The Life of St Werburge

Bradshaw, Henry

TextBaseEarlyTudorEnglish
HBSW3506
1995
STC 3506
Ringler 3506 and TP 2179; also TP 631 ("Honour / ioye / and glorie / the toynes organicall"), TP 1266 ("O frutefull histore / o digne memoriall"), TP 1375 ("O thou disciple of Tully most famous") and TP 2298 ("With hert contrite accepte my supplicacion"). Ed. Edward Hawkins, Chetham Soc. 15 (1848); ed. Carl Horstmann, _The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester, by Henry Bradshaw_ (London, 1887), EETS o.s. 88. Although the work is not a translation of any one identifiable text, Bradshaw drew on a Latin Life of St. Werburg attrib. to Goscelin, in addition to a number of other sources (see Horstmann, pp. xvi-xxvi). UMI microfilm reel 27

Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt Werburge / very frutefull for all christen people to rede
London: Richard Pynson,1521.



Composition Date: 1513 [see Sig. S2v].

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	¶Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge / very frutefull for all christen people to rede.
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	¶The prologe of .I._T. in the honour and laude of saint Werburge / and to the prayse of th e translatour of the legende folowynge.
	H_onour / ioye / and glorie / the toynes organicall
	E_ndeles myrthes wi t h melodies / prayse ye all th e princes
	N_ourisshed in vertue / intact / as pure as cristall
	R_elefe to all synners / o Werburge lady maistres
5	I_n grace thou passed / all other and in goodnes
	Whan thou was present in this mundayne lyfe
	None was the lyke / wydowe / mayde / ne wyfe
	B_y diuyne grace / to vs a ryche present
	R_eioyce we may / in Werburge one and all
10	A gemme of vertue / a virgin resplendent
	D_ilect of our lorde (in ioye and blis eternall
	S_urely she is set) to intercede and call
	H_er mouth nat cessyng / for them to call and crye
	A_nd in her trust / of synne to haue mercy
15	O good lady maistres / declyne thy syght a_fer
	And graciously beholde / thy seruaunt chast and pure
	Henry_Bradsha / sometyme monke in Chester
	Whiche only for thy loue / toke the payne and laboure
	Thy legende to translate / he dyd his busy cure
20	Out of latine / in Englisshe rude and vyle and] ande and 1521
	Whiche he hath amended / with many an ornate style
	Alas of Chestre / ye monkes haue lost a treasure
	Henry_Bradsha / the styrpe of eloquence
	Chestre thou may wayle / the deth of this floure
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25	So may the citezens / alas for his absence
	So may many other / for lacke of his sentence
	O swete lady Werburge / an holy Abbasse glorious
	Remembre Henry_Bradsha / thy seruaunt most gracious
	In hym remayned no vice ne presumpcion
30	Enuy and wrath / from hym were exyled
	Slouth ne Uenus in hym had no dominion
	Auarice and glotony / he vtterly expelled
	No vice in hym regned / his felowes he excelled
	As clene as cristall / he bare these vertues thre
35	Chastite / obidience / and wylfull pouerte
	O cruell deth / whiche art the perfite ende
	Of this noble clerke / and euery mortall thyng
	Agaynst the no man may hym defende
	Thou causest wo / languor / and anguissyng
40	And who on this / wolde haue remembryng
	Howe from erth / to erth he must agayne
	He wolde dispise all thynges that be mundayne. Uale.
	The table of this boke.
	FIrst the prologue of the translatour of this litell treatyse. Cap .i.
	¶A descripcion of the realme of merciens of the boundes and commodites of the same. Cap .ii.
	¶A descripcion of the geanologie of saynt Werburge and howe she descended of .iiii. kynges of this lande / and of the riall blodde of Fraunce. Cap .iii.
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	¶A playn descripcion of the actes and chiualry of kyng Penda grauntfather to saynt Werburge / and of his noble and vertuous progenie. Ca .iiii.
	¶Howe after the deth of kyng Penda / and of his prince Pe[a]da Peada] Penda 1521 his seconde son Wulfer father of saynt Werburge was elect to be kyng of merciens Cap .v.
	¶A lyttell descripcyon of the noble maryage bytwene kyng Wulfer and saynt Ermenilde the kynges doughter of Kent / and of the solempnite done at the same season The syxt chapitre.
	¶A breue declaracion of the holy lyfe and conuersacion of saynt Werburge / vsed in her tender youth / aboue the comon cours of nature. Cap .vii.
	¶Howe this yonge virgin saynt Werburge was desired of dukes and erles in mariage / and of the reasonable answere she gaue to them in auoydyng suche wordly pleasures. Cap .viii.
	¶Howe the false Werebode desyred kyng Wulfer to haue his doughter Werburge in mariage / and howe he graunted thervnto. Cap .ix.
	¶Howe the quene saynt Ermenilde wolde nat consent ther-to / and how her bretherne saynt Wulfade / and Ruffin were agaynst the sayd mariage. Cap .x.
	¶How the false Werebode complaynned vpon saynt sig: char-2 3 Wulfade and Ruffyn to kyng Wulfer / and was the cause of their deth. Cap .xi.
	¶Howe kynge Wulfer was conuerted / and toke great repentaunce for his offence. and by the counsell of saint Ceade was a deuout man / and a good benefactour to holy churche / and founder of diuers places Cap .xii.
	¶Of the feruent desire and singular deuocion saynt Werburge had to be religious / and of the dayly supplicacions she made to her father for the same. Cap .xiii.
	¶Of the reasonable and meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father / whan he moued her to haue ben maried. Cap .xiiii.
	¶How saint Werburge was made an nonne at Ely after her desire vnder saint Audri lady and abbasse. Ca. xv.
	¶Of the great solemnisacion kyng Wulfer made at þ e gostly mariage of saynt Werburge his doughter at Ely / to all his louers and frendes. Cap .xvi.
	¶Of the holy profession and gostly conuersacion saynt Werburge vsed at Ely in religion vnder saint Audri. xvii.
	Space set for ¶.A litell treatise of the lyfe of saynt Audrie abbasse of Ely / and of her holy conuersacion and great deuocion which Audrie was aunt and cosyn to saynt Werburge. xviii.
	¶A breue rehersal of the lyfe of saint Sexburge graunt- sig: [char-2 3v] moder to saint werburge / and of her comyng to Ely to her syster Audrie th 'abbasse from Shepay monasterie. c .xix.
	¶Howe saint Ermenilde after dethe of kynge Wulfer was made a no[n]ne at Ely / vnder her moder Sexburge and Wer[b]urge Werburge] Werkurge 1521 her doughter. Cap .xx.
	¶Howe kyng Ethelrede seynge the holy conuersacion of Werburge his nece / made her lady and president at Wedon / Trentam / and Hambury. Also by her example and counsel made hym a monke at Bardeney abbay. c .xxi.
	¶The holy conuersacion of kyng Kenred brother to saynt Werburge / and howe he refused his crowne / and was made a monke at Rome / and there departed a holy confessour. xxii.
	¶Of the gostly deuocion of saynt Werburge andvertuous gouernans of her places / and of the great humilite she vsed to her systers and all creatures. Ca .xxiii.
	¶How at Wedon wilde gyse were pynned at her commandement / and also relesed and put at liberte. Ca .xxiiii.
	¶How a tyrande without pite was punysshed his face set backewarde /and by his mekenes was restaured to helth and prosperite agayne.Cap .xxv.
	¶How d[i]uers diuers] deuers 1521 princes folowyng sensualite entendyng to violate this virgine by power: by myracle were put to confusion. Cap .xxvi.
	¶How saynt Werburge gaue knowlege to her systers sig: [char-2 4] of her departure / and howe she ordred in vertue her sayd monasteries after her departure. Cap .xxvii.
	¶Of the gostly exortacion saint Werburge made to her systers in her sekenes / and howe deuoutly she receyued the sacramentes of holy churche afore her deth. c .xxviii.
	¶Of the departure of saynt Werburge at Trentam vnto heuen from this miserable lyfe / and what lamentacion her systers and subiectes made for her deth Ca .xxix.
	¶Howe the hamburgenses toke the blessed body of Werburge from Trentam by myracle and brought it to Hambury / and of the buriall of this virgin / and manyfolde signes shewed of god by her merites / the space of .ix. yere afore her translacion. Cap .xxx.
	¶A litel breue treatise of her hole lyfe / and how for her myracles shewed after her deth / the couent of Hamburi purposed to translat her body by helpe of kyng Coelrede reignyng in mercelande. Ca .xxxi.
	¶The solempne translacion of this glorious virgine saynt Werburge and of the great myracles done at the same season by the might of god / and merite of this gracious lady. Cap .xxxii.
	¶Howe the body of saynt Werburge continued hole / and substancial at Hambury after þ e translacion by the space of .CC. yeres / tyll the danes were comon to this lande / or it fell and resolued was vnto powder. Cap .xxxiii.
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	¶Here foloweth the lyfe of the gloryous virgyn saynt werburge / also many miracles that god hath shewed for her / and fyrst the prologe of the auctour.
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	¶The prologe of the translatour of this lytell werke þ e lyfe of saynt Werburge.
	WHan Phebus had ronne his cours in sagittari
	And Capricorne entred a sygne retrograt
	Amyddes Decembre / þ e ayre colde and frosty
	And pale Lucyna / the erthe dyd illumynat
5	I rose vp shortly / fro my cubycle preparat
	Aboute mydnyght / and cast in myne intent
	How I myght spende / the tyme conuenyent.
	I called vnto mynde / the great vnstedfastnes
	Of this wretched worlde / not by cours of nature
10	How there be brought / some men to busynes
	Oppressed with pouerte / langour / and dyspleasure
	Some other exalted / to felycyte and pleasure
	The maker of mankynde / most in maieste
	Ruleth all at his wyll / it may non other be.
15	Beholde dyscretly / and se the fyrmament
	Consyder the sonne / and the mone also
	With all the planettes / and sterres resplendent
	How they kepe theyr cours / bothe to and fro
	Euer obedyent / theyr creature vnto
20	And byrdes besely / syngynge euery day
	Praysynge theyr prymate all that they may.
	The .iiii. elementes / in lyke condycyon
	The fyre / the water / the ayre / and the londe
	Obseruen theyr duty / after theyr creacyon
25	And buxum ben / and euer so be fonde
	Thus euery creature / as we vnderstonde
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	Obeyeth to his creature / with humylyte
	Except dyssolute man / folowyng sensualyte.
	If man wyll remembre / how he was create
30	To the lykenes and figure / of god almyghty
	And set in paradyse / a place moost delycate
	To haue the fruycyon / of eternall glory /
	If not synne expulsed hym / to the vale of mysery
	But that he wolde enclyne / his naturall reason
35	To serue his maker / truely at due season.
	Dyuers people / haue dyuers condicions
	Comynly proued / it is euery day
	Some set to vertu / and good disposycyons
	In penaunce / prayer / all that they may
40	Some in contemplacyon / the sothe to say
	Some in abstynence / to chastyce the body
	And make it subget / to the soule perfytely.
	Some other reioyce / in synne and ydelnes
	Some seruauntes to Uenus / both day and nyght
45	Other to couetyse / and worldly besynes
	Some to deceyue / by subtylte in syght
	Some vnto marchandyse / and wynnynge full ryght
	Some ferefull and tymerous / without audacyte
	Some sadde and sobre / and of great grauyte.
50	Many haue pleasure to speke of rybaudry
	Some of fyghtynge / braulynge / and actes marcyall
	Other to flater / and paynt the company
	Some to syt bytwene the cuppe and the wall
	Some to blaspheme / and dyssemble withall
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55	To backbyte and sclaunder / by malyce and enuy
	Some to extorcyon / thefte and playne robry.
	Thus after fraylte / and sundry compleccyons
	Dyuers men dyuers in lyuynge there be
	Dysposed by a contrary dysposycyon
60	Some vnto vertue / some vnto vanyte
	Many maners of people / now we may se
	Wauerynge in the worlde / without quyetnes
	As a shyp by tempest / is dryuen doubtles.
	Whan I reuolued / with due circumstaunce
65	The dyuers maners / and mutabylyte
	Of worldly people / and the great varyaunce
	And how this lyfe / is of no suerte
	Now in great langour / now in prosperyte
	Yet after our meryte / we shalbe sure
70	To be rewarded / at our departure.
	Than to vertuous labours / we shulde apply
	And spende not our tyme / all in ydlenes
	For as a byrde is made / by nature to fly
	Ryght so we shulde vse / some good busynes
75	To our soule-helthe / with great mekenes
	For tyme euyl spende / in labours vayne
	Is harde to be well / recouered agayne
	But now syth I am / a relygyous man
	For losynge of tyme / can not me excuse
80	Therfore I purpose / to do as I can
	All suche ydlenes / whylom to refuse
	With the grace of god / the tyme for to vse
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	Some small treatyse / to wryte breuely
	To the comyn vulgares / theyr mynde to satysfy.
85	To descrybe hye hystoryes / I dare not be so bolde
	Syth it is a mater / for clerkes conuenyent
	As of the .vii. aeges / and of our parentes olde
	Or of the .iiii. empyres / whylom moost excellent
	Knowynge my lernynge / therto insuffycyent
90	As for bawdy balades / ye shall haue none of me
	To excyte lyght hertes / to pleasure and vanyte.
	But now in auoydynge / suche great folysshenes
	I purpose to wryte / a legende good and true
	And translate a lyfe / into Englysshe doubtles
95	I meane the spouse / of our lorde Ihesu
	Blessed saynt Werburge / replete with vertue
	A noble prynces borne / and vyrgyne pure and gloryous
	After an holy monyall / and an abbesse gracyous.
	In the abbay of Chestre / she is shryned rychely
100	Pryores and lady / of that holy place
	The chyef protectryce / of the sayd monastery
	Longe before the conquest / by deuyne grace
	Protectryce of the Cytee / she is and euer was
	Called specyall prymate / and pryncypall presydent
105	There rulynge vnder / our lorde omnypotent.
	And yf I vnworthy / begynne this lytell werke
	I praye all the reders / mekely of pardon
	To correcke and amende / syth I am no clerke
	Excuse my ignoraunce / and take the entencyon
110	My mynde is to shewe / her lyfe and deuocyon
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	That euery man and woman / ensample maye take
	At this pure vyrgyn / synne to forsake.
	And syth that she is / in blysse now gloryfyed
	It were no reason / her name be had in scylence
115	But to the people / her name be magnyfyed
	To her laude and prayse / honour and reuerence
	Her parentes and bretherne / þ e floures of experyence
	Haue ben kepte in close / secrete many a day
	Wherfore I purpose / somwhat of them to say.
120	Fyrst I entende / to make playne descrypcyon
	Of her fathers kyngedome the realme of Mercyens
	How longe it endured / vnder his tuycyon
	Under how many kynges / it had prehemynens
	Also of her petygre / the noble excellence
125	For so many sayntes / of one kynred certayne
	Is harde to be founde / in all the worlde agayne.
	Unto this rude werke / myne auctours these shalbe
	Fyrst the true legende / and the venerable Bede
	Mayster Alfrydus / and Wyllyam_Maluysburye Maluysburye: =Malmesbury
130	Gyrarde / Polycronycon / and other mo in-deed
	Now gloryous god / graunt me to procede
	Blessed vyrgyn Werberge / my holy patronesse
	Helpe me to endyte / I praye the swete maystresse.
	¶A descrypcyon of the realme of Mercyens / of bondes and commodytes of the same.
	THe yere of our sauyoure / by full compu[t]acyon computacyon] compulacyon 1521
135	Foure hundred / nyne and fourty frome his natiuite
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	As venerable Bede / maketh declaracyon
	Duke Hengyst came to this lande in great royalte
	With Saxons / Angles / Iutes / thre people myghtye
	Desyred by Uortyger / than kynge of Brytons
140	Came to defende / fro greuous oppressyons. 'Came' is probably an error for 'him' or 'them'
	Also the yeres of our blessed sauyoure
	Syxe hundreth foure score and nyne expresse
	The Brytons were expulsed / so sayth myne auctoure
	From Englande to walles / with great wretchydnes
145	In Englande than ruled / seuen kynges doubtles
	Whose names we purpose / to shewe with lycens
	But pryncypally / of the kyngdome of Mercyens.
	The fyrst realme of Saxons / began in Kent
	The yere of grace / foure hundreth fyue and fyfty
150	Where duke Engystus / in honour excellent
	With septre and crowne / fyrst reygned royally
	The seconde was Southsex / sayth the hystory
	Wher Adla and Ella / reygned full ryght
	Whiche realme endured / but short tyme in myght.
155	The thyrde was Westsaxons / famous and myghty
	Where fyrst reygned / kynge Cerdicus
	The yere of our lorde / fyue hundreth one and twenty
	Whiche realme by processe / and power vyctoryous
	Subdued all other / to hym full memorous
160	The pryncypall Cytees / of his regalyte
	Were in olde season / Wynchester and Salesburye.
	The fourth was Estsex / Where duke Erchenwyn
	Fyrst reygned kynge / hauynge domynacyon
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	By the kynge of Merselande / brought ofte to ruyne
165	The chyef Cytee was Colchester / of his domynyon
	Also of eest_Englande / was the fyfth kyngdome
	Where Uffa crowned / had fyrst the sufferaynte sufferaynte: =sovereignty
	Of Northfolke and Southfolke / knowen in certaynte.
	The syxthe was the kyngdome of Merslande
170	Where Cryda was crowned / fyrst by auctoryte
	Hauynge nyne shyres / obedyent to his hande
	As after shall appere / more euydent to be
	The seuenth was Northumberlande / vnder Ida and Alle
	Whylom dyuyded / in sondry kyngdomes twayne
175	The chyfe Cytee was yorke / where þ e kynge dyd reygne
	The realme of Mercyens / by olde antyquyte
	As playnly declareth / Polycronycon
	Thre hundreth yeres / endured in auctoryte.
	Under eyghtene kynges / worthy nomynyon nomynyon: see OED s.v. nominion (='nomination'). Perhaps to be emended to 'domynyon'.
180	Greatest of gouernaunce of all this regyon
	Where Uulfer reygned / a kynge vyctoryous
	Father to saynt Werburge / vyrgyn moost gloryous
	The boundes and lorshyppes / of the sayd Mercyens lorshyppes: =lordships
	As shewen dyuers bokes hystoryall
185	Were large and myghty / and of great prehemynens
	Where the sayd kynge reygned by power imperyall
	This realme to dyscrybe / begyn we shall
	At the Cytee of Chester / and the water of Dee
	Bytwene Englande and wales / of the west partye
190	And so transcendynge / vp towarde Shrewysbury
	By the water of Sabryne / vnto Brystowe Sabryne: =Severn
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	The Eest_see mesureth / the Eest parte truely
	The water of Thamys / the south parte doth shewe
	Flowynge vnto London / who-so dothe it knowe
195	The water of Humbre was on the north syde
	With the Water of Mersee / theyr landes to dyuyde.
	Of the foresayd ryuer / and water of Mersee
	The kynge of Mercyens / taketh his name
	As moost sure dyuydent / to be had in memorye
200	Mesurynge and metynge / the bondes with great fame
	Of Mersee and Northumberlande / kynges of the same
	Bitwene chesshyr / and lancashyr theyr kingdomes certayne
	As auncyent Cronycles descryben it full playne.
	The sayd myghty kyngdome / of Mercyens dyd holde
205	Many noble Cytees / with townes and burghes royall
	Whiche Penda optayned / enlarged manyfolde
	As Chester / Stafford / Lytchefelde / Couentre memorall
	Lyncolne and Huntyngdon / Northampton withall
	Leycester and Derby / Cambrydge and Oxonforde
210	Worchester and Brystowe / with other mo and Herforde.
	Many royall ryuers / were conteyned in the same
	With sundry kyndes of fysshes swete and delycyous
	It were tedyous to shewe / of them the dyuers name
	In ryuers and in pooles / swymmynge full plentuous
215	Also forestes / parkes / chases large and beauteous
	And all beestes of venery / pleasaunt for a kynge
	To cours at lyberte / be founde there pasturynge.
	Also this royall realme / holdeth as we fynde
	Habundaunce of fruytes / plesaunt and profytable
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220	Great plente of cornes / and graynes of euery kynde
	With hylles / valeys / pastures / comly and delectable
	The soyle and glebe / is set plentuous and commendable
	In all pleasaunt propurtes / no part of all this lande
	May be compared / to this foresayd Merselande.
225	The people of Mercyens / the trouthe yf we dare saye
	Lordes / barons / knyghtes / with all the comunete
	In musture and in batayle / euer the pryce haue they
	The kynges grace to serue / moost valyaunt in artylere
	In all actes Marcyall / euer hauynge the vyctorye
230	With herte / mynde and harneys / redy day and nyght
	Theyr enemyes to subdue / by power mayne and myght.
	If they be well ordred / vnder a sure capytayne
	And set to suche busynesse / theyr honour to auaunce
	The tryumph they optayne / knowen it is certayne
235	In Englande and Scotlande / and in the realme of Fraunce
	Fewe of them haue countred / by manhode and valeaunce
	Great nombre of enemyes / with knyghthode and polycy
	We meane them moost specyall / in the Weest party.
	Many other commodytes / pleasures and proprytes
240	This sayd realme / holdeth of olde antyquyte
	In royaltes and lordshyppes / landes and lybertes
	Honourably dylated / in worshyp and polyce
	Flourynge in wysedome / honours / and chyualre
	Ueryfyed by kynge Offa / moost myghty and excellent
245	Proued in his actes / by playne experyment
	This Offa subdued / in hystory as is founde
	The kynge of Westsaxons / Northumberlande and Kent
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	Droue Brytons to wales / out of this lande
	And made a depe dytche / for a sure dyuydent
250	Bytwene Englande and Wales / and to this day presente
	Is called dytche Offa / so that no Bryton
	On payne of punysshement / shulde entre this regyon.
	Kynge Offa translated / as sayth Polycronycon
	By myghty power / the see of Canterbury
255	Unto Lychefelde chyrche / with famous oblacyon
	For euer to contynu / confyrmed by auctoryte
	Also he founded / saynt Albans monasterye
	Fyrst of deuocyon / to Rome gaue Peter-pens
	Thus royall somtyme / was the realme of Mercyens.
	¶A descrypcyon of the Geanalogy of saynt Werburge and how she descended of foure kynges of this lande / and of the royall blode of Fraunce.
	¶ Regnum Merciorum ex parte patris.
260	THis noble prynces / the doughter of Syon
	The floure of vertu / and vyrgyn gloryous
	Blessed saynt Werburge / full of deuocyon
	Descended by auncetry / and tytle famous
	Of foure myghty kynges / noble and vyctoryous
265	Reynynge in this lande / by true successyon
	As her lyfe hystoryall / maketh declaracyon.
	The yere of our lorde / frome the natyuyte
	Fyue hundreth .xiiii. and also .iiii. score
	Whan Austyn was sende / frome saynt Gregorye
270	To conuert this regyon / vnto our sauyoure
	The noble kynge Cryda / than reygned with honoure
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	Upon the mercyens / whiche kynge was father
	Unto kynge Wybba and Quadriburge his syster.
	This Wybba gate Penda / kynge of mercyens
275	Whiche Penda subdued / fyue kynges of this regyon
	Reygny[n]ge thyrty yere / in worshyp and reuerens Reygnynge] Reygnyge 1521
	Was grauntfather to Werburge / by lynyall successyon
	By his quene Kyneswith / had a noble generacyon
	Fyue valeant prynces / Pe[a]da and kynge Wulfer / Peada] Penda 1521
280	Kynge Ethelred / saint Marceyl / saint marwalde in fere.
	And two holy doughters / blessed and vertuous
	Saynt Keneburge / and saynt Keneswyde the vyrgyn
	Whiche ladyes were buryed / full memorous
	At peturborowe abbay / and now there lyen in shryne
285	The sayd kynge Ethelrede / by sufferaunce deuyne
	Had a prynce Co[elr]ede / whiche after reygned kynge Coelrede] Cochede 1521
	That translated Werburge / the .x. yere of her buryenge.
	Saynt Merwalde specyfyed / vncle to saint Werburge
	By his quene saint Ermenberge a princes doughter of kent
290	Gate .iii. holy vyrgyns / saint myldred and saint mylburge
	Saynt Mylgyde the thyrde / of vertu equypolent
	With a sone Mereu[in] / whiche frome the holy sacrament Mereuin] Mereum 1521
	Of baptym was taken / by myracle expresse
	To the blys of heuen / to reygne there endelesse.
295	The seconde sone of Penda / we meane kynge Wulfere
	A noble valyant prynce / by lynyall dyscent
	Reygnynge vpon the Mercyens with royalte and power
	Maryed saynt Ermenylde / þ e kynges doughter of kent
	Where throughe the grace of god omnypotent where: =whereby
sig: [A7v]
300	They had fayre yssue / saynt Werburge / saynt Kenrede
	Saynt wulfade / saynt Ruffyn / in story as we rede.
	¶ Regnum Northumbrorum / ex parte matris.
	The seconde realme of whom saynt Werburge dyd descende
	Was of saynt Edwyn / kynge of Northumberlande
	Whiche maryed Quadryburge / his ryghtes to defende
305	Doughter of Gryda / kynge of Merslande
	Bytwene them descended / as we vnderstande
	Two comly prynces / the fyrst we call Eadfryde
	The seconde sone in batayle slayne was named O[s]fryde Osfryde] Offryde 1521
	Kyng Eadfryde gate Hereryc th a t was kynge of Deiram
310	This Hereryc by Beorswyde his quene fayre and fre
	Had saynt Hylde the abbesse / saynt Bede sayth th e same
	Lady also foundresse / of the abbay of Whytbye
	This sayd kyng Hereryc / had another lady
	The quene of eest_Englande / saynt Heryswith she hyght
	Mother to saynt Sexburge / and thre other ladies bryght.
315	This holy Sexburge / full of grace and goodnes
	Was maryed to Ercombert / a noble kynge of Kent
	Bytwyx them descended / a precyous ryches
	The blessyd Ermenylde / humble and pacyent
	Whiche for her vertue / was maryed full excellent
320	To Wulfer kynge of Merciens / with great solempnyte
	And mother was to werburge / a swete floure of chastite
	¶ Regnum Estanglorum / ex parte matris.
sig: [A8]
	The thyrde noble kyngedome / of her parentage
	Was the realme of eest_England / whylom in great degre
	Tytylus kynge of the same / vyctoryous and sage
325	Gate Redwald his fyrst sone / a chrysten prynce was he
	This Redwalde had .ii. sones flourynge in chyualrye
	The fyrst was Kenuherus / a noble man of fame
	The seconde Eorpwaldus / called by his name.
	This foresayd kynge Tytylus / had a seconde sone
330	Called Egnicius / accepted as a martyre
	Whiche sayd Egnicius by lynyall progressyon
	Had .iii. noble prynces / that worthy euer were
	The fyrst was called Ethelwod / þ e seconde Adelhere
	The thyrde was saynt Anna / a kynge moost vertuous
335	In batayle slayne vnryghtfully / now a martyr gloryous
	This forsayd kynge Anna / maryed as we rede
	The holy prynces Hereswith / for loue and amyte
	They had a noble yssue / to encrease theyr mede
	The blessed Sexburge / saynt Audry of Elye
340	Saynt Ethelburge the thyrd / in Bryges now lyeth she
	Saynt Withburge the .iiii. th e martyr saynt Iurwyne
	And Aldulph after kynge / whiche regned a longe tyme.
	The lady saynt Sexburge / eldest of them all
	A gracyous matrone / endurynge all her lyfe
345	Was maryed to Ercombert / þ e kynge of Kent royall
	They brought fourth a progeny / noble to dyscryue
	The blessed Ermenylde / vertuous mayd and wyfe
	Whiche lady was mother / by grace of god almyght
	Unto blessed Werburge / our confort and our lyght
sig: [A8v]
	¶ Regnum Can[t]ie Cantie: Cancie 1521 et Francie / ex parte matris.
350	The .iiii. myghti kyngdome / of whom this royal princes
	Saynt Werburge descended / was the realme of kent
	Where reygned fyrst Hengystus / by vyctory and prowes
	Whiche was the fourth man / by lygnage euydent
	Procedynge fro Woden / a prynce full prepotent
355	Of whom our progenytours / Angles / Iutes / and Saxons
	Lynyally succeded / kynges of dyuers nacyons.
	This foresayd prynce Woden / as dyuers auctours sayne
	Was the .xv. fro Noe / by naturall progressyon
	Of his eldest sone Sem / descendynge playne
360	In saxons tongue Geaf / after ryte and custome
	Not of the lygne of Iaphet / by theyr opynyon
	Retourne we to Hengyst / and to his successoures
	And speke of theyr royalte / to please the audytoures.
	Ermenrycus kynge of kent / reygned with great power
365	The yere of our sauyoure / fyue hundreth fyue and thyrte
	Unto whome Engystus was great-graundfather
	This sayd kynge Ermenryc / had yssue fayre and fre
	A doughter called Ricula / which maried was to sledde
	Of Estsex and Mydylsex / gouernoure and kynge
370	Of whom a myghty kynred / by proces was comynge.
	This Ermenryc gate Ethelbryct full vertuous
	Whiche kynge reygned in kent / the yere of our sauyour
	Fyue hundreth fyue and fyfty / and baptysed was gracyous
	By blessyd bysshop Austyn / of Englande called doctour
375	He was fyrst crysten kynge / and pryncypall protectour
	Of the fayth within this lande / and founder was also
sig: B1
	Of dyuers holy places / and monasteryes both-tow. both tow: =bothtwo; see OED s.v. both B.2.b
	This sayd kynge Ethelbryc / for the great habundaunce
	Of ryches and honour / was maryed solemply
380	To the prynces Berta / the kynges doughter of Fraunce
	And of them proceded a vertuous progeny
	Eadburg and Ethelburg saintes / whiche Ethelburg truly
	By Edwyne kyng of North / had .iiii. princes honorable
	And .iii. holy doughters / gracyous and commendable.
385	Also kynge Ethelbryct / had to his successoure
	Kynge Eadbalde / in Kent reygnynge a longe space
	He maryed lady Emma / of fraunce the chosen floure
	And by her had yssue / saynt Enswyde full of grace
	Also prynce Ermenred his seconde sone / whiche wace wace: =was
390	Maryed to quene Oslaua / of them dyd procede
	Two holy martyrs / Ethelbryct and Etheldrede.
	This prynce Ermenred / had .iiii. ladyes bryght
	Lyke the .iiii. floodes of Paradyse / shynynge in vertu
	The eldest of the systers / saynt Ermenberge hyght
395	The seconde saynt Ermenburge / the spouses of Ihesu
	The thyrde saynt Adeldryde / all vyces dyd subdu
	The .iiii. saynt Ermengyde / sayth theyr lyues hystoryall
	Thre of them holy vyrgyns / the fourth matrone we call
	This foresayd Eadbalde / a souerayne myghty kynge
400	By Emma of Fraunce / had to his enherytoure
	The noble kynge Ercumbert / full gracyous in lyuynge
	Whiche maryed Sexburge / with worshyp and honoure
	The kynges doughter of eest_England specyfyed afore
	This prynce loued vertue / prayer and deuocyon
sig: [B1v]
405	Commaundynge all his realme / to kepe þ e fast of Lenton
	Ercombert .xxx. yere / regnynge in his regaly
	Had a noble progeny / in grace and all goodnes
	His prynce hyght Egbryct / his seconde sone Lothary
	Whiche prynce reygned but ten yere / kynge expresse
410	Lothary succeded hym / raynynge .xii. yeres doubtlesse
	Also he had two doughters / saynt Ermenylde þ e quene
	The other hyght saynt Erkengode / a moynes serene. moynes: 'nun'; see OED s.v. moines. A form attested only in this work.
	This lady Ermenylde / was maryed royally
	To the aforesayd Uulfer / kynge of Mercyens
415	Bytwene them descended / full gracyously
	A noble Margaryte / of hye magnyfycens
	A roose of Paradyse / full of prehemynens
	Moost blessed Werburge / the gemme of holynes
	Our synguler suffrage / and sterre of our clerenes.
	¶A descrypcyon of the actes and chyualry of kynge Penda graundfather to saynt Werburge / and of his noble and vertuous yssue and progenye. Ca .iiii.
420	THe yere of grace .vi.C. syxe and twenty
	The foresayd prynce Penda / began for to reygne
	The tenth man fro Woden / a prynce in Saxony
	Sone and heyre to Wybbe / sayth myne auctour playne
	Fyfty yeres of aege / that tyme he was certayne
425	Whan he was fyrst crowned / kynge of Mercyens
	Thyrty yeres he reygned / with great reuerens.
	Fyue kynges in batayle / this Penda dyd subdue
	Saintes Edwyn and Oswald / kinges of Northumberlande
sig: B2
	With Sygebert / Egnycius / and Anna full of vertu
430	Thre noble kynges / regnynge in eest_Englande
	With helpe of Brytones / by Bede we vnderstande
	Dylated his regyon / with worshyp and honoures
	Moche more than dyd / any of his predecessoures.
	He maryed Keneswith / a lady fayre and bryght
435	And by her had yssue / a goodly generacyon
	Peada his prynce / Uulfer a noble knyght
	Saynt Ethelred / and Merwalde full of deuocyon
	Also saynt Mersellyn / of holy conuersacyon
	Saynt Keneburge / also saynt Keneswyde
440	Auntes to saynt Werburge / vpon the fathers syde.
	Thre of his chyldren / as we vnderstande
	Prynce Peada / Kyneburge / and Ethelrede
	He maryed with Oswy / Kynge of Northumberlande
	To .iii. of his yssue / for loue and for mede
445	Uulfer and Merwalde / the story sayth in-dede
	Were maryed vnto / the royall blode of Kent
	To Ermenylde and Dom[n]eue / two ladyes excellent.
	Soone after by grace / the myddyll parte of Mercyens
	Under prynce Peada / were baptysed euery-chone
450	Whiche Peada maryed / Elflede with reuerens
	Doughter vnto Oswy / kynge of the North regyon
	Penda therto graunted / without contradyccyon
	Under a fre lycence / his people were at lyberte
	Within all his regyon / baptysed for to be.
455	Also prynce Alfryde / sone to kynge Oswy
	Maryed saynt Keneburge / syster to prynce Peada
sig: [B2v]
	Whiche sayd Peada / brought from the north party
	Foure holy preestes / Ced / Beccy / and Adda
	To preche to his people / the fourth was Duyna
460	Whiche .iiii. selden seased / day / nyght nor tyme
	To conuert the people / vnto chrystes doctryne.
	Kynge Penda consented / as afore is sayd
	And permytted doctours / to preche in euery place
	Thrughout his realme / and neuer it denayed
465	To baptyse his subgectes / by fayth and ghostly grace
	He ayded them with socour / and helpe in that case
	That wolde be conuerted / for theyr synguler mede
	As sayth myne auctour / the venerable Bede.
	But by the temptacyon / of our ghostly enemy
470	This sayd kynge Penda / this vyctoryous knyght
	Of valyaunt men in armure raysed a great company
	And to the North partyes went / purposynge to fyght
	And cruelly to slee / by power / mayne / and myght
	The foresayd kynge Oswy / as he afore had slayne
475	Say[n]t Oswalde his brother / kynge and martyr playne. Saynt] Sayt 1521
	Shortly was forgoten / the fauour of his affynyte
	That fully was contracte / bytwene these kynges twayne
	Ioyned at the maryages / of theyr chyldren thre
	Euer to haue endured / in loue by reason playne
480	Yet Oswy offered Penda / many ryche gyftes certayne
	To auoyde his malyce / and for to kepe the peas
	Whiche Penda refused / replete with wyckednes.
	Bytwene these .ii. kynges / was a stronge myghty batell
	Not ferre frome yorke / ny the flood of Wynwed
sig: B3
485	In the regyon of Leedes / where by fortune cruell
	Kynge Penda perysshed / and carefully was leed
	And .xxx. dukes with hym / were slayne and lefte deed
	The kynge Oswy offered gladly / with good entent
	His yonge doughter Edelfled / to god omnypotent.
490	He set her for doctryne / to the abbesse saynt Hylde
	Lady of Strenyshalt / now called Whytby
	And gaue .xii. possessyons / a monastery to buylde
	Whiche place if from yorke / myles thyrty
	He gaue great landes to his sone-in-lawe Peade
495	But the thyrde yere after / this sayd prynce was slayne
	By treason of his wyfe Elflede / for certayne.
	¶How after dethe of Penda and his sone prynce Peada his seconde sone Uulfer / father to saynt Werburge was electe to be kynge of all the Mercyens. Ca .v.
	AFter that this Penda / of Mercyens kynge
	In batayle by kynge Oswy / cruelly was slayne
	And his prynce Peada / after hym thre yeres reygnynge
500	Was put vnto deth / by his quene in certayne
	These people of Mercyens / rebelled sore agayne
	The foresayd Oswy / kynge of Northumberlande
	And hym refused / as ye shall vnderstande.
	All the sayd Mercyens / by a generall counsell
505	Fortyfyed themselfe / with power myght and reason
	And crowned prynce Uulfer / as Bede doth vs tell
	With honour / worshyp / and great renowne
	Whiche prynce to kynge Penda / was the seconde sone
	This prynce was preserued / afore-tyme secretly
sig: [B3v]
510	And saued by his subiectes / frome dethe and malady.
	This valyaunt prynce / and redoubted knyght
	Kynge Uulfer thus crowned / with great prosperyte
	Upon the Mercyens regned / by tytle and myght
	Whiche realme was dyuyded / whylom in partes thre
515	Fyrst in the West marches / and in the South parte truely
	The thyrde parte was nomynate / mydle_Englonde
	Ouer them all thre / he reygned as is fonde.
	This sayd kynge Uulfer / in honour famous
	Was deuoutely baptysed / with great solempnyte
520	By two holy bysshops / the blessed Finanus
	And bysshop Ierumannus / saythe the hystorye
	The kynge made a vowe / of hye auctoryte
	All temples of ydols / within his regyon
	To destroy and chaunge / vnto chrysten relygyon.
525	This Uulfer was polytyke / replete with wysdom
	Uyctoryous in batayle / proued by his chyualry
	His enemyes oppressed / by manhode and reason
	Subdued his aduersaryes / and had the vyctory
	From his realme expelled / all cruell tyranny
530	Conquered in batayle / at Ashdu[n] ryght famous Ashdun] Ashdum 1521
	The kynge of West Saxons / called Kenwalcus.
	Also he subdued / vnto his Empyre
	The Ilande Uecta / called the yle_of_wyght
	And after that he had / of it his desyre
535	He gaue the sayd yle / by tytle full ryght
	To the kynge of eest_Englande / to enlarge his myght
	Under that condycyon / that he baptysed wolde be.
sig: [B4]
	And was his godfather / of pure charyte
	In lykewyse as this prouynce / of Mercyens
540	Whylom was greatest realme / within Englande
	Many yeres contynuynge / in prehemynens
	Ryght so the spyrytualte / well knowen and founde
	How fyue bysshop-sees / within this sayd Merselande
	As at Chester / at Lychefelde / also at Worcester
545	The fourth at Lyncolne / the fyfth at Dorchester.
	Forthermore after dethe / of Ierumannus
	Bysshop of Lychfelde / Uulfer the sayd kynge
	Desyred the archebysshop / and prymate Theodorus
	To graunt them a bysshop / of holy lyuynge
550	To gouerne the people / by spyrytuall techynge
	To shewe to his subiectes / the ensample of vertu
	And to preche and teche / the fayth of Chryst_Ihesu.
	This holy archebyss[h]op / and prymate Theodorus archebysshop] archebyssop 1521
	Desyred saynt Cedda / of the kynge Oswy
555	For his perfeccyon / and lyuynge vertuous
	To be remoeued / to the prouy[n]ce of Mercy prouynce] prouyce 1521
	Kynge Uulfer was gladde / of his comynge truly
	Ryght so were all / the people of his realme
	Thankynge therfore / the kynge of Ierusalem.
560	Kynge Uulfer graunted / to saynt Cedda the confessoure
	Than bysshop of Lychefelde / moche possessyon
	To edyfy chyrches / vnto chrystes honoure
	But namely he gaue a certayne mansyon
	In the prouynce of Lyndesy / ny vnto Lyncolne
565	Suffycyent to suffyse / and well for to content
sig: [B4v]
	Fyfty seruauntes / of god relygyous obedyent. god] good 1521
	This noble sayd prynce / and redoubted souerayne
	Flourynge in manheed / wysedome and polycy
	Excelled the peres / of this realme certayne
570	In person / fortytude / and proued chyualry
	Lyberall to his seruauntes / gentyll in company
	Gracyous to the poore / and a sure protectour
	A founder of chyrches / and a good benefactour.
	¶A lytell descrypcyon of the noble maryage bytwene Kynge Uulfer and saynt Ermenylde th e kynges doughter of Kent / and of the solempnyte done at þ e same season. Ca .vi.
	IN meane-whyle the kynge / mynded maryage
575	By the sufferaunce of our lorde god omnypotent
	Issue to encrease / acordynge to his lygnage
	After hym to succede / kynge and presydent
	He mynded moost / the kynges doughter of Kent
	Prynces Ermenylde / nomynate she was
580	A beautefull creature / replete with great grace.
	Certaynly her father / was called Ercomberte
	As afore is specyfyed / the kynge of Kent
	Her mother Sexburge / humble in her herte
	Of whome Ermenylde / a lady excellent
585	Lynyally descended / by tytle full auncyent
	Her graundfather Edbalde / kynge Ethelbryctes sone
	The fyrst crysten prynce / of Saxons nacyon.
	Of foure myghty kyngdomes / she is descended
	From the royall blode of Fraunce / also of Kent
sig: C1
590	Upon her fathers party / as afore is notyfyed
	And on her mothers syde / by lyne auncyent
	Frome the eest_Englande / famous and excellent
	Also of Northumberlande / flourynge in honour
	Conuerted and baptysed / vnto our sauyour.
595	This sayd Ermenylde / this floure of vertue
	Was euer dysposed / from her natyuyte
	Unto the dyscyplyne / of our lorde Ihesu
	Enspyred with his grace / and benygnyte
	Refused this worlde / ryches and vanyte
600	[S]he vsed the maners / of sadde dysposycyon She] He 1521
	Passynge fragyll youth / and naturall reason.
	Suche synguler confort / of vertuous doctryne
	In her so dyd water / a pure perfyte plante
	Whiche dayly encreased / by sufferaunce deuyne
605	Merueylously growynge / in her fresshe and varnaunt varnaunt: =vernant
	With dyuers proprytes / of grace exuberaunt
	As sobrynes / dyscrecyon / and mekenesse vyrgynall
	Obedyence / grauyte / and wysedome naturall.
	Euery tree or plante / is proued euydent
610	Whyther good or euyll / by experyence full sure
	By the budde and fruyte / and pleasaunt descent
	A swete tree bryngeth forth / by cours of nature
	Swete fruyte and delycyous / in tast and verdure
	Ryght so Ercombert / by his quene moost mylde
615	Brought gracyously forth / the swete Ermenylde.
	She folowed her father / in worshyp and honoure
	At her mother Sexburge / she toke imytacyon
sig: [C1v]
	To lyue in clennes / presentynge in behauyour
	Her father in power / her mother in relygyon
620	Humble in herte / hauynge compassyon
	Pyteous and lyberall / where was necessyte
	Ioyfull to obserue / the dedes of charyte.
	Forther of her lyfe / to make declaracyon
	As the true legende playnly dothe expresse
625	Consyder the hystory / with good inspeccyon
	Of blessed Sexburge / that noble pryncesse
	The sayd conuersacyon / and ghostly swetenesse
	That is perceyued / in her holy mother
	The same perfeccyon / was in the other.
630	Neuerthelesse Ermenylde / escape ne myght
	Worldely honours / and seculer dygnyte
	As requyred so noble a state of ryght
	Ryches / possessyon / namely her beaute
	But vnto maryage / compelled was she
635	Of her parentes / contrary to her entent
	To whome she was founde / euer obedyent.
	This noble lady / by deuyne prouydens
	Elected to her / a spouse commendable
	A valyaunt prynce / the kynges sone of Mercyens
640	Called kynge Uulfer / famous and honorable
	Reygnynge in Mercelande / with ioy incomparable
	Excellynge many other / prynces of this regyon
	In ryches / retynu / fortune / honour / and wysdome
	At this maryage / was moche solempnyte
645	Her father Ercomberte / and her frendes all
sig: C2
	Tho prynces her vncles / Egbryct and Lothary
	The kynge of eest_Englande / Aldulph in specyall
	Dukes / erles / barons / and knyghtes in generall
	Whiche sayd company / were redy that same day
650	To worshyp the matrymony / in theyr beest aray.
	This royall maryage / was solempnysed
	With synguler pleasures / ryches and royalte
	Theyr frendes cosyns / redy on euery syde
	To do theyr deuoyre / and shewe humanyte
655	Nothynge wantynge / euery-thynge was plente
	Of delycate metes / and myghty wynes stronge
	With mynstrels / melody / and myrthes amonge.
	Whan this fayre prynces / resplendent in vertue
	Came vnto Mercelande / in the order of matrymony
660	Than grace with good gouernaunce / dyd vyce subdue
	Uertue was maystres / chefe ruler and lady
	The faythe of holy chyrche / dyd growe and multyply
	Relygyon encresed / honour and prosperyte
	In euery place pacyence / true loue and charyte.
665	At the solempne spousage / of this lady bryght
	Kynge Uulfer promysed / on his fydelyte
	Errours to correcke / by his wysdome and myght
	Clerely to expell / all sectes of ydolatrye
	Frome his realme / and fulfyll by his auctoryte
670	The promyse truely made / at the fonte of baptyme
	The chyrche to conserue / and saue it from ruyne.
	The myghty realme of Mercyens / also of Kent
	That season were brought / bothe vnto vnyte
sig: [C2v]
	And as one kyngedome / ruled full excellent
675	Theyr subiectes and seruauntes / in tranquyllyte
	Kynge Uulfer by his quene / had a noble progenye
	Uulfade and Ruffyn / with prynce Kenrede
	And Werburge / of whome we purpose to procede.
	¶A breue declaracyon of the holy lyfe and conuersacyon of saynt Werburge / vsed in her tender youthe / aboue the comyn cours of nature. Ca .vii.
	THis blessed lady / and royall prynces
680	Descendynge of noble / and hye parentage
	Was doughter to Uulfer / the legende dothe rehers
	Kynge of Mercelande / and of famous lynage
	Her mother Ermenylde / ioyned to hym in maryage
	They dwelled somtyme / a lytell frome Stone
685	At a place in Stafforde_shyre / amyddes his regyon.
	They had bytwene them / other chyldren thre
	Uulfade and Ruffyn / martyrs full gloryous
	Synt Kenrede his prynce / of greate auctoryte
	Tumylate at Rome / a confessour gracyous
690	The lyues of these thre / we wyll not now dyscus
	But speke of the ghostly / and meke conuersacyon
	Of blessed Werburge / now at this season.
	For as declareth / the true Passyonary
	A boke wherin / her holy lyfe wryten is
695	Whiche boke remayneth / in Chester monastery
	I purpose by helpe / of Ihesu kynge of blys
	In [no] wyse to reherse / any sentence amys no] any 1521
sig: C3
	But folowe the legende / and true hystory
	After an humble style / and from it lytell vary.
700	This blessed Werburge / from her natyuyte
	Folowynge the counseyll / of her noble parentes
	Dysposed her-selfe / euer to humylyte
	Obedyent to them / with all reuerens
	Loth to dysplease / or make any offens
705	Or dysquyet any reasonable creature
	Thus was her maner / in youthe be ye sure.
	Sadde and demure / of her countenaunce
	Stable in gesture / proued in euery place
	Sobre of her wordes / all vertu to auaunce
710	Humble / meke / and mylde / replete with grace
	Many vertuous maners / in her founde there was
	And dyuers gyftes naturall / to her appropryate
	As was conuenyent / for so noble a state.
	And as she encreased / moore and more in age
715	A newe plant of goodnes / in her dayly dyd sprynge
	Great grace and vertue / were set in her ymage
	Wherof her father / had moche merueylynge
	Her mother mused / of this ghostly thynge
	To beholde so yonge / and tender a may
720	From vertu to vertu / to procede euery day.
	No merueyll it is / who-so taketh hede
	In naturall thynges / the dyuers operacyon
	Dothe not a royall rose / from a brere procede
	Passynge the stocke / with pleasaunt dylectacyon
725	The swete ryuer passeth / by due probacyon
sig: [C3v]
	His heed and fountayne / ryght so dothe she
	Transcende her parentes / with great benygnyte.
	And tho her bretherne / delyted for to here
	For theyr soule-helthe / ghostly exortacyon
730	Yet she them passed / manyfolde more clere
	In loue of our lorde / and meke conuersacyon
	And lyke as Phebus / in his heuenly regyon
	Passe[th] other st[err]es / shynynge moost pure Passeth] Passed 1521; sterres] stretes 1521
	So dothe this vyrgyn / aboue the cours of nature.
735	Lordes / dukes / barons / within the kynges hall
	Merueyled on her maners / and constaunte sobrynes
	The plente of wysedome / and dyscrecyon withall
	In so tender age / they neuer knewe expresse
	Her mynde so perfyte / auoydynge all ylnes
740	But they knewe well / it pretended by all reasone
	Synguler grace and goodnes / to her comynge soone.
	Affyrmynge on this wyse / yf she wolde contynu
	With suche vertuous maner / in yeres of hye dyscrecyon
	That she sholde do honour / by the grace of Ihesu
745	Unto all her kynrede / and synguler consolacyon
	An ensample of vertu / and humylyacyon
	Theyr conforte / theyr tresure / and sterre full bryght
	And chefe lumynary / shynynge day and nyght.
	Fyrst in the mornynge / to chyrche she wolde go
750	Folowynge her mother / the quene euery day
	With her boke and bedes / and departe not them fro
	Here all deuyne seruyce / and her deuocyons say
	And to our blessed sauyour / mekely on knees pray
sig: C4
	Dayly hym desyrynge / for his endeles grace and pyte
755	To kepe her frome synne / and preserue her in chastyte.
	Where youthe is dysposed / of naturall mocyon
	To dysportes and pleasures / full of vanyte
	This mayde was euer / of sadde dysposycyon
	Constaunt and dyscrete styll and womanle
760	Gladde in her soule / to here speke of chastyte
	Clennes and sobrenes / and ioyfull for to here
	Ghostly exortacyons / to her herte moost dere.
	¶How this yonge vyrgyn saynt Werburge was desyred of dukes and erles in maryage / and of the answere she gaue to them / in auoydynge worldly pleasures. Ca .viii.
	AS tender youthe passed / this blessed maydyn
	Dayly encreased / more and more in vertue
765	In ghostly scyence / and vertuous dyscyplyne
	Obseruynge the doctryne / of our lorde Ihesu
	Had his commaundymentes / in her herte full tru
	So that no creature / more perfyte myght be
	In vertuous gyftes (by grace) than she.
770	She was replete / with gyftes naturall
	Her vysage moost pleasaunt / fayre and amyable
	Her goodly eyes / clerer than the crystall
	Her countenaunce comly / swete and commendable
	Her herte lyberall / her gesture fauourable
775	She lytell consyderynge / these gyftes transytory
	Set her felycyte / in chryst perpetually.
	She hadde moche worshyp / welthe / and ryches
sig: [C4v]
	Uestures / honoures / reuerence and royalte
	The ryches she dysposed / with great mekenesse
780	To the poore people / with great charyte
	But her sadnes / constaunce / and humylyte
	Uertue / gentylnes / so pacyent and colde
	Transcended all these other / a thousande-folde.
	The vertuous maners / and excellent fame
785	Of this holy vyrgyn / redoubted so ferre
	In all this regyon / in praysynge her name
	That the nobles of this lande / wolde not dyfferre
	But with ryche apparell / and myghty power
	Came for to seke her / lyke as to Salomon
790	Quene Saba approched / to here of his wysedome.
	So lykewyse some came / to her[e] of her vertue here] her 1521
	Some of her sadnesse / and prudent dyscrecyon
	Some for her constaunce / so stable and true
	Some of her chastyte / and pregnaunt reason
795	Some for her beaute / and famous wysedome
	And some that were borne / of kynges lygnage
	Desyred yf they myght / haue her in maryage.
	In beaute amyable / she was equall to Rachell
	Comparable to Sara / in fyrme fidelyte
800	In sadnes and wysedom / lyke to Abygaell
	Replete as Delbora / with grace of prophecy
	Equyualent to Ruth / she was in humylyte
	In pulchrytude Rebecca / lyke Hester in lolynesse
	Lyke Iudyth in vertue / and proued holynesse.
805	The prynce of Westsaxons / a pere of this lande
sig: [C5]
	Wyllynge to haue her by way of maryage
	With humble reuerence / as we vnderstande
	Sayd to her these wordes / wysely and sage
	O souerayne lady / borne of hye lynage
810	O beautefull creature / and imperyall prynces
	This is my full mynde / that I now rehers.
	From my fathers realme / hyder I am come
	Unto [y]our presence / yf ye be so content your] our 1521
	With worshyp and honour / and moche renowne
815	In all honest maner / aperynge euydent
	My mynde is on you set / with loue feruent
	To haue you in maryage / all other to forsake
	If it be your pleasure / thus me for to take.
	Ye shalbe asured / a quene for to be
820	Ye shall haue ryches / worshyp / and honour
	Royall ryche appareyll / and eke the sufferaynte
	Precyous stones in golde / worthy a kynges tresour
	Landes / rentes / and lybertees / all ar your pleasur
	Seruauntes euery houre / your byddynge for to do
825	With ladyes in your chambre / to wayte on you also.
	With these kynde wordes / the vyrgyn abasshed sore
	And with mylde countenaunce / answered hym agayne
	The playnes of her mynde / to rest for euermore
	Sayenge: o noble prynce / I thanke you now certayne
830	For youre gentyll offer / shewed to me so playne
	Ye be well worthy / for your regalyte
	To haue a better maryage / an hundreth-folde than me.
	But now I shewe you / playnly my true mynde
sig: [C5v]
	My purpose was neuer / maryed for to be
835	A lorde I haue chosen / redemer of mankynde
	Ihesu the seconde persone in trynyte
	To be my spouse / to Whome my vyrgynyte
	I haue depely vowed / endurynge all my lyfe
	His seruaunt to be / true spouses and wyfe. spouses: =spousess
840	Therfore noble prynce / hertfully I you pray
	Tempte me no forther / after suche condycyon
	Whiche am so stedfast / and wyll be nyght and day
	Neuer for to chaunge / nor make alteracyon
	Take ye this answere / for a sure conclusyon
845	The promyse I haue made / and vowe of chastyte
	Endurynge my lyfe / shall neuer broken be.
	Dyuers other astates / came her for to assayle
	Made instaunt requestes / vnto this vyrgyn fre
	For all theyr busynesse / they myght not preuayle
850	So constaunt fyrme and stable / in herte and mynde was she
	A mountayne or hyll / soner leue ye me
	Myght be remoeued / agaynst the course of nature
	Than she for to graunte / to suche worldly pleasure.
	She well consydered / the texte of holy scrypture
855	Who byleueth her chast / for the loue of Ihesu
	The temple of god / they be clypped sure
	And shalbe rewarded / for that noble vertu
	An hundreth-folde (by grace) vyces to subdu
	And heuen for to haue / at theyr departynge
860	Whiche she remembred wysely / aboue all-thynge.
	¶How þ e false Werbode desyred kynge Uulfer to haue Werburge his doughter in maryage. And how th e kynge graunted therto. Ca .ix.
sig: [C6]
	AS afore is sayd / whan Penda the kynge
	By saynt Oswy kynge / at Leedes was slayne
	And Uulfer his sone / the fourth yere folowynge
	Was baptysed and crowned / By bysskop Fynane
865	A solempne voue he made / faythfull and certayne
	All temples of ydolles / in his realme to destroy
	And chaunge them to chyrches / and newe edyfy.
	The same he promysed / as he was true knyght
	Whan that he maryed / blessed Ermenylde
870	Dredynge sore the iustyce / of god almyght
	For his fathers demerytes / vnreconsyled
	On hym to fall sodeynly / and so be begyled
	Promysynge a_mendes / at his conuersyon
	Unto holy chyrche / with humble deuocyon.
875	Whiche kynge Uulfer / as was the more pyte
	By the wycked counseyll / of a fals knyght
	Called Werbode / ranne soone in apostasy
	For a lytell whyle / wantynge perfyte lyght
	The bryghtnes of the day / was tourned to nyght
880	Whan he gaue credence / that creature vnto
	Prolongynge the actes / he promysed to do.
	Under kynge Uulfer / chefe stewarde of his hall
	Was this false Werbode / ruler of euery porte
	Whome the lady Uenus / brought vnto thrall
885	Persed and wounded / so greuously his harte
	Enflammed with loue / and with her fyry darte
sig: [C6v]
	Plonget with sorowe / syghynge day and nyght
	The beaute of Werburge moeued so his syght.
	The blynde goddes Cupyde / vexed so sore his mynde
890	With interyor loue / and sensuall desyre
	Of worldely affeccyon / that reste coude he none fynde
	His spyryte was troubled / he brenned as dothe the fyre
	Upon this holy vyrgyn / his loue was so entyre
	To haue her in maryage / was all his intent
895	That euery houre was a moneth / after his iudgement.
	Prouyded in his mynde / how that he well myght
	Enforce hym wysely / with boldynesse and polycye
	To shewe his full entent / in maner good and ryght
	No dyspleasure taken / vpon his lordes partye
900	By this ymagynacyon / he fell vpon his knee
	Afore his lorde and kynge / desyrynge a petycyon
	His mynde to declare / with fully grace of pardon.
	Excellent prynce he sayd / and moost worthy kynge
	That reygnes now within the realme of Englande
905	Flourynge in chyualry / in honour encreasynge
	Transcendyng other prynces / of this forsayd lande
	My full intencyon / now ye shall vnderstande
	Requyrynge your grace / in this poore cyrcumstaunce
	At my petycyon / to take no greuaunce.
910	My synguler good lorde / hertfully I you pray
	With instaunte request / and humble supplycacyon
	Graunte me your doughter Werburge / as ye maye
	To haue her in maryage / auoydynge all treason
	If your grace deny / this present petycyon
sig: [C7]
915	Dethe me behoues / full sonne and hastely
	My loue is so feruent / there is no remedy.
	Stande vp Werbode / kynge Uulfer than sayd
	Our chyfe champyon / in all our chyualry
	Your humble desyre / shall not be denayd
920	Of Werburge our doughter / now consent wyll we
	If ye may optayne / her wyll and mynde truele
	Her mothers also / vnder that condycyon
	We graunt her to you / at your meke suggestyon.
	Of this gracyous answere / a gladde man he was
925	Reioysynge in his herte / began to conspyre
	Castynge in his mynde / craftely by compas
	How he myght optayne / to the hye empyre
	And reygne after Uulfer / at his owne desyre
	But tho man prepose / god dysposed all
930	Who clymbeth to hye / often hath a fall
	¶How the quene saynt Ermenylde wolde not consente therto / and how her bretherne saynt Wulfade and Ruffyn were agaynst the sayd maryage. Ca .x.
	OF this busynesse / whan the quene had knowlege
	Namely of Werebode / the greuous presumpcyon
	How he had moeued / thrugh his wycked rage thrugh] thrught 1521
	The kynge in suche causes / by synguler petycyon
935	And how the kynge consented / to his supplycacyon
	She was sore greued / at this prowde crafty knyght
	Called hym in presence / and sayd these wordes ryght.
	Thou wycked tyraunt / and vnkynde creature
sig: [C7v]
	Folowynge thyne appetyte / and sensualyte
940	Thou cruell pagane / presumynge at thy pleasure
	Blynded with ygnoraunce / and infydelyte
	Who gaue the lycence / and suche auctoryte
	Our doughter Werburge / to desyre of the kynge
	Without our counseyll / therto consentynge.
945	Consyder ryght well / thy kynred and pedegre
	It is well knowen / thou arte comen of nought
	Nother of duke / erle / lorde / by auncetre
	But of vylayne people / yf it be well sought
	Agaynst our honour / now that thou hase wrought
950	Whiche consequently / shall be to thy payne
	For all thy labour / is spende in vayne.
	Thou knowes of a certayne / refused she hase
	Many a ryche maryage / within this londe
	A thousande tymes better / than euer thou wase
955	Is now or els shalbe / by any maner fonde
	Our doughter to the / shall neuer be bonde
	Nor suche a caytyfe / shall haue no powere
	With kynges blode royall / to approche it nere.
	Under my souerayne lorde / and me also
960	An offycer thou arte / and of great royalte
	To be a true seruaunte / now thou arte our foo
	Tryed / proued / founde fals / in eche degre
	Thou hase well deserued / to be hanged on a tre
	For thy mysdede / thou shall soone repent
965	Thy hye presumpcyon / proude and dysobedyent.
	As for our doughter / and dere derlynge
sig: [C8]
	By the grace of god / and our aduysement
	Soone shalbe maryed / to the moost myghty kynge
	That euer was borne / and in this erth lent
970	We meane our sauyour / lorde omnypotent
	Wherfore thy wretchydnes / wyll vpon the lyght
	Thou taynted traytour / out of our syght.
	With that saynt Werburge / came into presence
	Afore her mother / and all the company
975	Doynge her duty / with all due reuerenc[e] reuerence] reuerenc 1521
	Folowynge her doctryne / full sapyently
	With lycence optayned / spake euydently
	After suche maner / that all the audyence
	Reioysed to here / her lusty eloquence
980	O souerayne lady / and kynges doughter dere
	My dere mother / ouer all-thynge transytory
	O gracyous prynces / and quene to kynge Uulfere
	To your ghostly counseyll / do me euer apply
	As I haue promysed / ryght euydently
985	To the kynge of kynges / and lorde celestyall
	I wyll obserue / endurynge this lyfe mortall.
	And thou false Werbode / folowynge sensualyte
	I meruayle greatly / thy hye presumpcyon
	To moeue our father / with suche audacyte
990	Knowynge my mynde / set on relygyon
	Yet for thy soule-helthe / accepte this lesson
	Aske mercy and grace / of my spouse eternall
	Lest vengeaunce sodeynly / vpon the do fall.
	Wherwith her bretherne / Uulfade and Ruffyn
sig: [C8v]
995	Two noble prynces / manfull sadde and wyse
	Sore vexed with peyne / theyr hertes were within
	At this false stewarde / whiche can so deuyse
	Agayne theyr honour / to do suche preiudyse
	As to attempte theyr father the kynge
1000	In so great a mater / they not consentynge.
	They called Werebode / afore them all
	Sayenge thou caytyfe / who gaue the lycence
	To moeue this cause / so h[y] and specyall hy] he 1521handwritten emendation of 'he' to 'hy' in 16th c.(?) hand handwritten emendation of 'he' to 'hy' in 16th c.(?) hand
	Touchynge a lady / of suche prehemynence
1005	A kynges doughter / of moche magnyfysence
	None comparable to hym / in all this regyon
	In honour / royalte / power / and dyscrecyon.
	And as our mother sayd / to the byforne
	Loke well thy progeny / and all thy lynage
1010	A vyllayne or els wers / sothly thou was borne
	Now our dere syster / wolde haue in maryage
	As semynge for a prynce / of hye parentage
	Than for suche a carle / by a prouerbe auncyent
	A lad to wedde a lady / is an inconuenyent.
1015	Therfore we charge the / vpon greuous peyne
	Moue no suche mater / nor speke of it no more
	For yf suche mocyon / come to vs agayne
	Of hye presumpcyon / as is done afore
	Thou shalt repent / the cause and dede full sore
1020	Now we commaunde the / no forther to contryue
	But cease of suche busynesse / in peyne of thy lyue.
	¶How the false Werbode complayned vpon Uulfade and [R]u[ff]yn Ruffyn] Fussyn 1521 to kynge Uulfare by malyce and enuy / and was the cause of theyr dethe. Ca .xi.
sig: D1
	THis wycked Werebode / the bedyll of Belyall
	The minister of myschef / and sergeaunt of sathanas
	Consyderynge he was / despysed of them all
1025	And sore rebuked / for his outragyous trespas
	He brenned in enuy / as a man without grace
	Cast in his mynde / how he myght wroken be
	Upon her bretherne / by some subtylte.
	Euer from that tyme / he lay in wayte
1030	Sekynge occasyons / on them to complayne
	Dayly ymagyned / with subtyll deceyte
	Them to subdue / and cause to be slayne
	Attendynge oportunyte / to take them in a trayne
	By the false entysement / of his mayster Belyall
1035	Prompte to all myschefe / as dyscyple naturall.
	In fauour of his prynce / by crafte he hym brought
	(As now is in custome) with false flatery
	Some please theyr mayster / and that is ryght nought
	So dyd this Werebode / by subtyll polycy
1040	His vengeable mynde / was hymselfe to magnyfy
	And vtterly to lose / these prynces twayne
	Or destroye hymselfe / by mysfortune playne.
	Lyke as Archythofell chefe counselour to absalon
	Sundry tymes moeued hym / vnto varyaunce
1045	And with kynge Assuerus / in fauour was Amon
	Counseylynge hym euer / vnto great myschaunce
	In lyke cause Werbode / moeued to vengeaunce
sig: [D1v]
	Was chefe counseler / to Uulfer the kynge
	Whiche brought hym-selfe to shame / and euyll endynge.
1050	The elder prynce Uulfade / in his dysporte
	Used haukynge huntynge / for a past-tyme
	But vnto huntynge namely / was his resorte
	Euery day in the morowe / longe afore pryme
	And as it fortuned / vpon a tyme
1055	A myghty harte reysed was / coursed a longe space
	Whome Uulfade pursued / with pleasure and solace.
	This harte sore strayned / ranne for his socour
	As all deer done / of theyr propryte
	To a well with water / after his great labour
1060	Hym to reconforte / and the more fressher be
	Wherby saynt Cead / had his oratorye
	The wylde harte there lay / full secrete and styll
	And suffered this holy man / to do all his wyll.
	This blessed bysshop moeued with pyte
1065	Couered this sayd harte / with bowes and leues also
	Put a small corde / aboute his necke trule
	And after commaunded hym spedly to go
	To the wylde woodes / whens he came fro
	His pasture to seke / for saynt Cead knewe truly
1070	It was a sygne folowynge / of some great mysery.
	(As Bede wytnesseth) this holy confessour
	Was bysshop of Lychefelde / and Couentre
	Whiche for the loue of our sauyour
	In wyldernesse dwelled / all solytarye
1075	Contented with fruytes / of the wylde tree
sig: D2
	With rootes / herbes / water / for his sustentacyon
	Endurynge penaunce / with due contemplacyon.
	This venerable prynce / ensuynge this great harte
	Approched to his cell / with great dylygence
1080	Tenderly requyrynge / where and in what parte
	This harte escaped / so ferre out of presence
	This holy man answered / with all reuerence
	Beestes / byrdes / fowles / I kepe none at all
	But I knowe the instructour / of thy helthe eternall.
1085	By this brute beest / thou shall perceyue well
	The sacramentes of holy chyrche euerychone
	To encrese thy byleue / by our ghostly counsell
	And so to be baptysed / and haue remyssyon
	By dyuers brute beestes / for mannes saluacyon
1090	Our lorde hath shewed / secretes mystycall
	To his electe persones / by grace supernall.
	To Noe came conforte / after the great deluge
	By a douue / bryngynge a braunche of Olyue
	To the prophet Hely / a rauen dyd refuge
1095	Brought hym his sustenaunce / and saued his lyue
	Unto saynt Eustach / full memoratyue
	Our lorde appered / in a hartes lykenes
	To whome he obeyed / gladly with mekenes.
	Of whiche examples / prynce Uulfade gladde was
1100	Thankynge god and saynt Cead that he thyder come
	And sayd holy father / fulfylled with grace
	If ye can supply / my instaunte petycyon
	That the sayd harte / myght retourne hyder soone
sig: [D2v]
	Whiche is now in wyldernesse / vnto our presence
1105	Than to your doctryne / I wyll gyue fully credence.
	Saynt Cead vnto prayer / deuoutely went
	And the wylde harte / frome the wood came hastely
	With the corde in his necke / apperynge euydent
	And in theyr presence / stode full ryght soberly
1110	My sone than he sayd / byleue than stedfastly
	Understande ye may / all-thynge possyble is
	To a faythfull persone / that perfytely byleuys.
	Uulfade conforted / and in the fayth probate
	Fell downe to his fete / with humble deuocyon
1115	Desyrynge baptym / to be regenerate
	Unto our sauyour / for his soules saluacyon
	Saynt Cead blessed / the well that season
	And baptysed this prynce / in name of trynyte
	Was preest and godfather / for want of companye.
1120	This chrysten prynce / taryed with hym all nyght
	In fastynge / prayer / and medytacyon
	And was refresshed / naturally in syght
	With bodyly and ghostly sustentacyon
	The next day receyued / the holy communyon
1125	With lycence departed / to his father agayne
	The harte to the forest / recoursed certayne.
	The thyrde day after / his brother Ruffyn
	Folowynge the same harte / by deuyne prouydence
	Was well instructed / in ghostly doctryne
1130	Baptysed by saynt Cead / and communed with reuerence
	And as it fortuned / by playne experyence
sig: D3
	Of all the proces done / to the elder brother
	All-thynge dyd happe / ryght so to the other.
	Afore this season / chrystes fayth moost gracyous
1135	Thrugh this lande / was preched in eue[r]y place euery] euey 1521
	By bysshop Fynane / and Ierumannus
	Whiche Ieruman of eest_Englande / fyrst byss[h]op was bysshop] byssop 1521
	And with saynt Ermenylde / came hyder by grace
	Yet fully conuerted / was not Mersee regyon
1140	Clene from ydolatry / vnto this season.
	These forsayd prynces / conuerted newly
	By blessed Cead / to chrysten relygyon
	Dayly to hym resorted / for counseyll ghostly
	To encreace in vertue / and holy perfeccyon
1145	With lycence pretended / they wolde togyder come
	Unto his oratory / from the kynges hall
	Under colour of Huntynge / as they dyd it call.
	And as it is wryten / in holy scrypture
	Who-so is a sure frende / loueth stedfastly
1150	And who is enemy / putteth dylygent cure
	Myschefe to accomplysshe / moost studyously
	The false Werebode suspectynge / euydently
	The newe conuersyon / of these prynces twayne
	Prepared hym craftely / to take them in a trayne.
1155	He watched on them / secretely euery day
	To knowe theyr resorte / and vnto what place
	[L]yke as a hounde folowynge / these prynces to bytray Lyke] Kyke 1521
	Or a dogge dothe a dere / by sent of the chas
	Whan he had perceyued / how all-thynge was
sig: [D3v]
1160	He compased in mynde / by false inuencyon
	To complayne to the kynge / for theyr destruccyon.
	My synguler good lorde / and moost pryncypall
	Sayd this Werebode / the fals traytour
	Pleaseth your goodnes / and grace specyall
1165	To my supplycacyon / to be a protectour
	Ye haue two prynces / myghty in honour
	Whiche are my lordes / and euer shalbe
	If they wolde be true / to your soueraynte
	They haue refused / the more pyte is
1170	Your auncyent lawes / and sectes euerychone
	And with your lycence / haue done yet more amys
	For now they be subiecte / to a newe relygyon
	Utterly refusynge / your decrees and olde custome
	Folowynge the counseyll / and mynde of a senyor
1175	Called bysshop Cead / theyr specyall auctor.
	Your strayte commaundymentes / they dayly despyce
	And purpose I tell you / in secretenes
	Unto your persone / to do moche preiudyce
	To murther or poyson you / shortly doubtles
1180	And so for to reygne / and gouerne your ryches
	Bytwene them twayne / to dyuyde your lande
	By fals conspyracy / as ye shall vnderstande.
	With these false tales / and many other mo
	The kynge was moeued / to malyce and yre
1185	By his compleccyon / as he was wont to do
	More cruell than a beest / as feruent as the fyre
	Depely affyrmynge / that dethe shulde be theyr hyre
sig: [D4]
	If he myght take them / in any place
	They shulde be slayne / and suffer withouten grace.
1190	In the morowe after / whan Phebus began to clere
	The kynge toke Werbode / with hym secretly
	To try out the truthe / and how it wolde appere
	Wheder his prynces / were gone to the oratory
	If it were so / he sende hym pryuely
1195	To gyue them knowlege / of his entent
	For to remoeue / from his hasty Iudgment.
	The father had pyte / vpon his chyldren naturall
	Wolde not haue slayne them / the sothe to say
	Wherfore he sende / the seruaunt of Belyall
1200	To conuay them fro thens / some other way
	The kynge knewe hym-selfe / not able that day
	To refrayne his yre / and cruell hastynesse
	Gyuen to hym of nature / in suche great dystresse.
	This wycked Werebode / came to the oratory
1205	And sawe these prynces / in great deuocyon
	Counceyled his message / by malyce and enuy
	Retourned to the kynge / hastely and soone
	Newly complaynynge / by fals ymagynacyon
	A hundreth-folde worse / than at the fyrst tyme
1210	With new addycyons / to brynge them to ruyne.
	And whan the kynge / approched nygh the cell
	Herynge the complayntes / of this fals knyght
	The chyldren perceyued / a voyce ryght well
	Cessed of theyr prayers / and came forth full ryght
1215	On whome whan Uulfere / had ones a syght
sig: [D4v]
	He was sore moeued / as hote as the fyre
	Agaynst h[is] chyldren / that loued hym entyre. his] her 1521handwritten emendation of 'her' to 'hes' in 16th c.(?) hand handwritten emendation of 'her' to 'hes' in 16th c.(?) hand
	But by the malyce / and wycked temptacyon
	Of the deuyll / mannes olde mortall enemy
1220	And what by the false crafty suggestyon
	Of Wycked Werebode / fulfylled with enuy
	And by his owne hastynesse / and cruell fury
	These prynces were slayne / Uulfade and Ruffyn
	Now gloryous martyrs / reygnynge in heuyn.
1225	After whan kynge Uulfer / approched his castell
	And vnneth was entred / into his hall
	Incontynently a spyryte / the false fende of hell
	Entred fals Werebode / af[ore] the people all afore] after 1521
	Inwardly hym vexed / with peynes contynuall
1230	That his armes and handes / he dyd horrybly tere
	Whiche sodayne vengeaunce / all the courte dyd fere.
	He rored and yelled / lyke a wylde bull
	Shewed all the myschefe / malyce and enuy
	Done agaynst the martyrs / with a mynde yrefull
1235	So sore constrayned / with peynes greuously
	The deuyll ceased not / his dolours to multyply
	Tyll his fylthy soule / compelled sore was
	For to expyre / for his hydeous trespas.
	¶How kynge Uulfer was conuerted and toke great repentaunce for his offences. And by the counseyll of saynt Ceade was a deuoute man / and a good benefactour to holy chyrche / and a founder of dyuers holy places relygyous. Ca .xii.
sig: E1
	THan Uulfer consyderynge with due dyscrecyon
1240	His cruell hastynes / and furyous mynde
	How ferre he had / abused his reason
	Agaynst his chyldren / by nature and kynde
	He sore repented / in hystory as we fynde
	His greuous trespas / and homycyde vnnaturall
1245	In conscyence greued / for his synnes mortall.
	Namely lamentynge / in soule his apostasy
	After his baptyme / and ghostly conuersyon
	And for the departure / of his prynces truly
	Contrary to ryght / kynde and all reason
1250	The losse of his fame / thrugh this regyon
	A dethe to his quene / and his louers all
	Greuous to his kynnesmen / and frendes naturall.
	All these consydered / with due cyrcumstaunce
	He wayled and weped / sobbynge full sore
1255	Plonged in sorowe / heuynes / and greuaunce
	Lamentynge his offence / a thousande tymes therfore
	His intollerable peyne / encreased more and more
	Wofully he went / to his bed by and by
	Supposynge some dethe / withouten any remedy.
1260	Some of his louers / beynge there present
	Gaue hym theyr counseyll / to hunte in the forest
	Some to dysportes / and pleasures euydent
	Some vnto melody / all thoughtes to degest
	But Ermenylde his quene / whiche loued hym best
1265	Counseyled hym truly / to take contrycyon
	And mendes make / by due satysfaccyon.
sig: [E1v]
	Of this ghostly counseyll / the kynge was very glad
	And in the morowe after / prepared besyly
	With mekenesse to seke / blessed saynt Cead
1270	So whan the kynge came / to his oratory
	The bysshop was at masse / and ryght consequently
	Fro he[u]en descended / so gloryous a lyght
	That of the mystery / Uulfer had no syght.
	Whan masse was ended / saynt Cead his vestures caste
1275	Upon the sonne-beame / by myracle there hangynge
	Supposynge on a forme / and made moche haste
	To mete at the doore / mekely the sayd kynge
	Whiche laye there prostrate / penaunce desyrynge
	With reuerence hym eleuate / and gaue an exortacyon
1280	The kynge was agreable / for to do satysfaccyon.
	The bysshop hym enioyned / in parte of penaunce
	To destroye all ydolles / and sectes of ydolatry
	In all his realme / and the temples of paganes
	To translate to the honour / of god almyghty
1285	With preestes and clerkes / to pray and synge deuoutly
	Also peas and iustyce / to be kepte contynuall
	With the werkes of mercy / to be vsed in specyall.
	Forther he enioyned hym / of his charyte
	Monasteryes to make / of great perfeccyon
1290	Endowed with landes / possessed in lyberte
	Therin for to set / men of relygyon
	To pray to our lorde / for his saluacyon
	Whiche Uulfer promysed / to fulfyll gladle
	As soone as he myght / by possybylyte.
sig: E2
1295	Than the foresayd kynge / and the holy confessour
	Went to theyr prayers / in the oratory
	And as the kynge loked vp / to our sauyour
	The sayd sacrat vestures / he sawe euydently
	Hangynge on the sonne-beame / full merueylously
1300	His gloues / his gyrdell / the kynge had vpon
	Whiche shortly to grounde / falled adowne.
	Wherby he perceyued / the great holynesse
	Of blessed saynt Cead / and interyor deuocyon
	Desyred his prayer / dayly with mekenesse
1305	To almyghty god / for his remyssyon
	Frome thens departed / with his benedyccyon
	Ioyfull in his soule / towarde his place
	Thankynge god mekely / of his great grace.
	As the kynge promysed / to our sauyour
1310	Shortly he auoyded / all ydolatry
	Brenned theyr ydolles / correcked theyr errour
	Translated theyr temples / vnto god almyghty
	Founded monasteryes / of relygyon many
	Of men and women / gaue them possessyons
1315	Landes / rentes / ryches / to encrese deuocyons
	Namely he founded / a ryche monastery
	For dethe of the prynces / in satysfaccyon
	To the honour of god / and saynt Peter truly
	Called Peterborowe abbay / in all this regyon
1320	Endowed it with rentes / lybertes / possessyon
	A place where many / relygyous persones be
	Seruynge day and nyght / our lorde with charyte.
sig: [E2v]
	Also there was founded / at Stone a pryore
	In the honour of god / and the martyrs twayne
1325	Possessed with landes / rentes and lyberte
	Where deuoute chanons / ben inhabyte certayne
	Myracles and sygnes / haue ben shewed there playne
	To the laude and prayse / of god omnypotent
	And of these holy martyrs / patrones there present.
	¶Of the feruent desyre and great deuocyon th a t saynt Werburge hadde to be relygyous / and of þ e dayly supplycacyons she made to the kynge her father for the same. Ca .xiii.
1330	AS this myghty prynces / encreased in age
	So dayly encresed / her good condycyons
	That greatly enioyed / her honorable lynage
	Consyderynge in her / suche vertuous dysposycyons
	In vygyls / prayers / and ghostly medytacyons
1335	Set all her mynde / power / myght / and mayne
	To serue our sauyour / day and nyght certayne.
	She well consydered / with due dyscrecyon
	Of this present lyfe / the great wretchydnesse
	How dredefull it is / fyll of varyacyon
1340	Deceuable / peryllous / and of no sykernesse
	The tyme vncertayne / to be knowen doubtlesse
	For here is no cytee / nor sure dwel[l]ynge-place dwellynge] dwelyynge 1521
	All-thynge is transytory / in short proces and space.
	Wherfore this vyrgyn / gladde and benyuolent
1345	Folowynge the counseyll / of blessed Mathewe
	Was on of fyue vyrgyns / euer redy present
	Had her lampe replete / with oyle full of vertue
sig: E3
	Redy for to mete / her spouse swete Ihesu
	With charytable werkes / in her soule contynuall
1350	Therfore she was taken / to his blys eternall.
	She well consydered the wordes of the gospell
	Who refuses pleasures / and naturall generacyon
	For the loue of Ihesu / rewarded shalbe well
	With a hundreth-folde grace / here for theyr guerdon
1355	And after this lyfe / haue eterne fruycyon
	Whiche she remembred / and euer fro that day
	On her father wolde call / and mekely to hym say.
	Reuerent myghty prynce / and lorde honorable
	Moost dere byloued father / my synguler helpe and socour
1360	My trust / tresure / and solace / to me moost amyable
	Instauntly I beseche you / for loue of our sauyoure
	And of his mother mary / of vyrgyns the floure
	With all the company / that in heuen be
	My humble petycyon / now graunt it vnto me.
1365	Well byloued father / this is my fully mynde
	My instaunte desyre / and humble supplycacyon
	By the grace of god / maker of all mankynde
	And by your lysence / helpe / and tuycyon
	I purpose to enter / into holy relygyon
1370	And vtterly refuse / all pleasures transytory
	To be professed / at the house of Ely.
	O my dere doughter / sayd this noble kynge
	My pleasure / solace / and hope of my gladnesse
	Moost dere byloued / and my synguler swete derlynge
1375	I well consyder / your vertue and sadnesse
sig: [E3v]
	Your instaunt request / and humble gentylnesse
	And of your desyre / inwardly I am gladde
	But yet your motyon / makes my herte full sadde.
	All my ioye and conforte / now resteth in the
1380	Syth thy dere bretherne / from vs ben agone
	Thou arte the trusty treasure / to thy mother and me
	Our synguler solace / and sure consolacyon
	Wherfore swete derlynge / as for my heyre alone
	I wolde the mary / and a quene the make
1385	If thou wyll consent / and my counseyll take.
	Consyder and beholde / thrugh all this lande
	Take the a maryage / at thyne owne pleasure
	A prynce moost valyaunt / moost noble to be founde
	And of helpe and ayde / I shall the assure
1390	With ryches / royalte / welthe / and tresure
	Clothes of golde / and royall ryche apparell
	And all thynges necessary / as man can of tell.
	Remembre also / how after course of kynde
	Aege dothe sore greue / thy moder and me also
1395	Therfore naturall loue (swete chylde) dothe me bynde
	To gyue the best counseyll / what thou shall do
	To honour and worshyp / how thou may come to
	Whiche great renowne / and hye astate certayne
	To se the a quene / wyll make vs yonge agayne.
1400	God ordeyned matrymony / fyrst in Paradyse
	Bytwene man and woman / whan he the worlde dyd make
	That mankynde myght encrese / multyply and ryse
	Eche persone at pleasure / a spouse for them to take
sig: E4
	Now ioyned by holy chyrche / all other to forsake
1405	The chylde of the father / to take his dyscyplyne
	And after that to teche / his yssue theyr doctryne.
	Also man and beest / haue dysposycyon naturall
	To brynge forthe theyr lykenesse / by generacyon
	But man hauynge reason / and fre-wyll with-all
1410	As lawe requyreth / hath his procreacyon
	Under true matrymony / by his owne eleccyon
	Or els to obserue / and lyue in pure vyrgynyte
	For the greater meryte / and rewarde of glorye.
	And yf all maydens / shulde kepe theyr chastyte
1415	As ye now do / how shulde the worlde encrese
	Swete louely creature / ryght ioyfull wolde I be
	To kysse a chylde of thyne / hauynge thy lykenesse
	And se the also coronate / as a myghty pryncesse
	Enclyne dere derlynge / thy mynde to myne entent
1420	And all these sayd honours / wyll folowe consequent.
	¶Of the meke answere saynt Werburge gaue to her father whan she was moeued to maryage. Ca .xiiii.
	THe holi mayd / whan she knewe her fathers mynde
	Her soule was replete / with woo and pensyuenesse
	And sore began to wepe / after cours of kynde
	The salte teeres dystylled / for payne and heuynesse
1425	By her ruddy chekes shynynge / full fayre doubtelesse
	Pyteous to beholde / but whan the foresayd mayde
	Ceased of her sorowe / thus to hym she sayde.
	Moost beest byloued father / nexte to god almyght
sig: [E4v]
	Your kynde gentyll mocyon / wolde moeue inwardely
1430	The mynde of any creature / to folowe you ryght
	Or any stony stomake / to relent and apply
	And resolue eche harde herte / to waylynge dolefully
	Consyderynge on euery parte / with good dyscrecyon
	To accepte or refuse / this harde eleccyon.
1435	Father I haue ben to you / meke and obedyent
	Euer syth I had / yeres of dyscrecyon
	Gladde to obserue / your hye commaundyment
	With loue interyor / and humble intencyon
	And so wyll contynue / with lowly submyssyon
1440	In this present lyfe / whyle I do endure
	Of my loue and prayer / euer ye shalbe sure.
	But moost louely father / I pray you hertfully
	Take no dysplesure / pardon what I shall say
	My soule / my herte / and mynde / is set stydfastly
1445	To serue my lorde god / nyght and also day
	Neuer to be maryed / by no maner of way
	For sothly I haue vowed / my true vyrgynyte
	Unto Ihesu / the seconde persone in trynyte.
	That is my spouse / and blessed sauyour
1450	For Whose loue refused / in certaynte haue I
	All worldely pleasures / welth / ryches and honour
	With all voyde busynesse / a[n]d cures transytory
	My loue on hym is sette / so sure and feruently
	That nothynge shall separate / my hert hym fro
1455	Sekenes nor helthe / pleasure / peyne / ne wo.
	Also my full entent / was neuer otherwyse
sig: [E5]
	Than to be handmayde / to my lorde Ihesu
	And of my soule and body / to make hym sacryfyce
	For my ghostly welthe / all vyces to subdue
1460	He is my dere spouse / solace / helthe moost true
	On hym is all my herte / and hase ben set alway
	And euer shalbe / vnto my endynge-day.
	In this wretched worlde / we can not longe endure
	And of this present lyfe / we are in no suerte
1465	As we haue deserued / so we shalbe sure
	After this pylgrymage / rewarded for to be
	For mercy and grace / therfore mekely call we
	Whyle we haue tyme and space / for than it is to late
	Whan dethe with his darte / sayth to vs chekemate.
1470	Wherfore dere father / I shewe you now agayne
	All my hole herte / desyre and entent
	Whiche euer hath ben / and so shalbe certayne
	For to be relygyous / chast / and obedyent
	Namely at Ely / for theyr vertue excellent
1475	Father I requyre you / for chrystes loue and charyte
	My meke supplycacyon / now graunte it vnto me.
	The kynge well consydered / his doughters desyre
	Her constaunte true mynde / and pure deuocyon
	Graunted her petycyon / with synguler loue entyre
1480	Trustynge by her prayer / and dayly supplycacyon
	Unto heuen blysse / the rather for to come
	Her mother Ermenylde / was gladde of this tydynge
	And lauded full lowly / our lorde and heuen kynge.
	¶How saynt Werburge was made a moynes after her desyre at the monastery of Ely vnder saynt Audry / lady and abbesse. Ca .xv.
sig: [E5v]
	THan the kynge remembred / with due cyrcumstaunce
1485	The excellent vertue / sadnes / and grauyte
	Of his dere doughter / and the perfyte constaunce
	Her humble petycyon / and pure vyrgynyte
	He thanked our lorde / with great humylyte
	Of his infynyte grace / that so royall a floure
1490	Frome hym descended / to his prayse and honoure.
	He sende messages / in all goodly hast
	With letters myssyue / thrugh his regyon
	Commaundynge his subiectes / they shulde full fast
	By a day assygned / be redy euerychone
1495	In theyr best maner / with hym for to gone
	To brynge his doughter / to the hous of Ely
	There to be relygyous / after her desydery.
	Whan the day was come / of theyr appoyntment
	The nobles of the realme / and lordes were redy
1500	To attende on theyr souerayne / at his commaundyment
	Kynge Uulfer prepared / all-thynge pleasauntly
	And of his court / had chosen a noble company
	In theyr best aray / royalte / and renowne
	To offer saynt werburge / to god and relygyon.
1505	The kynge on his Iourney / rode forthe royally
	The quene hym folowed / as is the custome
	Werburge succeded them conseque[n]tly
	The peeres and his counseyll / knewe well theyr rowme
	Dukes / erles / lordes / and many a worthy barowne
sig: [E6]
1510	Knyghtes / squyers / gentyls / of her kynred also
	With ladyes and gentylwomen / and seruauntes both-two.
	Whan the kynge approched / the sayd monastery
	Saynt Audry than abbesse / toke her holy couent
	And mette the sayd kynge / and all his company
1515	With solempne processyon / and gretynge benyuolent
	Praysynge our lorde god omnypotent
	Whiche of his goodnes / to that congre[g]acyon congregacyon] congrecacyon 1521
	Sende them a syster / of suche perfeccyon.
	Wereburge requyred / by the order of charyte
1520	Mekely on her knees / to enter relygyon
	Saynt Audry receyued / of her benygnyte
	And graunted fre lycence / after her petycyon
	Gladde were also / the hole congregacyon
	And sange (Te deum) with moche reuerence
1525	Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his prouydence.
	She was receyued / with moche solempnyte
	Into the holy order / after her entent
	To proue her sadnes / and humylyte
	(As is the custome) and so be obedyent
1530	To lyue euer after / humble / chast / and contynent
	Than dyd theyr Ioye / merueylously encreas
	Consyderynge her pacyens / and perfyte holynes.
	Her royall dyademe / and shynynge coronall
	Was fyrst refuted / for loue of our sauyoure
1535	The poore vayle accepted / and the symple pall
	The royall ryche purpull / reiected that same houre
	With other clothes of golde / sylkes of great honoure
sig: [E6v]
	She toke lowe appareyll / vestures that were blake
	All her plesaunt garmentes / she clerely dyd forsake.
1540	Also she refused / her fathers realme and royalte
	All ryches / rentes / pleasures / possessyon
	With all worldely honoures / full of vanyte
	Lowly submyttynge her / vnder subieccyon
	Vertu to encrese / myndynge moost relygyon
1545	She refused yet more her owne proper wyll
	Put all to her abbesse / her order to fulfyll.
	¶Of the great solempnyte kynge Uulfer made at the ghostly maryage of saynt Werburge his doughter / to al his louers / cosyns / and frendes. Ca .xvi.
	Kynge Uulfer her father / at this ghostly spousage
	Prepared great tryumphes / and solempnyte
	Made a royall feest / as custome is of maryage
1550	Sende for his frendes / after good humanyte
	Kepte a noble housholde / shewed great lyberalyte
	Bothe to ryche and poore / that to this feest wolde come
	No man was denyed / euery man was well-come.
	Her vncles and auntes / were present there all
1555	Ethelred and Merwalde / and Mercelly also
	Thre blessed kynges / whome sayntes we do call
	Saint keneswyd / saint keneburg / theyr systers both-two
	And of her noble lygnage / many other mo
	Were redy that season / with reuerence and honour
1560	At this noble tryumphe / to do all theyr deuour.
	Tho kynges mette them / with theyr company
sig: [E7]
	Egbryct kynge of kent / brother to the quene
	The seconde was Aldulphe / kynge of the eest party
	Brother to saynt Audry / wyfe and mayde serene
1565	With dyuers of theyr progeny / and nobles as I wene
	Dukes / erles / barons / and lordes ferre and nere
	In theyr best aray / were present all in fere.
	It were full tedyous / to make descrypcyon
	Of the great tryumphes / and solempne royalte
1570	Belongynge to the feest / the honour and prouysyon
	By playne declaracyon / vpon euery partye
	But the sothe to say / withouten ambyguyte
	All herbes and floures / fragraunt fayre and swete
	Were strawed in halles / and layd vnder theyr fete.
1575	Clothes of golde and arras / were hanged in the hall
	Depaynted with pyctures / and hystoryes manyfolde
	Well wrought and craftely / with precyous stones all
	Glyterynge as Phebus / and the beten golde
	Lyke an erthly paradyse / pleasaunt to beholde
1580	As for the sayd moynes / was not them amonge
	But prayenge in her cell / as done all nouyce yonge.
	The story of Adam / there was goodly wrought
	And of his wyfe Eue / bytwene them the serpent
	How they were deceyued / and to theyr peynes brought
1585	There was Cayn and Abell / offerynge theyr present
	The sacryfyce of Abell / accepte full euydent
	Tuball and Tubalcain / were purtrayed in that place
	The inuentours of musyke / and craftes by great grace.
	Noe and his shyppe / was made there curyously
sig: [E7v]
1590	Sendynge forthe a rauen / whiche neuer came agayne
	And how the douue retourned / with a braunche hastely
	A token of conforte and peace / to man certayne
	Abraham there was / standynge vpon the mount playne
	To offer in sacryfyce / Isaac his dere sone
1595	And how the shepe for hym / was offered in oblacyon.
	The twelue sones of Iacob / there were in purtrayture
	And how into Egypt / yonge Ioseph was solde
	There was inprysoned / by a false coniectour
	After in all Egypte / was ruler (as is tolde)
1600	There was in pycture / Moyses wyse and bolde
	Our lorde apperynge / in busshe flammynge as fyre
	And nothynge therof brent / lefe / tree / nor spyre.
	The ten plages of Egypte / were well embost
	The chyldren of Israell / passynge the reed_see
1605	Kynge Pharoo drowned / with all his proude hoost
	And how the two tables / at the mounte of Synaye
	Were gyuen to Moyses / and how soone to ydolatry
	The people were prone / and punysshed were therfore
	How Datan and Abyron / for pryde were lost full youre.
1610	Duke Iosue was ioyned / after them in pycture
	Ledynge the Isrehelytes / to the lande of promyssyon
	And how the sayd lande / was dyuyded by mesure
	To the people of god / by equall sundry porcyon
	The Iudges and bysshops / were there euerychone
1615	Theyr noble actes / and tryumphes Marcyall
	Fresshly were browdred / in these clothes royall.
	Nexte to [the] hye borde / appered fayre and bryght the hye borde] hye borde lorde 1521Horstmann reads 'borde-lorde', 'lords of the feast' Horstmann reads 'borde-lorde', 'lords of the feast'
sig: [E8]
	Kynge Saull and Dauyd / and prudent Salomon
	Roboas succedynge / whiche soone lost his myght
1620	The good kynge Esechyas / and his generacyon
	And so to the Machabees / and dyuers other nacyon
	All these sayd storyes / so rychely done and wrought
	Belongyng to kyng Uulfer / agayn th a t tyme were brought
	But ouer the hye desse / in the pryncypall place
1625	Where the sayd thre kynges / sate crowned all
	The best hallynge hanged / as reason was
	Wherin were wrought / the .ix. ordres angelycall
	Dyuyded in thre Ierarchyses / not cessynge to call
	Sanctus / sanctus / sanctus / blessed be the trynyte
1630	Dominus deus sabaoth / thre persones in one deyte.
	Nexte in ordre suynge / sette in goodly purtrayture
	Was our blessed lady / floure of femynyte
	With the twelue apostles / eche one in his fygure
	And the foure euangelystes / wrought moost curyously
1635	Also the dyscyples / of chryst in theyr degre
	Prechynge and techynge / vnto euery nacyon
	The faythes of holy chyrche / for theyr saluacyon. faythes] faythtes 1521Horstmann retains 'faythtes', glossing as 'facts' Horstmann retains 'faythtes', glossing as 'facts'
	Martyrs than folowed / ryght manyfestly
	The holy innocentes / whome Herode had slayne
1640	Blessed saynt Stephan / the prothomartyr truly
	Saynt Laurence / saynt Uyncent / sufferynge great payne
	With many other mo / than here ben nowe certayne
	Of whiche sayd martyrs / exsample we may take
	Pacyence to obserue / in herte for chrystes sake.
1645	Confessours approched / ryght conuenyent
sig: [E8v]
	Fresshely enbrodred / in ryche tysshewe and fyne
	Saynt Nycholas saynt Benedycte / and his couent
	Saynt Ierom / Basylyus and saynt Augustyne
	Gregory the great doctour / Ambrose and saynt Martyne
1650	All these were sette / in goodly purtrayture
	Them to beholde / was a heuenly pleasure.
	Uyrgyns them folowed / crowned with the lyly
	Amonge whome our lady / chefe presydent was
	Some crowned with rooses / for theyr great vyctory
1655	Saynt Katheryne / saynt Margarete / saynt Agathas
	Saynt Cycyly / saynt Agnes / and saynt Charytas
	Saynt Lucye / saynt Wenefryde / and saynt Apolyn
	All these were brothered / the clothes of golde within. brothered: =broidered
	Upon the other syde / of the hall sette were
1660	Noble auncyent storyes / and how the stronge Sampson
	Subdued his enemyes / by his myghty power
	Of Hector of Troy / slayne by fals treason
	Of noble Arthur / kynge of this regyon
	With many other mo / whiche it is to longe
1665	Playnly to expresse / this tyme you amonge.
	The tables were couered / with clothes of Dyaper
	Rychely enlarged / with syluer and with golde
	The cupborde with plate / shynynge fayre and clere
	Marshalles theyr offyces / fulfylled manyfolde
1670	Of myghty wyne plenty / bothe newe and olde
	All maner kynde / of meetes delycate
	(Whan grace was sayd) to them was preparate.
	To this noble feest / there was suche ordynaunce
sig: F1
	That nothynge wanted / that goten myght be
1675	On see and on lande / but there was habundaunce
	Of all maner pleasures / to be had for monye
	The bordes all charged / full of meet plente
	And dyuers subtyltes / prepared sothly were
	With cordyall spyces / theyr ghestes for to chere.
1680	The Ioyfull wordes / and swete communycacyon
	Spoken at the table / it were harde to tell
	Eche man at lyberte / without interrupcyon
	Bothe sadnes and myrthes / also pryue counsell
	Some adulacyon / some the truthe dyd tell
1685	But the great astates / spake of theyr regyons
	Knyghtes of theyr chyualry / of craftes the comons.
	Certayne at eche cours / of seruyce in the hall
	Trumpettes blewe vp / shalmes and claryons
	Shewynge theyr melody with / toynes musycall
1690	Dyuers other mynstrelles / in crafty proporcyons
	Made swete concordaunce / and lusty dyuysyons
	An heuenly pleasure / suche armony to here
	Reioysynge the hertes / of the audyence full clere.
	A synguler mynstrell / all other ferre passynge
1695	Toyned his instrument / in pleasaunte armony
	And sange moost swetely / the company gladynge
	Of myghty conquerours / the famous vyctory
	Wherwith was rauysshed / theyr spyrytes and memory
	Specyally he sange / of the great Alexandere
1700	Of his tryumphes and honours / endurynge .xii. yere.
	Solemply he songe / the state of the Romans
sig: [F1v]
	Ruled vnder kynges / by polycy and wysedome
	Of theyr hye iustyce / and ryghtfull ordynauns
	Dayly encreasynge / in worshyp and renowne
1705	Tyll Tarquyne þ e proude kynge / with th a t great confusyon
	Oppressed dame Lucrece / the wyfe of Colatyne
	Kynges neuer reygned in Rome / syth that tyme.
	Also how the Romayns / vnder thre dyctatours
	Gouerned all regyons / of the worlde ryght-wysely
1710	Tyll Iulyus Cesar / excellynge all conquerours
	Subdued Pompeius / and toke the hole monarchy
	And the rule of Rome / to hym -selfe manfully
	But Cassius_Brutus / the fals conspyratour
	Caused to be slayne / the sayd noble emperour.
1715	After the sayd Iulyus / succeded his syster-sone
	Called Octauyanus / in the imperyall see
	And by his precepte / was made descrypcyon
	To euery regyon / lande / shyre / and cytee
	A trybute to pay / vnto his dygntye
1720	That tyme was / vnyuersall peas and honour
	In whiche tyme was borne / our blessed sauyoure.
	All these hystoryes / noble and auncyent
	Reioysynge the audyence / he sange with pleasuer
	And many other mo / of the newe testament
1725	Pleasaunt and profytable / for theyr soules cure
	Whiche be omytted / now not put in vre
	The mynysters were redy / theyr offyce to fulfyll
	To take vp the tables / at theyr lordes wyll.
	Whan this noble feest / and great solempnyte
sig: F2
1730	Dayly endurynge / a longe tyme and space
	Was royally ended / with honour and royalte
	Eche kynge at other / lysence taken hace
	And so departed from thens / to theyr place
	Kynge Uulfer retourned / with worshyp and renowne
1735	Frome the house of Ely / to his owne mansyon.
	¶Of the holy professyon and ghostly conuersacyon saynt Werburge vsed at Ely in relygyo[n] / vnder saynt Audry her abbesse and cosyn. Ca .xvii.
	SO whan this vyrgyn / the spouse of Ihesu
	Had fully contynued / in holy relygyon
	With mekenesse / pacyens / and all vertu
	Fully the yere / of her probacyon
1740	Than she made instaunce / for her professyon
	Unto saynt Audry / her lady and abbesse
	Whiche soone was graunted / with great gladnesse.
	Ordynaunce they made / and great royalte
	Her frendes were called / agaynst that season
1745	She was professed / with great humylyte
	The obseruaunce done / with due deuocyon
	She made solempne vowe / of ghostly conuersacyon
	Mekely to obserue / obedyence and chastyte
	Endurynge her lyfe / and wylfull pouerte.
1750	By the exsample / of her perfeccyon
	Many dyuers persones / of her noble lynage
	Refused this worlde / and entred relygyon
	Renounsynge vayne pleasures / ryches and maryage
	Enclyned to vertue / for theyr ghostly auauntage
sig: [F2v]
1755	As may be specyfyed / here-after folowynge
	Theyr names / theyr astate / and theyr good lyuynge.
	Now this gloryous vyrgyn / after her desyre
	Is ghostly maryed / to our lorde Ihesu
	Accordynge to her entent / and true loue entyre
1760	She dayly encresed / frome vertu to vertu
	With more strayter lyfe / vyces to subdu
	The longer she endured / in relygyon
	The better she prepared / her herte to deuocyon.
	And tho this vyrgyn / clerely dyd forsake
1765	All ryches honours / and pleasures worldly
	With all possessyons / for her lordes sake
	She thought than she reygned / moost lyke a lady
	Cause that she lyued / in chrystes seruyce dayly
	And certayne it is / holy scrypture recordynge
1770	Who serues well god / dothe reygne lyke a kynge.
	In prayer / penaunce / and / contemplacyon
	Was all her busynesse / and study alway
	Compasynge by what maner of medytacyon
	She myght best please / our lorde to his pay
1775	Offerynge her persone / a true sacryfyce euery day
	No labour her greued / loue was so feruent
	Her body vpon erthe / her soule in heuen lent.
	Swete / comly creatures / ladyes euerychone
	Sekynge for pleasures / ryches and arayment
1780	Blynded by your beaute / and synguler affeccyon
	Consyder this vyrgyn / humble and pacyent
	A spectacle of vertue / euer obedyent.
sig: F3
	Beholde how she hase / clerely layde away
	Her royall ryche clothes / and is in meke aray.
1785	Your garmentes now be gay and gloryous
	Euery yere made / after a newe inuencyon
	Of sylke and veluet / costly and precyous
	Brothered full rychely / after the beest facyon
	Shynynge lyke angels / in your opynyon
1790	Where lesse wolde suffyse / and content as well
	As all that great cost / folowynge wyse counsell.
	A playne exsample / now ye may take
	Of this myghty kynges doughter dere
	Whiche for the loue of god / dyd forsake
1795	All suche vayne pleasures / and garmentes clere
	She gaue herselfe / to penaunce and prayere
	Wherfore fayre ladyes / do way suche vantye
	Prepare yourselfe / to vertue and humylyte.
	Some of lowe byrthe / excellynge theyr degre
1800	Done couet to haue / as royall ryche vesture
	Worldly honours / also the sufferaynte
	As they were ladyes / by lyne of nature
	Of dredefull mysery / they bere the fygure
	Prowde as a Pecocke / whelynge full bryght
1805	All is but vanyte / contentynge the syght.
	O Gloryous vyrgyn / replete with synguler grace
	Endowed with souerayne gyftes celestyall
	Refusynge voyde pleasures / whan thou had space
	And honours transytory / whiche hath brought in thrall
1810	A thousande persones / in ruyne to fall
sig: [F3v]
	A myrrour thou arte / of vyrgynall clennes
	Of true obedyence / and perfyte mekenes.
	So Werburge professed / to her rule full ryght
	A redolent floure / all vertue to augment
1815	As Lucyfer shynynge / a clere lampe of lyght
	For whome her spouse / god[es] sone omnypotent godes] god 1521
	Shewed many myracles / to euery pacyent
	A sygne her loue was / supernaturall
	Closed in our lorde / by grace supernall.
1820	The excellent goodnes / of this moynes
	And fame of vertue / with humylyte
	Transcended all other / in perfyte holynes
	So that sundry persones / approched that party
	For ghostly conforte / counsell and remedy
1825	Suche as to her came / pensyue / woo / and sadde
	Departed ioyfull / in soule mery and gladde.
	She dayly prouyded / for ghostly treasure
	To buylde her a place / a sure mansyon
	Euer to remayne / with ioye and endure
1830	In pleasure perpetuall / without corrupcyon
	Whiche she optayned / by her deuocyon
	After this departure / to reygne as a presydent
	In eterne blys / with god omnypotent
	¶A lytell treatyse of the lyfe of saynt Audry abbesse of Ely / and of her holy co[n]uersacyon conuersacyon] couersacyon 1521 and great deuocyon / vnder whome saynt Werburge was made nonne / and professed. Ca .xviii.
sig: [F4]
	THe yere of our lorde .vi.C.ix. and thyrty
1835	Regned saynt Anna / kynge of eest_Englande
	Whiche maryed saynt Hereswith / of the North party
	They had noble yssue / as we vnderstande
	Prynce Aldulph and Iurwyne / in story as is founde
	Saynt Sexburge the quene / and blessed Audry
1840	Saynt Ethelberge / Withburge / a holy progeny.
	This blessed Audry / called Etheldred
	Of two great kyngedomes / lynyally descendynge
	Was borne in Suffolke / as sayth saynt Bede
	In a lytell vyllage / called Exmynge Exmynge: recte Exnynge (Horstmann)
1845	This noble prynces / and dere derlynge
	With many great vertues / of grace illumynate
	Magnyfyed her parage / and royall astate.
	This blessed Audry / from her yonge aege
	Was dysposed euer / vnto sadnes
1850	Obedyent lowly / vnto her parentage
	Encreasynge in vertue / and constaunt sobrynes
	Worldely pleasures / dysportes / and wantonnes
	Lyghtnes of language / and all presumpcyon
	In this sayd vyrgyn / had no domynacyon.
1855	Sad and demure / she was in countenaunce
	Nothynge enclyned / vnto fragylyte
	Benynge and pacyent / without perturbaunce
	Meke / curteys / gentyll / full of humylyte
	Pryde / statelenes / and sensualyte
1860	Were not in her founde / by any condycyon
	Curteyse in byhauour / vnto euery persone.
sig: [F4v]
	No man was greued / nor toke dyspleasure
	At this sayd mayden / in her fathers hall
	Euery honest persone / and reasonable creature
1865	Were pleased with her / bothe one and all
	None dyscontent / pryuate nor generall
	She was so meke / and full of pacyence
	That people desyred / to come to her presence.
	She was beauteous / fayre and amyable
1870	Pleasaunte to beholde / in gyftes of nature
	Her countenaunce comly / swete / louely / and stable
	Nothynge dysposed / vnto worldely pleasure
	More lyke an angell / by all coniecture
	Than a fragyll mayde / of sensuall appetyte
1875	For in vayne pleasures / she had no delyte.
	Whan that she came / to yeres of dyscrecyon
	Dyuers her moeued / in way of maryage
	Some offered ryches / royalte / and renowne
	Some other possessyons / landes and herytage
1880	And some the sufferaynte / her mynde to asswage
	All these she refused / for the loue of Ihesu
	To whome she auowed / her chastyte full tru.
	After that Uenus / had her longe assayled
	To peruerte her mynde / to worldly affeccyon
1885	And of all nettes and engynes / therof had fayled
	Than came to her presence / a prynce of renowne
	Called duke Tombert / of the eest regyon
	Whiche longe desyred / to haue her in spousage
	At the laste optayned / the wyll of her parentage.
sig: G1
1890	Unto whiche thynge / [s]he wolde neuer enclyne she] he 1521
	For all the mocyon / of her hye parentes
	Tyll she was assured / by heuenly doctryne
	To kepe her vyrgynyte / clere in conscyens
	Than she consented / without concupyscens
1895	And with the sayd duke / she lyued in chastyte
	Bothe mayden and wyfe / almost yeres thre.
	After whose dethe / she remayned in Ely
	In fastynge / prayer / vygyls / and penaunce
	Whiche place was gyuen / to her Ioynt and dowry
1900	By Tombert her husbande / with great pleasaunce
	This yle of Ely / by deuyne purueaunce
	With muddy waters / is compased aboute
	Theyr enemyes to greue / and strongely to holde out.
	Thyder came Eg[fryde] / kynge of the north parte Egfryde] Egbyrct 1521
1905	To desyre saynt Audry / in matrymony
	To whome she wolde neuer / consent in herte
	For no maner counseyll / that myght be done truly
	Tho her syster Sexburge / moeued her tenderly
	Tyll the angell of god / assured her to be
1910	Quene / wyfe / and mayde / kepynge vyrgynyte.
	Than Audry graunted / maryed for to be
	Unto this foresayd / noble kynge Egfryde
	And at the maryage / was great solempnyte
	Tryumphes honoures / on euery syde
1915	Great cost and royalte / they dyd prouyde
	Frome Ely departed / vnto his owne place
	In the North parte dwellynge / with great solace
sig: [G1v]
	By the grace of our lorde god / moost of myght
	And helpe of his mother / blessed mayd mary
1920	By prayer of Audry / and by myracle ryght
	Togyder they lyued / bothe in pure chastyte
	The naturall mocyon / of his lascyuyte
	Was shortly slaked / and feruent desyre
	By myracle / as water quencheth the fyre.
1925	Whan he apperceyued / her asured constaunce
	Her perfyte holynes / and chast contynence
	His herte reiosed / of her contynuaunce
	Of whome she desyred / with humble reuerence
	And synguler supplycacyon / to haue fre lysence
1930	At Canwod abbay / to enter relygyon
	Whiche the kynge graunted / for her deuocyon.
	Saynt Ebba syster / vnto saynt Oswolde
	Was abbesse and ruler / of that congregacyon
	Where blessed Audry / ryght as she wolde
1935	Was reuerently receyued / into relygyon
	And after the yere / of her probacyon
	Professed there was / by bysshop Wylfryde
	Where all worldly honours / she set on syde.
	Frome thens she departed / to the yle of Ely
1940	More quyetly to lyue / out of busynesse
	For drede of the kynge / her husbande truly
	Purposynge to take her / frome that holynesse
	She toke two maydens / with her doubtlesse
	And in theyr Iournay / our lorde of his grace
1945	Shewed dyuers myracles / at eche restynge-place.
sig: G2
	The archebysshop of yorke / Wylfryde her confessour
	Was depryued frome his benefyce / by the kynge cruelly
	Obserued pacyence / laudynge our sauyour
	And folowed saynt Audry / to the place of Ely
1950	Whiche (as afore is sayd) was her Ioynt and dowry
	And electe her abbesse / on that congregacyon
	Moost worthy to be / for her holy conuersacyon.
	Where Audry buylded / a chyrche of our lady
	With helpe of kynge Aldulph / her brother naturall
1955	Dystaunt a myle / frome the olde monastery
	Founded by saynt Austyn / for meryte spyrytuall
	Whiche place all desolate / she edyfyed full specyall
	By her prouysyon / an-other noble monastery
	The yere of grace / syxe hyndreth seuenty and thre.
1960	Whan the werke was ended / as her wyll was
	She endowed the abbay / with fraunches and lyberte
	And gaue the hole yle of Ely / to that place
	With all commodytes / profettes / and yssues fre
	Frome all exaccyons / exempte clerely to be
1965	Of kynge and bysshop / confyrmed it at Rome
	With all prelates and prynces / consentynge of this regyon.
	In short tyme and space / to Audry dyd resorte
	Relygyous men and women / a great company
	Professed in that place / for theyr ghostly conforte
1970	Renounsynge vayne pleasures / and honours transsytory
	Amonge whome saynt Werburge / professed solemply
	Promysed in audyence / to lyue a lyfe monestycall
	After saynt Benettes rule / for the lyfe eternall.
sig: [G2v]
	Also the yere of grace / syxe hundreth seuenty and nyne
1975	In the moneth of Iulii / in the nynth kalendas
	To heuen departed / saynt Audry the quene
	Then reygnynge in Kent / kynge Lothary by grace
	Aldulph in eest_Englande / her brother whiche was
	Kynge [Eg]fryde her husbande / in Northumberlande Egfryde] Offryde 1521
1980	Also kynge Ethelrede / than reygnynge in Mercelande
	¶A breue rehersal of þ e lyfe of saynt Sexburge / graund-mother to saynt Werburge. And of her comynge to Ely to her syster Audry from Shepay monastery. Ca .xix.
	THe holy matrone / and quene saynt Sexburge
	A kynges doughter / and moder to kynges twayne
	Syster to saynt Audry / and graundmother to Werburge
	Of noble parentage / is comen certayne
1985	Of two realmes descendynge / lynyally and playne
	By her father / from the realme of eest_Englande
	And by her mother / frome Northumberlande.
	Her father saynt Anna / as sayth myne auctour
	Was kynge of the eest parte / sone to Egnicius
1990	Whiche Anna was maryed / with moche honour
	To Hereswith / doughter to kynge Herericius
	And syster to saynt Hylde / the vyrgyn gracyous
	To whome saynt Edwyn / the gloryous martyr
	Kynge of Northumberlande / was great-graundfather.
1995	This sayd kynge Anna / lyued a longe space
	In welthe / worshyp / honour / and prosperyte
	With his quene Hereswith / by synguler grace
	Obseruynge Iustyce / pacyence / and equyte
sig: G3
	Kepte the preceptes / of god almyghte
2000	Mercyfull and lyberall / to the poore in payne
	Whiche kynge by Penda / was murdred and slayne.
	As the ryuer passeth / oftetymes the heed-fountayne
	The lytell graffe or ympe / transcendeth the tree
	Lykewyse theyr chyldren / encresed certayne
2005	In mekenes / pacyence / and perfyte charyte
	Aboue theyr parentes / in vertue and benygnyte
	So that theyr name / lynage / and hye astate
	By them was magnyfyed / praysed and decorate.
	Kynge Anna and Hereswith / had a noble yssue
2010	Syxe goodly chyldren / pleasaunt to beholde
	None fayrer in this lande / myndynge all vertue
	And to all good maners / dysposed manyfolde
	Yet was theyr fayrenes / not equall to be tolde
	To theyr deuocyon / and synguler goodnes
2015	Whose names expressed / ben afore doubtles.
	Sexburge the eldest / of the systers all
	Instructe by her parentes / in vertuous dyscyplyne
	Folowynge theyr counsell / in herte full specyall
	Prepared her soule / after theyr doctryne
2020	For aboue the age / of so yonge a femynyne For: =Far, OED
	So that euery day / by grace and wysdome
	In her dyd growe / some plant of deuocyon.
	In all this realme / dylated was her fame
	That whan she approched / vnto lawfull aege
2025	Prynces / dukes / erles / herynge of her name
	Desyred to haue Sexburge / in maryage
sig: [G3v]
	And busyly laboured / vnto her parentage
	This mayd was maryed / with honour full excellent
	Unto Ercombert / the noble kynge of Kent.
2030	To whome kynge Ethelbryct / graundfather was
	The fyrst chrysten kynge / of Saxons and chefe floure
	Baptysed by saynt Austyn / thrughe heuenly grace
	He was to holy chyrche / a specyall benefactour
	Monasteryes and pryores / founded with great honoure
2035	Kynge Eadbalde his sone / exemple of hym toke
	Whiche was father to Ercombert / as sayth my boke.
	This lady Sexburge / cyrcumfulsed with grace cyrcumfulsed: ='shone around' (L. circumfulgere)
	After her desyre / and vertuous entent
	Had leuer the monastery / than the fayre palace
2040	The chyrche to vysyte / than with maryage be lent
	But to her parentes / she was euer obedyent
	Folowynge theyr counseyll / and of her frendes dere
	In lawfull maryage / toke the sayd kynge her fere.
	A noble generacyon / she hadde by the kynge
2045	Egbryct and Lothary / two prynces prepotent
	And two holy doughters / in vertue shynynge
	Ermenylde and Erkengode / by lynyall descent
	This Ermenylde maryed / with honour equyualent
	Unto kynge Uulfer / had a royall yssue
2050	The gloryous Werburge / replete with vertue.
	Her syster Erkengode / refused vtterly
	Honours / worshyp / and worldly possessyon
	Ryches / maryage / and pleasures transytory
	Went vnto Fraunce / with humble deuocyon
sig: G4
2055	At the Cytee of Burges / entred relygyon
	Where Ethelberge her aunt / was ruler and abbesse
	Togyder they lyued / in perfyte holynesse.
	This honorable Sexburge / and blessed matrone
	Refusynge worldly honours / and solempnyte
2060	Preferred mekenesse / and perfyte deuocyon
	Aboue all ryches / power and dygnyte
	Auoyded ambycyon / obserued humylyte
	Upon poore people / euer had compassyon
	And them releued / with due mynystracyon.
2065	She made her palace / manytymes an hospytall
	Her pryuate cubycle / a deuoute oratory
	As a kynde mother amyable / in courte and in hall
	Mekely fulfylled / the seuen werkes of mercy
	Oftetymes in the chyrche / selde amonge company
2070	Yet euer whan she myght / haue tyme and space
	Magnyfyed and praysed / our lorde in secrete place.
	She instructe her husbande / in ghostly vertu
	To great lolynesse / and synguler perfeccyon
	So by her counseyll / with the grace of Ihesu
2075	Frome infydelyte / purged was that regyon
	Destroyed theyr ydolles / theyr sectes euerychone
	Restaured temples / vnto chrystes honour
	Founded monasteryes / by her cost and labour.
	The kynge by her mocyon / commaunded straytly
2080	All his people and subiectes / vpon sharpe correccyon
	To obserue prayer / and penaunce deuoutely
	And truly for to fast / the holy tyme of Lenton
sig: [G4v]
	The archbysshop Theodorus / and fathers of relygyon
	Consyderynge her pacyence / and benygnyte
2085	Reioysed in her dedes / and praysed the trynyte.
	Whan the famous Ercombert / the sayd kynge of Kent
	Foure and twenty yere had reygned / in honour full royall
	With blessed Sexburge / his quene excellent
	Than he departed / frome this lyfe mortall
2090	The quene prepared / the obsequyes funerall
	With great lamentacyon / and great royalte
	As was conuenyent / for his state and degre.
	After that Sexburge / refused worldely pleasure
	Entred relygyon / professed chastyte
2095	At Shepay monastery / in Kent full sure
	Buylded at her cost / full honorable
	After electe Abbesse / and ruler of that companye
	To whome she was / a myrrour of mekenes
	And exemple of vertue / and proued holynes.
2100	As she was occupyed / in medytacyon
	An heuenly messanger / to her was sent
	Shewynge how for synne / and transgressyon
	Englande shulde suffer / great punysment
	And be subdued / with greuous torment
2105	Wherfore she lefte / in good rule that place
	And dyd electe to them / an-other abbace.
	Sexburge toke lycence / of her systers all
	Commendynge them / vnto the trynyte
	And so departed / fro her chyldren spyrytuall
2110	With labour attayned / to the hous of Elye
sig: [G5]
	There to be subiecte / to Her syster Audrye
	And to her doctryne / apply her entent
	Unto relygyon / euer founde obedyent.
	Saynt Audry was gladde / of her systers comynge
2115	In lyke maner / were all the hole congregacyon
	With myrthes and solace / in soule reioysynge
	To haue the presence / of so worthy a persone
	There lyued togyder / in perfyte deuocyon
	Tyll blessed Audry / frome this lyfe mortall
2120	Departed was / to the lyfe eternall.
	After whose buryall / Sexburge was electe
	To be abbesse and ruler / ouer that couent
	Whiche to all vertue / her mynde dyd erecte
	And the .xvi. yere after / with labours dylygent
2125	She translate saynt Audry / that noble presydent
	Beynge hole incorrupte / also substancyall
	In body and in vesture / by grace supernall.
	¶How saynt Ermenylde after the dethe of kynge Uulfer her husbande was made a nonne at Ely / vnder her mother saynt Sexburge abbesse / and Werburge her deuoute doughter. Ca .xx.
	OF Mercyens the kynge / whan the foresayd Uulfere
	Had regned in honour / worshyp and royalte
2130	With saynt Ermenylde his quene / fully .xvii. yere
	Unto euerlastynge blysse / departed than he
	And buryed was / with moche solempnyte
	In Lychefelde chyrche / after hym there dyd succede
	In-to the kyngdome / his brother Ethelrede.
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2135	The quene for her husbande / made great lamentacyon
	Dolefully lamentynge / nyght and day his departure
	As nature enquyred / endurynge a longe season
	Remayned in wydohode / and mournynge vesture
	Yet after all heuynesse / penaunce / and dysconfyture
2140	She reioysed in soule / to be at lyberte
	Entendynge relygyon / by grace of the trynyte.
	Soone she departed / to the hous of Ely
	Refusynge this worlde / pleasures possessyon
	Instauntly requyred / with perfyte humylyte
2145	To be a moynes / accepte in relygyon
	Gladde was the abbesse / of her conuersyon
	And thanked our lorde / of his specyall grace
	So dyd all the systers / within the sayd place.
	Her naturall mother / blessed Sexburge
2150	That tyme was lady / and chefe presydent
	There was professed / her doughter Werburge
	An exemple of mekenes / to all the couent
	Ermenylde thanked god / and was obedyent
	To her mother Sexburge / a myrrour of vertu
2155	Also to her doughter / the spouses of Ihesu.
	It passeth mannes reason / playnly to expresse
	Her vertuous lyfe / and ghostly conuersacyon
	In prayer / penaunce / and proued mekenesse
	In perfyte obedyence / and synguler deuocyon
2160	In vygyls / abstynence / and in hye perfeccyon
	The cotydyane labours / her body to chastyce
	That her soule may be / to god true sacryfyce.
sig: [G6]
	Bycause that Werburge / in order was senyoure
	Her mother Ermenylde / gaue her the sufferaynte
2165	Preferrynge her doughter / with mekenes and honoure
	But yet her doughter / of a naturall amyte
	Preferred her mother / with humble senyoryte
	And so bytwene them / was a swete contencyon
	Wheder shulde more subiecte be / to other in relygyon.
2170	Afore whan Ermenylde / was vnder maryage
	Unto holy matrones / she was comparable
	Sara / Rebecca / Rachell / and Sybell sage
	And saynt Elysabeth / with other mo honorable
	Now in relygyon / she is moost notable
2175	Knowen by her vertues / and sadde dysposycyon
	What vnder matrymony / was her intencyon.
	Ermenylde subdued / by synguler deuyne grace
	All fragyll mocyons / and sensualyte
	Lyke maner as Iudyth / Olofernes slayne hace
2180	She mortyfyed all pleasures / lustes and volupte
	Lykewyse as Iaell / dyd the prynce Sysare
	A duches of vertue / as whylom was Delbora
	Used the oratory / in prayer as dyd Anna.
	After the departure / and wofull buryall
2185	Of Sexburge her mother / abbesse and lady
	Her doughter Ermenylde / the blessed monyall
	Was chosen abbesse / and ruler of Ely
	As sheweth dan Wyllyam / of Maluysbury
	How fyrst was Audry / than Sexburge her syster
2190	Afterwarde was abbesse / Ermenylde her doughter.
sig: [G6v]
	The lyfe of Ermenylde / was euer vertuous
	Pleasaunt to god / and her systers euerychone
	In the syght of god / her dethe was precyous
	Playnly notyfyed / by her conuersacyon
2195	She vertuously gouerned / her congregacyon
	Frome this lyfe departed / to eternall glory
	As sayth her legende / the Idus of February.
	And buryed was / with moche lamentacyon
	In the holy monastery / and house of Ely
2200	Amonge her parentage / and congregacyon
	Where she is shryned / with her aunt saynt Audry
	And with her mother / saynt Sexburge rychely
	For whome our sauyour / of his specyall grace
	Sheweth dayly myracles / in that sayd place.
2205	One of the myracles / we shall now rehers
	Our lorde for her shewed / at Ely abbay
	After her translacyon / the story dothe expres
	It fortuned in Whytson-weke / vpon a thursday
	An Englysshman was bounden / in wofull aray
2210	Fetered with yrons / bothe on handes and fete
	Wrongfully accused / as ye may all wete.
	By instaunt request / he gate hym lycence
	To vysyte the tombe / of saynt Ermenylde
	Whome he requyred / with humble reuerence
2215	And meke petycyon / frome the herte full mylde
	To be delyuered / and fully reconsylde
	Whose humble desyre / and synguler supplycacyon
	Was fully graunted / to his consolacyon.
sig: [G7]
	At this tyme / whan this holy man was prayenge
2220	Whan the Deken redde the holy gospell
	By meane of Ermenylde / to our lorde and kynge
	Frome his handes and fete / the yrons done fell
	By grace aboue nature / merueylously to tell
	That the sayd yrons in syght of all the bretherne
2225	Sprange vp sodenly / and lyght vpon the aulter.
	¶ Aliud miraculum.
	AN-other myracle / declare now may we
	Done at the sayd Ely / by this holy matrone
	In presence of the pryor / and all the fraternyte
	Whiche pryor of this mater / had best notycyon
2230	A scole-mayster of Innocentes / after the custome
	Gaue lysence / vpon saynt Ermenyldes day
	To all his chyldren / to sport them in play.
	Whan the feest / and solempnyte was done
	The yonge tender chyldren / wanton and neclygent
2235	Dredynge theyr mayster / for fere of correccyon
	To the holy shryne / they assembled full dylygent
	Trustynge therby of pardon / after theyr entent
	Desyred theyr mayster / for saynt Ermenyldes sake
	To pardon theyr trespas / and no dyspleasure take.
2240	The mayster fulfylled / with hastynes and e[nu]y
	Toke them frome the tombe / with great indygnacyon
	Without dyscrecyon / punysshed them greuously
	Gyuynge no honour / to the saynt ne deuocyon
	Rebuked them sore / sayenge with insultacyon
2245	Trowe ye to be spared / from punyshment this day
	For saynt Ermenyldes sake / nay nay do way.
sig: [G7v]
	After all this done / the nexte nyght folowynge
	Whan the sayd mayster / to his bedde was gone
	His great vnkyndenes / saynt Ermenylde remembrynge
2250	Rewar[d]ed hym Iustly / after his guerdon Rewarded] Rewarned 1521
	His handes and his fete / prompte to persecucyon
	Were sodenly smytten / made lame / contracte also
	No power had to ryse / to moeue nor to go.
	This sodayne punysshement / langour / confusyon
2255	Vexed hym greuously in all his body
	Moost terryble of all / of helthe desperacyon
	Inwardly hym troubled / with peynes horryble
	But yet by grace / he thought best remedy
	Sende for his chyldren / vpon the other day
2260	Humble asked them pardon / in a wofull aray.
	Desyrynge his scolers / for loue and charyte
	To cary hym moost carefull / to her sepulture
	To requyre for hym grace / helthe and prosperyte
	Of god and saynt Ermenylde / with all theyr cure
2265	They toke hym tenderly / ye may me leue full sure
	Amonge them all / with mynde dylygent
	And brought to the shryne / this wretched impotent.
	They prayed for hym / to our blessed sauyour
	And to saynt Ermenylde / a longe tyme and space
2270	Knelynge on theyr knees / wepynge full sore
	In prayer and psalmody / for his helthe and solace
	And so contynuynge / by our lordes great grace
	He that afore was lame / bothe on fote and hande
	Restored to helthe / departed hole and sounde.
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	¶How kynge Ethelrede seynge the holy conuersacyon of Werburge his nece / made her lady and abbesse at Wedon / Trentam / and Humbury Humbury: recte Hambury (Horstmann) . And by her counseyll and exsample was made monke at Bardeney abbay. Ca .xxi.
2275	THe famous prynce / and foresayd Ethelrede
	Brother to kynge Uulfer / as lawfull enherytour
	To the sayd kyngedome / dyd nexte hym succede
	Electe of his peeres / with worshyp and honour
	Permytted by his chyrche / to be theyr gouernour
2280	Bycause prynce Kenrede / his brother-sone
	Was yonge and not able / to rule his kyngdome.
	This sayd kynge Ethelrede / clerely consyderynge
	With due cyrcumstaunce / the hye perfeccyon
	Of Werburge his nece / and vertuous lyuynge
2285	Her great holynesse / and ghostly conuersacyon
	Dayly encresynge / with feruent deuocyon
	The excellent fame / and myracles full ryght
	Shewed by our sauyour / bothe day and nyght.
	These good exsamples / grounded in vertu
2290	Moeued kynge Ethelrede / in soule and in mynde
	And clerely conuerted / throwe the grace of Ihesu
	To despyse this worlde / wretched and blynde
	Pryncypally by grace / wryten as we fynde
	For her great goodnes / and vertues excellent
2295	He made her lady / ruler / and presydent.
	Ouer all the nonnes / of euery monastery
	Within his realme / to gouerne and to guyde
	To instructe and informe / and to exemplyfy
sig: [G8v]
	To encrese deuocyon / vpon euery syde
2300	Uertue to exalte / to subdue vyce and pryde
	That holy relygyon / pleasaunt to chryst_Ihesu
	Myght dayly encrese / frome vertu to vertu.
	Also he gaue Werburge / great possessyon
	Landes / and rentes / ryches withall
2305	To edyfy and repayre / places of relygyon
	After her desyre / with fauour specyall
	Wherwith she buylded / famous memoryall
	Two fayre monasteryes / Trentam and Humbury Humbury: recte Hambury (Horstmann)
	Possessed with rentes / landes / and lyberte.
2310	Also by sufferaunce / of the sayd kynge truly
	She translate the kynges maner of Wedon
	Whiche was in Hamptonshyre / vnto a monastery
	Of holy women / obseruynge relygyon
	Suffycyently endowed / with lybertes / possessyon
2315	Of whiche sayd places / she had the gouernaunce
	As worthy maystres / all vertue to auaunce.
	The yere of grace / syxe hundreth foure score and nyen
	As sheweth myne auctour / a Bryton Giraldus
	Kynge Ethelred / myndynge moost the blysse of heuen
2320	Edyfyed a collage-chyrche / notable and famous
	In the subbarbes of Chester / pleasaunt and beauteous
	In the honour of god / and the Baptyst saynt Iohan
	With helpe of bysshop Uulfryce / and good exortacyon.
	Also at the humble / and synguler supplycacyon
2325	Of blessed Egwyn / bysshop of worcestur
	This kynge gaue a place / for a fundacyon
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	To buylde a monastery / to relygyous brethur
	At Eu[e]s[h]am_vpon_Auen / for heuenly tresur Euesham] Eusam 1521
	With a large precynct / to compas all the abbay
2330	More quyetly to serue / our sauyour nyght and day.
	After this tyme / Ethelrede the kynge
	By his counseyll maryed / a beautefull lady
	Called quene Ostryde / a woman of good lyuynge
	Borne in the North parte / doughter to kynge Oswy
2335	To whome saynt Oswalde / was vncle truly
	The yssue bytwene them / after to succede
	Was a noble prynce / nomynate Colrede.
	Agaynst his enemyes / the kynge gate vyctory
	Fortunate in batayle / sore oppressed Kent
2340	In all this regyon / famous was his chyualry
	Namely he subdued / at the water of Trent
	Egfryde of Northumberlande / a kynge auncyent
	His brother-in-lawe / whan Egfryde agaynst reason
	Entred his landes / by subtyll intrusyon.
2345	But after that Ostryde / his quene was slayne
	By people of the North parte / moost cruelly
	The kynge frome that tyme / by grace certayne
	Chaunged his maners / and lyuynge dayly
	Frome temporall cures / and busynesse worldly
2350	To ghostly werkes / and contemplacyon
	Sekynge for heuen / with pure deuocyon.
	Specyally he folowed / saynt Werburge counsell
	Usynge hym after / her swete ghostly doctryne
	The clere exsamples / as we afore dyd tell
sig: [H1v]
2355	Moeued his conscyence / to ghostly dyscyplyne
	With suche contrycyon / by specyall grace deuyne
	That all vayne pleasures / and honours transytory
	Were clere expulsed / and put out of memory.
	This kynge refused / his septre and crowne
2360	Clothes of Tyshew / and purpull full royall
	With ryches / lybertes / pleasures / possessyon
	For the loue of Ihesu / in herte pryncypall pryncypall] pryncaypall 1521
	And for the meryte / of his soule-helthe withall
	So whan he had reygned / nyne and twenty yere
2365	He chaunged his habyte / sayth the story clere.
	At a relygyous place / nomynate Bardenay
	In Lyncolne_shyre / vnder his domynyon
	Synguler byloued / of hym alway
	Desyred the habyte / with meke supplycacyon
2370	And was receyued / professynge relygyon
	Euer after to obserue / the essencyals thre
	Obedyence / chastyte / and wylfull pouerte.
	He assygned his crowne / and temporall dygnyte
	Unto prynce Kenrede / his brother-sone
2375	As true enherytour / to haue regalyte
	For in pure obedyence / prayer and medytacyon
	Ethelrede encresed / with feruent deuocyon
	And as declareth / wyllyam of Maluysbury
	After was made abbot / of the sayd monastery.
	¶The holy conuersacyon of kynge Kenred brother to saynt Werburge / and how he refused his crowne / and was made monke at Rome / and ther departed a holy confessour. Ca .xxii.
sig: H2
2380	SO whan kynge Ethelrede / by heuenly grace Ethelrede] Etheldrede 1521
	At Bardenay abbay / professed relygyon
	Than prynce Kenrede / his successour was
	And toke the Empyre / the septre and the crowne
	With moche worshyp / royalte / and renowne
2385	As nexte of inherytaunce / by law naturall
	To be kynge of Mercyens / by dyscent lynyall.
	This noble kynge Kenrede / replete with vertu
	Brother to Werburge / obserued truly
	The commaundymentes of god / and his lawes moost tru
2390	Obedyent to our sauyour / and lorde almyghty
	Loued holy chyrche / moost tenderly
	Mynystred Iustyce / to his subiectes all
	Mercyfull to the poore / pyteous and lyberall.
	In all his realme / was no dyuersyte
2395	Malyce was subdued / rancour and debate
	Uertue encreased / true loue and charyte
	Enuy was exyled / and all pryuy hate
	Thefte / murthur / robry / were founde at no gate
	True men myght lyue / without vexacyon
2400	Pollers / promoters / had no domynacyon.
	He gaue to our sauyour / and bysshop Egwyn
	For ghostly meryte / with moche honoure
	Of tenementes and landes / playnely to determyne
	Within worceturshyre .iiii. score and foure
2405	To maynteyne the monastery / spoken of before
	Euesham_vpon_Auen / byfore lawfull wytnes
	As the legende of Egwyn / truly dothe expres.
sig: [H2v]
	To the courte of Rome / kynge Kenred went
	So dyd Offa kynge / of the eest Saxons
2410	Also bysshop Egwyn / by one assent
	Deuoutly to vysyte / all the hole stacyons
	Of the cytee of Rome / with humble supplycacyons
	Thankynge our lorde / of his mercy
	Hath them preserued / and all theyr company.
2415	This holy bysshop / and kynge Kenrede
	Offered to our holy father / pope boneface
	With mekenes deuocyon / for ghostly mede
	Afore his collage / wytnes in that case
	The foresayd monastery / and relygyous place
2420	Frome that day euer after / to be clerely exempte
	To the popes holynes / immedyatly obedyent.
	Whan they had optayned / perfyte expedycyon
	Of all theyr bulles / after theyr entent
	They toke lycence / and had the popes beneson
2425	And towarde Englande / retourned and went
	Praysynge our lorde / with herte and loue feruent
	For theyr good spede / and prosperous Iournay
	Preserued in good helthe / all to theyr countray.
	After all this done / Kenrede the sayd kynge
2430	Commaunded to be had / a counseyll generall
	By letters myssyue / his peeres and lordes cytynge
	Shortly to be present / with hym one and all
	As well the spyrytualte / as the temporall
	The Seyn was kepte / at a place called Alue
2435	And thyder assembled / his prelates of degre.
sig: H3
	Berthtunaldus / the archebysshop of Canturbury
	The archbysshop of yorke / called Wylfryde
	With bysshops / suffreganes / archdekens many
	Dukes / erles / barons / vpon euery syde
2440	Knyghtes / esquyers / and comunes that tyde
	Were redy to knowe / the kynges mynde and pleasure
	Well ordred in place / and scylence kepte sure.
	This gloryous Kenrede / crowned with golde
	Clothed in purpull / rose vp fro his place
2445	After due salutacyon / the cause mekely he tolde
	Why he for them sende / and wherfore it was
	That they shulde testyfy / with hym in this case
	What landes he gaue / towarde the fundacyon
	Of the sayd monastery / with grete deuocyon.
2450	And how for that abbay / he went to Rome
	And made the place subiecte / immedyatly
	To our father boniface / and gate an exempcyon
	For euer to remayne / to the sayd monastery
	With pardons and pryuyleges / there redde openly
2455	And many other benefytes / of great commodyte
	Wryten in theyr grauntes / who lyst them to se.
	Requyrynge the lordes / spyrytuall and temporall
	To graunte to the same / with good entent
	And it to confyrme / and roborate specyall
2460	With charters and dedes / and seales patent
	To whose petycyon / they dyd all consent
	Made confyrmacyons / and grauntes them amonge
	With a terryble sentence / who dothe the place wronge.
sig: [H3v]
	Kynge Kenrede consyderynge / the great holynes
2465	Of his noble parentes / his vncles euerychone
	Theyr royall progeny / the sufferaunt goodnes sufferaunt: =sovereign
	From this lyfe transytory / to heuen agone
	Namely the vertue / and feruent deuocyon
	Of his syster Werburge / and his auntes all
2470	Moeued his mynde / to seke for lyfe eternall.
	And as saynt Bede sayth / whan this noble kynge
	Had regned fyue yere / in great prosperyte
	He forsoke this worlde / and chaunged his lyuynge
	Refusynge his crowne / septre / and dygnyte
2475	All vayne honours / ryches and regalyte
	And made his vncles sone / prynce Coelrede
	To take his empyre / after hym to succede.
	So with all gentylnes / and humylyte
	The kynge of his subiectes / toke leue specyall
2480	Commendynge his people / to the trynyte
	Them to conserue / spyrytuall and temporall
	Of his departure / dolorous were they all
	Thus for the loue / of our sauyoure
	He refused this worlde / pleasures and honoure.
2485	And went to Rome agayne / the yere of grace
	Seuen hundreth and eyght / by full computacyon
	Uysytynge the stacyons / frome place to place
	There was professed / to saynt Benettes relygyon
	Used vygyls / fastynges / prayer / medytacyon
2490	Where this holy monke / frome this lyfe transytory
	With vertu departed / to eternall glory.
sig: [H4]
	¶Of þ e feruent and ghostly deuocyon of saynt Werburge / and vertuous gouernaunce of her places / and of þ e great humilite she vsed to her sisters / and al other creatures. Ca .xxiii.
	THis venerable Werburge / and moynes gracyous
	For her great vertue / and perfyte holynesse
	Electe to be gouernour / ouer the nonnes relygeous
2495	By her vncle kynge Ethelrede / of his goodnesse
	Ouer dyuers monasteryes (as is sayd) expresse
	Was consecrate abbesse / and lady gracyous
	By the bysshop of Lychefelde / nomynat Sexwulfus.
	And thus she departed / fro the hous of Ely
2500	Wherin she vsed / heuenly medytacyon
	With lycence optayned / in mynde sad and heuy
	So were the systers / and all the congregacyon
	Of her departure / knowynge her conuersacyon
	But as wolde charyte / they had great gladnes
2505	Knowynge by her vertue / relygyon to encres.
	The spouses of Ihesu / and floure of benygnyte
	Consyderynge her-selfe / a lady and presydent
	Ordered her monasteryes: ryght well and wysele
	Receyued in systers / chast / humble / obedyent
2510	Ouer them made rulers / vertuous / and pacyent
	Her subiectes to instructe / and counseyll day and nyght
	Uertue to exalte / and vyce depryue aryght.
	This noble abbesse / remembrynge her duty
	What charge it is / to rule a congregacyon
2515	Humble requyred / the grace of god almyghty
	And dylygently prepared / to supple her rowme supple: =supply
sig: [H4v]
	Pryncypally she gaue / to them euerychone
	Perfyte exsample / of vertue in her dede
	With vertuous doctryne / the same to procede.
2520	A myrrour of mekenesse / she was to them all
	A floure of chastyte / and well of clennes
	The fruyte of obedyence / in her was specyall
	Refusynge vayne pleasures / honours and ryches
	Content with lytell / an exsample of lowlynes
2525	As dothe belonge / vnto wylfull pouerte
	Pryde had no resydence / but all humylyte.
	She was a mynyster / rather than a maystres
	Her great preemynence / caused no presumpcyon
	She was a handmayd / rather than a pryores
2530	Seruynge her systers / with humble subieccyon
	Subduynge her body / to penaunce and afflyccyon
	Subiecte to the soule / as reason wolde shulde be
	A true sacryfyce / offered to the trynyte.
	It was no merueyll / tho all her couent
2535	Under suche a ruler / encreased in vertu
	Seynge her exsample / afore them dayly present
	Euer augmentynge / throwe the helpe of Ihesu
	Worldy desyres / she clerely dyd subdue
	She neuer ware lynon / by day or by nyght
2540	All ryche vayne vestures / she set by them but lyght.
	In prayer medytacyon / the tyme she dyspent
	Proued: for euery nyght / longe afore matyns
	[S]he wolde vpryse / at an houre conuenyent She] The 1521
	And deuoutely say / afore our lordes presens
sig: I1
2545	Dauyd [ps]alter holly knelynge / with great reuerence psalter] spalter 1521
	Or that her systers / came to the oratory
	To say dyuyne seruyce / fyndynge her all-redy.
	At after matyns / she vsed contemplacyon
	Contynually abydynge / vnto the day-lyght
2550	Prostrate on the grounde / or knelynge in deuocyon
	Wepynge full tenderly / with teeres downe-ryght
	Many holy oraysons / she sayd day and nyght
	Pyteous / mercyable / and full of charyte full] fulll 1521
	To the poore people / in theyr necessyte.
2555	This lady obserued / suche sharpe abstynence
	That one dayly repast / wolde her well suffyse
	Delycate dysshe-meetes / were put out of her presence
	So nature were content / in moost humble wyse
	The Worde of god / was moost delycate seruyse
2560	Myndynge moche more / the soule to satysfy
	Than please and content / her enemy the body.
	These sayd exemples / with many other mo
	Pleasaunte vnto Ihesu / she taught her couent
	Them to preserue / frome theyr mortall fo
2565	By synguler vertue / grace to augment
	Her precepte and lyuynge / were euer corespondent
	She neuer commaunded syster / do any-thynge
	But it was fulfylled / in her owne doynge.
	She exorted her chyldren / euer to deuocyon
2570	With manyfolde doctrynes / ydlenes to exchewe
	Lyke a tender mother / had pyte and compassyon
	She dayly fedde them / and nourysshed in all vertue
sig: [I1v]
	And dylygently prayed / our sauyour Ihesu
	Them to preserue / of his infynyte grace
2575	Frome peryll of persyhynge / in blysse to se his face.
	Also the .xii. degrees / of humylyte
	Pacyence / quyetnes / and great perfeccyon
	Were well obserued / with true loue and charyte
	Amonge her systers / the hole congregacyon
2580	And the thre essencyals / of relygyon
	Wylfull pouerte / chastyte / and obedyence
	Were truly fulfylled / proued by the consequence.
	As for a pastyme / amonge her systers all
	She caused to be redde / auoydynge ydlenesse
2585	The swete legendary / for a memoryall
	And Uitas_patrum / shewynge great swetenesse
	With other narracyons / of grace and goodnesse
	Ofttymes to her couent / she had a comyn sayenge
	Please god and loue hym / and doubte ye nothynge.
2590	All reders excuse me / tho I can not expresse
	For lacke of lernynge / the vertues morall
	The hye perfeccyon / and proued holynesse
	Of this pure vyrgyn / and sanctymonyall
	Wherwith was decorate / her lyfe monestycall
2595	Manyfest with myracles / by meryte of her mekenesse
	As the true hystory / playnly dothe expresse.
	The worthy myracles / of this vyrgyn pure
	Dylated were / thrugh all this regyon
	By deuyne sufferaunce / aboue nature
2600	Profytable / to euery chrysten synguler persone
sig: I2
	In sekenesse / trouble / peyne or vexacyon
	Of her they haue refuge / helpe / and socoure
	By her merytes / and prayer / that euery honoure. 'that euery honoure': recte 'at euery houre' (cf. sig. N2)?
	Her merytes were / moche more commendable
2605	Than were her myracles / manyfest and playne
	For why by her merytes / famous and notable
	Sygnes and myracles / were shewed full playne
	In the house of Ely / by grace of our sufferayne
	And in euery place / where she kepte resydence
2610	Of whome parte folowen / in this rude sentence.
	¶How at Wedon wylde gees were pynned by her commaundyment / and also releshed and put at lyberte. Ca .xxiiii.
	THis holy vyrgyn / whan she dwelled at Wedon
	In Northamptonshyr[e] / with a deuoute couent Northamptonshyre] Northamptonshyrn 1521
	Whiche place somtyme / was the kynges mansyon
	Translated to an abbay / by her commaundyment
2615	A myracle was done / by this noble presydent
	As the true legende / playnly dothe vs say
	And all the inhabytauntes / vnto this present day.
	A great multytude / somtyme of wylde gees
	Comunely called Gauntes / made great des[truc]cyon destruccyon] descrypcyon 1521
2620	Upon her landes / pastures / waters / and feldes
	Deuourynge the cornes / and fruytes of Wedon
	Greuous to her subiectes / within that possessyon
	The people coude fynde / no suffycyent remedy.
	But shewed theyr complaynte / to Werburge theyr lady.
2625	Whan Werburge had herde / this greuous complayne
sig: [I2v]
	How the cornes were wasted / þ e tenauntes hurte therby
	Her herte was moeued / with charyte than certayne
	To saue her fruytes / and helpe her company
	Wherfore she commaunded a seruaunt go hastely
2630	To dryue those wylde gees / and brynge home to her place
	There to be pynned / and punysshed for theyr trespace.
	The messanger merueyled / and mused in his mynde
	Of this straunge message / stode styll in a study
	Knowynge it well / it passed course of kynde
2635	Wylde gees for to pynne / by any mannes polycy
	Syth nature hath ordeyned / suche byrdes to fly
	Supposynge his lady / had ben vnreasonable
	Commaundynge to do / a thynge vnpossyble.
	With wordes of conforte / she sayd to hym agayne
2640	Go in my name / do my commaundyment
	The seruaunt went forth / thynkynge all but vayne
	Unto the foldes / where the byrdes were lent
	And sayd his message / with mynde and good entent
	My lady commaundes you / byrdes euerychone
2645	Afore me to go / vnto her proper mansyone.
	A merueylous thynge / transcendynge nature
	Unto his wordes / the gees were obedyent
	Not one departed / fro thens ye may be sure
	Of all the nombre / that there were present
2650	Towarde her place / afore hym they went
	Mekely / as yf they had reason naturall
	Unto her presence / he brought the gauntes all.
	Dredefully darynge / comen now they be
sig: I3
	Theyr wynges traylynge / entred into the hall
2655	For great confusyon / after theyr kynde and propryte
	Mournynge in theyr maner / abydynge one and all
	Her wyll and Iudgment / with mercy specyall
	Lamentynge all nyght / there in captyuyte
	Tyll the morowe after / withouten lyberte.
2660	All that same nyght / Werburge dyd contynue
	In deuoute prayers / and ympnes celestyall
	After her olde custome / vsed in all vertue
	In the mornynge after / the byrdes that were thrall
	With hye voyces (as yf it were) on her dyd call
2665	For grace and pardon / of theyr offence
	And of departure / to haue fre lycence.
	Than she full pyteous / to euery creature
	Upon these byrdes hauynge compassyon
	Delyuered them / frome all daunger and cure
2670	Frely to departe / vnder this condycyon
	That none of them / vpon the lordshyp of Wedon
	Shulde make destruccyon / nor lyght by any way
	On cornes or fruytes / neuer after that day.
	Neuertheles a seruaunt / one of the gees dyd take
2675	And pryuely hydde it / agaynst iustyce and ryght
	Unknowynge to Werburge / suche brybry to make
	The byrdes departed / moost glad to take theyr flyght
	From theyr tender Iudge / but whan they sawe in syght
	One of theyr felawes / taken frome theyr company
2680	The sayd great nombre / of gees retourned hastely.
	They flewe ouer / this blessed vyrgyns hall
sig: [I3v]
	Mournynge and waylynge / after theyr entent
	And wolde not departe / but fast on her dyd call.
	Yet they durst not lyght / for drede of her commaundyment
2685	But in theyr maner and kynde they sayd / o swete presydent
	Why suffer ye suche wyckednes / done for to be
	Anendes our felawe / agaynst all ryght and charyte.
	Werburge went fyrst / to knowe wherfore and why
	These byrdes retourned / so hastely certayne
2690	By grace she perceyued / the cause of it truly
	And tryed out the truthe / of all the mater playne
	She restaured the byrde / to his felyshyp agayne
	And gaue them a lesson / or they went her fro
	How they shulde prayse / theyr maker and sufferayne
2695	Sayenge (benedicite volucres celi domino)
	But as Wyllyam_Maluysbury / sheweth expresse
	The goos that was taken / and stollen afore away
	Was rosted and eten / the same nyght doubtlesse
	So whan it was asked / for vpon the other day
2700	The bare bones were brough[t] / af[ore] this lady veray brought] brough 1521; afore] after 1521
	And there by the vertue / of her benedyccyon
	The byrde was restaured and flewe away full soone.
	Certaynly frome that tyme / vnto this present day
	As all the people knowe / dwellynge aboute Wedon
2705	The foresayd wylde gees / attempten by no way
	To hurte theyr fruytes / ne lyght in that possessyon
	No merueyll it is / remembrynge the deuocyon
	And true loue she had / to god omnypotent
	For vnto vertue / all-thynge is obedyent.
sig: I4
	¶How a tyraunt without pyte punyshynge an Innocent was punyshed / and after made hole. Ca .xxv.
2710	FOrther to declare / the pacyence and humylyte
	And the synguler grace / grounded in this abbas
	As in the true legende / playnly ye may se
	We shall parte rehers / to augment your solas
	Werburge had a seruaunte / whiche named was
2715	Alnotus a man / of meke conuersacyon
	Knowen by his merytes / after due probacyon.
	Also a baylyfe she had / a cruell tyraunt
	Whiche pyteously punysshed / without reason
	And wounded greuously / Alnot her seruaunt
2720	Without any greuaunce / at the place of Wedon
	Werburge for pyte / and great compassyon
	Afore this caytyfe / kneled on her knee
	Prayenge hym to cease / for loue of the trynyte.
	Sayenge why does thou punysshe / this innocent
2725	Causeles without mercy / whiche I byleue playne
	Is more acceptable / to our lorde omnypotent
	Than many other be / for his mekenesse certayne
	The baylyfe at her prayer / wolde not refrayne
	But punysshed hym styll / in his fury and pryde
2730	Tyll the vengeaunce of god / fell on hym that tyde.
	Incontynente his heed / his necke / and his face
	Were tourned backwarde / lyke a persone monstruous
	Contrary to nature / for his great trespace
	Crucyate with sorowe / and peynes hyduous
2735	Contynually encreasynge / to beholde pyteous
sig: [I4v]
	At the last remembred / of the best remedy
	Fell prostrate to the fete / of Werburge his lady.
	And cryed vpon her / with wofull chere
	Wepynge / lamentynge / his great inyquyte
2740	My louely lady / and maystres moost dere
	Helpe me swete abbesse / in this necessyte
	I haue offended god / now pray for me
	And I wyll neuer / endurynge all my lyfe
	Dysplease no more / man / mayde / ne wyfe.
2745	Whan Werburge consydered / his great contrycyon
	His woofull herte / and lamentable crye
	Upon hym she had / tender compassyon
	Beholdynge his greuaunce / and tender agony
	Good brother she sayd / who-so wyll haue mercy
2750	Must be mercyable / as in prouerbe wryten is
	Who is without mercy / of mercy shall mys.
	Call vnto mynde / thy owne wycked dede
	In punyshynge this poore man / without offence
	To se his punyshment / my herte sore dyd blede
2755	I kneled afore thy fete / desyrynge indulgence
	Thou toke no regarde / to my prayer ne presence
	Wherfore the Iustyce / of god almyghty
	Upon the is fallen / for thy synne soday[n]ly. sodaynly] sodayly 1521
	Whan she had ended / her ghostly exortacyon
2760	Perceyuyng hym penytent / with great humylyte
	Gladde to amende / vyce and transgressyon
	Anone vnto prayer / she went with charyte
	Opteyned forgyuenesse / of the blessed trynyte
sig: [I5]
	His fysnamy / restaured to his kynde agayne
2765	Bothe bodyly and ghostly / cured was certayne.
	This forsayd Alnotus / by synguler grace
	Refused this worlde / pleasures and vanyte
	Went vnto wyldernesse / and [an]choryte was anchoryte] machoryte 1521
	Whome theues martyred / to heuen blysse went he
2770	At Stow_besyde_Bukbrydge / buryed was trule
	For whome our lorde / of his infynyte goodnes
	Shewed many myracles / affyrmynge his holynes.
	¶How dyuers prynces folowynge sensualyte intendynge to violate this vyrgyn bi power / by myracle were put to confusyon. Ca .xxvi.
	ANother sygne was shewed / by the kynge of blys
	Of a wanton prynce / folowynge sensualyte
2775	And his fragyll appetyte / in doynge amys
	Entendynge by vyolence / power / and auctoryte
	To depryue Werburge / of her vyrgynyte
	Espyed a season / to fulfyll his entent
	Whan she was solytary / and no man there present.
2780	By force than he began / this mayd to assayle
	But she trustynge in god / to be her protectour
	Escapynge his presence / cast her sacrat vayle
	For lyghtnesse and ease / to fle from the traytour
	The sonne-beame receyued it / whiche hanged that houre
2785	Whiche myracle sene / the prynce fledde away
	The vyrgyn was preserued / by grace that day.
	¶An-other myracle / was done in Kent
sig: [I5v]
	In the vyllage of Hoo / yet full memorous
	A sensuall prynce / of wycked consent
2790	Purposed to maculate / this vyrgyn gloryous
	Consyderynge her persone / so fayre and beauteous
	Taryed the season / to fynde her solytary
	By power to oppresse / this gracyous lady.
	Whan the tyme was comen / he thought conuenyent
2795	After her furyously / he ranne a fast pace
	She knowynge his mynde / a[n]d vnchast entent and] add 1521
	Seynge no remedy / by man in that place
	Called to our sauyoure / for his helpe and grace
	Sayenge blessed lorde / for thy endeles pyte
2800	Defende me this daye / and saue my chastyte.
	And as she fledde / frome this cruell persone
	She ranne for socour / to a great oke-tree
	By grace the sayd tree / opened that same season
	Sufferynge this mayd / to haue sure and fre entree
2805	Wherby she escaped his / wycked tryannye
	Whiche tree to this day / endurynge all the yere
	By myracle is vernaunte / fresshe / grene / and clere.
	Of the sayd oke-tree / is a famous opynyon
	That no man may entre / the sayd concauyte
2810	In deedly synne bounden / without contrycyon
	But in clene perfyte lyfe / who-soeuer he be
	May entre the sayd oke / with fre lyberte
	And nygh to that place / a chyrche is now dedycate
	In the honour of god / and werburge immaculate.
2815	¶Many other myracles / our blessed sauyour
sig: [I6]
	Shewed for this vyrgyn / of his goodnes
	Conforte to the people / in sekenes and langour
	That to her wyll seke / in theyr dystresse
	Her excellent vertue / and great holynesse
2820	By sygnes and myracles / were dayly manyfest
	To many a creature / with peynes opprest.
	The fame wherof sprange / so fast aboute
	Notyfyed playne / in all this regyon
	The people approched / withouten doubte
2825	To knowe her blessed / and holy conuersacyon
	And of these myracles / to haue probacyon
	By the syght wherof / they myght all gloryfy
	With ioy and gladnesse / our lorde god almyghty.
	There was no sekenesse / nor infyrmyte
2830	That mankynde had / nor vexacyon
	But by her prayer / and humylyte
	Makynge for them / to our lorde intercessyon
	They were restaured / to helthe and saluacyon
	All by the meryte / of this vyrgyn pure
2835	A synguler refuge / vnto euery creature.
	To the dombe was gyuen / speche and language
	To blynde theyr syght / to defe theyr herynge
	To halte and lame people / helthe in euery aege
	By deuyne grace / and her ghostly lyuynge
2840	The people approchynge / nygh to her in_dwellynge
	By cally[n]ge to her / in the name of Ihesu callynge] callyge 1521
	Had theyr petycyon / by her synguler vertu.
	Some other that were / fully possessed
sig: [I6v]
	With wycked spyrytes / vexynge the mynde
2845	Or with sekenes incurable / myserably greued
	By her dayly prayer / aboue course of kynde
	Of theyr dyseases / they shulde remedy fynde
	And from her departe / in soule with gladnesse
	Whiche to her came / sory in peyne and wretchednes.
	¶How saynt Werburge gaue knowlege to her systers of her departure and how she ordered in vertue her sayd monasteryes afore her dethe. Ca .xxvii.
2850	THis blessed abbesse / and vertuous floure
	The well of clennes / and humylyte
	Called to mynde / the wordes of our sauyour
	Rehersed by Mathewe / in his euangely
	The vyctoryall crowne / of eterne glory
2855	Is gyuen to them / that be redy eche houre
	Wysely attendynge / whan they be sende fore.
	This texte was euer / in her memoryall
	Prompte alway redy / as a true spouses
	To wayte on her spouse / whan he wyll call
2860	Her lampe replete / with oyle of mekenes
	Synguler gyftes / she had of chrystes goodnes
	Inspyred with the spyryte / of prophecy
	Secrete thynges to come / knowynge therby.
	She knewe the season / was hastely comynge
2865	Of her departure / fro this lyfe mortall
	Wherfore she ordred / sadly euery-thynge
	Within her monasteryes / and charges spyrytuall
	Uysytynge her couent / with her presence personall
sig: [I7]
	Gaue knowlege to them / that soone and hastely
2870	She shulde departe / frome this lyfe transytory.
	Afore her were called / the systers of yche place
	And were apoynted / who shulde succede
	After to be gouernour / ruler / and abbesse
	To the pleasure of god / and theyr ghostly mede
2875	Specyally commendynge / vertue as we rede
	What meryte they shall haue / of god almyghty
	In spyrytuall cures / that done well theyr duty.
	All other offycers / within eche monastery
	Were assygned by Werburge / theyr presydent
2880	And vnder obedyence / charged full depely
	Theyr offyce to execute / vertue to augment
	For the synguler profyte / of all the couent
	She gaue to yche place / landes and possessyon
	Suffycyently to serue / all the congregacyon.
2885	Whan she had ordeyned / eche place in charyte
	Dyschargynge her conscyence / chargynge them all
	To obserue relygyon / with perfyte humylyte
	After her exemple / and doctryne pryncypall
	She had perfyte knowlege / by grace supernaturall
2890	Her body shulde rest / in the place of Hamburgens
	After her departure / by deuyne prouydens.
	Wherfore she commaunded / the couent of Hambury
	Wysely to attende / with all theyr dylygence
	Upon the ende / of her lyfe transytory
2895	Wheresoeuer it be / to come with benyuolence
	And incontynent take / her body with reuerence
sig: [I7v]
	And brynge it shortly / vnto theyr monastery
	There to be tumylate / after her desydery.
	As it pleaseth our lorde / and celestyall sufferayne
2900	To sende to his seruaunte / his vysytacyon
	The day was apoynted / the houre incertayne
	Of her departure / frome worldly vexacyon
	The messanger of dethe / the ende of trybulacyon
	Oppressed this lady / moost worthy fame
2905	Ryght at her monastery / nomynat Trentame.
	She thanked her maker / sayenge day and nyght
	Well-come be the vysytacyon / of god almyghty
	She called her systers / present afore her syght
	Her entente rehersynge / to them tenderly
2910	Desyrynge all them / to folowe dylygently
	The lawes of god / with honour and reuerence
	And to her counseyll / to gyue fully credence.
	Sayenge dere byloued systers / in our sauyour
	O spyrytuall chyldren / my derlynges moost dere
2915	Whiche haue refused / all worldly honour
	To serue our lorde / with herte and mynde clere
	Suffer no synne / in your soule to apere
	But wasshe it away / by bytter contrycyon
	With prayer penaunce / and true confessyon.
2920	And trust ye well your true obedyence
	Your chast lyuynge / and wylfull pouerte
	Your dayly prayers / vygyls / and abstynence
	That ye haue obserued / her vnder me
	Shalbe recompensed / a thousande-folde trule
sig: [I8]
2925	Whan ye shalbe taken / fro this lyfe transytory
	Your rewarde shalbe / with immortall glory.
	As for my dethe / whiche approches nere
	I drede nothynge / tho nature ferefull be
	I knowe for certayne / who departeth well here
2930	Is newe borne agayne / to Ioye and felycyte
	Iche chrysten man hath / a threfolde natyuyte
	Fyrst of his parentes / by cours of nature
	Borne to many troubles / and sorowes sure.
	By the seconde byrthe / which is more excellent
2935	At fonte of baptym / we haue regeneracyon
	By fayth professed / to god omnypotent
	And made the chyldren / of ghostly saluacyon
	To auoyde by grace / all wycked temptacyon
	To be inherytours / of Ioy perpetuall
2940	Folowynge the counseyll / of holy chyrche withall.
	The thyrde byrthe / moost ferefull and to be dredde
	Is whan the soule / departeth fro the body
	To payne or blysse / and leues the corps dedde
	To tourne agayne to erthe / to wast and putryfy
2945	In this thyrde byrthe / by callynge [afere] for mercy afere] aferre 1521
	Our soule shall lyue / in blysse / euerlastynge
	Crowned with vyctory / for our chast lyuynge.
	The swete byrde closed / in a cage a longe season
	Gladly entendeth / to fly at lyberte
2950	The prysoner fetered / and cast in depe dongeon
	Euer supposes / to be rydde frome captyuyte
	The soule of mankynde / moost dygne of dutye
sig: [I8v]
	Naturally desyreth / proued by reason
	To be delyuered / frome bodyly pryson.
	¶Of þ e ghostli exortacyon saynt Werburge made to her systers in her sekenesse / and how deuoutely she receyued þ e sacramentes of holy chyrche byfore her deth. Ca .xxviii.
2955	THe day knowen / to her by reuelacyon
	Of her departure / by sygnes euydent
	She sende for all / the hole congregacyon
	And in presence / of all her holy couent
	She called for the blessed sacrament
2960	To whome she sayd / with wordes expresse
	With wepynge teeres / and great mekenesse.
	Well-come my lorde / well-come my kynge
	Well-come my sufferayne / and sauyour
	Well-come my conforte / and ioy euerlastynge
2965	My trust / my treasure / my helpe and socour
	Well-come my maker / and my redemptour
	The sone of god / moost in maieste
	Withouten begynnynge / and endeles shalbe.
	I byleue that thou / for all mankynde
2970	Frome heuen descended / of thy charyte
	And was incarnate / scrypture dothe mynde
	In the vyrgynal wombe / of blessed marye
	And suffered dethe / to make vs all fre
	Descended to hell / roose the thyrde day
2975	Ascended to heuen / and our raunson dyd pay.
	And I knowlege to the / with pure entent
sig: K1
	On Shorpthursday / after thy passyon Shorpthursday: =Sheer Thursday
	Thy moost blessed body / in sacrament
	Thou gaue to vs / for our communyon
2980	To be our defence / and ghostly tuycyon
	Now present here / in forme of breed
	To Iudge mankynde / bothe quycke and deed.
	O sufferayne sauyour / replete with grace
	I the beseche / haue pyte vpon me
2985	And in my soule / make a dwellynge place
	Expulce all vyce / synne and mysery
	Defende my soule / frome our aduersary
	Saue and protecte me / from peynes infernall
	And brynge thrugh thy mercy / to ioye perpetuall
2990	Thus with reuerence / and great humylyte
	She receyued / the blessed sacrament
	The seconde persone / in trynyte
	In perfyte fayth / hope / and loue feruent
	With great contrycyon / as it was apparent
2995	Her herte lyfte vp / towarde heuen on hye
	Abydynge the wyll / of god almyghty.
	She exorted / her systers euerychone
	That were there present / in companye
	Desyrynge them all / with supplycacyon
3000	To remembre her / sayenge with humylyte
	My systers in god / now knowe may ye
	My dayes ben ferre past / comynge is the houre
	Wherfore I betake you / fyrst to our sauyour.
	Prayenge you tenderly / for the loue of me
sig: [K1v]
3005	In deuyne seruyce / loke ye contynu
	Obseruynge pacyence / mekenes / and chastyte
	Encresynge in relygyon / by the grace of Ihesu
	Who-so perceuers / in herte and mynde true
	Under obedyence / to the extreme day
3010	Is sure to be saued / scrypture so doth say.
	Also remembre / that all worldly royalte
	Honour / ryches / pleasure / possessyon
	If ye consyder / are but a vanyte
	Nothynge assured / to trust therupon
3015	Wherfore dyspose you / to vertue alon
	Whyle ye endure / in this lyfe mortall
	Tyll that ye come / to Ioy perpetuall.
	Secondly she sayd / systers I you pray
	Kep[e] well the order / of perfyte charyte Kepe] Kept 1521
3020	Neuer declynynge / fro it by no way
	As ye haue taken / exemple of me
	Iche loue other / and worshyp in theyr degre
	So that no murmure / nor dyssymulacyon
	Be founde amonge / this holy congregacyon.
3025	Be euer lowly / humble / and obedyent
	With due reuerence / worshyp and honoure
	Folowe the mynde / of your presydent
	Unto your heed / and ghostly gouernoure
	Kepe well chastyte / that precyous floure
3030	So that no thought / of sensualyte
	Corrupte your mynde / to breke vyrgynyte.
	Se that ye vse / dyscrete temperaunce
sig: K2
	Abstenynge frome vayne superfluyte
	Se that amonge you / be founde no varyaunce
3035	Kepe well the degrees / of humylyte
	These and many other / exemples of charyte
	She taught her couent / of synguler deuocyon
	How they shulde optayne / to hye perfeccyon.
	Thyrdly she prayed / sayenge with mynde dylygent
3040	O blessed sauyour / I desyre the
	Saue and defende / my hole couent
	And theyr monasteryes / of thy great pyte
	Frome peryll of peryshynge / and frome enmyte
	That all the subiectes / of our congregacyon
3045	May well obserue / theyr holy professyon.
	And graunt me swete lorde / throwe thy goodnes
	Who-so in thy name / vpon me dothe call
	In langour / mysery / in peyne / or sekenes
	Also women with chylde / in peynes thrall
3050	May haue remedy / and helpe specyall
	And people in pryson / halte / blynde / and lame
	By me may magnyfy / thy gloryous name.
	Than she requyred / with humylyte
	The spyrytuall sufferage / of holy vnccyon
3055	Her soule to conforte / frome all aduersyte
	She toke her leue / and kyssed them ycheon
	Alas what herte / myght shewe the lamentacyon
	The wepynge / waylynge / and wofull heuynes
	At the departure / of theyr swete maystres.
	¶Of the departure of saynt Werburge vnto heuen at the abbay of Trentam / fro this myserable lyfe / and what lamentacyon her systers made for her dethe Ca .xxix.
sig: [K2v]
3060	IN all her infyrmyte / peyne and busynesse
	She vsed prayer / and medytacyon
	Callynge for mercy / by interyor mekenesse
	With wepynge eyes / and great lamentacyon
	Remembrynge in herte / our lordes passyon
3065	Commendynge her couent / vnto our sauyour
	To be theyr defence / ayde / and protectour.
	The peynes encreased / of her infyrmyte
	The panges doubled / her peyne to augment
	Nature decayed / vnto suche debylyte
3070	That the sygnes of dethe / appered euydent
	The houre approched / after all Iudgment
	Wherfore all thynges / were redy preparate
	As was conuenyent / for so noble a state.
	Her spouse Ihesus / hauynge pyte and cure
3075	Upon his spouses / in extreme dystresse
	Wolde not suffer her peyne / longer endure
	But sende his angels / with great lyghtnesse
	To conforte his seruaunt / in peyne and sekenesse
	To dyssolue her wo / and great penalte
3080	And brynge vp her soule / to eterne felycyte.
	There derknes was tourned / all vnto lyght
	Langour and trouble / vnto prosperyte
	The day was gouernour / ouer the nyght
	Whan that she passed / this lyfe transytory
3085	Bondage and thraldome / were brought to lyberte
	The tyme [o]f Ioye / and euerlastynge pleasure of] ef 1521
sig: K3
	Was approchynge to Werburge / euer to endure.
	A multytude of angelles / shynynge moost clere
	Were redy to gyde / with humble reuerence
3090	The soule of werburge / as truly dyd apere
	And brought it to blys / vnto the hye presence
	Of almyghty god / moost of magnyfycence
	Clerely releashed / frome peynes of purgatory
	To be rewarded / with euerlastynge glory.
3095	This blessed vyrgyn / gloryous and pure
	In stedfast fayth / hope / loue / and charyte
	The thyrde day of February / ye may be sure
	Expyred frome this lyfe / caduce and transytory
	To eterne blysse / coronate with vyctory
3100	Chaungynge her lyfe / myserable and thrall
	For infynyte ioye / and glory eternall.
	With moche honour / these spyrytuall mynysters
	Conueyed the soule / aboue the fyrmament
	Passynge the seuen planettes / and all the sterres
3105	Unto the presence / of god omnypotent
	Syngynge full swetely / theyr songes equyualent
	Of pleasaunt armony / of conforte and blys
	Salutynge her mekely / with wordes reuerent
	Ueni dilecta: veni coronab[e]ris. coronaberis] coronabiris
3110	The thre Ierarcheses / were redy present Ierarcheses: =Hierarchies
	With heuenly melody / to receyue this monyall
	The quere of vyrgyns / mette her incontynent
	With great solempnyte / and processyon royall
	Presentynge her soule / with myrthes angelycall
3115	To Ihesu her spouse / to whome he sayd truly
sig: [K3v]
	Well-come dere doughter / to blysse celestyall
	Intra in gaudium: domui tui.
	In meane-tyme and space / this venerable body
	(The soule departed) lay whyte / streyght and colde
3120	Semynge as on slepe / she had ben verely
	With swete odours fragrant / passynge manyfolde
	All spyces and herbes / in erth may be tolde
	The place was so pleasaunt / full of delyce
	Lyke as it had ben / an erthly paradyce.
3125	This forsayd venerable congregacyon
	With wepynge teeres / and syghes lamentable
	Wasshed the swete body / after the olde custome
	And dressed the corps / with clothes honorable
	Prepared all necessaryes / pleasaunt and commendable
3130	To churche she was brought / solemply in syght
	With feruent deuocyon / to be watched all nyght.
	And as they watched / with due mynystracyon
	Ouer the sayd corps / deuoutly prayenge
	They made great mournynge / and lamentacyon
3135	Euerychone to other / for her departynge
	Alas they all sayd / with wofull waylynge
	Our solace / our helthe / is clere gone away
	Alas for sorowe / what shall we now say.
	The sterre of our conforte / is extyncte clere
3140	The lanturne of our lyght / is taken vs fro
	The floure of chastyte / is layd vpon a bere
	The myrrour of mekenes / now lyeth full loo
	The treasure of relygyon / from vs now is ago
	Our sorowe encresed / wretchednes / and mysery
sig: [K4]
3145	Syth thou arte departed / alas what remedy?
	Our hertes ben plonged / in great wo and peyne
	Our myndes are medled / with heuy langour
	How shulde we now rest / frome mornynge certayne
	Beholdynge now deed / whylom our protectour
3150	Swete lady thou art gone / frome vs for euermore
	Our deedly sorowe / replete with bytternes
	For waylynge and wepynge / can neuer ceas.
	With herte mynde and voyce / to the we do call
	O blessed Werburge / our moost dere maystres
3155	O sufferayne lady / and ruler of vs all
	Why hase thou vs lefte / in suche heuynesse
	If thy wyll had ben / it is knowen expresse
	Thou myght haue taryed / with vs by petycyon
	Alas remedylesse / is our lamentacyon
3160	Frome vs thou arte taken / and gone is our solace
	The myrrour of vertue / is deed now with the
	The tryed stock of truth / and the grounde of grace
	Is pyteously decayed / our hope and sufferaynte
	O blessed sauyour / vpon vs haue pyte
3165	Sende vs our conforte / by thy great myght agayne
	As thou hase reysed many / from dethe to lyfe certayne.
	O dredefull dethe / cruell enemy to nature
	With dolefull heuynes / on the we may complayne
	Takynge our heed frome vs / to our great dysconfyture
3170	Hath brought vs to thraldome / wofulnes and peyne
	Nother kynge ne emperour / thy fauour may optayne
	But he must departe / arested with thy launce.
sig: [K4v]
	Thanke we god of all / for it is his pleasaunce.
	¶How the hamburgenses toke the blessed body of Werburge frome Trentam by myracle and brought it to Hambury / and of þ e buryall of werburge / and of manyfolde myracles shewed for her merytes .ix. yere after her translacyon. Ca .xxx.
	THis gloryous vyrgyn / and moost blessed abbace
3175	Departed from this lyfe / caduce and transytory
	(As afore is sayd) the yere and tyme of grace
	Almoost seuen hundreth / the thyrde day of February
	To celestyall blysse / and infynyte glory
	Her subiectes oppressed / with wylfull pensyuenesse
3180	With great trybulacyon / care and heuynesse.
	But where werburge gaue / in commaundyment
	To bury her corps / at place of Hambury
	As was the wyll / of our lorde omnypotent
	Her subiectes of Trentam / whiche had her body
3185	Purposed her wyll / and entent to deny
	Prepared to kepe / the corps by stronge hande
	With them to remayne / as ye shall vnderstande.
	The sayd people of Trentam / watched full dylygent
	Her corps fulfyllynge / the obsequyes funerall
3190	Entendynge to auoyde / and frustrate her testament
	Gate a great company / by power Marcyall
	Closed fast theyr doores / and gates one and all
	Made sure yche place / by theyr prouydens
	For to kepe the corps / excludynge Th 'amburgens.
3195	But as Salomon sayth / sentencyously
sig: L1
	There may be no counseyll / power ne prudence
	Wysedome of man / nor naturall polycy
	To derogate or chaunge / deuyne sentence
	Proued euer[y] day / by true experyence euery] euer 1521
3200	Tho mankynde prepose / his mynde to fulfyll
	Yet god dysposeth / all-thynge at his wyll.
	And as they watched / the same-sayd nyght
	Moost busyly / to execute they[r] wyll and entent theyr] they 1521
	By deuyne prouydence / passynge mannes myght
3205	Sodeynly on slepe / was all that couent
	Theyr company and mynysters / that were there lent
	Hauynge no power / for to waken doubtles
	God so prouyded / for theyr great maystres.
	Than shortly resembled / vnto that sayd place
3210	The people of Hamburgens / a great company
	With the mynysters of god / people full of grace
	And anone by the wyll / of our lorde almyghty
	The lockes and the barres / of that sayd monastery
	Fell downe to the gounde / by power supernall
3215	Without mannes hande / that enter they myght all.
	Whiche myracle proued / the people of Hambury
	Entred Trentam abbay / with mynde reuerent
	And founde there on slepe / all the other company
	Man / woman / and chylde / all that were present
3220	They kneled all downe / and worshypped the sacrament
	Praysynge our maker / of theyr good spede
	Theyr specyall socour / euer at theyr nede.
	Her blessed body / from Trentam they dyd take
sig: [L1v]
	Gladly departynge / out of the monastery
3225	Nother man nor woman / had power to wake
	Tyll they were passed / all greuous Ieopardy
	Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his grace deuoutly
	Solemply syngyng their songes celestiall
	With infinite gladnes / and comfort spirituall.
3230	After all this done / this holy congregacion
	With reuerence / honour / and solempnite
	With wepynge tearis / for pure affection
	With lamentable songes / masse and dirige
	Buried the corps / of this blessed ladie
3235	Right in the chauncell / of the sayd abbay
	There bodily to rest / as her wyll was alway.
	All obsequies ended / therto belongynge
	As was agreable for suche a president
	The systers departed / with clamour and mournynge
3240	Plonged in heuynes / and to their celles went
	To wepe and wayle secretly / their hartis to content
	Criynge alas alas / nowe buried haue we
	The exemple of vertu / mekenes / and chastite.
	And as the history of her lyfe / doth expresse
3245	In a boke nominat / the thrid Passionary
	After the buriall of this patronesse
	The place was decorat / with myracles many
	Manifest to the people / of euery progeny
	Howe god almyghty of his speciall grace
3250	Hath done for his seruant / in short tyme and space.
	For many people greued with infirmite
sig: L2
	Dolorous of hert / and interiour tribulacion
	Heuynes of mynde / or other penalite
	To her graue resortyng / with feruent deuocion
3255	Sekynge for remedy / with great contricion
	Anon by her prayer / vnto our sauyour
	They were released from peyne and langour.
	Also by her merite suffrage and peticion
	Euery humble creature had helpe and succour
3260	To distract persons / was yelded reason
	Wikked spirites expulsed were that same hour
	Impotent and feble to helth she dyd restour
	Halt and lame had passage / the blynde had perfect syght
	The dombe had speche / the deffe herynge ryght.
3265	Women with childe / beynge in great ieopardy
	Namely in trauelyng / greued with wo and payne
	Whan they myght nat come / sendyng to her oratorye
	Makynge true oblacion / restaured were certayne
	To helth and prosperite / from wo delyuered playne
3270	And if they obteyned a relique from the place
	The mother and childe / by it founde speciall grace.
	The deuout pilgrym / the perfit maryner
	The true laborer / the marchant with richesse
	The carefull pore man / the peynfull prisoner
3275	Were sondry tymes delyuered from wo and distresse
	Men / women / childer / sekynge with mekenes
	This glorious virgyn / with humble supplicacion
	Founde soone remedie / helpe and consolacion.
	¶A litle breue rehersall of her lyfe / and howe for her myracles shewed þ e couent of Hambury purposed to translate her body / by the helpe of Mercyens. Ca .xxxi.
sig: [L2v]
	THis gloryous lady / and gemme of holynesse
3280	Of fyue myghty kynges / descended lynyally
	A prynces / an enherytryce / replete with mekenes
	Refused all pleasures / pompe / and vayne-glory
	Entred relygyon / professed at Ely
	A spectacle of vertue / dwellynge in that place
3285	And a floure of chastyte / electe by synguler grace.
	Her honorable vncle / kynge Ethelrede
	Consyderynge her vertue / and hye deuocyon
	Made her gouernour / for ghostly helthe and mede
	Ouer all the monasteryes / within his regyon
3290	For the sure encresement / of perfyte relygyon
	Foure of these monasteryes / we haue in memory
	As Wedon / Trentam / Repton / and Hambury.
	Whan she was ruler / and chefe presydent
	Of these sayd places / vnder god almyghty
3295	Than vertue and goodnes / dayly dyd augment
	By heuenly grace / to the soule-helthe of many
	And by her exemple / and doctryne ghostly
	Kynges / lordes / barons / refusynge theyr royalte
	Entred relygyon / with great humylyte.
3300	Her lyfe and doctryne / agreed bothe in one
	Proued in effecte / by specyall gyftes of grace
	Many she conuerted / vnto contemplacyon
	To prayer and penaunce / whyle they had here space
	Her couent and subiectes / within euery place
3305	By her excellent vertue / and hye dyscrecyon
sig: L3
	Were gratiously gouerned / for theyr saluacion.
	Her dwellynge was most at the place of Wedon
	Where many myracles were shewed openly
	And at Trentam abbay / of her foundacion
3310	From peyne she departed to eternall glory
	After her entent was buried at Hambury
	Of whom it may be sayd / here lyeth nowe present
	A princesse / a virgin / a nonne / and a president.
	The deuout couent of her congregacion
3315	Whiche hath long wayled / with sorowfull payne
	Nowe haue great cause to make consolacion
	And gyue due honour to our lorde and sufferayne
	Knowynge that Werburge / in blysse is nowe certayne
	For them all dayly a true mediatrice
3320	In the heuynly trone / afore the hie Iustice.
	Our sauiour Iesus / graunter of all goodnes
	Consyderyng the mekenes / and pure virginite
	Of Werburge his spouse / and proued holynes
	By speciall grace / preserued her body
3325	To his laude and honour / his name to magnifye
	Both hole and sounde / from naturall resolucion
	As her soule was clere from vice and corruption.
	This immaculat mayde / shenyng more bryght
	Than radiant phebus in the triumphant trone
3330	With the quere of virgins / prayseth day and nyght
	The blessed trinite with due adoracion
	Of perpetuall pleasure hauyng the fruycion
	A singular intercessour for her seruauntes all
sig: [L3v]
	That here in erth mekely to her wyll call
3335	And though her body do rest nowe in graue
	Yet notable signes contynually be done
	Some warned in their slepe comfort to haue
	By visityng her place / callynge her vpon
	With contrite hert makyng true oblacion.
3340	Whiche thynge contynued by space of .ix. yere
	With meruailous myracles euydent and clere
	The couent consyderyng suche great company
	From diuers partes / resortynge to theyr place
	In pylgrimage to Werburge / for helpe and remedy
3345	Entended to translate this glorious abbasse
	To exalte her body replet with great grace
	To her great honour / comfort to eche creature
	Pite that suche a relique shulde lye in sepulture
	To the prayes and honour of god omnipotent
3350	And of saint Werburge laude and reuerence
	The couent and the people by one assent
	Desired Coelrede than kynge of merciens
	For aide in this case / helpe and diligence
	(Whiche thynge graunted) the day appointed was
3355	The clergy and the comons reioised with solace
	¶Of the solempne translacion of this glorious virgyn saynt Werburge / and of the great myracles done at the sayd season by the myght of god and merite of this gracious lady. Cap .xxxii.
	At the day appoynted of her translacion
sig: L4
	Kyng Coelred and his counsell were redy present
	With bysshops and the clergy men of deuocion
	Her systers and subiettes a religious couent
3360	The comon people from eche place thider went
	With great gladnes / the hole for pleasure gostly
	The seke and impotent for helth and remedy
	The bysshops and clergy stode vpon one parte
	Of her holy graue / and her systers echone
3365	Syngynge and praysynge the blessed trinite
	The kyng and his counsell with great deuocion
	Stode on the other parte in contemplacion
	The graue was opened eleuat was the chest
	Wherin her holy corps .ix. yere fully dyd rest
3370	Whan this sayd monument discouered was
	Suche a suauite and fragrant odoure
	Ascended from the corps by singular grace
	Passyng all wordly swetnes and sauour
	That all there present that day and hour
3375	Supposed they had ben / in the felicite
	Of erthely paradise / without ambiguite.
	And as eche man th[o]ught by naturall reason thought] thaught 1521
	Nothyng shulde remayne of that blessed body
	But the bare boones / all els to resolucion
3380	The couerture remoued by the sayd clergy
	The corps hole and sounde was funde verely
	Apperyng to them / on slepe as she had ben
	Nothyng depaired / that ther coude be seen.
	Her vesture appered hole clere and white
sig: [L4v]
3385	No parte consumed / for all the longe space
	Fragrant in odoure / repleit with delite
	As at the fyrst season whan she buried was
	But whan discouered was her swete face
	Beautye appered more white than the lile
3390	Mixt with rose colour / moost faire for to se
	Her louely counte[n]a[u]nce / so comly to beholde
	And her swete fisnomy / with fairenes decorat
	As fresshely apparant / moost pleasant to be tolde
	As at the fyrst day / whan she was tumulat
3395	No doubt therof / for she with synne nat maculat
	Usyng all her lyfe in clennes and virginite
	From bodily corruption / by grace must saued be.
	The clergy yet serchyng more diligently
	Her precious body / and interiour vesture
3400	Eleuat the corps full reuerently
	With moche worchip honour and cure
	Founde nothynge perisshed in shap nor figure
	For all the long space tyme and contynuaunce
	She lay in sepulture by diuine ordynaunce.
3405	Whiche famous myracle / notified so clere
	The clergy with her systers in ioy and honour
	The kyng and his counsell all therat present were
	With voice melodious made a great clamour
	Praysyng and magnifiyng our blessed sauiour
3410	With celestiall songes / and hymnes full of blys
	Deuoutly rehersyng / with all their deuour
	Mirabilis deus in sanctis suis.
sig: [L5]
	With that the comon rude people euerychone
	In the sayd churche-yarde standyng without
3415	Heryng the clergy syng with suche deuocion
	Towarde heuen they cried / and busely dyd shout
	The space of .iii. houres / or nere there-about
	Worshippyng our lorde / with voice shrill and loude
	In hert wyll and mynde / as well as they coude.
3420	After all this done / her blessed body
	Was wasshed and reclothed with vesture precious
	By the sayd couent of the place of Hambury
	The bysshops were reuesshed in pontificalibus reuesshed ='vested in ecclesiatical garments'; see OED s.v. revesh, revest
	And all the clergy syngyng with voice melodious
3425	Kneled all downe and gaue due reuerence
	Honour and worship to her corporall presence.
	Thus they resceyued with perfit humilite
	This sacrat relique hole and substanciall
	And layd it in a shryne with great solempnite
3430	Enowrned with riches sumptuous and roiall
	Prepared by the kyng / and ordeyned in speciall
	Entendyng that this relique and gostly treasure
	Perpetually with them shulde remayne and endure
	People oppressed with greuous infirmite
3435	Distract persons / halt blynde and lame
	Resortynge to her shryne with humilite
	Shortly were cured by callynge of her name
	Impotent creatures (the legende sayth the same)
	Touchyng her tumbe / were cured from payne
3440	Whiche tumbe remayneth at Hambury certayne
sig: [L5v]
	After she was translate / knowen it is well
	The clergy to procession / went after to mas
	Honoryng and praysyng / the kyng of Israell
	And blessed Werburge / with moche solace
3445	Whan diuine seruice duely ended was
	The bisshops gaue theyr holy benedictions
	The people departed glad to their mansions
	This holy sayd fest of her translacion
	Was ordeyned and celebrate with solemnite
3450	As sayeth Ranulphus in his policronicon
	About the yere of grace .vii. hundreth and .viii. sothle
	The .xi. Kalendas of the moneth Iulii
	Regnyng in mercelande the said kyng Coelrede
	Than bysshop of Lichefelde was Hedda / as we rede
	¶Howe the body of saynt Werburge contynued hole / and substanciall at Hambury after the translacion by the space of two hundreth yeres / tyll the danes were comon to this lande / or it felle and was resolued vnto powder The .xxxiii. Chapitre.
3455	This rutilant gemme and specious floure
	Hole and substanciall remayned at Hambury
	Two hundreth yeres in beaute and colour
	By singular grace / and angelicall custodye
	Tyll the danes were comon of malice and misery comon, i.e. comen
3460	Of ire and myschief / as we vnderstande
	We meane the comyng of pagans to this lande
	Whiche danes by sufferaunce and dispensacion
sig: [L6]
	Of almyghty god / for synne and iniquite
	Punysshed vnpiteously all this region
3465	With a wofull plage of great crudelite
	The sharpe swerde of deth / hauynge no pite
	Spared no creature / prest nor religious
	Long-tyme duryng in their malice odious
	Than this vitall glebe by diuine ordinaunce
3470	Uoluntary permytted naturall resolution
	Lest the cruell gentils / and wiked myscreauntes
	With pollute handes full of corrupcion
	Shulde touche her body / by indignation
	Whiche pagans were enemyes to our lorde Iesu
3475	Rebels to holy churche vnfeithfull and vntrue
	Howe-be-it the power of our swete sauyour
	Myght haue continued the body of his syruant syruant: =servant
	All that longe season in worshyp and honour
	As he preserued of his grace abundaunt
3480	Many sayntes of this realme hole fresshe and vernant
	viii. hundreth yeres agon / to this present day
	And like so to endure / hole and clere alway.
	Sothely to considre / our lorde omnipotent
	Glorious in his sayntes / scripture doth specifie
3485	Of his diuine prouidence / pleasure and intent
	Some haue resolued / for the greatter glorie
	Of their resurrection for the tyme truly
	Some other to continue without corruption
	To the true example of his promission
3490	Many holy martyrs / for Christ haue byn slayne
sig: [L6v]
	The hie-prestis of god murdred cruelly
	Some with wylde bestes deuoured in certayne
	Some cast in fiers on cooles to broyle and fry
	Upon many other byrdes fedyng openly
3495	Of whom the prophet clerely doth reherce
	The more peyne here and wo / the more glory doubtles.
	The glorious martyr Stephan (as is red)
	In this present lyfe dyd myracles many
	Neuertheles / he raised no people that were deed Neuertheles] Neuertherles 1521
3500	But after the resoluynge of his blessed body
	He raised deed men to lyfe agayne truely
	That the great power of lyfe myght sprynge
	From iniurie of deth / by our heuen kynge.
	Great was the respect of diuyne grace
3505	In the body of Werburge / without resolucion
	Shewed by her myracles / for mannes helth and solace
	But greatter was the hope of the eterne re[n]ouacion
	In her body resolued to naturall consumption
	Whiche for her merites to this present day
3510	Helpeth all her seruantes that to her wyll praye
	Therfore worshyp we with singular deuocion
	The holy lyuynge of this virgin gratious
	For-why all the halowynge of her conuersacion
	Belongeth to the honour of our lorde Iesus
3515	Whiche of his grace hath made her so glorious
	And graunteth his mercy / and of synne remyssion
	To all them / for whom / she maketh intercession.
	Blessed pure virgin / moines and abbasse
sig: [L7]
	O venerable werburge / mekely we the pray
3520	Make thou supplycacyon / to the graunter of grace
	After this lyfe present / that all we may
	Come to heuen blysse / whiche lasteth for ay
	There to beholde / the gloryous trynyte
	To whom be laude / worshyp / honour / and endeles glorye.
	¶The table of the seconde boke of þ e gloryous vyrgyn saynt Werburge.
	OF the comynge to this lande of paganes / and of the trouble of this lande / and how th e kynge of Mercyens for drede departed out of this lande / and how longe saynt Werburge contynued incorrupte and hole at the abbay of Hambury. Ca .i.
	¶How the people of Hambury brought the shryne to Chester / and of the solempne receyuynge of it / by all the inhabytauntes of the countre. Ca .ii.
	¶A lytell descrypcyon of the fundacyon of Chester / and of þ e abbay churche within the sayd cytee / where the holy shryne remayneth. Ca .iii.
	¶A breue rehersall / of the fyrst fundacyon of the mynster of Chester Chester] Cherster 1521 / and of the instytucyon of seculer chanons / in the tyme of kynge Edwarde senyor. Ca .iiii.
	¶Of the notable myracle of saynt Werburge in th e tyme of chanons / and fyrst how she saued Chester from the destruccyon of Walshe-men. Ca .v.
sig: [L7v]
	¶Howe saynt Werburge cured and healed a woman thre tymes whiche was halt and lame to helthe and prosperite agayne. Cap .vi.
	¶Howe saynt Werburge saued and defended Chester from innumerable barbarik nacions purposynge to destroye and spoyle the same cite vtterly. Cap .vii.
	¶Howe saynt Werburge by her merite sent fruyte to a barayne Woman by synguler prayer made vnto her. Cap .viii.
	¶Howe a woman with childe by peyne brought out of her mynde and reason by saynt Werburge was restaured to prosperite and helthe agayne. Cap .ix.
	¶Of a nother woman vnlaufully wurkyng was made blynde and sore punysshed / and by saint Werburge was restored to syght agayne. Cap .x.
	¶Howe saint Werburge restored to helth and prosperite. vi. lame and halt persons by singular grace. Ca .xi.
	¶Of a yonge man vnryghtfully hanged was thries delyuered from deth by saynt Werburge to helth and prosperite. Cap .xii.
	¶Howe at the maner of Upton saynt Werburge refrayned wilde horses from distruction of her cornes. ca .xiii.
	¶Of a chanon of Chester hauyng his leg broken was restored to helth by saint Werburge his patrones. Ca .xiiii.
sig: [L8]
	¶A breue rehersall or cronicle of certayne kyngis / and howe kyng Edgar came to Chester / also howe erle Leofrice repared diuers churches. Ca .xv.
	¶Of the comyng of Willyam_conquerour to this lande / and how Lupe was fonder of Chester monastery. ca .xvi.
	¶Howe saint Werburge taught her monke to kepe pacience for the greatter merite and glori to come. ca .xvii.
	¶Howe sandes rose vp within the salt see ayenst Hilburgh[e]e Hilburghee] Hilburghde 1521 by saint Werburge at the peticion of William constable of Chestre. Ca .xviii.
	¶Howe Matilde countesse of Chestre counsellynge her husband agaynst the monasterie was drowned at Bartflowe with many other mo. Cap .xix.
	¶Howe a great fire like to destroye all Chestre by myracle ceassed whan the holy shryne was borne about the towne by the monkes. Ca .xx.
	¶A breue rehersall of the myracles of saynt Werburge after her translacion to Chestre. Ca .xxi.
	¶A charitable mocion / counsel / and desire to al th 'inhabitantes wi t hin the countie palatin of Chester for þ e monastori. ca .xxii.
	¶A litle orison or prayer to þ e blessed virgin saint Werburge by the translatour of this warke. Ca .xxiii.
	¶A short conclusion of this litle werke to the reders by the translatour. Ca .xxiiii.
sig: [L8v]
	¶The prologe of the translatour of this lytell treatyse in the seconde boke.
	NOw whan we consyder / with mynde dylygent
	The merueylous maners / and synguler condycion
	Of the comyn people / symple and neclygent
	Whiche without lytterature / and good informacyon
5	Ben lyke to Brute beestes / as in comparyson
	Rude / wylde / and boystous / by a prouerbe certan
	Good maners and conynge / maken a man.
	Saynt Paule sayth / shewynge to the Romans
	How all-thynge wryten / in holy scrypture
10	Is wryten for our doctryne / and ghostly ordynans
	For our great conforte / and endeles pleasure
	All-thynge is knowen playnly / by lytterature
	Morall vertues / be noted by it full playne
	Frome vyce and neclygence / to abstayne certayne.
15	What were mankynde / without lytterature
	Full lytell worthy / blynded by ignoraunce
	The way to heuen / it declareth ryght sure
	Thrugh perfyte lyuynge / and good perseueraunce
	By it we may be taught / for to do penaunce
20	Whan we transgresse / our lordes commaundyment
	It is a swete cordyall / for mannes entent.
	How shulde the seuen / scyences lyberall
	Haue ben preserued / vnto this day
	The wysdome / of the phylosophers all
25	But alone by lernynge / it is no nay
	The notable actes / of our fathers I say
sig: M1
	(Yf litterature were nat) myght nat nowe be tolde
	Nor auncient histories and cronycles olde
	The lawe of ciuile / and of holy canon
30	By study be preferred with moche honour
	To execute iustice / and for due reformacion
	The most blessed doctrine of our sauiour
	The actis of the apostoles / with the doctours four
	Be preserued by wrytyng / and put in memorie
35	With the lyues of saintes many a noble storie
	Of whiche histories we purpose speciall
	To speke of saint Werburge / vnder your protection
	Declaryng the ende of her lyfe historiall
	As we haue begon / and made playne mencion
40	In the fyrst volume by breue compilacion
	There playnly descriuyng her liniall discens
	Of .iiii. myghty kyngdomes by true experience
	Also we haue shewed in the sayd littell boke
	Her goodly maners / and vertuous disposicion
45	Of her yonge age / who-so lyst theron to loke
	And howe her bretherne suffred martyrdome
	Of her fathers realme a litell discripcion
	Howe she was professed in the place of Ely
	Of her conuersacion within the sayd monastery
50	After for her vertue / howe she was made abbasse
	Of diuers monasteries flouryng in vertue
	And of the great miracles whiche there done was
	For her great charite / by the grace of Iesu
	Howe diuers of her kynrede dyd clerely exchewe
sig: [M1v]
55	All wordly pleasures and honours transetory
	Professynge obedience at the place of Ely
	Also we haue shewed vnder your licence
	Of her departure from this lyfe mortall
	And of her sepulture at the place of Hamburgence
60	The manyfolde myracles shewed by grace supernall
	The wofull lamentacion of her systers all
	And howe after .ix. yere of her translacion
	By diuine ordinaunce miracles were done
	We humble require you of your charite
65	To this seconde abstract to graunt pardon
	Consyderynge we omytte whilom the historie
	And speke of cronicles / makyng a digression
	It is of no ignoraunce / nor presumption
	But to enlarge the mater and sentence
70	To gladde the auditours / and moue their diligence
	In oure seconde boke expresse nowe wyll we
	Under your licence and speciall tuicion
	Of this blessed virgin / flourynge in chastite
	Why and wherfore she came to Chestre towne
75	Principally by miracle / and diuine prouision
	And howe for synne / vice / and wykednes
	Danes oppressed this lande with wretchednes
	And howe she was receyued at Chestre citie
	Of the fyrst foundacion of towne and the place
80	Of the great myracles there shewed openlie
	To chanons and monkes / by singular grace
	Unto euery creature in extreme case
sig: M2
	Howe Werburge delyuered the towne from enmite
	From dredfull fire / and plages of miserye
85	Also encronicled foloweth here expresse
	A brefe compilacion of kynge Edwarde seniour
	Of kynge Ethelstam / the great worthynes
	Of humble kynge E[d]gare regnyng as emperour Edgare] Ergare 1521
	Of his comyng to Chestre / of his great honour
90	And howe Erle Leofrice repared of his charite
	The mynstre of Werburge gyuyng therto liberte
	Of the seconde foundacion of the sayd monastery
	From secular chanons to monkes religious
	Soone after the conquest sayth the historye
95	By the erle of Chestre nominat Hugo_Lupus
	With counsell and helpe of blessed Anselmus
	And of the great compas of the sayd abbay
	Enuired with walles myghty to assay
	Howe Richard erle of Chestre by myracle ryght
100	Was preserued from daunger of Walshemen
	And howe he was drowned about mydnyght
	Purposyng to distroye the monastery certen
	Celestiall signes were shewed to men and women
	To children and innocentes by singular grace
105	Of blessed Werburge patronesse of the place
	These miracles specified / and many other mo
	This virgin shewed within Chestre cite
	Whiche at this tyme we let ouer-go
	Lest to the reders tedious it shulde be
110	Almyghty god both one two and thre
sig: [M2v]
	Sende vs of theyr grace to make a good ende
	Helpe lady Werburge this warke to amende
	¶Of the comynge of cruell pagans to this lande / and howe saint Werburge longe lyenge hole and incorrupt at Hambury. than was resolued to pouder. And howe the kynge of merciens was chased from his lande. Ca .i.
	AFore the comyng of danes to this lande
	Merueilous signes were shewed in syght
115	To conuert the people (as we vnde[r]stande) vnderstande] vndestande 1521
	Sterres in the heuen shynyng full bryght
	Dyuersly mouynge apperyng day and nyght
	Rennynge in the ayre dredfull to beholde
	By longe continuaunce sayth the story olde
120	Flamyng fire / dragons in the ayre fleynge
	Thondryng / and layth / erth-quake moost terrible
	With many other signes / as cometis blasynge
	Were seen in the ayre / to nature horrible
	Upon clothynge of people bloddy dropes odible
125	Euydently appered: the yere of grace
	vii. hundreth .lxxxvi in many a place
	By whiche sayd signes wonderfull to se
	Two plages of pestilence folowed incontinent
	The first was great derthes hungre and pouerte
130	The seconde was the greuous and sore punysshement
	Of the cruell danes cursed and fraudulent
	Whiche trouble began the .iiii. yere of Bricticus
	Kyng of westsaxon[s] / saith maister Alfridus. westsaxons] westsaxon 1521
sig: M3
	The thyrde yere folowyng these signes in certen
135	Danes and Norwaies enterprised this lande
	In the north partie. an hoost of armed men
	Whiche cruelly spoiled and distroied holy_Ilande
	With Tynmouth abbay / and all that myght be fonde
	Drowned and slewe the people euerychone
140	Brenned churches / townes / spared no religion
	In short tyme after the prenominate pagans
	At tamysmouth reentred this realme agayne
	Destroyed many cites by their myghty ordynaunce
	Oppressed London / Canturbury by power certayne
145	The kynge of Merciens to escape was fayne
	Kyng Adoulfus made the danes a batell
	To whiche kyng by grace the victorye befell
	Yf ye wyll consydre the cause wherfore and why
	Our lorde suffred pagans to punysshe this region
150	The treuth was this: for synne specially
	For in the primatiue churche / with great perfection
	Kynges / quienes / dukes entred religion
	Professed obedient chaste without propurte
	Uertue to encrease / true loue and charite
155	That tyme was iustice ministred with mercy
	True loue and amite founde in euery place
	Dissimulacion / pride and fals enuye
	Durst nat appere in halle nor in palace
	Extorcion pollynge opteyned no grace
160	The commaundementes of god were obserued a_ryght
	Charite was feruent / encreasynge day and nyght
sig: [M3v]
	By proces of tyme / as sayth myn auctour
	Through great possession / power / and liberte
	Uertue decreased in holy churche day and houre
165	Holy religion decayed pitiousle
	Charite was colde / iustice and equite
	Extorcion disceyte were vsed euery day
	Couetise / pride / lechery were ryued alway
	Therfore our lorde of his great ryghtwisnes
170	Suffred cruell people to entre this region
	A scourge to correct synne and wykednes
	Like a swarme of bees from dyuers nacion
	Whiche had no pite mercy nor compassion
	Danes Gotes Norwayes and scottes also
175	Pictes and the wandeles with mony other mo
	These foresayd fearfull and cruell nacions
	Moost cruell pagans dyd great persecucion
	From the begynnyng of Adelw[u]lfe kyng of westsaxons / Adelwulfe] Adelwlfe 1521
	Tyll the comynge of normans vnto this region
180	The space enduryng by full computacion
	Two hundreth yeres complet .xxx. also
	With the swerde of vengeaunce fire and moche wo
	The yere of our lorde .D.CCC. fyfty and one
	At Tamysmouth arriued a great hoost of pagans
185	With .iii. hundreth ships and .l. men of armes echone
	Whiche destroied Douer / and put the lande to greuans
	Agayne Bernulphus the kyng of Mercians
	The paynyms preuayled / and caused his hoost to fle
	Whiche fortune enforced them more bolder to be
sig: [M4]
190	But the yere of grace .D.CCC. sixe and sixtie
	The greattest noumbre of the pagans all
	viii. kynges entred this realme by victorie
	Norwaies / gootes / Wandels / danes in especiall
	With many other nacions within in generall
195	Kyng Hingware and Hubba than came to this lande
	Whiche slewe saint Edmunde kyng of Estenglande
	The cruell paynyms and tyrauntes moost furious
	Repleit with malice / pride / and enuye
	Seruauntes to satan and ministres malicious
200	Purposed to desolate holy churche wyckedly
	Brenned monasteries and spoiled vtterly
	Many churches chapels of a mortall hate
	Slewe religious men and nonnes dyd violate
	The people were punysshed in euery place
205	To olde sicke and impotent they shewed no mercy
	Yonge soukyng children coude fynde no grace
	Wyddowes and wyues were put to vilany
	Maydens were corrupt / and slayne chamfully
	So all this realme endured confusion
210	Put to greuous peyne / deth / and affliction
	After these infidels had ben at London
	And there accomplisshed theyr cruell entent
	They soone proceded towarde Lincoln region Lincoln: final 'n' carries sign of abbreviation
	From thens directly with hasty iugement
215	To the realme of Merciens noble and auncient
	Right vnto Repton where the kynge lay
	Robbyng and spoilynge all in theyr way
sig: [M4v]
	This kynge of Mercelande called Burdredus Burdredus: recte Burgredus
	Regnyng .xxii. yere vpon the merciens
220	Was clerely expulsed by the pagans furious
	And went vnto rome with pure conscience
	Where he is buried by diuine prouidence
	Whiche kyng was cosyn by discent liniall
	To blessed Werburge so glorious and pudicall
225	This gracious virgin and preelect abbasse
	Buried at Hambury (as is sayd before)
	Continued incorrupt and hole in that place
	In vesture and body .ii. hundreth yere and more
	But whan the danes came with suche rigour
230	To Repton abbay / than she was resolued
	And of deuocion full richely shryned
	¶Howe the people of Hambury brought the shryne to Chestre / and of the solemne receyuyng of it by all the inhabitauntes of Chesshyre. Cap .ii.
	IN meane-tyme the danes pitously destroyed
	The monasteries of Werburge / Trentam and Wedon
	As they many other places had euyll oppressed
235	In the north and eest part of this region
	The kyngdome of Kent suffred lyke punicion
	The Ile_of_Wyght endured moche turment
	So dyd the Westmarches / for punysshement
	The people of Hambury Wysely consyderyng
240	The comynge of danes vnto Repton
	And of the departure of Burdred theyr kyng
	Howe all Englande was in great affliction
sig: N1
	And howe they were next to endure punicion
	Whiche forsayd Repton was distaunt from Hambury
245	The space of .v. mile sayth the history
	The Hamburgenses with all the comons and clergy
	Dredynge full sore the pagans flagellacions
	Of their lyues desperate / but for the shryne specially
	To our blessed sauiour made dayly inuocacions
250	With vigils prayers and feruent meditacions
	To preserue the countrey / the relique / the shryne
	From daunger of enmite and miserable ruyne
	As they continued in cotidian prayer
	The best remedie sekyng for to fynde
255	To auoide vexacion and all greuous daunger
	Of theyr great ennemies cursed and vnkynde
	The holy goost inspired theyr mynde
	To take the shryne with great humilite
	And brynge it to Chestre from perill and enmyte
260	They toke this riall relique of reuerence
	With great mekenes deuocion and feruour
	Through the grace of god theyr helpe and defence
	Came towarde Chester with diligence and honour
	A place preordinat by our sauiour
265	Where her body shulde rest and worshipped be
	Magnified with miracles next our ladie
	¶Whan the clergie of Chestre and the citezens
	Herde tell of the comynge of this noble abbasse
	They made preparacion and great diligence
270	In theyr best maner worship and solace
sig: [N1v]
	To mete this relique of singular grace
	The great estates / and rulers of the countray
	Were redy to honour saint Werburge that day
	First was ordeyned a solemne procession
275	With crosses / and baners / and surges clere lyght
	The belles were tolled for ioye and deuocion
	The ministres of god in coopes redy dight
	With censours of siluer / to encense her body right
	All prestis and clerkes redy to say and synge
280	Proceded in ordre / this holy virgin praysyng
	Next to the clergie approched in degree
	The lordes of the shyre knyghtes barons all
	With feruent deuocion / praysyng the trinite
	Whiche sent to them suche comfort spirituall
285	The citezens ensued with gladnes cordiall
	With bokes and beades / magnifieng our maker
	For this great treasure to kepe them from daunger
	Uenerable virgins next sette in ordre clere
	With lilies in theyr handes / coronate with chastite
290	Good widowes and wyues appoynted well were
	Gyuynge true thankes vnto this virgin fre
	Nex[t] them assemble all the commonte Next] Nex 1521
	In all goodly maner dyuised by discrecion
	Praysynge saynt Werburge with humiliacion
295	Whan they approched to her hie presence
	And comon were afore this relique most riall
	They kneled all downe with mycle reuerence
	Salutynge the shryne with honour victoriall
sig: N2
	Magnifiyng with melodye and tunys musicall
300	This glorious virgin / nothyng done amis
	Syngynge Te deum to the kyng of blysse
	The lordes / the citezins / and all the commons
	Mekely submytted them-selfe to the shryne
	With manyfolde prayses and humble supplicacions
305	With interiour loue / and morall discipline
	Tru[st]yng all in her to saue them from ruyne letters illegible
	From greuous daunger / and cruell enmite
	By her entercession vnto the trinite
	They gaue due thankes vnto this abbasse
310	Deuoutly sayenge knelyng vpon kne
	Welcome swete lady replet with grace
	The floure of mekenes / and of chastite
	The cristall of clennes and virginite
	Welcome thou art to vs euerychone
315	A speciall comfort for vs to trust vpon
	Welcome swete princesse / kynges doughter dere
	Welcome faire creature / and rose of merciens
	The diamonde of dignite / and gemme shenyng clere
	Uirgin and moiniall of mycle excellence
320	Welcome holy abbasse of hie preeminence
	The rutilant saphire of syncerite
	Welcome swete patronesse to Chestre cite
	Thou art our refuge / and singular succour
	Oure sure tuicion next to the trinite
325	Oure speciall defence at euery houre
	To releue thy seruauntes in all necessite
sig: [N2v]
	Thou art our solace and helpe in eche degre
	Oure ioye / trust / and comfort / and goostly treasure
	Welcome to this towne for euer to endure
330	¶Agaynst her comynge into Chestre cite
	The stretes were strawed with flours fragrant
	The mancions and halles edified rialle
	Were hanged with arras precious and pleasaunt
	Torches were caried on eche syde flagrant
335	Also ouer the shryne was prepared a canaby
	Of cloth of golde and tissewe riche and costly
	Thus with great worship decoure and dignite
	Of all the clergie lordis and citezens
	She was receyued with great humilite
340	Into the cite with humble reuerence
	The clergie syngyng with mycle diligence
	The comons playeng with loue feruent
	Folowynge this relique after their entent
	In procession they passed all in-to the towne
345	With ioye and great gladnes ye may be sure
	In ordre togyther in charite and deuocion
	Praysyng our sauiour and this virgin pure
	They brought full solemple with gostly p[l]easure pleasure] peasure 1521
	This riall relique to the moost noble place
350	Within all the cite as our lordes wyll was
	This seconde translacion of this virgin bright
	From Hambury abbay vnto Chestre cite
	Was celebrate with ioye and gladnes full right
	The yere of our saueour in his humanite
sig: N3
355	viii. hundreth complet .v. and seuentie
	Alured regned than kyng of this region
	Uictorious and liberall / coronate at London
	This kyng deuyded in .iiii. partes his richesse
	One parte to the poore the seconde to religion
360	The thyrde part to scholers / the fourth to bild churches
	And of a day naturall / he made trium diuision trium: poss. triun, i.e. triune
	viii. houres to rede and praye with feruent deuocion
	viii. houres occupied with businesse naturall
	And other .viii. houres to rule his realme riall
	Henricus .libro .v.
	Nobilitas innata tibi probita[ti]s honorem probitatis] probitas 1521
	Armipotens Alurede dedit / probitasque laborem:
	Perpetuumque labor nomen: cui mixta dolori
	Gaudia semper erant: spes semper mixta timori.
5	Si modo victus erat / ad crastina bella parabat
	Si modo victor erat / ad crastina bella pauebat.
	Iam post transactos regni viteque labores /
	Christ[us] ei sit vera quies / sceptrumque perenne. Christus] Christe 1521
	¶A litel descripcion of the foundacion of Chestre / and of the abbay churche within the sayd cite / Where th e holy shryne by grace remayneth. Cap .iii.
365	Two cites of legions in cronicles we fynde
	One in south Wales / in the tyme of Claudius
	Called Caeruska / by britons had in mynde
	Or els Caerleon / buylded by kynge Belinus
	Where somtyme was a legion of knyghtes chiualrous
370	This cite of legions was whilom the bysshops se
	Unto all south wales / nominat Wenedocie
sig: [N3v]
	A nother cite of legions we may fynde also
	In the west part of Englande / by the water of Dee
	Called Caerlleon of britons longe ago
375	After named Chestre by great auctorite
	Iulius the emperour sende to this sayd cite
	A legion of knyghtes / for to subdue Irelande
	Like-wyse dyd Claudius (as we vnderstande)
	The founder of Chestre / as sayth Policronicon
380	Was Lleon_Gauer / a myghty stronge gyaunt
	Whiche buylded caues and dongions many one
	No goodly buyldyng / propre ne pleasaunt
	But the Kynge Leil a briton sure and valiaunt
	Was founder of Chestre by pleasaunt buyldyng
385	And of Caerleil also / named by the kynge
	Ranulphus in his cronicle yet doth expresse
	The cite of Chestre edified for to be
	By the noble romans prudence and richesse
	Whan a legion of knyghtes was sende to the cite
390	Rather than by the wysdome of Britons or policie
	Obiectyng clere agaynst the britons fundacion
	Whiche auctour resteth in his owne opinion.
	Anno gratie .lxv.
	Kyng Marius a bryton regnyng in prosperite
	In the West partie of this noble region
395	Ampliat and walled strongly Chestre cite
	And myghtyly fortified the sayd foundacion
	Thus eche auctour holdeth a singular opinion
	This Marius slewe Reodric kyng of pictis lande
	Callyng the place of his name Westmarilande
sig: N4
400	This cite of legions so called by the Romans
	Nowe is nominat in latine of his proprete
	Cestria quasi castria / of honour and pleasance
	Proued by the buyldynge of olde antiquite
	In cellers and lowe voultes / and halles of realte
405	Lyke a comly castell / myghty stronge and sure
	Eche house like a toure somtyme of great pleasure
	Unto the sayd Chestre all northwales subiect were
	For reformacion Iustice and iugement
	Theyr bysshops see also it was many a yere
410	Enduryng the gouernaunce of brutes auncient
	To saxons and britons a place indifferent
	The inhabitauntes of it manfull and liberall
	Constant sad and vertuous / and gentyll continuall
	Of frutes and cornes ther is great habundaunce
415	Woddes / parkes / forestes / and beestis of venare
	Pastures / feeldes / comons / the cite to auaunce
	Waters / pooles / pondes / of fysshe great plente
	Most swete holsome ayre by the water of dee
	There is great marchandise / shyps / and wynes strang
420	With all-thyng of pleasure the citezens amonge
	The yere of our lorde a hundreth sixe and fyfty
	Reigned vpon this lande a briton kyng Lucius
	Whiche with great desire required instantly
	His realme to be baptized of pope Ele[u]therius
425	Whose charitable mocion was harde full gratius
	The pope enioyed / graunted his peticion
	And sende .ii. doctours to conuerte this region
sig: [N4v]
	The doctours by prechyng and singular grace
	In short tyme conuerted the greatter_Britayne
430	The people confessed their synne and trespase
	Baptized all were / forgyuenes dyd attayne
	Idolatrie cessed through-out this lande certayne
	With grace circumfulced and lyghtned was Englande
	By faith to god professed was all Wales and scotlande
435	Kynge Lucius ordeyned by the doctours mocion
	xxviii. bisshops in this realme for to be
	And .iii. archebisshops for gostly exhortacion
	To reduce the people to vertue and humilite
	At London was set the chiefe archebisshops se
440	The seconde in south Wales at cite of legions
	The thyrde was at yorke all subiect to the britons
	Churches were edified in many a place
	Here in the more_Britayne with diligent labour
	Christis faith encreased by speciall grace
445	Faithfull religion delated euery hour
	Diuine seruice was songon and sayd with great honour
	True faith and deuocion were dayly encreasynge
	Namely in Chestre by grace continuall abidynge
	Certaynly sith baptym came to Chestre cite
450	Soone after Lucius and afore kynge Arthure
	By the grace of god and their humilite
	The faith of holy churche dyd euer there endure
	Without recidiuacion and infection / sure
	Wherfore it is worthy a singular commendacion
455	Aboue all the citees and townes of this region
sig: N5
	The perfect begynnyng and fyrst foundacion
	Of the monasterie within the sayd cite
	Was at the same tyme by famus opinion
	That baptym began within this countre
460	The great lordes of Chestre of landes and auncetre
	First edified the churche for comfort spirituall
	In honour of the apostels Peter and Paule
	Whiche churche was principall to all the citie
	And the mouther-churche called withouten doubt
465	It was their buriall by great auctorite
	To all this sayd cite / and .vii. myle without
	The cemiterie was large to compase it about
	But what by sufferaunce and processe of tyme
	Many olde customes ben brought now to ruyne
470	In whiche mother-churche of Peter and Paule
	All holy sacramentes ministred dayly were
	With great encreasement of vertues all
	Continuall endurynge more than .CCC. yere
	In the britons tyme / of blodde noble and clere
475	Afore the comyng of saxons to this lande
	Whiche with apostasie enfected all Englande
	So after that the Angles / Iutes / and saxons
	By fortune of batell / power and policie
	Had clerely subdued all the olde britons
480	And them expulsed to wales and wylde countre
	The faith of holy churche remayned at chestre cite
	In the sayd churche truely by singular grace alone
	Like as the faith of Peter neuer fayled at Rome
sig: [N5v]
	What tyme saint Austin the doctour of Englande
485	Had baptized Ethelbrut kynge of Kent
	And by relacion dyd fully vnderstande
	That the faith of Christ most digne and excellent
	In the citie of legions was truely remanent
	In the churche of the apostoles Peter and Paule
490	He magnified our lorde with thanke speciall
	That season there was a noble monasterie
	xii. myles from Chestre nominate Bangour
	Where religious monkes lyued vertuouslye
	Almost .iii. thousande / obedient euery houre
495	Without possessions / lyuyng by theyr labour
	Unto whiche place he sende for helpe at nede
	To conuert the saxons (sayth venerable Bede)
	Saynt Austin approched the cite of legions
	Where the sayd couent afore hym were present
500	Whom he required to preche to the saxons
	The faith of holy churche and baptym diligent
	To whose humble prayer / they were disobedient
	Obseruyng no charite / yet for theyr great pride
	Many of them were slayne by kynge Ethelfride
505	That season the britons remayned vnder licence
	Of Angles and saxons within the sayd cite
	Tyll the dayes of Offa kynge of merciens
	Regnyng in the west marche with great victorie
	Whiche kynge expulsed by power and chiualrie
510	All brutes and walshemen clere out of his londe
	In peyne of punysshement none there to be fonde
sig: [N6]
	Whan the said churche hauynge great liberte
	Dayly augmented in vertue and holynes
	Prestis and clerkes praysed the holy trinite
515	And the sayd apostoles with great mekenes
	The cite encreased in worshyp and ryches
	Churches wre edified with feruent deuocion
	In sondrie places within the sayd towne
	This noble kyng Offa agaynst the pagans
520	Of .xvii. batels had euer the victorye
	Confederate was with great Charles kyng of Fraunce /
	And edified saint Albans monasterye
	Of Englande first toke the hole monarchie
	Gaue Peter-pens vnto the court of Rome
525	Translate to Lichefelde the se of Canturbury
	xxxix. yere regned fully in this region.
	¶A brefe rehersall of the first foundacion of the mynstre of Chestre / and of the institucion of secular chanons in the tyme of kynge Edwarde senior. Cap. .iiii.
	THe yere of grace .D.CCC. seuynte and fyue
	Kyng Alured regned vpon this region vpon] vnpon 1521
	The relique the shryne full memoratyue
530	Was brought to Chestre for our consolacion
	Reuerently receyued set with deuocion
	In the mouther-churche of saint Peter and Paule
	(As afore is sayd) a place moost principall
	In whiche holy place vnto this present day
535	She bodilye resteth by diuine prouidence
	And so by his grace shall continue alway
	In honour worshyp / and mycle reuerence
sig: [N6v]
	A deuout oratorie of vertue and excellence
	Prepared by our lorde / where speciall remedy
540	Is agayne all greuans in soule and in body
	The primatyue gyftes gyuen to the place
	Immediatly were after her comynge
	Of deuout people replet with grace
	In the dayes of the forsayd Alured kyng
545	Of landes and libertes they made moche offerynge
	To god and saint Werburge / after theyr possession
	Tristyng to her prayer and sure protection
	The people with deuocion and mynde feruent
	Gaue diuers enormentes vnto this place
550	Some gaue a coope / and some a vestement
	Some other a chalice / and some a corporace
	Many albes and other clothes offred ther was
	Some crosses of golde / some bokes / some belles
	The pore folke gaue surges / torches / and towelles
555	The citezens offered to the sayd virgine
	For the great miracles amonge them wrought
	Many riall gyftes of Iewels to the shrine
	Thankynge our lorde that hath vs all bought
	And blessed Werburge in worde dede and thought
560	Women and children she mynded full gracious
	As testifieth the archebisshop Antoninus
	Diuine seruice was obserued deuoutly
	Euery day encreasyng with feruent adoracion
	As the feest required / and the solemnite
565	To the honour of our lorde and hi[s] glorificacion his] hie 1521
sig: [N7]
	Preistis and clerkes with pure meditacion
	Obseruynge their dutie gaue vertuous example
	Of great perfection to the comon people
	¶After kyng Alured / regned his son
570	Edwarde senior by liniall discence
	Crowned the yere of grace .ix. hundreth and one
	With wordly glorie and great preeminence
	Buylded castels townes of myghty defence
	Subdued the danes .vii. tymes in batell
575	Encreased his realme manfully and well
	That tyme the realme of merciens was translate
	By the kynge / and gyuen to duke Ethelrede
	A noble man of auncetre / politicke and fortunate
	Whiche maried his syster lady Elflede
580	Doughter to the forsaid valiant kynge Alurede
	The sayd gentilman was wyse and vertuous
	Sad and discrete pacient and famous
	This lady Elflede duchesse of merciens
	Had speciall loue and singular affection
585	To blessed Werburge and true confidence
	Wherfore she mynded with great dilectacion
	To edifie a mynstre a place of deuocion
	To this holy virgin for profite of her soule
	Enlargynge the churche of Peter and of Paule
590	She moued her husbande with great mekenes
	To supplie the same dede of his charite
	And diuers other nobles of theyr goodnes
	For aide in that cause after their degree
sig: [N7v]
	Ioyfull was the duke of the mocion gostle
595	Glad were the nobles within all the shire
	To founde a mynstre after her desire
	Afore the holy roode in a table writen is
	At saint_Iohans churche without the sayd cite
	Howe that prince Edmunde the thyrde son ewis
600	Of Edwarde senior true foundour shulde be
	To whom lady Elflede was aunt by auncetre
	So betwix twayne was founded in short space
	An holy mynstre of vertue full and grace
	They sende for masons vpon euery syde
605	Counnynge in geometrie / the foundacion to take
	For a large mynstre longe hie and wyde
	Substancially wrought / the best that they can make
	To the honour of god / for saynt Werburge sake
	At the est ende taken theyr sure foundacion
610	Of the apostoles churche / ioynynge both as one
	Whan it was edified / and curiously wrought
	And all-thyng ended / in goodly proporcion
	Than riche enormentes were offred and brought
	Of the said nobles with great deuocion
615	Temporall landes / rentes / possession
	Were gyuen for euer to mayntayne the place
	Of blessed Werburge by singular grace
	Spirituall ministres were elect also
	Secular chanons of great humilite
620	To synge and psalmodise oure sauiour vnto
	Within the sayd mynstre hauynge a perpetuite
sig: [N8]
	Prebendes were assigned to that fraternite
	With townes / borowes / and fredomes manifest
	Continually encreasyng vnto the conquest
625	And the olde churche of Peter and of Paule
	By a generall connsell of the spiritualte
	With helpe of the duke moost principall
	Was translate to the myddes of the sayd cite
	Where a paresshe churche was edified truele
630	In honour of the aforesayd apostoles twayne
	Whiche shall for euer by grace diuine remayne
	Also we may note holdyng none opinion
	This lady Elflede of her charite
	Of the sayd mother-churche translate the patron
635	Caused the sayd oratorie reconciled to be
	In the honour of the most blessed trinite
	And of saynt Oswalde martyr and kyng
	For the loue she had to hym continuynge
	The yere of our lorde .ix. hundreth and .viii.
640	This noble duchesse with mycle royalte
	Reedified Chestre / and fortified it full ryght
	Churche / house / and wall decayed piteousle
	Thus brought vnto ruyne was Chestre cite
	First by Ethelfride kyng of Northumberlande
645	And by danes / norwaies vexyng all Englande
	Also she enlarged this sayd olde cite
	With newe myghty walles stronge all about
	Almost by proporcion double in quantite
	To the forther byldynge brought without dout
sig: [N8v]
650	She compassed in the castell enemies to hold out
	Within the sayd Walles to defende the towne
	Agaynst danes and walshemen to dryue them all downe
	After the deth of her husband Ethelrede
	She ruled the realme of mercelande manfully
655	Buylded churches / and townes repared in-dede
	As Staforde / Warwike / Thomwort / and Shirisbury
	Of newe she edified Runcorn and Edisbury Runcorn: final 'n' carries sign of abbreviation
	The body of saynt Oswalde also she translate
	From Bardeney to Gloucetur there to be tumulate
660	Where she edified a noble monastery
	With licence of her brother afore nominate
	In honour of saint Peter / ouer the blessed body
	Of the sayd saint Oswalde / kyng and martyr coronate
	In wiche monastery this lady was tumulate
665	The yere of our lorde .ix. hundreth and nyntene
	Whom myn auctour prayseth in this wordes serene
	Henricus .li.v.
	O Elfleda potens / o terror virgo virorum:
	Uictrix nature nomine digna viri.
	Te quoque splendidior fecit natura puellam 'Te quoque splendidior fecit': recte 'Tu quo splendidior fieres' (Horstmann)
	Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri.
5	Te mutare docet sed solum nomina sexus 'docet': recte 'decet'; 'solum': recte 'solam' (Horstmann)
	Tu regina potens / rexque trophea parans
	Iam nec cesarei tantum meruere triumphi
	Caesare splendidior virgo virago. Uale.
	¶Of the notable myracles of saynt Werburge shewed in the tyme of chanons / and fyrst howe she saued Chester from distruction of walshemen Cap .v.
sig: O1
	THis glorious Werburge and virgin pure
	By singular grace of god omnipotent
	Shewed many myracles to euery creature
670	To blynde / dombe / halt / lame / and impotent
	In the cite of Chestre / whan her shryne was present
	Like-wyse as in her lyfe at Wedon / and Hambury
	Witneseth the same her true legende and history
	Where to the honour / prayse / and laudacion
675	Of Iesu / the seconde persone in trinite
	And of this virgin a speciall commendacion
	We purpose to reherse nowe with charite
	Under the protection of you that shall the reders be
	Parte of the myracles / with mynde diligent
680	In this humble stile / and sentence consequent
	The first myracle / that our blessed sauiour
	Shewed for his spouses / after her translacion
	To Chestre: was nye the tyme of Edwarde seniour
	Son to kynge Alured famous of renowne
685	The Name of britons was chaunged that season
	Were named walshemen in the montaynes segregate
	Euer to the saxons hauynge inwarde hate
	The Walshemen that tyme had ouer them a kyng
	Called Griffinus / to be theyr gouernour
690	Electe by the comons their appetite folowyng
	Endurate with malice / couetise and rancour
	Ennemies to englisshemen / as is said before
	This kyng entended by mortall enuy
	The cite of Chestre to spoyle and distrye
sig: [O1v]
695	A myghty host discended from the mountans
	Well-armed and strongely approchyng the cite
	Prepared for batell with them great ordinaunce
	The sayd Griffinus and all his company
	With his power passed ouer the water of Dee
700	Whiche ryuer adioynneth to the sayd towne
	Betwene Englande and Wales a sure diuision
	This kynge layd siege vnto Chestre cite
	With all his great host / there honour to wyn
	By policie of warre / encreasynge myghtyle
705	For whiche the citezens remaynyng within
	Were sore disconsolate like for to twyn
	With wofull heuy hartes they dyd call and crye
	Upon blessed Werburge for helpe and remedye
	The charitable chanons with great deuocion
710	Toke the holy shryne of theyr patrones
	Set it on the towne-walles for helpe and tuicion
	Trustynge on her to be saued from distres
	But one of the ennemyes with great wyckednes
	Smot the sayd shryne in castyng of a stone
715	And it empaired / piteous to loke vpon
	Anone great punysshement vpon them all lyght
	The kyng and his host were smytten with blyndnes
	That of the cite / they had no maner of syght
	And he that smote the holy shryne doubtles
720	Was greuously vexed with a sprite of darkenes
	And with hidous payne expired miserably
	The kynge was sore a_dred / and all his company
sig: O2
	Shortly the kynge remoued his great host
	Departed from the cite without any praye praye: =prey
725	And gaue in commaundement in euery coost
	Saynt Werburge landes to meynteyne alway
	Assigned her possessions euer after that day
	With the signe of the crosse a token euident
	In pleasyng this virgin / for drede of punysshement.
	¶Howe saynt Werburge cured and healed a woman thre tymes (whiche was halte and lame) to helth and prosperite agayne. Cap .vi.
730	IN the cite of Chestre (the legende doth expresse)
	An honest matrone dwelled / Eagida nominat
	Whiche by continuaunce / and payne of sickenes
	Was made halt and lame / of helth all desperate
	Yet to saynt Werburge her hart was eleuate
735	Instantly required with humble supplicacion
	This holy virgin for helth / and preseruacion
	Anone by the merite of this lady clere
	The pacient restored to helth and prosperite
	Gaue honour and thankes to Werburge and prayer
740	Entendyng euer after her true seruaunt to be
	And truely continue lyuyng in pure chastite
	But shortly she brake her promesse made in syght
	Folowyng her appetite and carnall lustes full ryght
	She had great riches welth and prosperite
745	And maried with pleasure after her entencion
	Where thries she endured her olde infirmite
	And thries was cured by meke intercession
sig: [O2v]
	To helth of body from peynfull contraction
	Thus by the merite of this virgin pure
750	She was deliuered from peyne thries to pleasure
	This forsayd Eadgide prudently ponderyng
	These notable miracles with her gostly eye
	Gaue great commendacion and speciall thankyng
	To almyghty god / with feruent humilite
755	And to saynt Werburge knelynge on kne
	Came to her oratorie and gaue an oblacion
	To the holy shryne with singular deuocion
	¶Howe saynt Werburge saued Chestre from innumerable barbarike nacions / purposynge to distroye and spoyle the sayd cite vtterly Cap .vii.
	AN-other tyme innumerable barbarike nacions
	Came to spoyle Chestre to robbe it and distry
760	(Sayth the historye) from diuers regions
	Harolde kyng of danes / the kynge of gotes and galwedy
	Maucolyn of Scotlande and all theyr company
	With baners displayed well-armed to fyght
	Theyr tentes rially in hoole heth were pyght
765	They set theyr ordinaunce agaynst the towne
	Upon euery side / timorous for to se
	Namely at the northgate they were redy bowne
	By myght[y] police to haue entred the cite myghty] myght 1521
	The citezens dredyng to be in captiuite
770	Made intercession vnto this holy abbasse
	For theyr deliueraunce in suche extreme case
sig: O3
	The deuout chanons sette the holy shryne
	Agaynst theyr enemies at the sayd northgate
	Trustynge to Werburge to saue them from ruyne
775	And shewe some myracle to them disconsolate
	For the citezens were of their lyues desperate
	Passynge mannes mynde to escape theyr daunger
	But all-only by merite of this virgin clere
	As the kynges were sautynge this forsayd cite
780	Trustyng for a praye to haue it euery hour
	One of the sayd ennemies replet with iniquite
	Nat worshyppyng th e virgin / nor dredyng our sauiour
	Smote this riall relique with a stone in his rancour
	Brake therof a corner curiously wrought
785	Cast all to the grounde: than sorowe came vnsought
	The sayd malefactour nat passynge the place
	Uexed with the deuill for his greuous offence
	Roryng and yellyng his outragious trespase
	Tore his tonge a_sonder in wodely violence
790	Miserable exspired afore them in presence
	Satan ceased nat to shewe great punysshement
	Upon his soule and body / by signes euident
	These kynges considerynge this soden vengeaunce
	Amonge them all lyght so soone and hastely
795	Shortly remoued theyr great ordinaunce
	Departed from the cite with theyr company
	Callyng on this virgin fast for grace and mercy
	Promyttynge neuer after to retourne agayne
	To disquiete her seruauntes and cite in certayne
sig: [O3v]
	¶Howe saynt Werburge by her merite sent frute to a barrayne woman by syngular prayer made vnto her The .viii. chapitre.
800	A Noble gentilman / a consul in office
	Descendyng of the hie and riall blodde of costy
	Elected a spouses at his owne deuice
	A swete faire gentilwoman curtes and comly
	Nominat Iudith / ioynned to hym in matrimony
805	With whom this lady lyued a longe season
	Barrayn and fruteles of generacion
	She daily lamented her great wretchednes
	As woman infortunate full of miserye
	Prayed to saynt Werburge with interiour mekenes
810	For remedy and helpe agaynst that wofull infamye
	Desired to haue issue and frute of her bodye
	If it pleased god / and this virgin also
	Most greattest comfort to brynge her hert from wo
	Saynt Werburge appered to her in vision
815	In white bright vesture / clere as the cristall
	Expressynge wordes of great consolacion
	Most ioyfull to Iudith to make rehersall
	Commaundyng her by the effect speciall
	To go to her churche with singular deuocion
820	And praye our sauiour with humble supplicacion
	Also for to compasse her holy aulter
	With a linen cloth / knelyng on her kne
	And after for to take the same cloth in fere
	And compas her wombe about reuerentle
sig: [O4]
825	This Iudith was ioyfull / and rose vp yerle
	And truely fulfylled this gostly vision
	From thens departed to her propre mancion
	Soone after this wyfe afore rehersed
	Conceyued a childe and had succession
830	Praysyng this virgin in hart worde and dede
	And after the tyme of her purificacion
	Of the same faire cloth she made oblacion
	Richely set in syluer / well wrought in compas
	With many riche enormentes she sende to this place
835	After came her-selfe vnto the monastery
	With many of her neyghbours / there nye dwellyng
	Praysyng and laudyng this glorious lady
	With cordiall thankynges makyng theyr offeryng
	Of this great myracles true witnes bearyng
840	Departed from the place with ioy and deuocion
	All the sayd company / eche to theyr mancion.
	¶Of a woman great with childe with peyne brought out of her wytte / by saynt Werburge was restoured to reason agayne. Cap .ix.
	IN the prouince of Chestre / knowen it is of olde
	A certayne man dwelled / of great honeste
	Whiche had a doughter disposed manyfolde
845	To sondrye vertues / clennes / and humilite
	This humble mayde ioyned was in matrimonye
	To an honest yong man / of whom she conceyued
	And was great with childe / openly perceyued
sig: [O4v]
	Whan the tyme approched of her deliueraunce
850	Uexed she was with mycle wo and payne
	Continually enduryng / with suche hidous greuaunce
	That out of her mynde she went in certayne
	All phisike and medicyns were founde to her in vayne
	No comfort in erth helpe nor remedye
855	For her myght be founde in suche extremite
	Her father and mother / and her frendes all
	Brought theyr dere doughter with great deuocion
	To saynt Werburge churche / requiryng speciall
	This blessed virgin / with humble intercession
860	To helpe the pacient from all vexacion
	Promyttynge an oblacion to this lady bryght
	Whan she vnto reason were comen a_ryght
	And as she slepped at the aulter ende
	Wofully cruciat with peynes hiduous
865	Passyng mannes cure it for to amende
	Anone by the merite of this virgin glorious
	She was released from all payne greuous
	And fully restored to her reason agayne
	Had good deliueraunce / and spedde well in certayne
870	Whiche myracle knowen / her frendes euerychone
	And all the good matrons of the sayd cite
	Came holly togyther with theyr oblacion
	To the holy shryne thankyng with hart fre
	This blessed virgin of her benignite
875	Whiche is so redy a mediatrice alway
	To helpe her true seruauntes both nyght and day
sig: P1
	¶Howe an-other woman vnlaufully wurkynge was made blynde / and by saynt Werburge restored was to her syght agayne. Cap .x.
	Within the same cite afore the abbay gate
	Dwelled a woman / which brake the commaundement
	Of god and holy churche / hye sabbot-day dyd violate
880	Unlaufully wurkynge: wherfore great punysshement
	Fell vpon this woman with peynes equiualent
	Sodaynly smytten / wurkynge full busely
	With greuous blyndnes / and mycle miserye
	This woman consyderynge her syght was gone
885	The pleasure of this worlde her helpe and succour
	Hauynge to lyue by / small riches or none
	Cried maynly out out alas euery hour
	Wo is me wretche fulfylled with dolour
	Alas I was borne to abyde this wofull day
890	My maker to displease / alas what shall I say?
	She called to memorie with hye discrecion
	The myracles that Werburge shewed to mankynde
	By grace she repented / with suche contricion
	That water distilled from her eyes blynde
895	Dolefully lamentynge / that she was so vnkynde
	Ruthfully was brought to Werburge oratory
	Trustyng in this virgin to haue remedy
	As she continued in her supplicacion
	Wofully wepynge / abidyng the great grace
900	Of blessed Werburge / with singular inuocacion
	Anone she was cured to helth and solace
sig: [P1v]
	Restored to her eye-sight / she passed the place
	Praysed our lorde and this virgin pure
	Was a holy woman after ye may be sure.
	¶How saint Werburge restored to helth and prosperite vi. lame and halt persons by singular grace. Cap .xi.
905	THe excellent fame of this glorious lady
	Dilated was through all this region
	Manifest by myracles full honorably
	Therfore from diuers partes came many a person
	For helth of body and gostly conuersacion
910	Some to be cured from payne intollerable
	And some of olde sores that were incurable
	Amonge whom there came vnto her place
	Sixe wofull persones / cured for to be
	Halt blynde and lame besekyng her of grace
915	With humble supplicacion vpon them haue pite
	With wepynge teares sayenge / o souerayn ladie teares] treares 1521
	O imperiall princesse / and kynges doughter dere
	Heele our disease by thy instant prayer
	O blessed virgin and holy moiniall
920	O glorious abbasse / and worthy gouernour
	O pereles parens and ministre spirituall
	O celestiall gemine resplendent with honour
	Praye for vs wretches vnto our sauiour
	That we may opteyne here mercy and grace
925	Cured of our sekenes / after to se thy face
	Thy name transcendeth this realme swete lady
sig: P2
	Thy myracles magnifien thy great goodnes
	Thy worshyp encreaseth with honour and glorie
	Daily euermore through thy great holynes
930	Shewe nowe thy power / cure vs from sekenes
	That by the we may prayse the kyng of blis
	As thou hast cured many one or this
	By these meke prayers / in hert full penitent
	And many other orisons sayd priuatly
935	Callyng on this virgin with deuocion feruent
	For certayne / or they passed the monastery
	They were all cured from peyne and malady
	In wytnes wherof / and triall as it was
	Theyr staues remayned longe after in the place
	¶Howe a yonge man thries hanged vnlaufully Was thries delyuered by saynt Werburge from dethe to lyfe and lyberte. Cap .xii.
940	ALmyghty god gaue in commaundement
	By moises lawe / to his people echone
	No innocent to slee by wrongfull iudgement
	Nor causeles to punysshe by greuous oppression
	Also to beware of lyght suspection
945	Wherof a myracle we shall nowe expresse
	Done in Chestre cite by Werburge theyr patronesse
	A certayne yonge man dwelled in the cite
	Honest in maners / and of good conuersacion
	Disposed to vertue and humilite
950	Was arrest and taken of a lyght suspicion
	By the officers and rule[r]s of the sayd towne rulers] rules 1521
sig: [P2v]
	Gyltles accused most innocently
	Condemned and iudged to deth shamfully
	After sentence gyuen / ministres were all redy
955	Upon the iudgement to do execucion
	He was fettred and brought to the gebbet by and by
	And as a stronge thefe hanged thervpon
	His frendes and cosyns for hym made great mone
	Alas what tonge myght expresse the wo
960	They made that tyme departynge hym fro
	And as this innocent hang in his payne
	He called to mynd the manyfolde goodnes
	The myracles of Werburge shewed her certayne
	Howe she had saued many in great distres
965	So whan he myght no wordes expresse
	In mynde her required her / and humblie dyd pray
	From shamfull deth to saue hym that day
	Whan all the officers departed were thens
	Supposynge the soule seperate from the body
970	A white do[u]e descended afore them in presence
	And lyght vpon the gebbet immediatly
	The byrde with his byll brake the rope truely
	The prisoner escaped that tyme from deth
	Shortly reuiuynge toke naturall breth
975	Whiche thynge notified so meruailous in syght
	The ministers returned / theyr labour in vayne
	Toke this innocent by power and myght
	Upon the sayd gebbet hanged hym agayne
	Thus he was delyuered by myracle from payne
sig: P3
980	The tortuous turmentours cessed their tyranny
	Permytted the prisoner to go at liberte
	Whiche myracle knowen / his frendes and cosyns all
	Returned agayne with glad mynde and chere
	The prisoner mette them louyng god in speciall
985	And blessed Werburge in his best manere
	The deuout citezens approched them nere
	Went all to the shryne the virgin thankyng
	The belles were tolled for ioy of this thyng
	¶Howe at the maner-place of Upton saint Werburge restrayned wylde horses from distruction of cornes put in by theyr ennemyes. Cap .xiii.
	ALso the thyrde season approched to Chestre cite
990	Many cruell ennemyes in the part of Wirall
	Purposyng to spoyle and distroy all the countre
	The people and theyr frutes / theyr corne and catall
	The citezens dredyng to be captyue and thrall
	Fortified the cite with men of armes bright
995	Hauynge sure artillarie for to defende and fight
	The husbandes of the countrey about there dwellyng
	Agaynst the sayd ennemyes makyng sore prouysion
	Brought their corne and cattell / their husolde remaynynge
	In assurance to be / to the parke of Upton
1000	Saynt Werburge landes from all distruction
	Whiche parke from Upton was distaunt a myle space
	A prebende to a chanon of her mynstre and place
	These Wycked ennemies fulfylled with malice
sig: [P3v]
	Agaynst all conscience and ordre of charite
1005	In no maner wise dredynge the hie iustice
	Entred the sayd parke with mycle cruelte
	Pulled downe the paale at pleasure and liberte
	Put in theyr horses made great distruction
	Of cornes and catell of a hie presumpcion
1010	Werburge remembrynge theyr great wyckednes
	Theyr malice and myschief agaynst her possession
	By myracle shewed her power and goodnes
	Preseruynge her seruauntes from all vexacion
	And punysshyng her ennemies with great affliction
1015	As she hath done many seasons or this
	By mean to her spouse our lorde kyng of blis
	Whan the corne-sheuys laye broken afore them playne
	The horses had no power any part to take
	For why? by myracle / theyr heedes all in certayne
1020	Were vp-holden in the ayre / theyr bodyes sore dyd quake
	They touched no frutes / wast they dyd none make
	Of the principall doers / some raged out of mynde
	Some smetyn with palsy / some lepre halt and blynde
	Whiche punysshement knowen vnto all the host
1025	The rulers and captens without any delaye
	Knyt agayne the sheuys / that none shulde be lost
	With tremblynge hartes humbly began to praye
	This holy virgin to saue them that daye
	Upon a condicion / escapynge from payne
1030	Endurynge theyr lyfe neuer to turne agayne
	From that tyme furth ther dare no nacion
sig: P4
	Consyderyng the power of this virgin pure
	Approchyng Chestre cite to make derogacion
	Denmarke Goet nor Galway scot ye may be sure
1035	Cruell danes nor walshemen dare nat procure
	Wherfore the citezens haue cause to loue the place
	And thanke this virgin for her helpe and grace
	¶Howe a chanon of Chestre hauyng his leg and thie broken was restaured to helth by saynt Werburge hys patronesse. Cap .xiiii.
	Within Chestre mynstre that holy place
	Dwelled a chanon nominate Ulminus
1040	Sad of disposicion by syngular grace
	Humble and pacient / discrete and vertuous
	Liberall and honest / gentyll and piteous
	And for a pastyme this was his pleasure
	To hunt and to hauke to confort nature
1045	And as this chanon rode for his solace
	On huntyng with other honest company
	By fortune vnfrendly / the more pite was
	Both horse and man fell to grounde sodendly
	In perill of theyr lyues standynge in ieoperdye
1050	The horse downe lyenge oppressed the chanon
	Brake his leg a_sondre / with blod great effusion
	Whan by his company the chanon was vp take
	He fell in a swowne for anguisshe wo and payne
	All wordly riches redy to forsake
1055	For one hour of quietnes to be had agayne
	Unto his mancion they brought hym certayne
sig: [P4v]
	Where he continued in mycle wo and langour
	Abydyng all-only the mercy of our sauiour
	Counnyng surgeans were sought vpon euery syde
1060	To cure this gentylman from penalite
	But none of them / by wysdome coude prouyde
	Clerely to heele hym / and do hym remedye
	Thus he remediles / in extreme ieopardye
	Prayed to saynt Werburge his patronesse
1065	For helth and remedye / of her great goodnesse
	Whose humble prayer with inward loue feruent
	Was graciously harde of her charite
	For right soone after appered euident
	A byrde like a doue most clere for to see
1070	Into the chanons chambre the byrde flow trule
	Among the company / and anone doubtles
	The place was repleit with odour and swetnes
	Soone after the company euerichone
	Were sadly on slepe a thynge meruaylous
1075	And afore the pacient by playne vision
	Saynt Werburge appered in his syght full glorious
	Sayeng: my chaplayne and seruaunt vertuous
	Why be ye absent from diuine seruice
	Nat doynge your dutie accordyng to iustice
1080	Ma-dame he sayd / and swete president
	It is well knowen to all the cite
	Of my mysfortune and harmes euydent
	Howe my horse almost had oppressed me
	Wherfore an impotent I endure mysere
sig: [P5]
1085	It is no feyned cause / that I do expresse
	I beseke you of helpe nowe swete maistres
	Saynt Werburge euer piteous and merciable
	Upon her seruantes in great distresse
	Conforted her chaplayne with wordes delectable
1090	Proued in effect by her excellent goodnes
	To his syght and felynge as he dyd expresse
	She touched the foote / that sore and broken was
	Cured it holly from payne by singular grace
	Whan she had cured thus this impotent
1095	Anone she departed out of his syght
	The chanon gaue honour to god omnipotent
	And to this virgin and lady bryght
	Of his gostly vision comfort and lyght
	All peyne was past sekenes vexacion
1100	Helth was come by playne probacion
	The chanon rose vp the same mydnyght
	And went to mattens as custome was
	His bretherne were glad with all theyr myght
	Praysed our lorde of his singular grace
1105	And Werburge patrones of the sayd place
	Also with honour reuerence and humilite
	The bretherne sange te deum solemle
	¶A brefe rehersall of certayne kynges / and how kyng Edgare came to Chestre. Also howe Leofrice Erle of Chestre repared diuers churches. Cap .xv.
	After the decesse of kynge Edwarde seniour
	Ethelstan his sonne was coronate at London
sig: [P5v]
1110	Kyng of this lande / regnyng in honour
	With power regalite by true succession
	Ualeant in chiualry and actes euerychone
	Subdued danes / scottes / norwayes / britons all
	Opteyned triumphe / and dignite imperiall
1115	The fourth yere of his reigne / and the yere of grace
	viii. hundreth .ii. and seuenty by full computacion
	Guy erle of Warwike by fortune slayne hase
	Colbrond the gyaunt / floure of danes nacion
	The sayd kyng Ethelstan by power and renowne
1120	Thries subdued danes / and slewe the kyng of Irelande
	Nominat prince Anlaff as we vnderstande
	This noble Ethelstan was good and gracious
	To all holy churche / namely to religion
	Ryghtfull in iudgement / liberall and piteous
1125	To his true subiectes through his dominion
	To mynstres and holy places had great affection
	Confirmed theyr foundacions with libertes clere
	Whose noble actes be touched a lytell here
	Regia progenies produxit nobile stemma.
	Cum tenebris nostris illuxit splendida gemma
	Magnus Ethelstanus patrie decus / orbita recti
	Illustris probitas a vero nescia flecti.
	After Ethelstan regned Edmunde his brothur
1130	Fyue yeres in honour / hauyng great victory
	Princis Elred and Edwyn succided eyther othur
	In great busines with scottes and danes truly
	Next whom meke Edgare / sayth the history
	xvi. yere of age / coronate at Kyngston
1135	With peace and quietnes first ruled this regio[n].
sig: [P6]
	In whose natiuite the blessed Dunstan
	Herde angels singe with mycle melody
	Peace is nowe come to Englande certan
	Quietnes / and rest / honour / and victory
1140	Of cornes and frutes that tyme was plentie
	Danes / norwaies / scottes / britons in euery place
	Submytted them-selfe to the kynges grace
	Science encreased true loue and amite
	Uertue was exalted in all this region
1145	Monasteries were edified of his benignite
	Endowed with riches / and riall possession
	xl. religious places by famous opinion
	Were newly buylded by the sayd noble kyng
	In sondry places of this realme standyng
1150	Secular prestes expulsed sothely were
	From diuers monasteries with great discrecion
	Religious persones repleit with vertue clere
	Entred their places cause of deuocion
	Charitie was feruent and holy religion
1155	The lyues of sayntes were soth in eche place soth: =sought
	And written in legendes for our comfort and grace
	Many shyps were made vpon the kynges cost
	To serche by the se all his lande about
	That no alian entre in no maner cost
1160	By policie and manhod to holde all his ennemies out
	Danes / norwaies / scottes durst nat ones loke out
	Suche drede all nacions had ensuynge the tyme
	That kyng Edgare regned by prouidence diuine
	In progresse he passed ones in the yere
1165	Eche quarter of the realme with his company
sig: [P6v]
	To se that his subiectes well-ordred were
	And the lawe obserued / iustice with mercy
	Than was none oppression wronges nor iniury
	Debate malice rancour myght nat be founde
1170	True loue and charite was in all the londe
	Kynge Edgare approched the cite of legions
	Nowe called Chestre / specified afore
	Where .viii. kynges mette of diuers nacions
	Redy to gyue Edgare reuerence and honour
1175	Legiance and fidelite depely sworne full sore
	At the same cite: after to be obedient
	Promyt at his callyng to come to his parliament
	From the Castell he went to the water of Dee
	By a priue posturne through walles of the towne
1180	The kyng toke his barge with mycle rialte
	Rowyng vpwarde to the churche of saynt Iohnn
	The forsayd .viii. kynges with hym went alone
	Kynge Edgare kept the storne / as most principall
	Eche prince had an ore to labour with-all
1185	Whan the kynge had done his pylgrimage
	And to the holy roode made oblacion
	They entred agayne into the sayd barge
	Passynge to his place with great renowne
	Than Edgare spake in praysyng of the crowne
1190	All my successours may glad and ioyfull be
	To haue suche homage honour and dignite
	Also it is to be had in memory
	That this sayd Edgare and his princis all
sig: [P7]
	Came with great reuerence vnto the monastery
1195	To worshyp saynt Werburge with mynde liberall
	Where he gaue fredoms and priuileges speciall
	With singular possessions of his charite
	Confirmynge the olde grauntes by hye auctorite
	This Edgare was nominate in cronicles expresse
1200	The floure of Englande / regnyng as emperour
	Lyke-wise as Romulus to romains was of prowes
	Cyrus to the persis / to the grekes their conquerour
	Great Charles to frenchemen / to troians Hectour
	Famous in victorye preignant in wysdome
1205	Uertuous and pacient / feruent in deuocion
	Henricus .libro .v.
	Auctor opum vindix scelerum / largitor honorum
	Sceptriger Edgarus regna superna petit.
	Hic alter Solomon / legum pater / orbita pacis
	Quod claruit bellis / claruit inde magis.
5	Templa deo / templis monachos / monachis dedit agros:
	Nequitie lapsum / iusticieque locum.
	Also from the byrthe of our blessed sauiour
	A thousande fyfty yere / and seuyn expresse
	In the tyme of saynt Edwarde kyng and confessour
	As William_Maluesbury beareth wytnes
1210	Than Leofricus a man of great mekenes
	Was erle of Chestre and duke of merciens
	Son to duke Leoffwin by liniall discence
	This noble Leofric sayth policronicon
	Of his deuocion and beningne grace
sig: [P7v]
1215	Namely by the counsell and vertues mocion
	Of his lady Godith countes whiche was
	Reedified churches decayed in many a place
	Also he founded the monastery of Leonence
	By the towne of Herforde / and the place of Wenlecence
1220	This erle repareled a noble olde monastery
	Euesham_vpon_Auen / gaue them great riches
	Also founder was of the abbay in couentre
	Made the cite free for loue of his countesse
	At the cite of Chestre of his great goodnes
1225	He repared the College-churche of saynt Iohnn
	Endowed it with riches and enormentes many one
	This erle of Chestre the sayd Leofricus
	Of his charite / and feruent deuocion
	To the honour of god / reedified full gracious
1230	The mynstre of Werburge within the sayd towne
	Gaue vnto it riches and singular possession
	Endowed the sayd place with fredoms and liberte
	And speciall priuileges confirmed by auctorite
	So the sayd place encreased in honour
1235	In great possessions / fredoms / and richesse
	With singular deuocion vnto our sauiour
	And prayse to saynt Werburge theyr patronesse
	The chanons obserued vertue and clennes
	Daily augmentyng by diuine sufferaunce
1240	Unto the comyng to this lande of normans
	¶Of the comyng of Willyam_conquerour to this lande and howe Hugo_Lupe his syster-sonne was founder of Chestre monasterye Cap .xvi.
sig: [P8]
	THe yere of grace .M. sixe and thre scour
	The .xiii. day of the moneth of october
	The duke of Normandy / William_conquerour
	Pight a stronge batell / displayed his baner
1245	Of normans and frenchemen hauynge great power
	Subdued kynge Harolde / opteyned all the londe
	Was coronate at London / made saxons all bonde
	For diuerse great causes he came to this countre
	First for deth of Alured his nere kynsman
1250	The proscripcion of Robert archebisshop of Canterbury
	The periury of Harolde agaynst conscience playne
	The promys of saynt Edwarde made to hym certayne
	That the sayd Wylliam shulde enioye the crowne
	If the kyng departed without succession
1255	A generall counsell was celebrate at London
	That all bysshops sees by helpe of the conquerour
	From borowes shulde be translate to a famous towne
	Within their diocese / to the greatter honour
	Ryght so they all were / sayth myn auctour
1260	Also the see of Lichefelde was translate to Chester
	By helpe and sufferaunce of the bysshop Peter
	With Wylliam_conquerour came to this region
	A noble worthy prynce nominate Hugo_Lupus
	The dukes son of Britayne / and his syster-son
1265	Flourynge in chiualry bolde and victorious
	Manfull in batell / liberall and vertuous
	To whom the kyng gaue for his enheritaunce
sig: [P8v]
	The counte of Chesshire with the appurtinaunce
	By victorie to wynne the forsayd Erledom
1270	Frely to gouerne it as by conquest right
	Made a sure chartre to hym and his succession
	By the swerde of dignite to holde it with myght
	And to calle a parlement to his wyll and syght
	To ordre his subiectes after true iustice
1275	As a prepotent prince / and statutes to deuise
	This valeant knyght with a myghty host
	Descended from London to wynne the sayd counte
	But the lordes of Chesshire rose from euery cost
	Agaynst hym made batell and had the victorie
1280	Thries they preuayled agaynst the erle trulie
	After he optayned to his fame and honour
	The erledome of Chestre entred as a conquerour
	He gaue to his knyghtes after theyr desire
	Lordshyps and franches / and great possession
1285	With riche mariages within all Chesshire
	Exalted his seruauntes to hye promocion
	Unto holy churche had special deuocion
	Maynteyn[yn]ge iustice / commendyng vertue Maynteynynge] Maynteynge 1521
	Deposyng vice by the helpe of Iesu
1290	After the departure of his vncle the conquerour
	Whan William_Ruff. toke the regalite
	Than blessed Anselme the famous doctour
	Dyd viset this lande oft-tymes of his charite
	Glad to refourme / and brynge vnto vnite
1295	Where was debate / and mycle diuision
sig: Q1
	By diligent labour and good exhortacion
	This forsayd erle of his benignite
	Interiously louynge holy religion
	Repleit with vertue and feruent charite
1300	Sende for saynt Anselme vnto London
	To come to Chestre at his peticion
	And there for to founde a religious place
	In honour of Werburge by diuine grace
	Blessed Anselme at the erles supplicacion
1305	Came vnto Chestre with gladde chere shortly
	Where he founded an abbaye of holy religion
	A pleasaunt place and a noble monasterye
	In worshyp of god / and saynt Werburge sothely
	The yere of grace by full computacion
1310	A thousande .iiii. score .xiii. yere alon
	All secular prestes / and chanons also
	Within the sayd place afore-tyme dwellyng
	Were clerely dismyssed / and letten go
	Religious monkes perfect in lyuynge
1315	Receyued were gladly their rule professynge
	Saynt Anselme ordeyned Richard of Beccense
	To be their abbot with great preeminence
	Landes / rentes / libertes / and great possession
	Franches / fredoms / and priuileges riall
1320	Were gyuen mekely to that foundacion
	Maners / borowes / townes / with the people thrall
	And many faire churches / chapels withall
	Wardes and mariages were gyuen that season
sig: [Q1v]
	To god and saynt Werburge cause of deuocion
1325	Kyng Wyllyam_Ruff. son to the conquerour
	Confirmed the foundacion / with great auctorite
	Endowed the monastery with mycle honour
	Of fredoms / franches / also liberte
	The place that tyme was made as fre
1330	As the sayd erle was in his castell
	Or as hert myght thynke / or tonge myght tell
	Saynt Anselme departed thence vnto London
	And was made archebisshop of Canturbury
	To the place he gaue a sure confirmacion
1335	With singular priuileges to be had in memory
	Of whom it is written here folowyng truly
	Hic vir dum vixit extirpantes maledixit
	Werburge iura presentia si[u]e futura.
	This noble prince gaue of his charite
1340	Riall riche enormentes vnto the sayd place
	Coopes / crosses / Iewels of great rialte
	Chales / censures / vestures / and landes dyd purchace
	A librarie of bokes to rede and synge there was
	Of whiche riall iewels and bokes some remayne
1345	Within the sayd monastery to this day certayne
	The founder also buylded within the monasterie
	Many myghty places / conuenient for religion
	Compased with stronge walles on the west partie
	And on the other syde with Walles of the towne
1350	Closed at euery ende with a sure postron
	In south part the cimiterie inuironed rounde about
sig: Q2
	For a sure defence ennemies to holde out
	The .ix. yere aftre this riall foundacion
	This noble founder the .xxvii. day of Iuly
1355	Departed towarde the heuenly mancion
	Next whom his son Richarde succeded truly
	Than regnyng in honour the first kyng Henry
	Also the place had their fraunches and fredom
	Afore the sayd cite a hundreth yere and one
	¶Howe saynt Werburge taught her monke and chaplayne to kepe paciens for his greatter merite and glorye to come. Cap .xvii.
1360	AFter the translacion of Chestre monasterye
	From secular chanons to monkes religious
	By helpe of Anselme archebisshop of Canturburye
	Supportyng therto the founder Hugo_Lupus
	As afore is specified full memorous
1365	A monke there dwelled of vertuous disposicion
	Under obedience / nominate dan Symon
	This brother Simon his tyme well vsyng
	Nowe in vertuous study / nowe in contemplacion
	Nowe in deuout prayer / nowe busely wryttynge
1370	Somtyme in solace / and honest recreacion
	Obserued deuoutly his holy religion
	Obedience / pacience / and wylfull pouerte
	Mekenes / meditacion / with pure chastite
	For whiche examples and signes of vertue
1375	Diuers of his bretherne repleit with enuy
	Were fully confederate entendyng to subdue
	This honest prest by malice and policy
sig: [Q2v]
	They layd to his charge open wronges and iniury
	They punysshed and oppressed hym with great affliction
1380	Dayly augmentyng by subtyll collusion
	Dan Symon offendyng no brother at all
	Obserued pacience / euer callynge for grace
	Wepyng lamentyng with syghes cordiall
	His fortune vnfrendly remediles in that case
1385	Entended to depart to some other place
	Of a scrupulous conscience / seyng no redresse
	Was redy to procede plonged in heuynes
	Werburge appered to this monke in vision
	Bryghter than Phebus in his meridian spere
1390	My seruaunt she sayd callyng hym vpon
	Why be ye so sad / and heuy of chere?
	Wheder entende ye? shewe the mater clere
	Alas he sayd ma-dame and patronesse
	For sorowe I can nat my peynes expresse
1395	Diuers of my bretherne ben greued at me
	Uexyng me dayly with great tribulacion
	Causeles on my part deserued trule
	In worde or [i]n dede gyuyng non occasion in] en 1521
	I can nat be quiet amonge that congregacion
1400	Wherfore swete lady vnder your licence
	I purpose to departe in sauynge my conscience
	Saynt Werburge pacified his mynde and entent
	With wordes of comfort and holy scripture
	Made hym be humble in hert and pacient
1405	Thy sufferaunce shalbe great ioye and pleasure
sig: Q3
	And for thy pacience thou maist be sure
	To haue rewarde in blis perpetuall
	At thy departure from this lyfe mortall
	Wherwith saynt Werburge departed sodeinl[y] letter illegible
1410	To the blys of heuyn euer endurynge
	The monke was meke in hert and mery
	Obserued her doctrine this lyfe continuyng
	Gaue good example of perfect lyuynge
	Unto his bretherne / and at his departure
1415	For his pacience passed to eternall pleasure
	¶Howe sondes rose vp within the salt see agaynst Hilburghee by saynt Werburge at the peticion of the constable of Chestre. Ca .xviii.
	THe seconde erle of Chestre after the conquest
	Was erle Richard / son to Hugo_Lupus
	Whiche Richarde entended all-thyng to the best
	To visite saynt Winifride in hert desirous
1420	Upon his iourney went / myn auctour sayth thus
	Deuoutly to holy_well in pylgrimage
	For his great merite and gostly aduantage
	Whan the wicked walshemen herd of his comyng
	After a meke maner vnto that party
1425	They made insurrection inwardly gladdyng
	Descended from the mountaynes most furiously
	Agaynst the erle raised a cruell company
	Bytwxt hym and Chestre lettynge the kynges way
	Purposynge to slee or take hym for a praye
sig: [Q3v]
1430	The erle son perceyued theyr malicious entent
	In all hast possible sende to Chestre secretly
	To warne his constable by loue and commaundem[en]t commaundement] commaundemt 1521
	Wyllyam the son of Nigell / to rayse a great army
	To mete hym at Basyngwerke right sone and spedely
1435	For his deliueraunce from deth and captiuite
	Of the wyld walshemen / without humanite
	The constable congregate in all goodly hast
	A myghty stronge host / in theyr best arraye
	Towarde Hilburghee on iourney ridyng fast
1440	Trustyng vpon shippes all them to conuaye
	Whiche was a riall rode that tyme nyght and daye
	And whan they theder came shyppyng none there was
	To carie all them ouer in conuenient space
	Alas what hert may thynke / or tonge well expresse?
1445	The dolorous greuaunce / and great lamentacion
	That the host made / for loue and tendernes
	Knowynge their great maister in suche persecucion
	Some wept and wayled without consolacion
	Some sighed and sobbed / some were in extasy
1450	Without perfect reason / alas what remedy?
	Wyllyam the constable most carefull man on lyue
	Of his mysfortune in suche extreme necessite
	Called to hym a monke there dwellyng contemplatyue
	Required hym for counsayle and prayer for his charite
1455	The monke exhorted hym to knele vpon his kne
	Humblie to beseke Werburge his patronesse
	For helpe and remedy in suche great distresse
sig: [Q4]
	The constable content anone began to praye
	O blessed Werburge and virgin pure
1460	I beseke the mekely helpe me this day
	That we may transcende this ryuer safe and sure
	To saue and defende my lorde from discomfiture
	And here I promytte to god and the alone
	To offre to the a gyfte at my comyng whome
1465	Whiche prayer ended with wepyng and langour
	Beholde and consydre well with your gostly ee
	The infinite goodnes of our sauiour
	For like as to Moises deuided the redde_see
	And the water of Iordan obeyed to Iosue
1470	Ryght so the depe riuer of Dee made diuision
	The sondes drye appered in syght of them echone
	The constable consyderynge / and all the company
	This great myracle transcendyng nature
	Praysed and magnified our lorde god almyghty
1475	And blessed Werburge the virgin pure
	They went into wales vpon the sondes sure
	Deliuered their lorde from drede and enmite
	Brought hym in safe-garde agayne to Chestre cite
	The said Wyllyam constable came to the monasterye
1480	Thanked saynt Werburge with meke supplicacion
	Fulfylled his promes made in extremite
	Offred to the place the village of Neuton
	Afterwarde he founded the abbay of Norton
	And where the host passed / ouer betwix bondes
1485	To this day ben called the constable_sondes
sig: [Q4v]
	¶Howe Matilde countesse of Chestre counsellyng her husbande agaynst the monastery of Chestre was drowned at Barflewe with many other mo. Cap .xix.
	AFter the decesse of Hugo_Lupe prenominate
	Richarde his son .vii. yeres of age
	Was elect Erle by the kyng and creat
	With counsaile gouerned his landes and heritage
1490	At yeres of discrecion he toke in mariage
	The lady Matild / nece to the first kynge Henry
	Doughter to erle Stephan (sayth the history)
	At his begynnyng he was a benefactour
	A founder to the place by landes and possession
1495	By franches and libertes / ayde / helpe / and succour
	Gyuen to the abbay / augmentyng the foundacion
	Proued by his actes of singular deuocion
	Enduryng long-tyme / tyll that his lady
	By wycked counsaile moued hym the contrarye
1500	It is red in scripture howe quene Iesabell
	Ambicious of honour agaynst all ryghtousnes
	Peruerted her lorde Achas / kyng of Israell
	To sle Nabath for his vineyard doubtles
	Also Athalia / the bible sheweth expresse
1505	Commaunded to slee the kynges children all
	That she myght regne sole princesse imperiall
	Ryght so this Matilde clerely refusyng
	The steppes of Sara / Rebecca / and Rachell
	And other good matrons: but [imi]tacion takyng imitacion] mutacion 1521
1510	Of these wycked women Athali and Iesabell
sig: R1
	Peruerted her husbande by her subtyll counsell
	To aske of the abbot the maner-place of Salton
	With the appurtinaunce / by famous opinion
	Th 'abbot by counsell of his bretherne all
1515	Denyed to graunt their propre possession
	The patrimony of Christ and their landes seuerall
	To the sayd erle Richarde and his succession
	Gyuen by his father at the first foundacion
	For Whiche thyng the erle and Matilde his lady
1520	Hated th 'abbot / the bretherne / and the monastery
	The erle and his countesse went to Normandy
	To viset their frendes and cosyns naturall
	So dyd the princis / their father kyng Henry
	With many estates of the blodde riall
1525	These princis fauored no saxon at all
	The erle conominat in malice and hate
	Agaynst the monasterie / as a man endurate
	Satan sende forth his seruauntes in hast
	To enfect the erles hert with venomous poison
1530	The bedyls of Belial attempted full fast
	The erle and his countesse / to kepe theyr opinion
	Detractours flaterers cause of promocion
	Trustyng therby to opteyne fauour and grace
	Excited their myndes agaynst the sayd place
1535	The erle sore attempted by his gostly ennemy
	By wycked people callyng hym vpon
	Namely by the counsell of Matilde his lady
	Entended to alter and chaunge the foundacion
sig: [R1v]
	Of the sayd abbay to another religion
1540	Confirmed the same sweryng most depely
	At his whom-comyng to Englande / from Normandy
	Th 'abbot and couent knowyng this great perell
	By speciall louers and frendes secretly
	Were pensyue and sorowfull (it was no meruell)
1545	Their hertes plonged in wo and misery
	By naturall reason hauyng no remedy
	Consyderyng his malice encreased more and more
	Agaynst the monastery / with wordes of rigour
	They had their hope trust and confidence
1550	In blessed Werburge their patronesse
	With wepyng eies clere in conscience
	They called her vpon in all their distresse
	O glorious virgin lady and swete maistres
	Metigate the malice by thy benignite
1555	Of Richarde our lorde / mekely we praye the
	Suffre hym neuer to distroye thy place
	By wycked consell malice and enuy
	Founded and dedicate by heuenly grace
	In honour of god / and the specially
1560	Protect / defende / and saue thy monastery
	Thy landes / thy libertes / and thy seruauntes all
	As thou afore-tyme hast done continuall
	In meane-tyme the erle entended spedely
	From thens to depart / and retourne agayne
1565	To fulfyll his entent agaynst the monasterye
	By the subtyll mocion of his countesse playne
sig: R2
	A ship was prepared / all-thyng redy certayne
	The prince of England / the erle and his lady
	Toke shippyng at Barflewe and all their comp[any] company] comp 1521company: last three letters added in ink in a late 16th c. hand company: last three letters added in ink in a late 16th c. hand
1570	Certaynly they sayled but a lytell space
	Whan agaynst them roose a contrarie wynde
	The mariners to gyde the ship had no grace
	The stormes so great hiduous agaynst kynde
	On a rocke they ranne / no remedy myght fynde
1575	Incontinently the ship barst all in sondre
	The erle and his feliship were turned all vndre
	No man ne childe scaped from deth that tyme
	But one pore seruaunt whiche swamme to the londe
	Suche was theyr fortune by sufferaunce diuyne
1580	Many of theyr b[o]dis were neuer fonde bodis] bedis 1521
	Thus was their power made thrall and bonde
	Theyr lyues were lost within a s[h]ort space short] sort 1521
	Whiche were cruell ennemyes vnto her place.
	On saynt Katharins day at after mydnyght
1585	Whan matens were ended / and bretherne gon
	Some mournyng waylyng for drede full ryght
	Some busie in prayer and contemplacion
	Werburge appered to the secristan alone
	Sayenge: ye may be ioyfull in god and mery
1590	Erle Richarde is drowned your mortall ennemy
	The same glad tidyng shewed an honest woman
	Tollyng at the churche dore the sayd day and hour
	As she was commaunded by Werburge in certan
	To th 'abbot and couent plonged in great langour
sig: [R2v]
1595	(Whiche myracle herde) they pray[s]ed our sauiour praysed] prayed 1521
	And blessed Werburge / with hert deuoutly
	Syngyng Te deum full solemply
	¶Howe a great fire like to distroye all Chestre by myracle ceased / whan the holy shryne was borne about the towne by the monkes. Cap .xx.
	FRom the incarnacion of our sauiour
	A thousand / a hundreth yere .lxxx. also
1600	On sonday in mydlenton / the .viii. houre
	Whan euery paresshen theyr churche went to
	As all christen people of dutie shulde do
	A fyre by infortune rose vp sodeinly
	All flamyng feruent or the people dyd espy
1605	This fearefull fire encreased more and more
	Piteously wastyng hous / chambre / and hall
	The citezens were redy their cite to succour
	Shewed all their diligence / and labour continuall
	Some cried for water / and some for hookes dyd call
1610	Some vsed other engins by crafte and policy
	Some pulled downe howses afore the fire truly
	Other that were impotent / mekely gan praye
	Our blessed lorde / on them to haue pite
	Women and children cried out and waile_a_way
1615	Beholdyng the daunger and perill of the cite
	Prestes made hast diuine seruice to supple
	Redy for to succour their neyghbours in distres
	(As charite required) and helpe their heuynes
sig: R3
	The fire contynued without any cessynge
1620	Feruently flamyng euer contynuall
	From place to place meruaylously rennyng
	As it were tynder consumyng toure and wall
	The citezens sadly laboured in vayne all
	By the policie of man was founde no remedy
1625	To cesse the fire so feruent and myghty
	Alas great heuynes it was to beholde
	The cite of Troye all flamyng as fire
	More pite of Rome cite was manyfolde
	Feruently flagrant / empeiryng the empire
1630	As to the quantite the cite of Chestire
	Myght be assembled this tyme in like case
	To the sayd citees remedeles alas
	Many riall places fell adowne that day
	Riche marchauntes houses brought to distruction
1635	Churches and chapels went to great decay
	That tyme was brent the more part of the towne
	And to this present day is a famous opinion
	Howe a myghty churche a mynstre of saynt Michaell
	That season was brent and to ruyne fell
1640	Whan the people sawe their power insufficient
	By diligent labour / wysdome and policye
	To subdue the fire / but styll dyd augment
	To almyghty god they dyd call and crye
	And to saynt Werburge the gracious lady
1645	For helpe and succour in suche wretchednes
	Wepyng and waylyng for woo and heuynes
sig: [R3v]
	Th 'abbot and couent of the sayd monasterie
	Religiously lyuyng in holy conuersacion
	Repleit with mekenes and feruent charite
1650	Toke the holy shryne in prayer and deuocion
	Syngyng the letanie bare it in procession
	Compasyng the fyre in euery strete and place
	Trustyng in Werburge for helpe aide and grace
	Whan they had ended the holy letanye
1655	From place to place procedyng in stacion
	Anone a stremyng sterre appered sodaynlye
	A white doue descended afore the congregacion
	Approchyng as to helpe them / a signe of consolacion
	The people reioysed of that gostly syght
1660	And praysed saynt Werburge with power and myght
	So by the merite of this blessed virgin
	The fire began to cesse / a myracle clere
	Nat passyng the place / where the holy shryne
	Was borne by the bretherne / as playnly dyd appere
1665	The citezens dyd helpe in their best manere
	The feruent great fire extincted was in-dede
	By grace aboue nature / in story we may rede
	The clergie the burges / and the comons all
	Consyderyng the goodnes of this virgin bright
1670	With tendernes of hert and loue in speciall
	Magnified and praysed our lorde god almyght
	And blessed Werburge by day also nyght
	Whiche hath perserued of her great charite
	Chestre from distruction in extreme necessite
sig: R4
1675	Unto her shryne the people all went
	The clergie before in maner of procession
	Thankyng this virgin with loue feruent
	For her mercy and grace shewed them vpon
	Deuoutly knelynge there made oblacion
1680	Sayeng full sadly / we shall neuer able be
	The place to recompence for this dede of charite
	¶A breue rehersall of the myracles of saynt Werburge after her translacion to Chestre. Cap .xxi.
	THese fore-sayd myracles and signes celestiall
	By diuine sufferaunce shewed manifestly
	Magnifien this virgin and blessed moiniall
1685	With mycle worshyp honour and victory
	Playnly declaryng vnto your memory
	What singular grace / worshyp / and excellence
	Our sauiour shewed for his spouse openly
	As is rehersed at masse in her sequens
1690	To expresse all myracles written in the place
	In a boke nominate the thrid passionarye
	It wolde require a longe tyme and space
	To the reders tedious (no meruayle sothly)
	Where we omytte to writte of them specially where: =wherefore
1695	But touched in generall vnto your audience
	To reioyse and comfort your hertes inwardly
	As ye may considre in her sequens
	Certaynly it is knowen by bokes expresse
	Sith that saynt Werburge came to Chestre cite
1700	By the power of god and myracle doutles
sig: [R4v]
	She hath defended the towne from ennemite
	From barbarike nacions full of crudelite
	Of whom we haue shewed with diligence
	Preseruyng her seruauntes / and the monastery
1705	As is declared in her true sequence
	Also of her goodnes preserued she hase
	The sayd towne from fire in extreme necessite
	Many diuers tymes to their ioye and solace
	Releuyng the citezens in wo and penalite
1710	For it is well knowen by olde antiquite
	Sith the holy shryne came to their presence
	It hath ben their comfort and gladnes truly
	As playnly appereth in her sequens
	Also to blynde men she hath gyuen syght
1715	To dombe men speche right perfectly
	To deffe men their heryng pleasaunt and right
	And helth to sicke men repleit with debilite
	Delyuered prisoners from captiuite
	Passage to lame men / to mad men intelligence
1720	Suche myracles shewed this blessed lady
	As ye may vnderstande in her sequens
	Women with childe by her had good delyueraunce
	Uirgins defended from shame and vilany
	Her seruauntes were cured from wofull greuaunce
1725	Marchantes and mariners delyuered from ieopardye
	Other were saued from hangyng shamfully
	A speciall comfort succour and defence
	To all carefull creatures sekyng for remedy
	By singular grace / as sayth the sequens
sig: [R5]
1730	No wofull person in payne and wretchednes
	Man woman childe / who-so-euer they be
	Comynge to the abbay with perfit mekenes
	Makyng supplicacion to this lady free
	But they departed ioyfull and merie
1735	To theyr dwellyng-place by her beniuolence
	And for their lyuyng had all-thyng necessarie
	As written is playnly in her sequens
	For whiche great myracles and signes continuall
	This blessed Werburge floure of humilite
1740	Of the people is called for grace supernall
	Patrones of Chestre / protectrice of the countre
	Where next our sauiour and his mother Marie
	She hath great honour prayse and preeminence
	As most condigne to beare the principalite
1745	In witnes wherof recordeth her sequens
	This holy abbasse and lady imperiall
	Hath ben president in Chestre monasterie
	Theyr trust / theyr treasure / and defence speciall
	In mycle reuerence .vii. hundreth yere trulie
1750	And so shall continue by grace of god almyghty
	To the worldes ende in hie magnificence
	To whom be honour worship and glorie
	Euer to endure / as sayth her sequens
	¶A charitable mocion and a desyre to all the inhabytauntes within the countie palatine of Chestre for the monasterie. Cap.xxii.
sig: [R5v]
	O ye worthye nobles of the west partye
1755	Considre in your mynde with hye discrecion
	The perfite goodnes of this swete ladye
	We mean saynt Werburge nowe at this season
	Whiche hath ben your helpe and singular tuicion
	And so euer wylbe / haue this in your mynde
1760	Whan ye to her call with humble supplicacion
	Wherfore to the monasterye be neuer vnkynde
	Remembre / at the foundacion of the sayd place
	Your predecessours and fore-fathers redy were
	To gyue for their soule-helth by singular grace
1765	Parcell of their landes and possessions mere
	To our sauiour and to saynt Werburge clere
	Redy to offre them with humble hert and mynde
	In perfit oblacion with Hugo_Lupe their foundere
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
1770	Many helde their landes of the sayd monasterie
	By tenure grand-seriante / and some by homage
	By tenure franke-almoigne / other by fealtie
	With seruice de chiualere / and some by escuage
	Some by petit-seriant / and by tenure burgage
1775	As in their euidentes and grauntes they may fynde
	Tres maners de rentes / with tenure villenage
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	The place hath speciall franches and liberte
	Hauynge certayne wardes of landes and mariage
1780	Of diuers gentilmen within the sayd counte
	All theyr tenauntes and seruauntes haue fre passage
	Within all chesshire without tolle and pillage
sig: [R6]
	Suche auncient fredoms in their dedes they fynde
	Gyuen by theyr founders for gostly auauntage
1785	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	The erle gaue the place many great fredoms
	Within Chestre cite / whiche ben knowen of olde
	With singular priuileges and auncient customs
	Saynt Werburge faire / with profites manyfolde
1790	That no marchandise shulde be bought ne solde
	Enduryng the faire dayes (in writyng as we fynde)
	But afore th 'abbay gate / to haue and to holde
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	Therfore lordes barons / ye rulers of the countre
1795	We you nowe exhorte in our sauiour
	Discretly considre with your gostlie eie
	The myght of this mayden and chaste floure
	Shewed by myracles euery day and hour
	Whan she was required with true hert and mynde
1800	In all busines she hath ben their protectour
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	Whan your forefathers haue ben in great perell
	In ieoperdie of lyfe on see and on londe
	Or like to be slayne by ennemies in batell
1805	Or taken by warre in prison fast bonde
	Unto this virgin / as we vnderstonde
	Whan they called and cryed with contrite mynde
	They escaped all daunger / cam whom safe and sonde
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
1810	Marchauntes passynge with marchaundise
sig: [R6v]
	From lande to lande truly entendyng
	If they were taken with cruell ennemyse
	Or els were put in perill of perisshyng
	If they to this virgin deuoutly praying
1815	Made supplicacion with humble hert and mynde
	Anone they opteyned theyr humble askyng
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	If any of you vexed with infirmite vexed: was vexed (Horstmann); and note shift of pronouns from 'you' to they' in this stanza
	With sekenes incurable / or other vexacion
1820	A[s] wronges iniuries and other maladie As] Ar 1521
	Unto saynt Werburge makyng intercession
	And to her place promysyng an oblacion
	With contrite hert and penitent mynde
	They were soone cured from all affliction
1825	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	And you honest matrons remembre you all
	The goodnes of this virgin full of grace
	Whan ye in trauelyng vpon her do call
	Or haue any relique sende from the place
1830	Ye fortune and spede well in short tyme and space
	And diuers maydens louyng a chaste mynde
	From vilany ben saued by her purchase
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	But eche contray / shire / and congregacion
1835	Some be disposed to vertues generall
	And some to the contrarie proued by reason
	Folowyng their mynde and appetite sensuall
	Haue shewe[d] vnkyndnes to the place spirituall shewed] sheweb 1521
	And haue ben sore punysshed / take this in mynde
sig: [R7]
1840	To all other folowynge [an] example speciall an] and 1521
	Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde
	There was neuer man of high nor lowe degree
	Lorde / baron / knyght / marchaunt / and burges
	Attemptyng to infringe their rightes and liberte
1845	Remaynyng in the same malice and wyckednes
	But if they repent shortly theyr busynes
	Askyng absolucion to theyr conscience blynde
	Uengeance on them doth lyght doutles
	Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynd
1850	Diuers malefactours agayne good conscience
	Attemptyng to take there seuerall possession
	By subtell policy and wrong-feyned euidens
	By proued periury and fals collusion
	Whiche in theyr iniury and wronge mesprision
1855	Without repentauns in theyr consciens blynde
	Sodenly haue ben drow[n]ed a sharpe punycion drowned] drowed 1521
	Wherfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde
	Other haue be glad to alienat the patronage
	Of certayne churches by malice and enuy
1860	By a fals enquest for theyr owne auauntage
	Defraudyng the right of the holy monastery
	Suche euill-doers remaynynge in theyr tyranny
	Without satisfaccion in their consciens blynde
	Lyke wretches expired moste myserably
1865	Wh[e]rfore to the monastery be neuer vnkynde Wherfore] Whrfore 1521
	Other haue ben besy serching day and nyght
	To infringe theyr fraunchis and fridome auncient
sig: [R7v]
	By fals recordes oppugnant to ryght
	As hath ben proued by persones indifferent
1870	Yet they haue procured and sought wrong iugement
	Agaynst their libertes in conscience blynde
	Sodayne and euyll deth folowed them consequent
	Wherfore to the monasterye be neuer vnkynde
	Some other haue be parauenture on late
1875	Studious to disquiet the place the company
	And diuers libertes haue alienate
	Also tolled their franchis fraudulently
	From the sayd place well knowen in memory
	Suche mysdoers we moue in conscience blynde
1880	To mende their wronges lest payne come sodeynly mende] maende 1521
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
	Suche malefacto[u]rs considre nat discretly
	Howe all suche landes libertes and fredoms
	Were gyuen to Christ and ben his patrimonye
1885	And nat all-only to religious persons
	For all suche fraunches priuileges possessions
	Of charite were gyuen of pure conscience and mynde
	To god and saynt Werburge with great deuocions
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
1890	Nowe for to make a small conclusion
	We well perceyue in auncient bokes olde
	All suche transgressours / holdyng their opinion
	Obstinate in malice indurate and bolde
	Some haue ben slayne / some drowned in water colde
1895	Some shamfully hanged rebukyng their kynde
	Some wretchedly departed / some cruciat manyfolde
	Wherfore to the monasterie be neuer vnkynde
sig: [R8]
	¶A litell orison or prayer to the blessed virgine saynte Werburge by the translatour of this werke. Ca .xxiii.
	O Blessed Werburge and virgin glorious
	Descended by auncetrie of blod victoriall
1900	Doughter to kynge Uulfere / and Ormenilde vertuous
	O sufferayne lady and famous moiniall
	With hert and true mynde on the I call
	Thou art my succour / my helpe in all distres
	Defende and saue me from peynes infernall
1905	By thy meke prayer swete patrones
	O rutilant gemme clerer than the cristall
	O redolent rose repleit with suauite
	Whiche for the loue of thy spouse eternall
	Refused hast all vayne pleasures transetore
1910	Honours / riches / and secular dignite
	Nowe regnyng in heuyn as a quene doutles
	Praye for thy seruaunt to the lorde of mercy
	Mekely I beseke the swete patronesse
	O sufferayne lady full of singular vertue
1915	Myndyng most religion from thy infancy
	Elect to the a spouse our sauiour / Iesu
	Professed obedience at the house of Ely
	Where thou obserued the sensuals thre sensuals: aphetic form, see OED s.v. essential
	By grace aboue nature playn to expresse
1920	Opteyne me power to haue victory
	Ageynst myn ennemyes swete patrones
	O floure of virgins and comly creature
	Syngyng with angels in the heuenly toure
sig: [R8v]
	Transcendyng the saphir and diamounde pure
1925	In worship praisyng beaute and decur
	What tong can reherse thy ioy and honour
	Whiche is ineffable for man to expresse
	Beseke thy spouse our blessyd sauiour
	To graunte me mercy swete patrones
1930	For thy great vertu and hie discrecion
	Chosen thou was a pyler here to be
	Of diuers monasteryes to encrease religion
	By thy gostly doctryne and humilite
	Exsample thou gaue of perfit charite
1935	Unto thi subgettis as a kynde maistres
	Helpe me thy seruaunt of thy benignite
	To please my maker swete patrones
	No maruell it was thought thy subgettis all
	Were vertuous and perfect in contemplacion
1940	Under suche a ruler a hed and principall
	Whose gostly example and exortation
	Were corespondent accordyng in one
	Thy precept and deed were vnit with mekenes
	In this vale [of] misery be my protection of] 1521 omits
1945	I humble the require swete patrones
	Glorious abbasse and floure of chastite
	Carboncle shenyng bothe day and nyght
	All this region by thy noble progenie
	And by the is decorat vnder god almyght
1950	The presens of thy blessyd body right
	Reioisith thy seruauntis in all distres
	Thou art our refuge and lanterne of light
sig: S1
	Succour thy seruauntes swete patrones
	O pereles princes lady imperiall
1955	O gemme of holynes and noble president
	Comfort to all creatures in paynes thrall
	Releuyng all secke feble and impotent
	A myrrour of mekenes to euery pacient
	Whose myracles magnifien thy great goodnes
1960	Defende thy seruaunt from greuous turment
	By thy supplicacion swete patronesse
	O noble sufferayne and singular protectrice
	Of thy true subiectes by speciall grace
	In all necessite a sure mediatrice
1965	From greuous oppression preseruyng thy place
	A lanterne of lyght in eche wofull case
	To illumine thy people plonged in heuynes
	With great consolacion and gostly solace
	Nowe lyghten our conscience swete patronesse
1970	Swete louely lady mekely I the praye
	For thy great mekenes and perfect charite
	Make thou intercession both nyght and day
	For thy true seruauntes vnto the trinite
	That we may opteyne here grace and mercy
1975	And of our synne to haue forgyuenes
	Afterwarde to come to eternall glorie
	Helpe nowe and euer swete patronesse
	¶A breue conclusion of this litell werke vnto the reders by the translatour. Cap .xxiiii.
sig: [S1v]
	With tremblynge penne / and hand full of drede
	In termes rude translate nowe haue we
1980	The noble historye of saynt Werburge in-dede
	Besekyng all them for their good humanite
	Whiche this litell proces shall beholde and se
	For to adde and minisshe and cause reformacion
	Where nede requireth after your discrecion
1985	At her lyfe historiall example may take
	Euery great estate / quene / duches / and lady
	To encreace in vertue / and synne to forsake
	To obserue mekenes and prayer deuoutly
	With pacience of hert / and almesdede truly
1990	If thou be widowe / her lyfe well folowyng
	Thou mayst be sure in blis to haue a wonnyng
	If thou be religious / wearyng blacke vesture
	Take good example at this holy abbasse
	Her lyfe wyll teche the how thou shult endure
1995	In holy religon / opteynyng mycle grace
	With mekenes / meditacion / mesure in eche place
	And howe thou shalt kepe thy sensuals thre
	Consideryng in heuen thy rewarde to be
	If thou be a virgin of hie or low degre
2000	Takyng imitacion of this virgin bright
	Thou mayst well obserue the floure of chastite
	And thy spouse shalbe the lorde most of myght
	On whom if thou attende redy day and nyght
	Thou shalt haue merite as recordeth scripture
2005	With .v. wise virgins after thy departure
sig: S2
	The cause mouyng vs this werke to begyn
	It was to auoyde slouth and idelnes
	And most for the loue of this holy virgin
	Whiche is our sufferayn lady and patrones
2010	As for baudy balades full of wretchednes
	And wanton wylde gestis / we purpose none to make
	For drede of losyng tyme / clothed in vesture blake
	Go forth litell boke / Iesu be thy spede
	And saue the alway from mysreportyng
2015	Whiche art compiled for no clerke in-dede
	But for marchaunt-men / hauyng litell lernyng
	And that rude people therby may haue knowyng
	Of this holy virgin / and redolent rose
	Whiche hath ben kept full longe-tyme in close
2020	To all auncient poetes litell boke submytte the
	Whilom flouryng in eloquence facundious
	And to all other / whiche present nowe be
	Fyrst to maister Chaucer / and Ludgate sentencious
	Also to preignaunt Barkley / nowe beyng religious
2025	To inuentiue Skelton and poet laureate
	Praye them all of pardon both erly and late
	If there be any-thynge within this litell boke
	Pleasaunt to the audience / contentyng the mynde
	We praye all reders / whan they theron do loke
2030	To gyue thankes to god maker of mankynde
	Nat to the translatour ignoraunt and blynde
	For euery good dede / done in any cost
	It cometh allonly of the holy gost.
sig: [S2v]
	Almyghty god both one two and thre
2035	We desire the with humble supplicacion
	Saue holy churche of thy benignite
	And all ministres in holy religion
	Preserue the kyngis grace the Peeris the region
	Defende our monasterie and thy serua[n]tes all
2040	And graunt vs by grace to come to blis eternall
	Finis.
	A balade to the auctour.
	O thou disciple of Tully most famous
	Nowe flourisshyng in the floures of glorious eloquence
	Like as appereth by your stile facundius
	Full worthe laude prayse and preeminence
5	Put forth your werkes full sure of sentence
	Whose auctour / what though vncertayne be his name
	Of all the reders exalted shalbe in fame
	Alas why shulde this delicious werke
	Thus surely sette by pured science
10	To be examined by my rudenes all derke
	Whiche knowe full well myn insufficience
	Sith I haue lerned by longe experience
	That dulled age in werkes of poetry
	Must nedes gyue to poetes place and victory
15	Glorious god and kynge eternall
	We magnifie thy name as is but ryght
	Sith thou gaue to vs a floure most riall
	Redolent in cronicles with historicall syght
	Whiche nowe is departed from this temporall lyght
20	The present yere of this translacion
	.M.D.xiii. of Christis incarnacion
	Cuius anime propicietur deus.
sig: [S3]
	An-other balade.
	O frutefull histore / o digne memoriall
	Enbawmed with doctrine of vertues infinite
	With termes exquised / and sence retoriall
	To spirituall hertes a singular delite
5	Fragrant and facunde / of englisshe exquisite
	Holsome in doctrine / for those that it desire
	Auaunce you to rede it / for it is exquisite
	Folowynge th 'effect to kepe you from hell-fire
	Reioyse Chestre / reioyse ye religious
10	And thanke your maker of his beniuolence
	That hath you gyuen suche treasure preciouse
	Aduocatrice / in your most indigence
	O virgin werburge / of double excellence
	Conserue thy seruauntes dayly familier
15	Preseruyng them from inconuenience
	The for t 'ensue / that art theyr lode-sterre
	Amonges the whiche to thyn honour
	One of thy clientes / with morall retorique
	Hath chaunged newly / o mayde most swete flour
20	Thy legende latine / to our language publique
	Preserue his soule / and make hym domestique
	Within the heuyns / in whiche that thou art sonke
	With deth preuent / he myght nothyng replique
	Harry_Braddeshaa of Chestre abbay monke
25	O cruell deth / o theffe vindicatyfe
	To persons vertuous ennemy mortall
	Of this good clerke thou hast abbreged the lyfe
	Preuentyng hym with thy dede stronge fatall
sig: [S3v]
	Yet in dispite of thy most venomus gall
30	He hath translate this legende profitable
	And left it for holsome memoriall
	To all his sequaces / a gyft most couenable
	With polysshed termes / and good sence litterall
	No place there voyde / but vertue abundeth
35	Th 'effect is manifest: for science ouer-all
	Rethorically thy sentence groundeth
	All vices surely it confoundeth
	Shewynge the legende of this mayde pure
	Her shenyng lyfe eche-where redoundeth
40	Suche steppes folowyng / we hope in them t 'endure.
	An-other balade to saynt werburge
	With hert contrite accepte my supplicacion
	Aydynge my fraylete and lyfe vacillaunt
	Renegate and contumace in all obstinacion
	Be_wrapt with all synnne detestable and recreaunt
5	Uouchsafe to supplie Iesu and geat graunt
	Remyssion to haue of my synnes generall
	Greuous and thrall that I may the auaunt
	A ge[n]till Werburge / to thy doctrine me call
	Wherfore thy father / thy mother Ermenilde
10	Enclined both to dedes catholique
	Ruffine and Kenrede / thy bretherne were fulfilde
	Both with great grace / through martyrdome both like
	With diuers of thy kynne magnifique
	Redact in the catholique papall
15	Geat me suche grace to voyde all synnes inique
	And gentill Werburge to thy doctrine me call
sig: [S4]
	With faithfull clennes / thy soule was sure [preserued] page torn, reading supplied by Horstmann
	Euer contynuynge in doctrine celicall
	Refusyng vanite / from vertue neuer swarued
20	But in all grace remaynyng principall
	Unto thy deth exhortyng great and small
	Ruled to be / to the preceptes diuine
	Gouerned by grace / were thy disciples all
	A gentill Werburge call me to suche doctrine
25	Wordly felicite abiect from my courage
	Enuy and pride / with lustes voluptuous
	Rancorous cupidite myn hert sore do aswage
	Bryng oyntmentes sanatiue for my sores dolorous
	Unclose thy succours / and be beniuolous
30	Redy to be preseruyng me from pyne
	Gouerne my lyfe from all actes daungero[u]s
	And gentill Werburge call me to thy doctrine
	Be nowe beniuolent / whan I shall on the call
	Unto thy slaue / as my trust hath ben sure
35	Leue vnto me for a memoriall
	Knowlege effectuall of thy lyfe pure
	Lyuynge ther-after / and so t 'endure
	Euer in purite my lyfe to contynue
	Yeldyng thankes for thy most holsome [c]ure cure] lure 1521
40	Christ ouer vs holde his hande / al vices t 'eschue. Amen.
	¶And thus endeth the lyfe and historye of saynt Werburge. Imprinted by Richarde_Pynson / printer to the kynges noble grace / With priuilege to hym graunted by our souerayne lorde the kynge. Anno .M.D.xxi.
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