|b[St._Nicholas,_in_Three_Lives_from_the_Gilte_Legende
|b_from_MS_B.L._Egerton_876,_ed._by_Richard_Hamer
|b_Heidelberg:_Carl_Winter_Universit„tsverlag,_1978,_pp._51-65.]



|p51


|rSAINT_NICHOLAS

     |r[f.4r] Seint Nicholas was borne in the citee of Patras and was come of
     noble and riche kinrede. His fader was named Epiphanus and his
     moder Iohanna. He was begoten in the furst floure of thaire
     age, and sithe after thei liued in chastite & [l]adden an
 |r5 [heuen]ly liff. The furst day that he was born, whanne he was
     bathed he dressed hym vpright in the basin, & he wold neuer
     take the briste but onys on the Friday and onys in the Wednis_day,
     and in his tendre age he eschewed the vanitees of yonge
     children. He haunted gladli to the chirche, and after that he
|r10 beganne to vnderstond holi scripture he putte it in werke
     after his powere. And whanne that his fader and his moder
     weren parted oute of this world, he bethought hym how he myght
     [departe] his richesse to the preising of God and not to haue
     mannys preising. Hit happed so that one of his neighaboures
|r15 that was a worschipfull man hadde thre doughtres virgines.
     This man fill in suche pouertee that he was constreined to
     deliuer one of his doughters to misgouernaunce of her body for
     to gete her levyng bi that fals lucree. Whanne this holi man
     Seint Nicholas knewe this he hadde gret pitee and abhominacion
|r20 of this wikkednesse. He toke a gret somme of gold and knette
     it in a clowt and went priuily bi nyght and caste it inne atte
     this por mannes wyndowe. And whanne this man aroos by the
     morw he fonde this somme of golde. He was fulfilled with gret
     gladnesse and thanked God and maried his eldest doughter. And
|r25 within a while after the servaunt of God did in the same wise,
     and whanne this pore man hadde founde it he gave thankyng to



|p52


     God, and purposed hym to wake for to wete what he was that hadd
     schewed to hym so gret charitee and hym brought oute of so gret
     mischeeff. Withinne a fewe dayes after, Seint Nicholas doubled
     that somme and caste it inne priuely as he was wont to done,
 |r5 and with the sowne of the falle the man awoke and in gret haste
     aroos and folwed Seint Nicholas that fledde faste away. He
     cried after hym and said: "For Goddes loue fle not so faste,
     but late me see the." And as he pursued hym faste he perceyued
     and knewe well that it was Nicholas, and thanne he kneled downe
|r10 and wold haue kyst his fete, but he deuied hym and praied hym
     that he wold neuer vtter this dede whiles he lyued.
     After this the bisshop of the citee of Myre deied, & thanne
     the bisshoppes assembelid hem togedre to purveie a bisshop to
     that chirche. And ther was one among other a bisshop of gret
|r15 auctorite and all the election hangged on hym, and as he taught
     hem all that thei schul[d] be in fastyng and in praiere, that
     same bisshop |r[f.4v] herde that same nyght a voys that said to
     hym atte the houre of matenys that he schuld take [good] hede
     to the gates of the chirche, and that persone that furst schuld
|r20 entre into the chirche and hight Nicholas, that he schuld take
     hym and sacre hym as for bysshop. And thanne this bisshop
     schewed this vision to his felawes and counsailed hem all to be
     in praiers and he wold kepe the chirche dore. Right as it was
     schewed vnto hym, so it fel that atte the houre of matenys bi
|r25 purveiaunce of oure Lord Nicholas come furst, and anone the



|p53


     bisshop toke hym and asked hym what he hight, and he anone
     mekely ansuered and said: "Nicholas, servaunt of youre holy_nesse."
     Thanne with gret ioye he brought hym to his felawes,
     and thei all thanked God with gret worschip and gret ioye, and
 |r5 sette hym in his chayer, notwithstondyng that he refused it to
     his powere, but he most nedis obeye the ordinaunce of oure Lord
     for his gret profite and of many other. And like as he was
     meke and vertuous afore, so he was after, and encresed in
     vertues and graces. He was humble and honest in all his
|r10 governaunce, wakyng in orisons, streit to hymselff in makyng
     his body lene, he eschewed the felawschip of women, meke in
     receyuinge all, profitable in spekyng, gladd in techyng,
     sharpe in correccion.
     It is redde in a cronicle that the blessid Seint Nicholas was
|r15 atte the Counsaile of [Nice], and on a day as schipmen were in
     thee see in gret perile thei cried with wepyng teres and said:
     "O Nicholas, servaunt of God, yef the thyngges be sothe that we
     haue herde of the, now proue thi gret goodnesse vpon us and
     saue us be thi praiere." And anone there apered a man in [the]
|r20 liknesse of hym and said: "Loo, here I am. Called ye me not?"
     And thanne anone he began to helpe hem in takelyng of her
     schipp, and anone the tempest sesid. And thanne he vanisshed
     away, and whanne thei were come to his chirche thei knewe hym +
     anone withoute tellyng of any creature, and yet they hadd neuer
|r25 sene hym before. And thanne they come to hym and gave +
     thankyng[es] to God and to hym of thaire deliueraunce. He



|p54


     mekely praied hem that thei wold sette it all to the gret merci
     of God and thaire bileue and not to his merites.
     In a tyme it befelle that all the province of Seint Nicholas
     suffered gret peyne for hunger, for mete failed allmost to all
 |r5 the peple. And thanne the servaunt of God herde saye that there
     were schippes charged with whete and were ariued atte the port.
     And thanne anone he went thedir and preied the schipmen that
     thei wold helpe the peple that pershid for hunger of eueri schip
     an C buschels of whete. And thanne thei saiden: "Holy fader, we
|r10 dur not, for it is deliuered to vs by mesure, and we most yelde
     the same mesure into the emperours garners in Alisaundre." And
     thanne the holi man saide to hem: "Dothe as I haue preied you,
     and I behete you in [the] vertue of God that it schall not be
     lessid whanne ye come to the garners." And whanne thei hadd
|r15 deliuered hym, thei come into Alisaundre and deliuered the fulle
     mesure that thei hadd resseived. And thanne thei told this
     miracle to the servauntes of the emperour, and thei all preised
     gretly God and his servaunt. And thanne this holi man departed
     this whete to eueri man after his nede, so that it suffisid two
|r20 yeres not onli for to liue by but [also] for to sowe.
     And as that contre serued to ydolis |r[f.5r] the peple worschipped
     the fals goddes Dyane so that in[to] the tyme of the comyng of
     Goddes seruaunt Seint Nicholas mony of that cursed religion vsed



|p55


     somme custumes of panymes vnder a tree halwed to Diane. But
     this holi man [chased] oute these custumes of all that contre
     and comaunded that all tho trees schuld be kutte doune. Thanne
     the fende was gretli meued ayenst hym, ordeyned an oyle
 |r5 that brent ayenst kynde in water, and also it brennyd stones.
     And thanne he transfigured hym in + forme of a religious woman
     and sette hym in a litell vessell and mette with pilgrimes that
     went by water to the seruaunt of God. And whanne sche neighed
     hem sche aresoned hem in this wise: "Al heiile frendes, I wote
|r10 well ye goo to the seruaunt of God, and fayne wolde I goo with
     you, but I may not. Wherfor I praie you that ye wolde bere this
     oyle to his chirche and in rememberaunce of me that ye will
     anoynt the walles of his halle therwith." And whanne sche hadde
     said, anone sche vanisched away. And thanne thei mette with
|r15 another schipp and goodly peple therinne, among whiche peple
     ther was a reuerent persone lik to Seint Nicholas, and said
     to hem: "What hathe that woman said vnto you that ye mette
     with and what [hathe] sche brought you?" Thei tolde hym all
     [bi] ordre. And thanne saied he to hem: "Douteth not but that
|r20 is that fals Diane, and that ye preue that I saie sothe, castith
     this oyle into the see." And whanne thei hadde so do the see
     waxse afere in that partie and brent a gret while ayenst kynde.
     And thanne the bisshop and that honest mayne vanished away, and
     whanne thei were londed thei come to this holi man and said:
|r25 "Verily thou art he that apered to vs in the see and deliuered
     us out of the fendes hondes."



|p56


     In that tyme ther were men that rebellid ayenst the emperour of
     Rome, and the emperour sent ayenst hem thre princes, that is to
     knowe Neponcion, Vrsyn and Apolyne. Thei ariued atte the port
     of Adrian, for the wynde was contrarie to hem, and the blessid
 |r5 Seint Nicholas praied hem to dyne with hym. And as thei were
     with hym it happed that the consult, corrupte by money, hadd
     comaunded that the iij innocent knyghtes schulde be biheded.
     And whanne the holi man wost it he praied these thre princes to
     come with hym in haste, and whanne he come to the place there
|r10 as thei schuld be biheded he fonde hem on her kneis, thaire
     eyghen bounde, and the man loftyng up his swerde redi ouer her
     [hedis]. And thanne Seint Nicholas sette afere with the loue
     of God putte hymselff hardeli bitwene hem and toke the suerde
     of the mannes honde and caste it fer from hym, and vnbounde her
|r15 eyghen and ledde the innocentis sauf with hym. And anone he
     went into the iugement to the consult and fonde the gates
     schette. He anone openid hem with strength, and thanne the
     consult come ayenst hym and wolcomed hym. The holi man hadde
     dispite of his salutacion and said to hym: "Thou enemie of God,
|r20 breker of the lawe, by what foly or misauenture hast thou be
     consentaunt to so gret a felonie and now durst loke us in the
     visage?" And whanne he hadd gretli reproued hym and chidde hym
     he was repentaunt, and atte the preiers of the[se] thre princes
     he resseived hym to penaunce. And whanne the messengers of the
|r25 emperour had resseiued his blessyng, thei went her waye and



|p57


     ouercome her enemyes withoute schedyng of blode. And thanne
     thei retorned to the emperour and were resseiued with gret wor_schip.
     Thanne fell |r[f.5v] it so that somme hadd envie to the
     wele of the[se] princes and ymagened treson ayenst hem, and
 |r5 what be praier and be yeftes thei were falsli accused to the
     emperour of treson ayenst his mageste. And whan the emperour
     herde it he was fulfilled withe gret wrathe and comaunded that
     thei were putte in prison withoute mo questionis and that thei
     were slayn that same night. And whanne these princes knewe
|r10 this by the portour that priueli hadd told hem, thei rente her
     clothes and cried, weping bitterly. And thanne Neponcien
     remembered hym how blessid Seint Nicholas hadde deliuered thre
     innocentes, and preied his felawes that thei wolde require his
     helpe. And as thei were in her praiers Seint Nicholas appered
|r15 to hem, and also he apered to Constantine the emperour and said
     [to] hym: "Whi hast thou take these princes with so gret wrong
     and haste iuged hem to the dethe [withoute cause]? Arise
     hasteli and comaunde that thei be deliuered or ellis I schal
     praie to God that he schal arayse many batayles ayeinst the in
|r20 whiche thou schalt be caste downe & be made mete to bestis."
     And thanne the emperour hauyng gret drede and merveil asked:
     "What art thou that art by night entered into my palays and
     durste saye to me suche wordes?" He ansuered: "I am Nicholas,
     bisshop of Mire," & with that he vanished away, and apered to
|r25 the provost in the same wyse and with a sterne voys said to
     hym: "Thou that hast lost witte and mynde, whi hast thou bene



|p58


     so hardy to consent to the dethe of these innocentis? Goo anone
     and ordeyne for her deliueraunce, or ellis thi body schall rote
     and be ete with wormes, and thou and thi meny schall be dis_troied."
     Thanne the provost with gret drede said: "What maist
 |r5 thou be that manast me so gretli?" He ansuerid and said: "Wete
     it well that I am Nicholas, bisshop of the citee of Mire," and
     therwith he vanished away. And thanne eche of hem awoke and
     tolde to other her dremes, and anone thei sent for the princes.
     And whanne thei were come the emperour said to hem: "What
|r10 whichecraft canne ye that ye haue [this nyght illu]ded vs with
     dremes?" And thanne thei said that thei coude neuer that craft
     ne thei hadde in no wise deseruid dethe. And [thanne] the
     emperour said: "Knowe ye any man that hight Nicholas?" And
     whanne thei herde that name thei helde up her hondes to heuene
|r15 warde and praied oure Lorde that by the merites of Seint
     Nicholas that he wolde delyuer hem of this present perile that
     thei were inne. And whanne the emperour hadd herde of hem the
     lyf and the miracles of Seint Nicholas he said to hem: "Goo
     hennys frely, and thankithe God that hathe deliuered you by the
|r20 praiere of hym, and berithe hym of youre iuelys, and praiethe
     hym that he manace me no more, but that he praie for me and for
     my reaume to our Lorde." And a litell while after the forsaid
     princes went to the servaunt of God and kneled downe to his fet
     humbly sayeng: "Verreli thou art the seruaunt of God and a true
|r25 worschiper and louer of Ihesu Crist." And whanne thei had al
     tolde hym by ordre, he lifte up his hondes to heuene and gave
     preysing and thanking to God, and sent these princes ayen wel
     taught in vertues into her owne contre.



|p59


     And whanne oure Lorde lust to take hym oute of this worlde, he
     praied oure Lorde that he wolde sende hym his aungeles, and as
     he enclined his hede he seigh the aungelis comyng to hym, and
     thanne he knewe wel that he schulde passe oute of this |r[f.6r]
 |r5 worlde [and] he bigan this psalme, In te Domine speraui, vnto
     [this verce] In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum, and
     with that worde he yeldid vp the spirit the yere of oure Lorde
     CCC xl and thre, withe gret melodie of all heuenli spirites.
     And whanne he was beried in the tombe of marbill a faire welle
|r10 of oyle sprong oute of the hede and another of water atte the
     fete, an[d] into this daye there comithe oute holy oyle of his
     bones that helithe al maner of siknesse. And a man of holi
     lyff was successoure of hym [that] was putte oute of his sege
     be enuious men. And thanne anone the welle of oyle stynt
|r15 rennynge, and whanne he was reconsiled ayen sche ranne her
     cours ayen. + Longe tyme after, the Turkes had destroied the
     citee of Mire, and thanne ther come thedir iiij knyghtes of
     Barre, and iiij monkes schewed hem the sepulcre of Seint
     Nicholas, and thei opened the sepulcre and founden the bonis
|r20 fletyng al in oyle. And thanne thei bere it worschipfulli into
     the citee of Barre in the yere of oure Lorde a thousand foure
     score and xv.
     In a tyme ther was a man that hadd borued of a Iue a somme of
     money and swore vpon the auutere of Seint Nicholas that as sone
|r25 as he myght he wolde paie hym ayein, for the Iue wolde none



|p60


     other plege haue. And thanne he withhelde this money longe
     tyme til atte the last the Iue asked hym his money, and he said
     sikerly that he hadd paied hym. And the Iue made hym come to +
     iugement, and the othe was putte vpon the dettour, and he
 |r5 brought with hym an holow staffe whereinne the money was putte
     be his wile and malice, and he bere this staffe in his honde as
     for to susteine hym as it semed. And whanne he schuld swere he
     toke the staffe to the Iue to kepe, and thanne he swore that he
     hadd paied hym more thanne he borued of hym. And whanne he
|r10 hadd made his othe, he toke his staffe ayein of the Iue. And
     thanne he that hadd do this fraude went quite. Hit happed
     that he felle in slombre in a karfoke and a cart come with gret
     strengthe and slowe hym and breke his staffe ful of golde, and
     it schadde oute al aboute. And whanne the Iue herde and seigh
|r15 this, he was al meued of this gret frauude, and mani men
     counsailed hym to take this money. He refusid it in al wise
     but yef he that was dede come ayein to lyff by the merites of
     Seint Nicholas. He said also yef that he liued ayein he wold
     resseiue baptime and schulde be cristenid. And thanne he that
|r20 was dede rose ayein fro dethe to lyff, and + the Iue was
     cristened.



|p61


     Another Iue sawe the miracles of Seint Nicholas. He ordeined
     hym an ymage of the seint and sette hym in his hous, and whanne
     he went oute he comaunded the ymage to kepe his hous and his
     goodes, and said: "Lo Nicholas, here is al my goodes. I charge
 |r5 the to kepe hem wel, and yef I misse any of hem I schal reuenge
     me vpon[the]." In a tyme the Iue went oute, & theues come
     and toke al the good away and lefte nothing but the ymage.
     Whanne the Iue come ayein and fonde al his good gone, he
     aresonid the ymage by suche wordes: "Sir Nicholas, I hadd putte
|r10 you in myn hous for gret truste that ye schulde haue kept wel
     my good. Whi haue ye kept it no beter? I telle you truli that
     ye schull resseiue cruel torment |r[f.6v] and haue the peyne that
     longithe to the theuis, and I schalle reuenge myn harme in thi
     tormentis." And thanne he toke the image and bette it and
|r15 tormented it cruelli, wherof ther fille a gret mervaile, for
     whanne the theuis departed these thingges, this holi seint
     appered to hem al forwounded and saide to hem: "Whi haue I be
     so cruelli beten and tormented for youre gilt? Se ye not how
     my bodi is al torent and the blode rennyng downe by gret
|r20 stremis? Gothe fast and yeldithe ayein those thingges and the
     goodes, or ellis the wrathe of God schall falle vpon you, that
     alle schalle knowe youre defauutes and ye schulle be hangged



|p62


     alle." And thanne thei said; "What art thou that tellist vs
     these wordes?" Thanne he saide; I am Nicholas, servaunt of
     Ihesu Crist, the whiche the Iue hathe so cruelli beten for ye
     toke awaye his good." And thanne thei were gretli aferde and
 |r5 come to the Iue and tolde hym how he hadde done to the ymage
     and al the miracle, and yalde hym al his good. And so the
     theuis come to the waye of rightwisnesse and the Iue to the
     faithe of Ihesu Crist.
     In a tyme also a man ther was that halowed eueri yere
|r10 [solempnely] the feste of Seint Nicholas for loue of a sone
     that he hadd that went to scole. And the fende that hadde
     enuie to this deuocion transfigured hym in liknesse of a
     pilgrime and come to his gate and axsed almesse. The fader
     comaunded his sone that he schulde bere almesse to the
|r15 pilgrime. The childe dede as he was bode and folued after the
     pilgrime to take hym almesse. And whanne he come to a karfont
     the fende toke the childe and strangelid hym. [and] whanne
     the fader herde [this] of his sone he made gret wamentacion
     and pitous sorow, wepte and bere the bodi of his sone to his
|r20 chaumbre and saide: "A my dere sone, that this mishappe is
     falle to the! A Seint Nicholas, is this the guerdon that I
     resseiue for the worschip that I haue done to you?" And as he
     said these wordes the childe anone openid his eighen and awoke
     as though he hadd slept, and arose al hole and sounde.



|p63


     Also ther was a noble man that preied to Seint Nicholas [that]
     he wolde be mene to oure Lorde that he myght haue a sone, and
     he behight hym that he wolde bring his sone to his chirche and
     offre a cuppe of golde with hym. He hadde a sone after his
 |r5 desire, and whanne the childe come to resonable age the fader
     ordeined the cuppe of golde. And whanne the cuppe was made,
     hym liked so wel the shappe therof that he withhelde that cuppe
     and [let make] another of the same wight and value. Thanne he
     toke his viage bi the see towarde Seint Nicholas, and as he was
|r10 in the see he comaunded his sone to bring hym water in the
     furst cuppe. And as the childe wolde haue take water he fille
     ouer the borde [into the see withe the cuppe] and was no more
     sene. Yet the fader notwithstondyng al this he fulfilled his
     avowe withe gret weping and sorugh for his sone, and whanne he
|r15 come to the auutere of Seint Nicholas he offered the secounde
     cuppe, and anone it was thrawe doune of the auutere with gret
     violence. And thanne he toke up the cuppe ayein, and it was
     throwe doune further thanne before. And so the thridde tyme,
     that all the peple hadde gret meruayle and come to see this
|r20 thing. And sodeinli the childe come hole and sounde and
     brought the furst cuppe, and tolde to alle the peple that
     whanne he fille into the see anone the [blessid] Seint Nicholas
     come |r[Hl_f.3v] to him and kept him from harme. Than was če
     fader ful of yoi and offered both the cuppes to Seint Nicholas.
|r25 There was anočer riche man čat had a sone bi če merites of
     Seint Nicholas, and this riche man made a chapell of Seint
     Nicholas in his maner and halowed euery yere solempnili the



|p64


     fest of Seint Nicholas. And čis place was bisidez če londe of
     Agareyns. And so it happed [čat] čis childe was take into
     seruage to če king of čat londe. če yere folowing, whan če
     fader held deuouteli če fest of Seint Nicholas, če child stod
 |r5 tofor če king and held a riche cuppe in his honde, and as he
     bethought him of his taking and of če sorowe of his frendes and
     of če ioy čat he was wonte to se in his faders house in that
     dai, he began to seigh wondre sore. And čan če king asked him
     če cause of his sighing, and he told him. čan seid če king:
|r10 "Ye for ought čat či Nicholas can do ču shalt abide here now."
     And [sodenli] čere blewe a sharpe winde čat made al če house to
     tremble, and the child with če cuppe in his honde was lift vp
     and set bifor his fader yates, so in that solempnite al his
     frendes wer filled with grete yoi. And it is red ellezwhere
|r15 čat čis yong man was born in Normandy and went ouer če Grete
     See and was taken of the sowden. Often times he was beten
     befor the sowdan, and as he was beten in a Seint Nicholas dai,
     what for sorowe of his beting, what for če remembraunce |r[f.7r]
     of the ioi that he was wonte to haue in čat dai, he made his
|r20 prayer to Seint Nicholas, and than sodenli he fil aslepe. And
     whan he awoke he founde himself in the chapel of his fader,
     where his fader and all his frendes were in grete yoi and yauen
     soueraigneli worshipp and čonking to oure Lorde God and to če
     merite[s] of če holi Seint Nicholas.