as men may rede in a sermon whech he
     mad a-geyn ydilnesse, and it beginnyth: Apostolus Petrus, wher
     he seith us: If it be so at ere be a-mongis ou in our
     monasterie eld men at passe iiij score ere, whech haue lyued in
|r16 clennesse of body and soule many eres, and endewred in holy
     exercise, at is to seyn, fastyng, wakyng, and oir bodyly penauns,
     These men fro at age forward schul ber non office ne no charge of
     e monastery, for ei ded whil ei myth. Grucch e not at be
|r20 onger, ou ei do not now as ei ded sumtyme, for ei may not.
     If ei rest whan e labour, merueyle not. If ei be worchippid of me
     as elde faderes schuld be, lete no heuynesse take ou, for ei be wel
     worthi to receyue swech worchip. Therfor we wil, and in e name
|r24 of Crist here we ordeyn, at ei at drawe to e age of a hundred
     ere, ei schal sitte stille in her beddis and sey her Pater-noster,
     and e with-outen grucching schul serue hem. This seruyse schul
     e do with e bettir wil, for I wil at e knowe who e conuersa_cion
|r28 of hem is now in heuene, and e schal e sonner com idir
     be-cause of her prayer. A-noir condicion had is glorious Seynt
     at he wold neuyr occupie him-selue with non |r[l.38a] worldly occupacion,
     for hous ne feld wold he neuyr bye, and many heritages at men
|r32 wold leue on-to him he forsook hem; he seid it was mor conuenient
     at her childyrn schuld haue hem an e cherch. The charge of
     his houshold, both in receyuyng and in paying, he committed
     on-to e best a-vised clerkis whech dwellid with him; on had e
|r36 gouernauns o ere, a-noer a-noer ere, and at e eris ende he



|p50


     at went fro e office aue clere acountis both of e receytis and
     eke of e expenses. He him-selue wold neuer ber keye of non
     office, ne no tresor, but euyr was he oue to study and goostly
 |r4 occupacion. To ese swete occupaciones inclined he his entent,
     labourand in e law of God day and nyth. Newe werkis, whan
     ei schuld be mad, he comitted to oir men, for he wold not haue
     his soule implicat with swech bysynesse, but kept it fre to holy
 |r8 meditacion and deuoute lesson. He despised not hem at wold
     haue is occupacion, ne seid not a-geyn hem, lesse an e werkis
     were ouyr costful, an wold he grucch. Ther dwelt no woman
     with-inne his hous, nout his owne sistir ne e douteres of his
|r12 broir, and et wer ei weddid to God in holy religion. He wold
     sey us: With my sistir or my necys is ere no suspecion, but ere
     schuld come many women to hem, and eke ou I be of her kyn, al
     myn houshold is not so. He wold neuer speke with no woman
|r16 alone, ou it were rith grete councell. If he schuld speke with
     hem, clerkys and seruauntis schuld stande aboute, and ou ei
     herd not what was sayd, ei myth se what was doo. This cautele
     of so wyis |r[l.38b] a man schuld be to us all a grete lernyng. We rede
|r20 at he wold sey sumtyme to hem at were aboute him: Leue me,
     in at I wil sey as a man at hath in is mater gret experiens.
     Be-for God, at I sey, I lye not. The grete cedr trees of Lyban,
     e grete lederes of e cristen flok, haue I-knowe at ei haue falle
|r24 be e pestilens of lecherye, of whos fal I had no mor suspecion
     an I had of Ambrose or Ierom.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIX.]

       Of oir meruelous condicionis of is man.  xxxix.

        |r<b> THE monasteries wher nunnes dwelled wold he neuyr entyr
|r28    with-oute a grete and a notable cause. Thre inggis he
     seyde he lerned of Seynt Ambrose. The first at he schuld neuyr
     procur no wyf to no man; e secund at he schuld neuer councell
     man to go to werre; e ird at he schuld go to no feest. The
|r32 cause of e first is at if e husbond and e wyf acorde not weel,



|p51


     ei schuld curs hym at mad e mariage. And also it is not semly
     at he whech is a religious man and boundyn to chastite schuld
     excite oir folk to fleschly lykyng. The cause of e secund is, if it
 |r4 be soo at he whech schal fytyn make ony fals chalange, an schul
     men wite it on him at aue him councell. The cause of e ird
     is, if a man go often to festis he schal ete or drynk sum-tyme oute
     of mesur and speke sumtyme at myth be left.
 |r8   Othis hated he gretly and most special in religous men, for at
     his bord was mad is statute, at what man rehersid ony oth ere,
     he schuld lese o disch of his seruyse; |r[l.39a] for it was assigned of grete
     discrecion who mech mete a man schuld haue at his bord, and eke
|r12 who mech drynk, and all were ei serued equaly vndir o propor_cion.
     He praised mech oo men at haue desire to deye, and to
     is conclusion he wold often reherse exaumples of thre bischoppis.
     Seynt Ambrose, whan he lay at his last ende and schuld deye, his
|r16 disciples ere prayed him at he schuld ask of our Lord lenger lyf,
     and he answered us to hem: I haue not lyued so amongis ou
     at I am a-schamed for to lyue lenger, ne eke I am non aferd to
     deye, for we haue a good Lord. This answere of Ambrose, Augustin
|r20 praised mech.
       Anoir bischop, he seid, lay on deying, and ei at wer aboute
     him desired gretly his lyf, for he was, as ei said, ful nececarie to
     e cherch. He answered us a-geyn in schort sentens: Neuyr wel,
|r24 but if euyr schal it be wel, why not now? He ment as long as
     a man lyueth he is neuyr in parfith goodnesse, and if euyr schuld
     he com to rest and parfith pes it schal be at his deth, specialy if
     he deye weel. Of e ird bischop seith he at Seynt Cypriane
|r28 told at whan is bischop cam to his last ende and schuld deye,
     at instauns of hem at were aboute him, he prayed God to make
     him hool agayn. And an, as he tellith, a fayr ong man stood be
     his bed-side and loked angryly vpon him for at desire, and rith
|r32 us he saide on-to him: To suffir tribulacion and miseries of is
     world, e be euyr aferd, and for to go oute of ese tribulaciones
     whan messageris com for ou, e haue no will. What schal I |r[l.39b] do
     on-to ou? Seldom wold he write for ony causes to lordes or
|r36 astates with-outen grete informacion of treuth, and whan he wrote
     he tempered so his wordes at he schuld haue e grete part of his



|p52


     peticion. He was mor redy to make acord be-twix hem at wer
     not gretly of his aqweyntauns an be-twix his frendis, for he wold
     sey if he mad acord be-twix to at wer not of his knowlech, he
 |r4 myth perauentur fauour e o partye whech had mor treuth, and
     anne schuld he wynne on of hem to his frenchip. And be-twyx
     his frendis it myth falle e reuers, for at man at had not his
     desir wold e rather falle fro his frenchip.


|r[CHAPTER_XL.]

 |r8    Who he hatid heretikes and pursewed hem.  Capitulum xl.

     |r<b> HERETlKES, hated is man with an holy angir, as e Psalme
          seith: Beth angry and synne not. He was an hard hambyr,
     euyr knokkyng up-on hem, and ei were so aferd of his argumentes
|r12 at ei desired his deth, in so mech at ei prechid a-mongis hem
     to hem at wer of her secte, at for to kylle Augustyn it was no
     synne but an holy dede and a meritory, and what man at durst
     do is dede, ei durst vndirtake all his synnes schuld be foroue of
|r16 God for at dede doyng. Thei layde grete wayte up-on him oftin_tyme,
     but our Lord euyr defended his knyth whech was ful nececarie
     on-to e cherch. For whan he was oute in e cuntr sumtyme to
     preche e word of God and to lerne cristen soules e trewe byleue,
|r20 ei leyd men of armes pryuyly in e weye to kille him homward.
     But |r[l.40a] by e grace of God he was stered to take a-nothir weye, and
     so was he saf fro his enmyee. And whan he knew what perel he
     was in and who meruelously God had delyuered him, him on-wetyng,
|r24 ann ankid he God with ful deuoute hert. But for all ese perelles
     he cesed neuyr fro edificacion of e puple and destruccion of oo
     enmyes whech berk a-geyn e feith. Many heresies were in his
     cuntr at at tyme, both of e Donatistes and eke of e Manicheis,
|r28 and both, with e myty grace of God whech was plenteuously
     with-inne him, he conuicte and ny distroyed. The Donatistes
     were ei at be cleped Rebaptiatores, for ei wold admitte no
     man to her secte but if he wer baptied newly with her baptem.
|r32 Thei lyued in continent lif, at is to seyn in chastite as ferr as
     myth be aspied. ei had eke a secte with-inne hem whech ei



|p53


     clepid Circumcelliones; is meny runne a-boute on nytes with
     wepun and armur and compelled men with strokis to her heresie.
       The Manycheis had many oer fals opiniones, for ei said at
 |r4 Crist was no very man, but lich a man, and at he took no flesch
     ne blood of e mayde as we beleue, but he took, I wot not veryly
     what ei mene, a body, ei sey, of e eyr, in whech he ded all oo
     myracles and in whech he suffered passion. These folk with sly
 |r8 termes deceyued many men.
       There were also in his tyme oir heretikes cleped Pelagianes,
     and ei held is opynyon, at a child be-goten of a cristen man and
     a cristen woman schuld not be baptied, ne nedith nowt, and all
|r12 is secte our Augustin distroyed. These be e names of heretikes
     whech wrote a-geyn hym, and to whom he gaf answer ful sub_stancial:
     Felix, Maximinus, Felicianus, Faustus, Pasceuous, Secun_dinus |r[l.40b],
     Petilianus, Permenianus, Fortunatus, Orestonius, Gauden_cius,
|r16 Julianus, and many oir. A-geyn all ese is souereyn maystir
     of e cherch stood as a strong geaunt, wrestiling with argumentis
     for e clennesse of e feith, and enforsyng of e cherch and confirma_cion
     of parfite soules. Many a man eke at was in errour, orw
|r20 his preching and disputyng, was brout to e trew wey of our Lord
     and on-to cristen feith. Sumtyme in his prechyng wold he make
     a grete digression fro e mater at he spak of on-to an-oir
     desperat mater, and an wold he sey at is was e dispensacion
|r24 of our Lord, for er was sum man in e audiens at had nede to
     her at mater. On a tyme he happid in a sermone to go fro his
     mater and speke a-geyn e errour of ese Manicheis, and a rich
     marchaunt at was of at heresie was sodeynly conuerted er-by.
|r28 Whann he was cleped to ony councelles of bischoppis or of princes
     he wold gladly go to hem and euyr in oo councelles peysed he mor
     e causes at long on-to God an oo at long on-to men.
     

|r[CHAPTER_XLI.]

        Of many bokes at he mad aftir he was bischop.  cap. xlj.

|r32    |r<b> AL at tyme whil he was bischop he was gretly occupied in
        studying and wryting and makyng of bokis. On of e
     first booke he mad is entitled to Symplian. This Simplician, aftir



|p54


     Seynt Ambrose was ded, was chose archbischop of Melan. For
     whan Ambrose lay in deying, e clerkis of e cherch comound
     a-mongis hem who schuld be bischop aftir, and he assigned hem
 |r4 at ei schuld chese Simpliane. This same was e man, as we
     |r[l.41a] saide befor, at with holy lif and deuoute exhortaciones brout
     Augustin to e feith. And whanne he herd sey at Augustin was
     bischop at Ypone and famed orw e world as for e grettest
 |r8 labourer in study and e grettest enmye to heretikes, eke e grettest
     dissoluer of qwestiones at was leuand, -- heryng al is he sent to
     him certeyn questiones, praying him to dissolue hem and declare
     on-to him e doutis at ei conteyned. And Augustyn wrote on-to
|r12 him a-geyn with ful grete reuerens to notable bokes in whech is
     he declareth his questiones with swech wordes at ei be ful
     delectable to studious men. This book beginnyth Gratissimam
     plane. In is same tyme wrote he xiij bokes of his Confessiones,
|r16 in whech bokes he schryuyth him ful deuoutly of his euel dedis
     and of his good dedis; he praysith our Lord both mercyful and
     rithful. Be ese bokes he his-selve was excited to ful holy lif & e
     makyng of hem inflawmed his hert to gret loue of our Lord. I dar
|r20 sauely sey ere is not so hard-hertid man in e world at redith
     ese bokes and vndirstand hem, but ei wil ster his hert to swech
     deuocion at, perauentur, he hath not had experiens of swech deuo_cion
     be-for. For all e processe of ese bokes and all e wordes
|r24 are steryng on-to e loue of God, and o ar spoken with so swete
     langage at ei sounde no-ing but deuocion. He mad at tyme
     eke a book whech he clepith Of e Werkis of Munkis, for in his
     cuntr at oo dayes were encresed many monasteries of munkis and
|r28 mech noumbir of religious men, for all oo heremites whech lyued
     in desert, to whom he was first fader and norcher, wer cleped at
     at tyme munkis, for monnos in e oir tonge is as mech to sey as
     solitari, |r[l.41b] and so monachus, at is to sey, a munk, is swech a man
|r32 at lyueth in solitary lyf. But whan Seint Benet cam, an mad be
     e ordr of o men whech be clepid now munkys propirly, for oer
     orderes ar now distincte in her propir names, and at at tyme at



|p55


     Augustin was, is monachus was a comoun name to all religious.
     For not only Seint Benet mad ese Cenobites, whech is as mech to
     sey as many men lyuyng to-gidir in on hous and vndir o reule, but
 |r4 Seynt Augustin mad swech eke, for his principall labour, as we
     rede, was is whann he cam first to Affrik, to gadere swech solitari
     men and bryng hem to o lyf and o reule. For Augustyn was be_for
     Benet, as ferforth as I haue red, vp-on a hundred er and fifty.
 |r8 So is book, De Opere Monachorum, of munkys werkys, mad he to
     is entent. Summe of ese religious men saide at it was not
     nedful on-to hem to praye, but ei wer bounde to labour with
     her handes. Thei wer meuyd to is opynyon be a texte of Seint
|r12 Poule, whech seith at he whech wil not labour schal not ete. And
     in a-noir place he seith us: Be nyth and eke be day haue we
     laboured at we schuld greue non of ou all. Summe held e
     reuers opynyon and enforsed hem with e gospell wher he seith:
|r16 Take hed at e birdis of e eyr, ei sowe neythir ne repe, and et
     our Fader of heuene fedith hem. And in at same place he seith:
     Take hed at e lylyis of e feld, ei spynne not ne carde, and et
     Salamon was not clad so freschly in al his ioye. This contencion
|r20 roos on-to so grete partye at all e cherch was set o rore with is
     mater, so ferforth at e bischop of Cartage, whech hith Aurelius
     at at tyme, wrote down on-to |r[l.42a] Augustyn letteris in whech he
     prayed him and reqwyrid him, in Cristis name, at he schuld
|r24 ordeyn sum remedye in is mater. And for is cause our fader
     Augustin wrot is book in whech he schewith at certeyn houres
     it is most conuenient to religious men to synge, rede or pray.
     And whan o orisones ar do whech ar ordeyned be constituciones
|r28 of e cherch, an is it ful nececarie to do sum labour with hand,
     at ydilnesse, whech is step-modir of all vertu, schul non entr
     haue in hem.



|p56


|r[CHAPTER_XLII.]

        Of oir bokes whech he wrote at at same tyme.  cap. xlij.

        |r<b> IN o same dayes he wrote eke e bokys Of e Trynyte, xv,
        of grete and hy sentens, oute of whech bokes all e dyuynes
 |r4 at haue writyn sithe, specialy in skole mater, haue e reulys
     of all dyuynyte. For Hugo de Sacramentis, and e maister of
     sentens, Seynt Thomas Alqwyn, and all oir, haue her special
     groundes er.
 |r8   He made eke a-noir solempne werk clepid Of e Cyte, and e
     cause why he mad is book is is: Whech tyme at Rome was
     take of hethen men, e same hethen men scorned cristen men and
     blasphemed Crist in is maner: Thei saide as long as Rome seruyd
|r12 his goddis Iubiter, Iuno, Appollo, Minerue and swech othir, so long
     was it kept be permision of oo immortal goddis, at ere myth
     non of her enmyes ouer-com hem. But aftyr at tyme at Petir
     and Paule had brout in e feith of Crist, a-non all her enmyes
|r16 had e bettyr of hem, of whech ymaginacion ei added to her
     blaspheme at Crist had neuyr so mech power to defende his
     puple as had Iubiter whech stood in her capitoll. A-geyn ese
     grete blasphemes Seynt Augustin answered in ese xxij bokes.
|r20 In e first v. bokes he repreuyth e errour of hem |r[l.42b] at seyde alle
     e richesse of is world and all e prosperite is ouen on-to men be
     oo immortall goddis, for he schewith her pleynly at oo ydoles
     whech ei clepe goddis ar dampned spirites, and oo men at ded
|r24 worchip on-to hem regned in as gret myschef as euyr ded ony
     men. In e oir v. bokes he laboureth a-geyn e errour of hem
     at seide good and euel in is world haue her variauns aftir place
     & tyme and persones, at sum place & sum tyme and sum persone
|r28 schal haue ioye euer and sum non. In e oir xij bokes he spekith
     of too citees, Ierusalem and Babilome; Ierusalem, as he seith, longith
     to God, Babilome to the deuele. These too citees spryngin of too
     loues. The loue of our-selve, at causeth e cite of e deuel, whech
|r32 growith in heith tyl he comth on at abusion at he despiseth God.
     The loue of God, he makith e oir cite, and he may growe so hy to



|p57


     Goddis plesauns at he schal, for Goddis loue, despise all worldly
     felicite. Be-side ese werkys he mad many a book, tretys, epistoles,
     sermones, omelies, at a man schal not fyude a clerk at ese dayes
 |r4 at may sey he haue red all, for e noumbir of hem ar gessid on-to
     a ousand. Of his werkis spekith a gret clerk in a vers rith us.
     Mentitur quem se te totum legisse fatetur. Thus it meneth in
     Englisch: He lyeth at seith he hath red al i bokes.


|r[CHAPTER_XLIII.]

 |r8    Who Augustyn red ouyr all his bokes a litil be-for his deth
     & corrected hem. |r[l.43a] Cap. xliij.

        |r<b> AFTIR tyme he had mad all ese bokes he ouyr-lokid hem
        a-geyn, at er schul no-ing be erin but trewe. This
|r12 ing ded he for many causes, on was for he mad many bokes or e
     tyme at he was gretly vsed or exercised in holy scriptur. A-noir
     cause was for certeyn materis whech he had wrytin, ei wer dirkly
     seid, wherfor he declared oo materes in is secund writyng. The
|r16 ird cause was at he was not a-schamed to be a-knowe at he
     had wrytyn mech ing whech myth a be bettir, and for is cause
     he mad at book whech he clepith his Retractaciones. And at
     he schuld haue e mor leyser to study and write, specialy for in
|r20 too councellis all e bischoppis of e lond had reqwyrid him at
     he schuld entend on-to exposicioin of holy scriptur, for is cause
     certeyn eres be-for his deth he prayed ful mekely e clergy and e
     puple at fyue dayes in e weke he myth haue pesibily to his
|r24 study in scriptur, and e oir too dayes wold he eue attendauns
     on-to her causes, to sette rest and pes be-twix hem. But for al
     is graunt oft-tyme was his studie interrupt for her causes, to his
     grete vexacion, but special coumfort of his puple. For is skil
|r28 he ordeyned a-noir remedye: he say wel at he fell fast in age,
     and deth, at no man may escape, was ful ny, be-cause he felt him_selue
     so febil; he dred eke at aftir his deth sum ambicious man
     schuld be mad bischop, whech schuld dietroye al at euyr he had



|p58


     edified; erfor laboured he on-to e puple at ei schuld chese
     sum good man and iuste at |r[l.43b] myth occupie at se aftir his deth,
     whech man schuld determyn e causes of e puple, lest at ei
 |r4 were grete causes, o wold he kepe to him-self. To his desir
     ei consented all and mad compromisse on-to his persone at
     whom he wold name ei schul consent on-to him. Vp-on is
     Augustin named on of his clerkis, ei clepid him Eraclius, a man
 |r8 wel-named in e puple whom Augustin had enformed in e weye
     of Crist in e best maner. And to is man comitted Augustin all
     e charge of at diosise, lest an ere com ony grete causes, at he
     schuld haue e mor leisir to study and wrytyng. Thus er he deyid
|r12 he ouer-say all his bokes and mad ese Retractaciones. But aftir
     making of at werk he mad many oir bokes whech be not touchid
     erin, as a man may se in e redyng.


|r[CHAPTER_XLIV.]

|r16    Who his cyte was be-segid of dyuers naciones. xliiij

        |r<b> IN is same tyme iij sundry naciones beseged e cite of
        Ypone; ei ar cleped us, Alani, Gothi and Wandali.
     These Alani dwelle in a gret cuntr her in is part of e world
|r20 cleped Europe, whech cuntr ei calle Sithia; it is hens northest
     toward Constantinople.
       Gothi dwelled fast by hem, for ese cuntres occupied ny fro e
     grete flod cleped Danubius un-to at cuntr whech we clepe
|r24 Denmark, for of ese Gothis cam ese Danes.
       Wandaly dwelled sumtyme in e same place wher Lumbardes
     dwelle now a-boute Melan and Pauye. All ese puple us gadered
     to-gidyr ded mech harm her in Europe a-boute Rome and in Ytale,
|r28 and an went ei ouer e se in-to Affrik, and ere distroyed e
     cuntr, and |r[l.44a] at e last ende of Augustin lyf, ei beseged e cite of
     Ypone. Vnder is tribulacion Augustin had ful heuy dayes and
     wept both day & nyth for e myschef at he say whech ese men
|r32 ded, for ei spared no cherchis, ne prestis, ne nunnes, ne non ordr.
     And whan Augustin say sum deye in captiuite, sum in prison,



|p59


     summe of e swerd, and at e seruyse, e messis, e ympnis of e
     cherch cesed, and many cherchis wer brent in e cuntr, and e
     clerkis fled, so at sacramentis wer not ouen, and ou a man
 |r4 wold haue hem, ere was no man to gyue hem, he seing al is,
     had ful grete sorow, so at he fell in-to greuous seknesse. But
     et, amongis al is sorow he had at consolacion of e wise man
     whech saide us: He hath no grete wisdam at sorowith whan
 |r8 stones falle, and whan ei deye at must nedis deye. In is
     tribulacion he cleped his breerin to-gidyr and us he saide on-to
     hem: Behold now, in what mischef we stand in, and I se no
     remedye; God wil punisch us in is wyse for our synnes. Wherfor,
|r12 I haue prayed my Lord at he schuld delyuer us of ese perelles,
     or elles send us paciens at we may suffyr hem mekely, or elles, if
     he se at we be wori for to haue hem lenger, I haue prayed God
     at he schal take me oute of is lyf. This same prayer at he
|r16 prayed, ei prayed all, and so on of ese iij peticiones was graunted
     him, for in e ird month aftir ei had be-segid e cyte, e feuerys
     took him so sor at he was fayn to kepe his bed.

|r[CHAPTER_XLV.]

        In what maner |r[l.44b] Augustyn deyid, and what occupacion he
|r20 had in his last sekenesse.  Capitulum xlv.

        |r<b> IN is same seknesse of whech he deyid ere cam on-to hym
        a certeyn man, praying him in e name of our Lord at he
     wold touche him with his hand, for he seide if he wold ley hand
|r24 up-on him, he schuld make him hool of at seknesse whech he had
     longe bor. Augustyn answered to hym a-geyn and seide he was
     not wys in his desire, for if he had swech power to make men hool
     he wold rather exercise it on him-self an on oir men. The man
|r28 replied on-to Augustyn in is maner: He saide at he had in
     maner of a goostly consolacion, in whech he was warned at he
     schuld go to Augustyn e bischop, and with touching of his hand
     he schuld be mad hool. Augustyn, seing e grete feith of is man,
|r32 leyd his hand up-on him & blessed him in e name of God, and
     us was he mad hool. Thus encresid e seknesse up-on him at



|p60


     he vndirstood wel he schuld sone deye, and be-cause he had prechid
     ofte sithe at ere schuld no cristen man passe owt of e world
     with-outen mornyng and compleint for defautes in whech he hath
 |r4 falle, erfor he mad his notari for to write him e vij Psalmes, oo
     same whech we rede with e Letanye, in a fayr parchemyn skyn,
     and is was sette on e wal a-geyn his beddis hed. ese red he
     with ful gret deuocion and grete wepyng be-for his deth. And
 |r8 at ere schuld no man interrupte him of is deuocion, ten dayes
     be-for his deth he ordeyned at er schuld no man com with -inne
     e chaumbyr wher he |r[l.45a] lay but his leche and ei at brout him
     mete and drynk, and all is tyme with ful grete deuocion and
|r12 mech wepyng he comended his soule to God. And us e v. kalende
     of September, with hool mynde and all e membris of his body not
     hurt but hool, standyng his breerin a-boute him, and comendyng
     hys soule to God, he ald e goost on-to e Fader of heuene. Thus
|r16 hath he left in erde his holy foot-steppis, many men & women
     of his religion taute be his doctrine. He hath left eke grete
     instruccion to e cherch in tresour of his bokes, at ou his body
     be drawe from vs, et his spirit abideth with us, as e poete wrot
|r20 ful wel of all hem whech leue emolliment of wryting be-hinde hem;
     rith us he wrot in Latin: Viuere post obitum vatem vis nosce
     viator, Quod legis ecce loquor vox tua nempe mea est. Thus mene
     ei in Englisch: Thou man at passist by, if ou wilt knowe at
|r24 a clerk lyueth after his deth, That ou redist I speke, i voys eke
     is myn. Augustyn lyued clerk and bischop ny xl. ere, alle e
     dayes of his lyf, or seuenety and sex. Thus endith e lyf of is
     glorious doctour whom all cristen men ar bounde to do worchip,
|r28 most specialy clerkys and lerned men at haue grete stuf oute of
     his bokes to her lernyng. And as I hope, e gentyl woman, e
     schuld plese wel is Seint if e wold se his place onys in a er,
     and ou e left a day in heruest of our labour, he coude make
|r32 retribucion in oer party. Thus I comende ou to God and me to
     our prayeris, at we both may com sumtyme wher our Fader is,
     we schal prey both Amen.



|p61


LIFE OF ST. GILBERT

[CAPGRAVE'S PROLOG.]

     |r[l.46a] |r<b> TO my wel-beloued in our Lord God maystir of e order
                of Sempyngham, whech ordre is entytled on-to e name
     of Seynt Gilbert, I, ffrer I. C., amongis doctouris lest, send
 |r4 reuerens as to swech dignyte, desiring clennesse to our soule and
     helth to our body. Now with-inne fewe dayes was notyfied
     on-to me at e lyf of our fader Seynt Augustyn, whech at
     I translat in-to our tunge at instauns of a certeyn woman,
 |r8 was browt to our presens, whech lykyd ow wel, as it is told,
     saue e wold I schul adde erto alle oo relygyous at lyue vndyr
     his reule. But to is I answer at it was not my charge, but if men
     like for to knowe is mater diffusely ei may lerne it in a sermon
|r12 at I seid at Cambrig e er be-for myn opposicion, whech
     sermon vnphap I wil sette in Englisch in e last ende of is
     werk. Than aftir e had red is lyf of Seynt Augustyn e sayde
     to on of my frendes at e desired gretly e lyf of Seynt Gilbert
|r16 schuld be translat in e same forme. Thus mad he instaunce
     to me, and I graunted both our petycion, this for I wold not
     frustrate him of his mediacion. To e honour of God and of
     all seyntis an, wil we begynne is tretys, namelych for the
|r20 solitarye women of our religion whech vnneth |r[l.46b] can vndyrstande
     Latyn, at ei may at vacaunt tymes red in is book e grete
     vertues of her maystyr. For her may ei loke as in a glasse, who
     ei schal transfigure her soules lych on-to at exemplary in whech
|r24 ei schul loke. Of e interpretacion of his name, what it schuld
     mene in Englisch, for we haue it not redily in our bokes of



|p62


     interpretaciones, we wil speke in swech maner as auctouris whech
     dyuyde names in partes. Gyla, ei sey, is a word of Hebrew,
     as mech to sey as he at passeth fro o cuntr to a-nothir. And
 |r4 ber is a welle, or a pitte, eke deruyed fro e Ebrewe tunge. Tus
     is a Lateyn word, in Englisch a swete gumme, whech we rowe
     in our encenseris whan we schal doo a special honour to God.
     Thann soundith his name us on-to our heryng: This holy man
 |r8 was a walker her in erde at passed fro e welle on-to e swete
     sauour. The welle clepe I e holy baptem in whech he was
     wasch fro Adam his synne. The swete sauour name I e holy
     opynyon of this man whech sauoured so swetely in is land
|r12 at it mad many men to selle al at ei had and folow e steppes
     of pouerte. Of this sauour spak e blissed apostel whan he
     saide: We be e good odour of our Lord Crist in euery place,
     both to hem at schul be saued |r[l.47a] and eke to hem at schul
|r16 perisch. To summe be we sauour of lyf and to summe sauour
     of deth. So semyth it at e clene lyf of Seynt Poule, and e
     deuoute preching of hym, was on-to hem whech wer chose to be
     saued a sauour of euyr-lasting lyf, & to hem at wer reprobat
|r20 a sauour of euerlastyng peyne. All is is seid to acording of
     Seynt Gilbertis name at al his lyf from his baptem on-to his
     deth ran in swech a swete sauour at et at ese dayes e deuoute
     virgines of his ordre beren witnesse at of e rote of his doctrine
|r24 sprange all ese fayre flouris of virginite. This is e preamble
     or elles e prologe of Seynt Gilbertis lif, whech lyf I haue take
     on hand to translate out of Latyn rith as I fynde be-fore me, saue
     sum addicionis wil I put ertoo whech men of at ordre haue
|r28 told me, and eke othir ingis at schul falle to my mynde in e
     writyng whech be pertinent to e mater.

|r[CHAPTER_I.]

                                            capitulum pm.

        |r<b> THIS man was bore in at same place cleped Sempingham.
|r32    His fader was bore in Normandye, his modyr lady of is
     place be-for seide. His fader, as ei sey, was a knyte of Normannye



|p63


     whech cam in-to is lond with Kyng William at |r[l.47b] e Conqwest and
     weddyd e lady of is place, so at be heritage Seint Gilbert
     was very eyer of is possession & of many othir. That is is
 |r4 likly to be soth, I a-legge a testimonie whech I haue be informacion
     of my Lord Beamound, Ion, at now lyuyth. He seide at his
     kynrod cam first out of Frauns with is same Kyng William,
     and on of hem, a notable knyte, weddid e lady of Folkingham
 |r8 at at tyme, and so of her issewe cam all e Beamoundis at haue
     be sithe. Swech many othir myth we reherse & make e boke
     ouer longe and tedious to e reder. Than was is man medeled
     with too blodis, Norman of e fader side, Englisch of e moderis
|r12 side. What auctoris write of ese too naciones & what comendacion
     ei reherse of hem is pertinent to sette her in magnyfying of is
     man. The Normannes, ei sey, ei cam fro Norweye & conqwered
     e lond wher ei dwelle, a puple gentyl of condicion, wise and
|r16 redy in batayle & grete tilleres of corn. The descripcion eke of
     is nacion must mech a-corde her-to, be-cause ei conqwered us
     and at is day her succession dwellith with us. So semeth it
     at is man was not bore of no wrecchid nacion, ne of no seruage,
|r20 but of puple gentil & fremanly & large, both on e fadir side
     and |r[l.48a] e moder. He was in his ong age, and in his simpilnesse
     ful gracious lich on-to Iacob, whom for his clennesse & innocens
     e modir Rebecca, orw inspiracion of God, preferred to be lord
|r24 of all his breerin, lich as is man is preferred to be maystir
     of al is religion. And also, as it is seid in e bok of Iob:
     The lampe whech was despised in e outes of rich men was
     arayed agayn a-noir tyme; in whech e schal vndirstond at
|r28 oo vertues whech grew with is child in ong age, an despised
     of e world, were ordeyned for to be hald in mor reuerens in
     tyme comand. He was at at age set to skole and lerned groundly
     in oo scienses whech ei clepe liberal, as gramer, retorik, logik
|r32 and swech oir. But his corage at at tyme was mor enclyned
     to lerne good maneris an sotil conclusiones, eke be-cause aftirward
     at he was ordeyned to be a techer of vertuous lyuyng, it was
     conuenient at he schuld first be a disciple in at in scole of



|p64


     honestie. In al his ong age was he clene fro swech vices as
     childyrn vse, as lying, wauntown ragyn, and oir stynkyng
     condiciones. Euene ann be-gan he to be lich a religious man,
 |r4 to whech lyf he was applied be God. For in all his lyf, as ei
     bere witnesse at sey his conuersacion, touched he neuer woman.
     Touchyng |r[l.48b] clepe I vicious handelyng in e selue or ellis swech
     maner circumstauns of bodely aproximacion be whech ony man
 |r8 myth deme euele.

|r[CHAPTER_II.]

                                                     cap. ij.

       |r<b> IN at same seculer lyf and in at tendyr age, he folowyd,
       as he coude and myth, e reules of religious lyf, and to
|r12 hem all of whech he had ony power he ful benyngly gaf exaumple
     e same reules to folow. For first was he a maystir of lernyng
     to e smale petites, swech as lerne to rede, spelle and synge.
     Tho childyrn at were vndyr his disciplyne he taute not only
|r16 her lessones on e book, but be-side is, he tawt for to pley
     in dew tyme, and here playes taute he at ei schuld be honest
     and mery with-outen clamour or grete noyse. For ou he had
     not at at tyme experiens of e good customes whech be vsed
|r20 a-mongis religious men in monasteriis, et had our Lord God
     at at age put in his brest ese holy exercises, for he taute oo
     disciples at he had to kepe silens in e cherch; all an on our to
     go to bedde & eke to ryse to her lessones; all wente ei to-gidyr
|r24 to her pley or ony oir ing. His moost labour and grettest
     desir was to wynne soules to God with word and eke ensaumple,
     for e best sacrifise on-to God is e gelous loue of soules. Lich
     on-to is man was e holy Athanas in his ong dayes, |r[l.49a] at same
|r28 Athanas whech mad Quicunque Vult. We rede of him at in his
     childhod he wold gader to-gydyr many childyr of his aqweyntauns,
     and lede hem to e watirside, and is was at grete Alisaundr.
     Than wolde he enqwyre of hem wheythir ei were cristen or
|r32 nowt, and if ei wer not cristen, he made his felawis, as in game,
     to make e child naked & so dippe him ries in e cold watyr,



|p65


     he standing sadly and saying e very sacramental wordis of
     baptem. This noyse cam to e bischoppis ere, whech at at tyme
     hite Petyr; he sent aftir e childyrn and enqwyred of hem what
 |r4 Athanas saide on-to hem, what ei answered, vnder what forme
     he wasched hem, and whan he sei at all ing was doo rith as
     e cherch vseth, he determyned at o childyrn wer baptied,
     notwithstanding at it was doo in pley, comaundyng his prestes
 |r8 to take e childyrn and sey ouyr hem e oir orisones whech
     e cherch vseth. Al is is seid for our Gilberd, at in so ong
     age had so sad condiciones and so grete el to lede soules to
     heuene. Whan he was promoted to e ordre of presthod and had
|r12 soules in gouernauns and eke had receyued power to make
     ministracion of e goostly giftis whech be vertue of oure Lordes |r[l.49b]
     blod ar left in e cherch, an, as a trewe steward of his Lordes
     tresour, he departed his Lordes whete to hem at dwelle in e
|r16 houshold of our feith, to ech of hem as it neded. at is to seyn,
     e word of good exhortacion was not hid in him, but he delt it
     oute frely to hem at wold lerne. For his auditorye was so
     endewyd with lernyng at it sempt in all her gouernauns ei had
|r20 be norchid in monasterye amongis e seruauntis of God. Thei
     vsed non insolent drynkyngis, ne no longe sitting ere, ne vsed
     not to renne to wrastillingis, ber-baytingis and swech oir onthrifty
     occupaciones, whech summe men now on dayes preferr be-for dyuyne
|r24 seruyse; this used ei nout, but ei used to pray deuoutly in
     e cherch, to pay treuly her tythes, to walk a-boute and visite
     pore men, to spend her good in swech weye as is plesauns of God
     and coumfort to pore. Who-so had seyn hem with-inne e cherch
|r28 he myth sone discerne wheir ei wer Gilberd parischones or
     nowt, he had tawt hem so wel to bowe her bakkes and her knes to
     God and so deuoutly to bid her bedes.

|r[CHAPTER_III.]

                                              cap. tercium.

|r32    |r<b> IN his first promocion he was in houshold of e bischop of
        Lincoln, cleped Robert Bloet. Thidir was he |r[l.50a] drawe first



|p66


     & mad a chapeleyn half ageyn his wil, for he was special with e
     lord, & to him was comitted to ransake all e greuous crimes or
     synnes orw-oute e diosise, he to correcte aftir his discrecion.
 |r4 For he was a general iuge, as it semeth, to make his remissiones
     and comminaciones rith as he list. In all is astate he was not
     prowd of beryng, ne founde in no costly aray, but e heyer he was
     in dignite e lower was his soule, for in all his mevyngis no-ing
 |r8 seculer, but lych a chanon reguler or a cloystirer, semed he euyr.
     In so mech at whil he was in is seruyse in court he fastid gretly,
     he wook as to oir mennys wakyng importably, prayed euyr, and
     eke oir goostly exercises wer neuyr left behynde. He was so
|r12 wel occupied in at administracion at he wold compleyne of him_selue
     aftirward whan he had begunne is religion, at he was
     mor parfit in lyf be-for at conuercion to religion an he was aftyr,
     notwithstanding at aftir tyme he had take is holy habite he was
|r16 enmye grete I-now on-to his owne body. But at he dyde lesse
     penauns to his body aftyr he had take e religion, it is not to
     aretten to slauth and necligense, but rather on-to charyte, whech
     entendith mor to oir mennys profith an his owne. |r[l.50b] So rede
|r20 we at Seynt Martyn had lesse vertue oue on-to him after his
     promocion to e bischoprych an he had be-fore. This man whech
     we talk of now, be-for all vertues loued pouerte, for a grete and
     a good archideconry profered to hym be e same bischop Robert,
|r24 he fully refused. For he wold sey sum-tyme at ese benefices of
     grete expense be often-tyme a redy wey to losse of a mannes soule.
     For whech cause all e goodes whech left of his benefises be-side
     his neccessarie lyuyng, he gaue it frely on-to e profite of pore men.
|r28 Whan he was oute of his owne possession he receyued euyr Crist
     as his gest in faderles childyrn, in widowis, in elde folk, in seke
     and feble, whom he susteyned with his propir goodis, and eke with
     e cherchis prouentis, clad hem & fed hem. And at he schuld
|r32 go on-to e grettest summe of perfeccion, all at he had he gaf
     to pore men swech as he, erw e inspiracion of our Lord, had
     chose and made to lyue in wilful pouerte, whech her-aftir for his
     temporal goodys at he spent in worchip of our Lord, schuld



|p67


     receyue him in-to euyr-lastyng tabernacles, as e gospel berith
     witnesse. Thus, of trewe dispensyng of worldly goodes and grete
     loue whech he had to soules, he was worthi |r[l.51a] of our Lord to receyue
 |r4 a dobyl reward.

|r[CHAPTER_IV.]

                                             cap. quartum.
     
        |r<b> THO he out a-mong oir ingis at virginite was a grete
        astate, on of e grettest vertu at may plese God,
 |r8 whech frute bor be hem is most alowed in heuene, for is cause
     he ordeyned first seuene maydenes whech, be his teching, wer
     inflaumed with e loue of God, at ei schuld be sperd up fro
     e vanytes of e world and serue our Lord in qwyete contem_placyon.
|r12 So vndyr e wal of e cherch of Seynt Andrew he mad
     hem celles wher ei myte prey and haue parte eke of all dyuyne
     seruyse, both in seying and in eryng. Aftir at he ioyned on-to
     her seruyse oir certeyn women at wer not letteryd, and men
|r16 eke at wer conuerted to religion, but no clerkys; ese alle wer
     ordeyned to e seruyse of e forsaid virgines. Aftir is don he
     ordeyned certeyn clerkis, letterid men and boundyn to streyt
     reules, at ei schuld haue e gouernaunce of all is puple forseyd.
|r20 On-to ese alle ordeyned he mete, drynk, cloth, and oir neccessaries
     of his rentys and of oir good lefully goten. To her soules eke
     ordeyned he goostly mete, on-to e nunnes e reule of Seynt
     Benedict, on-to e clerkys e reule of Seynt Augustyn, be-side
|r24 ese certeyn instituciones he ordeyned, as e holy anoyntyng |r[l.51b]
     taut him, whech be e Holy Gost is sent fro heuene. Thus he
     sette hem lawes medeled with swech attemperauns at a-mongis
     dyuers kyndes, dyuers habites, dyuers degrees, he exorted hem in
|r28 our Lord ei all schuld haue but o soule and on hert fixid in God.
     What schal we sey mor of his congregaciones? Be-side o elmesse_houses
     whech he mad for pore men, for seke men and women in
     languor, for misellis, for wydowes, for faderles & modirles, whech
|r32 houses he sette in dyuers degres and in dyuers disposicion, be-side
     all ese, he edyfied in his lyue irtene conuentual cherchis with all
     oir houses pertinent, four of chanons dwellyng be hem-selfe, nyne
     of nunnes with her breerin and clerkys, & persones at wer



|p68


     onlerned ordeyned to seruyse of e nunnes, as we seid be-for.
     And verily, as we suppose, he left at his deth swech persones
     dedicate to God vp-on too ousand too hundred, be-side hem at_wer
 |r4 dede er at tyme he passed from vs. And many moo monas_teries
     myth he a mad, ne had be e streyt consciens whech he had
     in receyuyng of worldly good, for with ful gret dreed and mech
     heuynesse receyued he worldly rychesse whech was profered him;
 |r8 sum-tyme was he compelled |r[l.52a] for to take o iftis; summe-tyme he
     refused hem, so was honest pouert roted in his hert and so wel
     beloued. Thus semeth it at he was sette in e mene weye, as was
     Salamon at sayd on-to God: Gyue me, Lord, neythir rychesse ne
|r12 pouerte, but graunt me swech ing whech is nedful on-to me. So
     is man had desire to e mene, neir to be rich, ne for to want, but
     to haue swech ing as was neccessarie to e grete noumbyr newly
     gadered be him, at ei schuld not fayle of her dayly prouysion.
|r16 His purpos was euyr to dwelle a-mongis hem at wer meke, erfor
     it plesed our Lord for to heyne him at him-self so lowed.


|r[CHAPTER_V.]

                                                          cap. v.

        |r<b> WHO at he be-had in his prelacye and who faderly he was at
|r20    al tymes on-to his subiectis, I suppose, veryly, at it is
     now not onknowe on-to al e kyngdom of Ynglond, in so mech at
     his childyrn be so encresed and growen to swech a noumbyr as we
     may se at eye, at rithfully we may applie oo wordis of scriptur
|r24 to him whech wer said to Iob: Thi seed, he said, schal be
     multiplied and i kynred encresed as herbes on e erde. This
     multiplying of his religion, e wise men at lyue now suppose
     veryly it be e myracle of his good lyf. |r[l.52b] The man stood in
|r28 a maner of merveile to all at knew hym for e grete prerogatif
     of good dedys with whech he was endewed, eke for e new plantes
     of mercy and charite whech he had griffid in e gardeyn of Cristis



|p69


     cherch, more-ouyr for e grete multiplying and wise gouernauns
     of e same. For He at pored wisdam in his breest for to inke
     and to begynne swech ingis, He gaf him vertue in e administra_cion
 |r4 & conseruacion of e same. It is open at is day what
     cunnyng Seynt Gilbert hadde & what holynesse, for and ese
     giftes had not com fro God, er schuld neuyr a risen on-to so
     parfite an ende, for e man tawt no-ing but at he ded, for in al
 |r8 his lyf his doctrine was accordyng to his werkys; his holy doctrine
     expressid his clene lyf and his holy lyf brout his doctrine on-to
     effecte, at is to se, a parfith ende. Aftir tyme at he was
     preferred to haue gouernauns in dispensyng of Goddis giftes, he
|r12 ded e part at longed on-to his office, he left rith nowt at
     longid on-to his goostly helth or elles to e charge at longed
     to gouernauns of his breerin. The man was plesaunt and mery,
     wys in wordis and of vsed eloquens fulfillid, hauyng no-ing in his
|r16 wordes at was likly to be lakkid, wherfor |r[l.53a] with grete reuerens
     was he be-loued both of his owne familiar puple and eke of
     straungeres. In all his behauyng owtward he was conformed
     on-to his breerin; he was, if I schuld not lye, e forme & e
|r20 exaumple in whech ei myth loke for to transfigur her lyf to at
     exemplarye. Meke he was a-mongis hem as on of hem, as it is
     seyd in Salamon: A prince haue ei mad e be with hem as on of
     hem; for al at euer he comaunded his subiectis to do he fulfillid
|r24 him-self; his clois wer not whiter an oir of his felawes; his
     mete was not dite mor deliciously an it was for couent; he had
     no special chambir for to slepe in, but in e dormytori he took his
     rest; his bord was not owt of e refectory, lest at gestis caused
|r28 it. In his riding had he no costful hors, no wastful aray, not
     many hors, ne many seruantis, but on of e on-lerned of his ordre
     and too of e clerkis whech schuld be pryuy and se al his conuer_sacion,
     at all tyme ei went with him. In his rydyng he spent
|r32 not e tyme with veyn tales or flying tydyngis, but with Psalmis
     and orisones sewe he al e weye, euyr hauyng a purs redy to gyue
     elmes to pore men whech at he mette. His In to whech he
     schuld come was stuffid with |r[l.53b] habundauns of vitaile ful discretly,



|p70


     nowt only for him-selue but for hem at wold ask it and had nede
     erof. At mete was he myri; he talked mor an ete, and with
     solacious countenauns wold he glade his gestis.


|r[CHAPTER_VI.]

 |r4                                               Cap. vj.

        |r<b> HE wold compleyne sumtyme whan he roos fro e bord at he
        had synned in vnmesurable etyng or drinkkyng, whan ei
     at wer conuersaunt with him had merueil who at a man myth
 |r8 lyue with soo litil mete or drink; whan he schuld sitte to ete
     often-tyme he wold wepe for be-cause, he seyde, at oure nature
     euery day is compelled of very nede to receyue mete and drynk at
     he fayle not. Fro flesch and all at longith to flesch abstined he
|r12 euyr, lest at he wer sek, ann orw councell of his frendis he
     wold ete sum. Fysch ete he orw e ere, saue in Lenton and in
     Aduent, an wold he non ete; his mete was an wortys, letuse
     and oer herbes, whech he ete as ei had be delicasises; whan he
|r16 was febil ei wer fayn to dite him fisch in swech maner at he
     knew it nowt. This did his seruauntis for pite of his febilnesse
     and whan his mete cam be-fore him e first part wold he gyue to
     God, whech was bor to sum por man; ny al e oir del departed
|r20 he on-to hem whech soten a-boute him. In his refeccion he took
     mor |r[l.54a] heed at his soule schuld be fed with holy scriptor an his
     body with delicat metis. Aftir mel wold he haue sum bodely labour,
     and an rede and pray, and so occupie his tyme. Thorw-oute e
|r24 ere was he clad equally; he wered no mo clothis in Wyntir ann
     in Somyr; with o cote he went and no more, for furres wered he
     neuyr. Thou schuld had merueyle if ou had seyn e membres of
     at eld body, who e bones and e skyn myth vnneth hange to-gidir,
|r28 his schulderis croked, his teth oute of e mouth, who at swech an
     eld body myth lyue whan alle hete was drawe fro him, both natural
     and accidental, at for discoumfort sumtyme his body was ny
     contract. Be-twix e lynand and e hayir he chase e mydwey,
|r32 and al for he wold haue a conformite be-twix his subiectis and him,
     and eke for he wold fle e veynglorie of e world whech make men



|p71


     ofte to lose her mede. This myd wey clepe we, at he vsed, wollen
     cloth next his body, for hayir wered he non, ne lynand wold he
     non were. Whan he was compelled be e prouocacion of natur
 |r4 to go to bed and to rest he wold sey first certeyn Psalmes whech
     he knew of vse, first for him-self and for his breerin, an for
     kyngis and bischoppis, and all cristen folk. This was his |r[l.54b] vsage,
     at seuene of clok he wold go to rest; seldom wold he ly on his bed,
 |r8 but he sat eron comounly. His clois whech he wered on day
     he put hem not fro hym at eue, but lay with hem al nyth; ne
     vndir his hed wold he no pilow haue, so at whan he slept his hed
     hing down with-outen sustentacle and touchid sumtyme his brest.
|r12 We rede in e elde faderes lyues of Egipt at ei cleped slep her
     enmy be-cause at at tyme, as ei oute, ei sesed fro e seruyse
     of God. So ded our Gilbert, as I suppose; he wold not ly soft
     at he schuld not slepe longe, for ei at haue mech mete must
|r16 haue mech slep. And erfor at on-mesurable diete & at diuturne
     slepe was forbodyn be Crist whan he saide to his aposteles: Be-war,
     he said, at our hertes be not greued with ouer mech mete, or
     drynk, or slep. On his bed had our maystir Gilbert no clois but
|r20 of wolle and no bolstering but strawe. Whan he was sette ere
     onys schuld no man her him speke a word tyl in e morownyng.


|r[CHAPTER_VII.]

                                                     cap. vij.

        |r<b> AFTYR at laudes wer said in the cherch an wold he reherse
|r24    certeyn seyntis lyues; an wold he sey certeyn orisones
     for hem at ar ded and assoyle hem; after is wold he mak a
     meke and |r[l.55a] a long confession, not only for him-self but for all his,
     asking of his breerin of all his defautes forgyuenesse, and he
|r28 assoiling hem all and gyuyng hem all his blessing lich as Seynt Iob
     ded at euery day offered on-to God for helth of his childyrn.



|p72


     This maystir Gilbert was neuyr ydil, but al e day occupied, eythir
     in redyng, or in orison, or in lesson, or in contemplacion, or in oir
     holy werkys, now and now chaungyng fro on to a-noir, aftir tyme
 |r4 and leyser at he had. And ou he had mech to do et went he
     fro no mater til it hadde a parfith ende, ne he letted neuyr no
     circumstauns of his perfeccion for ony straunge mater, at is to
     sey, for no temporal profith he putte not Goddis seruyse behinde,
 |r8 ne e holy obseruaunces whech longed to e cloyster wer not lettid
     with besinesse whech was oute-ward. In compassion he was a
     fadyr to all men, in contemplacion mor suspense an oir men.
     Offten wold he wepe in ympnis & Psalmys redyng, and in e swete
|r12 songis of e cherch whan he herd e melodye, so was his soule
     repleschid with swetnesse, but et had he mor delectacion in e
     wordis an in e notes. And a-geyn ese veyn outes at come
     sodeynly on us, avoyding e swete deuocion at we wold haue,
|r16 a |r[l.55b] meruelous vsage had he. For in-as-mech he knew wel er
     myth no man want hem, he sette certeyn merkys of his fingeris and
     his ioyntis in what place of e Psalme he was, at sone aftyr e
     temptacion was voyded he myth retorne a-geyn on-to e same place
|r20 of his orison. And et mor-ouyr, at he schuld fulfill al rith_wysnesse,
     he chase on of his subiectis whom he knewe be e
     Holy Goost at he schuld succede in his office aftir his deth.
     This man chase he specialy, and to him he mad his profession and
|r24 permitted his stabilnesse on-to e hous of Sempingham, and so
     of is same mannes handes took Gilbert e habite of profession.
     hat constans and manhod was in is mannes hert is ful manifest
     in too maner ingis. On is at e grete causes he went a-boute he
|r28 sped hem wyth-outen ony vexacion or perturbyng of soule. A-noir
     is at alle e wrongis whech were do to him or his at at tyme,
     he bare hem so paciently at he was neuyr mevid for hem. Be-side
     all is vexacion at he had owtward, ere was a-noer ing whech
|r32 stood nyher his hert, e grete besinesse in spirith, for o houses
     whech he had rered, for e soules whech he had gadered, for e
     grete fere at he hadde at he schuld her |r[l.56a] no euel tytandis of
     hem. And whan it happed at ony euel report was mad he wold



|p73


     blisse God, and speke sum mery wordis and turne all in-to solace.
     He loued treuth and rithwisnesse so wel at whan he was vexed
     with ony materis, eythir with-oute e religion or with-Inne, he
 |r4 wold sey sumtyme he had leuer chese to be exiled, or elles his
     rote to be cutte, an he schuld suffir in his tyme e lawes of e
     cherch & e good customes of religion schuld fayle.

|r[CHAPTER_VIII.]

                                                   cap. viij.
     
 |r8    |r<b> IN e last ende of his age, not-with-stande at he was blynd,
        et e grete strength of his soule was not apeyred, for as
     grete el and as grete bysynesse had he at is age to encrese of
     religion and snybbyng of vices as euyr had he in his ong dayes.
|r12 His witte as fresch, his vndirstandyng as redy, his mynde as tow,
     his reson as clene were at at our, and all oir ingis at longe to
     e soule as euyr ei were, whech was merueyle to se, specialy in
     a man at hadde a hundred wyntyr in age. He myth her with e
|r16 best. His tonge fayled not of his office. His hand qwaked not
     with no palesye. His feet wer stabil to ber his body, and his oir
     membris. Non of hem denyed his seruyse |r[l.56b] to e body; lych
     he was on-to Caleph or Moyses, whech too at grete age had e vse
|r20 of all her membris, saue is differens is ere, at is man had lost
     his sith. It is worthi, as summe men ink, at ei whech serue
     God with dew obediens schuld haue her membres obedient to hem.
     For in e mynde of is man of whech we speke now was ful grete
|r24 hete of charite, both on-to God and to all men, for in his hert Crist
     wanted neuyr, men myth know be his mouth whech was euyr
     spekyng of Crist. Eke his tonge and his handis wer euer redy to
     help of his neybouris. This was e cours of his lyf; is was e
|r28 maner of his lyuyng; ese be e experiment of his vertues; ese
     be e good aray of his tecches with whech he was magnified with
     grete men; for in vertu he was gretter an ei, and nowt only was
     he folower of e blissed lyf of religious men, but he had a lif in
|r32 him-self whech religious men may folow: let se what man at oo
     dayes was so commendable of good werkis at he myth be set as



|p74


     equal to is man; what man coude now gader so grete richesse with
     swech pouerte, et most merueyl of all, a seculer man, dwellyng
     in court, seruyng in court, and newly drawe oute of e world, whech
 |r4 |r[l.57a] lerned neuyr of no man e reules swech as longe to e monasterie,
     at he schuld be parfite so sone and so sone knowe oo reules.
     Mor-ouyr at he schuld make reules in whech so many persones
     schuld rise to parfitnesse, of is had men wondyr. Wherfor is
 |r8 man for his holynesse was beloued, and for his magnificens stood
     in merueyl to men, but both to God and man he stood in grete
     worchip. Kyngis and princes ei honoured him, bischoppes and
     prelates ei receyued him ful deuoutly.
|r12   ei at wer ny him and eke at dwelt fer fro him, ei loued
     him, and schortly to sey, al e puple held him in grete reuerens.
     Eke e vertu of our Lord whech gaue him al is grace added
     ertoo ful grete ioye, for he at sette all ese good werkis in him
|r16 mad e same werkys to schyne with vertues.

|r[CHAPTER_IX.]

                                                     cap. ix.
     
        |r<b> AND ou it be so at ese dayes be not vsed with myracles as
        e former dayes were, in whech wer doo many myracles,
|r20 for as e Psalme saith, we se now no toknes, now is ere no
     profete for to telle us what schal befall; and ou it be so at
     Seynt Gilbert be mor worthi to be in worchep for his merytory
     dedes an for doyng of myracles, et on-to e wytnesse of his good
|r24 |r[l.57b] werkys, be-side e grete bysynesse he had in wynnyng of soules,
     whech is of mor vertu an curyng of bodies, et were ere, orw e
     grete merit of his holy lyf, doo many toknes orw whech his doctrine
     was commended and his holynesse confermed. And euene as orw
|r28 his wordis and his dedes e rudenesse of many a soule was reformed,
     rith soo be e touchyng of his clois, his hosen, or his girdyl, or
     swech oir ingis whech he touched his lyue, many a body was



|p75


     restored to helth aftir e feith whech ei put in him. Ther
     was bred kept sextene ere aftir his deth, on-corupte, on-mouled,
     whech he blessed and sent to a deuoute woman whech asked at
 |r4 in Goddis name, of whech bred many men haue ete and be holed
     of dyueris seknesse. Thus aftir he had fulfillid e grete merites
     of his perfeccion and sette in a parfite stabilnesse all his congrega_ciones,
     eke whan our Lord had disposed to rewarde his laboures
 |r8 with euerlastyng ioye and e tyme of his clepyng was ny, he
     be-gan to wax more feble ann he was wone to be and sayde on-to
     his bretherin he schuld not long lyue with hem, for at e membris
     of his body be-gan to fayle, and nature, whech is propicius to helth,
|r12 had withdrawe sum-what |r[l.58a] hir fauour. Thus, seknes growyng, and
     age of an hundred ere touching, he was in party compelled for to
     passe fro is lif in whech he was gretly broken for penauns whech
     he had olyd in Goddis seruyse, but et were all his membres
|r16 hool as we saide be-fore, saue his sith. Tho sent he letteris on-to
     all e cherchis of his order, in whech he notyfied on-to hem at his
     day was come in whech he schul leue his body here and goo to
     Goddis mercy, praying hem deuoutly in oo same letteris at ei
|r20 schuld recomende his soule with her prayeris to God, most specialy
     at at tyme whan it schuld forsake e body. Eke in oo same letteris
     he gaue Goddis blessing and his to alle at aftir his decese schuld
     loue e ordre and kepe oo congregacionie in parfith loue and
|r24 charite, and defende e same ordre fro her enmyes. More-ouyr to
     alle at is comaundment fulfillid he sent plener absolucion of all
     oo defautes in whech ei had trespased eythir a-geyn e reule or
     his instituciones. And in oo same letteris he wrot on-to all oo
|r28 at in e order schuld make ony discord or ony scisme at is
     present absolucion schul neuyr fauour hem, but at ei schuld
     knowe hem-self, but if ei ded penauns at ei wer reprobat of
     God.



|p76


|r[CHAPTER_X.]

                                                   cap. x.

     |r[l.58b] |r<b> THUS whan e tyme was come in whech at holy soule schuld
                      leue e In of his body; in e nyth in whech our Lord Ihesu
 |r4 was born, it happed him to be at a hous of his in a ylde, whech
     hous ei clepe Cadney, for in at same hous at e beginning of his
     seknesse he receyued e sacramentis of penauns and of hosill, and
     us many dayes aftir at abode e tyme assigned be our Lord in
 |r8 whech his soule schuld passe fro his body with gre[te] auysement
     and ful ryp deuocion. Thoo ei at wer with him, his chapeleynes
     and breerin, out ei wold remeve him fro at place, for if it so
     happed at he had dyed er, ei wer a-ferd at sum man of gret
|r12 myth wold a-reste e body be e weye in his carage and take here
     tresour from hem. Therfor ei caried him whil he was on lyue be
     othir weyes an e comown weye, and browt him to Sempyngham,
     for it was conuenient, as hem out, at his body schuld ly er
|r16 whech he had sette a place, hed of all his monasteries. And in
     is space fro Cristmasse tyl at day whech he dyed our Lord
     graunted him swech a space at all e souereynis of his ordr and
     all e prouostis of his cherchis myth come and visite him, for so
|r20 ei dede come on-to him and eke many a |r[l.59a] disciple of his, for ere
     had ei his blessing and noble exhortaciones of pes & vnite of e
     rigour eke and e hardnesse of e ordir, who it schuld be kept
     aftir his daies, and us instruct ei went hom fro him. The last
|r24 day of his temporal lyf, whan all were owt of e hous, he sat be his
     beddes side, he at was successour in his office, takyng heed at
     him what he wold comaunde. And aftyr he had long be stille in
     silens as man at schuld sone passe, he, no man seand, no man
|r28 herand, but with e Holy Gost replet, us spak in e goost. For
     ou his bodyly sith were rest fro him, et vndirstood he in his
     soule at his successour was ny him, wherfor ese wordes of e
     Psalme, distinctly, openly, and wyth sad auysement he sayde in is
|r32 wise: He departed, he gaf to pore men. And anne he rehersed:
     He departed to many men. He gaf, and not seld, to pore men, not



|p77


     to rich men. And an last he seid us: To e schal is longe
     her-aftirward. Thoo spak he oer ingis to at same man whech
     we can-not reherse. These wordes, as I suppose, wer ful conuenient
 |r4 on-to our maystir, whech departed all his goodis to many folk whech
     he had called to e seruyse of our Lord, & gaf all ese goodes
     for pure charite, for he seld hem nowt, hopyng to haue of hem ony
     worldly profith. |r[l.59b] To pore men gaf he ese goodys, non to rych, for
 |r8 oo giftis oue to pore men, ei at lyue in wilfull pouert for e
     loue of God, schuld receyue him in-to euyrlastyng tabernacles.
     To rich men he gaf it nowt, for ei nede not, and eke for it is ful
     hard on-to hem to enter in-to e kyngdam of heuene. For ese
|r12 ingis at he ded her, now is he in ioye and is at schuld be his
     successour, he lerned for to do lich as he saide.

|r[CHAPTER_XI.]

                                                    Cap. xj.

        |r<b> THE last day of Seynt Gilbert lif was a Sattirday; we schuld
|r16    clepe it a Sabat-day be e mor congrue name. Sabat is as
     mech to sey at day whan men rest of her werkys. This day was
     conuenient to his deth, for ann rested he of all his labour whech
     he had in is mortal body. He myth sey at his deth: Nite is
|r20 I-goo and day schal come; e dirknes schal not take me ne trede
     me. The our of his deth was whil e couent was at laudes, at
     mateyns, for at at tyme as Iob sayth: Praisen God, ye morow
     sterres. That same Sabatday, at is to say, e fourt day of
|r24 Februarij, e ere of e Incarnacion of our Lord, a ousand,
     a hundred, eyty and nyne, swech tyme as nyte chaunged in-to
     day, whilys at e laudes were sayde in e couent, is man passid
     fro e irknesse of is lyf, fro e |r[l.60a] laboures of is world, ful of age
|r28 mor an a hundred ere. Whidir at he went e schal here, for to
     dwelle in e hous of God, for to prayse God ere for euer, wher he
     is sette in his ordre, at is to sey, a-mongis e sercle and e dauns
     of virgines, as we hope, and as reuelacion was mad to sum folk
|r32 afterward, er hath our Lord graunted him his sete. Aftir his



|p78


     deth wer certeyn visiones & reuelaciones mad to persones of grete
     credens, orw whech visiones ei at wer dwelling fer fro him had
     very knowlech of at oure and very certificacion at he was ioyned
 |r4 on-to e felauchip of aungelles in heuene. For ou it be so, as we
     beleue, at euery man receyueth mede aftir his werkys, and as
     treuth sayth, oo frendis at be e god of richesse, receyue e
     makeris in-to euyr-lastyng tabernacles, of grete rith-wisnesse is
 |r8 man is for to beleued at he is ioyned to virgynes, for as mech as
     he mayde both body & soule & mayde in feith perseuered euyr, and
     eke all his erdly goodes aue on-to virgines, and for e virginite of
     many folk laboured al his lyf. For euene as he at receyueth a
|r12 rith-ful man in e name of a rithful man schal take e mede of
     a rithful man, euene so he at receyueth many virgines in e
     name |r[l.60b] of virgines schal receyue e mede of virgines. Eke for as
     mech as is man was prelate and begynner of mech noumbyr, both
|r16 of men and women whech schuld avowe chastite, and be-cause e
     noumbir centenarie is applied as for a special reward both to
     prelates and to maydenes, erfor hath is man for oo too is
     special reward.

|r[CHAPTER_XII.]

|r20                                           capitulum xij.

        |r<b> THUS was e soule of this blessed man translate on-to heuene
        and e ded body kept up-on e ground four dayes with
     exequiis and missis after e good customes of e cherch. In at
|r24 same tyme all e priouris and souereynes of e ordre wer sent
     aftir to be at e byrying of her maystir. Whan ei wer gadered
     to-gidir and anoumbered, e summe of his progenie cam on-to
     too ousand and too hundred. The fourt day aftir his deth, at
|r28 is to sey on e Tewysday, were gadered to-gidir many prelatis,
     both of his ordre and eke of,ir religious, with mech folk of
     e cuntr at came edir for reuerens of e man, and aftir tyme
     e masse was sayde, ei wasched e body with watir, whech watir
|r32 was kept, for ei at drank erof wer restored to bodely |r[l.61a] helth.
     Aftir his wasching ei arayed him lych a prest, and oo ei byried
     him betwix too auteres, on of oor Lady, Seyn Mary, e oir of



|p79


     Seynt Andrew e apostel. He was so layd at at tyme at e
     women myth com to e graue on e o side and men on e oir
     side. The ston a-boue was not layd on-to e tyme at all men
 |r4 whech wer present, as for her last leue, myth come an touche
     e body with what ing ei wold, and kisse it for reuerens of his
     holynesse. Childyrn, maydenes, ne no degre, had no fer, no horrour
     in cyssyng of at ded body, for feith gaf hem boldnesse to touch
 |r8 it and loue sent hem boldnes to kisse it. What mornyng er was
     of all folk, what lamentation of clerkis, what wepyng of maydenes,
     for as mech as ei haue lost her hed and her principal, her fader
     and her schippard, and for ei schuld no mor haue him to her
|r12 consolacion, wer long to telle. But our Lord God at wrout all
     ese werkys in his seruaunt, be whom is same seruaunt Gilbert
     had grete prosperite in all his werkis, this same Lord wold neythir
     defraude his werkman of his mede ne e good werkys of her
|r16 parfith ende, as it schal be schewid in is next declaracion.
     Be-side oo myracles whech wer do e day of his byryng, and
     be-side e myracle |r[l.61b] do in substitucion of his successour, er fell
     many oir grete, of blynde men, def men, bedred, dropesie, ffevyrues,
|r20 wodnesse, and oir grete seknesse, whech wer cured, summe be e
     watyr in whech he was waschid, summe be oir relikes of him,
     sum be dremes and visiones, summe in e same place of his
     byryng, summe in oir places. It is no doute at his werkes wer
|r24 ful plesaunt on-to our Lord, wherfor at he schuld stand in e
     mor worchip a-mongis men, our Lord mad his werkis to be
     magnified aftyr his deces, in so mech at, be e comaundment of
     Innocent Pope e ird, Hubert bischop of Cauntirbyry and
|r28 a-noer bischop of Hely, eke e abbot of Borow, with many oir,
     mad diligent inquision and redact all is in a forme and sent it
     vp to e court.

|r[CHAPTER_XIII.]

                                             cap. xiij.

|r32    |r<b> AND whan our holy fader e Pope had receyued is infor_macion
        with councel of his breerin, e cardinales, he
     mad is man, is Seynt Gilbert, to be a-noumbred and ascribed



|p80


     in e cathaloge of seyntes. A cathaloge is a schort writyng of
     seyntes, in whech wrytyng is conteyned of what cuntr e seynt
     was & eke his holy lif. The Pope comaunded eke at same tyme
 |r4 his feest to be solempnyed in e cherch and made collectes to
     be seyd in his commemoracion. He comaunded |r[l.62a] eke his body
     to be translat, as it was fulfillid aftirward. For ese causes
     is faderis day schuld be solempnied with e mor deuocion and
 |r8 with more besinesse, because his lyf was holyer, his doctrine
     mor holsom. his labour mor feruent, his frute mor plenteuous,
     his deth mor prouable, his myracles mor euydent an summe
     oir, and erfor he, be liklynesse, hath be-for God mor ioye and
|r12 be-for men mor worchip. Ioye be mad be our moder e cherch
     of e ioye to whech hir son is now newly browt, and. to hir worchip
     and profith of hir childyrn synge sche e praysyng of God and
     hir owne, at orw e prayer of hir meritis sche myth make pes
|r16 with vices, put awey aduersities, brynge in e strength of vertues,
     e profite and encres of very religion, owre londes and cuntres,
     God our maker grauntyng, dispose in euyrlastyng pes, confermyng
     at our Lord Ihesu Crist, to whom with e Fader and Holy Gost
|r20 euer be worchip and ioye &c. Amen.


|r[CHAPTER_XIV.]

       Her is e secund part of Seint Gilbert lyf, e capi_tule
     14.

        |r<b> BE-cause at a gret part of iustise is for to do non euel and
|r24    e profite of e same iustise is for to do good, and eke
     for it is not i-now to our helth at we take not oer mennes
     good wrong*fully |r[l.62b] or desire it wrongfully, but we be bounde
     for to eue owne goodes for e loue of God frely. For is cause
|r28 is very prest Gilbert stodied euery day to bere schidis to e
     holy fyr whech brent in e tabernacle, both nyth and day, for
     e fire of charite at was in the tabernacle of his breest brent
     him-selue, a ful delectable offering to our Lord. And at he
|r32 schuld not renne in blynd presumpcion, ne vse maneres with-oute
     consideracion, but at he schuld renne and take e summe of his



|p81


     merites, the best maner of perfeccion and e trewest way to
     perfeccion with grete bysynesee, he both soute and took. The
     first ground of his werk he sette in heith of mekenesse, whech
 |r4 vertu dispisith in euery man his owne excellens, for e veri place
     of meknesse is in heuene. Therfor he put a-wey e mater of
     al erdly goodes fro him-self, for oo same goodis sette a man
     in fals excellens and rowe a man al vndir-fote. He rew fro
 |r8 him all pride whech schuld ryse of vertues at wer with-inne
     him. He took ful gret heed to e voys of our Lord at seith: If
     ou wilt be parfith, go selle all at euyr ou hast and folow me.
     This man ded us. He gaf his goodes to pore men, not for
|r12 vanyte but for charite, and for at gift e mynde of his rith_wisnesse
     schal dwelle with-outen ende. Whan |r[l.63a] he had determyned
     in his hert at all his goodes schuld be departed on-to por men,
     an chase he swech pore whos pouerte was honest, knyt with
|r16 e dred and eke e loue of God, for his desire was to sowe his
     sedes in e blessingis of God, at he myth repe in oo same
     blessingis. In at same tyme, at is to seye, in e regne of
     King Herry e secunde, as he writith in e book mad of the
|r20 construccion of monasteriis, in at same time were in e town
     of Sempyngham certeyn maydenes seculer, whos soules e seed
     of Goddis word, sowyn be is same Gilbert, had so touchid at
     ei were rype on-to religion lich as corn is white to heruest.
|r24 These same maydenes, desyring to be victouris of her kynde & eke
     of e world, euery day entendyd to no oir ing but to plese and
     to be kynt to at spouse whech is in heuene. This, aspied be
     Seynt Gilbert, specialy whan he had in his avow mad a promisse
|r28 at his possession of Sempyngham and of Tyrington schuld be
     oue to God, ferermor at he wold eue is to pore, and eke
     he fonde no men at at tyme wold lyue so strey[t] ly as ese
     women were disposed, for is cause, he determyned to gyue ese
|r32 goodes to swech pore whech were por in spirit & myth |r[l.63b] chalange
     e kyngdam of Heuene for hem & for oir. This man Gilbert
     mad him frendes with swech rychesse as he had, whech frendis
     schuld receyue him in-to euerlasting tabernacles. The first frendes



|p82


     at he made wer not of men but of wommen. Wommen chase
     he first for e similitude whech our Lord rehersed in e gospell
     of a womman at had lost a dramme and found it, who sche
 |r4 cleped hir frendes to ioye with hir for hir dramme at was
     found. So ese maydenes first chosen were cause at many oer
     schuld be cleped aftirward. A dramme is a certeyn mony of
     gold weying e viij part of an vnce. Oure Gilbert be-gan his
 |r8 perfeccion at e febiller kende. for to e febiller kynde nature
     techeth at we schuld do our benefetes. e councel of God is
     swech also to help at ing whech is moost febil, eke e mede
     for is help is e gretter, ferermor oure Lord in e gospel to
|r12 e febelest kynde applied e grettest reward, e hundredfold frute
     to virginite. Gilbert norchid is astate, and erfor hath he part
     of her reward. Be-side al is, our Gilbert, aftir e rith ordre
     in elmesse-euyng, gaf his goodes to hem at were rithful, aftir
|r16 e councel of Salamon wher he saith: Gyue i goodes on-to good
     men and receyue not |r[l.64a] ese synneres to in elmesse.


|r[CHAPTER_XV.]

                                                    Capitulum xv.
     
        |r<b> SEUENE maydenes, as we saide be-fore, fulfillid with heuenely
|r20    desires in worchip of at noumbir of seuene giftis longing
     on-to e Holy Goost, ese were beginneres of is holy religion
     vnder our fadir Gilbert. These seuene bodily virgines, offered to e
     noumbyr of ese seuene giftis, mad her virginite the mor merytorye
|r24 be-cause ei wer arayed with vertues. What profitith a laumpe
     at hath non oyle? What profitith clene flesch whan e soule is
     corrupt? What profitith a body clene and a hert defouled? Be
     is weye schuld ese hethen men be vertuous whos lyf is al synne.
|r28 Therefor, at ese maydenes schuld be clene in soule & body, to her
     soules he ordeyned clene instrumentis, her bodies with whech ei
     schuld werk her owne helth. And be-cause at no man whech
     seruyth God may serue wel God and be occupied with temporal



|p83


     besinesse, eke be-cause virginite is a tendir ing & may sone be
     tempted of e sotil deceytes of e serpent, e Deuele, whech is ful
     eld of tyme and ful sotil of kynd & sone deceyueth virginite,
 |r4 namely, whann it is sette so open at it is schewid to e world, --
     for tresour openly bore is put in gret perel, |r[l.64b] -- for is cause he sperd
     ese virgines fro e noyse of e world, fro e sith of men, at ei
     whech schuld entyr in-to e priuy chaumbyr of e spouse ei
 |r8 schuld only entende on-to e swete halsyng of e same spouse.
     He wold not at ei schuld walk to se vanytes, as ded Dina, but
     at ei schuld hide hem in her tabernacle, as dede Sarra, or in
     her conclaue, as ded Our Lady. And for it is not I-now for to
|r12 absteyne fro euel but if we doo good, erfor he mad to hem a lawe
     of holynesse & tawte hem at same with whech ei schuld plese to
     e heuenely spouse & cleue euyr to his chast halsyngis in all maner
     clennesse. Thus gaf he hem a lawe of lyf and of loue, of chastite,
|r16 of meknesse, of obediens, a[n] d charite, and all oir vertues whech
     lede to euyrlasting lif, he comaunded hem to kepe. Thei, as good
     disciples, ioyfully receyued hem & deuoutly fulfillid hem. Ther
     schone, or ellis schyned, in e soule of ese women, a fayr beute of
|r20 precious perles, of swech goostly richesse as our Lord tellith in e
     gospell, at a man schuld selle all at he hath for to welde is.
     And ou ei lyued in flesch and not aftyr e flesch, et wost he wel
     as longe as ei were in flesch, be-side swech neccessaries as longe to
|r24 e flesch, ei myth not lyue, |r[l.65a] erfor al ing at is nedful to our
     fleschly febilnesse, as mete, or drynk, or cloing, or houses, all ese
     ordeyned he to ese maydenes and her seruauntis in best maner,
     in mesur and discrecion, at is to seyn, swech houses as long to
|r28 religion, with a cloystir, or a clauser, wallid abowte, and in oo
     houses he sperd e handmaydenes of our Lord, euyr for to dwelle
     er in solitarie lyf; and is werk was undyr e wal of e cherch
     of Seynt Andrew, in e strete or town of Sempyngham, on e north
|r32 side, first axid and had e counsel and e help of Alexaunder, an
     bischop of Lincoln. Dore was ere non mad in e wal but on, &
     at was not open but swech tyme as schal be touchid afterward;



|p84


     ere mad he a wyndown orw whech ei myth receyue swech
     neccessaries as longe to her lif, for ou ei wer in the world he
     wold put hem oute of e world, fro her lond, from her kynrod,
 |r4 from her fadir hous, at us exiled fro all ese, lich a cherch, and
     ei a cherch, at is to seye, a congregacion in o feith and o charite,
     forgeting her puple and her fader hous, fro all curiosite and all
     couetyse, or concupiscence, fro all pride, us clene I-schake to e
 |r8 hy kyng, schuld make a complacens in desiryng of her beute
     Thus bonde he her bodies with-inne oo walles at at same place
     Sempingham. |r[l.65b]

|r[CHAPTER_XVI.]

                                                        cam. xvj.

|r12    |r<b> BVT he wold not, ou he prisoned her bodyes, bynde her soules
        fro God, but is was his entent to close hem, be-cause at
     conuersacion in e world is wone to departe many men fro at
     familiarite whech ei schuld haue with God. Eke be-cause at
|r16 ei myth no-where go oute, erfor he ordeyned on-to her seruyse
     certeyn maydenes not lerned, in a pore seculer habite, whech schuld
     brynge on-to at wyndowne mad in e wal all ing at was
     neccessary for hem, and receyue of hem at at same hole swech
|r20 ingis as was conueinent to bere out. That same hole left he ope,
     but not euyr ope, for it was opened but at certeyn tymes whech
     wer assigned, for he wold a sperd it for euyr if it had be so
     at men or wommen myth a leued with-oute mete or drynk or
|r24 oer neccessaries. For a dore was mad beside, but neuyr open
     with-oute his special comaundment, not for e maydenes to
     go owt, but for him to entyr on-to hem for goostly coumfort,
     or techyng of religion, or visiting of e seke, or swech oir
|r28 neccessarie causes; eke of at dore was he gayler him-self; no
     man bare at keye but he. Whidir at he went, wher-euyr he
     dwelt, e key of at dore was with hym, so was he gelous louer
     of here clennesse. Aftir is he stodyed sor at ere schuld |r[l.66a] no
|r32 ing owtward breke at pes whech ese solitarye folk had in her



|p85


     clauser. He lerned eke of religious men and wise men at it was
     not conuenient, ne sykir, at seculer maydenes rennyng a-boute e
     world schuld serue swech solitarye persones, for euel speche often
 |r4 tyme appeyreth ful good maneres, and eke ei at runne so a-boute
     schuld bryng clatering tydingis, whech myth apeyre e soules of
     e nunnes, for is cause oo same seculer maydenes, with e good
     counsel of her fader Gilbert and party with her owne deuocion,
 |r8 desired to haue a religious habite and so dwell with e nunnes;
     and, as ei desired, so had ei. For er, whan ei wer clad in a ful
     pore lyf, ei serued e nunnes and lyued in ful honest conuersacion.
     Thus of o kyrnel whech our foundour rew in e erde grewe now
|r12 a-noer ere be-side e first spryng whech was e nunnes. an
     whan Seint Gilbert say e good el of ese seculer maydenes us
     chaunged on-to God, he was ful mery for deuocion of her feith, but
     be-cause ei wer inexpert, not vsed in swech, and simpil and lewed
|r16 as touching lettirure, for swech ydiotes al day be-hest mor ing
     an ei may fulfill, erfor wold not he, our fadir Gilbert, gyue hem
     no hard preceptis ne ley no greuous birden on her schulderis whech
     ei schuld rowe awey aftirward and repent, |r[l.66b] to grete schame of
|r20 hem-self and grete vylony to religion. Therfor ese neophites ar
     for to proue, at Sathanas transfigur not him-self in-to an aungell
     of lith; at e wolf do not on his bak a schepis wolle; at e ostrich
     tak not e wengis of an hauke; at e asse haue not e leones
|r24 membris. All is is seid be e auctour of is lif whech is of is
     Seynt, at he calleth hem neophites at he newly conuerted to
     religion; for neophites wer cleped in eld tyme folk newly conuerted
     to e feith, and all ese transumpciones folowing rehersith our
|r28 auctour to is entent, at men of religion schuld not haue fair
     condiciones owtward and euel inward, as malys in soule lich a wolf
     and innocens in wordis lich schepis wolle, and soo may men
     expounne all e othir transumpciones. For is same cause at
|r32 ese folk schuld vndirstand what ei ded, and eke at ei schuld
     proue, as her age grew, what ei schuld answer, is noble mayster
     told hem be-for all ese perelles and lerned hem all e scharpnesse
     of religion, all at euer ei had lerned be experiens or be tellyng of



|p86


     oer men. To his sisteres he prechid at ei schuld despise e
     world & cast fro her hertis all maner of propirte, at is to seyne,
     ei schuld ink no-ing was her, but al comoun, as religious folk
 |r4 must doo: he taute hem e maner who ai schuld chastise her
     flesch to trauayle |r[l.67a] and to occupye hem fro ydilnesse, and neuyr to
     sitte qwiete fro labour in prayer or occupacion. He taute hem for
     to wake & not to slepe mech, to fast longe & not to vse metes oute
 |r8 of tyme. Wrecchid mete, scharp cloth, is wold he ei schuld
     haue; no gay aray, but sperd in cloystir as in prison, at ei schuld
     do no euele; to kepe silens, at ei schuld no euele speke, but
     be occupied with orisones and meditaciones to avoyde euel outes.
|r12 Thei answered on-to him at at tyme at all ese preceptis plesed
     hem weel, to take hardnesse for softnesse, labour for ese, heuynesse
     for swetnesse, all ese ingis wold ei gladly suffer, so ei myth
     come wher ei desired. The nede of pouerte constreyned hem, and
|r16 labour in begging, for to desire to ber hy ingis, to at entent at
     ei myth be sykir of euyrlastyng reward. The loue of God, eke,
     at drowe hem to is same entent, and helth of her soules orw
     whech ei myth deserue euyrlastyng rest. So of nede ei mad
|r20 vertue, and ou in summe of hem wer not e very entent of
     perfeccion, et it lettid not but it gat hem e ende of good werk.
     But is holy man wold not bynde hem sodeynly to is perfeccion,
     but lete hem haue a ere of a-visement, at of at grete dilacion
|r24 schuld growe e desire of religion.


|r[CHAPTER_XVII.]

                                                cap. xvij. |r[l.67b]

        |r<b> THAN say our fader in his inwardly consideracion at, with_outen
        mennys solace and puruyaunce, womennes besinesse
|r28 profitith but lytyl; erfor chase he certeyn men whech schuld
     ouyr-se her possessiones and haue gouernauns of all o grete
     materes whech longed on-to hem. Summe of ese chase he of
     his plowmen and of his seruauntes, summe of pore mennes childyrn
|r32 and beggeres whech he had norched fro her childhod. He was lich



|p87


     e seruaunt of whech e gospel spekith, at at e comaundment
     of our Lord went in-to e lanes & stretes of e cite, & swech as he
     fonde pore or febil, brout & compelled hem to enter at his lordis
 |r4 hous schuld be ful. To ese men, us newly gadered, whech he
     say wer inflawmed with e [loue] of euerlastyng lyf, to ese same,
     at her peticion, he ordeyned a tokne of meknesse, an habite whech
     signified to hem at ei schuld despise is world and for-gete e
 |r8 vanite at longith erto. And oo same preceptis, ful hard and
     not esy, of whech we spoke be-fore, he wrote on-to hem, and taute
     hem at ei schuld not fall fro mynde. He taute hem ferermor
     oir vertues at longe propirly to e soule, as meknesse, obediens,
|r12 paciens, and swech oer, whos exercise is hard and mede gret,
     & ei, as deuoute disciples, took ese preceptis gladly |r[l.68a] and mad
     her avow to fulfill hem for euyr. Thus is e tresour, or elles e
     talent, doblid, at our Lord took him, for our Lord put first in
|r16 his mynde to make a congregacion of women, and now newly he
     hath dobiled is ift whan he gadered ese men. Thus is e
     iunctur of women and men ioyned as broches for e crowne of
     e spouse, us mad be e handis of e hye werkman. Now is
|r20 e tyme come at e welbeloued masculyne with e welbeloued
     feminine schuld go oute in-to e feld of is world, for to dwelle in
     e villages and in e cytees of puple. Now was e day come at
     e vyne whech our Lord planted schuld fulfill e erde with his
|r24 rotes, and sprede his palmes to e se, and his braunches to e oir
     flodes; at is to say, at e membris of is ordre schuld sprede e
     braunchis of good exaumple, at it schuld be know wyde. Thus
     be processe of tyme, be e wil of our Lord God, e seed whech he
|r28 had sowen be e first faderes of is weye, many rich men, noble_men
     of Ynglond, at is to seye, Erles, Barones, and oir, seyng
     and approuyng is werk whech God had be-gunne, and seyng
     be-for what goodnesse was disposed aftir, ei offered many
|r32 possessiones to our fader Gilbert, & monasteries, in many prouynces,
     vndyr his reule and gouernauns, ei be-gunne |r[l.68b] to edifie, of whech
     helpes Alisaundr bischop of Lincoln was first, and Kyng Herry



|p88


     e secunde, he confermed all. Our fadir Gilbert receyued ese
     possessiones with ful gret dred; and summe was he in maner coact
     to receyue; summe refused he and wold not haue hem, be-cause his
 |r4 desir was fro e begynnyng of his ordre at his progenie schuld
     lyue in honest pouerte. Honest pouerte clepe we at a man is not
     in myschef for his dayly nede, ne he hath neythir no gret superfluite
     of good. This was e cause at he wold not haue ouyr mech whan
 |r8 it was oue him, for often-tyme it is seyn at a-mong gret multitude
     of puple and gret plente of richesse rise ful gret spottis of pride, as
     it is said be e wise man: In e multitude of e puple ioye of e
     kyng. For his first purpos at his beginnyng was for to a kept no
|r12 moo but oo seuene whech he had sperd up, at as long as ei
     lyued ere schuld be no moo. But he sey be e wil of our Lord
     at rich men had multiplied many monasteries to encres of is
     ordre; he wold not be contrarie to Goddis wil, ne lette e deuocion
|r16 of e eueres, ne be rekles of e sustentacion to e seruauntis of
     God, knowing wel at is was Goddis uertu, and not his; wherfor,
     he comitted al is disposicion |r[l.69a] to e profund councell of our Lord
     whech vset e scruyse both of good & euel after his plesauns.


|r[CHAPTER_XVIII.]

|r20                                            capm. xviij.

        |r<b> WHAN our maystir Gilbert say us e childyrn of God grow
        soo vndir his tuycion and say hem profiten day be day in e
     weye of God on-to e tyme in whech ei were gretly magnified, he
|r24 demed of him-self, as it longith to good soules to haue hem-self in
     litil reputacion, so demeth be him-self on-wori for to be in swech
     heith at he schuld haue gouernauns ouyr so many parfit persones.
     He eut, erfor, at he wold put is byrden and is honour fro
|r28 him, and comitte his flok to on or elles many whech wer abiler and
     mytier an he, at ei schuld haue it in gouernauns. He was in
     is cas a folower of Moyses whech seid on-to our Lord: I pray e
     Lord sende him at ou schal sende, menyng herby that he was
|r32 not able to be sent. And in a-noir place Moyses saide to God:



|p89


     Whom schal ou gyue, Lord, for to be Gouernour and principal
     ouyr is multitude, whech multitude ou hast mad growe in-to
     a grete puple? Thou knowist at fro at tyme at ou spak to
 |r4 me, i seruaunt, at I schuld take up-on me to be president ouyr
     is puple, sith at tyme I am a man of lower lyf, at is to seye
     a man of seculer |r[l.69b] conuersacion, whech schuld be holier an othir,
     and am not. I knowe ful wel at e dom schal be ful greuous to
 |r8 hem whech ar prelates, for ei must answer for hem-self and eke
     for her subiectis, and I am ful euel aferd at if I be not bettir an
     my flok, I schal be turned fro e first to e last. Swech maner
     wordes had he often and swech desires to leue his prelacye. In al
|r12 is besinesse he herd telle at ere schuld be a gret congregacion
     of e ordre of Cystewys, whech was neuly be-gunne at tyme be
     Seynt Bernard. Wher it was hold, i rede not, but e Pope Eugenie
     was ere, whech was sumtyme disciple to Seynt Bernard. To is
|r16 congregacion went our Gilbert, purposing for to comitte e cure
     of his childyrn to e kepyng of ese monkis. For ese mennes
     conuersacion knewe he best be grete familiarite whech he had with
     hem, for often ei come and wer loggid with him, and to ese only
|r20 told he his counsell, for ei wer newer and of harder reule an e
     blake munkis be. Wherfor he supposid at his ordr schul be in
     most sikirnesse if it wer committed to hem, for her new fundacion
     and her streytnesse was mor accordyng to his conceyt. His answer
|r24 had he of e Pope and of e abbotis whech wer present: |r[l.70a] ei
     saide it was not conuenient at prelatis of her order schuld be
     preferred to e gouernauns of an-oir ordre, specialy wher wommen
     were. Thus frustrat of his purpos, he took his leue, and, be e
|r28 comaundment of e Pope and counsel of e prelates ere present,
     he was mad maystir and principall ouyr at congregacion whech
     he had begunne. Our Lord wold not at e congregacion at
     Sempingham schuld wante her owne keper whech was bettyr on-to
|r32 hem an ten oir, as Helchana sayd to Anna. For our Lord had
     disposed at same congregacion to rise to e moost parfith noumbyr
     whech was at at tyme of an-othir condicion. This religion, whech
     we clepe our sistir, was but ong at is tyme, for sche had no tetes
|r36 as et, of prelates and souereynes, to gyue soke on-to e tendyr age



|p90


     of her subiectis, ne for to gyue mete of substauns to hem whech
     were growe in-to more perfeccion, whech eke schuld dispose all e
     flok with proteccion owtward and inwardly conferment.


|r[CHAPTER_XIX.]

 |r4                                                  cam. xtx.
     
        |r<b> THUS, be our holy fader Eugeny was comitted all auctorite to
        our maystir Gilbert in e kepyng of is holy flok, for ere
     was not founde a bettir ne more sewirer keper an at same man
 |r8 whech was gaderer of at puple, & eke |r[l.70b] so gelous a louer of hem
     and e first labourer in at holy vyne. Neuyrelasse, he held
     him-self onwori to e birden of swech a wyte; he alegged e
     importunyte of his age, e onworthinesse of him-self to swech
|r12 dignyte, e simpilnesse to at maystirhod, his lownesse eke to so
     hye a prelacye. All is drede had he in his soule at he was not
     wori to be preferred to swech dignite; he dred eke to lese e
     solitarie rest of his contemplacion, for weel he wist at oo secret
|r16 councellis whech he was used too, and e bysy swetenesse of contem_placion,
     schuld often be interrupt with worldly occupacion and bysy
     oure whech longeth on-to prelates. Alle ese excusaciones of
     meknesse were not amitted of e Pope, but e ok of all is birden
|r20 was leid in his nek, for e Pope comitted all is cure on-to him,
     be-cause he say at he had no grete appetite ne desir ertoo. The
     purpos of our fader Gilbert was euyr to dwelle a-mongis hem at
     be meke, and e wil of our Lord God is euyr of custom to exalte
|r24 hem at moost meke hem-self. Thus, whan is Goddis owne man
     knew wel at e dome of God had ordeyned he schuld take is
     charge, he was no mor hardy to make |r[l.71a] ony resistens a-geyn e
     disposicion of God whech had chosen him to at werk. Thus
|r28 wold he not lese e grete habundauns of vertues whech were
     with-inne him with obstinacye, wherfor he mekly receyued is
     obediens of God and e comaundment of Goddis vyker, e Pope,
     trostand for is obediens to receyue sumtyme e mor mede, be-cause
|r32 he had no grete delectation to be preferred to swech an office. He



|p91


     put his owne wil, his owne profit be-hinde, only for e welfare and
     helth of many othir. He was ful weel lerned be-fore in e stody
     of contemplacion, and now be-gan he to lerne who he schuld profith
 |r4 in ministracion of actiue lyf, for he wold haue e frute of both lyues,
     at is to sey, both actyf & contemplatif. He myth ek mor lefully
     be a dispenser of oo worldly goodis rather an a-noir man,
     be-cause e same goodis wer his sumtyme. For he gaf hem to por
 |r8 men with whech he dwelled as a por man, nowt as a gouernour of
     his owne, but as a procuratour and a seruaunt of oer mennes
     ricchesse. For is cause and many oer holy toknes & many good
     reportes whech wer said of him, e Pope Eugenie had in maner of
|r12 an heuynesse at he knewe neuyr our |r[l.71b] fader Gilbert or at
     tyme, for if he had knowe him, as he seyde, he wold a promoted
     him to e archibischoprych of ork, whech stood voyd at at
     tyme. Thus cam oure fader hom in felauchip long tyme with
|r16 Seynt Malachie, archibischop of Yrland, and Seynt Bernard, abbot
     of Clareualle, to whech too men he was so familiar in at viage
     at in her presens, orw his denoute prayer, a certeyn man was
     mad hool of seknesse whech he had. He receyued eke toknes of
|r20 loue both of e bischop and e abbot, e staues of her croses with
     whech aftirward wer doo many myracles; and in special Seynt
     Bernard gaue him a kerchy, and erin a certeyn relik, as summe
     sey; but I vndirstand at is kerchy was goodly bordred on e
|r24 endes, for orarium soundith soo in gramer. Thus is he com hom
     a-geyn to Sempyngham, frustrat, as we saide, of his purpos, in
     whech, of very meknesse, he had out to a leyde a-wey e ok fro his
     nek, and a put is office on sum notable man of e religion of ese
|r28 Cistewys; but our Lord us with heuenly warnyng, as we suppose,
     kept him in is office as moost porfith & abillest.
     
     
[CHAPTER XX.]
     
                                                   cap. xx.
     
        |r<b> WHAN he was us constreyned at he must kepe is offise
|r32    him-self, |r[l.72a] an chase he owt of his owne religion certeyn
     me[n] to ber e birden of gouernauns with him lich as Moyses



|p92


     ded as we rede be e councell of Iethro, prest of e hethen lawe,
     he assigned certeyn men to haue gouernauns vndyr him and alle
     e grete causes he wold redresse him-self. Thus ded our maystir;
 |r4 he chase men of sufficient lettirrur, of holy conuersacion, ordered
     aftir e custom of e cherch, whech schuld haue vndyr him is
     gouernauns. Men wer chose for is cause, for it is mor conuenient
     at men be preferred in gouernauns ann women. Letteryd men
 |r8 wer chose and no lewed men, at ei schuld haue cunnyng to
     tech oir. Ordred were ei for is skil, for ei myth not elles
     haue cure of soules lest an ei wer in holy ordre. Than chase
     he men for to gouerne women; letteryd men for to teche e weye
|r12 of Heuene both to men and wommen; clerkis eke, at ei myth
     be e bettyr keperes of oo scheep whech Crist bowt with his
     blood. All is ded is man be holy inspiracion of our Lord
     God, and be good councell of holy men and wise men; for, as
|r16 e decres of our form-faderes ber witnesse, e monasteries of
     maydenes may not stand with-outen help and socour of munkys,
     or clerkys, |r[l.72b] whech must be spiritual faderes to swech tendyr
     soules, to gouerne hem in e swete ok of our Lord. But for
|r20 as mech as e lawes of holy cherch defenden at no monkys
     ne clerkys schul dwell with women, but ei schul be fer remevyd,
     ech of hem fro oir, so ferforth at women schuld not come
     nyher e monasterye an to e porche of e same, is same
|r24 prohibicion folowyd is man in e moost streytest wise, in so
     mech at he sette e dwelling of e clerkis ferr fro e dwelling
     of e nunnes, as a man schuld sette in o cyte or in o town too
     dyuers places of dyuers religion. So wer ese chanones fer sette
|r28 fro e nunnes, at ei schuld not come with-inne e nunnes in
     no maner but only for ministracion of e sacramentis. In is
     mater may be seyd at habitacion of men and wommen in o
     place was forfended in eld tyme for grete perell at fell, moost
|r32 specialy for feyned folk at used her synne vndyr colour of
     holynesse, as a man may rede in dyuerse places of Seynt Ierom
     Epistoles. Thus our Lord ful mercyablely and meruelously can
     make his seyntes to schyne with grete ioye of consciens in is



|p93


     erde, for em at he iustifieth he maketh ful gret; for he is
     not wone to lyte a lanterne and hide it vndyr a buschell, but
     to sette it vp in heith on a chaundeler, at all men whech
 |r4 schul |r[l.73a] entre in-to e hous of our Lord may se lith. Our Lord
     wil schew often to e world what o men be whech he louyth;
     for e grete dignyte whech ei schal reioyse aftirward, our Lord
     schewith be-fore be grace of myracles, at ei whech se all is
 |r8 ing may knowe e bettyr be very weye of trewth and with
     sikyrnesse of hope come to e lif at euyr schal lest. Swech
     pite on his seruaunt, Gilbert, hath e grace of God vsed, first
     gyuyng him good werkys with whech he schuld schyne, and
|r12 aftirward grauntyng vertue of myracles to make his werkes
     open.

|r[CHAPTER_XXI.]

                                            cap. xxj.

        |r<b> HYS paciens a-mong all oir vertues was to hym a very
|r16    crowne, for at was graunted him of God at he schuld
     want no vertu but at he schuld be keper of all vertues. God
     wold at e onyment of vertue whech was with-inne him schuld
     be stered & rolled with many tribulaciones, at aftyr at rollyng
|r20 it schuld haue e mor odour. He wold eke at e smal seed
     of mustard schuld be al to-broken whech schuld be e mor
     poynaunt aftir at grindyng. Al is is seyd for our fader Gilbert,
     whech was accused to e kyng Herry e secunde at he gaf
|r24 fauour to Seynt Thomas of Cauntirbyry in his exile and sent
     him in-to |r[l.73b] Frauns grete plente of mony. For whech cause
     Gilbert was endyted and many of his felauchip for fauouryng
     of e kyngis traytour, and writtes wer sent oute at Gilbert and
|r28 all e prioures of his ordr schuld be exiled. And in is cause
     our fader was not gilty, at is to sey, to send mony ouyr e
     see; but be-for Seynt Thomas exile, whil at he was hid in priuyte
     in Ynglond, Gilbert gaf him good and sent him to his sustenauns.
|r32 For, as we rede in e lyf of Seynt Thomas, a chanon of Sempyngham



|p94


     ordr led Seynt Thomas fro Northampton to e se, orw many
     priuy weyis and fennys onknowe to many men. In is same
     mater, be-cause S. Gilbert was of swech reputacion as touching
 |r4 holynesse, he was reqwyred to come be-fore e iuges & make
     er a bodely oth wheythir he was gilty in is mater or nowt.
     But is refused he, for he saide he had leuer be exiled an swere,
     for he wold not leue a bad exaumple to hem at schuld come
 |r8 aftir him. Lich on-to is mater rede we in e book of Machabees
     of e good old man cleped Eleaarus whech wold not ete swynys
     flesch forboden be e lawe of Moyses. He saide he wold rather
     dye, and whan he was counceled of his frendes at he schuld
|r12 feyne him to ete it he wold not, neythir for fer of lesyng of
     his lyf, ne for councell of his |r[l.74a] frendes; he seide at ong men
     schuld not take exaumple of elde Eleazar to breke e lawe of
     Moyses for fer of deth. So was our old man eke disposed at
|r16 he wold not leue e chirch on-defensed whil he myth leue it,
     ne he wold not feyne for to leue it; for if he had do soo, he schuld
     a be holde a-mongis men hertles; he schuld ha be causeeke at
     oir men schuld a be mor feynt, and mor-ouyr, be-fore God he had
|r20 runne in grete offens.


|r[CHAPTER_XXII.]

                                                      cap. xxij.

        |r<b> IN is same tyme whill our fader stood in is perplexite, our
        Lord chaunged e kingis hert whech was an in Normannye,
|r24 and letteris wer sent fro him ouyr e se to e iuges of is lond,
     at is cause whech touched Gilbert & his bretherin schuld be
     differred fro hem to e kyngis audiens. Mery & glad was our
     fader in all is abydyng, and whan ei alle tremuled for fer, as
|r28 no wondyr was whan ei had mad hem redy to forsake kynrod
     and cuntre and neuyr to come a-geyn. His hert in al is tyme
     was trosting in God, for he out as Seint Iame seith, a ful grete
     ioye was com to him whan he was assayed with dyuers tempta_ciones.
|r32 A-noir vexacion had our mayster whech was not lytyl.
     Certeyn bretheren of his whech he had conuerted fro e world |r[l.74b]



|p95


     and norchid fro her childhod turned in-to malice, were wery of
     her order and of her profession, turnyng all her goostly conuersa_cion
     to lust of etyng and drynkyng and leccherye, so ferforth
 |r4 at ei diffamed our maystir & his felauchip of grete vigour,
     and mor-ouyr wrytyn and sent on-to e Pope, compleynyng and
     allegging many ingis whech wer not soth. Vp-on is come certeyn
     bullis fro Rome at is mater be indifferent persones schuld haue
 |r8 his examinacion. Thus was our Gilbert cleped to apper in-to
     e ferest parties of is londe, and to answer to ese accusaciones,
     not-withstand his grete age and febilnesse. But is man, ful of
     constauns, was not aferd of peyne, ne labour, ne cost, ne retyng
|r12 of e iuges, ne fayre suasiones of oir; all ese myth not make
     him to consent for to goo oute of e parfith weye whech he had
     be-gunne, for he wold sey often he had leuer his rote wer cut
     an ony ing schuld be left of e first profession and e first
|r16 institucion whech he had inad. But whan is inater was discussed,
     it was founde at his accuseres wer fals, and us was e blessid
     man proued as metal in e fornays, and pes sent fro heuene
     on-to e cherch and his religion. For whan his |r[l.75a] aduersaries
|r20 fayled of her proues & coude with no craft haue at ei desired,
     ei were compelled be God and schame in her consciens to pray
     him of forgifnesse, in whech prayer ei desired at he schuld
     sumwhat tempir e gret hardnesse of religion and suffir hem
|r24 not to be kept so streith as ei wer be-for. The good old man
     with-outen ony difficulte receyued hem to grace, and in tokne
     of enter loue, he kissed hem all; eke, in at temperauns whech
     ei desired of all scharpnesse of religion, partye with auctorite
|r28 of e Pope, partye with wise councell of religious men, he
     promised hem to fulfill mech of her desir. In e last ende of
     his age, lich a-noir Iob whech was smet in his flesch with ful
     greuous woundes, he was smet with blyndnesse, for he lost e
|r32 site of his body. But is strok was not smet of God as an
     enmye, but as a frend prouokyng a man to batayle a[n] d
     behestyng victorie to him. For of at defaute of blyndnesse in
     his body grewe on-to him a grete perfeccion of vnderstanding



|p96


     in his soule, and he was aftir at tyme replet with grace of
     the Holy Goost mor habundauntly. For now wex he absent
     to seculer ingis and more present to euerlasting desires, as
 |r4 a man at aftir grete laboures had grete delices of contempla_cion

|r[CHAPTER_XXIII.]
|r[l.75b].                                        cap. xxiij.

        |r<b> HIS occupacion be e day was in prayer, or in heryng of good
 |r8    lessones, or in goostly coumfort of his breerin, euyr talkyng
     of uertu; of swech occupacion sesed he neuyr, saue swech tymes as
     nature requyreth his inclinacion; for, saue o tymes, euyr his mouth
     or his mynde was not ydil. If ony man had interfered wordes
|r12 whech wer not plesauns to God, ne soundyng to uertuous lif, ei
     schuld gretly displese him. He him-self spak but fewe wordes;
     he had mor delite to her an to speke, for all at he spak was
     soundyng on-to grete profit of vertuous gouernauns. He oute
|r16 often of at verse of e prophete Dauid, wher he seith: Obmutui,
     et humiliatus sum et silui a bonis. He was down, he seyth, and
     meked him-self, and kept silens, at he schuld not speke good. It
     was e condicion of Dauid, and soo hath be of many holy men, to
|r20 speke but fewe wordes and but seldom, for ei were euyr aferd of
     at Salamon seith, at in mech speche synne wanteth nowt. This
     caused our maystir to sey but fewe wordes at he schuld vse hem
     wel. Euyr was his mynde on-to heuene and euyr bidding soft
|r24 bedes, often wold he a-mong his orisones say, Who long Lord schalt
     ou |r[l.76a] for-gete me? And woo is me at my good dwellyngplace
     is kept so long fro me! Sum-tyme, whan we supposed he had be
     a-slepe, his handis wer cured with his mantel, but his eyne sey we
|r28 lift up to heuene, and euyr softe wordes herd we of his mouth.
     Sumtyme eke whan he sat in talkyng with othir men, if e talking
     were long, he, as in partye aferd at er was do sum excesse of
     speche, sodeynly wold brest oute and say his confession, mekly
|r32 askyng absolucion, and an aftir wold he asoile deuoutly em



|p97


     whech were a-boute him at tyme. Be nyte tyme he was ocupied
     moost with orisones and ful pryuyly wold he goo to his rest, first
     knelyng longe be-for his bed. And whan his cubiculeres wold
 |r4 loke if he lay wel, an wold he blame hem at ei mad his bed no
     bettir ouyr-nyth. ese wordes were in maner of excusacion, for
     he was loth at ony man schuld se in what maner he rested; for to
     at pryuyte he desyred no moo secretaries but God and seyntis
 |r8 with whom he wold talk e moost part of e nyth. What schuld
     we speke of his diete, with what scarsnesse of mete & drynk he
     was fed? He loued so wel e comon refeccion at whan he was in
     grete |r[l.76b] languor, as it kendly folowith age, he wold not, for no prayer
|r12 of his breerin, ete in e dortour; he wold neuyr be absent fro e
     same hous wher ei alle had her refeccion, not-withstand at
     e refectorie was fer and many greces er-too, whech was grete
     difficulte to an old man for to clyme. Whan he was prayed of his
|r16 disciples at he schuld spare his grete age and his seknesse, he
     wold in a maner of a holy ire answer & sey: Gilbert schal not be
     exaumple to his successoures for to ete delicacies in his chambyr.
     For is cause were ei fayn for to bere him, on on e o side,
|r20 a-noer on e othir; and with grete labour us cam he to e
     bord, to whech, whan he was come, he pyned his body with hungir
     rather an filt it, euyr inkyng of e vesselis longing to our Lord
     and euyr hauyng mynde of his congregacion. Whan he was bore
|r24 fro e bord a-geyn to his couch, alle e othir part of e day he
     spent in e same vse, at is to say, prayed or herd holy lessones,
     or comowned in deuocion. And at he schuld haue e uery ende

     of all perfeccion, be-cause he had ascended fro o uertue to a-noir,
|r28 and eke be-cause he was gretter in uertue an he supposed |r[l.77a] him_self,
     for he knew weel at a vertu is neuyr e lasse ou it defende
     not him-self, for is cause he purueyed pees a-geyns all perelles
     whech myth falle to oo congregaciones mad be him; eke at
|r32 debate whech was a-mong e lay puple of his ordre for dyuersite
     of metis, is same debate with consent of al his chapetr and in
     presens of Hewe, an biscop of Lyncoln, he sette in rest and pes,
     and oir menes of pes ordeyned he, and mad hem to be write and
|r36 kept in his Congregaciones, with-oute ende to endewre.



|p98


|r[CHAPTER_XXIV.]

                                            capitulum xxiiij.

        |r<b> THese be e myracles whech oure Lord wrout be his seruaunt
        Gilbert whil he leued in is bodely lyff. A chanon of his
 |r4 at had be & was euyr in his felauchip whan he went fro o place
     to a-noir, whech mannes name was cleped Albyne, aftir a grete
     febilnesse at he had take of labour in his iornay, fel in a greuous
     fevour, in so greuous at he myte not goo with his maystir as he
 |r8 was wone to doo, so at our maystir was fayn to abyde at a place
     whech ei clepe e ylde; ere abode he, abydyng is mannes
     recuryng, and went no ferther. And whan our good fader had loy
     ere longe and wex wery, desiring to fulfille |r[l.77b] his iornay, he sent
|r12 a messanger on-to is man, comaundyng him in vertue of obediens
     at he schuld no mor suffir e fevyr to come on-to him, but at he
     schuld with-oute ony lettyng come on-to his maystir in all hast.
     Be e same messanger, eke, he commaunded on-to e feueres at
|r16 ei schuld no mor be bold to vexe his seruaunt. Whan is
     message was doo, is same Albyne inclyned his hed to at precept,
     as religious man schuld do, saying at he was redy to obeye his
     maystir in all ing. The next day cam, and eke e our in whech
|r20 e fevyrues were wont to take him, and all e toknes wer come, as
     schakyng, akyng of e hed and swech oir; an spak is Albyne
     on-to is seknesse as to a lyuysch creatur, in swech maner: What
     menest ou at ou wilt now vexe me a-geyn? Hast ou no
|r24 mynde who at my maystir forbad e at ou schuld no mor vexe
     me? But now I commaunde e in my maysteris name at ou
     obeye to his precept and besy e no mor to my vexacion. A-non,
     as he had said ese wordes, he blessed him with e signe of e holy
|r28 crosse, and sone aftir he felle in a swete slep, and aftir he wook he
     was delyuered of at sekenesse, ne many eres after was not he
     vexed with e feuerys.



|p99


|r[CHAPTER_XXV.]

                                               cap. xxv. |r[l.78a]

        |r<b> AN-oir chanon was ere of e place cleped Sixelenses whech
        had in his feet a violent and intollerable peyne. This man,
 |r4 trostyng in e grete vertue whech our Lord had put in his maystir,
     made menes to e mynister of our maystir at he schuld kepe him
     e watyr in whech oure maystir schuld wasche his feet at eue.
     For at was his custom, as ei sey, to wasch his feet euery nyth.
 |r8 As e man desired, e water was kept, and he, with grete deuocion,
     wasched erin his feet and erby was mad hool. The grete feith of
     e o man and e clene lyuyng of e oir, orw e myth of God,
     browt is myracle to ende.
|r12    Ther was eke a knyt dwellyng a-boute Oxenford, at, for helth
     of his soule, was mad a chanon in e place at Osneye. This man
     sone aftyr his profession was mad celerer of at hous, and not long
     duryng in at same office, he felle in at seknesse whech ei clepe
|r16 podagra, whech is a seknesse, as ei sei, of hem at haue led her lyf
     in grete delicacye; and it causeth swech peyne in e feet at it
     priuyth a man of his walkyng. This man us hurt, herd telle of
     e grete myracles wrout be our fader Gilbert, an who many places
|r20 and what noumbir of persones wer edified |r[l.78b] be his doctrine. Of
     is fame he coniected in his soule e veri soth, at swech ingis
     myte not be do wit-outen vertuous lyuyng. Wherfor, with grete
     trost of his soule, he conuerted him to God and to is Seynt, and
|r24 mad menes on-to hem at were dwellyng with Gilbert, at he myte
     haue a peyre of old sokkys, or pinsones, whech our maystir had
     often wered. He had swech as he desired, and a-non, as he had
     vsed hem a-while, his feet were hole. A long tyme aftir is e
|r28 same peyne at was in his feet fel to his handis, and more peyne it
     was to him ere an it was in his feet. Thoo took he e same
     sokkys and wered hem on his handes, and fro at day forth both
     his handis & his feet wer hool.



|p100


|r[CHAPTER_XXVI.]

                                                    Cap. xxvj.

        |r<b> OWre maystir had a cuppe of whech he drank often, and, as it
        semeth, it was of tre bounden with siluyr, lich as religious
 |r4 in is lond vse mech. This cuppe was broke with sum fal and
     sent on-to Beuyrle, on-to a goldsmyth, for to repayr it. This
     goldsmyth, whan e cuppe cam, lay in e brennyng fevyr, for so
     happed it at at same tyme was e hour of his seknesse. And
 |r8 whan he herd at is was |r[l.79a] our maysteris cuppe, and at of custom
     he drank often in e same, he desired gretly to drynk of is cuppe.
     So was e cuppe filt with drynk, and of at same drynk this man
     had his helth.
|r12    A-noir man, of e noumbyr of hem at were no clerkis in e
     same ordre, had in his foot a soor whech ei clepe e fistula. And
     so happed on Maunde ursday whan all e breerin schuld be
     waschid, he desired gretly at our mayster schuld wasch him. So
|r16 was it ordeyned at he was sette where our deuoute fader schuld
     in his cours wasch all e rowe, at, be his touching, as he be-leleued,
     veryly e man myth be hool. The good old man in his cours
     of wasching cam to is sek man, and with both his handys con_streyned
|r20 his sore foot, be-cause he out it was not clene. Thus he
     constreyned it with wasching, but in at same handelyng, corrupt
     blood ran oute of e woundys and oir mater swech as sores haue,
     and all is waschid oure fader ful clene with at same watir of at
|r24 holy mynystery. What schal we telle long tale? Be an he had
     waschid a-wey is blood and is oir onclene mater, all e foot
     was hool.
        There was eke a prioresse of his nunnes at lay so seek at
|r28 euery man loked whan sche schuld deye. He herd telle of hir |r[l.79b]
     at sche was so ny e deth, and be a messager comaunded deth at
     he schuld not take hir at is tyme, for sche was ful necessarie on-to
     e relygion. Sone aftyr is he visite is woman him-self, and his
|r32 bak was but turned fro hir in his goyng at sche was coumforted
     a-non, for all e noyhous humoures went oute fro hir sodeynly be
     a swet, and eke e grete constriccion of hir wombe was resolued



|p101


|r[CHAPTER_XXVII.]

                                                  cam xxvij.

        |r<b> IN at same tyme was a grete debate be-twyx Steuene, kyng of
        Ynglond, and Herry, duk of Normannye, aftirward kyng.
 |r4 This debate was so grete and e parties so strong at al is lond
     at at tyme was ny lost. For e feldes lay with-oute tilth, e
     smale townes had no dwelleres, e wallis wer falle down and stretes
     distroyed. Grete townes wer ny desolat; ere wat not elles but
 |r8 pray and eft and brennyng, euery man a-geyn oir. This mad
     oure mastiris hert gretly affrayed be-cause he say e lond ny
     distroyed, and in special for e newe religion whech he had be_gunne
     was ful likly to renne in desolacion. Vp-on is sorow and
|r12 heuynesse e good man prayed nyte and day at our Lord schuld
     haue mercy on his puple |r[l.80a] and sende an ende of is desolacion.
     Sodeynly, as he lay and prayed, was schewid on-to him a book in
     whech book was writyn e noumbyr of oo eres in whech is
|r16 desolacion schuld lest. Whan he had red is scripture he fel down
     plat and mad grete sorow, for he supposed veryly at all ese eres
     were for to come. For if it so were at is persecucion schuld last
     so longe, all is lond schuld, be possibilite, be distroyed. Tho he
|r20 at schewid him is book gaf him coumfort and notified on-to him
     at ese were e eres whech he say of at hool persecucion; of
     whech, summe were passed and summe for to come. There he lete
     him haue knowlech who many were passed and who many to come;
|r24 and as is vision schewid, so folowid e dede, for at same ere
     merked in e book cesed at debate and at desolacion. This
     reuelacion was a grete coumfort on-to our fader and on-to oir
     men to whech he opened his councell.
|r28    We knew also in at same tyme a noble woman of grete
     ricchesse, whech, as often as sche conceyued, e childyr at sche
     bar wer bore ded. A-noir woman dwellyng be-side had a girdyl
     with whech oure fader |r[l.80b] Gilbert had often be girt next his flesch.
|r32 This girdil was take be is woman to e oir woman whech myth
     not bryng forth childern o-lyue, and sche used it continuely next



|p102


     hir flesch. Sone aftyr sche conceyued a child, and an a-noir,
     whech childyrn leued on-to mannes age and wer wori men both
     in honour and rychesse.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVIII.]

 |r4                                          Capitulum xxviij.

        |r<b> THer was a man, eke, of Staunford, at at tyme had a wyf at
        bar no childyrn. So happed our maystir in a iornay to chese
     his hostel at is mannes hous. Whan he was com idir, e woman
 |r8 herd gret report of his holynesse, and out at be his merites sche
     myth conceyue, lych as e woman Sunamite conceyued be e presens
     of Helise. Trostyng us on is mannes goodnesse, sche mad our
     fader Gilbert bed in at same place wher hir husband and sche
|r12 were wone to ly. Gilbert went forth on his iornay; e goodman
     of e hin cam hom, and in at same bed, as e woman be-leued,
     be meritis of our fader Gilbert, sche conceyued a son, and cleped
     hym, whan he was bor, aftir e name of e good old man Gilbert.
|r16 And whan our fader herd sey of is |r[l.81a] chaunce, with grete merthe
     he sent a cow to e woman, praying hir to norche wel his child.
         It happed on a tyme, eke, our maystir to ly at London; happed
     soo, at a place next e In wher he lay was sodeynly on fyre. So
|r20 whan it cam ny his chambir, ei at were a-boute him cryed up-on
     him to go enne and fle swech grete perel. He wold not him-self
     remeve ne suffir no ing in e hous to be caried oute, but comaunded
     hem at ei schuld lede him and sette him at e wyndown whech
|r24 he myth best se e fir. Whan he was sette ere he be-gan to
     pray, sumtyme loud, sumtyme soft, sumtyme saying, sumtyme
     singing. So e fir cam so ny at all oir fled, but he sat stille
     and meued not, and sodeynly e flaume of e fir, as ou he had
|r28 dred e presens of our maystir, left at coost and went to oir
     place, sparing at hous wher he sat and alle e houses whech
     longed to at In. He at was lord of at In and keper ankid
     God ofte sithe, saying with grete feith at orw e merytes of
|r32 Gilbert his place was saued.



|p103


|r[CHAPTER_XXIX.]

                                              cap. xxix.

        |r<b> EUene as he e inobediens of e first man, Adam, mankynd
        lost e dew dominacion |r[l.81b] of hym-self and of oir ingis
 |r4 at be vndyr him, rith so be e meknesse of e secunde man Crist,
     ei at folow his steppis recure swech rite at ei may haue al
     ing in subieccion. Treuth saith us to us in e gospell: If e
     haue feith as grete as a mustard seed, or ellis, If our feith be as
 |r8 a mustard seed, e schal sei on-to is hill, go fro is place and falle
     in-to e se and it schal be soo. And in a-noir place he saith:
     I say ou treuly, what-so-euy[r] e aske in our prayer, be-leue,
     for e schal take it. In our fader Gilbert haue we e exibicion of
|r12 is precept. Be-cause he was obedient to Him at mad him, whom
     wynde and water obeyen, erfor our Lord graunted to him for to
     werk many ingis, and to haue comaundment ouyr ese elementis.
     For to his preceptis were ese elementis buxum, wynde, se and
|r16 fire, and alle ei bowed to e strength of his uertue. O special
     cronycle wil we allegge in is mater. Our fader schuld ones saile
     ouyr e watir of Humbir for visitacion of his flok at was in e
     prouince of ork, or elles he cam fro ork in-to is cuntre,
|r20 & at is moost likly. The wynd blew oute of the south with
     swech impetuosnesse and mad e wawe so for to rise, ere durst
     no man goo. He was compelled to a-byde at a grange whech ei
     clepe |r[l.82a] Heseleschop, a-bidyng e ende of e storm and coumfort
|r24 of fayr wedyr. He lay ere long and was wery of at lyf, and
     mech mor wery for he had grete hast to see oo persones whech he
     went to visite. He asked of hem at schuld lede him what wynde
     was best to lede him ouyr e watyr. Thei saide e north wynd
|r28 wast best, if it wold blowe. He answered at he supposed e
     northest schuld be mor gracious, but he comaunded hem in our
     Lordis name, in whom was all his trost, at ei alle schuld with
     a good deuocion sei a Pater-noster to our Lord. This made he
|r32 hem to do at no man schuld deme at he trosted on his owne
     merites, and at he schuld fle e praysing of men, whech was euyr
     his appetite. Aftyr ei had sayde is orison he comaunded his



|p104


     hors to be sadeled and all his meny to make hem redy. Thus ei
     hast to-ward e brynk of e watyr, and e tempest be-gan sumwhat
     to cese. The schipmen sayde ech to oir, lete us take e watyr in
 |r4 Mary name; we ar likly to haue a good freyte. This saide ei of
     grete sikyrnesse, for ei trostid mech vp-on is mannes vertue.
     Thus make ei redy her schippis, and e same wynde whech our
     maystir desired, ei had; ei goo in-to |r[l.82b] e vesseles, drawe up her
 |r8 sailes, and with a fauourable wynde ei londe wher ei desire.
     The most merueile in is mater was as ei told at wher present,
     at whan our maystir was londyd e same tempest roos a-geyn
     & at same wynd in at place where he took his schip, at all
|r12 men myth knowe at e face of heuene was noth chaunged at at
     tyme but be his merytes.


|r[CHAPTER_XXX.]

                                            capitulum xxx.
     
        |r<b> AFtyr at tyme at our maystir was passed oute of this
|r16    world, certeyn dremes were schewid to certeyn vertuous
     persones, in whech dremes e tyme and e hour of his deth was
     notified and oppenly declared at is man was ioyned on-to o
     seyntis in heuene. For at nyte in whech he passed fro e world
|r20 swech a vision was schewid on-to a prioresse of nunnes, not of his
     ordre, but of a-noir, in e prouynce of ork. The woman say in
     hir vision a grete cherch standyng in a fayr place, and on e west
     side of e cherch a gret hous, in whech hous many men wer bysi
|r24 to aray all swech ingis as longe to byryng of a man, at is to sey,
     a bere arayed with clois of silk, with candeles and a crosse and
     mech oir ing, as longith to at solempnyte. And in is |r[l.83a] drem
     is same persone, is prioresse, had gret merueyle, for sche had
|r28 neuyr in all hir lyf seyn no swech solempnyte a-boute no ded
     man. A-mongis e puple, whech was gret, as sche oute, sche
     spak on-to on and prayed him to telle hir what maner man is
     was er ded for whom all is aray was mad. That same persone
|r32 aue hir is answere, at maystir Gilbert of Sempingham was



|p105


     passed fro e world, and our Lord wold at he schuld be byried
     with swech solempnyte. Aftyr is answere he at lay on e bere
     rose up, as sche oute, and took a crose in his hand and be-gan to
 |r4 synge a song in Latyn with a note of swech melodye at sche had
     neuyr herd no swech. The letter to at same note was is: Pure
     mentis gaudia ostendamus eia in vocis melodia. The Englisch is
     is, as I suppose: The ioye of our clene mynde lete us schewe now
 |r8 all in fere with voys ful of melodye. Whan he had songe is vers
     all e puple folowyng sang e same, and soo went ei forth on
     procession in-to at same cherch. Whan is woman say is
     bischop us syngyng and on lyue, sche saide on-to him whech told
|r12 hir at Gilbert was ded: Wenest ou at I knowe |r[l.83b] not maystir
     Gilbert? I knowe him ful weel, and he is not ded, for ou saide
     he was ded, and he is ondir in e procession. Than e man
     saide to hir agayn: Knowist ou nowt what fell to Seint Ion e
|r16 Euangelist? Euene as he had e moder of our Lord in kepyng,
     so had is man in gouernauns many persones whech folowid hir
     virginite. Tho spak e nunne to him a-geyn: I knowe wel what
     fell to Seyn Ion, for he is e aduocat of our place, and I can his
|r20 lyf ny be hert. And an said e man to hir: Rith as our Lord
     hath do with Seynt Ion, rith so wil He do with is man. In is
     mene-while o procession went fro e hous, and sche inqwired of
     him whidir it schuld goo. He saide at all e processiones of e
|r24 world schuld mete with at procession. Thus talkyng, ei entred
     e cherch, and at procession stood stille be-fore e grete crosse.
     A-non sche say many processiones entre in-to e cherch, mo an
     sche coude noumbyr, of whech sche knew many, and an sche dred
|r28 hir for e grete noumbyr at sche schuld be trode vndir fote. In
     is dred sche wok, and felt so swete a sauour in hir nase at sche
     had neuyr felt non swech, for al at day |r[l.84a] and many dayes aftir
     at swetnesse a-bood, with whech swetnesse sche was gretly
|r32 refrecchid. In is tyme of her wakyng hir sistir rang to mateyns
     & sche roos, gadered all her sisteres, and told hem pleynly at sche
     wist be hir drem at maystir Gilbert was ded. Not long aftir be
     a messager at was sent to telle hem of his passing, ei knew
|r36 veryly at is was e hour in whech he passed. It is ful likly



|p106


     at is vision was soth, for we rede at e deth of Martyn was
     knowe to many sundry persones whech dwelt fer, in at same hour
     of his passing, as to Seynt Seuer, bischop of Coleyn, and to Seynt
 |r4 Ambrose, bischop of Melan. Eke Seynt Benet say his sistiris soule
     bor on-to heuene e hour of hir deth. And Seynt Ierom alsoo
     appered on-to Seynt Augustyn in at same hour.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXI.]

                                                 capl. xxxj.

 |r8    |r<b> LIch on-to is vision was schewid a-noir to a noble woman
        of vertuous condiciones & wif on-to a man lich in vertu on-to
     hire. Sche oute in hir slep at sche say a grete multitude of
     aungellis, with grete noyse of praysing and ful swete song, flye up
|r12 in-to heuene. And aftyr ei were go sche say too grete cumpanies
     |r[l.84b] of blissed spirites wech were so ordeyned at ech of hem had
     face to face, lich as ei haue at stand in a qweer. Thei held
     a-mongis hem a fayre white schete, and in is schete were thre
|r16 naked childirn. On of hem sche myth see fro e nowle vpward;
     he was balled, and et had he a childis face; e oir too say sche
     but e schulderis and e face. Sche inqwired of on in e cumpany
     what maner ing is myth be, & it was answered to hir at he in
|r20 e myddis was maystir Gilbert of Sempingham, whech was ded to
     e world and us born to God. Sche inquyred eke if ese to were
     chanones of his ordre, and it was answered, nay. Thei [are] not of
     his ordre, he said, but good and holy men whech were take oute
|r24 of e world and us led to her Lord. This same vision say is
     woman e same nyte oure maystir deyid, and whan sche wook
     sche told is vision to hir husbond; ei both noted at day and
     founde aftir at it was e same in whech our mayster went fro e
|r28 world: whidir he was born or wher he was sette, was schewid aftir
     in vision to on of his chanones. For a grete tyme aftir at our
     mayster was ded a chanon of his ordr say in his sleep |r[l.85a] on of his
     breerin at was ded long be-fore. He oute at he inqwyred of



|p107


     him many sundry ingis, and had answer ful conuenient on-to his
     questiones. Tho inqwired he of e astate of her maystir, what he
     dede or wher he was, & his broir answerd in is maner: He is
 |r4 not with us; a hyer place holdeth him. For fro at tyme in
     whech he was take fro e world, a-non was he set a-mongis e
     dauns of virgynes.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXII.]

                                            cap. xxxij.

 |r8    |r<b> OVre blessed Lord, as he magnified Seynt Gilbert in his
        live with grete meruelous werkis, rith euene soo wold he
     schewe e ioye of him aftir his deth with grete & manifest
     tokenes. And alle ese tokenes, who at ei cam to e lite of
|r12 our knowlech, at ei at lyue now and eke ei at schal come
     aftir us haue no doute in is matere, schortly, as ei were doo,
     we wil reherse here. Whan is man, wel be-loued with God,
     was passed fro e world, at men schuld know wel his lyf and
|r16 his merites wer acceptable to God, in e first ere of his deposicion
     and so forth oir eres, wer many myracles doo at his graue.
     But at at tyme ei whech he had left at Sempingham |r[l.85b] were
     men drawen in-to secret contemplacion and had ful lytyl deynte
|r20 with grete aqweyntauns of e world, & were necligent, if I schuld
     say so, to dyuulge ese grete myracles whech were dayly wrout
     a-mongis hem. Thus oute ei, of very humilite, be-cause ei
     wer his childyr, if ei wer e first at schuld puplysch ese grete
|r24 myracles of her mayster, men myth sey of hem, as Crist ded of
     e Pharisees, at ei magnified her owne hemmys. For is
     cause, xj er aftir his deth was no gret pupplicacion mad, not_with
     -stand at in many sundry place were wroute many sundry
|r28 myracles; and an e breerin at Sempingham oute at e
     hidyng of ese glorious werkis was displesauns to our Lord,
     deregacion on-to seyntis, and wrong a-geyn e worchip of e
     cherch; ei as wise men and gouerned be e councell of wise



|p108


     men, went up to e archbischop of Cauntyrbyry, cleped at tyme
     Hubbert, and told him all is ing. Whan e man herd all is
     he wept for very ioye, and ankid God with ful grete deuocion at
 |r4 he wold schewe swech myracles in his dayes. And ou it were
     so at he had no doute of e holynesse of is Seint Gilbert, |r[l.86a]
     be-cause he had know e man & herd gret reporte of his holy_nesse,
     et for to satisffye e opynyon of oir men, he oute
 |r8 best to put is mater in dilacion and tary a-while, in whech he
     myth her more to confermacion of his entent. Vp-on is poynt
     is same archbischop sent down on-to certeyn abbotes of is
     same prouynce, comaundyng hem be his letteres at in is
|r12 mater ei schuld make bysy inquysicion, and here inqwisicion,
     in what forme it was mad, he wold ei schuld write it on-to
     him, at he, us instruct be her informacion, myth write e
     more sikirly on-to our fader e Pope to haue leue of him for
|r16 to puplysch e canoniacion of is Seynt, aftir e Pope had
     doo his part. These abbotes deuoutly receyued is comaundment,
     and ioynend on-to hem for mor auctoryte many oir persones
     of e cherch, both reguler and seculer. Thus came ei all to
|r20 e place of Sempingham, e ix day of Ianuary, e ere of our
     Lord a M ccj, and at same day e kyng of Ynglond, Ion, with
     many of his lordis, visited e same place. There ei dede
     rede e myracles and discussed hem with grete diligens and
|r24 streyt examinacion; ei wrote hem anne |r[l.86b] in her letterys, both
     on-to e seid archbischop and to e Pope. Alle ese letteris
     sent e seid Hubbert on-to e Pope with his owne episteles,
     in whech he comended e grete dedes wroute be is man, and
|r28 prayed e Pope to graunt leue at he schuld be lyfte fro e
     erde and leyde in more honourable place. Eke, be exhortacion
     of is same man, many notable persones of Ynglond and prelates
     wrytyn comendatyf letterys on-to e court, besekyng e Pope
|r32 of e same. The kyng eke wrote on his side and many of his
     lordes at e Pope schuld e soner performe here entent.



|p109


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIII.]

                                       Capitulum xxxiij.

        |r<b> TO of e lettered men of is ordre oo wer sent with all
        ese letteris to e court, to whom fel a grete myracle, at
 |r4 not-withstand ei went in e hoot somer in ful grete distemper
     wedir, in whech mech folk deyid of pestilens caused be at same
     hete, for al is ese men went and cam heyl and sound, not
     hurt with at pestilens. A-noir ing fel eke in at iornay, at
 |r8 ei went erw a buschment of malandrynes, and not aspied, for
     our Lord sperd e sith of oo eues with a seknesse cleped
     acrisia, whech is a febilnesse at a ing schal ly be-for |r[l.87a] a mannes
     eye and not be seyn. us wer ei saued be meryte of Seynt
|r12 Gilbert. Thus serued our Lord e kyngis men of Surre at
     be-seged Dotaim to kylle Helise, and he appered on-to hem, & ei
     knew him nowt. Thus ar ei come hom in good prosperite fro
     e court, brynging with hem e bulle of our holy fader e Pope,
|r16 with his comaundment to e archbischop of Cauntyrbyry, to e
     bischop of Hely, to e abbot of Borow, and e abbot of Wardon,
     in wheche bulle was enioyned on-to hem at ei schuld goo to
     e place of his sepultur and ere schuld ei comaunde to at
|r20 college of his ordre to faste iij dayes solemply, and in all oo
     dayes ei schuld pray deuoutely to God at he schuld open in
     is mater to hem e weye of treuth, and more-ouyer, at ese
     bischoppes with e abbotes schuld ransake streytly e witnesses
|r24 and e fame opene in e cuntr, & summe scriptur autentik of
     e vertue of e maneres of is man and of e vertue of e myracles
     doo in his name, all is schuld ei inqwire bysyly, treuly write it,
     and aftir send it up to e court seled with her seles, be wise men
|r28 and trewe, whech men must swere in e presens of our fader
     e Pope at all is |r[l.87b] informacion was trewe. All is comaund ment
     of e Pope was fulfillid in-dede.



|p110


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIV.]

                                             Capl. xxxiiij.

        |r<b> THe sexte kalend of Octobyr, at is to sey e day of Seint
        Cipriane and Iustine, is same archbischop, with e bischopis
 |r4 of Bathe, of Hely, and of Bangore, with many abbotes & prioures,
     with summe archdeknes, chanones and officeres of e cherch of
     Lyncoln, with many famous maysteres and grete puple, came
     to e hous of Sempingham; and aftir ei had fastid iij dayes,
 |r8 ei cleped first e Holy Goost, as men doo at elecciones; oo
     cleped ei e witnesses, or witnesseres, religious and seculeres,
     clerkis and lewed men and women, mad hem to swere at ei
     schuld say soth in at mater in whech inqwisicion schuld be
|r12 mad. And all her testimonies ei writyn ful treuly in a dewe
     forme, and sent hem to e Pope closed vndir her seles. Ferermor,
     ei writyn certeyn proues of his holy lyf and conuersacion and
     of e fame of e cuntr. And whilis ei taried ere iiij dayes
|r16 e treuth was opened of e mater whech ei soute, be a grete
     myracle do at his graue, of a ong man whos heed with seknesse
     turned round, of whech turnyng he was oute of hys mynde, and,
     for uery |r[l.88a] peyne, loked euery hour to be ded. Ther was he mad
|r20 hool in here presens, and with e messageres went in good helth
     to Rome, and in good helth cam hom a-geyn. For ei sent in
     is ambassiat to Rome v. of e same ordre, prestes, sex simple
     on-lerned, of whech noumbr summe wer holed fro certeyn seknesse
|r24 be e merites of is Seynt, summe were present whan certeyn men
     wer holed. For is cause wer ei in special sent, at e Pope
     schuld knowe be e men whech wer er at e suggestion of
     e letteres sent was soth. The messageres go forth with gret
|r28 ioye, trostyng on our Lordes help and e Seyntes prayer for whom
     ei goo, mech more with e betir chere, for ei hadde mery
     dremes be-fore her iornay, and in her iornay grete prosperite
     in e weye, & many oir good tokenes. And us, with no grete
|r32 difficulte, ou it wer so at Sathanas wold a letted her wey,
     et, as we saide, with-outen any grete difficulte, ei come to Rome



|p111


     on Newere euen, and aftir at e secund day of Ianuari ei come
     to Anagniam, wher e Pope dwelt at tyme. Our Lord gaue
     hem so grete grace in e site of our holy fader and of e cardinales,
 |r4 at e x day aftir ei wer come ei were sikyr of all at euer
     ei desired. |r[l.88b] For our fader e Pope had his deliberacion of
     is mater a-mongis e cardinales, and say e wytnesse and e
     iurates what ei wer, apposed hem a-sundyr, and fond gret acord
 |r8 betwix hem; and ou, as be mannes reson, e Pope and e cardi_nales
     eut is mater myth be performed a-non, it plesed it to
     e councell of our Lord at it schuld be dilayed, for he wold at
     his councell and his help schuld be cleped to is mater.

|r[CHAPTER_XXXV.]

|r12                                                  cap. xxxv.

     y<b> Onyth with-inne ese ten dayes lay our fader e Pope stodiand
          on is mater and myth not slepe. He oute mech of is
     man Gilbert, & was gretly in doute what he schuld do in e mater.
|r16 Thoo prayed he God at he wold schewe him sum tokne be which
     he myte haue knowlech of Goddis wil. In is oute slep fel up-on
     him, and in at same slep swech a vision was schewid on-to him.
     He eute he say be-fore him a grete and a hy tour, to whech
|r20 tour he had gret appetite to goo, and edyr he went with many
     folk aboute him, as he was wone. Whan he was come with-inne
     e tour, he say a bed ful of stre and arayed at e best; a-boute
     e bed a curteyn of silk, precious I-now, he say hanging, and
|r24 is curteyn, as he oute, was embrowded with |r[l.89a] many ymages
     of seyntes. He stood and merueiled longe on e beute of is
     curteyn, for he had no swech a-boute his bed, and for at cause
     he gan to pulle e curteyn to him, for he oute he wold sowe
|r28 it new and make mete to his bed. And in al is besynesse he
     sey a-noir chambir mor inward and mech folk ere. Whann
     he was com idir he inqwyred what he schuld do in e cause,
     for whech e chanones of Sempingham were come and in e
|r32 canoniing of is Seynt. Tho al sodeynly he herd a voys crying
     us: Michael e archangel, he schal be i help in is bisinesse.



|p112


     Whan e Pope had seyn al is in his slep, sodeynly he wook,
     gretely coumforted of is reuelacion, for he vndirstood be is
     at our Lordis comaundment and plesauns was at is mater
 |r4 schuld be broute to parfite ende. And a-non, with-oute letting,
     he mad a special orison of our fader Gilbert with a secrete and
     postcomun aftir e forme of e missale, and whan he had mad
     hem he comaunded at ei schuld be seyd openly in his com_memoracion.
 |r8 Ferermor, e Pope, as a wise man desiring for
     to haue e very certeyn of is mater, cleped on-to him a ful
     wise man and holy, an abbot, ei cleped hym Reyner, and
     commaunded him, be vertue of obediens, at he schuld |r[l.89b] be-ink
|r12 him of his dreem and telle him e coniectur of at same. The
     cause why at e Pope uttered his vision to is man rather
     an to a-noir, was for he led a solitary lif in e mountes, and
     was in gret opinion both to e Pope & e court. Tho answered
|r16 e abbot a-gayn on-to e Pope, and sayde at is mater neded
     non auysement, for both e drem and his interpretacion was
     open i-now. So as a-nothir Daniel on-to Nabugodonosor, or lich
     a-noir Ioseph on-to Pharao, he expowned it in swech declaracion:
|r20 The fayre tour he seid and e hye, whech ou say, Ser Pope,
     is e grete excellens of i dignite, to whech ou aspirest; not as
     ded many bi-fore e, but be trew eleccion ou enterest in-to
     e same, and at is ment in i drem wher ou outist at ou
|r24 wer led in-to is place wit e handis of many men. The bed
     so wel arayed is a clene consciens, in whech a man restith as in
     his bed, lich as e prophete Dauid said in e Psalme: I schal
     wasch, he seith, or ellis, water my bed with my teres. For euene
|r28 as clois in whech we rest be mad clene wit watyr, so is our
     consciens clensed with repentauns of our synnes. The curteynes
     a-boute is bed in whech be impressed |r[l.90a] e fair figures of seyntes
     are e commemoraciones of holy seyntis used in e cherch, be
|r32 whech we be schadowyd fro wyndes of temptaciones. These
     corteynes aray ful wel our consciens whan we, both with hert
     and with werk, fulfille her desir, eir to honour hem in God or
     elles to folow her steppes. Thou fader Pope be-gan to sowe is
|r36 curteyn whan ou out first to sette is man Gilbert in e



|p113


     kalender of seyntes, and I suppose, veryly, he is ful wori to
     be annoted a-mongis hem. Eke swech ing as ou desyred
     waking, ou asked in i slep, and in answere was goue, at
 |r4 Mychael schuld be i help. Noing a-geyn reson. Michael is
     e prouost of Paradys and prince ordeyned be God to receyue
     oo soules whech schul be offered to God. This same Michael
     hat receyued is manne soule and led it to the hye court of
 |r8 blessed spirites, and in at same court it is determyned an is
     man Gilbert, fro is tyme forward, schal be halden in honour and
     reuereus as a Seynt. Sowe him In, erfor, with i nedel, with
     is power no man hath at in hand but ou. Ioyne him on-to
|r12 e felauchip of seyntis, for it is conuenient at e cherch in erde
     folow e |r[l.90b] cherch a-boue in heuene.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVI.]

                                            Capitulum xxxvj.

        |r<b> THis interpretacion of is drem, whan it was us expressid be
|r16    e abbot, plesed e Pope gretly, for he, with-oute ony tary,
     mad calle all e court of Rome, whech was grete at at tyme, -- and
     in special e archbischop of Reymes was ere present at at tyme
     and bare witnesse of e holy lyf of Seynt Gilbert, for in his ong
|r20 age he had be in Yngland and knew both e persone and e fame.
     In is gret congregacion, whan all men wer sette saue ese
     messageres of Sempingham, e Pope sayde a grete and solempne
     sermon of e holynesse and e myracles of Seynt Gilbert, rehersing
|r24 e witnes ere present, and aftir certeyn wordis whech be pertinent
     to is offise, ere he solemply & openly canonied Seynt Gilbert
     with e comoun assent of al e cherch, and er eke he mad a decre
     at e fest of Seynt Gilbert schuld be seid and songe in e cherch
|r28 lich as e festis of oir seyntis be. Thus whan e Pope in his sete
     had us openly schewid on-to puple is canoniacion of is holy
     man, aftir-ward he comaunded at letteris schuld be mad of e
     same sentens to e archbischoppis of Ynglond & to e chapetir of
|r32 Sempingham, in whech |r[l.91a] letteris he rehersed al e mater fro e



|p114


     beginnyng on-to e ende; with all e inquisicion of his lif and his
     myracles he rehersed eke who discretly, who sadly, with what
     circumstauns, is mater had be treted, wher-for he comaunded in
 |r4 e ende of e bulle at swech ing as e Pope with solempnite and
     with auyse had ordeyned to be kept, ei, as good subiectis, mekly
     schuld fulfille and comaunde e fest of is holy man to be
     solempnied be all her prouinces. A special comaundment sent
 |r8 he eke on-to e archbischop of Cauntyrbyry, be-cause e place of
     Sempingham stant in his prouince, at whan-so-euer e breerin
     or chanones of Sempingham required him, at he schuld goo idyr
     and left up fro e ground e body of is holy confessour, and with
|r12 dew reuerens ley it ere whech as e same breerin had ordeyned
     it schuld be leyd. This comaundment of e Pope was receyued of
     e archbischop and of e seid chanones as ou it had come fro
     heuene; wherfore ei, desiring as good childyrn to fulfill her faderes
|r16 comaundment, all ing at was neccessarie to swech solempnyte
     ei purueyed in all hast. And ou e mynde of is Seynt, as
     haue be of many oir, was mech oute of rememberauns, eir for
     age or elles, |r[l.91b] for necligens of men, or vnkunnyng, or sum oir
|r20 cause; et, as we hope, it was sufficient to us for to be-gynne is
     werk, be-cause we had reuelacion first fro God and comaundment
     fro our holy fader e Pope, to whos comaundment we be bounde
     to obeye as ou it had come fro God. Eke for e man in his lyf
|r24 comaunded us to do is ing and we eke desired it schuld be do
     whil we lyue, is was e grete hast in is mater. For ei at
     wer sent for is mater oute it conuenient to fulfill e Popes
     precept whil he was on lyue and ei eke.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVII.]

|r28                                                  cap. xxxvij.

        |r<b> THe ere of our Lord Crist a M. cc. ij., e forseyd breerin of
        Sempyngham, in e vigil of e holy crosse, with e moost
     famous men of all at religion came on-to e said archbischop
|r32 with her maystir, makyng grete instauns at e next Sunday aftir



|p115


     e feest of Seint Denys, he wold vouchsaf of his faderhod to be at
     e translacion of is holy confessour Gilbert. The archbischop
     receyued hem not but in e best maner, and saide he was glad of
 |r4 ese tydannes and redy to fulfille at solempnyte whech ei all
     desired, and up-on is he wrote to e bischoppes of his prouynce
     at if ei myth haue leyser ei schuld come to him and |r[l.92a] honour
     is holy day. Ferermor, he desired of hem at is schuld be
 |r8 notified orw-oute her diocise, at all men whech had deuocion to
     is Seynt myth come to is fest if ei wold. Thus in e same day
     prefixid, at is to seyn, e iij ide of October, all is mater is put in
     execucion. And be-side all e myracles rehersed be-for in e Popes
|r12 presens, eke be-side reuelaciones had fro heuene, and be-side e seid
     witnesses, newe ingis fel at same day. The nyth of his transla_cion,
     at is to sey, e nyth be-twix e Satirday and e Sunday, e
     noble man, e archbischop with oir bischoppes and ministres came
|r16 on-to e graue wher e holy membres of Gilbertes body was hid,
     and with grete worchep ei lifte up at holy uessel of God, at, so
     waschid and arayed e next day aftirward, he myte with lesse
     tariing be laid in his schrine. Whilis at is seruise was do to e
|r20 body with swete ympnis and songis, summe religious men ere
     present, and eke summe seculeres, seyn a grete knot of fyr al
     round, as ou many candeles had be ioyned to-gidyr, or ellis lich
     a grete schinyng sterre ones, twyes, ryes, com down fro heuene
|r24 and eft-sones goyng up to heuene aboue e roof of e cherch,
     euene |r[l.92b] ouyr e sepultur. And at e ird comyng it semed as
     ou it had irled e rof & falle in-to e cherch. Thei at sey
     is site with-outen told it hem with-inne, at ei myth goo owte
|r28 and se e same, at is to sey, e lite of our Lord aboue e cherch.
     Lich ing sey oir men whech had waked at e graue certeyn
     nytes in her prayeres a litil be-for is translacion, at is to sey,
     a grete lite entr orw e rof and thries entre in-to e graue wher
|r32 e holy body was layd. Swete sauour eke felt ei ere whan e
     stones were remeued be masones for to make space wher the newe
     scryne schuld be sette.



|p116


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVIII.]

                                           cap. xxxviij.

        |r<b> NOwt only ese myracles rehersed wer doo at is tyme but
        many oir testimonies wer had in whech men myth know
 |r4 at is translacion was plesauns to God. Thus whan ei had lifte
     e ston fro e graue ere was founde fayre red pouder of his
     flesch, swech as ei sey as virgines haue whan ei ar ded. The
     chesible eke in whech e body was woundyn, of silk, was fonnd
 |r8 hool with-oute corrupcion. Whan all ese relikes were lift fro e
     ground and waschid e archbischop went a-gayn |r[l.93a] to chambyr for
     to take a rest, for it was fer fro day. Whan he had leyn a litil
     tyme on his bed sodeynly fel up-on him a greuous seknesse, and e
|r12 peyne vexed him so sore at he stood in grete dowt, and in maner
     dispeyr, at he myth not fulfill at office for whech he was come,
     and to whech he had cleped so many persones in special of swech
     reuerens. For is secund cause was he mor sory an for his bodely
|r16 seknesse. He leyd medicynes to his body, swech as ei tawt
     him, but al oo profited nowt. Tho turned he his trost and his
     deuocion to God and to Seynt Gilbert, at our Lord at mediacion
     of at good Seynt wold send him myte and strength to performe
|r20 is office for whech he was come and many oir persones. A-non
     as is prayer was fulfilled so sone left him all is peyne, for aftir
     at same peyne was goo he felt his body mor myty and strong an
     it was be-fore. At is same chaunge cam e hour in whech e
|r24 couent rang to mateyns. A-non as e archbischop herd e belle
     he roos him-self and cleped all his clerkys, and all in fere ei go
     on[-to] e chanones mateynis, whech, for e worchip and loue of
     at Seynt for whom ai |r[l.93b] were gadered, were ful solemply songe.
|r28 In e morownyng e archbischop roos heyl and sound, and all at
     euyr God and Seynt Gilbert had schewid on-to him at same nyth,
     with grete ioye he told hem, praysing e vertue of our Lord and of
     is holy Seynt, whech vertue he felt notablely fulfillid in him.
|r32 The hour is come of e day at is solempnite schal be doo; the



|p117


     bischop is arayed with his mynystres; e watir is halowed at
     schal serue in e office; e schrine eke is halowed and born
     a-boute on e schulderis of princes and lordis whech be ere
 |r4 present: a solempne procession is ordeyned, in whech procession
     first go e clergie, nexte princes, lordis and oir, many beryng is
     halowid uessel in whech ei wil ley him; last of all folow e
     bischoppis. Certeyn seke men at wer ny and touchid ese relikes
 |r8 wer mad hol at same hour, as was veryly proued. Ther saide e
     archbischop a ful notable sermone grounded al up-on e holynesse
     and e myracles of is holy man Gilbert, and ere mad he rehersaile
     of all e processe, who it was sent on-to e court of Rome, what
|r12 answer ei had fro e Pope & mech oir ing. Tho be-gunne ei
     a messe of is same Seynt with ful swete |r[l.94a] concent, and in e last
     ende of at masse, aftir e bischop had receyued e holy sacra_ment,
     er at ei song e postcomoun, e seide relikes were wounde
|r16 in fayr silk and an in a cloth of silk precious I-now whech our
     fader archbischop had oue to at same entent, and all ese us
     wounden wer layde in at same vessel mad for e same cause.
     Thei layde eke with him a grete chartour in whech was wretyn al
|r20 his lif, his canoniacion eke, and his translacion seled with e seles
     of e bischoppis & abbotes whech wer ere present. Ther was put
     in with him eke a plate of led, in whech plate was wrytyn al is
     ing more compendiously, as I suppose, at e rememberauns of al
|r24 is werk schuld last euyr. Thus was at uessel sperd and sette
     up-on a wal of marbil in e same place where e seint lay be-for.
     Tho mad ei an ende of e masse, and aftir ei had refreschid her
     bodies euery man with ful gret ioye turned a-gayn on-to his owne
|r28 place. Our maystir is layd now in his rest; lete us folow erfor
     e steppes of his good lyf at we may be translate fro wrecchid_nesse
     to ioye and orw his ledyng come |r[l.94b] to at cuntr wher we
     schul haue ioye euyr.



|p118


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIX.]

                                               cap. xxxix.

        |r<b> NOw of our fader Gilbert, who holy was his lyf, who holsom
        was his doctrine, who grete rewardes wer sent fro God on-to
 |r4 his blessed merites, witnesse e grete myracles whech aftir his deth
     wer wroute be our Lord God. And of ese myracles now wil we
     telle all e maner lich as ei fell and lych as our wel be-loued
     fader in God, e said archbischop of Cauntyrbyry, at e comaund_ment
 |r8 of e Pope Innocent e ird with his suffraganes ransaked
     and inqwired. Lich at inquysicion in sentens & in termes,
     whech inqwysicion ei sent at tyme to Rome, -- orw whech sond
     is canoniacion was performed, -- lich at forme wil we write here.
|r12 Ther was a clerk whos name ne place is now on-knowe at used to
     go to skole fro o town to a-noir as in is lond is grete custom.
     This clerk in his weye to skoleward fell in grete heuynesse, so at
     he must nedis slepe. He layd him down and slept, and aftir slep
|r16 whan he wook he felt al his rith legge, foot and all, so sered and
     dryed at he myth not goo eron in no maner. So with his staf
     and his oir legge he hipped forth as he myte tyl he cam to e
     nexte |r[l.95a] town. Fro ens was he caryed to a monasterye whech ei
|r20 clepe Hauyrholm, for er dwelled he iij monthes, euyr vexid with
     e same infirmite. That legge, in al at tyme, down to e foot was
     soo insensible and all e myth erof go, at if men had prikkid
     him with a nedyl or ony oir scharp ing, he felt no mor erof an
|r24 a man had put is scharpnesse on-to a stoon or a tre. Eke e vse
     of at legge was as lost, for whan he schuld walk he schuld drawe
     it after him as ou it had be a braunch of a sere tree, for he was
     more greued with e birden an esed with e offise. Be-cause he
|r28 myth not lyft at foot fro e ground, but draw it euyr fro e erde,
     e toos were flayn and blody to grete peyn of him & gret pite to
     all at seyn him. The prouost of at place ded make him a hose
     al of ledir, and at was wered a-non, in special at e ferest ende
|r32 whech trayled so on e ground. Aftir is he ordeyned him a-noer
     remedy, for he teyhid his legge fro e ground with a roop on-to
     his schulderis, and us bare he e legge whech schuld a born him.



|p119


     To is same clerk slepyng on a nyte appered a persone of grete
     worchip, as he eute, and saide us on-to him: If ou wilt be hool
     is same day, loke |r[l.95b] ou visite e graue, or elles e sepultur, of
 |r4 maystir Gilbert at Sempyngham. At at same hour e man gat
     him a cart and with on of e breerin of at same hous he was
     brout to is sepulture, and sodeynly, as he prayed, he fel on slep.
     In his slep, as he out, e same persone whech appered to him
 |r8 be-fore appered a-gayn and sayde on-to him swech wordes: For
     what cause liggist ou here so longe? Be-hold ou art mad hool.
     With is vision he swette meruelously and be-gan to wayl-e fyue
     sithes, oo wook he and roos be him-self, loked on his foot and
|r12 trad with it on e ground for to asay wheir he myth go with at
     or nowt. Be-cause of e sodeyn chaunge whech was come so
     newly, he stood in grete dowte what he schuld doo. The sexten
     at stood by and perauentur knew not of is sodeyn chaunge mad
|r16 tokenes on-to him at he schuld rest a-gayn. He lay down eft_sones,
     and aftir a litil slep wook a-gayn, and anne he roos and
     felt both feet, thy and legge al hool; us he rew a-way is staf
     and forsook his cart, and with ful grete lithnesse went wher he
|r20 wold. And in tokne at is helth cam to him be myracle, in at
     place whech he myth not fele a |r[l.96a] nedel prikkid be-fore, now, whan
     e natural hete is come a-gayn, he felt sumwhat a peyne in at same
     place wher at e wounde was. A-mongis all oir at bor witnesse
|r24 of e myracles do be Seint Gilbert is man was on, for he went to
     Rome & confessed al is be-for e Pope, and aftir, whan he cam
     hom, was mad chanon and prest in is same ordre, ankyng God
     all his lyf and Seint Gilbert of his gracious cure.


|r[CHAPTER_XL.]

|r28                                         Capitulum xl.

        |r<b> A Mayde was ere eke in e strete at Sempyngham at in
        both leggis, in at part whech is be-hinde e knees, was so
     contract at sche myth not stand ne goo, for in-stede of hir feet



|p120


     whan sche wold remeue hir body fro o place to a-noir, sche crap
     with hir handys and with hir lendes, or buttokkes. Eke with
     grete rankour of e soor hir left foot was meruelously disfigured,
 |r4 for iij grete peces of flesch grew up-on hir foot, ech of hem
     departed fro oir, whech semed as ou it had be cut. More-ouyr
     hir left arme had lost e vertue of felyng and e hand of at
     arme was lych e left foot with swech re cuttyngis of flesch as
 |r8 we sayde be-fore. Thus hyng it as a onprofitable |r[l.96b] byrden fro e
     schuldyr downward. This woman herd telle who at is clerk of
     whom we told last was cured and so cured at he was strong to
     take his iornay to Rome. So mad sche grete instauns to em at
|r12 dwelled in at strete at ei schuld lede hir to is sepultur of
     Seynt Gilbert and leue hir ere. Ther lay sche seuene days
     continuely perseueraunt in hir prayeris, and as sche slept on
     a nyth sche out at e ston vndir whech Seynt Gilbert was
|r16 closed claf a-sundyr, and he roos up and sat erupon with ful
     grete lite. Sche oute eke at he had in his hand many hostes
     and oo multiplied fast, as to hir site so fast and to so grete
     noumbyr at he myth vnneth hold hem. Too of oo same hostes
|r20 he put in hir mouth, as sche oute, and aftir at gaf hir his
     blessyng. Aftir is sche a-wook sodeynly and fonde hir body al
     on a swet so habundaunt at it dropped fro hir body and mad e
     pauyment weet; sche felt euene at at tyme a new chaunge in hir
|r24 body, for at whech was heuy and contract be-fore now sche felith
     it of swech disposicion at, as it semeth to hir, sche myth flye for
     litenesse. In is same chaunge sche say who e lites at stood
     a-boute e sepultur of Seint Gilbert |r[l.97a] and brent felle down sodeynly,
|r28 and o sche gan to crepe as hir vse was for to amende oo lites.
     In hir creping e senewes whech were contract be-fore in hir
     lendes, ei brak and streyned oute to swech largenesse at sche
     roos and stood on hir feet and myth walk and in at brekyng sche
|r32 herd a grete noyse, who ei craked and had ful grete meruayle
     who at e senewes craked whan ei be-gunne to extende hem-self.
     In is same tyme at is woman standith us merueylyng, e



|p121


     nunne, e sextenesse, rang to mateyns; e sisteres be come down
     and se is woman standyng be e sepultur: first ei be a-ferd
     be-cause many of hem wist not at sche was ere, for sche was not
 |r4 ere at euen whan ei went to bedde, as it semeth; ei walk on-to
     hir and sche confessith al e circumstauns of e myracle euene as
     it fel. ere ank ei God and Seynt Gilbert all with o consent
     for e grete cur whech now is don. The woman was kept with
 |r8 hem a certeyn tyme for declaracion of e myracle and on-tyl hir
     arme and legge had parfitly here use; aftyr at tyme eche went
     hom to e strete and leued er with hir frendis in good helth of
     body, ankyng our Lord of at sodeyn chaung.

|r[CHAPTER_XLI.]

|r12  |r[l.97b]                                  cap. xlj.

        |r<b> A Knytys wyf ere be-side, a lady of ful noble fame, had swech
        seknesse and peyne in special duryng in hir lyft arme at
     sche myth not meue at arme ne do with-al no maner werk. This
|r16 peyn lastid up-on hir fro e feest of Seynt Petyr, whech ei clepe
     in Latyn, ad vinculam,' in Englisch, ` Lammesse,' on-to e natiuite
     of our Lady. Be-side is had sche oir sores whech we name not
     now. With al is infirmyte sche is come on-to e sepultur of is
|r20 holy man and aftyr sche had wecchid in deuoute prayeres al a nyte
     sche went hom hol fro both sores, euyr-mor hauyng grete trost in
     is holy Seint.
        A-noir woman was ere be-side contract & croked whech myt
|r24 not go, ne sitte, ne stand, with-oute help of hem at wer waytyng
     up-on hir. The fader and e moder of hir, hauyng gret sorow for
     at desese, brout hir on-to e sepultur of our maystir. The first
     nyte sche was ere, at instauns of hir frendes, e chanones put
|r28 up-on hir e scapulary of Seynt Gilbert, and e woman confessed
     ere be-for hem all at in doing on of at cloth sche felt gret
     alleuyauns of hir sore. The nyte folowand appeared on-to hir
     a fayre old man with gray her, as sche oute in hir sleep, and



|p122


     in his hand he had a staf, as men walk for age. Thus |r[l.98a] he saide
     on-to hir: Wilt ou be hool? Sche answered at gladly sche wold.
     Tho he blessed hir and said, Thou schal be hool. Sche inqwyred of
 |r4 him what man he was & he answered at he was maystir Gilbert
     of Sempyngham. Aftir is dreem sche a-wook and felt hir-self
     hool in euery part and us in helth lyued many eres.


|r[CHAPTER_XLII.]

                                                  cap. xlij.

 |r8    |r<b> A clerk was ere eke in at cuntr at in his breest and in his
        wombe had a meruelous risyng whech bolned soo with-inne
     his breest at he fered gretly it schuld drawe on-to ydropesy.
     Thus al in dispeyr of helth he lay in his bed up-on fiftene dayes
|r12 with-oute hope of ony recur. Certeyn men whech cam to visite
     hym told him of e grete myracles whech our Lord wroute at
     Sempingham orw e merites of our fader Gilbert. Whan e seek
     man herd of ese noueltes he mad a-vow openly at at place
|r16 schuld he visite whan our Lord wold sende him disposicion and
     leyser. Sone aftyr is avow was mad e man felt him sumwhat
     amended, at he myth ryse and walk. For whech cause in grete
     hast he took his iornay on-to Sempyngham, and ere in grete
|r20 deuocion he lened up-on e graue and sayde swech deuociones |r[l.98b]
     as he coude, praying with bittyr teres at God schuld send him
     sum reles of his peyne. In is tyme of prayer he felt at all e
     boweles of his body wer gretly meued and turned, as ei had
|r24 drawe on-to a-noer kynde an ei wer be-fore. Tho rose he
     fro e graue and felt him-self in oir plite, for all e bolnyng and
     eke e peyne is a-voyded. Thus walkith he in e cherch, assaying
     him-self if al be weel, and whan he say veryly at he was hool he
|r28 took leue and walkith on-to his wonyng.
        A-noer prest was waschid in a batth up-on a Fryday and
     on e Satirday folowand he fel in so greuous seknesse whech
     continued a hool er and more, at all e membris of his body
|r32 had lost her offise; he myte not ete but if he wer fed, not goo but
     if he wer led. Thus as a man all contract with a maner of a



|p123


     palesie, he kept his bed, neuer remeuyng ens but with help.
     Thus was he fed and norchid lich a child with his seruaunt ordeyned
     to his seruyse, for he myth nowt do him-self. This man was brout
 |r4 with grete besinesse on[-to] e cherch of Sempyngham in a cart,
     be-twyx e myd-day and euensong. Ther at e graue he mad his
     deuoute prayer at our Lord |r[l.99a] be e merites of Seint Gilbert schuld
     releue him. That same day was he so hool at with-outen cart or
     hors he went hom to his owne place.


|r[CHAPTER_XLIII.]

                                             Capitulum xliij.

        |r<b> In at same cuntr and in at same place at Sempyngham was a
        nunne whech, at e comaundment of hir prioresse, went on-to
|r12 e kychyn, and be-cause sche went with grete hast and took no gret
     consideracion what ing lay in hir weye, sche stombeled at a blok
     whech was hid with straw, and us fel sodeynly. In whech fal sche
     was so greuously hurt at hir foot was fro e ioynt, and us sche
|r16 lay crying and waylyng for grete peyne at sche felt. Hir cry
     was herd orw e place and a-non hir sisteres cam on-to hir,
     coumforted hir, lyft hir up with many handis and grete heuynesse,
     and bar hir on-to e infirmarie. Thus bolned e foot and ranked,
|r20 at ei wer compelled to kit hir schoo, elles had ei not gote it of.
     Many remedies wer ordeyned to is foot; it was drawen with
     grete peyne to bryng it in ioynt ageyn, but it a-vayled not. Thei
     layde eke to it playsteres of dyuers herbis, but it profited not, for
|r24 euyr e peyne grew mor and mor. Thus lay e nunne in at
     peyne |r[l.99b] al at er and e next, on-to e day whech we clepe e
     annyuersarie of Seint Gilbert. Than was sche so febyl at ei
     oute best to gyue hir e holy anoyntyng whech is last of all e
|r28 sacramentis. Tho sche reqwyred hem to make a kandel of wax
     aftir hyr length, and at same kandel and her-self eke sche desired
     ei schuld bere on-to e sepultur of Seynt Gilbert. This was doo
     in dede, for whan sche was broute edyr e prioresse took e same
|r32 lynand cloth in hande whech lay up-on e breest of is holy con_fessour



|p124


     swech hour as he schuld dey. In is same cloth wonde
     e prioresse e soor foot of hir sister often rehersed. Thus lay
     sche wakyng ere be e sepultur all pat anniuersary day, e nyte
 |r4 folowand, and e next day tyl it was noon, for an fel sche in sleep.
     And in at same sleep sche oute at sche say many men, clad al
     in white, comand in-to e monasterye and bysy to araye e auter
     as ou a preest schuld go to masse. Be-hynde hem al came Seynt
 |r8 Gilbert, as sche oute, arayed lich a prest, and his chesibile was al
     red. He turned him to at woman whech lay us seek; he blessed
     hir ryes, and at euery blessyng he mad a tokne on-to hir at sche
     schuld ryse. |r[l.100a] Sche out in hir slep at sche roos and wold haue
|r12 hold him be e clothis, but hir hold fayled and sche fel down gruf
     up-on e ground. As sche oute in hir slep so fond sche whan
     sche a-wook, for sche lay us still on e pauyment sor astoyned.
     In is mene-tyme come e prioresse and hir sisteres fro mete with
|r16 her grace, and a-non is same woman told hem who sche was
     mad hool be e help of Seynt Gilbert, eke of al hir dreme and
     appering of e Seynt sche mad at at tyme open declaracion.
     Tho e prioresse took hir be e hand and felt wel at sche was
|r20 hool, for hir-self, with-outen ony leder, sche went agayn to e
     infirmarie, and euyr aftyr was at foot as fayr and as hool as ony
     foot myth be.

|r[CHAPTER_XLIV.]

                                             cap. xliiij.

|r24    |r<b> WE rede eke at, be touching of e clothis of our fader
        Gilbert, and eke be drynkyng of at water in whech his
     ded body was waschid, at many vertues wer wroute erby and
     many sores holed. For ere was a prioresse of at same ordre
|r28 whech was vexed with seknesse xv dayes and at greuous maledy.
     Remedye cowde sche non haue of no bodely medycynes, wherfor
     sche turned hir trost to e help of God and is Seynt, and with
     a gret feyth drank of at water |r[l.100b] in whech his body was waschid,
|r32 and sone aftyr was sche hool, for e cuppe was not so sone fro hir
     mouth at hir body was hool, as many of her sisteres bore witnesse
     whech were ere present.



|p125


        A-noir woman eke was ere fast by whech trauayled in byrth
     of a child too dayes, so greuously vexed with peyne at euery man
     had pite of hir. Sche drank eke of at watyr in whech e tonsure
 |r4 of his berd was wette, and sche was mad hool.
        Eke e same ere at oure fader deyid, on of e nunnes, as
     sche sat in e refectory and ete fysch with hir sisteris, e bon of
     a fisch left in hir rote and stood so fast at sche myth be no weye
 |r8 remeve it, not-withstand at sche myte touch it with hir fynger.
     Sche drank often sithes be e councell of hir sisteres, but it
     a-mended nowt, for e penauns was so grete in hir drynkyng at
     sche cast e likour, but e boon a-bode stille. Hir felawes ded all
|r12 her craft to drawe it owt, and al a-vayled not. This cur, as myn
     auctour seith, was reserued to a-noir maner drynk and an-oir
     werk. Thus lay sche, hir peyne euyr encresing fro myd-day tyl
     euen. Hir sisteres an, takyng a sadder councell, ledde hir in-to
|r16 e cherch, |r[l.101a] broute hir on-to e auter and ere alle ei fell down
     on knees, deuoutly praying to God and to Seynt Gilbert for helth
     of hir. Tho mad ei hir to drynk of at water in whech e body
     of at holy confessour was wasch in. A-non, as sche had dronk
|r20 at watyr, sodeynly sche was delyuered of at peyne, but sche
     coude nevyr haue knowlech wher is bon be-cam.


|r[CHAPTER_XLV.]

                                               cap. xlv.

        |r<b> OF at same ordre eke a chanon had swech peyne in his nek
|r24    and e aftir part of his hed at he myte not suffir at place
     be touched, not with his owne handes. This peyne lastid eyte
     dayes, at he myth neuyr turne his hed but if he turned al his
     body. On of his breerin, whech was his keper, gaf him is
|r28 counsel, at he schuld wynde his hed with a certeyn cloth of
     lynand whech Seynt Gilbert wered. I suppose veryly it was his
     awbe, for my auctor her setteth a word `subucula' whech is both
     an awbe and a schert, and in e first part of is lyf e same
|r32 auctour seith at is holy man wered next his skyn non hayer,
     as for e hardest, ne lynand, as for e softest, but he went with



|p126


     wolle, as with e mene. Whan is man had wounde us is
     cloth a-boute his hed, whech cloth Seint |r[l.101b] Gilbert had used at
     solempnite of messe, as we seid, a-non and sodeynly is man was
 |r4 hool. This was at euen, for on e morow he was purposed to entr
     e infirmary at he schuld not inqwyet his breerin with clamour
     whech he mad for peyne. For is cloth was not so sone put
     a-boute his hed, and he at wond it a-boute his hed was not
 |r8 go fro him thre or four passe, or he cleped him a-geyn, saying at
     al his peyne was goo and he felt no maner greuauns. He leyd his
     hand to e place whech was sore, groped it, and touchid it with sad
     felyng, and he felt no sor. His hed myte he turne on what side he
|r12 wold, not mevyng his body; flesch, skyn and nek, al was hool.
     The same nyte he slept quyetely, and, to merueyle of all his
     felawchip, roos to mateyns, ere fulfillid all his office in redyng
     and synging as he of vsage was wone to doo. In e morownyng
|r16 and non er he told his breerin al is myracle, who he was mad
     hool be e lynand cote of Seynt Gilbert.


|r[CHAPTER_XLVI.]

                                                     cap. xlvj.

        |r<b> EKe a woman of good report dwelled ere be-side, whech in hir
|r20    kne and legge had swech a passion at a month hool sche
     myte not goo on e rite foot, so bolned and rankyd was hir |r[l.102a] kne.
     Thus with grete bysynesse of hir seruauntes sche was horsed, for in
     sykyrnesse is is hir desire, at sche wol be caried to Sempyngham,
|r24 trosting in e merites of is holy confessour orw whech sche
     schal be hool. Whan sche was come on-to Sempyngham aftir hir
     desire, ei broute hir e hose of Seynt Gilbert; sche put hir legge
     in at same hose and sodeynly sche was hol, so parfithly cured
|r28 at sche went at same day a myle on hir feet hom to her owne
     hous.
        A-noir woman eke aftir delyuerauns of a child had a greuous
     seknesse fourty wekys and too. For hir womb was bolned to swech
|r32 quantite men supposed sche schuld deye. Many holy places visited



|p127


     sche for hir helth and was not hool. So was sche inspired at e
     last to visite e sepultur of our fader Gilbert, and er was sche
     mad hool. For sche was cured ere sone aftir sche was com, euene
 |r4 in e fest of Seynt Cruce, e ix hour of e day. And an with ful
     glad hert sche went hom, schewing to hir frendis hir body wher ei
     myth parceyue at al at swellyng was goo.

|r[CHAPTER_XLVII.]

                                                 capl. xlvij.

 |r8    |r<b> THe rote and eke the hed of a-noir man ere be-syde was
        so risyn and bolned with seknesse whech ei |r[l.102b] clepe e
     swynesye, and eke so greuously knottid, at viij dayes continuely
     he was compelled for very peyne with-outen mete or sustenauns to
|r12 kepe his bed and suffyr e maledye. The last too dayes was his
     drynk secluded fro him, so closed wer his pipes with violens of at
     sor. Than fel on-to him mor greuauns, for in e myd hour of at
     last nyth of oo viij days he lost his spech, whech priuacion lastyd
|r16 on-to e euyn of at day folowand. Than supposed ei all whech
     wer aboute hym at he schuld dye. For to her coumfort and
     consolacion he myte in no wyse gyue non answer. The small
     issewes of his rote myte ful euel receyue wynd in-to his body.
|r20 Than, at grete instauns of his wyf, e girdill of Seynt Gilbert was
     broute, and water eke, whech he halowyd. With e girdill ei
     girt his nek ful deuoutly, and e watyr ei pored in-to his mouth.
     Eke ei waschid e bolnyng of his rote with at same watyr, and
|r24 an be-gan e man fele sumwhat reles, for wyth at wasching he
     voyded wynd, and aftyr e wynd o grete blody drope went oute fro
     his mouth. Thus be-gan he to releue in so mech at or euen he
     spak and ete, and |r[l.103a] wyth-inne iij dayes he receyued parfite hele, so
|r28 sodeynly cesed his peyne.

|r[CHAPTER_XLVIII.]

                                                  Cap. xlviij.

        |r<b> ON of e nunnes of at same ordr xxx. ere continuely twyes
        or thries in e ere had meruelous seknesse with-inne
|r32 hir body, for a-bowte hir hert and in hir left syde was swech



|p128


     pressur at whan it cam, e woman, ny ded for uery peyn, lost
     hir mynde. And in is peyne sche had swech strength at many
     of hir sisteres myth not at at tyme hold hir ne kepe hir in
 |r4 rest. Thus on a day whan e seknesse had caute hir us violently
     ei sent aftir prestes of e same ordre for to be a-boute hir in
     tyme of hir deth, for all loke ei whan sche schal passe.
     A-mongis ese prestis cam in e maystir of Sempingham, at
 |r8 same mayster whech was next successour aftir Seynt Gilbert.
     Ther fond he e woman bownden and holden as a furiose person
     is wone to be seruyd. Tho he inqwyred of hem at wer ere
     if ony part of Seynt Gilbertis watyr wer in at hous. Thei
|r12 had it redyly, and at e comaundment of her prelat, ei pored
     of e same watyr in-to hir mouth. A grete merueyl was seyn
     ere, for at watyr was not so sone entered in-to hir rote but
     sche be-gan to chaunge all at wode rage, and hir veyl, whech
|r16 was pulled |r[l.103b] down to hir schulderis, in ful religious maner sche
     redressid, and hid hir face and hir eyne as sche was wone to
     doo. And oo in e presens of e maystir & many folk whech
     stood with him, sche cryed in is maner: O moder of mercy, -- What
|r20 schuld we tell long tale? -- As ou sche had be in a trauns
     sche be-gan to knowe hir-self, and be processe of tyme sche was
     restored to parfite helth, for aftyr at tyme had sche neuyr more
     at seknesse.
|r24    A-noir woman was ere with dyuers seknesse vexed, at
     is to seyn dissentyrie, govte, and vomyte dayly folowand. Dis_sentyrye
     e Grekys clepe is sekenesse whan a mannes guttys
     be hurt so at ei be slitte or cutte. Othir sekenesse had is
|r28 woman dyuers, whech sche was a-schamed to confesse and for
     whech sche was compelled be debylite to kepe hir bed fro e
     fest of All Seyntis on-to iij dayes be-for Candell-masse. Than
     was told hir at too of hir neybouris, women bothe, on def,
|r32 a-noir bedred, infect with a maner of palesie, at ei wer led
     on-to e toumbe of Seint Gilbert and ere wer ei mad parfitly
     hool. Of ese tydanes sche caute a coumfort, and a-non sche let
     make a candel aftir hir mesur, and in a cart with at same was



|p129


     sche caried on-to e sepultur of our fader. |r[l.104a] Ther wook sche
     in prayer al at nyte, & e next day a-boute nyne of clok was
     sche mad hool of all oo maledies rehersed be-fore.

|r[CHAPTER_XLIX.]

 |r4                                       Capitulum xlix.

        |r<b> Anoir woman was ere whos kne was soo contract at too
        monthis sche myth not goo. Sche was brout eke in a cart
     on-to e toumbe of Seynt Gilbert wher sche wook to nytes in
 |r8 ful devoute prayeres. The secund nyte sche oute in hir dreem
     at oute of a ymage mouth whech stood be e graue, mad in
     worchip of our Lady, fell a fayr red flour, and eke at same
     flour, as sche eute, fell up-on hir sor kne. Sche a-wook and
|r12 felt hir kne hool, for is sodeyn helth, as sche vndirstood weel,
     was goue hir be e mediacion of our Lady and e merites of Seint
     Gilbert. Than with ful grete deuocion sche kissid e feet of
     at same ymage, and us in parfite helth sche is goo hoom.
|r16     Ther was a-noir woman eke in at cuntr whos rite eye
     be-gan to wax seek, at is to sey, al red of colour with peyne
     folowand. Sone aftir e lift eye was in at same plite, for at
     eye in special bolned soo at iij dayes sche myth se no lite.
|r20 In all is peyne sche cam to e toumbe of our fader Gilbert,
     with a candell brennaund and a petous hert. Ther |r[l.104b] a-bode
     sche stedfastly in prayer whilis at e priour of at same place
     sayde masse ere. Aftir sche had herd at masse sche went
|r24 hom in hope of helth, and ere fell sche on sleep. Aftir hir
     sleep sche felt neythir passion in eye ne hed, and or e sunne
     went to rest at bolnyng was voyded and hir site restored. Day
     be day aftyr is hir site wex bettyr and bettir tyl it cam to e
|r28 same perfeccion whech it had be-for.

|r[CHAPTER_L.]

                                                Capitulum l.

        |r<b> A conuerse of at same ordr, in e vigile of Seynt Mathie
        e apostell, whech was a weuer of cloth, aftyr e euensang
|r32 sayd of e same apostel, sat stille in his craft weuyng. Othir of



|p130


     his felauchip warned him at at reuerens of at feest he schuld
     sese, but he wold not. The same nyte, aftir his first slep, he
     felt at al e myte of his rite arme was lost fro e cubyte on-to
 |r4 e hand; eke e same rite hand was turned wrong, and myte
     in no maner haue recors on-to his natural office. This peyne
     lastid iij wekys and iij dayes. So in e feste of Seynt Benet
     he asked leue of e priour of at place in whech he was conuerse
 |r8 at he myte goo visite, with oir too felawes ioyned on-to him,
     e sepultur of our fader Gilbert. Thidir he cam with a hand |r[l.105a] of
     wax, and mad his offeryng; ere abod he certeyn tyme in prayer
     & wakyng, lyuand euyr in hope at he schuld haue reles of his
|r12 peyne. The fyrst nyte folowand his hand was rather apeyred an
     amended, so was e hand of our Lord agreued up-on him. The
     man be-oute him and remembred at e sor of his soule, per_auentur,
     as often is sene, was cause of his bodely seknesse;
|r16 wherfor he oute best to rowe a-wey his synnes, at he myte
     e soner purchase grace of his desire. Vp-on is he went to
     a prest, & with good rememberauns he confessid his synnes fro
     his ong age on-to at same day, took his penaunce mekely and
|r20 ful-fillid it deuoutely. So aftir is up-on e nyte next e anun_ciacion
     of our Lady he set his hope only in him at wold at
     same day be incarnate for our helth, and in hir eke, at blessed
     virgine, of whom he took both flesch and blood; mor-ouyr he
|r24 put his trost in his fader Gilbert, whech in his lyf exercised e
     weyis both of chastite & of mekenesse: in al is trost he desired
     with certeyn lite for to wake al a-lone at e sepultur of his fader
     Gilbert. Ther lay he & sayde his seruyse swech as is assigned
|r28 on-to |r[l.105b] conuerses of at order. He preyed instantly for helth
     on-to his fader and many oir seyntes, and in his prayer as he
     lened up-on a ston at lay ouyr e graue, he fel on slepe, and
     so rested a tyme. Whan he a-wook he felt certeyn prykkingis
|r32 in his arme ny his cubite; he drow his hand on-to him, and say
     wel at e crokednes erof was a-mendid, for he myte strecch it
     oute as he wolde. All e senewis & all e fyngeres wer so restored
     on-to helth at he myte meue hem; eke in his arme felt he no
|r36 mor peyne.



|p131


|r[CHAPTER_LI.]

                                                   cap. lj.

        |r<b> There was a woman eke at for seknesse fel in a frenesie,
        or ellis in swech maner passion whech was lich frenesie.
 |r4 For as a wod creatur sche spak, gnacching with hir teth, and
     voydyng hir spatil in oir mennes faces & women. So was sche
     vexed in swech wilde rage at ei bounde hir fast, and us lay
     sche bownde fully a monthe. Sche was broute us bownde in
 |r8 a carte be labour of hir husband and hir frendis on-to e toumbe
     of Seynt Gilbert, and ere abood in prayeres iij dayes and
     nytes; oo complet sche went hom heyl and sound, euer ankyd
     be God.
|r12     Lich on-to is myracle fel on-to a-noer woman at too
     monthis and a half was |r[l.106a] distraut, and whan sche was broute
     on-to e graue and lay ere too dayes and nytes, e ird day
     a-boute e ird our sche was mad hool.
|r16     Eke at a monastery cleped Wathone a pore man, kept in
     e hous mad for por men, had swech a seknesse too monthis
     at he fel in-to a maner of frenesy so was his mynde alienat.
     The seruauntis of at infirmarie had ful grete pite and compassion
|r20 up-on him and leyd him in an old hors bere in whech our fader
     Gilbert was caried sumtyme whan he myte not wel walk for
     grete age and febilnesse. Many seke men had be layde in at
     same bere, and caut her helth be e merites of is man whech
|r24 used it sumtyme. The man was layd er-in, and be-cause he
     was wilde ei bond him to e bere; so lay he too dayes and
     too nytes, and on e ird day was he mad hool and turned on-to
     helth a-geyn.

|r[CHAPTER_LII.]

|r28                                            cap. lij.

        |r<b> EKe a noble woman, as ei sey, dwelled not fer ens, and
        sche had a greuous passion in hir eyne, so greuous at
     sche myte se but litil or ellis nowt, speciali on day lite. Be-side



|p132


     is had sche oir seknesse, so at sche was compelled to kepe hir
     bed. There had sche a vision, at if sche wold goo on-to |r[l.106b] e
     tumbe of is holy fader, sche schuld be releued of at peyne.
 |r4 Sche mad a candell be e mesur of hir body, and to e graue
     sche is come, wher sche drank of at same watir in whech e
     holy confessour body was wasched; sone aftir at drynk sche was
     mad sodeynly hool.
 |r8    The sun of is same woman eke receyued helth of his eye,
     whech was ny ouyrspred with a webbe, be drynkyng of at
     same watyr.
        Eke a-noir woman at myte not her no maner ing, not
|r12 e sound of grete bellis, aftir sche had wakid in deuocion at
     is sepultur o nyte, first receyued coumfort at sche myte her
     e noyse of bellis, and aftyr, e speche of men.
        A-noir man of ful grete fame, cleped Herry Biset, a ful long
|r16 tyme was seek, and aftir at seknesse had a grete & greuous
     bolnyng of his wombe. This same peyne lastid him too er or
     mor. The bolned womb roos on-to so grete quantite at whan
     he was sette he myte not se passing too vnch of his thy. Thus
|r20 in dispeyre of all helth, for medycynes myte not help, he sent
     his wif and his douteres to Sempingham, to dwelle ere and
     haue a-qweyntauns, for he supposed not elles but |r[l.107a] for to deye.
     The wif cam hom a-geyn to se hir husband and broute with
|r24 hir a lynand girdil with whech our fader Gilbert was sum-tyme
     girt; sche broute eke of at same watir in a crowet in whech
     e holy confessour body was wasched. And whan e man had
     drinkyn of at watyr and was girt with at girdill, a-non he
|r28 bo-gan to qwake & gnach with teth, but he wex no ing hoot.
     Thoo fel he in a sleep, and in at same sleep, merueyl to here,
     he fel on a swete, for he had no swete of al e tyme in whech
     he was seek. But now swetith he horribily. His wif, at sat
|r32 by, sey e elow dropes who ei stilled fro him and oo were
     grete and had ful euel sauour. Whan he wook he aspied is
     him-selue, and felt e same sauour. He loked up-on his wombe
     and say wel at al is bolnyng was fled downward fro e girdill
|r36 ny half a fote. For e skyn whech was be-forn his sleep so



|p133


     pressed oute at he was aferd it wold brest, now is it voyde as
     a empty bagge. Aftir al is not long tyme e man recured all
     is seknesse and cam to parfite helth, myte ryde and goo as man
 |r4 of armes, for as it semeth be myn auctour he was a knyte.


|r[CHAPTER_LIII.]

|r[l.107b]                                   Cap. liij.

        |r<b> A Woman eke was in at cuntr whech had a greuous sekenesse
        with-inne hir boweles all a hool ere. Hir wombe bolned
 |r8 not, ne no maner risyng had sche of skyn ne flesch, but fretyng
     and prikkyng, speciali a-boute hir hert and sum-tyme in hir sides,
     at sche supposed veryly for to deye. Wherfor sche was schryue
     and hoseled and took all maner obseruaunces whech long to men
|r12 whan ei schal passe, and be-cause sche abode still in lyf aftir
     all is do, erfor hir husband, of grete deuocion, caried hir in
     a cart on-to e hous of Sempyngham, trostyng in e merites of
     is holy confessour. Whan sche was come on-to at place sche
|r16 receyued e sacrament newly a-geyn, and an ei mad hir to
     drynk of at watir in whech e body was waschid of is holy
     confessour, Gilbert. Thus a-bode sche stille praying at e graue
     of is Seynt iij dayes; in e ird day sche had a great vomyte
|r20 of corupte blood, and with is corrupcion cam oute a grete long
     worme. Thus iij dayes & ij nytes had sche is purgacion. Aftir
     is went sche hom, and us day be day e vomyte sumwhat cesed,
     and e grete |r[l.108a] peyne was fully relesed.


|r[CHAPTER_LIV.]

|r24                                               capl. liiij.

        |r<b> In at same hous of Sempingham was a nunne whech our
        fader Gilbert had receyued him-self. This woman was infect
     with leprosite, whech encresed in hir so horibily et all hir body
|r28 was infect. The her fled fro hir hed, hir browes and hir eyne
     wer so infect at sche myte not lift hir ey-ledes for to loke.



|p134


     Hir handes eke so sore at sche myte in no maner put mete
     or drink on-to hir mouth. Thus lay sche in e infirmarye xij
     ere, euyr serued be a woman whech was hir bodely sistir, whech
 |r4 woman ofte tyme wold sey at eche sey neuyr man ne woman
     so horribily infect. Be-cause at is same woman was so con_uersaunt
     with hir and had often tymes vsed to a-noynt hir naked
     body with certeyn medycynes, at e sor schuld be mor tollerable,
 |r8 for is cause, e nunnes of at hous fled e comunicacion of is
     same woman, so wer ei aferd for to be infect. To is woman
     at ley us greuously hurt with is horible seknesse appered
     in sleep a worchipful lady, comaundyng hir at sche schuld
|r12 be caried to e sepultur of Seynt Gilbert, for ere schuld sche
     reccyue helth. Thus |r[l.108b] is sche brout on-to e graue and ere, aftir
     deuoute prayeres, sche fel in a slep, in whech slep e same
     honourable lady appered to hir and saide ese wordes: A-rise, for
|r16 ou art hool; and be-for ese wordes e lady, as sche oute, sprad
     a fayre mantell of purpill a-boute e graue, with whech mantel
     sche cam in, and eft-sones sche sayde on-to e sek woman: A-rise,
     for ou art hool. Than in at same dreem semed it to at seek
|r20 woman at sche was hool, and sche herd e couent syng Te Deum
     Laudamus for hir helth. Thus lay sche dremyng on-to at tyme
     whan e conuent rang to mateyns; an sche awook and returned
     a-gayn to e infirmarie. In hir rising sche voyded gret humores
|r24 and in grete quantite, but with-inne iij dayes sche was parfitely
     hool, for al a weke aftir, e swames fell fro hir body as ei had
     be scalis of a fisch, & us with-inne fewe dayes aftir, hir flesch
     was restored lik e flesch of a ong child.

|r[CHAPTER_LV.]

|r28                                             Capitulum lv.

        |r<b> CErteyn men of is lond sayled ouer e see whech is be-twix
        Inglond and Normandye. In her sayling ros a grete tempest
     whech ei skaped with our Lordes mercy. Whan e tempest |r[l.109a]
|r32 was sesed and down, an had ei no wynd for to sayle, but likly



|p135


     wer ei al at nyte for to trauase e se. Many at wer er drede
     mech e perel of e se, specialy be nyte cared mech, but remedy
     coude ei non. A man was a-mongis em ei cleped Ion, con_stable
 |r4 of Chestir, a man of noble birth & grete fame; he cleped
     a prest on-to him whos name was Ancelme, whech was his
     chapeleyn, and prayed him at he schuld bryng forth e scapularie
     of Seynt Gilbert whech e successour of Seynt Gilbert had oue
 |r8 him, and whech he kept for a gret relik. This Ancelme ful
     deuoutly arayed him in holy uestimentis lich a prest, waschid
     his handes, and oute of his lordes cophre took oute is scapulary,
     lyft it up in e eyre, and us he prayed at ei all myte here:
|r12 Lord God omnipotent, Lord Almyty, if it be so at e lif and
     e conuersacion of Seint Gilbert wer wroute on-to i plesauns,
     schewe now at orw his merites we may come to sum hauene
     in whech we may be saf fro perel. A-non, as ese wordes wer
|r16 said, a fayre soft wynd blew in e scapulary, and fro e scapulari
     it ascendid on-to e sayl and euyr multiplied, at in at same
     day ei ouy[r] took schippes |r[l.109b] at sailed with hem and ouyrsailed
     hem, were eke in Normannye long or ei; for summe schippis
|r20 at were in at viage cam not to Normanie neythir at day ne
     e next day. Many oir tokenes were do be e myracles of our
     fader Gilbert whech be not touchid in is present werk, for summe
     of necligens ar forgotin, summe were not approued be swech
|r24 notable witnesse as ese were, summe wer eke wroute aftir tyme
     at is book was mad, wherfor ei be not et browte in-to is
     forme. And be-cause at we be in no dowte at ese wer do
     in e same forme, erfor haue we wrytin hem in swech langage
|r28 as we coude, to e praysing and ioye of our Lord God in whos
     name ei were wroute, to e worchip of holy cherch and profite
     of hem at schul rede or here is lif, for whom ese notable ingis
     wer do, to e worchip eke of is holy man be whom ese myracles
|r32 wer doo, whech man with his merites and pray[er]  es schal com_mende
     us to at Lord whech is hiest of all Lordes, and bryng
     us eke on-to oo ioyes at be eterne, wher we may rest fro all
     labour with-outen ende, Amen.



|p136


|r[CHAPTER_LVI.]

|r[l.110a]                                      Capitulum lvj. 

        |r<b> OWre holy fader, e Pope Innocent e ird, ordeyned at e
        canoniacion of is same fader Gilbert schuld be solempnied
 |r4 in e cherch, and eke his translacion, of whech canoniacion he
     him-self at Rome, be-for al e clergye and e puple, mad a ful
     solempne sermon, whech sermon he comaunded it schuld be
     wretyn and sent on-to e archbischoppis and bischoppis of
 |r8 Ynglond in bullis, and eke on-to e chapiter of e hous of
     Sempingham, of whech sermon is is e sentens: For-as-mech
     as treuth seith in e gospell at no man litith a lanterne & hidith
     it vndyr a buschel mette, but settith it up-on heith, at all at
|r12 dwelle in at hous may haue coumfort of at lite, for is cause,
     we ink at it is a dede of grete pite and of equyte at oo men
     whom our Lord God hath crowned for her merites & goue to hem
     honour in heuene, at we in erde schuld worchep hem, prayse
|r16 hem & make ioye of her exaltacion, specialy whan our Lord, for
     swech worchip as we do hem, is e more magnified of us, be-cause
     at scriptur seith: Our Lord is preisable, or praysid, and glorious
     in seyntys. To e grete vertue of pite longith |r[l.110b]  e grete behest,
|r20 nowt only of is present lyf but of e lyf eke at is eterne, as our
     Lord saith be e prophete on-to hem at deye in holy lyf: I schal
     make ou at e schal stand in swech opinion of e puple at ei
     schal gyue to ou praysyng & honour, e ioye at e haue schal
|r24 I gyue ou. And in a-noir place of scriptur us is seide of
     seyntis: Ritefulmen schul schyne as e Sunne in e kyngdam
     of her Fader. For our Lord oft-tyme, at he schuld schewe
     meruelously e myte of his uertu, and at he schuld werk merci_ablely
|r28 e cause of our helth, oo same trewe seruauntis whech
     he rewardith in heuene often-tyme he honourith in is world, and
     at e places where her bodies rest ere reysith he grete tokenes
     and myracles be whech e wikkidnesse of heresies is confundid
|r32 and e trew cristen feith confermed.



|p137


|r[CHAPTER_LVII.]

                                               capl. lvij.

        |r<b> THerfor we, as we may not as we schuld, sende ankinggis
        on-to Almyty God at in oure dayes to e confirmacion of
 |r4 cristen feith and confusion of wikkid heresie hath mad now his
     tokenes newe and chaunged hem meruelously, makyng e seyntis
     now in oure dayes to schyne with myracles, whech seyntis as is
     now sene kept e trewe cristen |r[l.111a] feith, not only with mouth but
 |r8 with werk. A-mongis whech seyntis maystir Gilbert, fundour and
     be-gynner of e ordr of Semyngham, whech in is world was myty
     in grete merites, now liuand in heuene, schynyth with grete
     miracles, for it is ful conuenient at his holynesse schuld be
|r12 approued with open & manifest tokenes. And ou it be soo at
     fynal perseuerauns is sufficient i-now to proue at he or ony oir
     at deyith in goodnesse schuld be a seynt be-for God in at cherch
     a-boue whech hath ouyr-come her enmyes, witnesse of treuth at
|r16 seith: He at is perseueraunt in goodnesse, in-to e last ende schal
     be saf. And in e Apocalipse wher he seith us: Be trew on-to
     e last ende, and I schal gyue e e crowne of lyf; et at a man
     schuld be hold holy in e opinion of men, and here in is cherch
|r20 whech lyueth in continuel batayle with hir enmies, too ingis to
     is mater be ful necessarie: Vertue of good maneris, & vertue of
     tokenes, at is to sey, good werkys and myracules, at ech of hem
     schuld bere witnesse to oir. For good werkis be not sufficient
|r24 with-oute myracules, ne myracules sufficient with-oute good werkys
     to bere very witnesse of ony |r[l.111b] mannes holynesse; for as we rede,
     sumtyme e deuele, whech is cleped e aungel of Sathan, may
     transfigur him-self lich to aungel of lite, and summe men as we
|r28 rede all her good werkis whech ei do, ei do hem for is entent
     at ei schuld be knowe a-mongis men as for holy leueres. Eke
     of e wicchis at dwelled with Pharao rede we, at ei wroute
     meruelous tokenes; and Anticriste whan he comth schal werk so
|r32 meruelous ingis at, if it myte be, oo soules at be chosen to
     heuene schuld be meued and led in-to errour be e same tokenes.
     Wherfor we conclude at e testimonie of good werkis be him-self
     a-lone is sumtyme fals and deceyuable, as may be sen openly in
|r36 ese ypocrites, eke e testimonie of myracles be him-self sumtyme



|p138


     is deceyuable, as is sene in ese wicchis at dwellid with Pharao.
     But whann good werkis go be-for in ony persone, and aftir oo
     folowyn glorious miracles, an haue we a very certificacion of
 |r4 mennes holynesse, at oo too ingis schuld lede us e rite wey to
     honour at persone whom at our Lord hath offered on-to us to be
     worchiped, with good werkis going be-for and miracles folowand.
     These to ar notabely touchid in e |r[l.112a] Euangelist Mark wher he
 |r8 writith us of e aposteles: Thei walkid forth in e world and
     prechid, our Lord werkyng and helpyng her sermones and signes
     or ellis myracles folowid aftir at.


|r[CHAPTER_LVIII.]

                                                 Capl. lviij.

|r12    |r<b> And ou it be soo at oure weel be-loued childyrn in God, e
        priour and e couent of Sempingham, haue instauntly mad
     her postulacion on-to us at we schuld graunt at maystir Gilbert
     schuld be wrytyn in e cathaloge of seyntis and be a-noumbered
|r16 a-mong seyntes, whech Gilbert was be-gynner of her ordre, and
     whech man, as ei sey, be-for his deth bad exercise of good werkys,
     and aftir his deth wroute many grete myracules, et wold we not
     graunt her peticion but we wil be fully enformed of his lyf and
|r20 of his myracles, not-with-stande at our noble & worchipful son
     in Crist, Ion, kyng of Yngland, with his lordes, and our broir,
     archbischop of Cauntybyry, Hubert, with his suffraganis, eke e
     priour of e seid couent, with oir abbotes and prioures, wrote
|r24 on-to us in is mater of e vertuous lif of is man and of e
     tokenes do at his graue. Wherfor we wil in is mater do grete
     diligens to haue e very treuth, |r[l.112b] and for is cause we haue writyn
     and comaunded be oure letteris to our welbeloued breerin, arch_bischop
|r28 of Cauntirbyri, e bischop of Hely, and to our welbeloued
     sones, abbot of Borow & abbot of Wardon, at be our auctorite ei
     schal go to at place of Sempyngham and, in vertu of obediens,
     comaunde al at college of men and women at ei schul fast
|r32 iij dayes and crien on our Lord God whech is weye, treuth and lyf,



|p139


     at he wil open e treuth of is mater on-to e knowlech of his
     seruauntis. Ferermore we wil at ei ransake e wytnesse and
     e fame spred in e cuntr, and make al is to be writyn be scriptur
 |r4 autentik of e vertue of e maneris, of e vertue of e myracules
     of is man, and al is ing us writyn, seled with her sealis, send
     up on-to us be feythful and trewe men whech may swere in our
     presens at al is ing be trewe, at we, us pleynly informed,
 |r8 may e mor sikirly procede in is mater, -- whech is to moring of
     e ioye of oure Lordis name and a grete confirmacion of cristen
     feith. And if it be so at alle ese men assigned may not be at
     is examinacion, we wil at e lest at iij of hem schul fulfille is
|r12 dede.

|r[CHAPTER_LIX.] 

                                          Capitulum lix. |r[l.113a]

        |r<b> Thus ese same men fulfillid our comaundment ful treuly, and
        be-cause on of hem myte not be er for a grete and a
|r16 neccessarie cause, erfor iij of hem had is examinacion in our
     name, at is to seyn, e forseid archbischop, and e bischop of Hely,
     with e abbot of Borow; ese iij went on-to at place and fulfillid
     al at was conteyned in our comaundment, for with gret diligens
|r20 ei examined all e witnesse and mad hem for to swere at ei
     schuld non informacion make but soth; ei mad clepe religious
     men, seculer men, clerkis, lay men, men and women generali, whos
     attestaciones and witnesse ei wrytyn treuly, and vndyr her seles
|r24 closed, sent al is ing to us, whech sondes ou ei were euydent
     and certeyn, be-cause ei wery many and dyuers, we wil not at is
     tyme sette hem in oure wrytyng. Thei mad eke grete inqwysicion
     of his conuersacion and of his maneres, whech was open on-to alle
|r28 men; ei cleped in dyueres religious men, whech were famyliar
     with him at dyuers tymes, and whech knew of his pryuy conuersa_cion:
     all ese men with on acord bore wytnesse at his lyf was |r[l.113b]
     ondefyled and holy. For he was a meruelous man in abstinens,
|r32 a clene man in chastite, a deuoute man in orison, mech vsed to
     wakyng; ouyr at flok of his congregacion with grete prouision



|p140


     and discrecion euer bysy; certeyn houris whan he myte haue ony
     leyser in contemplacion, quiete. So as it semeth, whil he was in
     erde he departed treuly his lyf, sumtyme in good werkis of actyf
 |r4 lyf, sum in holy rest of contemplatif, lich on-to e patriarch Iacob
     at sey aungelles in e ladder goyng up and goyng down. And
     whan he had ony collocucion with his breerin or sisteres, it myte
     be seid of him, as it was seid of Samuel, ere fell not a word of his
 |r8 on-to e erde. For aftir e doctrine of e holy apostel, ydil wordes
     were ful seldom in his mouth, but oo wordes whech he spak were
     to edificacion of our feith, for he was good in at same, and erfor
     his wordes wer ful of grace on-to e hereres. And ou many oir
|r12 ingis mad his lyf to be in grete comendacion, is was et a principal
     ing longing to his perfeccion, at he wold chese wilful pouerte, and
     all his possessiones whech wer left him be herytage, he wolde assigne
     for euyr |r[l.114a] to meynteyn e breerin and e sisteryn whech he had
|r16 institute and set vndyr a vertuous reule of religion. For his
     succession in processe of tyme grewe, be e goodnesse of our Lord,
     to so gret a noumbyr at he byled nyne monasteries of women and
     four of chanones reguler, in whech monasteriis at tyme at be
|r20 deyid he left, be-side e religious men, a ousand and fyue hundred
     sisteres at seruyd God our Lord with-oute vylonye.


|r[CHAPTER_LX.]

                                                Capitulum lx.

        |r<b> MOre-ouyr, to strength of is mater and to a gretter cautel,
|r24    fyue of oo breerin of at forseid order whech wer sent
     on-to our presens, we haue charged hem with grete ois at ei
     schuld informe us with e soth, & ei haue told us mech mor, both
     of his meke werkys and of his glorious myracules. Wherfor we,
|r28 of is mannes lyf and myracules be sufficient witnesse us informe
     and set in a maner of sikirnesse, aftir e testimonie of e aungel
     at seid to Tobie, it is good to hydyn e sacrament of e hy kyng,
     but e werkis of God to open and confesse is gret worchip, -- eke
|r32 for e Psalme seith at God schuld be praysed in his seyntis, -- for
     ese causes |r[l.114b] haue we ascribed and anoumbyred Seynt Gilbert in-to



|p141


     e cathaloge of seyntes, and ordeyned at his memory schal be
     songyn a-mongis oir seyntes. All ese be e Popes wordes; now
     folowith e autour. Thus aftir e comaundment of our fader e
 |r4 Pope, whan e translacion of Seynt Gilbert was broute to an ende,
     and e holy relikes wer layd in e vessel arayed for hem, but or it
     was closed e bischoppes and e abbotes at wer principal fufilleres
     of is werk, layde a chartour up-on his breest, in whech chartor
 |r8 was conteyned all e maner of his translacion, of e myracles and
     of e canoniacion; eke ei layde ere a plate of led, in whech led
     was wrytyn certeyn ing whech schuld neuyr be oute of mynde.
     The scripture of at plate was is: Her lith Seynt Gilbert, e first
|r12 fader and foundor of e order of Sempyngham, whech was translate
     in-to is schrine be our fader & lord, Hubert, archbischop of
     Cauntyrbury, be e comaundment of our holy fader, Pope Innocent,
     e irde yde of October, the ere of our Lord, a ousand, too
|r16 hundred and on. This is e wryting of e chartor layde be him
     in his schryne: In is schryne ar conteyned e relikes of |r[l.115a] Seynt
     Gilbert, prest and confessour, e first fader and begynner of e ordr
     of Sempyngham, whos lyf, ou it be so at many ingis mad it
|r20 comendable & honourable, is was e principal and moost excellent
     cause whi he schuld be in mynde, at wilfully he chase honest
     pouerte and all his temporal goodes at God had sent him he freely
     relesid to e neccessite and sustentacion of oo bre erin and sisteres
|r24 whom he sette vndyr reguler discipline and kept hem ful bysily.
     And to is same Gilbert in processe of tyme our Lord God graunted
     swech grace and uertue at he mad four houses of chanones and
     nyne monasteries of nunnes, in whech houses at tyme at he
|r28 deyid and went to our Lord, be-side al oo at were ded be-fore,
     he left of religious men on-to a vij hundred, of sisteres a ousand
     and fyue hundred, whech ful bysily ded seruyse to God. He deyid
     in his best age, more an a hundred ere old, e ere of e incarna_cion
|r32 of our Lord Ihesu, a ousand, a hundred, eyty and nyne, e
     day be-for e nonas of Februari, e tyme of e worchipful kyng
     Herry e Secu[n]d. And us, be-cause of his owne merites and be
     |r[l.115b] testimonie of many myracles folowand, and reuelaciones eke, at



|p142


     came fro God, he was canonied and wryten in e cathaloge of
     seyntes of our holy fader Pope Innocent e irde, be e general
     cort of Rome at Anagniam, be-for e clergy and e puple, e ere
 |r4 of e incarnacion of our Lord a ousand too hundred and too, e
     irde idus of Ianuari, e er of e kyngdam of at wori man,
     Ion, kyng of Ynglond, e irde, president to e see of Cauntirbury
     e worchipful archbischop Hubert, whech aftir e comaundment of
 |r8 e said Pope, with his felawis as in at act, bischop of Hely,
     Eustace, & abbot of Borow, Acarius, had mad diligent inqwisicion
     up-on e miracules wroute be is man, and wrytyn alle is mater
     treuly, and sent it up to e court. Be whech examinacion our
|r12 fader e Pope receyued e very treuth, both of e holynesse of is
     man Gilbert and eke of his tokenes, and for is cause he anoumbered
     him a-mongis seyntis, e ere of his papate, e fourte. And at
     same ere, be e comaundment of e seide Pope, he was translate of
|r16 e seid archbischop in-to is schryne, e irde ide of Octobir,
     standyng by, ese worchipful |r[l.116a] men, bischop of Norwich, bischop of
     Hereforth, bischop of Landaue, and oir abbotes and prelates and
     nobel-men of Ynglond, with mech prese of clergy and puple.
|r20 And to perpetuel memory of is ing us don, e seid archbischop
     and e oir bischoppis & abbotes sette her seles on-to is chartor,
     and in is schrine ei put it, to e praising of our Lord God
     Almyty, whech schal enforme us with e exaumples of is man, and
|r24 reise us fro synnes to grace with help of e prayeres of is man;
     and eke e same Lord schal lede us fro peyne to ioye wher he
     lyuyth and regnyth euyr mor. Amen.  Thus endith e lif of
     Seint Gilbert, translat in-to our moder tonge, e ere of e
|r28 incarnacion of our Lord a M cccc lj.



|p143


A Treatise of the Orders under the
Rule of St. Augustine


FROM A SERMON PREACHED BY


JOHN CAPGRAVE


AT CAMBRIDGE IN 1422.


|p145


       And here begynnyth a tretis of tho orderes at be
     vndyr e reule of oure fader Seynt Augustin, drawe oute
     of a sermon seyd be frer Ion Capgraue at Cambrige,
     e ere of our Lord a M cccc xxij.

        |r<b> WE may likne our fader Seynt Augustyn on-to e holy
        patriark Iacob for many causes. On is for interpreta_cion
     of his name, for Iacob is |r[l.116b] as mech to say as a supplanter
 |r4 or a deceyuour, for he, at e comaundment of God, supplanted his
     broir, bying his fader blessing for a mese of potage and aftirward
     apperyng to his fader in Esaues cote. So may our blessid fader
     Augustyn be cleped a supplanter of e Deuel, for whan e same
 |r8 Deuel ha hold him in his seruyse xxx ere, an ran he fro e
     Deuel and took up-one him e swete ok of our Lord Ihesu Crist.
     For xxj ere was he in paganite, and ix ere in e heresie of e
     Manychees. He may be cleped Iacob also, for euene as Iacob
|r12 sey our Lord God fas to fas, so our maystir, with secret contem_placion,
     was as ny God as ony erdely man myte be, as may be
     wel perceyued be e labour whech he had in inuestigacion of e
     godhed in e bokes whech he mad of e Trynyte. This Iacob
|r16 had xij sones, to whom all e lond of byhest was distribute and
     departed be Moyses & Iosue. And is Augustin hath xij religious
     cumpanies, be whech xij all holy cherch her in erde is replecchid.
     We wil at is tyme on-to our deuoute eres open ese Hebrew
|r20 names of ese xij tribus, and referr hem to dyuers religions |r[l.117a] whech
     lyue vndir Seynt Austyn reule.
        The first be-goten child hite Iudas. For Iudas is as mech
     to sey as a preyser, and ese men preise God nyte & day in holy
|r24 songis & ympnis whech ei continuely be vsed too. And is



|p146


     Iudas eke may be referred on-to oo heremites at Seynt Augustin
     mad ny iij ere be-for at he was bischop at -Ypone, and mad ere
     chanones. This mater is proued with grete euydens in e book
 |r4 whech I mad to a gentil woman in Englisch, and in e book whech
     I mad to e abbot of Seynt Iames at Norhampton in Latin, whech
     boke I named Concordia, be-cause it is mad to reforme charite
     be-twix Seynt Augustines heremites and his chanones. In ese
 |r8 same bokes may men se e names of e first faderes of is order of
     heremites, whech heremites Simplician sent wit Augustin on-to
     Affrik.
        The second child of is Iacob, he hite Ruben, and is Ruben is
|r12 referred on-to chanones seculer swech as be in cathedral cherchis.
     For Ruben is as mech to sey as seing in e myddis, or seing be e
     myddis. What schal we calle bettir e myddis an is present
     lif? What was be-for is lif ordeyned for us is on-knowe. What
|r16 we schal haue aftir is lif it is in doute, saue we hope veryly, be e
     good menes of is myd lif, to come sumtyme to Goddis mercy.
     But |r[l.117b] men wil merueyle perauentur whi at I sette seculer chanones
     be-for reguler, and is [is]  my cause. Thoo chanones at dwelled
|r20 with Seynt Augustin whan he was bischop went in clois of dyuers
     colouris and in precious furres and with girdel & barres of syluer
     and gilt, as is manifestly writyn in his sermones, Ad fratres in
     heremo, and is aray long not to reguler chanones.
|r24    The ird son of Iacob he hite Gad, and his name is as mech to
     sey as a man at is wel girt. Girdyng in holy scriptur is take
     for restreynyng of our body fro uices, and is may be applied in
     e best maner to chanones reguler, whech, with holy obseruaunces
|r28 girdyn her bodies fro sinful werkis & here soules fro foule desires.
     If ese men be-gunne with Augustin in his cherch in e same
     degre as ei stand now, sum men haue doute; but I wyl not
     stryue. I be-leue wel at ere had ei her beginnyng but e
|r32 harder distinccion fro e first ordr was mad sithe be oir holy
     faderes, as e munkis of Charturehous cam oute of e blake
     ordr. Many euydens haue I mad in my book Concordia at



|p147


     Seint Ruffus not be-gan is ordr, but at he reformed is ordre.
     So may I wel be-leue at her first fundacion cam fro Augustin.
        The iiij son of Iacob, he hite Aser. Aser is as mech to |r[l.118a] sei
 |r4 as blessed, and is blessing is referred to e grete noumbir of at
     holy congregacion whech Seynt Dominice gadered and ordeyned,
     to is entent, at ei schuld labour in e world and with here
     preching distroy synne in e puple and plant vertue. This ordre
 |r8 be-gan Seyn Dominice e er of oure Lord a M cc xvj.
        The v. son of Iacob hite Neptalim, as mech for to sey as
     gret brede; be is vndirstund we e knytes of Seynt Ion whech
     begunne first at Ierusalem, and now ar ei spred orw-oute all is
|r12 world. Her institucion is to defende Cristen feith a-geyn Turkes
     and Sarsines. And all oo possessiones whech ei haue in londis
     of pees pay tribute to e hous of Rodes.
        The sext son hite Manasse, and he is for [to]  sey as obliuious.
|r16 This son be-tokneth e heres of Pruce whech wer institute to e
     same entent to defense of e bordures of cristen men a-geyn e
     enmyes of e crosse. Obliuious be ei cleped be-cause ei must
     forete e delectable lyf of is world and put her bodies in grete
|r20 perel for e honour of Crist. The differens of e habite of ese
     too knytes is is, at ei of Seynt Iones haue blak mantell with
     a crosse, and ei of Pruce white mantell with a crosse.
        The vij son of Iacob, he hite Simeon, whech |r[l.118b] soundith in our
|r24 tonge heuynesse or pencifnesse, and is may be applied with grete
     conueniens on-to at ordre at was founded at Sempyngham be
     e solicitude of Seynt Gilbert, of whech Seynt, be-cause I mad
     a special tretis on-to e maystir of at ordr, erfor in is place
|r28 I touch no mor of him.
        The viij son of Iacob, he hite Leui, at soundeth in owre
     langage a moryng or a multipliyng of ing at was be-gunne,
     and be is name we vndirstande e ordr of Premonstracenses,
|r32 whech be-gan in Fraunce vndir a holy man ei cleped Norbertus,
     e er of our Lord a M and a hundred, and be-cause at I mad
     his lyf in Englisch to e abbot of Derham at deyid last, erfor as
     now I wil no lenger tarie in at fundacion.
|r36    The ix son of Iacob, he hite Ysacar; he soundeth in our



|p148


     langage grete mede for laboure; is wil we applie to at ordre
     whech ei clepe e Freres of e Crosse, for is cause, for at
     crosse on her breest schul make hem so to labour in e weye of
 |r4 Crist at ei schuld come aftir her labour to euyrlasting mede.
     Off is ordre haue I as et no certeyn knowlech, who was her
     foundor, or vndir what Pope, or kyng, ei be-gunne.
        The x son of Iacob, he hite abulon, and in our langage it
 |r8 may be cleped a dwellyng-place of strength. |r[l.119a] Ful wel longith is
     interpretacion on-to e ordr of Seynt Bryde; ei haue a mansion
     of strength, for ei be sperd fro vanites of e world, whech vanytes
     ar ouyr open to many men. This holy woman Bryde be-gan is
|r12 order and went to Rome for confirmacion; who wil se hir lyf and
     hir reuelaciones he may diffusely se it in hir book, as now I haue
     no tyme to tary lenger in at mater.
        The xj son hite Ioseph, and he is to sey a moring or augmen_tacion;
|r16 is is applied to certeyn chanones of at hous whech be
     of e ordr of Seynt Victor. This hous of Seynt Victour is in
     Paris, to whech I trowe ei longe. We haue in our libraries many
     sundry bookes at to chanones of at hous mad; on of hem hite
|r20 Hewe, e oir hite Richard, notabel clerkis ei wer and men of
     holy lyf.
        The xij son hite Beniamin; he is e son at longith to e rite
     hand, as euery religious man with e mercy of God doth. This
|r24 son, be-cause he is ongest of age, is likned on-to an ordre whech
     is not in e world, as ei sey, but in Northfolk. Four houses had
     ei and on of hem is fall on-to e kyngis hand, & he gaue it to
     Walsingham; e hous hite Petirston: oer informacion of hem
|r28 haue I not at is tyme.
