|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
         če first capitle Ad Romanos, where he saide čat he was
     dettour on-to wise men and onwise. Wise men clepid he men
 |r4 gretly lerned, and onwise, simple ydiotis, to whom longith če
     blisse of heuene, and of whom our Lord Ihesu spak in če gospell,
     and seid čat her aungellis see euyr če face of če Fadir whech is in
     heuene. To čese both če holy apostell saide he was dettour, to
 |r8 paye ech of hem aftir čat he sauoured. And čou¨ I čat write now
     čis be a man sumwhat endewid in lettirur, ¨et dar I not take
     up-on me for to be dettour on-to hem čat be endewid in sciens
     mor čan I, but I dar sauely seye čat I am detour to očir simpil
|r12 creatures čat 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 čan euyr I receyued hem. The cause of čis 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,
     čat is to sey, to translate hir treuly oute of Latyn, če lif of Seynt
     Augustyn, grete doctour of če cherch. Sche desired čis čing of me
     rather čan of a-nočer man be-cause čat I am of his profession, for
|r20 sche supposed veryly čat I wold do it with če bettir wil. Sche
     desired eke čis lif of čis Seynt more čan of ony očir for sche was
     browt forth in-to čis world in his solempne feste. Than wil I, in
     če name of our Lord Ihesu, beginne čis werk, to če worchip of čis
|r24 glorious doctour, and to če plesauns and consolation of čis gentil
     woman čat hath so willed me with sundry [r]etribucione[s] [l.5b] čat
     I coude not disobeye hir desir. This glorious name Augustinus is
     mad comendable amongis our auctouris for iij čingis. On is for
|r28 če excellens of če man. The secund for če brennyng loue of
     charite with whech his hert was fyred. The čird for če noble



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



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                        |r[CHAPTER_I]

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

        |r<b> AT our beginnyng ¨e schul undirstand čat čis world is departed
 |r4    in-to iij parties, and it was čus departed as our auc_touris
     seye be our fader Noe. For in če flood were saued he and
     his iij sones, and to čese iij sones was all če world departed.
     Thei čat cam of Sem were sette in če est side of če world, cleped
 |r8 now Asia. Thei [čat] cam of Iaphet were sette in čat partye of
     če world cleped now Europa. And čei čat cam of Cam were
     sette to dwelle in čat partie whech is cleped Affrica, where |r[l.6b] čis
     glorious man was bore. Asia is in če est side of če world, and it
|r12 conteyneth as mech in space as do če othir too parties. In čis
     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 če Duche tonge, with France,
     Ynglond, Spayn, & many moo. Affrica hath principali če
     prouynce of ¨eugis where grete Cartage stant. It hath eke
     anočir prouynce clepid Tripolitane, Getuly, By¨ance, Numedye,
|r20 Mauritania. In čis Numedie stant čat cite where Seynt Austyn
     was bischop, cleped Ypone, and in čis same Numedie stant čat
     same cyte cleped Tagatenses, where čis doctour was bore, sum_what
     upward mor on-to Cartage.Thus haue I schewid ¨ou in
|r24 what partie of če world he was bore, -- nowt in če Greke tonge
     ne in če Latyn tonge, but in če Barbar tonge. Neuyrčelasse
     we rede of hym čat whan he cam to lerne dyuers sciens, whech
     were čan most in Greke tonge, čat he hated če Greke letteris
|r28 and loued weel če Latyn, be whech inclynacion we vndirstand
     čat čat same langage in whech he was bore was mor approximat
     on-to če Latyn tonge čan on-to če Grek tong. For, in very
     treuth, he had so grete knowlech of both tongis čat all his bokys



|p4


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


|r[CHAPTER_II.]

 |r8   Off če progenitouris and če kynrod of čis man.  cm ij.

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



|p5


     he was mad bischop he turned čis bodely fest in-to spiritual
     talkyng, and as I suppose čis bok was mad čat first day čat he
     mad čis chaunge or he was bischop, for his moder was at čis fest
 |r4 and sche deyid befor čat he was preest. This mannes name of
     whom we talk of her, whech, as we saide, was his bročir, was
     cleped Nauigius. He spekith here eke in čis same book of too
     cosynes of his; on of hem hith Latridianus. če othir hith Rusticus.
 |r8 Thei both were at his feest, of whom he seith čat čei 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 če book of
     cristen mannes lyf; it begynnyth čus: Et ego peccator. The
|r12 rubrich be-for če bok is writyn čus: The book of Seynt Augustin,
     če bischop, on-to his sistir, a widow. Eke he had a-nočir cosyn
     čat hith Patricius, as his fader hith, and čis man was on of če
     chanones čat lyued with him in če čird monsterie aftir he was
|r16 bischop. In če čird monasterye, seid I, for be-cause čat he mad
     iij, -- on or he was preest, a-nočir whil he was preest vndir bischop
     Valerie. And who long he dwelt čer, and who dwelt čere with
     him, schal be touchid aftir whan it comth in his place.


|r[CHAPTER_III.]

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

        |r<b> OF čis mater spekith čis glorious man in če ix book of his
        Confessiones, wher he seith of his fader čat 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 čat 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; čan wold sche reherse on-to him če euel
     a-vised wordes whech he had spoke, or če onresonable werkis
|r32 whech he had do. Sumtyme it happed čat sche sat a-mong očir



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



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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 če age of Seint Augustin whech is clepid Infancia.  iiij.

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

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



|p8


     he prayed God čat he myth skape it, but our Lord herd him nowt,
     and čat displesed him, for he knew not čat 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 čat he schuld or myth a lerne. He loued
     bettir veyn games čan skole. The smale elementis of lernyng
     receyued he first in če 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, če Latyn letteris čan če Grek, not_withstand
     čat he lerned first če Grek letteres. In čis age he had
     grete sekenesse in his stomake, and euyr was his modir bisi čat he
|r12 schuld be bapti¨ed, but če fader wold not suffir it. And čis was
     če cause, as men |r[l.10a] suppose, whi our Lord wold not suffir him to be
     bapti¨ed, for it was lesse greuauns to his soule čat če filth of
     heresie schuld be in him rather be-for his baptem čan aftir his
|r16 baptem. Thus lerned he če 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 očir rethoricianes whech wer be-fore him. But
     in čis first ¨ere čat 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 čat he was falle in, what for insolens of his wauntown
     age, he used tauernes and stewis and swech sory gouernsuns as čei
     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 čis same
     tyme was his fader conuerted on-to če feith, and mad a cathe_cume;



|p9


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



|p10


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


|r[CHAPTER_VII.]

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

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



|p11


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


|r[CHAPTER_VIlI.]

|r24    What čat he ded fro če tyme čat he was xx ¨er on-to xxix.
                                                        cam. viij.

        |r<b> AT če age of xx ¨ere he dwelt stille at Cartage, and če maystires
        čat were redde him, če book of Aristotle cleped his Cathe_gories,
|r28 we clepe hem at čese dayes če Predicamentis. Augustinus
     gat čis 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 čat alle če bokes of philosophie, or
|r32 gemetrie, or arsmetrik, or any of če 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 čus lerned in philosophie and očir
     dyuers sciens, he cam first hom in-to če cite where he was bore,
 |r4 and čer taute he gramer, meruelyng all če cuntre of če noble.
     reules čat he had founde to redinesse of childirn čat schuld lerne.
     Whan he had kept čis exersise longe in his owne cite, tho he
     resorted a-geyn on-to Cartage, and čere taute he retorik on the
 |r8 moost excellent wise. In če xxvj ¨ere of his age he wrote iij
     bokes on-to a rethorician of Rome; čei cleped him Hermes: čese
     bokes be intituled De Pulcro & Apto, čat is to seyin Englisch, of čing
     whech is fayre and able; čei are not in hand now. I coude neuyr
|r12 speke with man čat sey hem, for his bokes which he mad aftir he
     was cristen be more in deynte čan čoo whech he mad be-fore. In
     če xxix ¨ere of his age spak he with Faustus, a grete snare of če
     deuele, for čis man was če moost famous heretik of all če Manicheis,
|r16 but he was ful famous in fayre endytyng. For he mad a ful cursed
     book a-geyn oure feith, to qwech book čis 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 čis: Augustin had many questiones with če Manicheis
     of her feith and of here lawe, and aspied so many notable errouris
     in her bokes čat he, ne non of hem, coude make no answer to his
     resones. Tho seid čei whan čei were concluded with argumentis
|r24 on all sides čat Faustus schuld come and he schuld make |r[l.13a] answere
     on-to all čese motyues. For Faustus was in swech opinion
     amongis hem čat who-so-euer folowid him and was conuersaunt
     with him, čei saide čat 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 čei too grete comunicacion of čoo questiones for whech čei
     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 če doutes and če articules comound
     afore & writyn in billis a-geyn Manicheis lawe. Faustus, whan
     he had aspied če grete cunnyng of Augustin and če sotil inuec_ciones
 |r4 whech he mad he durst not dispute with him, but be-for
     hem alle he was fayn to sey čat he coude not answere to čo
     motiues. Fro čis day forward had Augustin no deynte in her
     bokes whan čat 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 čis is touched in če v. book of his Confessiones.


|r[CHAPTER_IX.]

        Who Augustin aftir čis went to Rome.  cm. ix.

|r12    |r<b> CErteyn frendis čat he had at čat tyme, seing če grete desir of
        lernyng in him, ¨oue him councel čat he schulde go to
     Rome, and čis was her cause. For at Cartage both he and his
     disciples were lettid gretly with felauchip and reuel, and as čei
|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 čan was at
     Cartage. This same desire čat 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 če menes
     and če ministres and če places, as he wold dispose. Thus he dis_posed
     him fully for to saile to Rome. His modir folowid him to
     če se-side, for sikirly sche wil go with him. And he disseyued
|r24 hir in čis maner. He feyned first čat čei had no wynd ne likly
     non for to haue many day, wherfor he desired čat sche schuld goo
     to hir in a-geyn, and whan tyme cam he wold clepe hir. To čis
     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 čat nyth in a
     oratorie čat was consecrat in če name of Seint Cipriane, for it
     was ny če schip, and sikirly, he told hir, čat če next day čei wold
     saile. Thus deceyued he his modir, for čat same nyth čei pulled



|p14


     up sail & stale če schip from hir. All čat nyth lay sche praying
     and sobbing, desiring of our Lord čat čei schulde no wynd haue
     til čat sche cam. In če morow whan sche cam to če brynk and
 |r4 say če schip goo, than wept sche intollerablely, and filt če 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 čidir he fell |r[l.14a] in greuous seknesse & his moder knew not čat,
     but čou¨ he were absent sche prayed for him deuly čat our Lord
     schuld send her ioye of hir son, for in čis mater sche had mor sorow
     for him čan euyr sche had to bryng him forth on-to če world.
|r12 Euery day sche offered for him at če auter; euery day sche gaf
     elmesse. Twyes on če 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 če goostly helth of
     hir son Augustin. Be hir prayeres Austyn is now rered fro his
     seknesse and hath begunne for to do čing for whech he was come,
     čat 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 čis tyme če cyte of Melan, wher Seynt Ambrose was
        bischop, sent on-to če meyr of Rome, whech hith
|r24 Symachus, praying him čat 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 če prouidens of God cam
|r28 Austyn to Melan, and čere fell in knowlech of Seynt Ambrose če
     bischop, a noble man and a holy, knowyn čorw all če world.
     Ambrose receyued Augustin ful faderly, and cherisched him in če
     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
     če erroures of his soule, but only to aspie wheithir his fame and his
     speche acorded. For he was noted čorw-oute Itaile a fayr-spoke
 |r4 man, and gretly roted in rethorik. Thus went our Augustin day
     be day, only to reporte če wordis; for če sentens had he smal
     delite; and ¨et, as he is a-know in his Confessiones, če 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 če incarnacion of our Lord Ihesu Crist, who
     čat for če special loue whech he had to mankynde he disdeyned
     not to take če flesch and blood of man with all če infirmites, saue
|r12 synne. Augustin stood in če puple and sodeyn fere fell up-on
     him, so čat če čoutes whech wer pryuy with-inne him mad his face
     pale and his body for to tremel čat all če puple myth aspie it.
     Aftir če sermon was ended he went on-to Ambrose, and told him
|r16 of his new chaunge, and who longe he had ben in če Manicheis
     heresie, and who sith čat tyme čat he spak with Faustus čat secte
     was ferre fro his plesauns. Whan Ambrose herd čat he had no
     trost ne no confidens in če heresie of čese Manicheis, he čankid
|r20 God heyly, and be-cause he knew wel be inspiracion of če Holy
     Gost what Augustin schuld be, he treted him ful fadirly with
     swete exhortaciones, činking with swech menes to brynge him to
     če trew be-leue. Tho Augustin cast in his hert fully to |r[l.15a] despise če
|r24 Manicheis heresi, for euyr če feith of Crist he purposed for to take,
     but bapti¨ed wold he not be on-to če tyme čat he myth know če
     treuthis of Cristis feith.


|r[CHAPTER_XI.]

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

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



|p16


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



|p17


     Seyn Ambrose, and he sette hir čis reule, čat wher-so-euyr sche
     cam sche schuld do aftir če custom of če felauchip whech sche
     dwelt in. In čis same tyme come too of Augustin grete frendis
 |r4 on-to him, Alipius and Nebridius. This Alipius was bore in če
     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 čat 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 čei schuld chese, and what lyf čei schuld
     hald. At čese 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 čei for to stody swech bokes as čei wold haue and do
     non očir bisinesse. Than was alleggid a-mongis hem what sorrow
     čere schuld be if čei acorded not, & specialy for h[er] wyuys, who
     če[i] schuld lyue, if dista[uns] fel betwix. God our Lord had
|r16 ordeyned a-nočir wey, and for čat cause he put a delay in čat
     mater, for he suffered če 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 če vj book of his Confessiones
        in čis maner. Alipius, he seith, was at Cartage, stodying
|r24 in rethorik. It was če vsage at čoo dayes ča[t] če rethoricianes
     schuld pleten in court for euery cause whech was litigious. This
     Alipius, a litil be-for če court schuld be hold, walkyd a-lone with
     his reporting tables in his hand, stodying ful bysily, for it was his
|r28 cours čat day for to plete. Be-neth čat hous where he walked
     was housyng be če ground, in whech dwelt coynoures of siluyr,
     and wroute čere ful bisily. Owt of če 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 če coynouris hous
     he be-gan for to hewe. |r[l.16b] The coynouris herd če noyse and sent
     up too or thre of her felauchip to loke what theef was so bold



|p18


     čat tyme of če day and so ny če dome-place to stele če metall of
     če houses. The boy herd men com with grete noyse; he left his
     exe čere, and ran hom in grete hast. Thus com če men and se no
 |r4 persone čere but Alipius alone; čei se če led broke, čei fynde če
     ex by, and on him čei go all and areste him for čis dede. Alipius,
     čat was innocent, and be-cause of his study took non hed at če
     boy, neythir whan he cam ne whan he went, is čus led forth as
 |r8 a theef on-to če iuge. Happed a man čat knew him and knew
     what vertue he was of for to mete him with čese tormentouris.
     He pulled him o side and inqwired of him who čis myth be.
     A man of swech birth and swech kunnyng čat he schuld be take
|r12 in swech defaute, he seid, it was grete merueile. Alipius answerd
     on-to him and told him čat he was ongilty in čis mater, but he
     had mynde čat he say a boy renne fro če place and leue čere his
     ex. The man caused čat čei turned all a-geyn in-to če same
|r16 strete, and as it happed, če same boy stood in če dore čat had doo
     če dede. This man whech ¨aue so grete fauour on-to Alipius took
     če ex in hand; rith čus he seide on-to če boy: Her haue we
     founde an exe; knowest čou owt to whom it schuld longe? ¨a,
|r20 forsoth, ser, seide he, čat same ex is our. Thus was Allipius
     wrongfully attached and meruelously delyuered. God Almyty
     suffered čis, as Augustin writith |r[l.17a] in his Confessiones, for to lerne
     him whech schuld be aftirward a iuge of mennes soules in če
|r24 cherch čat 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 čat he is fully consentid to go
        be če wey of Crist, but be-cause of če hardnesse of it, he
|r28 was ful loth čerto. But our merciable Lord put a new coumfort
     in his hert čat he schuld go to an hermyte in če desert fast by
     Melan, whech hermyte hith Simpliciane. Augustin had herd
     mech čing of him čat he had serued God in ful vertuous lyf, and
|r32 če fame was trewe in-dede. This man Simpliciane lyued in
     a monastery fast by Melan with othir heremites of holy lyf



|p19


     at če costis & expens of Seynt Ambrose. For Seint Ambrose
     had Simpliciane in so grete reuerens čat 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 čis Simpliciane teld Augustin če 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 če meknesse of our
     Lord Ihesu and despise če fals delectacionis of čis world. He
     rehersed on-to him eke a grete exaumple of če 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
     če markette at Rome. This same man cam to Simpliciane often_tyme
     and inqwired of him many čingis, and oft-tyme wold
     say |r[l.17b] on-to Sympliciane: Knowe now wel čat I wil be a cristen
|r16 man. Simplician wold say a-gayn on-to him: I wil not be-leue it
     til čat I se če withinne če kirk. And Victorine wold čanne in
     scorne conclude be maner of an argument: Ergo, če wallis of če
     cherch make a cristen man. This iteration of wordis was oft_tyme
|r20 vsed be-twix čese too men, but at če last our Lord enspired
     soo Victorines hert čat sodeynly he seid to Simpliciane: Go we to
     če cherch, for in very treuth, I wil be a cristen man. Thus was
     čis worthi man conuerted to če feith; and al čis told Simpliciane
|r24 to Augustin čat he schulde folow his steppis. Be čis holy fader
     Simpliciane was Augustin brovt on-to čis desire, čat al maner
     wordly delectacion displesed him, for če loue of his hert is now
     only sette to serue God. He say many men in če cherch lyuyng
|r28 in sundry maner, summe čus & summe čus, wherfor he hat¨ not
     chose as ¨et če lyf whech he wil lede.


|r[CHAPTER_XIV]

        Off če comyng of Poncian on-to Augustin and of what čingis
     čei talked of.  capitulum xiiij.

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



|p20


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



|p21


     čankyng God of her holy conuercion, went a-geyn on-to če paleys.
     Thus dwelt čese men stille čere in čat 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 čis exhortacion.  xv.

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



|p22


     and swech lamentable voyses he črew on-to heuene: O blissed Lord,
     who longe, who longe? Who longe wilt čou suffir, Lord, čat I go so
     ferre fro či seruyse and differre my conuercion fro day to day?
 |r4 To-morow, schal it be to-morow? Why not now, Lord, whi schal
     not čis same houre |r[l.19b] make an end of all my filth? Whil he lay
     čus with grete contricion of hert and with ful sobbyng voys
     uttirryng all čese wordes, al sodeynly he herd a voys, as čou¨
 |r8 it had ben at če next hous, soundyng čese same wordes: Tak and
     rede, take and rede! Tho be-gan he for čink with-inne him-selue if
     childyrn with ony game čat čei vse had ony swech wordes in her
     playing, and he coude not čink čat he had herd ony swech. He
|r12 čout čan čat čis voys cam fro heuene, ¨euyng him a warnyng čat
     he schuld ope če bok whech he brout with him fro če hous on-to
     če gardeyn, and če first letter čat his eye felle up-on he schuld
     rede. Thus ded he, and čese 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 čis texte may be englisched in čis 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
     če bisinesse of če flesch in his desires. He sperd the bok whan he
     had red čis and leyd at če same reson a merk be whech he myth
|r24 rydily turne čertoo, for čis same texte put in his hert a lite of
     swech a grace čat alle če derk errouris whech he had hold wer
     passed a-wey fro him. Tho toke he če book on-to his felaw
     Alipius, and with his fynger or sum othir tokne schewid him
|r28 če clause be-for red. Alipius red ferčer whech Augustin had
     not red, and schewid to Augustin what it was čat folowid. éus
     folowith in če texte: That man čat is feynt in če feith, loke
     ¨e be |r[l.20a] redy for to receyue. In-to če hous čei go both; čere čei
|r32 fynde če blessed woman Monicha, če modir of Augustin; čei
     told hir al čis processe čat sche whech had be in so mech sorow
     for hir son schuld haue part of his new ioye. Sche čankid God
     with ful humbil hert čat oure Lord had graunted hir hir long
|r36 desir, & mech more čat 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 čis 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
        čoo vanytees and čoo opinyones in whech he had be-for
     ful grete ioye, now ar čei falle clene fro him, and čat skole whech
 |r8 was a peyne to him čat he schuld leue it, now for to leue it,
     it is to him ioye. But ¨et him čout for to leue his skole sodeynly
     and his skoleris desolat, čat it was not best. For če heruest
     dayes wer ny whan skole is wone to cese; so longe he čout for
|r12 to suffir hem, čat čei schuld solemply goo fro him. Whan xx
     dayes were go, for čan entred če cessacion, whech dayes wer
     on-to him longe for če grete desir čat 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 čat al his desire
     was for to prey and study solitarily, he left če cite of Melan,
     and forth in-to če cuntr he went, in-to a feld čei cleped Cassiate,
     to a place longing to a worchipful man cleped Verecundus. This
|r20 Verecundus graunted him to dwelle čere |r[l.20b] on-to če tyme čat he
     schuld be bapti¨ed. So in čis same place abood he and Alipius,
     and očir frendis of his, with his modir, all in o desire to forsake
     če delectable onstabilnesse of čis world. And in čis same place mad
|r24 Augustin dyuers bokes, čat 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 čoo disciples of čat skole
     held čis opinion, čat no čing is sette in certeyn. This book of
|r28 Augustin serueth not mech, for he was fayn aftir to make a book
     a-geyn čis secte, and čat is cleped Contra Achademicos. Aftir
     čis he mad a-nočir book in čat 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 čird book mad



|p24


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


|r[CHAPTER_XVII.]

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

        |r<b> NOW is če delectacion of Augustyn only sette in redyng of
        holy Scriptur; grete swetnesse hath he now in čoo lessones
|r20 whech kyndeled če fyre of his hert and mad him to encrese sore
     in če loue of God. He mad ful grete sorow čat he had be so
     bold to berke a-geyn čese holy letteris, whech be swete as hony
     to čoo soules čat desir heuene, for čei wer dewid fro heuene
|r24 be če holy vesseles of če prophetis, and most specialy be our
     Lord Ihesu and his aposteles. Tho cam Augustin on-to če
     Psalmis of Dauid, whech he red with ful ryp deuocyon, and
     specialy in iiij Psalme; čere 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 čat vers: In pace, in
     idipsum dormiam & requiescam, čan wold he crye: A čou pes,
     a Lord, čou art če very pes in whech we schal both slepe and



|p25


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



|p26


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


|r[CHAPTER_XVIII.]

 |r4    Of his son Adeodate whech was bapti¨ed 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 čat tyme čat he and his felawis wer sette in čat purpos for to
     wedde wyues of good birth, for aftir čat tyme če woman sewid
     him no mor. These be his wordis in his Confessiones, wher he
     seith eke čat he had neuer no woman but hir, ne sche no man
|r12 but him. O child was bor be-twix hem too, whom čei cleped
     Adeodatus, čat 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 čis
     world aftir he was cristened with his fader. His witte was so
|r16 gret and so sotill, as Augustin tellit, čat it passed in conyng
     many men of grete age and grete experiens. Augustin his fader
     had gret merueyl of him čat a ¨ong čing 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 čann at če
     answeris whech schuld be ¨oue čertoo. This child, with ful grete
     bisynesse, laboured to knowe če 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 čat book whech tretith of
     če quantite of če soule, for it is a dialoge be-twix to, wher on
|r28 makith interogaciones and če očir ¨eueth če answeres. Thus
     aftir her baptem Augustinus, with his felauchip, leued in ful
     grete ioye čat čei had receyued so clene a lif, whech lyf was more
     dere on-to hem čan gold or precious stones.



|p27


|r[CHAPTER_XIX.]

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

        |r<b> THUS whan he was confermed in če feith of holy kirk, al če
 |r4    ioye and če hope whech he had in čis world he forsok,
     and in čis tyme myth neuyr his soule be saciat or fulfillid of
     good desires, most special consideryng who čat our Lord of His
     his councell had refreschid mankynde with His presens. He
 |r8 be-gan at čese dayes for to vse če 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
     čat time mad neuly many ympnys, for all če temporal ympnys
|r12 ar ny of his making, as Primo dierum omnium, & čoo čat
     folow, and čis same bisschop Ambrose mad hem to be sunge
     delectabily with consent of dyuers tewnys whech |r[l.23a] had not be
     used čere be-for. The cause whi čat čese newe songis were
|r16 be-gunne čus in Ambroses tyme is čis. The emperesse cleped
     Iustina was infect with če venemhous heresie of če Arianes,
     whech held čat če Fader and če Son and če Holy Gost be not
     of o substauns, for če Son calle čei a creatur mad of če Fader,
|r20 and če Holy Gost clepe čei a creatur mad of a creatur, čat is
     to sey of če Son. Thei sey ferčermor, čat Crist took flesch and
     blod with-outen ony soule. This woman, čus infecte, at instauns
     of certeyn prestis whech taute hir čat heresie, hated Ambrose,
|r24 for he prechid mech a-geyn hem. This persecucion was so gret
     čat Ambrose was constreyned to kepe če 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, čis same bischop ded ordeyn swete
     songis and delectable, aftir če vse of če cherchis in če est side
     of če world, čat če puple čus occupied with swech swete songis
     schuld forgete če heuynesse and če perel in whech čei stood. Eke



|p28


     whan čis persecucion was ended ¨et če good custom of čese songis
     abood stille. For on-to čis day če vse of če 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 čei be
     songe deuoutly. For in čese songis had Augustin so grete delite
     čat he herd hem with ful bisy eres, for čei mad him to čink
     on čo songis whech aungelles syng in heuene, and in čis same
 |r8 deuocion be alle |r[l.23b] his felawes now whech ar newly bapti¨ed. Thus
     can oure Lord make dyuers bodies lyue in on hous with o soule
     and on entent in če seruyse of God.


|r[CHAPTER_XX.]

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

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



|p29


     ¨ow. For be her good exaumples was I turned on-to če rith feith.
     Euyr haue I loued hem, and euyr haue I desired for to folow her
     holy conuersacion. Be čat goodman Simplician, whech is amongis
 |r4 hem as a foundour, was I broute on-to cristendam and lerned in če
     feith. Wherfor be ¨e not heuy of myn absens. Do thoo čingis
     whech are plesaunt on-to me, and I schal be with ¨ou all dayes
     on-to če 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 čis his moder Monicha desired čat 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 čis
     world whan sche wist čat 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 čere with hem in holy conuersacion.
     Simpliciane was ful glad of his desir and graunted him xij če
     moost proued men in parfithnesse of all čat college. So he and
     his moder and čese xij, with four of his frendis, Nebridius, Euodius,
|r20 Alipius & Poncianus, mad hem redy to go to če see, wher čei schuld
     schippe. Off čis mater spekith čis same glorious doctour in a
     sermon whech he mad of iij gendres of munkys; čus begynnyth
     če sermone: Vt nobis per litteras, and čus writith he čere: These
|r24 be če perfite men to whom I drow mech in tyme of myn errour,
     |r[l.24b] be whom eke I receyued če lith of my feith, & for če fame of
     her holinesse was I bapti¨ed in Crist. For at če comaundment
     of my moder and desire of my frendis I went on-to čat god fader
|r28 Simpliciane, and desired of him certeyn persones of his felauchip,
     čat we schuld leue to-gidyr in če boundes of charite at hom in my
     cuntr. And he, ful faderly, whan he sey me wepe for swem čat
     I had whan I schuld depart fro him, grannted me če same men
|r32 whech I desired. But whi, hope ¨e, čat he graunted on-to nie čis
     felauchip so redyly? For he knew wel čat my desir was to edifie
     a monasterie in Affrik in whech we schuld dwelle, folowyng če



|p30


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXII.]

        Who Augustin with all čis meny went to Rome to take če se
     in Hostia fast by Rome & whi he taried čer.  xxij.

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



|p31


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXIII.]

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

        |r<b> THUS all čing 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 čat Tibir rennyth in-to če se, for Hostium in če
     Latyn tonge is a dor, and čat is clepid so as a dor of če se. Ther



|p32


     čei abood če 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 čus a-lone, čei too talked ful sobirly of če euyr-lestyn lif
     whech is ordeyned for blessid soules. Thei talked so long čerof
     and lyft up her hertis in contemplacion of čat holy place, čat čei
     had for-gete in maner čis world and all erdly čing, so wer čei
 |r8 rauyschid with her holy wordis. Thei stood stille both a grete
     while and čout swech čingis as čei coude not vttyr, and eke ageyn
     in her holy comunicacion čei 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 čing čat is in čis world. What I schal do in čis
     world, or why čat I am here so longe, I wote not veryly. Sumtyme
     I desired to abyde čat I schuld se če a trew cristen man or I deyid.
     God hath graunted me čat and mech mor, for I se če now nowt
|r16 only a cristen man, but I se če a special seruaunt of God, for čou
     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 čat 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 čus sayd on-to him: Wher was I?
     Thei čat |r[l.26b] stood a-bout were al astoyned, and answered not. Than
     spak sche a-gayn in čis maner: Ley čis body whan I am ded in
|r24 what place ¨e wil; haue no besynesse in no maner wher it schal be
     byryed. O čing I pray ¨ou of specialte, wher-euer ¨e be, at ony
     aucter wher ¨e schal ministir če holy sacrament, in čat place haue
     of me sum special mynd. Sche had for getyn, as Augustin tellith
|r28 al her cuntr and če 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 čei čat wer aboute hir, aftir grete communica_cion
     of če contempte of če world and of desire of good deth, čei
|r32 inqwyrid of hir if sche was not aferd for to deye so fer fro hir
     cuntr; sche answered to hem rith čus: No-čing is fer fro God.
     I am no-čing a-ferd čat God schuld not knowe fro whens he schuld



|p33


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXIV.]

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

        |r<b> IN če nynth book of his Confessiones, in če last ende, čere
        touchith he če deth of his modir and če grete compleynt
     mad for hir both be očir men and be him. Thus aftir očer
|r12 čingis he seith of hir: Thi seruaunt, Lord, whom |r[l.27a] čou hast now
     take on-to či mercy, as čou knowist & as I be-leue, aftir čat
     tyme čat sche had take či feith and či baptem, sche defouled
     neuer hir lippis with no vnclennesse whech schuld be offense
|r16 on-to či lordchip; no lesingis wer founde in hir tonge, no slaunder,
     no vice whech longith on-to čat membir. Thou saide, Lord, čat
     what man with angri hert said on-to his bročir euele, or cleped
     him fool, was gilty on-to če peyne of helle. Here me, Lord, now
|r20 clepyng on-to či grace for my moder whech stant in či grace.
     Her me for če medycyne of čoo woundis whech či son souered
     in his body for če helth of our soules. Forgif hir all če trespas
     with whech sche offendid če in čout, word, or werk. Entyr not
|r24 with hir in-to či dom. Lete či mercy flete aboue či dom.
     I hope veryly čat čou hast doo now al čat I pray če, but ¨et
     alowe my good wil whech i offer on-to če for hir as a deute of
     hir child. Sche bond hir soule on-to če prys of thi blod whil
|r28 sche lyued, for čere was no day left but sche wold be present
     where če sacrifise and če memory of či holy blod schuld be had
     in mynde. Inspire, Lord, all če rederes of čis book čat, in presens
     of če sacrament of če aucter, čei may haue of če soules of Patrik,
|r32 my fader, and Monicha, my moder, deuoute mynde, be whos
     flesch I was brout forth on-to čis wor[l] d . Many očir 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 če 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 če world, specialy amongis marchaundis. I haue mynd
     čat I haue red in Augustin bokes, I wot not now wher, čat all
 |r8 marchaundise and al maner makyng of schippis be-gan čer. Ther
     wer čei herborowid in a worthi mannes hous; čei cleped him
     Innocent. This same Innocent, swech tyme as Augustin was
     čere, had a greuous sor, whech sor myth not be hol, as če lech
|r12 said, with-outen čat it wer slitte. The man was weyk and dred
     mech če 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 čat dwelt aboute, but čei all
|r16 with grete deuocion čankid God of his werkis. Of čis same
     myracle don at Cartage spekith Augustin in če xxij book of če
     Cite of God, so fer as čou¨ a-nočir man had do če same. Fro
     Cartage went čei hom to če houses and feldis čat longid on-to
|r20 Augustin of herytage. Thus leued čei alle of čo godis whech
     wer left him be his frendis, not vsyng husbondry but seld, now
     o part now an-očir, for čei leued all be čat possession ny iij ¨ere.
     Augustin had take ¨et non ordres, but brout with him certeyn
|r24 prestis a-mongis čoo heremites whech he had of Simpliciane, and
     čei all folowyng če steppes of če apostoles, dwelt to-gidir in on
     hous with o soule in prayer and fasting, |r[l.28a] and he him-selue, swech
     čingis as God had schewid to him, vttered it to očir men in
|r28 writyng and teching, to her gret lernyng.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVI.]

        What bokes he mad whil he leued čus in his owne possession
     in če town of Tagatenses.  cap. xxvj.

        |r<b> DWELLYNG čus in his owne possession he wrot too bokes
|r32    ageyn če Manicheis, & čese cleped he De Genesi, for čere
     tretith he mech of če werkis of our Lord whech he wrout in če



|p35


     begynnyng of če 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, če 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 čat treuth whech is
     God. So he concludeth čat čoo inuisibil čingis whech be in heuene
     ar vndirstand če bettir for knowlech of bodely čingis whech God
 |r8 mad in erde. He seith ferčermor čat čou¨ čer be certeyn men
     her in erde čat haue so dul wit čat čei can-not vndirstand čis
     mater, ¨et if čei kepe treuly če cristen feith, čei schul sumtyme
     se all čese čingis. & fele hem in swech sikirnesse čat čei may not
|r12 fayle. He seith eke čat summe men čat haue sotil wittis and
     vndirstand čis wel I-now, if it be so čat čei despise Crist, for al
     her sotil kunnyng, čei schal be da[m] pned in hell. In čat same
     tyme eke, mad he a-nočir book čat is entitled če bok Of če
|r16 Maistir. éis bok is |r[l.28b] in maner of a dialoge be-twix him and
     his son, for sone aftir če bok was mad his son deyid. In čis
     book he seith čat čere is no very mayster to tech men če treuth
     but God alone. That same tyme eke he mad a-nočir book whech
|r20 he nameth De Vera Religione, wher he tretith čat čere is no
     trewe ne very religion in al če world but in če cristen feith.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVII.]

        What was če cause whi he went first to Ypone.  xxvij.

        |r<b> THUS lyued our maystir in holy study and contemplacion
        so čat his fame be-gan to sprede, what lyf he held and
|r24 what doctrine he comuned to hem čat cam on-to hym, so čat
     če lith of his doctrine myth not be hid but račer spred him-selue
     čorw če cuntr. Of him herd a certeyn rych man čat dwelt čat
     tyme at Ypone swech meruelous tydyngis čat če 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, čat he



|p36


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



|p37


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



|p38


|r[CHAPTER_XXIX.]

        Of če noumbyr of čo heremytes whech he gadered, and of
     her holy conuersacion.  capitulum xxix.

        |r<b> IN čis same monastery Augustin, or he were prest, gadered
 |r4    a grete noumbyr of heremites whech lyued, as we sayde
     be-for, aftir če forme and če ordinauns of če apostoles, and he
     her began čat ordr whech we clepe at čis day, and če cherch
     of Rome clepith hem če same in all če bullis of her preuylegis,
 |r8 če ordre of če heremites of Seynt Augustyn. First dwelt čei
     in dyuers wodes, her on and čere anočer, and euerych of hem
     lyued as hym lyked tyl čat our auctour gadered hem to-gidyr
     & mad of anachorites cenobites. He spekith him-selue of hem
|r12 in če sermone often rehersid, čus: 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 čere a noumbir
     of brečerin whos hertis are so inspired with gostly lith čat
|r16 not only čei be foloweris of holy faderis whech lyued in solitarie
     lif, but now čei folow če noble steppes of če aposteles, for al
     čing is comon on-to hem. Many faderis wer be-for me whom
     for to folow is ful profitable, but non of hem went nyher če
|r20 apostoles lif čan I. Therfor |r[l.30b] may I sey čat I am fader and hed
     of ¨ou all. The habite of čis ordr was a blak cope girt with
     a girdil of ledir with-outen ony barr, as he witnessith in če
     forsaid sermone, hauyng čese wordes on-to če prestis čat dwelt
|r24 in če 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 čei be. Wold God ¨e were swech as I fynde
     hem. że be renneres a-boute če cyte; and čei fle če sith of
|r28 men. że be arayed with dyuers colouris and dyuers furris; čei
     are content with a blak cloth. ¨e haue girdilis lich knytys; and
     čei with čongis of chamel skynnys, as Hely and Ion, go girt in her
     lendes. To čese same heremites mad he a book of certeyn reules,
|r32 who čei schuld lyue, whech reules he cleped če Margarites of
     Paradise, and čei be comprehendid in če first sermone čat he



|p39


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



|p40


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXXI.]

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

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



|p41


     be swech grucching tongis če whilis čat Augustin supplied swech
     good |r[l.32a] werkis whech he coude not do him-selue. For be če prechyng
     of Augustin many soules were goten to God. He ferd lich a gret
 |r4 lith sette all on hy, čat all men in če grete hous of our Lord had
     direccion in her werkys be his schynyng. This ensaumple ran oute
     čorw če lond of Affrik, čat čo 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 čat čese heremites whech
     dwelt in če secund monastery were admitted to preche and
     schryue, not alle, but čoo whech were lerned in diuinite and
     custumablely vsed in good lyf. This witnessith he in čat sermone
|r12 often alleggid, Vt bene nostis, where he seith čus: Tho bretherin
     sette in če monasterie whech our good fader Valery endewid, čou¨
     it be so čat čei dwelle not in če cite, be-cause her fame was mech
     bor a-mongis če puple, čerfor haue I ordeyned čat čei schul preche
|r16 če word of lif on-to če puple, and bryng trew soules be her gode
     ensaumples to Him čat mad al of nowt. Behold who čai deme če
     erde and bynde it & lose swech as čei wil euer with če 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 čat same tyme če heresie of če Manicheis encresid in če
        cite of Ypone, čorw labour and doctrine of a grete capteyn
|r24 of hem cleped Fortunate, whech had peruerted many soules fro če
     trewe feith. For whech cause če best citeceynes requyred her
     prest, Augustin, to speke with čis Fortunat, & refelle, if he myth,
     če 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 če feith,
     hope and charite whech wer plenteuously with-inne him, forsok
     not čis conflicte, but obeied rydily her peticion, inqwyring of hem
     if Fortunate wold consente to čis dede. Tho went čei to Fortunate,
|r32 and reqwyrid him with swech instauns čat he myth not denye her



|p42


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIII.]

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

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



|p43


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIV.]

        Off če čird monasterie whech he gadered of chanones with_inne
     če paleys.  cap. xxxiiij.

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



|p44


     to his refeccion euery day to nečir of čese to monasteries of whech
     we spoke, čerfor he chase certeyn prestis of good lyf and gret
     lettirur to leue with him in čat college, and |r[l.34a] čo same men bonde
 |r4 to leue vndir obediens, chastite and fro propirte of temporal richesse,
     as čo heremites lyued in če to monasteries saide be-fore. And owt
     of čis colege cam čese chanones čat ar called at čis day of ordr of
     Seint Augustin, čou¨ it be so čat čei be distincte in očer habite
 |r8 čan čei čat wer with Seint Augustin, for čei went in dyuers
     colouris a[n] d furris, as chanones do now in cathedral cherchis.
     But be-cause čat čese chanones in blak habite kepe mor streytly
     če reule of Seynt Augustin, as touching čat poynt to lyue in
|r12 comon, čerfor, I suppose, čat čei be nyher Seynt Augustin čan če
     othir. And čerfor is čere meued a question in če lawe whečir
     če chanones of cathedral cherchis be bounde čerw-oute če world
     for to kepe če reule of čis doctour whech he mad on-to hem, & it
|r16 is cleped De Vita Clericorum, or nowt, and čei sey nay čerto, for
     be-cause he myth bynde no cherch but his owne. Wherfor me
     semeth čat čo chanonis whech be clepid reguler ar mor ny Seint
     Augustin čan čoo čat be clepid seculer. This same glorious
|r20 doctour in a famous sermone whech he mad of če comon lif of
     clerkys, and it beginnyth Propter quod nolui & rogaui, makyth
     mynde of čis čirde monasterie in swech maner wordes: It
     plesid God for to sey on-to me čat I schuld ascende to hier degre,
|r24 for aftir če tyme čat my fame was bore in če 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 čat I must chere men čat 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 čo monasteries whech I haue mad, če custom
     schuld not be good, for če most part of čo heremites desire not
     mech to haue grete conuersacion with če puple. This was če
|r32 cause whi čat I gadered čese clerkis in o colege with-inne če hous
     or če place whech longith principaly to the bischoprich. These
     same wordes hath he in a sermone to če same prestis of Ypone
     whech be-gynnyth: In omnibus operibus vestris. Many čingis



|p45


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXXV.]

        Who čese heremites wer founde be če possession of če cherch
     and what worthy men grew of his college.  xxxv.

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



|p46


     him in-to očir cuntres, mad monasteries, gadered felauchip and so
     encresid his ordre, not only in Ypone, but čorw če lond, him
     lyuyng.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVI.]

 |r4    Of če maneres and če 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 čat 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 čei schuld do. To othir |r[l.35b] seculer men čat were occupied in
|r12 če 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 očir 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, čat many euele men, seing his swete correccion, wer
     če rather turned fro synne. His cločis whech he wered dayly,
|r20 & his cločis čat serued to his bed, čei wer not ouyr costful, ne
     ouyr wrecched, but in če most mesurable maner, he ordeyned čei
     schuld be. In summe men we lakkyn čo grete cost of aray, and
     with summe ar we wroth with her sluttynesse. éerfor went čis
|r24 man če myd weye, čat he schuld ¨eue ensaumple in cločing to hem
     čat wer his foloweris, and očir men whech wer not of his skole
     schuld haue no mater of detraccion. Thus spekith he in a famous
     sermon čat begynnyth: Caritati vestre. I wil čat no man ¨yue
|r28 to me so precious cločis whech čat I, as of a specialte a-boue očir,
     schuld wer. Ensaumple he puttith. I sette case čat sum man
     gyue me an amyse mor precious čan I am wone to were, čat
     I schuld haue swech a singuler čing passyng all my brečerin.
|r32 Vphap it semeth a bischop for to were swech on, čou¨ it semeth
     not Augustyn a pore man, born of mene men. For if I receyued



|p47


     swech a čing and wered it, |r[l.36a] men schuld sey čat I haue founde
     mor precious garmentis in če cherch čan I myth haue had in my
     faderes hous. Lete men gyue me swech cločis čat in nede my
 |r4 brečerin, be čei prestis, dekenes or subdeknes, may were če same.
     I am a-knowe be-for God and ¨ou čat 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 če most partye vsed he at his table, for he
        had more delectacion in če herying of holy lessones and
     talkyng aftir up-on če same čan in bodely mete. Flesch ete he
|r12 but seldom, and čat was whan he had gestis; wortes and letuse
     and swech herbis ete he most. I trowe čat he had če vse of Itaile
     whilles he studied čere, and coude not litly out of če same vse, for
     čei ete not mech at onys. Wyn drank he euyr ful mesurablely,
|r16 and čat medeled with watyr, for če wyn of čat cuntr is hoot.
     Swech mete and drynk as he had in vse was not warned to no
     man čat wold ask it, wer čei dwelleris of če cite, wer čei
     straungeris. A-mongis all očir vices he hatyd gretly detraccion,
|r20 specialy at mel, for a-geyn čat vis had he writyn at his table čese
     too vers: Quisquis amat dictis absentem rodere vitam, Hanc mensam
     vetitam nouerit esse sibi. éis is to sey in Englisch: What man
     with wordis absent bitith his bročeris name, This bord fro him
|r24 forbodyn it is with blame. Sumtyme čei čat sat čer wold speke
     largely of hem čat wer absent, & čann |r[l.36b] wold Augustyn say on-to
     hem čat, but čei wold leue her detraccion, he must rase oute če
     vers. Eke sumtyme whan čei 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 če kechyn to loke what
     mete was čere in araying, and fond če hous cold. Tho cam he
|r32 on-to če bischop and inqwyrid of him what mete he had ordeyned
     for his gestis, and Augustin answered him čat he knew no mor
     čan he. Deuoute puple cam mor to him for goostly communica_cion



|p48


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

|r[CHAPTER_XXXVIII.]

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

        |r<b> FADERLES childyrn and widowes whan čei wer in ony
|r32    tribulacion he wold visite, and seke men eke with his owne
     handis wold he lefte and coumfort, and sumtyme čo 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 čei
     were hool. In če xxij book of če Cyte of God he tellith too
 |r4 myracules of him-selue in swech maner as čow a-nočir 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 če same oyle and če prest with bittir teris prayed |r[l.37b] for
 |r8 hir, sche was hol. A-nočir tale he tellith čere; he seyth he knew
     a bischop čat prayed for a ¨ong man in whom če deuele had
     entered, and a-non, aftir his prayer, če ¨ong masi was hool.
       To elde men was čis 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 čus: If it be so čat čere be a-mongis ¨ou in ¨our
     monasterie eld men čat passe iiij score ¨ere, whech haue lyued in
|r16 clennesse of body and soule many ¨eres, and endewred in holy
     exercise, čat is to seyn, fastyng, wakyng, and očir bodyly penauns,
     These men fro čat age forward schul ber non office ne no charge of
     če monastery, for čei ded whil čei myth. Grucch ¨e not čat be
|r20 ¨onger, čou¨ čei do not now as čei ded sumtyme, for čei may not.
     If čei rest whan ¨e labour, merueyle not. If čei be worchippid of me
     as elde faderes schuld be, lete no heuynesse take ¨ou, for čei be wel
     worthi to receyue swech worchip. Therfor we wil, and in če name
|r24 of Crist here we ordeyn, čat čei čat drawe to če age of a hundred
     ¨ere, čei 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 če bettir wil, for I wil čat ¨e knowe who če conuersa_cion
|r28 of hem is now in heuene, and ¨e schal če sonner com čidir
     be-cause of her prayer. A-nočir condicion had čis glorious Seynt
     čat he wold neuyr occupie him-selue with non |r[l.38a] worldly occupacion,
     for hous ne feld wold he neuyr bye, and many heritages čat men
|r32 wold leue on-to him he forsook hem; he seid it was mor conuenient
     čat her childyrn schuld haue hem čan če cherch. The charge of
     his houshold, both in receyuyng and in paying, he committed
     on-to če best a-vised clerkis whech dwellid with him; on had če
|r36 gouernauns o ¨ere, a-nočer a-nočer ¨ere, and at če ¨eris ende he



|p50


     čat went fro če office ¨aue clere acountis both of če receytis and
     eke of če 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 čese swete occupaciones inclined he his entent,
     labourand in če law of God day and nyth. Newe werkis, whan
     čei schuld be mad, he comitted to očir 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 čat wold
     haue čis occupacion, ne seid not a-geyn hem, lesse čan če werkis
     were ouyr costful, čan wold he grucch. Ther dwelt no woman
     with-inne his hous, nout his owne sistir ne če douteres of his
|r12 bročir, and ¨et wer čei weddid to God in holy religion. He wold
     sey čus: With my sistir or my necys is čere no suspecion, but čere
     schuld come many women to hem, and eke čou¨ I be of her kyn, al
     myn houshold is not so. He wold neuer speke with no woman
|r16 alone, čou¨ it were rith grete councell. If he schuld speke with
     hem, clerkys and seruauntis schuld stande aboute, and čou¨ čei
     herd not what was sayd, čei 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 čat he wold sey sumtyme to hem čat were aboute him: Leue me,
     in čat I wil sey as a man čat hath in čis mater gret experiens.
     Be-for God, čat I sey, I lye not. The grete cedr trees of Lyban,
     če grete lederes of če cristen flok, haue I-knowe čat čei haue falle
|r24 be če pestilens of lecherye, of whos fal I had no mor suspecion
     čan I had of Ambrose or Ierom.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIX.]

       Of očir meruelous condicionis of čis man.  xxxix.

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



|p51


     čei schuld curs hym čat mad če mariage. And also it is not semly
     čat he whech is a religious man and boundyn to chastite schuld
     excite očir folk to fleschly lykyng. The cause of če secund is, if it
 |r4 be soo čat he whech schal fytyn make ony fals chalange, čan schul
     men wite it on him čat ¨aue him councell. The cause of če čird
     is, if a man go often to festis he schal ete or drynk sum-tyme oute
     of mesur and speke sumtyme čat myth be left.
 |r8   Othis hated he gretly and most special in religous men, for at
     his bord was mad čis statute, čat what man rehersid ony oth čere,
     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 čei serued equaly vndir o propor_cion.
     He praised mech čoo men čat haue desire to deye, and to
     čis conclusion he wold often reherse exaumples of thre bischoppis.
     Seynt Ambrose, whan he lay at his last ende and schuld deye, his
|r16 disciples čere prayed him čat he schuld ask of our Lord lenger lyf,
     and he answered čus to hem: I haue not lyued so amongis ¨ou
     čat 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.
       Anočir bischop, he seid, lay on deying, and čei čat wer aboute
     him desired gretly his lyf, for he was, as čei said, ful nececarie to
     če cherch. He answered čus 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 če čird bischop seith he čat Seynt Cypriane
|r28 told čat whan čis bischop cam to his last ende and schuld deye,
     at instauns of hem čat were aboute him, he prayed God to make
     him hool agayn. And čan, as he tellith, a fayr ¨ong man stood be
     his bed-side and loked angryly vpon him for čat desire, and rith
|r32 čus he saide on-to him: To suffir tribulacion and miseries of čis
     world, ¨e be euyr aferd, and for to go oute of čese 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 čat he schuld haue če grete part of his



|p52


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


|r[CHAPTER_XL.]

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

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



|p53


     clepid Circumcelliones; čis meny runne a-boute on nytes with
     wepun and armur and compelled men with strokis to her heresie.
       The Manycheis had many očer fals opiniones, for čei said čat
 |r4 Crist was no very man, but lich a man, and čat he took no flesch
     ne blood of če mayde as we beleue, but he took, I wot not veryly
     what čei mene, a body, čei sey, of če eyr, in whech he ded all čoo
     myracles and in whech he suffered passion. These folk with sly
 |r8 termes deceyued many men.
       There were also in his tyme očir heretikes cleped Pelagianes,
     and čei held čis opynyon, čat a child be-goten of a cristen man and
     a cristen woman schuld not be bapti¨ed, ne nedith nowt, and all
|r12 čis secte our Augustin distroyed. These be če 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 očir. A-geyn all čese čis souereyn maystir
     of če cherch stood as a strong geaunt, wrestiling with argumentis
     for če clennesse of če feith, and enforsyng of če cherch and confirma_cion
     of parfite soules. Many a man eke čat was in errour, čorw
|r20 his preching and disputyng, was brout to če trew wey of our Lord
     and on-to cristen feith. Sumtyme in his prechyng wold he make
     a grete digression fro če mater čat he spak of on-to an-očir
     desperat mater, and čan wold he sey čat čis was če dispensacion
|r24 of our Lord, for čer was sum man in če audiens čat had nede to
     her čat mater. On a tyme he happid in a sermone to go fro his
     mater and speke a-geyn če errour of čese Manicheis, and a rich
     marchaunt čat was of čat heresie was sodeynly conuerted čer-by.
|r28 Whann he was cleped to ony councelles of bischoppis or of princes
     he wold gladly go to hem and euyr in čoo councelles peysed he mor
     če causes čat long on-to God čan čoo čat long on-to men.
     

|r[CHAPTER_XLI.]

        Of many bokes čat he mad aftir he was bischop.  cap. xlj.

|r32    |r<b> AL čat tyme whil he was bischop he was gretly occupied in
        studying and wryting and makyng of bokis. On of če
     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, če clerkis of če cherch comound
     a-mongis hem who schuld be bischop aftir, and he assigned hem
 |r4 čat čei schuld chese Simpliane. This same was če man, as we
     |r[l.41a] saide befor, čat with holy lif and deuoute exhortaciones brout
     Augustin to če feith. And whanne he herd sey čat Augustin was
     bischop at Ypone and famed čorw če world as for če grettest
 |r8 labourer in study and če grettest enmye to heretikes, eke če grettest
     dissoluer of qwestiones čat was leuand, -- heryng al čis he sent to
     him certeyn questiones, praying him to dissolue hem and declare
     on-to him če doutis čat čei 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 čat čei be ful
     delectable to studious men. This book beginnyth Gratissimam
     plane. In čis 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 čese bokes he his-selve was excited to ful holy lif & če
     makyng of hem inflawmed his hert to gret loue of our Lord. I dar
|r20 sauely sey čere is not so hard-hertid man in če world čat redith
     čese bokes and vndirstand hem, but čei wil ster his hert to swech
     deuocion čat, perauentur, he hath not had experiens of swech deuo_cion
     be-for. For all če processe of čese bokes and all če wordes
|r24 are steryng on-to če loue of God, and čo ar spoken with so swete
     langage čat čei sounde no-čing but deuocion. He mad čat tyme
     eke a book whech he clepith Of če Werkis of Munkis, for in his
     cuntr at čoo dayes were encresed many monasteries of munkis and
|r28 mech noumbir of religious men, for all čoo heremites whech lyued
     in desert, to whom he was first fader and norcher, wer cleped at
     čat tyme munkis, for monnos in če očir tonge is as mech to sey as
     solitari, |r[l.41b] and so monachus, čat is to sey, a munk, is swech a man
|r32 čat lyueth in solitary lyf. But whan Seint Benet cam, čan mad be
     če ordr of čo men whech be clepid now munkys propirly, for očer
     orderes ar now distincte in her propir names, and at čat tyme čat



|p55


     Augustin was, čis monachus was a comoun name to all religious.
     For not only Seint Benet mad čese 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 čis 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 čis book, De Opere Monachorum, of munkys werkys, mad he to
     čis entent. Summe of čese religious men saide čat it was not
     nedful on-to hem to praye, but čei wer bounde to labour with
     her handes. Thei wer meuyd to čis opynyon be a texte of Seint
|r12 Poule, whech seith čat he whech wil not labour schal not ete. And
     in a-nočir place he seith čus: Be nyth and eke be day haue we
     laboured čat we schuld greue non of ¨ou all. Summe held če
     reuers opynyon and enforsed hem with če gospell wher he seith:
|r16 Take hed at če birdis of če eyr, čei sowe neythir ne repe, and ¨et
     ¨our Fader of heuene fedith hem. And in čat same place he seith:
     Take hed at če lylyis of če feld, čei 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 čat all če cherch was set o rore with čis
     mater, so ferforth čat če bischop of Cartage, whech hith Aurelius
     at čat tyme, wrote down on-to |r[l.42a] Augustyn letteris in whech he
     prayed him and reqwyrid him, in Cristis name, čat he schuld
|r24 ordeyn sum remedye in čis mater. And for čis cause our fader
     Augustin wrot čis book in whech he schewith čat certeyn houres
     it is most conuenient to religious men to synge, rede or pray.
     And whan čo orisones ar do whech ar ordeyned be constituciones
|r28 of če cherch, čan is it ful nececarie to do sum labour with hand,
     čat ydilnesse, whech is step-modir of all vertu, schul non entr
     haue in hem.



|p56


|r[CHAPTER_XLII.]

        Of očir bokes whech he wrote at čat same tyme.  cap. xlij.

        |r<b> IN čo same dayes he wrote eke če bokys Of če Trynyte, xv,
        of grete and hy sentens, oute of whech bokes all če dyuynes
 |r4 čat haue writyn sithe, specialy in skole mater, haue če reulys
     of all dyuynyte. For Hugo de Sacramentis, and če maister of
     sentens, Seynt Thomas Alqwyn, and all očir, haue her special
     groundes čer.
 |r8   He made eke a-nočir solempne werk clepid Of če Cyte, and če
     cause why he mad čis book is čis: Whech tyme čat Rome was
     take of hethen men, če same hethen men scorned cristen men and
     blasphemed Crist in čis 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 čoo immortal goddis, čat čere myth
     non of her enmyes ouer-com hem. But aftyr čat tyme čat Petir
     and Paule had brout in če feith of Crist, a-non all her enmyes
|r16 had če bettyr of hem, of whech ymaginacion čei added to her
     blaspheme čat Crist had neuyr so mech power to defende his
     puple as had Iubiter whech stood in her capitoll. A-geyn čese
     grete blasphemes Seynt Augustin answered in čese xxij bokes.
|r20 In če first v. bokes he repreuyth če errour of hem |r[l.42b] čat seyde alle
     če richesse of čis world and all če prosperite is ¨ouen on-to men be
     čoo immortall goddis, for he schewith her pleynly čat čoo ydoles
     whech čei clepe goddis ar dampned spirites, and čoo men čat ded
|r24 worchip on-to hem regned in as gret myschef as euyr ded ony
     men. In če očir v. bokes he laboureth a-geyn če errour of hem
     čat seide good and euel in čis world haue her variauns aftir place
     & tyme and persones, čat sum place & sum tyme and sum persone
|r28 schal haue ioye euer and sum non. In če očir 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, čat causeth če cite of če deuel, whech
|r32 growith in heith tyl he comth on čat abusion čat he despiseth God.
     The loue of God, he makith če očir cite, and he may growe so hy to



|p57


     Goddis plesauns čat he schal, for Goddis loue, despise all worldly
     felicite. Be-side čese werkys he mad many a book, tretys, epistoles,
     sermones, omelies, čat a man schal not fyude a clerk at čese dayes
 |r4 čat may sey he haue red all, for če noumbir of hem ar gessid on-to
     a čousand. Of his werkis spekith a gret clerk in a vers rith čus.
     Mentitur quem se te totum legisse fatetur. Thus it meneth in
     Englisch: He lyeth čat seith he hath red al či 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 čese bokes he ouyr-lokid hem
        a-geyn, čat čer schul no-čing be čerin but trewe. This
|r12 čing ded he for many causes, on was for he mad many bokes or če
     tyme čat he was gretly vsed or exercised in holy scriptur. A-nočir
     cause was for certeyn materis whech he had wrytin, čei wer dirkly
     seid, wherfor he declared čoo materes in čis secund writyng. The
|r16 čird cause was čat he was not a-schamed to be a-knowe čat he
     had wrytyn mech čing whech myth a be bettir, and for čis cause
     he mad čat book whech he clepith his Retractaciones. And čat
     he schuld haue če mor leyser to study and write, specialy for in
|r20 too councellis all če bischoppis of če lond had reqwyrid him čat
     he schuld entend on-to exposicioin of holy scriptur, for čis cause
     certeyn ¨eres be-for his deth he prayed ful mekely če clergy and če
     puple čat fyue dayes in če weke he myth haue pesibily to his
|r24 study in scriptur, and če očir too dayes wold he ¨eue attendauns
     on-to her causes, to sette rest and pes be-twix hem. But for al
     čis graunt oft-tyme was his studie interrupt for her causes, to his
     grete vexacion, but special coumfort of his puple. For čis skil
|r28 he ordeyned a-nočir remedye: he say wel čat he fell fast in age,
     and deth, čat no man may escape, was ful ny, be-cause he felt him_selue
     so febil; he dred eke čat aftir his deth sum ambicious man
     schuld be mad bischop, whech schuld dietroye al čat euyr he had



|p58


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


|r[CHAPTER_XLIV.]

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

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



|p59


     summe of če swerd, and čat če seruyse, če messis, če ympnis of če
     cherch cesed, and many cherchis wer brent in če cuntr, and če
     clerkis fled, so čat sacramentis wer not ¨ouen, and čou¨ a man
 |r4 wold haue hem, čere was no man to gyue hem, he seing al čis,
     had ful grete sorow, so čat he fell in-to greuous seknesse. But
     ¨et, amongis al čis sorow he had čat consolacion of če wise man
     whech saide čus: He hath no grete wisdam čat sorowith whan
 |r8 stones falle, and whan čei deye čat must nedis deye. In čis
     tribulacion he cleped his brečerin to-gidyr and čus he saide on-to
     hem: Behold now, in what mischef we stand in, and I se no
     remedye; God wil punisch us in čis wyse for our synnes. Wherfor,
|r12 I haue prayed my Lord čat he schuld delyuer us of čese perelles,
     or elles send us paciens čat we may suffyr hem mekely, or elles, if
     he se čat we be worči for to haue hem lenger, I haue prayed God
     čat he schal take me oute of čis lyf. This same prayer čat he
|r16 prayed, čei prayed all, and so on of čese iij peticiones was graunted
     him, for in če čird month aftir čei had be-segid če cyte, če feuerys
     took him so sor čat 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 čis same seknesse of whech he deyid čere cam on-to hym
        a certeyn man, praying him in če name of our Lord čat 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 čat 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 čan on očir men. The man
|r28 replied on-to Augustyn in čis maner: He saide čat he had in
     maner of a goostly consolacion, in whech he was warned čat he
     schuld go to Augustyn če bischop, and with touching of his hand
     he schuld be mad hool. Augustyn, seing če grete feith of čis man,
|r32 leyd his hand up-on him & blessed him in če name of God, and
     čus was he mad hool. Thus encresid če seknesse up-on him čat



|p60


     he vndirstood wel he schuld sone deye, and be-cause he had prechid
     ofte sithe čat čere schuld no cristen man passe owt of če world
     with-outen mornyng and compleint for defautes in whech he hath
 |r4 falle, čerfor he mad his notari for to write him če vij Psalmes, čoo
     same whech we rede with če Letanye, in a fayr parchemyn skyn,
     and čis was sette on če wal a-geyn his beddis hed. éese red he
     with ful gret deuocion and grete wepyng be-for his deth. And
 |r8 čat čere schuld no man interrupte him of čis deuocion, ten dayes
     be-for his deth he ordeyned čat čer schuld no man com with -inne
     če chaumbyr wher he |r[l.45a] lay but his leche and čei čat brout him
     mete and drynk, and all čis tyme with ful grete deuocion and
|r12 mech wepyng he comended his soule to God. And čus če v. kalende
     of September, with hool mynde and all če membris of his body not
     hurt but hool, standyng his brečerin a-boute him, and comendyng
     hys soule to God, he ¨ald če goost on-to če 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 če cherch in tresour of his bokes, čat čou¨ his body
     be drawe from vs, ¨et his spirit abideth with us, as če poete wrot
|r20 ful wel of all hem whech leue emolliment of wryting be-hinde hem;
     rith čus he wrot in Latin: Viuere post obitum vatem vis nosce
     viator, Quod legis ecce loquor vox tua nempe mea est. Thus mene
     čei in Englisch: Thou man čat passist by, if čou wilt knowe čat
|r24 a clerk lyueth after his deth, That čou redist I speke, či voys eke
     is myn. Augustyn lyued clerk and bischop ny xl. ¨ere, alle če
     dayes of his lyf, or seuenety and sex. Thus endith če lyf of čis
     glorious doctour whom all cristen men ar bounde to do worchip,
|r28 most specialy clerkys and lerned men čat haue grete stuf oute of
     his bokes to her lernyng. And as I hope, ¨e gentyl woman, ¨e
     schuld plese wel čis Seint if ¨e wold se his place onys in a ¨er,
     and čou¨ ¨e left a day in heruest of ¨our labour, he coude make
|r32 retribucion in očer party. Thus I comende ¨ou to God and me to
     ¨our prayeris, čat 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 če order
                of Sempyngham, whech ordre is entytled on-to če 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 čat če lyf of our fader Seynt Augustyn, whech čat
     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 čerto alle čoo relygyous čat lyue vndyr
     his reule. But to čis I answer čat it was not my charge, but if men
     like for to knowe čis mater diffusely čei may lerne it in a sermon
|r12 čat I seid at Cambrig če ¨er be-for myn opposicion, whech
     sermon vnphap I wil sette in Englisch in če last ende of čis
     werk. Than aftir ¨e had red čis lyf of Seynt Augustyn ¨e sayde
     to on of my frendes čat ¨e desired gretly če lyf of Seynt Gilbert
|r16 schuld be translat in če 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 če honour of God and of
     all seyntis čan, wil we begynne čis tretys, namelych for the
|r20 solitarye women of ¨our religion whech vnneth |r[l.46b] can vndyrstande
     Latyn, čat čei may at vacaunt tymes red in čis book če grete
     vertues of her maystyr. For her may čei loke as in a glasse, who
     čei schal transfigure her soules lych on-to čat exemplary in whech
|r24 čei schul loke. Of če 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, čei sey, is a word of Hebrew,
     as mech to sey as he čat passeth fro o cuntr to a-nothir. And
 |r4 ber is a welle, or a pitte, eke deruyed fro če Ebrewe tunge. Tus
     is a Lateyn word, in Englisch a swete gumme, whech we črowe
     in our encenseris whan we schal doo a special honour to God.
     Thann soundith his name čus on-to our heryng: This holy man
 |r8 was a walker her in erde čat passed fro če welle on-to če swete
     sauour. The welle clepe I če holy baptem in whech he was
     wasch fro Adam his synne. The swete sauour name I če holy
     opynyon of this man whech sauoured so swetely in čis land
|r12 čat it mad many men to selle al čat čei had and folow če steppes
     of pouerte. Of this sauour spak če blissed apostel whan he
     saide: We be če good odour of our Lord Crist in euery place,
     both to hem čat schul be saued |r[l.47a] and eke to hem čat schul
|r16 perisch. To summe be we sauour of lyf and to summe sauour
     of deth. So semyth it čat če clene lyf of Seynt Poule, and če
     deuoute preching of hym, was on-to hem whech wer chose to be
     saued a sauour of euyr-lasting lyf, & to hem čat wer reprobat
|r20 a sauour of euerlastyng peyne. All čis is seid to acording of
     Seynt Gilbertis name čat al his lyf from his baptem on-to his
     deth ran in swech a swete sauour čat ¨et at čese dayes če deuoute
     virgines of his ordre beren witnesse čat of če rote of his doctrine
|r24 sprange all čese fayre flouris of virginite. This is če preamble
     or elles če 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 čertoo whech men of čat ordre haue
|r28 told me, and eke othir čingis čat schul falle to my mynde in če
     writyng whech be pertinent to če mater.

|r[CHAPTER_I.]

                                            capitulum pm.

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



|p63


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



|p64


     honestie. In al his ¨ong age was he clene fro swech vices as
     childyrn vse, as lying, wauntown ragyn, and očir stynkyng
     condiciones. Euene čann be-gan he to be lich a religious man,
 |r4 to whech lyf he was applied be God. For in all his lyf, as čei
     bere witnesse čat sey his conuersacion, touched he neuer woman.
     Touchyng |r[l.48b] clepe I vicious handelyng in če 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 čat same seculer lyf and in čat tendyr age, he folowyd,
       as he coude and myth, če reules of religious lyf, and to
|r12 hem all of whech he had ony power he ful benyngly gaf exaumple
     če same reules to folow. For first was he a maystir of lernyng
     to če smale petites, swech as lerne to rede, spelle and synge.
     Tho childyrn čat were vndyr his disciplyne he taute not only
|r16 her lessones on če book, but be-side čis, he tawt for to pley
     in dew tyme, and here playes taute he čat čei schuld be honest
     and mery with-outen clamour or grete noyse. For čou¨ he had
     not at čat tyme experiens of če good customes whech be vsed
|r20 a-mongis religious men in monasteriis, ¨et had our Lord God
     at čat age put in his brest čese holy exercises, for he taute čoo
     disciples čat he had to kepe silens in če cherch; all an on our to
     go to bedde & eke to ryse to her lessones; all wente čei to-gidyr
|r24 to her pley or ony očir čing. His moost labour and grettest
     desir was to wynne soules to God with word and eke ensaumple,
     for če best sacrifise on-to God is če gelous loue of soules. Lich
     on-to čis man was če holy Athanas in his ¨ong dayes, |r[l.49a] čat same
|r28 Athanas whech mad Quicunque Vult. We rede of him čat in his
     childhod he wold gader to-gydyr many childyr of his aqweyntauns,
     and lede hem to če watirside, and čis was at grete Alisaundr.
     Than wolde he enqwyre of hem wheythir čei were cristen or
|r32 nowt, and if čei wer not cristen, he made his felawis, as in game,
     to make če child naked & so dippe him čries in če cold watyr,



|p65


     he standing sadly and saying če very sacramental wordis of
     baptem. This noyse cam to če bischoppis ere, whech at čat tyme
     hite Petyr; he sent aftir če childyrn and enqwyred of hem what
 |r4 Athanas saide on-to hem, what čei answered, vnder what forme
     he wasched hem, and whan he sei čat all čing was doo rith as
     če cherch vseth, he determyned čat čo childyrn wer bapti¨ed,
     notwithstanding čat it was doo in pley, comaundyng his prestes
 |r8 to take če childyrn and sey ouyr hem če očir orisones whech
     če cherch vseth. Al čis is seid for our Gilberd, čat in so ¨ong
     age had so sad condiciones and so grete ¨el to lede soules to
     heuene. Whan he was promoted to če ordre of presthod and had
|r12 soules in gouernauns and eke had receyued power to make
     ministracion of če goostly giftis whech be vertue of oure Lordes |r[l.49b]
     blod ar left in če cherch, čan, as a trewe steward of his Lordes
     tresour, he departed his Lordes whete to hem čat dwelle in če
|r16 houshold of our feith, to ech of hem as it neded. éat is to seyn,
     če word of good exhortacion was not hid in him, but he delt it
     oute frely to hem čat wold lerne. For his auditorye was so
     endewyd with lernyng čat it sempt in all her gouernauns čei had
|r20 be norchid in monasterye amongis če seruauntis of God. Thei
     vsed non insolent drynkyngis, ne no longe sitting čere, ne vsed
     not to renne to wrastillingis, ber-baytingis and swech očir onthrifty
     occupaciones, whech summe men now on dayes preferr be-for dyuyne
|r24 seruyse; this used čei nout, but čei used to pray deuoutly in
     če 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 če cherch
|r28 he myth sone discerne whečir čei 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 če 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 če
     lord, & to him was comitted to ransake all če greuous crimes or
     synnes čorw-oute če 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 čis astate he was not
     prowd of beryng, ne founde in no costly aray, but če heyer he was
     in dignite če lower was his soule, for in all his mevyngis no-čing
 |r8 seculer, but lych a chanon reguler or a cloystirer, semed he euyr.
     In so mech čat whil he was in čis seruyse in court he fastid gretly,
     he wook as to očir mennys wakyng importably, prayed euyr, and
     eke očir goostly exercises wer neuyr left behynde. He was so
|r12 wel occupied in čat administracion čat he wold compleyne of him_selue
     aftirward whan he had begunne čis religion, čat he was
     mor parfit in lyf be-for čat conuercion to religion čan he was aftyr,
     notwithstanding čat aftir tyme he had take čis holy habite he was
|r16 enmye grete I-now on-to his owne body. But čat he dyde lesse
     penauns to his body aftyr he had take če religion, it is not to
     aretten to slauth and necligense, but rather on-to charyte, whech
     entendith mor to očir mennys profith čan his owne. |r[l.50b] So rede
|r20 we čat Seynt Martyn had lesse vertue ¨oue on-to him after his
     promocion to če bischoprych čan 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 če same bischop Robert,
|r24 he fully refused. For he wold sey sum-tyme čat čese benefices of
     grete expense be often-tyme a redy wey to losse of a mannes soule.
     For whech cause all če goodes whech left of his benefises be-side
     his neccessarie lyuyng, he gaue it frely on-to če 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
     če cherchis prouentis, clad hem & fed hem. And čat he schuld
|r32 go on-to če grettest summe of perfeccion, all čat he had he gaf
     to pore men swech as he, čerw če inspiracion of our Lord, had
     chose and made to lyue in wilful pouerte, whech her-aftir for his
     temporal goodys čat he spent in worchip of our Lord, schuld



|p67


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



|p68


     onlerned ordeyned to seruyse of če nunnes, as we seid be-for.
     And verily, as we suppose, he left at his deth swech persones
     dedicate to God vp-on too čousand too hundred, be-side hem čat_wer
 |r4 dede er čat tyme he passed from vs. And many moo monas_teries
     myth he a mad, ne had be če 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 čo ¨iftis; summe-tyme he
     refused hem, so was honest pouert roted in his hert and so wel
     beloued. Thus semeth it čat he was sette in če mene weye, as was
     Salamon čat sayd on-to God: Gyue me, Lord, neythir rychesse ne
|r12 pouerte, but graunt me swech čing whech is nedful on-to me. So
     čis man had desire to če mene, nečir to be rich, ne for to want, but
     to haue swech čing as was neccessarie to če grete noumbyr newly
     gadered be him, čat čei schuld not fayle of her dayly prouysion.
|r16 His purpos was euyr to dwelle a-mongis hem čat wer meke, čerfor
     it plesed our Lord for to heyne him čat him-self so lowed.


|r[CHAPTER_V.]

                                                          cap. v.

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



|p69


     cherch, more-ouyr for če grete multiplying and wise gouernauns
     of če same. For He čat pored wisdam in his breest for to činke
     and to begynne swech čingis, He gaf him vertue in če administra_cion
 |r4 & conseruacion of če same. It is open at čis day what
     cunnyng Seynt Gilbert hadde & what holynesse, for and čese
     giftes had not com fro God, čer schuld neuyr a risen on-to so
     parfite an ende, for če man tawt no-čing but čat 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, čat is to se, a parfith ende. Aftir tyme čat he was
     preferred to haue gouernauns in dispensyng of Goddis giftes, he
|r12 ded če part čat longed on-to his office, he left rith nowt čat
     longid on-to his goostly helth or elles to če charge čat longed
     to gouernauns of his brečerin. The man was plesaunt and mery,
     wys in wordis and of vsed eloquens fulfillid, hauyng no-čing in his
|r16 wordes čat 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 brečerin; he was, if I schuld not lye, če forme & če
|r20 exaumple in whech čei myth loke for to transfigur her lyf to čat
     exemplarye. Meke he was a-mongis hem as on of hem, as it is
     seyd in Salamon: A prince haue čei mad če be with hem as on of
     hem; for al čat euer he comaunded his subiectis to do he fulfillid
|r24 him-self; his cločis wer not whiter čan očir of his felawes; his
     mete was not dite mor deliciously čan it was for couent; he had
     no special chambir for to slepe in, but in če dormytori he took his
     rest; his bord was not owt of če refectory, lest čat gestis caused
|r28 it. In his riding had he no costful hors, no wastful aray, not
     many hors, ne many seruantis, but on of če on-lerned of his ordre
     and too of če clerkis whech schuld be pryuy and se al his conuer_sacion,
     at all tyme čei went with him. In his rydyng he spent
|r32 not če tyme with veyn tales or flying tydyngis, but with Psalmis
     and orisones sewe he al če weye, euyr hauyng a purs redy to gyue
     elmes to pore men whech čat 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 čat wold ask it and had nede
     čerof. At mete was he myri; he talked mor čan 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 če bord čat he
        had synned in vnmesurable etyng or drinkkyng, whan čei
     čat wer conuersaunt with him had merueil who čat 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, čat oure nature
     euery day is compelled of very nede to receyue mete and drynk čat
     he fayle not. Fro flesch and all čat longith to flesch abstined he
|r12 euyr, lest čat he wer sek, čann čorw councell of his frendis he
     wold ete sum. Fysch ete he čorw če ¨ere, saue in Lenton and in
     Aduent, čan wold he non ete; his mete was čan wortys, letuse
     and očer herbes, whech he ete as čei had be delicasises; whan he
|r16 was febil čei wer fayn to dite him fisch in swech maner čat he
     knew it nowt. This did his seruauntis for pite of his febilnesse
     and whan his mete cam be-fore him če first part wold he gyue to
     God, whech was bor to sum por man; ny al če očir del departed
|r20 he on-to hem whech soten a-boute him. In his refeccion he took
     mor |r[l.54a] heed čat his soule schuld be fed with holy scriptor čan his
     body with delicat metis. Aftir mel wold he haue sum bodely labour,
     and čan rede and pray, and so occupie his tyme. Thorw-oute če
|r24 ¨ere was he clad equally; he wered no mo clothis in Wyntir čann
     in Somyr; with o cote he went and no more, for furres wered he
     neuyr. Thou schuld had merueyle if čou had seyn če membres of
     čat eld body, who če bones and če skyn myth vnneth hange to-gidir,
|r28 his schulderis croked, his teth oute of če mouth, who čat swech an
     eld body myth lyue whan alle hete was drawe fro him, both natural
     and accidental, čat for discoumfort sumtyme his body was ny
     contract. Be-twix če lynand and če hayir he chase če mydwey,
|r32 and al for he wold haue a conformite be-twix his subiectis and him,
     and eke for he wold fle če veynglorie of če world whech make men



|p71


     ofte to lose her mede. This myd wey clepe we, čat he vsed, wollen
     cloth next his body, for hayir wered he non, ne lynand wold he
     non were. Whan he was compelled be če 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 brečerin, čan 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 čeron comounly. His cločis 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 čat whan he slept his hed
     hing down with-outen sustentacle and touchid sumtyme his brest.
|r12 We rede in če elde faderes lyues of Egipt čat čei cleped slep her
     enmy be-cause at čat tyme, as čei čoute, čei sesed fro če seruyse
     of God. So ded our Gilbert, as I suppose; he wold not ly soft
     čat he schuld not slepe longe, for čei čat haue mech mete must
|r16 haue mech slep. And čerfor čat on-mesurable diete & čat diuturne
     slepe was forbodyn be Crist whan he saide to his aposteles: Be-war,
     he said, čat ¨our hertes be not greued with ouer mech mete, or
     drynk, or slep. On his bed had our maystir Gilbert no cločis but
|r20 of wolle and no bolstering but strawe. Whan he was sette čere
     onys schuld no man her him speke a word tyl in če morownyng.


|r[CHAPTER_VII.]

                                                     cap. vij.

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



|p72


     This maystir Gilbert was neuyr ydil, but al če day occupied, eythir
     in redyng, or in orison, or in lesson, or in contemplacion, or in očir
     holy werkys, now and now chaungyng fro on to a-nočir, aftir tyme
 |r4 and leyser čat he had. And čou¨ 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, čat is to
     sey, for no temporal profith he putte not Goddis seruyse behinde,
 |r8 ne če holy obseruaunces whech longed to če cloyster wer not lettid
     with besinesse whech was oute-ward. In compassion he was a
     fadyr to all men, in contemplacion mor suspense čan očir men.
     Offten wold he wepe in ympnis & Psalmys redyng, and in če swete
|r12 songis of če cherch whan he herd če melodye, so was his soule
     repleschid with swetnesse, but ¨et had he mor delectacion in če
     wordis čan in če notes. And a-geyn čese veyn čoutes čat come
     sodeynly on us, avoyding če swete deuocion čat we wold haue,
|r16 a |r[l.55b] meruelous vsage had he. For in-as-mech he knew wel čer
     myth no man want hem, he sette certeyn merkys of his fingeris and
     his ioyntis in what place of če Psalme he was, čat sone aftyr če
     temptacion was voyded he myth retorne a-geyn on-to če same place
|r20 of his orison. And ¨et mor-ouyr, čat he schuld fulfill al rith_wysnesse,
     he chase on of his subiectis whom he knewe be če
     Holy Goost čat 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 če hous of Sempingham, and so
     of čis same mannes handes took Gilbert če habite of profession.
     hat constans and manhod was in čis mannes hert is ful manifest
     in too maner čingis. On is čat če grete causes he went a-boute he
|r28 sped hem wyth-outen ony vexacion or perturbyng of soule. A-nočir
     is čat alle če wrongis whech were do to him or his at čat tyme,
     he bare hem so paciently čat he was neuyr mevid for hem. Be-side
     all čis vexacion čat he had owtward, čere was a-nočer čing whech
|r32 stood nyher his hert, če grete besinesse in spirith, for čo houses
     whech he had rered, for če soules whech he had gadered, for če
     grete fere čat he hadde čat he schuld her |r[l.56a] no euel tytandis of
     hem. And whan it happed čat 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 čat whan he was vexed
     with ony materis, eythir with-oute če religion or with-Inne, he
 |r4 wold sey sumtyme he had leuer chese to be exiled, or elles his
     črote to be cutte, čan he schuld suffir in his tyme če lawes of če
     cherch & če good customes of religion schuld fayle.

|r[CHAPTER_VIII.]

                                                   cap. viij.
     
 |r8    |r<b> IN če last ende of his age, not-with-stande čat he was blynd,
        ¨et če grete strength of his soule was not apeyred, for as
     grete ¨el and as grete bysynesse had he at čis 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 čat our, and all očir čingis čat longe to
     če soule as euyr čei were, whech was merueyle to se, specialy in
     a man čat hadde a hundred wyntyr in age. He myth her with če
|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 očir
     membris. Non of hem denyed his seruyse |r[l.56b] to če body; lych
     he was on-to Caleph or Moyses, whech too at grete age had če vse
|r20 of all her membris, saue čis differens is čere, čat čis man had lost
     his sith. It is worthi, as summe men čink, čat čei whech serue
     God with dew obediens schuld haue her membres obedient to hem.
     For in če mynde of čis 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 če cours of his lyf; čis was če
|r28 maner of his lyuyng; čese be če experiment of his vertues; čese
     be če good aray of his tecches with whech he was magnified with
     grete men; for in vertu he was gretter čan čei, and nowt only was
     he folower of če blissed lyf of religious men, but he had a lif in
|r32 him-self whech religious men may folow: let se what man at čoo
     dayes was so commendable of good werkis čat he myth be set as



|p74


     equal to čis 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 če world, whech
 |r4 |r[l.57a] lerned neuyr of no man če reules swech as longe to če monasterie,
     čat he schuld be parfite so sone and so sone knowe čoo reules.
     Mor-ouyr čat he schuld make reules in whech so many persones
     schuld rise to parfitnesse, of čis had men wondyr. Wherfor čis
 |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 čei honoured him, bischoppes and
     prelates čei receyued him ful deuoutly.
|r12   éei čat wer ny him and eke čat dwelt fer fro him, čei loued
     him, and schortly to sey, al če puple held him in grete reuerens.
     Eke če vertu of our Lord whech gaue him al čis grace added
     čertoo ful grete ioye, for he čat sette all čese good werkis in him
|r16 mad če same werkys to schyne with vertues.

|r[CHAPTER_IX.]

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



|p75


     restored to helth aftir če feith whech čei 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 čat
 |r4 in Goddis name, of whech bred many men haue ete and be holed
     of dyueris seknesse. Thus aftir he had fulfillid če 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 če tyme of his clepyng was ny, he
     be-gan to wax more feble čann he was wone to be and sayde on-to
     his bretherin he schuld not long lyue with hem, for čat če 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 čis lif in whech he was gretly broken for penauns whech
     he had čolyd 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 če cherchis of his order, in whech he notyfied on-to hem čat his
     day was come in whech he schul leue his body here and goo to
     Goddis mercy, praying hem deuoutly in čoo same letteris čat čei
|r20 schuld recomende his soule with her prayeris to God, most specialy
     at čat tyme whan it schuld forsake če body. Eke in čoo same letteris
     he gaue Goddis blessing and his to alle čat aftir his decese schuld
     loue če ordre and kepe čoo congregacionie in parfith loue and
|r24 charite, and defende če same ordre fro her enmyes. More-ouyr to
     alle čat čis comaundment fulfillid he sent plener absolucion of all
     čoo defautes in whech čei had trespased eythir a-geyn če reule or
     his instituciones. And in čoo same letteris he wrot on-to all čoo
|r28 čat in če order schuld make ony discord or ony scisme čat čis
     present absolucion schul neuyr fauour hem, but čat čei schuld
     knowe hem-self, but if čei ded penauns čat čei wer reprobat of
     God.



|p76


|r[CHAPTER_X.]

                                                   cap. x.

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



|p77


     to rich men. And čan last he seid čus: To če schal čis longe
     her-aftirward. Thoo spak he očer čingis to čat 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 če seruyse of our Lord, & gaf all čese 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 čese goodys, non to rych, for
 |r8 čoo giftis ¨oue to pore men, čei čat lyue in wilfull pouert for če
     loue of God, schuld receyue him in-to euyrlastyng tabernacles.
     To rich men he gaf it nowt, for čei nede not, and eke for it is ful
     hard on-to hem to enter in-to če kyngdam of heuene. For čese
|r12 čingis čat he ded her, now is he in ioye and čis čat 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 če mor congrue name. Sabat is as
     mech to sey čat day whan men rest of her werkys. This day was
     conuenient to his deth, for čann rested he of all his labour whech
     he had in čis mortal body. He myth sey at his deth: Nite is
|r20 I-goo and day schal come; če dirknes schal not take me ne trede
     me. The our of his deth was whil če couent was at laudes, at
     mateyns, for at čat tyme as Iob sayth: Praisen God, ye morow
     sterres. That same Sabatday, čat is to say, če fourt day of
|r24 Februarij, če ¨ere of če Incarnacion of our Lord, a čousand,
     a hundred, eyty and nyne, swech tyme as nyte chaunged in-to
     day, whilys čat če laudes were sayde in če couent, čis man passid
     fro če čirknesse of čis lyf, fro če |r[l.60a] laboures of čis world, ful of age
|r28 mor čan a hundred ¨ere. Whidir čat he went ¨e schal here, for to
     dwelle in če hous of God, for to prayse God čere for euer, wher he
     is sette in his ordre, čat is to sey, a-mongis če sercle and če dauns
     of virgines, as we hope, and as reuelacion was mad to sum folk
|r32 afterward, čer hath our Lord graunted him his sete. Aftir his



|p78


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

|r[CHAPTER_XII.]

|r20                                           capitulum xij.

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



|p79


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

|r[CHAPTER_XIII.]

                                             cap. xiij.

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



|p80


     in če cathaloge of seyntes. A cathaloge is a schort writyng of
     seyntes, in whech wrytyng is conteyned of what cuntr če seynt
     was & eke his holy lif. The Pope comaunded eke čat same tyme
 |r4 his feest to be solempny¨ed in če 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 čese causes
     čis faderis day schuld be solempni¨ed with če 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 čan summe
     očir, and čerfor he, be liklynesse, hath be-for God mor ioye and
|r12 be-for men mor worchip. Ioye be mad be our moder če cherch
     of če ioye to whech hir son is now newly browt, and. to hir worchip
     and profith of hir childyrn synge sche če praysyng of God and
     hir owne, čat čorw če prayer of hir meritis sche myth make pes
|r16 with vices, put awey aduersities, brynge in če strength of vertues,
     če profite and encres of very religion, owre londes and cuntres,
     God our maker grauntyng, dispose in euyrlastyng pes, confermyng
     čat our Lord Ihesu Crist, to whom with če Fader and Holy Gost
|r20 euer be worchip and ioye &c. Amen.


|r[CHAPTER_XIV.]

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

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



|p81


     merites, the best maner of perfeccion and če 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 če veri place
     of meknesse is in heuene. Therfor he put a-wey če mater of
     al erdly goodes fro him-self, for čoo same goodis sette a man
     in fals excellens and črowe a man al vndir-fote. He črew fro
 |r8 him all pride whech schuld ryse of vertues čat wer with-inne
     him. He took ful gret heed to če voys of our Lord čat seith: If
     čou wilt be parfith, go selle all čat euyr čou hast and folow me.
     This man ded čus. He gaf his goodes to pore men, not for
|r12 vanyte but for charite, and for čat gift če mynde of his rith_wisnesse
     schal dwelle with-outen ende. Whan |r[l.63a] he had determyned
     in his hert čat all his goodes schuld be departed on-to por men,
     čan chase he swech pore whos pouerte was honest, knyt with
|r16 če dred and eke če loue of God, for his desire was to sowe his
     sedes in če blessingis of God, čat he myth repe in čoo same
     blessingis. In čat same tyme, čat is to seye, in če regne of
     King Herry če secunde, as he writith in če book mad of the
|r20 construccion of monasteriis, in čat same time were in če town
     of Sempyngham certeyn maydenes seculer, whos soules če seed
     of Goddis word, sowyn be čis same Gilbert, had so touchid čat
     čei 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 če world, euery day entendyd to no očir čing but to plese and
     to be kynt to čat spouse whech is in heuene. This, aspied be
     Seynt Gilbert, specialy whan he had in his avow mad a promisse
|r28 čat his possession of Sempyngham and of Tyrington schuld be
     ¨oue to God, ferčermor čat he wold ¨eue čis to pore, and eke
     he fonde no men at čat tyme wold lyue so strey[t] ly as čese
     women were disposed, for čis cause, he determyned to gyue čese
|r32 goodes to swech pore whech were por in spirit & myth |r[l.63b] chalange
     če kyngdam of Heuene for hem & for očir. 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


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


|r[CHAPTER_XV.]

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



|p83


     besinesse, eke be-cause virginite is a tendir čing & may sone be
     tempted of če sotil deceytes of če serpent, če Deuele, whech is ful
     eld of tyme and ful sotil of kynd & sone deceyueth virginite,
 |r4 namely, whann it is sette so open čat it is schewid to če world, --
     for tresour openly bore is put in gret perel, |r[l.64b] -- for čis cause he sperd
     čese virgines fro če noyse of če world, fro če sith of men, čat čei
     whech schuld entyr in-to če priuy chaumbyr of če spouse čei
 |r8 schuld only entende on-to če swete halsyng of če same spouse.
     He wold not čat čei schuld walk to se vanytes, as ded Dina, but
     čat čei 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, čerfor he mad to hem a lawe
     of holynesse & tawte hem čat same with whech čei schuld plese to
     če 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 očir 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 če soule of čese women, a fayr beute of
|r20 precious perles, of swech goostly richesse as our Lord tellith in če
     gospell, čat a man schuld selle all čat he hath for to welde čis.
     And čou¨ čei lyued in flesch and not aftyr če flesch, ¨et wost he wel
     as longe as čei were in flesch, be-side swech neccessaries as longe to
|r24 če flesch, čei myth not lyue, |r[l.65a] čerfor al čing čat is nedful to our
     fleschly febilnesse, as mete, or drynk, or cločing, or houses, all čese
     ordeyned he to čese maydenes and her seruauntis in best maner,
     in mesur and discrecion, čat is to seyn, swech houses as long to
|r28 religion, with a cloystir, or a clauser, wallid abowte, and in čoo
     houses he sperd če handmaydenes of our Lord, euyr for to dwelle
     čer in solitarie lyf; and čis werk was undyr če wal of če cherch
     of Seynt Andrew, in če strete or town of Sempyngham, on če north
|r32 side, first axid and had če counsel and če help of Alexaunder, čan
     bischop of Lincoln. Dore was čere non mad in če wal but on, &
     čat was not open but swech tyme as schal be touchid afterward;



|p84


     čere mad he a wyndown čorw whech čei myth receyue swech
     neccessaries as longe to her lif, for čou¨ čei wer in the world he
     wold put hem oute of če world, fro her lond, from her kynrod,
 |r4 from her fadir hous, čat čus exiled fro all čese, lich a cherch, and
     čei a cherch, čat 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, čus clene I-schake to če
 |r8 hy kyng, schuld make a complacens in desiryng of her beute
     Thus bonde he her bodies with-inne čoo walles at čat same place
     Sempingham. |r[l.65b]

|r[CHAPTER_XVI.]

                                                        cam. xvj.

|r12    |r<b> BVT he wold not, čou¨ he prisoned her bodyes, bynde her soules
        fro God, but čis was his entent to close hem, be-cause čat
     conuersacion in če world is wone to departe many men fro čat
     familiarite whech čei schuld haue with God. Eke be-cause čat
|r16 čei myth no-where go oute, čerfor he ordeyned on-to her seruyse
     certeyn maydenes not lerned, in a pore seculer habite, whech schuld
     brynge on-to čat wyndowne mad in če wal all čing čat was
     neccessary for hem, and receyue of hem at čat same hole swech
|r20 čingis 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
     čat men or wommen myth a leued with-oute mete or drynk or
|r24 očer neccessaries. For a dore was mad beside, but neuyr open
     with-oute his special comaundment, not for če maydenes to
     go owt, but for him to entyr on-to hem for goostly coumfort,
     or techyng of religion, or visiting of če seke, or swech očir
|r28 neccessarie causes; eke of čat dore was he gayler him-self; no
     man bare čat keye but he. Whidir čat he went, wher-euyr he
     dwelt, če key of čat dore was with hym, so was he gelous louer
     of here clennesse. Aftir čis he stodyed sor čat čere schuld |r[l.66a] no
|r32 čing owtward breke čat pes whech čese solitarye folk had in her



|p85


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



|p86


     očer men. To his sisteres he prechid čat čei schuld despise če
     world & cast fro her hertis all maner of propirte, čat is to seyne,
     čei schuld čink no-čing was her, but al comoun, as religious folk
 |r4 must doo: he taute hem če maner who čai 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, čis wold he čei schuld
     haue; no gay aray, but sperd in cloystir as in prison, čat čei schuld
     do no euele; to kepe silens, čat čei schuld no euele speke, but
     be occupied with orisones and meditaciones to avoyde euel čoutes.
|r12 Thei answered on-to him at čat tyme čat all čese preceptis plesed
     hem weel, to take hardnesse for softnesse, labour for ese, heuynesse
     for swetnesse, all čese čingis wold čei gladly suffer, so čei myth
     come wher čei desired. The nede of pouerte constreyned hem, and
|r16 labour in begging, for to desire to ber hy čingis, to čat entent čat
     čei myth be sykir of euyrlastyng reward. The loue of God, eke,
     čat drowe hem to čis same entent, and helth of her soules čorw
     whech čei myth deserue euyrlastyng rest. So of nede čei mad
|r20 vertue, and čou¨ in summe of hem wer not če very entent of
     perfeccion, ¨et it lettid not but it gat hem če ende of good werk.
     But čis holy man wold not bynde hem sodeynly to čis perfeccion,
     but lete hem haue a ¨ere of a-visement, čat of čat grete dilacion
|r24 schuld growe če desire of religion.


|r[CHAPTER_XVII.]

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

        |r<b> THAN say our fader in his inwardly consideracion čat, with_outen
        mennys solace and puruyaunce, womennes besinesse
|r28 profitith but lytyl; čerfor chase he certeyn men whech schuld
     ouyr-se her possessiones and haue gouernauns of all čo grete
     materes whech longed on-to hem. Summe of čese 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


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



|p88


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


|r[CHAPTER_XVIII.]

|r20                                            capm. xviij.

        |r<b> WHAN our maystir Gilbert say čus če childyrn of God grow
        soo vndir his tuycion and say hem profiten day be day in če
     weye of God on-to če tyme in whech čei 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-worči for to be in swech
     heith čat he schuld haue gouernauns ouyr so many parfit persones.
     He čeut¨, čerfor, čat he wold put čis byrden and čis honour fro
|r28 him, and comitte his flok to on or elles many whech wer abiler and
     mytier čan he, čat čei schuld haue it in gouernauns. He was in
     čis cas a folower of Moyses whech seid on-to our Lord: I pray ée
     Lord sende him čat čou schal sende, menyng herby that he was
|r32 not able to be sent. And in a-nočir place Moyses saide to God:



|p89


     Whom schal čou gyue, Lord, for to be Gouernour and principal
     ouyr čis multitude, whech multitude čou hast mad growe in-to
     a grete puple? Thou knowist čat fro čat tyme čat čou spak to
 |r4 me, či seruaunt, čat I schuld take up-on me to be president ouyr
     čis puple, sith čat tyme I am a man of lower lyf, čat is to seye
     a man of seculer |r[l.69b] conuersacion, whech schuld be holier čan othir,
     and am not. I knowe ful wel čat če dom schal be ful greuous to
 |r8 hem whech ar prelates, for čei must answer for hem-self and eke
     for her subiectis, and I am ful euel aferd čat if I be not bettir čan
     my flok, I schal be turned fro če first to če last. Swech maner
     wordes had he often and swech desires to leue his prelacye. In al
|r12 čis besinesse he herd telle čat čere schuld be a gret congregacion
     of če ordre of Cystewys, whech was neuly be-gunne čat tyme be
     Seynt Bernard. Wher it was hold, i rede not, but če Pope Eugenie
     was čere, whech was sumtyme disciple to Seynt Bernard. To čis
|r16 congregacion went our Gilbert, purposing for to comitte če cure
     of his childyrn to če kepyng of čese monkis. For čese mennes
     conuersacion knewe he best be grete familiarite whech he had with
     hem, for often čei come and wer loggid with him, and to čese only
|r20 told he his counsell, for čei wer newer and of harder reule čan če
     blake munkis be. Wherfor he supposid čat 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 če Pope and of če abbotis whech wer present: |r[l.70a] čei
     saide it was not conuenient čat prelatis of her order schuld be
     preferred to če gouernauns of an-očir ordre, specialy wher wommen
     were. Thus frustrat of his purpos, he took his leue, and, be če
|r28 comaundment of če Pope and counsel of če prelates čere present,
     he was mad maystir and principall ouyr čat congregacion whech
     he had begunne. Our Lord wold not čat če congregacion at
     Sempingham schuld wante her owne keper whech was bettyr on-to
|r32 hem čan ten očir, as Helchana sayd to Anna. For our Lord had
     disposed čat same congregacion to rise to če moost parfith noumbyr
     whech was at čat tyme of an-othir condicion. This religion, whech
     we clepe our sistir, was but ¨ong at čis tyme, for sche had no tetes
|r36 as ¨et, of prelates and souereynes, to gyue soke on-to če 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 če
     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 če kepyng of čis holy flok, for čere
     was not founde a bettir ne more sewirer keper čan čat same man
 |r8 whech was gaderer of čat puple, & eke |r[l.70b] so gelous a louer of hem
     and če first labourer in čat holy vyne. Neuyrčelasse, he held
     him-self onworči to če birden of swech a wyte; he alegged če
     importunyte of his age, če onworthčinesse of him-self to swech
|r12 dignyte, če simpilnesse to čat maystirhod, his lownesse eke to so
     hye a prelacye. All čis drede had he in his soule čat he was not
     worči to be preferred to swech dignite; he dred eke to lese če
     solitarie rest of his contemplacion, for weel he wist čat čoo secret
|r16 councellis whech he was used too, and če bysy swetenesse of contem_placion,
     schuld often be interrupt with worldly occupacion and bysy
     oure whech longeth on-to prelates. Alle čese excusaciones of
     meknesse were not amitted of če Pope, but če ¨ok of all čis birden
|r20 was leid in his nek, for če Pope comitted all čis cure on-to him,
     be-cause he say čat he had no grete appetite ne desir čertoo. The
     purpos of our fader Gilbert was euyr to dwelle a-mongis hem čat
     be meke, and če wil of our Lord God is euyr of custom to exalte
|r24 hem čat moost meke hem-self. Thus, whan čis Goddis owne man
     knew wel čat če dome of God had ordeyned he schuld take čis
     charge, he was no mor hardy to make |r[l.71a] ony resistens a-geyn če
     disposicion of God whech had chosen him to čat werk. Thus
|r28 wold he not lese če grete habundauns of vertues whech were
     with-inne him with obstinacye, wherfor he mekly receyued čis
     obediens of God and če comaundment of Goddis vyker, če Pope,
     trostand for čis obediens to receyue sumtyme če 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 če welfare and
     helth of many othir. He was ful weel lerned be-fore in če stody
     of contemplacion, and now be-gan he to lerne who he schuld profith
 |r4 in ministracion of actiue lyf, for he wold haue če frute of both lyues,
     čat is to sey, both actyf & contemplatif. He myth ek mor lefully
     be a dispenser of čoo worldly goodis rather čan a-nočir man,
     be-cause če 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 očer mennes
     ricchesse. For čis cause and many očer holy toknes & many good
     reportes whech wer said of him, če Pope Eugenie had in maner of
|r12 an heuynesse čat he knewe neuyr our |r[l.71b] fader Gilbert or čat
     tyme, for if he had knowe him, as he seyde, he wold a promoted
     him to če archibischoprych of ¨ork, whech stood voyd at čat
     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 čat viage
     čat in her presens, čorw his denoute prayer, a certeyn man was
     mad hool of seknesse whech he had. He receyued eke toknes of
|r20 loue both of če bischop and če abbot, če staues of her croses with
     whech aftirward wer doo many myracles; and in special Seynt
     Bernard gaue him a kerchy, and čerin a certeyn relik, as summe
     sey; but I vndirstand čat čis kerchy was goodly bordred on če
|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 čout to a leyde a-wey če ¨ok fro his
     nek, and a put čis office on sum notable man of če religion of čese
|r28 Cistewys; but our Lord čus with heuenly warnyng, as we suppose,
     kept him in čis office as moost porfith & abillest.
     
     
[CHAPTER XX.]
     
                                                   cap. xx.
     
        |r<b> WHAN he was čus constreyned čat he must kepe čis offise
|r32    him-self, |r[l.72a] čan chase he owt of his owne religion certeyn
     me[n] to ber če birden of gouernauns with him lich as Moyses



|p92


     ded as we rede be če councell of Iethro, prest of če hethen lawe,
     he assigned certeyn men to haue gouernauns vndyr him and alle
     če grete causes he wold redresse him-self. Thus ded our maystir;
 |r4 he chase men of sufficient lettirrur, of holy conuersacion, ordered
     aftir če custom of če cherch, whech schuld haue vndyr him čis
     gouernauns. Men wer chose for čis cause, for it is mor conuenient
     čat men be preferred in gouernauns čann women. Letteryd men
 |r8 wer chose and no lewed men, čat čei schuld haue cunnyng to
     tech očir. Ordred were čei for čis skil, for čei myth not elles
     haue cure of soules lest čan čei wer in holy ordre. Than chase
     he men for to gouerne women; letteryd men for to teche če weye
|r12 of Heuene both to men and wommen; clerkis eke, čat čei myth
     be če bettyr keperes of čoo scheep whech Crist bowt with his
     blood. All čis ded čis man be holy inspiracion of our Lord
     God, and be good councell of holy men and wise men; for, as
|r16 če decres of our form-faderes ber witnesse, če 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 če swete ¨ok of our Lord. But for
|r20 as mech as če lawes of holy cherch defenden čat no monkys
     ne clerkys schul dwell with women, but čei schul be fer remevyd,
     ech of hem fro očir, so ferforth čat women schuld not come
     nyher če monasterye čan to če porche of če same, čis same
|r24 prohibicion folowyd čis man in če moost streytest wise, in so
     mech čat he sette če dwelling of če clerkis ferr fro če dwelling
     of če nunnes, as a man schuld sette in o cyte or in o town too
     dyuers places of dyuers religion. So wer čese chanones fer sette
|r28 fro če nunnes, čat čei schuld not come with-inne če nunnes in
     no maner but only for ministracion of če sacramentis. In čis
     mater may be seyd čat habitacion of men and wommen in o
     place was forfended in eld tyme for grete perell čat fell, moost
|r32 specialy for feyned folk čat 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 čis



|p93


     erde, for čem čat 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, čat all men whech
 |r4 schul |r[l.73a] entre in-to če hous of our Lord may se lith. Our Lord
     wil schew often to če world what čo men be whech he louyth;
     for če grete dignyte whech čei schal reioyse aftirward, our Lord
     schewith be-fore be grace of myracles, čat čei whech se all čis
 |r8 čing may knowe če bettyr be very weye of trewth and with
     sikyrnesse of hope come to če lif čat euyr schal lest. Swech
     pite on his seruaunt, Gilbert, hath če 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 očir vertues was to hym a very
|r16    crowne, for čat was graunted him of God čat he schuld
     want no vertu but čat he schuld be keper of all vertues. God
     wold čat če onyment of vertue whech was with-inne him schuld
     be stered & rolled with many tribulaciones, čat aftyr čat rollyng
|r20 it schuld haue če mor odour. He wold eke čat če smal seed
     of mustard schuld be al to-broken whech schuld be če mor
     poynaunt aftir čat grindyng. Al čis is seyd for our fader Gilbert,
     whech was accused to če kyng Herry če secunde čat 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 če kyngis traytour, and writtes wer sent oute čat Gilbert and
|r28 all če prioures of his ordr schuld be exiled. And in čis cause
     our fader was not gilty, čat is to sey, to send mony ouyr če
     see; but be-for Seynt Thomas exile, whil čat he was hid in priuyte
     in Ynglond, Gilbert gaf him good and sent him to his sustenauns.
|r32 For, as we rede in če lyf of Seynt Thomas, a chanon of Sempyngham



|p94


     ordr led Seynt Thomas fro Northampton to če se, čorw many
     priuy weyis and fennys onknowe to many men. In čis same
     mater, be-cause S. Gilbert was of swech reputacion as touching
 |r4 holynesse, he was reqwyred to come be-fore če iuges & make
     čer a bodely oth wheythir he was gilty in čis mater or nowt.
     But čis refused he, for he saide he had leuer be exiled čan swere,
     for he wold not leue a bad exaumple to hem čat schuld come
 |r8 aftir him. Lich on-to čis mater rede we in če book of Machabees
     of če good old man cleped Elea¨arus whech wold not ete swynys
     flesch forboden be če lawe of Moyses. He saide he wold rather
     dye, and whan he was counceled of his frendes čat 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 čat ¨ong men
     schuld not take exaumple of elde Eleazar to breke če lawe of
     Moyses for fer of deth. So was our old man eke disposed čat
|r16 he wold not leue če 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 čat
     očir 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 čis same tyme whill our fader stood in čis perplexite, our
        Lord chaunged če kingis hert whech was čan in Normannye,
|r24 and letteris wer sent fro him ouyr če se to če iuges of čis lond,
     čat čis cause whech touched Gilbert & his bretherin schuld be
     differred fro hem to če kyngis audiens. Mery & glad was our
     fader in all čis abydyng, and whan čei alle tremuled for fer, as
|r28 no wondyr was whan čei had mad hem redy to forsake kynrod
     and cuntre and neuyr to come a-geyn. His hert in al čis tyme
     was trosting in God, for he čout as Seint Iame seith, a ful grete
     ioye was com to him whan he was assayed with dyuers tempta_ciones.
|r32 A-nočir vexacion had our mayster whech was not lytyl.
     Certeyn bretheren of his whech he had conuerted fro če 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 čat čei diffamed our maystir & his felauchip of grete vigour,
     and mor-ouyr wrytyn and sent on-to če Pope, compleynyng and
     allegging many čingis whech wer not soth. Vp-on čis come certeyn
     bullis fro Rome čat čis mater be indifferent persones schuld haue
 |r8 his examinacion. Thus was our Gilbert cleped to apper in-to
     če ferčest parties of čis londe, and to answer to čese accusaciones,
     not-withstand his grete age and febilnesse. But čis man, ful of
     constauns, was not aferd of peyne, ne labour, ne cost, ne čretyng
|r12 of če iuges, ne fayre suasiones of očir; all čese myth not make
     him to consent for to goo oute of če parfith weye whech he had
     be-gunne, for he wold sey often he had leuer his črote wer cut
     čan ony čing schuld be left of če first profession and če first
|r16 institucion whech he had inad. But whan čis inater was discussed,
     it was founde čat his accuseres wer fals, and čus was če blessid
     man proued as metal in če fornays, and pes sent fro heuene
     on-to če cherch and his religion. For whan his |r[l.75a] aduersaries
|r20 fayled of her proues & coude with no craft haue čat čei desired,
     čei were compelled be God and schame in her consciens to pray
     him of forgifnesse, in whech prayer čei desired čat he schuld
     sumwhat tempir če gret hardnesse of religion and suffir hem
|r24 not to be kept so streith as čei 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 čat temperauns whech
     čei desired of all scharpnesse of religion, partye with auctorite
|r28 of če Pope, partye with wise councell of religious men, he
     promised hem to fulfill mech of her desir. In če last ende of
     his age, lich a-nočir Iob whech was smet in his flesch with ful
     greuous woundes, he was smet with blyndnesse, for he lost če
|r32 site of his body. But čis 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 čat defaute of blyndnesse in
     his body grewe on-to him a grete perfeccion of vnderstanding



|p96


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

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

        |r<b> HIS occupacion be če day was in prayer, or in heryng of good
 |r8    lessones, or in goostly coumfort of his brečerin, euyr talkyng
     of uertu; of swech occupacion sesed he neuyr, saue swech tymes as
     nature requyreth his inclinacion; for, saue čo 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, čei
     schuld gretly displese him. He him-self spak but fewe wordes;
     he had mor delite to her čan to speke, for all čat he spak was
     soundyng on-to grete profit of vertuous gouernauns. He čoute
|r16 often of čat verse of če 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, čat he schuld not speke good. It
     was če condicion of Dauid, and soo hath be of many holy men, to
|r20 speke but fewe wordes and but seldom, for čei were euyr aferd of
     čat Salamon seith, čat in mech speche synne wanteth nowt. This
     caused our maystir to sey but fewe wordes čat 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
     čou |r[l.76a] for-gete me? And woo is me čat 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 če talking
     were long, he, as in partye aferd čat čer was do sum excesse of
     speche, sodeynly wold brest oute and say his confession, mekly
|r32 askyng absolucion, and čan aftir wold he asoile deuoutly čem



|p97


     whech were a-boute him čat 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, čan wold he blame hem čat čei mad his bed no
     bettir ouyr-nyth. éese wordes were in maner of excusacion, for
     he was loth čat ony man schuld se in what maner he rested; for to
     čat pryuyte he desyred no moo secretaries but God and seyntis
 |r8 with whom he wold talk če moost part of če nyth. What schuld
     we speke of his diete, with what scarsnesse of mete & drynk he
     was fed? He loued so wel če comon refeccion čat whan he was in
     grete |r[l.76b] languor, as it kendly folowith age, he wold not, for no prayer
|r12 of his brečerin, ete in če dortour; he wold neuyr be absent fro če
     same hous wher čei alle had her refeccion, not-withstand čat
     če refectorie was fer and many greces čer-too, whech was grete
     difficulte to an old man for to clyme. Whan he was prayed of his
|r16 disciples čat 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 čis cause were čei fayn for to bere him, on on če o side,
|r20 a-nočer on če othir; and with grete labour čus cam he to če
     bord, to whech, whan he was come, he pyned his body with hungir
     rather čan filt it, euyr činkyng of če vesselis longing to our Lord
     and euyr hauyng mynde of his congregacion. Whan he was bore
|r24 fro če bord a-geyn to his couch, alle če othir part of če day he
     spent in če same vse, čat is to say, prayed or herd holy lessones,
     or comowned in deuocion. And čat he schuld haue če uery ende

     of all perfeccion, be-cause he had ascended fro o uertue to a-nočir,
|r28 and eke be-cause he was gretter in uertue čan he supposed |r[l.77a] him_self,
     for he knew weel čat a vertu is neuyr če lasse čou¨ it defende
     not him-self, for čis cause he purueyed pees a-geyns all perelles
     whech myth falle to čoo congregaciones mad be him; eke čat
|r32 debate whech was a-mong če lay puple of his ordre for dyuersite
     of metis, čis same debate with consent of al his chapetr and in
     presens of Hewe, čan biscop of Lyncoln, he sette in rest and pes,
     and očir 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 če myracles whech oure Lord wrout be his seruaunt
        Gilbert whil he leued in čis bodely lyff. A chanon of his
 |r4 čat had be & was euyr in his felauchip whan he went fro o place
     to a-nočir, whech mannes name was cleped Albyne, aftir a grete
     febilnesse čat he had take of labour in his iornay, fel in a greuous
     fevour, in so greuous čat he myte not goo with his maystir as he
 |r8 was wone to doo, so čat our maystir was fayn to abyde at a place
     whech čei clepe če ylde; čere abode he, abydyng čis mannes
     recuryng, and went no ferther. And whan our good fader had loy
     čere longe and wex wery, desiring to fulfille |r[l.77b] his iornay, he sent
|r12 a messanger on-to čis man, comaundyng him in vertue of obediens
     čat he schuld no mor suffir če fevyr to come on-to him, but čat he
     schuld with-oute ony lettyng come on-to his maystir in all hast.
     Be če same messanger, eke, he commaunded on-to če feueres čat
|r16 čei schuld no mor be bold to vexe his seruaunt. Whan čis
     message was doo, čis same Albyne inclyned his hed to čat precept,
     as religious man schuld do, saying čat he was redy to obeye his
     maystir in all čing. The next day cam, and eke če our in whech
|r20 če fevyrues were wont to take him, and all če toknes wer come, as
     schakyng, akyng of če hed and swech očir; čan spak čis Albyne
     on-to čis seknesse as to a lyuysch creatur, in swech maner: What
     menest čou čat čou wilt now vexe me a-geyn? Hast čou no
|r24 mynde who čat my maystir forbad če čat čou schuld no mor vexe
     me? But now I commaunde če in my maysteris name čat čou
     obeye to his precept and besy če no mor to my vexacion. A-non,
     as he had said čese wordes, he blessed him with če signe of če holy
|r28 crosse, and sone aftir he felle in a swete slep, and aftir he wook he
     was delyuered of čat sekenesse, ne many ¨eres after was not he
     vexed with če feuerys.



|p99


|r[CHAPTER_XXV.]

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

        |r<b> AN-očir chanon was čere of če place cleped Sixelenses whech
        had in his feet a violent and intollerable peyne. This man,
 |r4 trostyng in če grete vertue whech our Lord had put in his maystir,
     made menes to če mynister of our maystir čat he schuld kepe him
     če watyr in whech oure maystir schuld wasche his feet at eue.
     For čat was his custom, as čei sey, to wasch his feet euery nyth.
 |r8 As če man desired, če water was kept, and he, with grete deuocion,
     wasched čerin his feet and čerby was mad hool. The grete feith of
     če o man and če clene lyuyng of če očir, čorw če myth of God,
     browt čis myracle to ende.
|r12    Ther was eke a knyt dwellyng a-boute Oxenford, čat, for helth
     of his soule, was mad a chanon in če place at Osneye. This man
     sone aftyr his profession was mad celerer of čat hous, and not long
     duryng in čat same office, he felle in čat seknesse whech čei clepe
|r16 podagra, whech is a seknesse, as čei sei, of hem čat haue led her lyf
     in grete delicacye; and it causeth swech peyne in če feet čat it
     priuyth a man of his walkyng. This man čus hurt, herd telle of
     če 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
     čis fame he coniected in his soule če veri soth, čat swech čingis
     myte not be do wit¨-outen vertuous lyuyng. Wherfor, with grete
     trost of his soule, he conuerted him to God and to čis Seynt, and
|r24 mad menes on-to hem čat were dwellyng with Gilbert, čat 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 čis če
|r28 same peyne čat was in his feet fel to his handis, and more peyne it
     was to him čere čan it was in his feet. Thoo took he če same
     sokkys and wered hem on his handes, and fro čat 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 čis 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 če cuppe cam, lay in če brennyng fevyr, for so
     happed it čat čat same tyme was če hour of his seknesse. And
 |r8 whan he herd čat čis was |r[l.79a] our maysteris cuppe, and čat of custom
     he drank often in če same, he desired gretly to drynk of čis cuppe.
     So was če cuppe filt with drynk, and of čat same drynk this man
     had his helth.
|r12    A-nočir man, of če noumbyr of hem čat were no clerkis in če
     same ordre, had in his foot a soor whech čei clepe če fistula. And
     so happed on Maunde éursday whan all če brečerin schuld be
     waschid, he desired gretly čat our mayster schuld wasch him. So
|r16 was it ordeyned čat he was sette where our deuoute fader schuld
     in his cours wasch all če rowe, čat, be his touching, as he be-leleued,
     veryly če man myth be hool. The good old man in his cours
     of wasching cam to čis sek man, and with both his handys con_streyned
|r20 his sore foot, be-cause he čout it was not clene. Thus he
     constreyned it with wasching, but in čat same handelyng, corrupt
     blood ran oute of če woundys and očir mater swech as sores haue,
     and all čis waschid oure fader ful clene with čat same watir of čat
|r24 holy mynystery. What schal we telle long tale? Be čan he had
     waschid a-wey čis blood and čis očir onclene mater, all če foot
     was hool.
        There was eke a prioresse of his nunnes čat lay so seek čat
|r28 euery man loked whan sche schuld deye. He herd telle of hir |r[l.79b]
     čat sche was so ny če deth, and be a messager comaunded deth čat
     he schuld not take hir at čis tyme, for sche was ful necessarie on-to
     če relygion. Sone aftyr čis he visite čis woman him-self, and his
|r32 bak was but turned fro hir in his goyng čat sche was coumforted
     a-non, for all če noyhous humoures went oute fro hir sodeynly be
     a swet, and eke če grete constriccion of hir wombe was resolued



|p101


|r[CHAPTER_XXVII.]

                                                  cam xxvij.

        |r<b> IN čat 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 če parties so strong čat al čis lond
     at čat tyme was ny lost. For če feldes lay with-oute tilth, če
     smale townes had no dwelleres, če wallis wer falle down and stretes
     distroyed. Grete townes wer ny desolat; čere wat not elles but
 |r8 pray and čeft and brennyng, euery man a-geyn očir. This mad
     oure mastiris hert gretly affrayed be-cause he say če lond ny
     distroyed, and in special for če newe religion whech he had be_gunne
     was ful likly to renne in desolacion. Vp-on čis sorow and
|r12 heuynesse če good man prayed nyte and day čat our Lord schuld
     haue mercy on his puple |r[l.80a] and sende an ende of čis desolacion.
     Sodeynly, as he lay and prayed, was schewid on-to him a book in
     whech book was writyn če noumbyr of čoo ¨eres in whech čis
|r16 desolacion schuld lest. Whan he had red čis scripture he fel down
     plat and mad grete sorow, for he supposed veryly čat all čese ¨eres
     were for to come. For if it so were čat čis persecucion schuld last
     so longe, all čis lond schuld, be possibilite, be distroyed. Tho he
|r20 čat schewid him čis book gaf him coumfort and notified on-to him
     čat čese were če ¨eres whech he say of čat 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 čis vision schewid, so folowid če dede, for čat same ¨ere
     merked in če book cesed čat debate and čat desolacion. This
     reuelacion was a grete coumfort on-to our fader and on-to očir
     men to whech he opened his councell.
|r28    We knew also in čat same tyme a noble woman of grete
     ricchesse, whech, as often as sche conceyued, če childyr čat sche
     bar wer bore ded. A-nočir 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 čis woman to če očir 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 čan a-nočir,
     whech childyrn leued on-to mannes age and wer worči men both
     in honour and rychesse.


|r[CHAPTER_XXVIII.]

 |r4                                          Capitulum xxviij.

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



|p103


|r[CHAPTER_XXIX.]

                                              cap. xxix.

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



|p104


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXX.]

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



|p105


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



|p106


     čat čis vision was soth, for we rede čat če deth of Martyn was
     knowe to many sundry persones whech dwelt fer, in čat 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 če hour of hir deth. And Seynt Ierom alsoo
     appered on-to Seynt Augustyn in čat same hour.


|r[CHAPTER_XXXI.]

                                                 capl. xxxj.

 |r8    |r<b> LIch on-to čis vision was schewid a-nočir to a noble woman
        of vertuous condiciones & wif on-to a man lich in vertu on-to
     hire. Sche čoute in hir slep čat sche say a grete multitude of
     aungellis, with grete noyse of praysing and ful swete song, flye up
|r12 in-to heuene. And aftyr čei were go sche say too grete cumpanies
     |r[l.84b] of blissed spirites wech were so ordeyned čat ech of hem had
     face to face, lich as čei haue čat stand in a qweer. Thei held
     a-mongis hem a fayre white schete, and in čis schete were thre
|r16 naked childirn. On of hem sche myth see fro če nowle vpward;
     he was balled, and ¨et had he a childis face; če očir too say sche
     but če schulderis and če face. Sche inqwired of on in če cumpany
     what maner čing čis myth be, & it was answered to hir čat he in
|r20 če myddis was maystir Gilbert of Sempingham, whech was ded to
     če world and čus born to God. Sche inquyred eke if čese 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 če world and čus led to her Lord. This same vision say čis
     woman če same nyte oure maystir deyid, and whan sche wook
     sche told čis vision to hir husbond; čei both noted čat day and
     founde aftir čat it was če same in whech our mayster went fro če
|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 čat our
     mayster was ded a chanon of his ordr say in his sleep |r[l.85a] on of his
     brečerin čat was ded long be-fore. He čoute čat he inqwyred of



|p107


     him many sundry čingis, and had answer ful conuenient on-to his
     questiones. Tho inqwired he of če astate of her maystir, what he
     dede or wher he was, & his bročir answerd in čis maner: He is
 |r4 not with us; a hyer place holdeth him. For fro čat tyme in
     whech he was take fro če world, a-non was he set a-mongis če
     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 če ioye of him aftir his deth with grete & manifest
     tokenes. And alle čese tokenes, who čat čei cam to če lite of
|r12 our knowlech, čat čei čat lyue now and eke čei čat schal come
     aftir us haue no doute in čis matere, schortly, as čei were doo,
     we wil reherse here. Whan čis man, wel be-loued with God,
     was passed fro če world, čat men schuld know wel his lyf and
|r16 his merites wer acceptable to God, in če first ¨ere of his deposicion
     and so forth očir ¨eres, wer many myracles doo at his graue.
     But at čat tyme čei 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 če world, & were necligent, if I schuld
     say so, to dyuulge čese grete myracles whech were dayly wrout
     a-mongis hem. Thus čoute čei, of very humilite, be-cause čei
     wer his childyr, if čei wer če first čat schuld puplysch čese grete
|r24 myracles of her mayster, men myth sey of hem, as Crist ded of
     če Pharisees, čat čei magnified her owne hemmys. For čis
     cause, xj ¨er aftir his deth was no gret pupplicacion mad, not_with
     -stand čat in many sundry place were wroute many sundry
|r28 myracles; and čan če brečerin at Sempingham čoute čat če
     hidyng of čese glorious werkis was displesauns to our Lord,
     deregacion on-to seyntis, and wrong a-geyn če worchip of če
     cherch; čei as wise men and gouerned be če councell of wise



|p108


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



|p109


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIII.]

                                       Capitulum xxxiij.

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



|p110


|r[CHAPTER_XXXIV.]

                                             Capl. xxxiiij.

        |r<b> THe sexte kalend of Octobyr, čat is to sey če day of Seint
        Cipriane and Iustine, čis same archbischop, with če bischopis
 |r4 of Bathe, of Hely, and of Bangore, with many abbotes & prioures,
     with summe archdeknes, chanones and officeres of če cherch of
     Lyncoln, with many famous maysteres and grete puple, came
     to če hous of Sempingham; and aftir čei had fastid iij dayes,
 |r8 čei cleped first če Holy Goost, as men doo at elecciones; čoo
     cleped čei če witnesses, or witnesseres, religious and seculeres,
     clerkis and lewed men and women, mad hem to swere čat čei
     schuld say soth in čat mater in whech inqwisicion schuld be
|r12 mad. And all her testimonies čei writyn ful treuly in a dewe
     forme, and sent hem to če Pope closed vndir her seles. Ferčermor,
     čei writyn certeyn proues of his holy lyf and conuersacion and
     of če fame of če cuntr. And whilis čei taried čere iiij dayes
|r16 če treuth was opened of če mater whech čei 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 če messageres went in good helth
     to Rome, and in good helth cam hom a-geyn. For čei sent in
     čis ambassiat to Rome v. of če same ordre, prestes, sex simple
     on-lerned, of whech noumbr summe wer holed fro certeyn seknesse
|r24 be če merites of čis Seynt, summe were present whan certeyn men
     wer holed. For čis cause wer čei in special sent, čat če Pope
     schuld knowe be če men whech wer čer čat če suggestion of
     če letteres sent was soth. The messageres go forth with gret
|r28 ioye, trostyng on our Lordes help and če Seyntes prayer for whom
     čei goo, mech more with če betir chere, for čei hadde mery
     dremes be-fore her iornay, and in her iornay grete prosperite
     in če weye, & many očir good tokenes. And čus, with no grete
|r32 difficulte, čou¨ it wer so čat Sathanas wold a letted her wey,
     ¨et, as we saide, with-outen any grete difficulte, čei come to Rome



|p111


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

|r[CHAPTER_XXXV.]

|r12                                                  cap. xxxv.

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



|p112


     Whan če Pope had seyn al čis in his slep, sodeynly he wook,
     gretely coumforted of čis reuelacion, for he vndirstood be čis
     čat our Lordis comaundment and plesauns was čat čis 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 če forme of če missale, and whan he had mad
     hem he comaunded čat čei schuld be seyd openly in his com_memoracion.
 |r8 Ferčermor, če Pope, as a wise man desiring for
     to haue če very certeyn of čis mater, cleped on-to him a ful
     wise man and holy, an abbot, čei cleped hym Reyner, and
     commaunded him, be vertue of obediens, čat he schuld |r[l.89b] be-čink
|r12 him of his dreem and telle him če coniectur of čat same. The
     cause why čat če Pope uttered his vision to čis man rather
     čan to a-nočir, was for he led a solitary lif in če mountes, and
     was in gret opinion both to če Pope & če court. Tho answered
|r16 če abbot a-gayn on-to če Pope, and sayde čat čis mater neded
     non auysement, for both če drem and his interpretacion was
     open i-now. So as a-nothir Daniel on-to Nabugodonosor, or lich
     a-nočir Ioseph on-to Pharao, he expowned it in swech declaracion:
|r20 The fayre tour he seid and če hye, whech čou say, Ser Pope,
     is če grete excellens of či dignite, to whech čou aspirest; not as
     ded many bi-fore če, but be trew eleccion čou enterest in-to
     če same, and čat is ment in či drem wher čou čoutist čat čou
|r24 wer led in-to čis place wit¨ če handis of many men. The bed
     so wel arayed is a clene consciens, in whech a man restith as in
     his bed, lich as če prophete Dauid said in če Psalme: I schal
     wasch, he seith, or ellis, water my bed with my teres. For euene
|r28 as cločis in whech we rest be mad clene wit¨ watyr, so is our
     consciens clensed with repentauns of our synnes. The curteynes
     a-boute čis bed in whech be impressed |r[l.90a] če fair figures of seyntes
     are če commemoraciones of holy seyntis used in če 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, ečir to honour hem in God or
     elles to folow her steppes. Thou fader Pope be-gan to sowe čis
|r36 curteyn whan čou čout first to sette čis man Gilbert in če



|p113


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVI.]

                                            Capitulum xxxvj.

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



|p114


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


|r[CHAPTER_XXXVII.]

|r28                                                  cap. xxxvij.

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



|p115


     če feest of Seint Denys, he wold vouchsaf of his faderhod to be at
     če translacion of čis holy confessour Gilbert. The archbischop
     receyued hem not but in če best maner, and saide he was glad of
 |r4 čese tydannes and redy to fulfille čat solempnyte whech čei all
     desired, and up-on čis he wrote to če bischoppes of his prouynce
     čat if čei myth haue leyser čei schuld come to him and |r[l.92a] honour
     čis holy day. Ferčermor, he desired of hem čat čis schuld be
 |r8 notified čorw-oute her diocise, čat all men whech had deuocion to
     čis Seynt myth come to čis fest if čei wold. Thus in če same day
     prefixid, čat is to seyn, če iij ide of October, all čis mater is put in
     execucion. And be-side all če myracles rehersed be-for in če Popes
|r12 presens, eke be-side reuelaciones had fro heuene, and be-side če seid
     witnesses, newe čingis fel čat same day. The nyth of his transla_cion,
     čat is to sey, če nyth be-twix če Satirday and če Sunday, če
     noble man, če archbischop with očir bischoppes and ministres came
|r16 on-to če graue wher če holy membres of Gilbertes body was hid,
     and with grete worchep čei lifte up čat holy uessel of God, čat, so
     waschid and arayed če next day aftirward, he myte with lesse
     tariing be laid in his schrine. Whilis čat čis seruise was do to če
|r20 body with swete ympnis and songis, summe religious men čere
     present, and eke summe seculeres, seyn a grete knot of fyr al
     round, as čou¨ many candeles had be ioyned to-gidyr, or ellis lich
     a grete schinyng sterre ones, twyes, čryes, com down fro heuene
|r24 and eft-sones goyng up to heuene aboue če roof of če cherch,
     euene |r[l.92b] ouyr če sepultur. And at če čird comyng it semed as
     čou¨ it had čirled če rof & falle in-to če cherch. Thei čat sey
     čis site with-outen told it hem with-inne, čat čei myth goo owte
|r28 and se če same, čat is to sey, če lite of our Lord aboue če cherch.
     Lich čing sey očir men whech had waked at če graue certeyn
     nytes in her prayeres a litil be-for čis translacion, čat is to sey,
     a grete lite entr čorw če rof and thries entre in-to če graue wher
|r32 če holy body was layd. Swete sauour eke felt čei čere whan če
     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 čese myracles rehersed wer doo at čis tyme but
        many očir testimonies wer had in whech men myth know
 |r4 čat čis translacion was plesauns to God. Thus whan čei had lifte
     če ston fro če graue čere was founde fayre red pouder of his
     flesch, swech as čei sey as virgines haue whan čei ar ded. The
     chesible eke in whech če body was woundyn, of silk, was fonnd
 |r8 hool with-oute corrupcion. Whan all čese relikes were lift fro če
     ground and waschid če 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 če
|r12 peyne vexed him so sore čat he stood in grete dowt, and in maner
     dispeyr, čat he myth not fulfill čat office for whech he was come,
     and to whech he had cleped so many persones in special of swech
     reuerens. For čis secund cause was he mor sory čan for his bodely
|r16 seknesse. He leyd medicynes to his body, swech as čei tawt
     him, but al čoo profited nowt. Tho turned he his trost and his
     deuocion to God and to Seynt Gilbert, čat our Lord at mediacion
     of čat good Seynt wold send him myte and strength to performe
|r20 čis office for whech he was come and many očir persones. A-non
     as čis prayer was fulfilled so sone left him all čis peyne, for aftir
     čat same peyne was goo he felt his body mor myty and strong čan
     it was be-fore. At čis same chaunge cam če hour in whech če
|r24 couent rang to mateyns. A-non as če archbischop herd če belle
     he roos him-self and cleped all his clerkys, and all in fere čei go
     on[-to] če chanones mateynis, whech, for če worchip and loue of
     čat Seynt for whom čai |r[l.93b] were gadered, were ful solemply songe.
|r28 In če morownyng če archbischop roos heyl and sound, and all čat
     euyr God and Seynt Gilbert had schewid on-to him čat same nyth,
     with grete ioye he told hem, praysing če vertue of our Lord and of
     čis holy Seynt, whech vertue he felt notablely fulfillid in him.
|r32 The hour is come of če day čat čis solempnite schal be doo; the



|p117


     bischop is arayed with his mynystres; če watir is halowed čat
     schal serue in če office; če schrine eke is halowed and born
     a-boute on če schulderis of princes and lordis whech be čere
 |r4 present: a solempne procession is ordeyned, in whech procession
     first go če clergie, nexte princes, lordis and očir, many beryng čis
     halowid uessel in whech čei wil ley him; last of all folow če
     bischoppis. Certeyn seke men čat wer ny and touchid čese relikes
 |r8 wer mad hol čat same hour, as was veryly proued. Ther saide če
     archbischop a ful notable sermone grounded al up-on če holynesse
     and če myracles of čis holy man Gilbert, and čere mad he rehersaile
     of all če processe, who it was sent on-to če court of Rome, what
|r12 answer čei had fro če Pope & mech očir čing. Tho be-gunne čei
     a messe of čis same Seynt with ful swete |r[l.94a] concent, and in če last
     ende of čat masse, aftir če bischop had receyued če holy sacra_ment,
     er čat čei song če postcomoun, če seide relikes were wounde
|r16 in fayr silk and čan in a cloth of silk precious I-now whech our
     fader archbischop had ¨oue to čat same entent, and all čese čus
     wounden wer layde in čat same vessel mad for če same cause.
     Thei layde eke with him a grete chartour in whech was wretyn al
|r20 his lif, his canoni¨acion eke, and his translacion seled with če seles
     of če bischoppis & abbotes whech wer čere present. Ther was put
     in with him eke a plate of led, in whech plate was wrytyn al čis
     čing more compendiously, as I suppose, čat če rememberauns of al
|r24 čis werk schuld last euyr. Thus was čat uessel sperd and sette
     up-on a wal of marbil in če same place where če seint lay be-for.
     Tho mad čei an ende of če masse, and aftir čei 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 čerfor
     če steppes of his good lyf čat we may be translate fro wrecchid_nesse
     to ioye and čorw his ledyng come |r[l.94b] to čat 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 če grete myracles whech aftir his deth
     wer wroute be our Lord God. And of čese myracles now wil we
     telle all če maner lich as čei fell and lych as our wel be-loued
     fader in God, če said archbischop of Cauntyrbyry, at če comaund_ment
 |r8 of če Pope Innocent če čird with his suffraganes ransaked
     and inqwired. Lich čat inquysicion in sentens & in termes,
     whech inqwysicion čei sent čat tyme to Rome, -- čorw whech sond
     čis canoni¨acion was performed, -- lich čat forme wil we write here.
|r12 Ther was a clerk whos name ne place is now on-knowe čat used to
     go to skole fro o town to a-nočir as in čis lond is grete custom.
     This clerk in his weye to skoleward fell in grete heuynesse, so čat
     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 čat he myth not goo čeron in no maner. So with his staf
     and his očir legge he hipped forth as he myte tyl he cam to če
     nexte |r[l.95a] town. Fro čens was he caryed to a monasterye whech čei
|r20 clepe Hauyrholm, for čer dwelled he iij monthes, euyr vexid with
     če same infirmite. That legge, in al čat tyme, down to če foot was
     soo insensible and all če myth čerof go, čat if men had prikkid
     him with a nedyl or ony očir scharp čing, he felt no mor čerof čan
|r24 a man had put čis scharpnesse on-to a stoon or a tre. Eke če vse
     of čat legge was as lost, for whan he schuld walk he schuld drawe
     it after him as čou¨ it had be a braunch of a sere tree, for he was
     more greued with če birden čan esed with če offise. Be-cause he
|r28 myth not lyft čat foot fro če ground, but draw it euyr fro če erde,
     če toos were flayn and blody to grete peyn of him & gret pite to
     all čat seyn him. The prouost of čat place ded make him a hose
     al of ledir, and čat was wered a-non, in special at če ferčest ende
|r32 whech trayled so on če ground. Aftir čis he ordeyned him a-nočer
     remedy, for he teyhid his legge fro če ground with a roop on-to
     his schulderis, and čus bare he če legge whech schuld a born him.



|p119


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


|r[CHAPTER_XL.]

|r28                                         Capitulum xl.

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



|p120


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



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

|r[CHAPTER_XLI.]

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

        |r<b> A Knytys wyf čere be-side, a lady of ful noble fame, had swech
        seknesse and peyne in special duryng in hir lyft arme čat
     sche myth not meue čat arme ne do with-al no maner werk. This
|r16 peyn lastid up-on hir fro če feest of Seynt Petyr, whech čei clepe
     in Latyn, ad vinculam,' in Englisch, ` Lammesse,' on-to če natiuite
     of our Lady. Be-side čis had sche očir sores whech we name not
     now. With al čis infirmyte sche is come on-to če sepultur of čis
|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
     čis holy Seint.
        A-nočir woman was čere be-side contract & croked whech myt
|r24 not go, ne sitte, ne stand, with-oute help of hem čat wer waytyng
     up-on hir. The fader and če moder of hir, hauyng gret sorow for
     čat desese, brout hir on-to če sepultur of our maystir. The first
     nyte sche was čere, at instauns of hir frendes, če chanones put
|r28 up-on hir če scapulary of Seynt Gilbert, and če woman confessed
     čere be-for hem all čat in doing on of čat cloth sche felt gret
     alleuyauns of hir sore. The nyte folowand appeared on-to hir
     a fayre old man with gray her, as sche čoute 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 čou be hool? Sche answered čat gladly sche wold.
     Tho he blessed hir and said, Thou schal be hool. Sche inqwyred of
 |r4 him what man he was & he answered čat he was maystir Gilbert
     of Sempyngham. Aftir čis dreem sche a-wook and felt hir-self
     hool in euery part and čus in helth lyued many ¨eres.


|r[CHAPTER_XLII.]

                                                  cap. xlij.

 |r8    |r<b> A clerk was čere eke in čat cuntr čat in his breest and in his
        wombe had a meruelous risyng whech bolned soo with-inne
     his breest čat 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 če grete myracles whech our Lord wroute at
     Sempingham čorw če merites of our fader Gilbert. Whan če seek
     man herd of čese noueltes he mad a-vow openly čat čat place
|r16 schuld he visite whan our Lord wold sende him disposicion and
     leyser. Sone aftyr čis avow was mad če man felt him sumwhat
     amended, čat he myth ryse and walk. For whech cause in grete
     hast he took his iornay on-to Sempyngham, and čere in grete
|r20 deuocion he lened up-on če graue and sayde swech deuociones |r[l.98b]
     as he coude, praying with bittyr teres čat God schuld send him
     sum reles of his peyne. In čis tyme of prayer he felt čat all če
     boweles of his body wer gretly meued and turned, as čei had
|r24 drawe on-to a-nočer kynde čan čei wer be-fore. Tho rose he
     fro če graue and felt him-self in očir plite, for all če bolnyng and
     eke če peyne is a-voyded. Thus walkith he in če cherch, assaying
     him-self if al be weel, and whan he say veryly čat he was hool he
|r28 took leue and walkith on-to his wonyng.
        A-nočer prest was waschid in a batth up-on a Fryday and
     on če Satirday folowand he fel in so greuous seknesse whech
     continued a hool ¨er and more, čat all če 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 čens 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] če cherch of Sempyngham in a cart,
     be-twyx če myd-day and euensong. Ther at če graue he mad his
     deuoute prayer čat our Lord |r[l.99a] be če merites of Seint Gilbert schuld
     releue him. That same day was he so hool čat with-outen cart or
     hors he went hom to his owne place.


|r[CHAPTER_XLIII.]

                                             Capitulum xliij.

        |r<b> In čat same cuntr and in čat same place at Sempyngham was a
        nunne whech, at če comaundment of hir prioresse, went on-to
|r12 če kychyn, and be-cause sche went with grete hast and took no gret
     consideracion what čing lay in hir weye, sche stombeled at a blok
     whech was hid with straw, and čus fel sodeynly. In whech fal sche
     was so greuously hurt čat hir foot was fro če ioynt, and čus sche
|r16 lay crying and waylyng for grete peyne čat sche felt. Hir cry
     was herd čorw če 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 če infirmarie. Thus bolned če foot and ranked,
|r20 čat čei wer compelled to kit hir schoo, elles had čei not gote it of.
     Many remedies wer ordeyned to čis 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 če peyne grew mor and mor. Thus lay če nunne in čat
     peyne |r[l.99b] al čat ¨er and če next, on-to če day whech we clepe če
     annyuersarie of Seint Gilbert. Than was sche so febyl čat čei
     čoute best to gyue hir če holy anoyntyng whech is last of all če
|r28 sacramentis. Tho sche reqwyred hem to make a kandel of wax
     aftir hyr length, and čat same kandel and her-self eke sche desired
     čei schuld bere on-to če sepultur of Seynt Gilbert. This was doo
     in dede, for whan sche was broute čedyr če prioresse took če same
|r32 lynand cloth in hande whech lay up-on če breest of čis holy con_fessour



|p124


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

|r[CHAPTER_XLIV.]

                                             cap. xliiij.

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



|p125


        A-nočir woman eke was čere fast by whech trauayled in byrth
     of a child too dayes, so greuously vexed with peyne čat euery man
     had pite of hir. Sche drank eke of čat watyr in whech če tonsure
 |r4 of his berd was wette, and sche was mad hool.
        Eke če same ¨ere čat oure fader deyid, on of če nunnes, as
     sche sat in če refectory and ete fysch with hir sisteris, če bon of
     a fisch left in hir črote and stood so fast čat sche myth be no weye
 |r8 remeve it, not-withstand čat sche myte touch it with hir fynger.
     Sche drank often sithes be če councell of hir sisteres, but it
     a-mended nowt, for če penauns was so grete in hir drynkyng čat
     sche cast če likour, but če 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-nočir maner drynk and an-očir
     werk. Thus lay sche, hir peyne euyr encresing fro myd-day tyl
     euen. Hir sisteres čan, takyng a sadder councell, ledde hir in-to
|r16 če cherch, |r[l.101a] broute hir on-to če auter and čere alle čei fell down
     on knees, deuoutly praying to God and to Seynt Gilbert for helth
     of hir. Tho mad čei hir to drynk of čat water in whech če body
     of čat holy confessour was wasch in. A-non, as sche had dronk
|r20 čat watyr, sodeynly sche was delyuered of čat peyne, but sche
     coude nevyr haue knowlech wher čis bon be-cam.


|r[CHAPTER_XLV.]

                                               cap. xlv.

        |r<b> OF čat same ordre eke a chanon had swech peyne in his nek
|r24    and če aftir part of his hed čat he myte not suffir čat place
     be touched, not with his owne handes. This peyne lastid eyte
     dayes, čat he myth neuyr turne his hed but if he turned al his
     body. On of his brečerin, whech was his keper, gaf him čis
|r28 counsel, čat 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 če first part of čis lyf če same
|r32 auctour seith čat čis holy man wered next his skyn non hayer,
     as for če hardest, ne lynand, as for če softest, but he went with



|p126


     wolle, as with če mene. Whan čis man had wounde čus čis
     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 čis man was
 |r4 hool. This was at euen, for on če morow he was purposed to entr
     če infirmary čat he schuld not inqwyet his brečerin with clamour
     whech he mad for peyne. For čis cloth was not so sone put
     a-boute his hed, and he čat wond it a-boute his hed was not
 |r8 go fro him thre or four passe, or he cleped him a-geyn, saying čat
     al his peyne was goo and he felt no maner greuauns. He leyd his
     hand to če 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, čere fulfillid all his office in redyng
     and synging as he of vsage was wone to doo. In če morownyng
|r16 and non er he told his brečerin al čis myracle, who he was mad
     hool be če lynand cote of Seynt Gilbert.


|r[CHAPTER_XLVI.]

                                                     cap. xlvj.

        |r<b> EKe a woman of good report dwelled čere be-side, whech in hir
|r20    kne and legge had swech a passion čat a month hool sche
     myte not goo on če 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 čis is hir desire, čat sche wol be caried to Sempyngham,
|r24 trosting in če merites of čis holy confessour čorw whech sche
     schal be hool. Whan sche was come on-to Sempyngham aftir hir
     desire, čei broute hir če hose of Seynt Gilbert; sche put hir legge
     in čat same hose and sodeynly sche was hol, so parfithly cured
|r28 čat sche went čat same day a myle on hir feet hom to her owne
     hous.
        A-nočir 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 če
     last to visite če sepultur of our fader Gilbert, and čer was sche
     mad hool. For sche was cured čere sone aftir sche was com, euene
 |r4 in če fest of Seynt Cruce, če ix hour of če day. And čan with ful
     glad hert sche went hom, schewing to hir frendis hir body wher čei
     myth parceyue čat al čat swellyng was goo.

|r[CHAPTER_XLVII.]

                                                 capl. xlvij.

 |r8    |r<b> THe črote and eke the hed of a-nočir man čere be-syde was
        so risyn and bolned with seknesse whech čei |r[l.102b] clepe če
     swynesye, and eke so greuously knottid, čat viij dayes continuely
     he was compelled for very peyne with-outen mete or sustenauns to
|r12 kepe his bed and suffyr če maledye. The last too dayes was his
     drynk secluded fro him, so closed wer his pipes with violens of čat
     sor. Than fel on-to him mor greuauns, for in če myd hour of čat
     last nyth of čoo viij days he lost his spech, whech priuacion lastyd
|r16 on-to če euyn of čat day folowand. Than supposed čei all whech
     wer aboute hym čat he schuld dye. For to her coumfort and
     consolacion he myte in no wyse gyue non answer. The small
     issewes of his črote myte ful euel receyue wynd in-to his body.
|r20 Than, at grete instauns of his wyf, če girdill of Seynt Gilbert was
     broute, and water eke, whech he halowyd. With če girdill čei
     girt his nek ful deuoutly, and če watyr čei pored in-to his mouth.
     Eke čei waschid če bolnyng of his črote with čat same watyr, and
|r24 čan be-gan če man fele sumwhat reles, for wyth čat wasching he
     voyded wynd, and aftyr če wynd o grete blody drope went oute fro
     his mouth. Thus be-gan he to releue in so mech čat 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 če nunnes of čat same ordr xxx. ¨ere continuely twyes
        or thries in če ¨ere had meruelous seknesse with-inne
|r32 hir body, for a-bowte hir hert and in hir left syde was swech



|p128


     pressur čat whan it cam, če woman, ny ded for uery peyn, lost
     hir mynde. And in čis peyne sche had swech strength čat many
     of hir sisteres myth not at čat tyme hold hir ne kepe hir in
 |r4 rest. Thus on a day whan če seknesse had caute hir čus violently
     čei sent aftir prestes of če same ordre for to be a-boute hir in
     tyme of hir deth, for all loke čei whan sche schal passe.
     A-mongis čese prestis cam in če maystir of Sempingham, čat
 |r8 same mayster whech was next successour aftir Seynt Gilbert.
     Ther fond he če woman bownden and holden as a furiose person
     is wone to be seruyd. Tho he inqwyred of hem čat wer čere
     if ony part of Seynt Gilbertis watyr wer in čat hous. Thei
|r12 had it redyly, and at če comaundment of her prelat, čei pored
     of če same watyr in-to hir mouth. A grete merueyl was seyn
     čere, for čat watyr was not so sone entered in-to hir črote but
     sche be-gan to chaunge all čat 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 čoo in če presens of če maystir & many folk whech
     stood with him, sche cryed in čis maner: O moder of mercy, -- What
|r20 schuld we tell long tale? -- As čou¨ 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 čat tyme had sche neuyr more
     čat seknesse.
|r24    A-nočir woman was čere with dyuers seknesse vexed, čat
     is to seyn dissentyrie, govte, and vomyte dayly folowand. Dis_sentyrye
     če Grekys clepe čis sekenesse whan a mannes guttys
     be hurt so čat čei be slitte or cutte. Othir sekenesse had čis
|r28 woman dyuers, whech sche was a-schamed to confesse and for
     whech sche was compelled be debylite to kepe hir bed fro če
     fest of All Seyntis on-to iij dayes be-for Candell-masse. Than
     was told hir čat too of hir neybouris, women bothe, on def,
|r32 a-nočir bedred, infect with a maner of palesie, čat čei wer led
     on-to če toumbe of Seint Gilbert and čere wer čei mad parfitly
     hool. Of čese tydanes sche caute a coumfort, and a-non sche let
     make a candel aftir hir mesur, and in a cart with čat same was



|p129


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

|r[CHAPTER_XLIX.]

 |r4                                       Capitulum xlix.

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

|r[CHAPTER_L.]

                                                Capitulum l.

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



|p130


     his felauchip warned him čat at reuerens of čat feest he schuld
     sese, but he wold not. The same nyte, aftir his first slep, he
     felt čat al če myte of his rite arme was lost fro če cubyte on-to
 |r4 če hand; eke če 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 če feste of Seynt Benet
     he asked leue of če priour of čat place in whech he was conuerse
 |r8 čat he myte goo visite, with očir too felawes ioyned on-to him,
     če sepultur of our fader Gilbert. Thidir he cam with a hand |r[l.105a] of
     wax, and mad his offeryng; čere abod he certeyn tyme in prayer
     & wakyng, lyuand euyr in hope čat he schuld haue reles of his
|r12 peyne. The fyrst nyte folowand his hand was rather apeyred čan
     amended, so was če hand of our Lord agreued up-on him. The
     man be-čoute him and remembred čat če sor of his soule, per_auentur,
     as often is sene, was cause of his bodely seknesse;
|r16 wherfor he čoute best to črowe a-wey his synnes, čat he myte
     če soner purchase grace of his desire. Vp-on čis he went to
     a prest, & with good rememberauns he confessid his synnes fro
     his ¨ong age on-to čat same day, took his penaunce mekely and
|r20 ful-fillid it deuoutely. So aftir čis up-on če nyte next če anun_ciacion
     of our Lady he set his hope only in him čat wold čat
     same day be incarnate for our helth, and in hir eke, čat 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 če
     weyis both of chastite & of mekenesse: in al čis trost he desired
     with certeyn lite for to wake al a-lone at če sepultur of his fader
     Gilbert. Ther lay he & sayde his seruyse swech as is assigned
|r28 on-to |r[l.105b] conuerses of čat order. He preyed instantly for helth
     on-to his fader and many očir seyntes, and in his prayer as he
     lened up-on a ston čat lay ouyr če 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 čat če crokednes čerof was a-mendid, for he myte strecch it
     oute as he wolde. All če senewis & all če fyngeres wer so restored
     on-to helth čat 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 čat 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 očir mennes faces & women. So was sche
     vexed in swech wilde rage čat čei bounde hir fast, and čus lay
     sche bownde fully a monthe. Sche was broute čus bownde in
 |r8 a carte be labour of hir husband and hir frendis on-to če toumbe
     of Seynt Gilbert, and čere abood in prayeres iij dayes and
     nytes; čoo complet sche went hom heyl and sound, euer čankyd
     be God.
|r12     Lich on-to čis myracle fel on-to a-nočer woman čat too
     monthis and a half was |r[l.106a] distraut, and whan sche was broute
     on-to če graue and lay čere too dayes and nytes, če čird day
     a-boute če čird our sche was mad hool.
|r16     Eke at a monastery cleped Wathone a pore man, kept in
     če hous mad for por men, had swech a seknesse too monthis
     čat he fel in-to a maner of frenesy so was his mynde alienat.
     The seruauntis of čat 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 čat
     same bere, and caut her helth be če merites of čis man whech
|r24 used it sumtyme. The man was layd čer-in, and be-cause he
     was wilde čei bond him to če bere; so lay he too dayes and
     too nytes, and on če čird 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 čei sey, dwelled not fer čens, and
        sche had a greuous passion in hir eyne, so greuous čat
     sche myte se but litil or ellis nowt, speciali on day lite. Be-side



|p132


     čis had sche očir seknesse, so čat sche was compelled to kepe hir
     bed. There had sche a vision, čat if sche wold goo on-to |r[l.106b] če
     tumbe of čis holy fader, sche schuld be releued of čat peyne.
 |r4 Sche mad a candell be če mesur of hir body, and to če graue
     sche is come, wher sche drank of čat same watir in whech če
     holy confessour body was wasched; sone aftir čat drynk sche was
     mad sodeynly hool.
 |r8    The sun of čis same woman eke receyued helth of his eye,
     whech was ny ouyrspred with a webbe, be drynkyng of čat
     same watyr.
        Eke a-nočir woman čat myte not her no maner čing, not
|r12 če sound of grete bellis, aftir sche had wakid in deuocion at
     čis sepultur o nyte, first receyued coumfort čat sche myte her
     če noyse of bellis, and aftyr, če speche of men.
        A-nočir man of ful grete fame, cleped Herry Biset, a ful long
|r16 tyme was seek, and aftir čat 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 čat 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 čere 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 čat same watir in a crowet in whech
     če holy confessour body was wasched. And whan če man had
     drinkyn of čat watyr and was girt with čat girdill, a-non he
|r28 bo-gan to qwake & gnach with teth, but he wex no čing hoot.
     Thoo fel he in a sleep, and in čat same sleep, merueyl to here,
     he fel on a swete, for he had no swete of al če tyme in whech
     he was seek. But now swetith he horribily. His wif, čat sat
|r32 by, sey če ¨elow dropes who čei stilled fro him and čoo were
     grete and had ful euel sauour. Whan he wook he aspied čis
     him-selue, and felt če same sauour. He loked up-on his wombe
     and say wel čat al čis bolnyng was fled downward fro če girdill
|r36 ny half a fote. For če skyn whech was be-forn his sleep so



|p133


     pressed oute čat he was aferd it wold brest, now is it voyde as
     a empty bagge. Aftir al čis not long tyme če man recured all
     čis 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 čat 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,
     čat sche supposed veryly for to deye. Wherfor sche was schryue
     and hoseled and took all maner obseruaunces whech long to men
|r12 whan čei schal passe, and be-cause sche abode still in lyf aftir
     all čis do, čerfor hir husband, of grete deuocion, caried hir in
     a cart on-to če hous of Sempyngham, trostyng in če merites of
     čis holy confessour. Whan sche was come on-to čat place sche
|r16 receyued če sacrament newly a-geyn, and čan čei mad hir to
     drynk of čat watir in whech če body was waschid of čis holy
     confessour, Gilbert. Thus a-bode sche stille praying at če graue
     of čis Seynt iij dayes; in če čird day sche had a great vomyte
|r20 of corupte blood, and with čis corrupcion cam oute a grete long
     worme. Thus iij dayes & ij nytes had sche čis purgacion. Aftir
     čis went sche hom, and čus day be day če vomyte sumwhat cesed,
     and če grete |r[l.108a] peyne was fully relesed.


|r[CHAPTER_LIV.]

|r24                                               capl. liiij.

        |r<b> In čat 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 čet all hir body
|r28 was infect. The her fled fro hir hed, hir browes and hir eyne
     wer so infect čat sche myte not lift hir ey-ledes for to loke.



|p134


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

|r[CHAPTER_LV.]

|r28                                             Capitulum lv.

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



|p135


     wer čei al čat nyte for to trauase če se. Many čat wer čer drede
     mech če perel of če se, specialy be nyte cared mech, but remedy
     coude čei non. A man was a-mongis čem čei 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 čat he schuld bryng forth če scapularie
     of Seynt Gilbert whech če 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 čis scapulary,
     lyft it up in če eyre, and čus he prayed čat čei all myte here:
|r12 Lord God omnipotent, Lord Almyty, if it be so čat če lif and
     če conuersacion of Seint Gilbert wer wroute on-to či plesauns,
     schewe now čat čorw his merites we may come to sum hauene
     in whech we may be saf fro perel. A-non, as čese wordes wer
|r16 said, a fayre soft wynd blew in če scapulary, and fro če scapulari
     it ascendid on-to če sayl and euyr multiplied, čat in čat same
     day čei ouy[r] took schippes |r[l.109b] čat sailed with hem and ouyrsailed
     hem, were eke in Normannye long or čei; for summe schippis
|r20 čat were in čat viage cam not to Normanie neythir čat day ne
     če next day. Many očir tokenes were do be če myracles of our
     fader Gilbert whech be not touchid in čis present werk, for summe
     of necligens ar forgotin, summe were not approued be swech
|r24 notable witnesse as čese were, summe wer eke wroute aftir tyme
     čat čis book was mad, wherfor čei be not ¨et browte in-to čis
     forme. And be-cause čat we be in no dowte čat čese wer do
     in če same forme, čerfor haue we wrytin hem in swech langage
|r28 as we coude, to če praysing and ioye of our Lord God in whos
     name čei were wroute, to če worchip of holy cherch and profite
     of hem čat schul rede or here čis lif, for whom čese notable čingis
     wer do, to če worchip eke of čis holy man be whom čese myracles
|r32 wer doo, whech man with his merites and pray[er]  es schal com_mende
     us to čat Lord whech is hiest of all Lordes, and bryng
     us eke on-to čoo ioyes čat 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, če Pope Innocent če čird, ordeyned čat če
        canoni¨acion of čis same fader Gilbert schuld be solempni¨ed
 |r4 in če cherch, and eke his translacion, of whech canoni¨acion he
     him-self at Rome, be-for al če clergye and če puple, mad a ful
     solempne sermon, whech sermon he comaunded it schuld be
     wretyn and sent on-to če archbischoppis and bischoppis of
 |r8 Ynglond in bullis, and eke on-to če chapiter of če hous of
     Sempingham, of whech sermon čis is če sentens: For-as-mech
     as treuth seith in če gospell čat no man litith a lanterne & hidith
     it vndyr a buschel mette, but settith it up-on heith, čat all čat
|r12 dwelle in čat hous may haue coumfort of čat lite, for čis cause,
     we čink čat it is a dede of grete pite and of equyte čat čoo men
     whom our Lord God hath crowned for her merites & goue to hem
     honour in heuene, čat 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 če more magnified of us, be-cause
     čat scriptur seith: Our Lord is preisable, or praysid, and glorious
     in seyntys. To če grete vertue of pite longith |r[l.110b]  če grete behest,
|r20 nowt only of čis present lyf but of če lyf eke čat is eterne, as our
     Lord saith be če prophete on-to hem čat deye in holy lyf: I schal
     make ¨ou čat ¨e schal stand in swech opinion of če puple čat čei
     schal gyue to ¨ou praysyng & honour, če ioye čat ¨e haue schal
|r24 I gyue ¨ou. And in a-nočir place of scriptur čus is seide of
     seyntis: Ritefulmen schul schyne as če Sunne in če kyngdam
     of her Fader. For our Lord oft-tyme, čat he schuld schewe
     meruelously če myte of his uertu, and čat he schuld werk merci_ablely
|r28 če cause of our helth, čoo same trewe seruauntis whech
     he rewardith in heuene often-tyme he honourith in čis world, and
     at če places where her bodies rest čere reysith he grete tokenes
     and myracles be whech če wikkidnesse of heresies is confundid
|r32 and če trew cristen feith confermed.



|p137


|r[CHAPTER_LVII.]

                                               capl. lvij.

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



|p138


     is deceyuable, as is sene in čese wicchis čat dwellid with Pharao.
     But whann good werkis go be-for in ony persone, and aftir čoo
     folowyn glorious miracles, čan haue we a very certificacion of
 |r4 mennes holynesse, čat čoo too čingis schuld lede us če rite wey to
     honour čat persone whom čat 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 če |r[l.112a] Euangelist Mark wher he
 |r8 writith čus of če aposteles: Thei walkid forth in če world and
     prechid, our Lord werkyng and helpyng her sermones and signes
     or ellis myracles folowid aftir čat.


|r[CHAPTER_LVIII.]

                                                 Capl. lviij.

|r12    |r<b> And čou¨ it be soo čat oure weel be-loued childyrn in God, če
        priour and če couent of Sempingham, haue instauntly mad
     her postulacion on-to us čat we schuld graunt čat maystir Gilbert
     schuld be wrytyn in če cathaloge of seyntis and be a-noumbered
|r16 a-mong seyntes, whech Gilbert was be-gynner of her ordre, and
     whech man, as čei 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 čat our noble & worchipful son
     in Crist, Ion, kyng of Yngland, with his lordes, and our bročir,
     archbischop of Cauntybyry, Hubert, with his suffraganis, eke če
     priour of če seid couent, with očir abbotes and prioures, wrote
|r24 on-to us in čis mater of če vertuous lif of čis man and of če
     tokenes do at his graue. Wherfor we wil in čis mater do grete
     diligens to haue če very treuth, |r[l.112b] and for čis cause we haue writyn
     and comaunded be oure letteris to our welbeloued brečerin, arch_bischop
|r28 of Cauntirbyri, če bischop of Hely, and to our welbeloued
     sones, abbot of Borow & abbot of Wardon, čat be our auctorite čei
     schal go to čat place of Sempyngham and, in vertu of obediens,
     comaunde al čat college of men and women čat čei schul fast
|r32 iij dayes and crien on our Lord God whech is weye, treuth and lyf,



|p139


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

|r[CHAPTER_LIX.] 

                                          Capitulum lix. |r[l.113a]

        |r<b> Thus čese same men fulfillid our comaundment ful treuly, and
        be-cause on of hem myte not be čer for a grete and a
|r16 neccessarie cause, čerfor iij of hem had čis examinacion in our
     name, čat is to seyn, če forseid archbischop, and če bischop of Hely,
     with če abbot of Borow; čese iij went on-to čat place and fulfillid
     al čat was conteyned in our comaundment, for with gret diligens
|r20 čei examined all če witnesse and mad hem for to swere čat čei
     schuld non informacion make but soth; čei mad clepe religious
     men, seculer men, clerkis, lay men, men and women generali, whos
     attestaciones and witnesse čei wrytyn treuly, and vndyr her seles
|r24 closed, sent al čis čing to us, whech sondes čou¨ čei were euydent
     and certeyn, be-cause čei wery many and dyuers, we wil not at čis
     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; čei cleped in dyueres religious men, whech were famyliar
     with him at dyuers tymes, and whech knew of his pryuy conuersa_cion:
     all čese men with on acord bore wytnesse čat 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 čat 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 če patriarch Iacob
     čat sey aungelles in če ladder goyng up and goyng down. And
     whan he had ony collocucion with his brečerin or sisteres, it myte
     be seid of him, as it was seid of Samuel, čere fell not a word of his
 |r8 on-to če erde. For aftir če doctrine of če holy apostel, ydil wordes
     were ful seldom in his mouth, but čoo wordes whech he spak were
     to edificacion of our feith, for he was good in čat same, and čerfor
     his wordes wer ful of grace on-to če hereres. And čou¨ many očir
|r12 čingis mad his lyf to be in grete comendacion, čis was ¨et a principal
     čing longing to his perfeccion, čat 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 če brečerin and če sisteryn whech he had
|r16 institute and set vndyr a vertuous reule of religion. For his
     succession in processe of tyme grewe, be če goodnesse of our Lord,
     to so gret a noumbyr čat he byled nyne monasteries of women and
     four of chanones reguler, in whech monasteriis čat tyme čat be
|r20 deyid he left, be-side če religious men, a čousand and fyue hundred
     sisteres čat seruyd God our Lord with-oute vylonye.


|r[CHAPTER_LX.]

                                                Capitulum lx.

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



|p141


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



|p142


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

        |r<b> WE may likne our fader Seynt Augustyn on-to če 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 če comaundment of God, supplanted his
     bročir, 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 če Deuel, for whan če same
 |r8 Deuel ha hold him in his seruyse xxx ¨ere, čan ran he fro če
     Deuel and took up-one him če swete ¨ok of our Lord Ihesu Crist.
     For xxj ¨ere was he in paganite, and ix ¨ere in če heresie of če
     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 če labour whech he had in inuestigacion of če
     godhed in če bokes whech he mad of če Trynyte. This Iacob
|r16 had xij sones, to whom all če lond of byhest was distribute and
     departed be Moyses & Iosue. And čis Augustin hath xij religious
     cumpanies, be whech xij all holy cherch her in erde is replecchid.
     We wil at čis tyme on-to ¨our deuoute eres open čese Hebrew
|r20 names of čese 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 čese men preise God nyte & day in holy
|r24 songis & ympnis whech čei continuely be vsed too. And čis



|p146


     Iudas eke may be referred on-to čoo heremites čat Seynt Augustin
     mad ny iij ¨ere be-for čat he was bischop at -Ypone, and mad čere
     chanones. This mater is proued with grete euydens in če book
 |r4 whech I mad to a gentil woman in Englisch, and in če book whech
     I mad to če 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 čese
 |r8 same bokes may men se če names of če first faderes of čis order of
     heremites, whech heremites Simplician sent wit¨ Augustin on-to
     Affrik.
        The second child of čis Iacob, he hite Ruben, and čis Ruben is
|r12 referred on-to chanones seculer swech as be in cathedral cherchis.
     For Ruben is as mech to sey as seing in če myddis, or seing be če
     myddis. What schal we calle bettir če myddis čan čis present
     lif? What was be-for čis lif ordeyned for us is on-knowe. What
|r16 we schal haue aftir čis lif it is in doute, saue we hope veryly, be če
     good menes of čis myd lif, to come sumtyme to Goddis mercy.
     But |r[l.117b] men wil merueyle perauentur whi čat I sette seculer chanones
     be-for reguler, and čis [is]  my cause. Thoo chanones čat dwelled
|r20 with Seynt Augustin whan he was bischop went in cločis 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 čis aray long not to reguler chanones.
|r24    The čird son of Iacob he hite Gad, and his name is as mech to
     sey as a man čat is wel girt. Girdyng in holy scriptur is take
     for restreynyng of our body fro uices, and čis may be applied in
     če best maner to chanones reguler, whech, with holy obseruaunces
|r28 girdyn her bodies fro sinful werkis & here soules fro foule desires.
     If čese men be-gunne with Augustin in his cherch in če same
     degre as čei stand now, sum men haue doute; but I wyl not
     stryue. I be-leue wel čat čere had čei her beginnyng but če
|r32 harder distinccion fro če first ordr was mad sithe be očir holy
     faderes, as če munkis of Charturehous cam oute of če blake
     ordr. Many euydens haue I mad in my book Concordia čat



|p147


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



|p148


     langage grete mede for laboure; čis wil we applie to čat ordre
     whech čei clepe če Freres of če Crosse, for čis cause, for čat
     crosse on her breest schul make hem so to labour in če weye of
 |r4 Crist čat čei schuld come aftir her labour to euyrlasting mede.
     Off čis ordre haue I as ¨et no certeyn knowlech, who was her
     foundor, or vndir what Pope, or kyng, čei 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 čis
     interpretacion on-to če ordr of Seynt Bryde; čei haue a mansion
     of strength, for čei be sperd fro vanites of če world, whech vanytes
     ar ouyr open to many men. This holy woman Bryde be-gan čis
|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 čat mater.
        The xj son hite Ioseph, and he is to sey a moring or augmen_tacion;
|r16 čis is applied to certeyn chanones of čat hous whech be
     of če ordr of Seynt Victor. This hous of Seynt Victour is in
     Paris, to whech I trowe čei longe. We haue in our libraries many
     sundry bookes čat to chanones of čat hous mad; on of hem hite
|r20 Hewe, če očir hite Richard, notabel clerkis čei wer and men of
     holy lyf.
        The xij son hite Beniamin; he is če son čat longith to če rite
     hand, as euery religious man with če mercy of God doth. This
|r24 son, be-cause he is ¨ongest of age, is likned on-to an ordre whech
     is not in če world, as čei sey, but in Northfolk. Four houses had
     čei and on of hem is fall on-to če kyngis hand, & he gaue it to
     Walsingham; če hous hite Petirston: očer informacion of hem
|r28 haue I not at čis tyme.