|b[The_Myracles_of_Oure_Lady,_from_Wynkyn_de_Worde's_edition,
|b_ed._Peter_Whiteford._Heidelberg:_Carl_Winter_Universittsverlag,
|b_1990,_pp._41-73.]



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THE MYRACLES OF OURE BLESSYD LADY


       |r[f.2r] The myracles of oure Lady.
       Here begynnen the myracles of e gloryouse vyrgyn and moder of God oure
       blessyd Lady Saynt Marye.
       
       |r[No.1] |r[Untitled]
       
       In Fraunce somtyme there was a noble man & a ryche, the whiche loued &
     5 worshypped well God & holy chirche, and specyally oure blessyd Lady
       Saynt Mary. This man had a yonge man to his sone, whom he taught well
       to loue oure Lady, and bad that he sholde saye dayly to her worshyp .l.
       tymes the angels salutacyon, that is, Aue Maria &c. Sothely by prosesse of
       tyme afterwarde, by the will and consente of his fader, this yonge man
    10 was made a monke in e monasterye of Saynt Gyles; and there lyued
       deuoutly in full grete penaunce.
       
       And on a tyme his fader sende to hym that he sholde come home to his
       place, and brynge his mayster with hym for his recreacion. He had also in
       his maner that he dwelled in a fayre chapell buylded in the worshyppe of
    15 our blessyd Lady, into the whiche his sone came whan he had leyser, and
       there deuoutely, as he vsed alwaye to do, sayd fyfty tymes his Aue Maria
       &c. And afterwarde, whan he hadde sayd them, the blessyd virgyn
       Marye apperyd to hym vysybly in a whyte garment, that lacked bothe
       sleues & lappes. Than this monke meruayled and sayd to her, 'O moost
    20 swete Lady, why haue your vpper clothynge no sleues ne lappes?' Than
       she sayd, 'This clothe thou hast gyuen me |r[f.2v] and it betokeneth the .l.
       Aue Maryes that ou sayste dayly to me. Therfore it is ryght behofull to
       the, that from hens forthe ou saye thryes .l. tymes Aue Maria; and after
       euery .x. Aue Maria, adde to them a Pater noster. And the fyrste .l. saye in
    25 remembraunce and worshyppe of that ioye that I hadde whan the angell
       Gabryell gret me, & sayd I sholde conceyue the sone of God, whiche sholde
       redeme mankynde. The seconde .l. tho[u] shalt saye in remembraunce &
       worshippe of that grete ioye that I had whan I brought forth into this



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       worlde God & man. The thyrde .l. thou shalt saye in remembraunce and
    30 worshyppe of myn Assumpcion, whan I was exalted and crowned quene of
       heuen, where my dere sone regneth euerlastyngly.' Sothely, it was than
       Satyrdaye whan these thynges were done, & she sayd to hym, 'The next
       Satyrdaye, I wyll come hyder to the agayne, & than some tydynges I shall
       shewe the, wherof ou shalt gretely ioye.' And whan she had tolde &
    35 sayd this to hym, she vanysshed awaye from hym.
       
       Trewely this forsayd monke contynued in his deuocion, & sayd euery daye
       Aue Maria, after e forme at our Lady taught hym. Than e next
       Satyrday folowynge, oure Lady appered to the same monke agayne, as she
       sayd before, in e forsayd chapell, ful semely arayed in fayre clothynge,
    40 & sayd to hym, 'Lo! This clot[h]ynge ou hast gyuen me this weke, at
       hath bothe sleues & lappes. Therfore gramercy, & well I shall rewarde
       the, bothe here in this lyfe, and in |r[f.3r] tyme to come. And now go home
       vnto thy monaesterye, for whan thou comest thyder thou shalt be chosen
       abbot. A[n]d whan thou art abbot, teche th[y] couent to saye my sawter as I
    45 haue tolde the; and preche it ouer to all the people to do the same, that
       well it may be to them bothe in lyfe and in dethe. Seuen yere thou shalt
       lyue to preche and teche the people that they maye exarcyse and vse to
       saye my sawter. And at the seuen[th] yeres end, ou shalt dye & come to
       me. Also knowe thou for certayne, that many the whiche sholde haue
    50 perysshed and be loste, shall be saued by my sawter saynge.' And whan
       she had this sayd, she assended vp to heuen.
       
       And anone after this mon[k]e was made abbot. And thanne he taught his
       brethren & e people there how they sholde say our Ladyes sa[u]ter; &
       also by e space of that seuen yere he preched dylygentely to all folke to
    55 kepe & vse the same forme & saynge as he was warned before of our
       blessyd Lady. And whan this was done, he blessedly dyed & went to
       heuen.
       
       |r[No.2] How a childe spake with an ymage of our Lorde and ete with
       hym.
       
    60 A certayne abbot there was vpon a tyme, the whiche had many
       worshypfull mennes sones dwellynge with hym to be nortured & brought
       vp in his abbaye; amonge the whiche childern one specyaly he loued,
       whome often tymes syngulerly he desyred and wolde haue with hym, and
       specyaly dyde enforme and teche hym to beware of |r[f.3v] vyces and to kepe



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    65 hym fro synne, & to use hym to vertue and good lyuynge. Sothely, the
       chylde toke good hede to the abbottes techyng, & after his wordes
       innocently lyued. And euery daye at a certayne houre he toke his dyner,
       and wente into the chirche to the aulter of oure blessyd Lady. And there,
       whan he had sayde our Lady sawter, toke and +ete his dyner that he had
    70 brought wyth hym; and this he vsed to do often tymes.
       
       Sothely, on a tyme, he made hym redy to ete there as he was wonte to do,
       & the ymage of the chylde Ihesu came downe from his moders lappe & sat
       wyth hym. Mekely they louyd togyder, etynge togyder & spekynge
       togyder, and also many swete wordes were betwixt theym. And
    75 whatsomeuer Ihesu taught the chylde, he promysid to doo. And in this
       sam[e] wyse they dyde often tymes togydre.
       
       Sothely, on a daye whan he came from suche a swete brekefaste, it
       happened he met wyth the abbot, there as he dwelled wythal, whiche
       asked hym where he had be so longe. And the childe answerd and sayde
    80 that he had ben wyth his good felowe. Thenne the abbot asked hym,
       'Who is that good felawe?' He sayde agayne, 'Come wyth me, and I shall
       shewe hym to the,' and brought the abbot into the chirche, and shewed
       hym the ymage of the chylde Ihesu, in the lappe of the ymage of oure
       blessyd Lady. 'Trewely,' thenne sayde the abbot, 'the felawshyppe of
    85 hym is good. God defende that ony man sholde forbede the this
       felawshyppe. Therfore |r[f.4r] be treue to hym, and loue hym well.' Trewely
       the abbot thought that on the morowe he wolde wayte e houre whan this
       childe after his custome wolde come to the same place, leste happely he
       hadde lyed, lyke as chyldren vse to do.
       
    90 And on the morowe the chylde came as he vsed to doo to the same place.
       Whan he had sayd our Lady sauter, he put his brede on his cappe, and
       sayde to the ymage of the chylde Ihesu, 'Come hyder, good felowe, and
       lete vs ete oure dyner togyder.' Thenne the ymage sayd to hym, 'I wyll no
       more dyne wyth the, for thou haste tolde e abbot of me, and hast shewed
    95 to hym my secretes.' Than the chy[l]de answered agayne and sayd, 'The
       abbot asked me where I had be, and I wote not what I sholde haue sayde
       other wyse, but I sholde haue lyed. And often thou haste taught me that I
       sholde not lye in no wyse.' Thenne sayd the ymage agayne, 'I wyll not come
       to the but thou wyll another tyme come to me, and dyne wyth me.' 'Ryghte



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   100 gladly,' sayd the chylde, 'I wyl come to the and dyne wyth the what daye
       that euer it please the.' & than anone the ymage came dow[n]e to the
       chylde. Sothely the abbot aforsayde stode in a secrete place, & behelde
       the ymage of our Lorde Ihesu and e childe, and herde theyr wordes. And
       for ioye gretely he began to wepe, and so stylly wente his waye. And after
   105 they had eten and spoken togyder, the chylde went thens home.
       
       The abbot met wyth hym anone, and swetely spekynge to hym, clypped
       hym in |r[f.4v] his armes and sayde, 'My swete so+ne, where haste thou be so
       lo[n]ge?' And the childe sayde, 'For the loue of God, Fader, aske me no
       more. For the other tyme that I tolde you, my felowe was very wroth; and
   110 soo moche he was dyspleased, that he wolde not come to me tyll I
       promysed hym that I wolde come and dyne wyth hym another tyme.'
       Thenne sayd the abbot to the childe, 'Aa, therfore, sone thou must come to
       his dyner?' And the childe sayde, 'Yes, Fader, and that algate.' Than
       sayde the abbot, 'And thou wylt do ony thynge for me and for my loue,
   115 praye thy felowe that I maye come also wyth the to that dyner.'
       'Gladdely, syr,' sayde the childe, 'I wyll speke for you, and doo also as
       moche as I maye.'
       
       And on the morowe this childe came agayne after his custome to the same
       place where the ymage of oure Lady was; and the abbot preuely folowed
   120 after, and stode in a secrete place as he dyde afore, the childe not
       knowy[n]ge. Thenne the ymage of Ihesu came downe to the childe, and
       moche ioye they had bytwene them. Than the childe sayd to our Lorde
       Ihesu, 'Nowe good felowe, here my tale at I wyll telle the. Yesterdaye
       my lorde e abbot asked of me as he met with me, where I had be so longe,
   125 & I tolde hym al togyder, & how I must dyne wyth you; & whan he herde
       me saye this, he wept sore, & prayed me hertely at I shold pray to you
       for hym at he myght also come wyth me to that dyner. Wherfore good
       felowe, and mooste beloued, now I praye you graunte me this.' |r[f.5r] Than
       our Lorde Ihesu sayde to the childe, 'The abbot is not redy to come to that
   130 dyner. But saye |r[t]o hym at he make hym redy as soone as he can, to come
       to me on Crystmasse daye' - the whiche was than nyghe at honde. Than
       the abbot that stode by in a secrete place, herynge this, for ioye &



|p45


       gladnesse he wept, & preuely wente awaye agayne. And afterwarde the
       childe came to hym, & tolde hym that he had sped his erande; & therfore
   135 the abbot gretely thanked hym.
       
       Sothely whan Crystmasse day was come, the abbot made a feste to all his
       brethern, & sange that same daye the hye masse, & serued also his gestes
       in his owne propre persone. Than came e forsayd childe to e abbot, &
       sayd to hym stylly in his ere, 'Syr, it is tyme at we go to our dyner
   140 aforsayd, lest happely my felowe our Lorde Ihesu Cryste sh[a]l be
       wrothe.' Than sayd the same abbot to the chylde, 'Thou sayst wel my sone.
       And I wolde not at yo[ur]e felo[w]e sholde be wrothe for no thynge.' Than
       e forsayd abbot gladly conforted his gestes, & prayed them to be mery, &
       sayd, 'This same chylde and I be called to another feste. And now it is
   145 tyme that we go; wherfore I commende me you to our Lorde Ihesu Cryste,
       the whiche graunte you for his grete mercy to come to the same feste.'
       Trewely, the forsayd childe that same daye wold ete no thynge, for he
       wolde come fastynge to his good felowe, o[u]r Lorde Ihesu Cryste. And
       whan the abbot & the forsayd childe were come to the same place, they
   150 passed both |r[f.5v] togydre, and yelded vp theyr soules to God.
       
       |r[No.3] Of a wycked kyng that was tourned at the last, & became a
       monke, & by the gloryous virgyn Marye was delyuered fro the power of the
       fendes.
       There was a certayne kynge, full cruell and wycked in all hys kyngdome
   155 and power. And whan he had thus longe contynued, he felt & vnderstode
       at the laste his lyfe drawynge to an ende. And on a daye this kynge called
       for certayne bysshoppes & abbottes, and other of his frendes, as he sholde
       seche helpe and counseyll of them. And as they were come togyder, he
       sayd, 'I see and vnderstande, my lordes & frendes, that I shall not longe
   160 lyue; wherfore I d[e]syre you to gyue me holsome counseyl what I myght do
       for the helth of my soule. For I knowe well that wyckedly I haue lyued
       hytherto, and I shall be dampned in helle. And therfore what maye I
       nowe do?' Than they sayd, 'Yf ye wyll haue forgyuenes of your synnes, &
       desyre to be saued, we auyse you that ye leue your kyngdome and let your
   165 hede be shaue, and take on you the habyte and clothynge of a monke, for
       this onely remayneth for hope of your saluacyon, & many by this haue be



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       saued. Therfore doo this, that ye may be saued.' Than the kynge without
       ony taryenge, by the consent of theym all, was receyued of a certayne abbot
       into his abbay, the whiche abbay was of oure blessyd Lady Saynt Marye,
   170 & there he was made a monke.
       
       Sothely, soone after he was |r[f.6r] smyten with a greuous axis, and began to
       drawe faste out of this worlde. And anone came to hym wycked spyrytes
       and fendes to face hym. Trewely, than came thyder an angell of God, &
       sayd to them, 'Wherfore come you hyder?' Than they sayd, 'For this kyng
   175 is oures.' The angell sayd agayne, 'Take your kynge & go your waye. I
       knowe hym not for a kyng, but for a monke. Sothely sythen he became the
       blessyd virgyn Maryes monke, she hath goten of her sone forgyuenesse of
       all his synnes, and t+o haue also euerlastynge lyfe and ioye in heuen. And
       therfore, what thynge haue ye to do with hym?' Knowe ye not, that as in
   180 baptym all synnes be forgyuen, and euerlastynge lyfe is graun+ted, soo the
       grete mercy and pyte of our Lorde Ihesu Cryste dooth awaye a mannes
       synnes that taketh o[n] hym the ordre of a monke, and kepeth it. Therfore
       of some it is called a seconde baptymme. And how be it that this forsayd
       kyng synned moche, yet at the laste he sore repented hym, and with his
   185 wepynge wasshed awaye his synnes. And moreouer, he was a monke of the
       gloryouse virgyne and moder of God, Saynt Marye, the whiche hath goten
       of her sone for hym remyssyon of his synnes, and euerlastinge lyfe in heuen.
       And also she hath sende me hyther to brynge his soule before God.' And
       whanne the angell had sayd this, he toke vp with hym the soule with
   190 grete melodye, and wente his waye. Trewly, thanne, these wycked
       spyrytes and my*nystres |r[f.6v] of the deuyll, with a full grete crye
       vanysshed awaye, as the smoke doth fro the fyre, not knowynge the grete
       mercy of our blessyd Lorde Iesu Cryste, & the goodnesse of the gloryouse
       virgyne, his moder, to whome be now and euermore worshyp and ioye.
   195 Amen.
       
       |r[No.4] How a knyght was dely[u]ered out of pryson by our Lady, bycause
       he eshewed to synne with a woman that was called Maria.
       
       A certayne knyght was take of his enemyes, to whome came a woman,
       bycause he sholde syn[n]e with her. And whan he consented so to do, he



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   200 asked what was her name. She sayd, 'Maria is my name.' Than he said to
       her, 'Bycause thy name is Maria, for the reuerence of the moder of God, I
       wyl not synne wyth the.' Than the blyssed virgine & moder of pyte, seynge
       this, without ony taryenge opened the prison that this knyght was in, and
       delyuered hy[m] thens.
       
   205 |r[No.5] Of another knyt also, e whiche fylle in auowtrye.
       
       Also another knyght on a tyme fylle in avoutrye with his lordes wyfe.
       Neuertheles, he had grete deuocyon to our blissed Lady Saynte Mary, &
       euery daye by an hole yere, he vsed for to saye thryes fyfty tymes Aue
       Marya, to the wor[s]hyp of oure blyssed Lady. Sothely, it happened on a
   210 tyme as he was aslepe, he sawe, hym thoughte, our blyssed Lady brynge to
       hym fayre mylke in a foule |r[f.7r] cuppe, & styred hym to ete of it. And
       than he sayd that he loued mylke aboue all other metys, but of that
       mylke he sayd he myghte not ete, for the foule and vnclene vessell that it
       was in. Than our Lady sayd to hym agayn, 'So loue I the salutacyon that
   215 ou sayst to me dayly. And bycause thy herte is vnclene, I lothe it of thy
       mouth. But be clensyd of it, & thou shalt be rewarded.'
       
       |r[No.6] Of a knyght at was delyuered from pryson by our Lady.
       
       Another knyght also vpon a tyme was put in a full myghty towre, & whan
       he coude not be delyuered by prayer, neyther by moneye, he prayed
   220 deuoutely to our blessyd Lady, that she wolde wouches[a]uf to delyuer
       hym. Than oure blessyd Lady whoos mercy & pite is infynite, herde his
       deuoute prayers, & lyghtned e pryson, & loused his cheynes & opened the
       dore, & so delyuered hym withoute ony knowlege of the kepers, and
       walked with hym in the nyghte a dayes iourneye, & so he escaped the
   225 daunger of his enemyes.
       
       |r[No.7] How oure Lady restored a knyghtes wyfe to her lyfe.
       
       A certayn knyghte there was, that moche loued our blessyd Lady, e
       whiche customably vsed to ryse oute of his bedde at mydnyght to go to his
       chapel, not knowynge his wyfe whether at he went, & there in e same
   230 chapel he vsed to saye euery nyght, in e worshyp of our Lady, .l.



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       ty*mes |r[f.7v] Aue Marie. Sothely, it happened on a tyme, as this lady sat at
       souper with her husbond e knight, thynkynge that he was ful fayre &
       goodly, sayde to hym, 'Syr, is there ony woman that ye loue more than
       me?' Than sayde he to her, 'For certayne, madame, ther is no woman that I
   235 loue so moche as you, saue one.' Than she was full sory for this worde that
       he sayde, 'saue one,' & thought to herselfe that the next tyme that he rose
       out of his bedde fro her, as he was wonte to do, she wolde slee herself, that
       so he myght be slayne for her deth.
       
       And whan she had thought this, the next nyght folowynge this knyght
   240 her husbonde rose at mydnight, as he vsed to do, & wente into his chapell,
       & sayde in the worshyp of our Lady .l. tymes Aue Maria. The menewhyle,
       his lady toke his knyfe, & slytte her owne bely, & slewe herself; for she
       had wende that he had gone that tyme to some other woman. And whan
       she hadde slayne herselfe, there was founde in her bely two yonge babyes,
   245 deed lyenge in her blood.
       
       Trewely than whan this knyght hadde sayd his prayers bifore the ymage
       of our blessyd Lady in his chapell, he came into his chambre to his bed,
       and there he founde his wyf, deed & al blody, & two yonge babyes by her,
       & deed also. Thenne this knyght was full sore aferd of this horryble
   250 syght, & gretly drede leste his wyues kynne wolde therfore persue him to
       e deth. & therfore anone he retourned agayne vnto his chapell, and
       prayed deuoutly vnto our |r[f.8r] blessyd Lady Saynt Marye for helpe, &
       sayd vnto her as many salutacyons as he dyde afore. And thanne he fyll
       aslepe, vnto whome came our blessyd Lady, & sayd, 'Bycause [t]hat
   255 oftentymes ou hast come hyther and worshypped me deuoutely, therfore
       goo to thy chambre, & there ou shalt fynde mater of comfort & ioye.' And
       whan she had this sayd to hym, anone she vanysshed awaye.
       
       Than this knyght came to his chambre, & founde his wyfe hole & alyue,
       and two yonge babyes soukynge her pappes, and sayd to her, 'O my good
   260 lady, be ye alyue?' She sayd, 'Yes [s]yr, & blessyd mote ye be, for by your
       prayers I am saued whan I was dampned, bycause I slewe myselfe that ye
       myght be kylled also for me. And ther+fore that moost fayrest lady, Saynt
       Marye, euermore loke that ye loue her more than me.' And so he dyd, &
       bothe they ended theyr lyues blessydly togyder.



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   265 |r[No.8] How a knyght fyll to pouerte, & by the deuyll was made ryche,
       & by e merytes of his wyfe was, by our Lady, restored agayn to good and
       vertuouse lyuyng.
       
       On a tyme, a worshypful knyght fyll to grete pouerte by an vndyscrete
       lyberalnes that he vsed to gyue his godes awaye. This knyght hadde a
   270 full honest woman to his wyfe, e whiche serued our Lady full deuoutely.
       And on a tyme, ther was a solempne fest of e yere nye, as it myght be
       Crystamas or Ester, in e which this knyght vsed afore to gyue large
       gyftes; & whan he sawe he |r[f.8v] had not to gyue at that tyme, as he was
       wonte to do, full gretely he was confounded & asshamed in hymselfe.
   275 Wherfore, tyll that solempne tyme were paste, he wente to wyldernes, to
       sorowe his mysfortune & to eschewe his shame. And anone came to hym a
       sterne & a gastfull man on horsbacke syttynge, that asked hym why he
       was so heuy. Than this knyght tolde hym all thynge as it was. Than the
       other sayd to hym, 'And ou wylte doo a lytyl thynge for me, ou shalt
   280 haue more rychesse than euer thou haddest before.' 'l promyse the,' sayd
       this knyght, 'I wyll do whatsomeuer ou byddest me, so that ou wylt
       fulfyll in dede lyke as ou sayest.' Than sayd he to hym, 'Go to thy house,
       and in suche a place ou shalt fynde grete weghtes of golde & syluer &
       precyous stones. And this ou shalt do for me: at suche a day brynge hyther
   285 thy wyf wyth the.' Than vnder this promyse, this knyght retourned home
       agayne, & in the same place where it was sayd to hym, he founde grete
       quantyte of golde & syluer & precyous stones. Than anone he bought hym
       places, he yaue gyftes, & quyte out hys pledges, & gate hym seruauntes.
       
       And whan the daye was nye comen to fulfyll hys promyse, he called hys
   290 wyfe to hym & sayd, 'Take your horse, for ye muste go a good way hens.'
       Than she fered, not knowynge what he ment, but she durste not saye hym
       nay, & deuoutely commytted her to our blessyd Lady, & so rode after her
       husbonde.
       
       Sothely as they rode forthwarde, they founde a chapell in |r[f.9r] theyr
   295 waye, & this lady lyghted downe of her horse, & wente into the chapel,
       the knyght her hu+sbonde bydynge her wythout; & as she prayed deuoutly
       to our Lady, sodenly she fyll aslepe. Than anone the gloryouse virgyn
       Mary came out of the chapel, in raymente & shap lyke this knyghtes wyfe



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       in all thynges, & lyghted vp on her horse, she b[y]dynge stil in the same
   300 chappel. This knyght knewe not but she that came out of the chapell had
       be his wyfe, & so wente forth his waye.
       
       And whan he was come to the place that was assygned to hym, anone the
       prince of derkenes, the deuyll, wyth grete fyersnes hasted hym to that
       place. And whan he was nye it, he began anone to rore & sayd, 'O thou
   305 moste falseste of men! Why hast thou th[u]s illuded & desceyued me, for
       soo grete benefetys that I haue done for the? I sayde to the that thou
       sholdest brynge me thy wyfe, and thou hast brought with the the moder of
       God. I wolde haue had thy wyf, & thou hast brought the holy Mary; & for
       the grete wronges that thy wyfe doth to me, I wolde haue be auenged on
   310 her. And thou hast brought this woman, that she mygh[t] punysshe me &
       commaunde me to helle.' And whan this knyght herde this, gretely he
       merueyled, & for drede & wondre myght not speke one worde. Thenne
       sayde the blyssyd virgyn Mary, 'By what boldenes hast thou presumed,
       wycked spyryte, to noye or [t]rouble my seruaunt, this mannes wyfe. This
   315 shall not be vnp[u]nisshed. And now with this sentence I byn*de |r[f.9v] the,
       that thou descende downe to helle, & hereafter ou presume not to noye or
       dyssesse ony persone at to me deuoutly prayeth.' Sothely, than, this
       wycked spiryte wyth a grete crye voyded awaye. & e knight lyghted
       downe, & laye hym prostrate at oure Ladyes fete, whome our Lady
   320 blamed, & bad hym go agayne to his wyfe, that was in the chapell yet
       aslepe, & that he sholde caste awaye all the rychesse at he had of the
       deuyl. Than he came ayene to his wyf, as he founde her sl[e]pynge, &
       waked her vp, & tolde her all thynge lyke as it befylle hym. And whan
       they cam home, they caste awaye all the deuylles ryches, and full
   325 deuoutly they contynued in laude & seruyce of oure blessyd Lady Saint
       Mary, the whiche afterward sende to them bothe rychesse and prosperyte.
       
       |r[No.9] How oure Lady preserued a knyght, that he was not strangled of
       the deuyll.
       
       Trewly e deuyll Sathanas was aboute the space of thre yere to lette a
   330 certayne knyght fro the sayenge of our Ladyes salutacion, at is, Aue
       Maria. And whan he coude not brynge it aboute, he came to hym vysybly in



|p51


       the lykenesse of a fayre yonge man, & tolde hym that he knewe all e
       wayes that he went, & all the flockes of his bestes. And whan this knyght
       herde this, he prayed hym to dwelle wyth hym, in a castell that was
   335 inexpugnable. And whan he had be wyth hym a foure yere, he coude neuer
       make hym leue the saynge of oure Ladyes salutacyon, Aue Maria. But he
       dyde moo |r[f.10r] cursed dedes the tyme that the deuyll dwelled wyth hym
       than euer he dyde before in his lyfe.
       
       And on a tyme there was an heremyte that dwelled by hym, the whiche
   340 bycause of frendeshypp came to visyte hym, whome this knyght, wyth
       grete instaunce, desired to dyner, and tolde hym that for ony thynge he
       muste tary & abyde dyner. And as this heremite sat wyth the knyght at
       mete, he sawe a deuyl seruyng hym, & called the deuyll, & coniured hym
       by the passyon of the sone of God & his blessyd moder, to telle hym what
   345 he was, & wherfore he dwelled with this knyght. Than he sayde, 'I am a
       deuyl, and of the felauship of Lucyfer, & I was sende hyther to dysceyue
       this knyght that thou seest. And bycause I coude not let hym fro sayng of
       the salutacions of the holy virgyn Mary, I came to dwelle with hym in
       this lykenes and shape, that I myght e soner strangle hym; & also it was
   350 graunted me, yf he left ony daye euentyde or mornynge the saynge of the
       salutacion of the blessyd Mary, than to slee hym, and to bere wyth me his
       soule to helle.' And whan he had sayde this, anone he vanysshed awaye.
       Sothely, than, this knyght restored all thynge agayne that he had taken
       awaye fully, and chose hym a place in wyldernes to do his penaunce.
       
   355 |r[No.10] How oure Lady taught a monke of the Charterhouse at Colayne
       how that he shold[e] please her in prayers and deuoute orysons.
       
       |r[f.10v] A certeyn monke of the Chartyrhouse at Colayne, the whiche
       afterwarde was made pryour of the same place, vsed to praye contynually
       deuoutly to God to haue somme vnderstandyng what thinge he myght saye
   360 or do to the worshyp of oure blessyd Lady, whereby he myght beste please
       her. And att the laste his prayer was herde. Sothely on a tyme, our Lady
       apperyd to hym in his celle syttynge, & sayd to hym, 'Lo, longe tyme ou
       hast prayed to knowe how thou myghteste please me. Saye euery daye,
       lyenge prostrate vpon thy one syde l. tymes Aue Maria. And well it wyll



|p52


   365 please me, and well it shall be to the.' And whyle she sayde this to hym,
       one of his brethern, a monke, knocked at his celle dore. Than our blessyd
       Lady asked him, 'Who is he?' And he tolde her that it is one of his
       brethern, & named hym. Than sayde she to hym, 'Let hym come in, for he
       is a specyall frende of myne.' And whan he was come in, our blessyd Lady
   370 Saynt Mary kyssyd hym, and soo wente oute of her syght bothe.
       
       |r[No.11] Of a monke, a sexten, and how oure Lady kyssed hym.
       
       In a certayne abbay ther was a monke at was sexten, full deuoute to our
       blessyd Lady, and loued her in a clene herte. Sothely he had his bedde in
       the chirche, & vsed euery nyght, bothe afore matyns and after, full longe
   375 tyme deuoutely to pra[y]e vppon his knees on the bare grounde, byfore a[n]
       |r[f.11r] ymage of our Lady, largely we[p]yng for his synnes, & whan he had
       wepte & sayd his prayers, thus he wolde saye to the ymage of our Lady,
       'O blessyd Lady, that art so fayre in erthe, how incompar[a]ble art thou,
       moost fayrest in heuen. Sothely he were blessyd that myght see thy
   380 fayrenes. I wote well that I am vnworthy; but good Lady, after the vertu of
       thy power ou mayst make me worthy.' And in this wyse longe tyme he
       exercysed hymselfe in mornynge & teres.
       
       Than at the laste the blessyd Lady, knowynge his desyre, appered to hym
       in his slepe, hauynge in her hande a boke wryten with golden letters. And
   385 it semed to [the] monke that all the chyrche was enflammed of fyre. And
       as he skypped out of his bed, he fyll before the fete of our blessyd Lady, &
       loked in her face that was bryghter than the sone. And she opened the
       boke, in the whiche was wryten the prophecye of Ysaye, of the whyche
       the monke gretely ioyed, but moche more he delyted to beholde the
   390 fayrenesse & the rose coloure of her face, & sayd, 'O moost blessyd Lady
       Saynt Marye, suffre me ones to kysse thy fete.' Than she smyled & sayd in
       this wyse to hym, 'l wyll not at thy mouth, with the whiche ou hast so
       oftymes lauded me, touche my fete, but thy mouthe shall touche my
       mouthe, & the clerenes of my face.' Than our Lady Saynt Marye kyssed
   395 hym, & for ioye therof he thought hymself rauysshed. And whan this
       monke remembred well that swete dreme, and for the grete gladnesse of
       his |r[f.11v] herte, full largely he wept. And euer after all the dayes of hys
       lyfe, full deuoutely he serued our blessyd Lady.



|p53


       |r[No.12] How our Lady apperyd to monkes that were at matyns, and
   400 shewed her sone to them, and sayd, 'Ecce merces vestra!'
       
       In a certayne grete abbay on Crystmas nyght, as the monkes were at matyns
       full myghtely labourynge in dyuyne seruyce, sange deuoutely Te Deum
       laudamus, our blessyd Lady Saynt Marye shewed herself to some of them,
       e whyche sawe her go vysybly through e myddes of the quere, with a
   405 grete multytude of angellys with instrumentes of musyke, laudyng &
       praysynge our blessyd Lorde Ihesu. And she bare in her handes her swete
       sone, our Lorde Ihesu Cryste, offerynge hym to them & sayd, 'Ecce merces
       vestra!' that is to say, 'Lo, this is your mede!'
       
       |r[No.13] How a monke that besely remembred our blessyd Lady was
   410 receyued of her into heuen.
       There was a certayne yonge monke that so moche loued our blessyd Lady
       Saynt Mary, that he wolde neuer leue her out of his mynde, &
       whatsomeuer he dyde, or whethereuer he wente, euermore he wolde
       deuoutely thynke on our blessyd Lady. And on a tyme it happened that he
   415 fyl seke, to whome came deuylles in lykenesse of angeles, whiche had
       enuy at his clene & holy lyuynge, and moost bycause he loued our blessyd
       Lady so moche. |r[f.12r] And one of them sayde to hym, 'I wyl hele the, and
       thou wylt do after my counseyl. Truely ou doste consume thyselfe by
       ouermoche thynkynge on Mary. Leue this, & do by dyscrecyon. There be
   420 many blessyd men in this monastery that thynke not soo moche on her.
       What auayleth it to the yf thou be cause of thyn owne dethe & lese
       thyselfe?' Sothely than, this forsayd monke hadde knowlege by the grace
       of Almyghty God that they were wycked spyrytes & deuylles; wherfore
       he caste holy water amonge them, & than anone all tho wycked spyrytes
   425 vanysshed awaye. Than the thyrde daye the gloryouse virgin Saynt Mary
       came to hym with a noble heuenly felawshyp, & sayd, 'Bycause thou hast
       had m[e] euer in mynde, I haue not forgoten the. Gyue me thy soule, for it
       shall dwell with me euerlastyngly.' When our Lady had sayd this, the
       monke anone yelded vp his spyryte, & our Lady assended vp to heuen,
   430 berynge with her the monkes soule. & after the .iii. daye this monke



|p54


       appered to all his brethern as they were in the chirche at dyuyne seruyce
       & sayd, 'Brethern, thanke ye our blessyd Lady, & worshyp her by whome
       I am saued; & bycause I had her euermore whyle I lyued in mynde, she
       hath set me in euerlastynge ioyes of heuen. & therfore, brethern, be ye
   435 myndefull of her, at after your deth ye may reygne with her.' & whan
       this was sayd he vanysshed awaye.
       
       |r[No.14] Of a monke that was in all thynges full seruysable to our Lady
       blessydly dyed.
       
       |r[f.12v] Also it is not to leue out of a monke called Egnesanensi, the whiche
   440 wolde neuer leue ony thynge vndone at longed to the seruyce of our blessyd
       Lady. This monke on a tyme was seke, & whan he was full nyghe his deth,
       he sawe the gloryouse virgyn Marye & moder of God comynge to hym, &
       ful gladde he was to see her come to helpe hym, & bowed his hede mekely
       to her as he myght, and sange this response Gaude Maria virgo. And whan
   445 he had songe this response, he yelded vp his spyrite at the
       commaundement of our blessyd Lady, to be bore into the blesse of heuen by
       e seruyce of angels.
       
       T+herfore al Crysten people ought of ryght to be feruent & brennynge in her
       seruyce, & to studye how they myghte please her, not onely they at ben
   450 well & vertuously dysposed, but also they that ben synners and pro[n]e to
       euyll. Sothely she is full benynge & redy to al & euerychone, ryghte
       largely to rewarde theym with mede that woll deserue it. Ryghtful men &
       synners, none she doth forsake or refuse, gode men preseruynge in grace, &
       lyftynge vp synfull men fro wyckednes; & therfore all Crysten people of
   455 what degree or meryte at they be of sholde specyally take hede to her
       worshyppe and laude. For whosomeuer deuoutely contynueth in her
       seruyce, withouten doubte he shall come to the ioyes of heuen.
       
       |r[No.15] How a monke worshypped our blessed Lady with fyue psalmes
       after fyue letters of her name.
       
   460 |r[f.13r] There was a symple monke at was called Iostyus, that to our
       blessyd Lady was ful deuoute nyght & daye, beyng carefull how he myght
       please her. And oftentymes with grete deuocyon he vsed to saye on his
       knees, to the worshypp of our blessyd Lady, the .vii. psalmes with other
       thynges that he lerned in his youth. And gretely he sorowed that he coude
   465 no propre thynge of laude and commendacyon to her, by the which he
       myght specyally worshyp her or grete her. So at the laste, after his



|p55


       symple vnderstandyng, he dysposed hym to saye euery daye whyle he
       lyued fyue psalmes for the fyue lettres at be in oure blessyd Lady Saint
       Maryes name, Maria. That is to saye: for the fyrst letter, 'M', Magnificat;
   470 for 'A', Ad Dominum cum tribularer; for 'R', Retribue seruo tuo; for 'I', In
       conuertendo; for the seconde 'A', Ad te leuaui. And this pleased our
       ble[s]syd Lady Saint Mary, as was shewed after his deth. Trewely there
       was founde after that he dyceasyd fyue fayre rede roses springynge out of
       his mouth, as fresshe & well smellynge as they had be gedryd the same
   475 daye. And this was done beyonde the see, at a place called Ad Sanctum
       Audomarum.
       
       |r[No.16] How these two wordes Aue Marya gloryfyed a knyght after his
       deth.
       
       A certayne knyght that was ryche & noble forsoke the world, & entred
   480 into a religyon called Cisterciensium. And bycause he knewe no letter on
       bokes, the monkes put to hym a mays*ter |r[f.13v], that he myght somwhat
       lerne, & so by that occasyon to stonde amonge the monkes, for they were
       ashamed that suche a noble man sholde stonde amonge the lay people.
       And whan he had be longe tyme with a mayster, & no thynge coude lerne
   485 but these two wordes Aue Maria, so faste he helde tho two wordes at
       whethereuer he went, or whatsomeeuer he dyde, euermore he wolde saye
       Aue Maria.
       Than at e last he deyed & was buryed in the chirche yerde with other.
       And lo! out of his graue spronge a fayre lylye, & euery lefe was wreten
   490 with golden letters, Aue Maria. Than they ranne all thyder for to see so
       grete a syght. And as they dygged the erthe out of the graue, they founde
       e rote of the same forsayd lylye spryngyng out of his mouth; whereby
       they vnderstode with how grete deuocyon he vsed in his lyf to saye tho
       two wordes, Aue Maria, for whome oure Lorde shewed so grete myracle of
   495 worshyppe.
       
       |r[No.17] Another myracle of oure Lady of a good aged woman.
       
       There was also on a tyme a good aged woman, that knewe no more of the
       salutacyon of our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary but these two wordes, Aue
       Maria, the whiche euermore she wolde say full deuoutly; to whose
   500 prayers our blessyd Lady was enclyned, & dyde by her merytes many
       myracles. Than the bysshop, perceyuynge this, made her to lerne of a



|p56


       clerke all the hole salutation |r[f.14r] of our Lady. And whan she vsed
       dayly to saye it as she coude, there were no myracles shewed by her; &
       whan e byssop sawe this, he warned her to leue al at she lerned, & so to
   505 worship our Lady as she dyd before; & whan she so dyd myracles came to
       her ayen.
       
       |r[No.18] How our Lady vysyted a monke at his deth for sayng of her
       seruyce deuoutely.
       
       In Spayne, in an house of the ordre of Cisterciensium, was a yonge monke
   510 at was very feruent & deuoute in our Ladyes seruyse. And in saynge e
       houres of our Lady, he wolde be so well-auysed & softe, at he had mynde
       of her not only in euery verse, but also in euery worde, so at an houre of
       sayng almost wolde last hym, with full grete labour, an houre of tyme.
       And whan he had lyued in his ordre .xvi. yere, he fyl seke almost to e
   515 deth. And whan it was asked of hym at serued hym how he dyde, he
       tolde hym & sayd, 'Our Lady of Heuen hath vysyted me, & tolde me at I
       shall passe hens the .vii. daye next comynge; & moreouer to me she sayd,
       "Bycause ou hast serued me more deuoutely than ony other at lyue, I
       woll do to the at I dyde neuer to none other," & clypped me about the
   520 necke & kyssed me.' Therfore the vii. daye our blessyd Lady apered to this
       monke with a fayre multytude of aungellys, wiche passed hens the same
       daye as she tolde hym before.
       
       |r[No.19] How oure Lady accused certayn relygyouse persones to her sone,
       bycause they sayd her seruyce vnreuerently and hastely.
       
   525 |r[f.14v] A certayn relygyous man that was, laboured with sekenes by the
       whyche he deyed, & sawe before his deth himself rapt to iugement. And
       whan he taryed to haue his iugement, the moder of God came & kneled
       byfor her sone complaynynge, & sayd, 'O moste ryghtwyse Iuge, thys
       mannes bretheren ful neglygently & breuely & vnreuerently saye myn
   530 houres, & therfore commaunde iugement to passe ayenst theym.' Than the
       iuge toke auysement & sayd in this wyse, 'Lete vs sende this man to his
       bretheren ayen, that he may warne theym yf they wyl amende them by
       hym.' Sothely than soon after, this forsayd seke man was retourned to
       hymself ayen, & sat vp in his bedde, & tolde to them that stode aboute
   535 hym tho thynges that he had sene & herde, besechynge & exortynge them,
       in our Lorde Ihesu Crystus behalue, to amende them of all maner defautes
       & neglygences done in Goddes seruyce a[n]d our Ladyes, leste she be founde,



|p57


       as she is, to deuoute persones a moder of mercy, & to them for neglygence a
       quene of vengeaunce. And whan he had this sayd before them al he deyed.
       
   540 |r[No.20] Of a monke whiche had his mynde wanderynge in dyuyne
       seruyce.
       
       Also another monke was, that had his mynde wandryng about, & in his
       prayers vndeuoute, but to oure Ladyes seruyce he behaued hym well &
       dylygently. And vpon a tyme, whan his bretheren went to chyrche to say
   545 matyns, he bode alone |r[f.15r] at home, lyenge in his bed; & he sawe a
       blacke deuyl comynge to hym that toke hym vp & brought hym before a
       grete Iuge, & sayd, 'Lo! I haue brought to e one that longe tyme fayntly &
       neglygen[t]ly hath sayd thy seruyce.' And as the deuyll began to take
       power of hym, he cryed and sayd, 'Holy Mary, helpe me!' And anone our
   550 blessyd Lady delyuered hym from the fende.
       
       |r[No.21] An exortacion to saye dyuyne seruyce distynctly.
       
       Whosomeuer wolde ordeyne to a grete lord a luce or a pyke, & therof wold
       somewhat stele, he wold take neyther the hede nor e tayle, for it wolde
       be soon aspyed, but the myddes. Sothely suche theues ben all prestes &
   555 clerkes that say theyr seruyce hastely, for the begynnynge & the endynge
       of the verses of e psalmes they stele not, but the wordes about the
       myddes. But wolde God it myght fall to them that so done as it hapened to
       a certayne preest in the prouynce of Burgone, as I herde of a brother of the
       place of Dunene, how a certayne preest vsed to saye full shortly his
   560 dyuyne seruyce, whome the deuyll often sythes lyfte vp on hye in his
       chauncell, & afterward myghtely wolde caste hym downe sore to the
       grounde. And this sayd the deuyll whan he lyfte hym vp, 'Dixit dominus
       domino meo,' & there made a good pause; & afterwarde he wolde caste
       hym downe & ende e verse & saye, 'Sede a dexteris meis.' Wherfore this
   565 preest amendyd him, & afterwarde sayd his dyuyne seruyce perfyghtely.
       |r[f.15v] Sothely they at tolde this herde afore of this prestes fa[u]tes, &
       oftentymes went to him, and of his correctyon & amendement they gretely
       meruayled, and asked hym e cause, and he tolde theym as it is sayd
       before.
       
   570 |r[No.22] Of a certayn saynt in Englonde.
       
       It is wryten & tolde of an holy man in Englonde, how he was holden &
       taryed in purgatory .l. yere after his deth, bycause he vsed for to say his
       diuine seruice neglygently, shortly & breuely.



|p58


       |r[No.23] H[o]w many monkes were repreued & blamed for saynge
   575 neglygently Goddes seruyce, & theyr seruyce for the dede.
       
       Now of this myracle that foloweth here, we haue taken ful faythful &
       worthy wytnes, as by the mouth & saynge of the worshypfull fader, Dan
       Symon, somtyme abbot of Los, the whyche besyde of other gyftes of vertue
       had specyally e vertue of mekenes aboue all e monkes of at prouynce.
   580 Sothely he sayd & tolde vs at there was in a hous & a monasterye of the
       ordre of Cisterciensis, a certayne monke, and after the grace at our Lorde
       Ihesu Cryste gaue hym, full deuoute in oure Ladyes seruyce. And leste he
       sholde leue in relygyon vnwarly, but rather so moche the better as he dyde
       mekely, our Lord styred vp ayenst hym one of his owne bretheren of e
   585 cloyster, the whiche wolde const+re all thynge at he dyde to e worst, &
       pursued his inocentenes both in wordes & in dedes; & not only in this |r[f.16r]
       (as a childe of grace) our Lorde Ihesu Cryste wolde haue proued, but also
       he excercysed hym in other .ii. thynges of aduersyte, of the whiche one
       was gostely, & the other bodely. Trewely as ofte as he herde thondrynge,
   590 he myght not [b]ere it, & so he was so sore troubled & afrayde that he was
       almoost at e poynt of deth. Also a sekenes of lepre, that is called gutta
       rosia, certayne tyme wold so corrupte his face, that for the foulnes of
       syghte he was compelled longe whyle to byde at home [i]n the fermory
       often tymes.
       
   595 And whan he was put in the fermorye for this cause, on a nyght after
       matyns as he we[n]t to reste, he blamed hymselfe by the sorowe of
       compunctyon, & whatsomeuer of leprye he had in his face, commytted it
       deuoutly to our Lordes mercy. Sothely, a fewe dayes before, our Lorde had
       vysyted hym, so that in shorte tyme the abbot & almoost .xv. monkes of
   600 the couent blyssedly paste fro this worlde to heuenwarde. And as this
       monke was walkyng in his prayers, he sawe a fayr felaushyp of monkes
       goynge through the myddes of e fermorye, amonge the whyche he knewe
       his fader the abbot, & his breth+eren that dyed a lytyll afore. Of the
       whiche one of theym came to hym & stode by his bed & sayd, 'Dere broder,
   605 we that go here, whyle we lyued in our bodyes, dwelled here in this
       monasterye. And now we ioye al in hope of the ioye of the sone of God, but
       yet we be dyfferred fro the entrynge in of the kyngdom of heuen, for the
       neglygences of some of |r[f.16v] our bretheren. Of the wiche some vndeuoutly,



|p59


       and some slouly, al full vnkyndly done to the psalmes & prayers, the
   610 whiche of dute they ought to do for our soules.
       
       'And not only for this cause they ben holde gylty to vs, but also to our
       blessyd Lord Iesu Cryste hath many thynges ayenst them. Sothely they
       prouoke & styre hym to cast them fro hym, bycause they folowe slouly the
       vowe of relygyon in pure & clene lyuynge, & the preceptes of holy relygyon
   615 without ony drede of God they breke. Also whan they come togyder as e
       tyme & place requyred to serue our Lord God in psalmes and ympnes &
       other spyrytuell songes, than they neyther ete ne taste spyrytuel fode,
       bycause that euerychone presumeth to delyte hym on vanyte after his
       herte. And they suspyre after carnall pleasures that they hadde in the
   620 worlde, and theyr soule sauoureth not the heuenly foode that is the worde
       of God, the whiche they rede and synge but as a mete that is lyght and
       contemtybyll. Trewely this prouoketh the wrath of God moost, that in
       that houre whan as the bretheren enclyne atte Gloria Patri, for the
       reuerence and worshyppe of the blessyd Trinyte, some mocke and scorne,
   625 some iangell ydell wordes, and some make preuely sygnes of ydelnesse.
       And other ben so stiffe in herte & in body, that vnnethis after that Gloria
       Patri is begonne they be bounde, & or Spiritu Sancto be sayd, they be vp
       agayn, and with their syghte they notabely wander aboute in curyouse
       |r[f.17r] thynges in the walles. And other be stondynge in prayer lyke
   630 ymages, & so berafte in slepe that they wote not what is done about them,
       & yet neuertheles they enclyne & ryse vp, as other done, of a certayne
       myserable & wretchyd custome. Therfore go & say to the abbot on our
       behalue, that he dispose him to correcte suche fautes of the bretheren. For
       to him it longet[h] whatsomeuer is done amis of his bretheren, to whome
   635 he is ordeyned of God an ouerseer to tell theym theyr synnes.' Whan this
       was sayd he vanysshed awaye.
       
       Than this monke that herde this rose vp stylly fro his bedde, & yede oute
       of e fermory, & so came to e chirche as he vsed to do afore, & before one
       of e auters prayed to our Lorde with all his herte, & anone he was rapte
   640 in spiryte. And as he loked to the wyndowe that was aboue e auter, he
       sawe a bryght beme of lyght shynyng, & a maruaylouse fayre lady entred
       through the wyndowe to hym. And whan she stode by hym she sayd to
       him, 'Knowest thou not me?' He answered & sayd, 'No, lady.' Than she
       sayd to hym, 'I am Mary, e moder of Ihesu, & now I am come to comforte



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   645 e of thy sorowes & heuenes. I haue herde thy prayers, and I sawe thy
       wepynges.' & as she sayd to hym, the bretheren that were at dyuyne
       seruyce sange Gloria Patri as they vsed to do & enclyned themself, & also
       our blessyd Lady & quene of heuen, with her hondes crosyd, full louely &
       reuerently enclyned herself at that same Gloria Patri, and stode not vp
   650 tyll they |r[f.17v] hadde songe sicut erat in principio. Than after that she
       stode vp & sayde to the monke agayne, 'Th[y] broder the monke that
       pursued the, whiche is deed, after his grete malyce hath receyued full
       many sore paynes, & in token that this that I haue sayde to the is trouthe,
       thou shalt be hole of this two sekenesse that ou haste suffred.' And whan
   655 our blessyd Lady Saint Mary had sayd this to hym, she herself wiped his
       face wyth the sleue of her garment, & so vanysshed awaye.
       
       Sothely, on the morowe this monke preuely tolde to the abbot al thinge as
       it is sayd before, & shewed bothe to hym & to all his brethern certayne &
       very fayth of these same thinges, by the meruaylous token of the
   660 alterynge & chaungyng of his face, whiche outwardly was hole & clene to
       the honoure & worshyp of the gloryouse virgyn & moder of God, the
       whiche reygneth wyth hym lady of angels & quene of heuen
       euerlastyngly, in all worldes of worldes. Amen.
       
       |r[No.24] Another myracle also of a monke at grudged.
       
   665 There was a monke, to whome al his metys semed soo harde, at vnethys
       he might take of it to susteyne his body. And on a nyght our Lady apperyd
       to hym in his slepe, & broughte hym to an ymage of our Lorde Ihesu Cryst
       hangyng on a crosse, & sayd to hym in this wyse, 'Wete thy brede in my
       sones wondes.' & whan e forsayde monke had so doo, hym semed and
   670 thought that it had a full swete and a delycyous taste as a thynge |r[f.18r]
       that is wel poudered.
       
       |r[No.25] Another myracle also of a monke, the whiche was sore in
       temptatyon.
       
       Oure blessyd Lady appered in a vysyon to a certayn monke that was sore in
   675 temptatyon, & shewed hym the state of ioye, & afterwarde she brought
       hym into Egipte & wyldernes, whether she fled with her sone Ihesu for
       the drede of Herode. Than she shewed the monke the horryblenes of
       wyldernes, & the dwellynge that she had with the wolues & lyons, &
       also the grete colde, hungre & thyrst, & e ful grete werenes that she



|p61


   680 suffred. And whan she had shewed this to the monke, she sayd to hym,
       'Loo, sone, by suche delycyousenesse my sone Ihesus was nourysshed vp, & I
       by the same came to the kyngdom of heuen. Therfore take hede of the
       temptacion that my sone Ihesus had in wyldernesse, where he shewed to
       all his folowers & louers a forme of a spyrytuall vyctorye.'
       
   685 |r[No.26] Another myracle of our Lady to a monke.
       
       A monke that was yonge of aege, but holy of lyfe, was soo feble and weke
       of his bodye that it was to hym paynfull to lyue. This monke on a nyght as
       he was at matynes in the chyrch, & had sayd e noctornes, thought to
       spare his hede & to rest hym tyll laudes, & layde hym downe on a blok
   690 at was before e auter, & there slept a lytyll. & anon our blessyd Lady
       was at hym, and touched hym wyth her clothe and sayd, 'Brother, this
       place is |r[f.18v] not to slepe in, but for to praye.' And anone he waked and
       sawe the backe of our blessyd Lady as she went fro hym, and herde a
       womans voyce sayeng these wordes to hym.
       
   695 |r[No.27] Also another myracle of a certayne thefe.
       
       In a wood was a certayn theef that robbed men & kylled them that came
       by. Sothely on a tyme a certayn relygyouse man, by the grace of God, &
       gode exhortation, tourned hym from his wicked lyuynge, & brought hym to
       a monastery of the relygyous vyrgyn Mary & moder of God. And whan he
   700 was there a conuers, euery day often tymes greted oure blessyd Lady Saynt
       Marye with Aue Maria &c. And afterwarde, whan he drewe towarde his
       laste ende, the brethe that wente out of his mouthe sauoured so swete at
       al the towne where the monastery was smeled swetely of it.
       
       |r[No.28] How a conuers of the Chartyrhous was delyuered by our blessyd
   705 Lady fro the fere of deuyls.
       
       There was a conuers of the order of the Chartyrhous, at theyr hede hous in
       Fraunce, that was meke of kynde, yonge of age, gentyll of condicions, and in
       holynes of lyfe well spedde. Sothely he disposyd hym with al hys power
       for e loue of God to mekenes & obedience, & to mortefye his fleshe, so that
   710 he was not onely crucefyed to e worlde, & e world to hym, but also he
       was as dede & buryed to e worlde; & specyally he gaue hymself to holy
       and [deuoute thynges], to be myndfull of our Lady |r[f.19r] Saynt Marye, that
       some good men, the whiche knewe hym & his lyuynge, thought &
       supposed that he knewe no thynge but our Lord Iesu Cryst crucefyed & his



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   715 blessyd moder Mary, a synguler & a specyall louer, next after God, of the
       helth and saluacion of mankynde. These studiis at e begynnynge of his
       conuersyon vertuously taken, more & more he laboured, to proferre fro
       vertue into vertue, by e whiche he styred vp ayenst hymselfe the enuy &
       malyce of our olde & comon enemy the deuyll.
       
   720 And on a nyght as he laye alone in his celle, as e vse of that relygyon is to
       refresse theyr bodyes after laboure & prayer, he beynge wakynge &
       thynkyng on heuenly thynges, vysybly apyred to hym a company of deuyls
       in lykenesse of hogges, the whiche wente all aboute in e celle with a
       gastfull noyse, & gronynge as they were wode, and came & stode about him
   725 as he was in his bed, sore tremblynge for fere & drede, & as it was tolde
       me, he swet for drede, no thynge abydyng but his deth. & as he was in this
       trouble, his fere encreased, & sawe also a certayne man of an horryble
       gretenesse come into his celle, & [af]ter his demenynge he was e prynce of
       deuyls. And at his fyrste comynge in he tourned him to e hogges that were
   730 there & sayd to them, 'What doo ye, cowardes? Why do ye not all to-tere
       hym?' Than sayd the hogges to him, 'We haue be about it as moche as we
       myght, & we coude do nothyng ellys but tempte him with fere.' Than he
       sayd ayen, 'And I |r[f.19v] shal do that, that ye cowardes myght not doo.'
       And whan he hadde sayd this, he straught forth to this gode holy man,
   735 with a gastfull conte[n]aunce, a ferefull i[n]strument of yron, with croked
       hokes, to take hym & all to-tere hym, that for fere was allmoost madde &
       oute of his mynde.
       
       But God, that euermore of his grete mercy prouydeth for his serua[u]ntes
       helpe, brought this man out of this fere & delyuerd hym fro fere. Sothely,
   740 anone as this wyck[e]d spirite had straughte forth his honde to take hym,
       & with the [h]oke of yron al to-tere hym, as it is sayd aboue, anone the
       gloryous moder of God, & truly the moder of mercy, in whome next after
       God he put all his hope, vysybly came to hym, & with a lyght yerd that
       she helde in her honde, sayd to the wicked spyrytes, 'How durste ye,
   745 wycked spyrytes, come hether? This man is not yours, ne ayenst hym in ony
       thynge ye shall preuayle.' & whan she had sayd this, all that company
       vanysshed awaye as a smoke doth. Than after this our Lady comforted



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       hym, that yet was ful sore aferde, with these wordes and sayd, 'It
       pleaseth me, that thou doost. And knowe wel also at the deuocyon of thy
   750 soule [i]s ryght acceptable vnto God & to me. Therfore do as thou doost, &
       of these thynges studye contynuelly to profyte e better thynges, & as for
       ony synguler thynge that I may saye to the in commaundement at this
       tyme, dyspose the to be content with grosse metes & abyect clothes, &
       deuoutely gyue the to bodely laboure.' With these wor*des |r[f.20r] our
   755 b[l]essyd Lady comforted & strengthed her seruaunte, and [a]scended vp to
       heuen.
       
       |r[No.29] How another conuers of the house Clareuall sawe our Lady in the
       open felde with a greate multytude of angellys.
       
       A certayne conuers that was a good relygyous man of the monastery called
   760 Clareuallys, kepte his bestes in a grange longynge to the same abbaye.
       This man on a tyme as he was kepyng his bestes in a grete solempne feste of
       our Lady, began to be heuy rememberynge that holy daye, bycause he
       myght not be at home with his bretheren to halowe that solempne feste.
       And as he weped, the gloryous vyrgyn Mary stode before hym in a quenes
   765 arayment, hauynge aboute her a ioyfull multytude of angels and sayntes.
       This gloryouse lady called the shepherde by his propre name, & swetely
       after her manere spake to hym, as he had be knowe afore of her by longe
       famylyaryte, and asked hym why he was so heuy. Than he sayd to her,
       'Bycause, good Lady, I am not at your solempnyte.' To whome she sayd
   770 agayne, 'Certaynely, thou arte now at my solempnyte. And that is
       ryg[ht]e, & I wyll that thou be atte it.' And anone he herde a quyre of
       angels and of sayntes stondynge aboute him, syngynge laudes to God and to
       the gloryouse virgyn Mary in maruelous swetenes, the whyche swetnes of
       songe & ioyfulnes of syght contynued almoste all the nyghte, wherein he
   775 gretely delyted. |r[f.20v] And this knewe Saint Bernarde that same tyme by
       the Holy Goste; wherfore on e morowe as he made a sermon in the
       chapyter house to the bretheren of e same feste of our Lady, amonge other
       thynges this he sayd, 'Wolde God that we were so solempnys[e]d in our
       oratoryes as this nyghte was a certeyne good man solempnysed in the
   780 felde.



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       |r[No.30] Of a conuers that our Lady vysyted on Candelmas daye as he
       went a processyon.
       
       Another conuers of an abbay of the ordre of Cysterciensis, a laye brother,
       kepte mares that longed to the same place longe tyme, and bycause he
   785 myghte not be at home at oure blessyd Lady seruyce with other, in the
       tyme of the solempne festes, sore it greued hym. This man on a tyme tolde
       his desyre to oure blessyd Lady, & how that he myghte fulfyll it, & asked
       of her with full grete deuotyon. Also in the feste of the Puryfycatyon of our
       blessyd Lady Saynt Mary, he thought & consydered how that daye was
   790 processyon with candels about the houre of tyrce, & how the abbot sange
       that daye masse in the chyrche, and also how the lay bretheren behaued
       them, & full gretely he began to wepe and take a candell in the grange
       that he kepte the same daye, and with the candell began to go aboute e
       berne. Than the glorious vyrgyn Mary o[u]r blessyd Lady, seynge his
   795 deuotion, came downe to him with angels, & made with him a solempe
       processyon.
       
       Sothely the abbot, as he stode by the auter, was rapte |r[f.21r] in spirite &
       sawe all this. And whan masse was done, he tolde to his bretheren in e
       chapiterhous al thynge that was done, & sende to e same conuers a
   800 seruaunt, & commaunded hym to come home to e monastery with the
       messangere without ony taryynge. And whan he was come home, the abbot
       commaunded hym to telle before his bretheren all thynge that was done
       at daye at e grange. And whan he hadde tolde them, the abbot asoyled
       hym from all offyces that longed to the laye bretheren, & prayed hym to
   805 praye for all his bretheren.
       
       |r[No.31] How Saynt Bernarde herde this anteme Salue regina fyrste
       songen.
       
       Whan two yonge monkes on a day went to walke in the couent gardyn
       where was a ponde, they were fou[n]den bothe togyder drowned in e
   810 water, clyppynge eche one other. Truly the abbot of the place drede to bery
       them in the chirche yerde with other, wherfore of this he asked Saynt
       Bernarde, abbot of Clareuall, counceyll.
       
       And the next nyght after, Saynt Bernard prayed to God that he wolde
       wouchesauf to shewe at that pleased hym. And whan he had prayed, he



|p65


   815 fyll aslepe, and hym thought he was vpon a ful hye hylle, and he sawe
       our blessyd Lady vpon another hyl, & betwixt these two hylles was a full
       depe vale. And in this depe & lowe vale, he herde some synge this anteme
       Salue regina with an thyn voyce, & they ascended vpwarde, syngynge the
       same anteme. And as |r[f.21v] they ascende[d] syngynge, euermore they
   820 lyfted vp theyr voyce hyer & hyer. And whan they songe O clemens, O
       pia, O dulcis Maria, tho two monkes appyred that were drowned, whyche
       had songe the forsayd anteme, & were before our Lady in e top of the
       hylle. & as they sayd O dulcis Maria, the blessyd vyrgyn Mary toke them
       to her, & anone that vysyon vanyshed awaye.
       
   825 Sothely Saynt Bernard kepte well in his mynde the forsayd anteme, &
       made it to be wreten & noted as he herde & sawe, & ordeyned also the
       same anteme dayly for to be songe through all his order. And he in his
       owne propre persone buryed the bodyes of the two yonge monkes aforsayde
       before an auter in the chirche with grete ioye and gladnes.
       
   830 |r[No.32] Another myracle of the same anteme.
       
       Certayne relygyous persones were, at customably vsed after complene,
       stondynge ordynatly by e que[r]e before an auter of our Lady, to synge this
       anteme Salue regina, with .ii. tapers brennynge deuou[t]ly with an hye
       voyce. & whan they songe this anteme so, a certayn relygyous man & very
   835 faythfull oftentymes sawe in spyryte at at tyme as they songe Eya ergo
       aduocata nostra, how our Lady e gloryous virgin & moder of God kneled
       downe before e presence of her swete sone, & prayed to hym for e
       conseruacion of all at order. & therfore this we wryte here, at her holy
       prayer is not only for e bretheren of at same ordre, but also for all theym
   840 e |r[f.22r] whiche desyre her to be a mene for theym to her sone, & that
       oftentymes worshyp her, a quene of mercy, with this forsayd anteme,
       Salue regina.
       
       |r[No.33] Another myracle of the same anteme.
       
       Also a certayne lay man that was of holy lyuyng dwelled with the Fryers
   845 Prechours in a certayne house in Englonde, whiche oftentymes sawe a grete
       globe of fyre goynge fro the one syde of the quere to the other syde, &
       descendynge downe of euery broders hede, whyle th[e]y songe deuoutly
       after complyne Salue regina.



|p66


       |r[No.34] Another of this anteme Salue regina.
       
   850 There was a worshypful woman & a noble, that loued moche prayer &
       contemplacyon in e chirche of Fryers Prechours with other, whan the
       same fryers songe after complyne this anteme Salue regina, with at
       versicle Dignare me &c, & with this collecte Concede nos &c. And on a
       tyme whan they songe deuoutly this holy anteme, she sawe vysybly how
   855 the gloryous vyrgyne oure blessyd Lady bowed her hede to the mayster of
       the ordre, & afterwarde to both the sydes of the quere, & also to
       euerychone syngulerly that songe to her this anteme deuoutly, & as
       thankynge them for theyr labour. Sothely this worshypful woman
       aforsayde wolde neuer to ony man telle this vysyon tyll she was seke at
   860 her laste ende.
       
       |r[No.35] How a deuoute nonne was taught of our Lady to saye whan she
       gret her Aue benygne Ihesu &c.
       
       |r[f.22v] A certayne holy woman was, e whiche gaue herselfe to prayer &
       contemplacion aboue al other at wer her systers of at congregacion. And
   865 it happened on a day as she was feruent in deuocyon, and contynuelly
       greted oure Lady with sayenge Aue Maria &c, she loked on the ymage of
       our Lady that was before her, & herde a voyce of e ymages mouth sayenge
       to her in this wyse, 'What doste thou?' Than she sayd with a meke voyce,
       'Lady, do I not well?' Than sayd e voyce to her agayne, 'Yes, but thou
   870 mayst do better.' Than s[a]yd she, 'O gode Lady, what shall I do or saye?'
       To whome the voyce answered, 'Knowest thou not, that whatsomeuer I
       haue of godenesse or worshyp, I haue it of my swete sone Iesu Cryst.
       Therfore grete hym fyrste, and than me.' 'O good Lady,' sayd she, 'how
       shal I so do?' Than the voyce sayd to her, 'Say gretynge my sone in this
   875 wyse, Aue benygne Iesu, & afterward saye forth Aue Maria &c.'
       
       |r[No.36] How this holy name Maria put e deuyll away.
       
       In Spayne there were certayne monkes that sawe vysybly the deuyl at a
       certayne wyndowe of the abbaye in a gastfull lykenes. And the forsayd
       monkes coniured hym in the name of the Trynyte to goo thens, and he
   880 wolde not; also they coniured hym by Crystus passyon, and he wold not;
       they red there our Lordes passyon, and the .vii. psalmes with the
       letanyes, and he wold not obeye. Afterward came thider a preest in holy
       vestymentis |r[f.23r] and cast holy water on hym, & yet he wolde in no



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       maner wyse auoyde. For our Lorde Iesu wolde shewe the vertue of his
   885 moders holy name, Maria. & at the laste they coniured him by the holy
       name of the blessyd moder of God, and than anone he went his waye, for
       that name is ful gastful to al deuyls.
       
       |r[No.37] Also another myracle of our blessyd Lady of a chanone.
       
       There was a chanon ful deuoute to our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary, &
   890 afterwarde he became a Graye Fryre, & the more that he grewe in holy
       lyuynge of relygyon, the more the deuyl tempted & vexid him. Sothely on
       a tyme the wycked spyryte & the deuyll aperyd to hym in a gastfull
       lykenes to trouble him of his deuocions; wherfore he named the holy name
       of our blessyd Lady, & anone withoute ony taryenge he vanyshed awaye;
   895 & afterwarde his holynes grewe so moche that he put out fro folke deuyls,
       and reysed dede men to lyue, and also restored seke men to helth.
       
       |r[No.38] Also another myracle of our Lady.
       
       Full oftentymes our blessyd Lady apperyd to a gode man a Graye Fryer.
       And whan he greted her with Aue Maria &c he sawe her in so grete
   900 fayrenes at vnethes a man my+ght thynke it. And whan he cessed
       gretynge her, than he sawe her as an olde woman euyll clothed. And on a
       tyme as she aperyd to hym, he asked of her who she was. Than our blessyd
       Lady answered and sayd, |r[f.23v] 'Sone, I am she that thou gretest now
       knelynge, & as now thou s[ee]st no fayrnesse of me apere to the, soo no ioye
   905 is to me of the whan thou gretest not me; wherfore, I praye the, glorefye
       me with Aue Maria.' Sothely that brother afterwarde sawe not her but in
       gloryous lykenes, for he cessed not dayly to salute & grete her with A ue
       Maria.
       
       |r[No.39] Anot+her myracle of our blessyd Lady.
       
   910 A certayne brother of relygyon suffred with heuenesse abhominable
       sekenes. And vpon a daye, whyles his bretheren were at dyner, the blessyd
       virgyn and moder of our Lorde Iesu Cryste apperyd to hym, and broughte
       him her swete sone in fourme and lykenes of a lytyll chylde sore wounded,
       and reprehended hym of his impacience, and sayd to him in this wyse,
   915 'See, wretche, what thynges my sone hath suffred for the, and thou
       mayste not suffre a lytyll sekenes.' And whan this seke brother herde this,
       gretely he began to wepe; wherfore afterwarde he shewed so grete
       pacyence, that all other maruayled, & also he was afterwarde recouered
       to his helth by his pacience.



|p68


   920 |r[No.40] How a relygyous man was heled of his sekenes by meke pacyence.
       
       A seke brother, that was a Fryer Prechoure, herde that Saynt
       D[o]mynycke hadde prayed to our blessyd Lady for a certayne man that
       was seke of the palseye, that our Lady touchyng his lymmes |r[f.24r] with
       her propre hondes, of the palsey was heled, called also on Saynt
   925 Domynycke to gete for hym helpe of our blessyd Lady. Sothely whan mete
       tyme came, the bretheren went to theyr dyner, and lefte the seke brother
       alone. Than the meke moder of God, seynge thys, came & vysyted hym in
       her owne propre persone, wherby he was gretely conforted, and she sayd to
       hym, 'I wyl gyue the the holy sacrament, and delyuer the fro all sekenes.'
       
   930 Sothely at euen the suppryour came to vysyte hym, yf he wolde ony
       thynge. Than the seke brother sayd to hym, 'I beseche you, for charyte,
       [t]hat ye wyll ordeyne that the waye bytwene this and the chirche be
       made clene.' Truly the suppryour wend he had ben madde, & asked hym
       why he spake so vnwysely. Than e seke man sayd to hym, 'I am not
   935 madde, but l belyue that ye shall see a myracle of our Lorde Ihesu Cryste.'
       To whom the suppry[o]ur sayd, 'And yf the bretheren auyse me therto, it
       shall be soone done.' Than they toke auysement, and afterward they
       ordeyned the waye to be made clene as he asked.
       
       Sothely, on the morowe, whyle the couent masse was sayenge, two angels
   940 came into the chyrche with brennynge tapers. And oure blessyd Lady
       folowed theym with a felaushyp of sayntes, and toke the holy sacrament
       of the auter, seynge the suppryour and folowynge after, & with gr[e]te
       reuerence serued it to the seke brother. And this wyse, by helpe of our
       blessyd Lady, he was fully restored to his helth.
       
   945 |r[No.41] |r[f.24v] Also another myracle of this verse Maria, mater gratie,
       mater misericordie.
       
       Also another Freer Prechour suffred on a tyme so grete sekenes that some
       had we[n]de verylye he shold haue dyed. Sothely it happened that he
       was sore tempted in th[ey]r presence that were there, & his culoure was
   950 chaunged, & shewed a fereful face. And whan it was asked hym why he



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       shewed so grete heuenes, he sayd the deuyl was come to hym, and was
       about to put hym in disperacion. Sothely at that tyme the pryoure sayd
       his houres of the daye with the couent; and whan he was called of e
       bretheren, he came anone to e seke broder. And whan he was come, the
   955 seke man prayed him to saye this verse: Maria, mater gratie, mater
       misericordie, tu nos ab hoste protege, et hora mortis suscipe. And whan the
       pryour had sayd it, the deuyll voyded & went away. Than our blessyd
       Lady Saynt Mary cam and shewed herselfe vysybly to e seke man. And
       whan he sawe her he was ful refresshed in his spirite, & sayd to her, 'O
   960 moost swete Lady, sythen ye be now come, the houre is at I muste goo,' and
       anone as he hadde sayd this he expyred and was gone.
       
       |r[No.42] How a chanon that laye adyeng vaynely ioyed, & was therof
       correcte of our blessyd Lady.
       
       Grauerius, a certayn chanon of the abbaye of Saynt Iohan at Swession in
   965 Fraunce, was a man of grete holynes & of innocence, the |r[f.25r] whiche
       before his deth laboured in grete sekenes. And so the deuyll, at euermore
       wayted to hurte vs, put to his mynde a grete gladnes of a presumptuous
       ioyenge; & so moche he was gladed in speche & in contenaunce, at al at
       stode about belyued at he had some syght of the ioyes of heuen, & all
   970 taryed with grete deuocion to se his ende.
       
       Sothely, whan he began for to drawe to deth, he was broken fro that
       ioyenge at he had, & began to wepe. Than one of his brethern cam to hym
       & asked him why he was sory after so grete ioye. Than he sayde, 'Make
       all the brethern come to me.' And anone withoute ony taryenge it was done.
   975 And than he sayd to them, 'Alas, my dere brethern. Ye sawe in me, by e
       deuyls suggestyon, a boldenes of a presumtuous ioyenge; but the moder of
       mercy, our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary, hath not suffred me to peryshe, but
       hath reprehended me of vayne gladnes, and warned me to byde my last
       day + with drede of God & mesure of hope. Therfore, dere brethern, I praye
   980 you to praye for me, that oure blessyd Lorde Ihesu wyll forgyue this faute
       & many moo, and that he wyl not iuge me after my dedes, but that he wyll
       saue me after his mercy.' And anone as he had sayd this wordes, & al had
       sayd 'Amen', his eyen breste out of teres, & so blessydly passed to God.



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       |r[No.43] Of a certayne nonne called Beatryce that was restored agayne to
   985 the state of grace, after that she had lyued in the worlde synfully.
       
       |r[f.25v] A certayne nonne called Beatryce, ful semely of persone, and sexton
       of her place, was full deuoute to oure Lady Saynt Marye; whome a
       certayne clerke, greately moued throughe wycked counseyll desyred to
       haue. And at the laste, the same aforsayd nonne consented to the forsayd
   990 clerke & to go with him to a certayne place after complene to synne bothe
       togyder. And or she yede forth, e forsayd nonne came to an auter, & sayd
       to our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary, 'O good Lady, I haue serued the as
       deuoutly as I coude, & lo, I resynge my keys to e, for I maye no lenger bere
       the temptations of my flesshe.' And whan she had sayd this, she layde
   995 the keys on the auter & went after the clerke. And whan he had synned
       with her, a fewe dayes after he caste her awaye, & forsoke her. Than she
       hadde not wherof she myghte lyue, & goo agayne to her monastery she
       was asshamed; wherfore she became a strompette, and so lyued by the
       space of .xv. yeres.
       
  1000 Sothely, on a day, she came to the porter of the gate & asked hym & euer
       he knewe one of the nonnes called Beatryce, somtyme sexten of the
       chyrche. He sayd that he knewe her wel, and sayd moreouer that she was
       holy, & well dysposed of a chylde, and vnto this daye hath lyued here
       withoute ony complaynt. Truly she vnderstode not his wordes. And as she
  1005 was goyng thens, our bl[e]ssyd Lady & moder of mercy appered to her, &
       sayd, 'I haue ordeyned one that hath fulfylled thyne offyce for e this
       .xv. yere. |r[f.26r] Therfore now tourne ayen to thy place, & do penaunce, for
       no man knoweth of thy defaute. Sothely I haue made one in thyne o[w]ne
       person & habyte to execute thyne offyce for the.' Than she went in and
  1010 made thankes to our blessyd Lord Iesu Cryste, and our blessyd Lady Saynt
       Marye, & by meke confessyon vttered all thynge that befell her.
       
       |r[No.44] How our Lady appered to a woman that laye seke, & to a preest
       that came to her.
       
       A woman that laye sore seke, sende on a tyme to e preest, & desyred of
  1015 hym to be communed. Than he came to her, & brought with him our blessyd
       Lordes bodye. And whan he came into the hous, he sawe the gloryous
       vyrgyn & moder of God, our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary, with the woman,



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       holdynge her hondes at her knees. Than our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary,
       with knelynge on her knees, worsshypped anone e holy sacrament of her
  1020 swete sones precyous body. Sothely the preest, seyng this, dred gr[e]tely
       for dyuerse causes. Fyrste, for her grete fayrenes, for all the hous was full
       of greate lyght. Seconde, for the maruaylouse swete sauour at he smelled
       anone, as though he hadde be in paradyse. The thyrde was for the grace of
       vnderstondynge that he had by the Holy Ghoost to knowe her; wherfore
  1025 he asked that blessed vyrgyn Mary and moder of God with grete reuerence
       and sayd, 'How is this, gode Lady, that ye wouchesauf to apere to this
       woman and me?' Thanne she sayd to the preest, 'For |r[f.26v] an hondred
       tymes in the daye this woman hathe greted me; many other thynges she
       hath done to me. And therfore it is worthy that now for this she haue
  1030 mede. Also, thou haste deserued to se me here also, for this & many other
       thynges that thou doste to me.' And whan the blessyd virgyn Mary hadde
       sayd this, the seke woman expyred anone & dyed, whoos soule our
       blessyde Lady Saynte Marye toke with her to heuens blysse. Amen.
       
       |r[No.45] Also another myracle of our blessyd Lady.
       
  1035 There was a certayne clerke, that ful gladly vsed to grete the glorious
       vyrgyn & moder of our Lord Iesu Cryst. Sothely, on a tyme she appered to
       hym, and shewed hym the gloryfycacyon of her blessyd body. And whan
       she had conforted him with wordes swete as hony, she sayd to hym,
       'Bycause oftentymes thou sayste deuoutly to me blessyd be the fruyte of my
  1040 bely, thou shalte be blessyd with an euerlastynge blessynge.'
       
       |r[No.46] Also another myracle of a clerke that loued our blessyd Lady
       Saynt Mary feruently.
       
       Also there was another clerke that gretly loued our blessyd Lady Saynt
       Mary, and in so moche he was smyten in deuocyon and loue to her, that he
  1045 went on a tyme to Rome to se her ymage, the whyche as it is sayd Saynt
       Luke the holy euangelyste dyde make. And whan this clerke sawe this
       ymage of our blessyd Lady Saynt Mary, his deuocyon & loue began to
       abate, bycause the ymage of our |r[f.27r] blessyd Lady that he sawe was not
       so fayre as he wende it had be. Neuertheles he loued her, but not so
  1050 feruently as he dyde before.



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       So at the laste he came home ayen to Oxenforde, & fyl afterwarde in a
       greate sekenes. & it happened on a daye, as he laye alone in his chambre,
       there came vnto hym a fayre vyrgyn, & sayd to hym, 'Syr, how is it with
       you?' & he sayd, 'l wote neuer.' To whom she sayd ayen, 'Ye haue ben at
  1055 Rome to see me in myn ymage, & bycause it pleased not you the fayrnes of
       it, your loue and deuocion that ye had to me is abated. Sothely, the
       blessyd vyrgyn Mary & moder of God was clothed in a blacke coote, &
       hadde a gyrdell aboute her myddell, & a bende on her hede, and bare fote
       also whan the angell Gabryell grete her, & tolde her of the holy
  1060 Incarnacion of the sone of God. And your loue & deuocyon had not be abated
       to me now, ye sholde haue be byfore my swete sone with me in heuen. But
       for the lessynge & slakenes of y[o]ure deuocyon & loue, ye shal yet suffre
       this sekenes these .iii. dayes, & than I wyll come ayen & mete with you,
       and afterwarde ye shall be broughte into ioye & blysse.' And so our blessyd
  1065 Lady Saynt Mary departed from hym.
       
       |r[No.47] Another myracle of a bysshop that recey[u]ed a letter as he was
       at masse from our blessyd Lady.
       
       There was a certayne bysshoppe that loued feruently the quene of heuen.
       This bysshoppe prayed to her dayly that she wolde shewe |r[f.27v] to hym
  1070 some synguler token of loue. And as he was perseueraunt ful deuoutely to
       her in supplicacyon, on a daye as he was at masse, aboute the leuacyon
       tyme, ther fyll downe on the corporas a letter fro heuen. Sothely, he
       meruayled at suche an vnknowen gyfte, but he myght not touche it thanne
       with his hondes for the [att]endaunce aboute e holy sacrament. And whan
  1075 [ma]sse was done, he toke the letter, and with grete ioye of herte rede it.
       Sothely the tenoure of the letter was this:
       
       The Ouene of Heuen to her welbeloued bysshop. Thy petycyon gladly
       herynge, I wyll shewe to the what shall be profytable to many. Thou
       shalte vnderstonde that I hadde in the worlde fyue sp[e]cyall ioyes, the
  1080 whyche openly thou mayst knowe in the salutacyons that here folowe.
       Here folowen fyue specyall ioyes of our Lady: Gaude virgo mater Cristi
       &c. Therfore thou shalt vnderstonde whosomeuer deuoutly saye to me
       these forsayd salutacyons, addynge to euerychone of these forsayd



|p73


       salutacions a Pater noster & an Aue Maria, shall neuer by my proteccyon
  1085 suffre the paynes of helle. And do this, & tell to other the same.
       
       |r[No.48] A myracle of the nombre of Crystus woundes.
       
       It is tolde of Saynt Edmonde, Archebyshop of Cauntorbury, that he
       deuoutely prayed to oure blessyd Lady Saynt Marye on a tyme, that he
       myghte vnderstonde by some reuelacyon how ma*ny |r[f.28r] woundes our
  1090 blessyd Lord Ihesus suffred in his passyon. And as he was deuoutly
       prayenge, a certayne voyce sayd to hym, 'Euery daye through the yere
       saye .l. tymes Pater noster, and so many woundes hadde Ihesu Chryste'.
       
       Here enden the meracles of our Lady Saynt Marye. Enprynted at
       Westmynster, in Caxtons house, by me, Wynkyn de Worde.