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(B) THE LIFE OF ST. EDMUND

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3    THE FOLLOWING HEADING ADDED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT:
4

AND BEGYNNETH THE LYFE OF SEYNTE EDMONDE THE
5CONFESSOURE

6
7    Seynt Edmounde the confessoure, that lyethe at Pounteney in
8ffraunce, was bore in Ynglond in the towne of Abyngdon. Mabely the
9ryche was his moders name; she was right holy, bothe wyfe and
10wydowe. And vpon Seynt Edmoundis daye the kyng the sayde Seynt

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11Edmond was bore. And in his byrthe noo clothe was fowlyd by hym.
12And he was bore in the furst spryngyng of the daye, and al that daye
13tyl it was euyn he laye as he had ben dede. And than the mydwyff
14wolde haue had hym buryed, but his moder sayde naye. And anone
15thurgh the myght of God he revyved and than he was bore to the
16churche to be cristenyd. And bycause he was bore on Seynt Edmondis
17daye the kyng he was namyd Edmond. And as this chelde grewe in
18aige he encresyd gretely in vertu. And than the moder sent the sayde
19Edmounde with his brother Robert to scole. And she had ii doughters,
20Dame Mary and Dame Alys; bothe theye were made nonnys at
21Catesby in Northaumptonshire by the laboure of Seynt Edmond. And
22there moder gave theym yeftes to fast the ffryday, and so she drewe
23theym to good levyng by yeftes and fayre beheestes; and when thaye
24came to more aige it grevyd theym not. The moder hirself weryd the
25hard heyre for oure Lordis loue and lad hir lyff in grete penaunce.
26    But in a tyme as Mabely his moder put oute wolle to spynne, she
27toke hir spynners so moche for the libra that thaye myght not leue
28thereon, but complayned to Seynt Edmond hir sonne. And he toke
29the yerne and rekyd it in the colys, and the libra was sauyd that she
30payd for and the ouerplewse was brente. Wherefore she dyd neuer
31so after to hir lyves ende.
32    And than she sent hir ii sonnys, Edmond and Robert, to Paryce
33too scole. And she toke theym mony for theyre costes wyth theym,
34and she delyueryd to theym ii harde hayres, made lyke shurtes, and she
35prayd theym for here loue to were theym onys or tweys in the weke,
36and they shulde lake nothyng that nedid to theym. And then thay
37fulfylled theire moders desire, and in shorte tyme after thaye werid
38the heyre euery daye and euery nyght. This was a blessyd moder that
39soo vertuosly brought fourth hir chyldren. And then Seynt Edmond
40encresyd so gretely in vertu that every creature joyed thereof and
41preysed God in his holy seruaunt Edmond.

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42    And in a daye as his felowys and he wente to playe he left his felowship
43and went allone into a medowe vnder an hedge saying his devocions.
44And sodenly there appierid before hym a fayre chelde in whyte
45clothyng and sayd: 'Hayle, felowe that goyst allone.' And than
46Edmounde merveylid from whens the chylde come; and the chelde
47sayde: 'Edmond, knowyst not me?'
48    He sayde: 'Naye!'
49    And he sayde: 'I am thye felowe in scole, and in eche other place
50where that thu goyst I am alweye on thy ryght syde; and yet thu
51knowyst me not. But loke thu in my forehed and there thu shalte
52fynde my name wryte.' (And than Edmond lokyd in his forehed and
53se wryte therein Jesus nazarenus, rex Judeorum, fili Dei, miserere mei .)
54And then the chelde saide: 'Drede the not, Edmond, for I am thy lorde,
55Jesu Cryste, and shall be thye defendoure whyle thue leuest.'
56    And than Edmond fylle downe mekely and thankyd our Lorde of
57his grete mercy and godenes. And oure Lorde bade hym when he
58shall go to his bed and when he shall aryse to blesse hym with the
59syngne of the crosse and saye the prayer affore-wryten in mynde of
60hys passhyon, 'and the deuyll shall haue no power ouer the'. And anone
61the chylde vanysshyd awaye, and Seynt Edmond vsyd euer after that
62prayer and blessyng to his lyvys ende, and suffryd euer grete penaunce
63for Goddis sake in weryng of the heyre.
64    And when he had contynued many yeris at Paryce at the scole,
65than he came to Oxford. And he dyd neuer lechery nor consentyd
66yerto, and that was special grace of oure Lorde. And on a daye he
67came to an ymage of oure Lady and put a ryng vpon hir fyngur and
68he promysed hyr verely neuer to haue other wyff but hir whyles he
69levyd. And he greete oure Lady withe these iiii wordis:' Aue, Maria,
70gracia Plena ', which was wryte in the ryng. Hys oste had a doughter
71that labouryd gretely Seynt Edmond to synne by hir and she desyred
72long tyme to come to his chambir. And at the last this holye man
73grauntyd hir. And she was ryght gladde and spyed hir tyme and came

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74to his chambir and made hir redy to go to bed and stode nakyd before
75Seynt Edmond. And he toke a sherp rodde and layde vpon the mayde
76tyll the rede blode ranne downe fro hir body in euery syde. And than
77he sayde to hyr: 'Thus thu shalt lerne to caste awaye thye sowle for
78the fowle lustis of thye bodye.' And ar he lefte of she had no lust to syn
79with hym for all hir fowle desyres were clene gonne. And after that
80she levyd a clene virgyn to hir lyves ende.
81    Than sone after Mabely his swete moder nyghed hir ende and sente
82for Seynt Edmond hir sonne and yeaff hym hir blessyng and all hir
83chyldren. And than she prayed hym for Goddes loue and oure Ladys
84also that he wolde se that hys susters were well guyded in the nonry
85of Catysby affore-sayde. And so she passid to our Lorde full of vertues,
86and is buryed in the churche of Seynt Nycholas at Abyngdon in a
87tombe of marbyll before the rode. And this scripture is wryte on hir
88tombe: 'Hir lyeth Maboly, flowre of wedows.' And than Seynt
89Edmonde made a chapell at Catysby, and after bothe his susters were
90buryed therein, for the one of theym was pryoras of the same nonry
91and dyd there many myraclys. And theye ben buryed before the high
92auter in the same nonry.
93    And than this holy man Seynt Edmond dwellyd at Oxford and
94contynued there in ful holy leuyng for he weryd the hard heyre knett
95with knottes lyke a nett. And the knottis stekyd faste to his flessh that
96oftyntymes it causid his body to blede and to be full sore. And in this
97maner was bothe hys shurte and hys breche imade, and he bounde it
98faste with a corde to hys body that the heyre myght cleve fast to his
99body in euery place. Hyt sate so strayte vpon hym that vnnethe he
100myght bowe his body, the which was a ful grete penaunce to hym.
101And in a tyme whan his shurte of heyre was fowle and tobroke, he
102toke it his man too brenne in a grete fyre. But he cowde not brenne
103hem in no wyse, but euer thaye laye hole and vnbrent in the fyre.
104Than his mann toke an hevy stone and bownde the shurte thereto
105and caste it in the water where was a depe ponde; and there he left
106theym. But he tolde hys maister that thaye were brente.

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107    Seynt Edmond and his felowys on a daye came fro Lewkenowre to
108Abyngdon and as thaye came into a grete valey thaye se many black
109fowlys lyke crowys, among which there sate one that was all totoryn
110with the other black crowys; and thaye cast hym from one to another
111that it was grete pety to beholde it. Therefore his felowys were nye
112madde for fere of that syght. And then Seynt Edmond comfortyd
113hem and tolde theym whate it was. He saide that thaye beth feendis
114of helle that berith a mannys sowle that dyed at the towne of Chalfegrove
115right nowe, and that sowle shall neuer come in the blysse of
116heuyn for his cursyd leuyng. And than Seynt Edmond and his felowis
117wente to the towne of Chalfegrove and fownde al thyng lyke as
118Seynt Edmond tolde theym.
119    And fro thens thaye wente too Abyngdon and theire Seynt Edmond
120wente into the churche and sayde his prayers lyke as he was wonte
121to doo, the which prayer was O intemerata , the which he sayde euery
122daye in the wurship of Jesu Criste, oure blessyd Lady, and of Seynt
123John the Euaungelyst. And this prayer he vsyd to saye dayly or he
124dyd one wordely workys. But in a tyme he forgate to saye this holy
125oryson and than Seynt John the Euaungelyst came to Seynt Edmond in
126a ful gastfull maner and blamyd gretely Seynt Edmond. But after that
127to his lyfys ende he neuer forgate to saye that holy prayer.
128    And after this holy man encresyd so gretely in Oxforde in all the
129vii sciences that all men had grete joye of hym. And in a nyght as he
130sate in his studye, hys awne moder Maboly appierid vnto hym in a
131vysyon. And she sayde to hir sonne: 'Loke fro hense forewarde that
132thue laboure in devynyte and in no nother science, for that is the
133wylle of God lyke as he hathe sente the worde by me.' This saide
134she vanyshed awaye fro hym. And after that this holy mann labourid

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135alweye in devynyte to fulfylle the wylle of oure Lorde Jesu Cryst.
136And he encresyd so mervelously in that scyence that al Oxford had
137grete wondyr of hym for his grete connyng, for there was none lyke
138hym in all Oxford. ffor he had that grace when he radde in the scole
139of devynyte, he profyted more to the herers in one weke than other
140mennys techyng dyd in a moneth, for many one of his scolers thurgh
141his gracious techyng forsoke the worlde and became relygious men.
142    And in a daye as the holy man sate in the scole for to dispute of the
143holy trynyte, he came long ar his scolers came, and he felle in a sclombryng
144as he sate on his chayre. And ther came a white dove and brought
145hym the body of oure Lorde and he put hyt into his mouthe. And
146than the dove flye vpwarde from hym and heuyn openyd ayenst hym
147as Seynt Edmonde behelde hit. And euer after he thought that the
148savoure of oure Lordis flessh was euer in hys mowthe. And thereby
149he knewe full moche privyte of the pure state of Jesu Cryste and of
150hys magestye in hevyn, for he had mervelouse connyng aboue al other
151doctors that were in Oxforde for he expownyd so hye maters to
152theym that they thought he was more lyke an angel than a man.
153    And in euery lesson that this holy man taught he thought in oure
154Lordis passhyon. And in a nyght he studyed so long on his bokys that
155sodenly he fylle aslepe and forgate to blesse hym and thynke on the
156passhyon of oure Lorde. And than the feende that had gret envy to
157hym laye so hevye on Seynt Edmond that he had no power to blesse
158hym with the ryght honde ner with the lyft honde. And than Seynt
159Edmond wyst not whate to doo, but at last thurgh the grace of oure
160Lorde he remembryd his blessyd passhyon; and then the feend had no
161power ouer Seynt Edmond, but fylle downe anone fro hym. And than
162Seynt Edmond commaundid hym by the vertue of oure Lordis passhion
163that he shulde telle hym howe he shulde best defende hym that he
164shulde haue no power ouer hym. And the feende aunsweryd to Seynt
165Edmond: 'That that thue haste sayde and thought on the passhyon of
166oure Lorde Jesu Cryst; ffor whate mann or womann that hath hys mende
167on oure Lordis passhyon, I have no power ouer theym at no tyme.'
168And euer after Seynt Edmond the holy mann had ful grete deuocyoun
169in the passhyon of oure Lorde and in holy orysons for therein was all
170hys delyte bothe nyght and daye. But when he ete, slepte and rode, all
171that tyme he thought was but in ydelnes and hevy onto hym. But all

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172that he labourid in holy studye or bedis-byddyng or almesdede-doyng,
173all suche thynges was moost plesaunce to hym, and he was neuer wery
174of suche werkys for he was all hole yeuyn to Goddys seruyce and to hys
175plesyng. And also he was a notable prechoure and gretely his techyng
176edefyed in the people that all people had grete devosyon to hyre his
177prechyng.
178    In that tyme the pope sente his crosser to the bysshoppis of Ynglonde
179that thaye shulde chese a wyse clerke that shulde proclayme
180the popys entent thurgh this realme of Ynglond for to haue helpe and
181socoure ayenste the Turke, Goddes enmy. And so by one assent theye
182chose Seynt Edmond to proclayme the popys wylle. And soo he dyd
183that charge full welle and dyligently thurgh this londe, and moche
184people he causyd to take the crosse and for to go into the Holy Londe.
185And as a yong mann came with other to resseyue the crosse, a woman
186that louyd hym lette hym of hys purpose and she drewe hym fast
187awaye fro thens with hir hondys. And anone bothe hir hondis were
188styffe and harde as a borde and also hir hondis wax all crokyd. And than
189she made grete sorowe and cryed God mercye; and she prayed Seynt
190Edmond to praye for hir to oure Lorde.
191    And he sayde to hir: 'Woman, wylt thue take the crosse?'
192    And she sayde: 'Yee, sir, full fayne.'
193    And than she resseyuid it and was made hole. And than she thankyd
194oure Lorde, Jesu Cryste, and his holy seruaunt, Seynt Edmond. And
195thurgh this grete myracle moche more people toke the crosse.
196    In a tyme as this holy man prechyd at Oxforde in the churcheyerthe
197of Alhalwyn and moche people was there to hyre his holy prechyng.
198Sodenly there waxed so derke weder that alle the people were sore
199agast; and moche people beganne to go awaye, the wynde and the
200weder was so horryble. And than this holy man sayde to the people:
201'Abyde ye stylle here ffor the power of God is strenger than the feendis
202power, for thus he doyth for envye to distrouble Goddes worde.' And
203than Seynte Edmond lyfte vppe his mynde to oure Lorde and besought
204of mercy and grace. And when he had endid his oryson, the weder
205beganne to withdrawe bye the other syde of the churche. And all the
206people that abode there stylle to hyre the prechyng had not one drope

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207of rayne. But thaye that wente awaye fro the sermon were thurghwette
208with the rayne, and there fylle so moche rayne in the hye strete that
209men myght neither go ner ride therein. And than alle the people
210preysid God in his seruaunt for this grete myracle. And at Wynchester
211another tyme, when he prechyd, was shewid there a lyke myracle for
212there he chasyd awaye suche a derke wether by hys holy prayer.
213    Than for his holy levyng he was chose hye chanon at Salysbury and
214there he was made rewler and tresourer. And there he levyd a full
215gode lyve, for all the mony that he myght gete he yeaff hyt in almes
216to pore folkys for the loue of God that he had nothyng to leve by
217hymself. And than he wente to thabbey of Stanley and soiournyd
218there tylle hys rentys came in, ffor Maister Stephyn Lexston that there
219was abbott was somtyme his scoler in Oxford. He was so lytle an etyr
220that menn woundryd howe he levyd. And yett he wolde ete no costelewe
221mete for full selde he ete any flessh. And fro Shroftyde tyll Ester
222he wolde ete no mete that suffryd the dethe, not in Aduent he ete neuer
223but Lente-mete.
224    And when the Archiebisshopp of Canterbury was dede, he was
225chose by all the covent to be there bysshopp. And anone thaye sent
226there messyngers to hym to Salysbury, but he was then at Calne
227which was then one of hys prebendis. There he was prevyly in hys
228chambir allone in his prayers; and one of his chapeleyns came into his
229chambyr and tolde hym that he was chose Archiebysshopp of Canterbury
230and that messyngers were come to hym for the same cause.
231But Seynt Edmond was nothyng gladde of the tydynges. And then
232the messyngers spake with Seynt Edmond and delyuerid to hym the
233letters for to rede theym. And he sayde: 'I thanke you of youre laboure
234and gode wylle, but I am nothyng gladde of these tydynges. But I
235wolle go to Salysbury and take councell of my felowys in this mater.'
236    But when he came theder he was chose there in the chapyterhowse

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237by all the feloushypp, but he denyed hytt in alle wyse to hys power.
238But the Bysshop of Salysbury with his brethern chargyd hym by the
239vertue of obedyence that he shulde take it vpon hym. And then he
240mekely toke it vpon hym fulle sore wepyng. And so thaye had hym
241to the hye auter and there thaye beganne to syng ful devoutly Te
242Deum laudamus ful merely. But euer this holy man wepte with full
243bytter tyres and sayde: 'Lorde, I beseche the to haue mercy on me,
244thyne vnworthy servaunt, and yeffe me grace euer to guyde me to thy
245plesyng and wourshypp; and blessyd Lady, helpe me euer at my nede;
246and the holy virgyn, Seynt John y^e Euaungelyst, be my socoure and
247helpe at my moost nede.'
248    And than he was brought fro Salysbury to Canterbury, and there
249he was stallyd Archiebysshopp. And than he rewlyd Holy Church full
250wysely and godely that every man spake gode of hym, for he ledde
251his lyff in grete penaunce and almysdede. And euer he holpe the poor
252in theyre grete nede. In a tyme a pore tenaunt of hys dyed and then his
253bayly fette the best beest that he had for his lordis heryott. And than
254the poor wydowe that had lost hyr hosbande and hir best beste came
255to this holy bysshopp and complayned to hym of hir grete pouertye.
256And she prayd hym for the loue of God that he wolde yeff hir ayen
257hyr beest. Than seyde this gode bysshopp to the poor woman: 'Ye
258knowe welle that the cheff lorde must haue the best beest.' And sayde:
259'Woman, yf Y leue y^e my beest, wylte thue kepe hym welle to my
260behofe tyll Y aske it ayen of the another tyme?'
261    And she sayde to the bysshopp: 'Yee, sir, at all tymes to youre
262pleasyng or else God defende, for I am fulle moche bownde vnto
263yowe that ye wolle to me, a poor wrecche, shewe thys youre gode
264grace.'
265    And so he lete sende hir hyr best ayen; and she kept hytt stylle to hir
266lyfys ende. And thys holy bysshopp was euer fulle mercyfulle to the
267poor.

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268    And trewly he rewlyd and maynteyned the right of Holy Churche.
269And therefore the devyll of helle had grete envy vnto hym for his holy
270guydyng and sette debate betwene the kyng and hym, the which kyng
271was Kyng Harry, y^t was Kyng Johns sonne. And this kyng dyd to
272Seynt Edmond leke as hys vnkylle Herry dyd to Seynt Thomas, for
273alwey he was sturdy ayenst Holy Churche. And yett Seynt Edmond
274prayed hym oftymes to be mercyfulle to the Churche of God, and
275strenght hym in ther right for the loue of God and of his blessid
276modyr, Mary. But for alle his godely entretyng the kyng toke aweye
277the lybertyes and the fraunchyes thereof; and he thretenyd gretely
278Seynt Edmonde. And whan he se it wolde no better be, than he spake
279sherpely to the kyng and sayde: 'Though ye put me oute of youre
280londe, yette I maye go to Paryce and dwelle there, as I haue do herebefore,
281tylle ye be better dysposyd to Holy Churche.'
282    The kyng hyryng this was euer moor and more ayenst hym and
283Holy Churche. Than Seynt Edmond cursyd all tho that troublyd Holy
284Churche by vnright and shame. And when the kyng herde of this
285cursyng, he was gretely meovyd ayenst Seynt Edmond. But alweye
286the holy man kepte the right of the Churche to hys power and myght.
287And then Seynt Thomas appierid to hym and bade hym holde vppe
288the right of Holy Churche with alle hys myght and rather for to suffre
289dethe than lese the fredome of the Churche, and to take y^t in sample
290of hym. Than Seynt Edmond fylle on hys kne and wolde haue kyssed
291the fete of Seynt Thomas with weepyng teerys, but he denyed hytt.
292And then he kyssed the mouth of Seynt Thomas, and he vanyshyd
293awaye. And then Seynt Edmond was more stedefast to Holy Churche
294than euer he was before and wolde rather dye than lese þ^e right
295thereof.
296    And he toke ensample by Seynt Thomas howe he wente ouer the
297se into ffraunce. And yen Seynt Edmond went prevely ouer the see
298intoo ffraunce trustyng in God that the kyng wolde amende his levyng
299and withdrawe his malyce fro Holy Churche. Than Seynt Edmond

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300came to Pounteney and there he bode in fulle holy levyng, and euer he
301prayde for the gode state of the churche of Ynglond.
302    And vi yere he dwellid stille at Pownteney in fulle grete holynesse.
303And than this holy mann waxyd seke and feble and was counselyd to
304remove thens to a towne xx myle thens that is callyd Solye. And than
305the monkys of the abbey of Pounteney made grete sorowe for his
306departyng thense, but he comfortyd theym in the beste wyse that he
307cowde and promysed theym to be there ayen vpon Seynt Edmondis
308daye the kyng. And as sone as he came to the towne of Soly he waxe
309right sore seke and he knewe welle he sholde not long abyde in this
310worlde. And he desired to resseyue the sacramentes of the churche;
311and so he did with fulle grete reuerence, and passyd to oure Lorde full
312of vertues in the yere of oure Lorde M^l iiC xlii. And fro the towne of
313Solye he was brought to Pounteney vpon Seynt Edmondis daye the
314kyng. He myght not kepe his promyse to the monkis of Pounteney
315on lyve, and therefore he kepte hys promys dede, ffor he was brought
316thedir and resseyuid ryght devoutly and buryed with grete solempnyte
317and put into a fulle worshipfulle shryne in the abbey of Pounteney
318before the high auter, where oure Lorde shewith many a grete myracle
319for his holy seruaunt Seynt Edmond.