1B3.3.25

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2

TO SANCTAE MICHAHELES MÆSSAN.

3    MEN ða leofestan, manaþ us & myngaþ seo ar & seo eadignes
4þæs hean & þæs halgan heahengles tid, þæt
5we hwæt hwugu be þære his eadgan gemynde se þe is on
6ealra ymbhwyrfte to weorþienne & to wuldrienne
7his ciricean, gehweþer ge his agen geweorc ge on his
8naman gehalgod.
9& þus ærest mannum æteawde & gecyþde.
10Heo þonne nalles on goldes wlite & on seolfres ne scineþ,
11ac on sundorweorþunge þurh godcundra mægen
12heo gewuldrad stondeþ.
13Heo is eac on onsyne utan yfeles heowes, ac heo is innan mid
14ece mægene geweorþod.
15Swa hit eaþe beon mæg þæt se halga heahengel of heofenum
16cumen wære, & wære gemyndig manna tyddernesse,
17þæt he hine geeaðmedde þæt he hie mid his sylfes
18handum gesette & geworhte, to þæm þæt he wolde
19þæt þær mihten deaþlice men gyrnan þara uplicra
20burhwara & þæs ecean geferscipes.
21þonne is seo halige cirice Michaeles geseted on þæm hean
22cnolle sumes muntes, on scræfes onlicnesse
23wæs æteowed; þonne is seo cirice on Campania þæs
24landes gemæro.
25ðonne is þær on neaweste sum swiþe mære burh betwih
26þære sæ seo is nemned Adriaticus on þæm munte
27Garganus geseted, se is haten Sepontus.
28þonne syndon from þære burge weallum twelf mila ametene up
29to þæm hean cnolle, þe ic ær big sægde,
30þæs hean engles ciricean; & heo mid gefean & mid blisse
31growende standeþ.
32ðas circean heo þonne þus æteowde & gecyþde æt fruman
33seo ilce boc seo on þære ciricean funden wæs
34& gemeted.
35Segeþ þæron þæt sum rice man & for worlde æhtspedig
36wære on þære burh þæs nama wæs Garganus.
37Se welega man þæm munte gesette þone ilcan naman swa swa
38he hatte.
39Se man ahte mycelne welan; mid þy þe þas welegan mannes

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40ungeendod weorod & unarimed mengeo on hryþrum
41& on manigfealdum ceapum geweox & gewridode, toþon
42þæt he wæs geond þæs muntes feld mid þy
43feo oferbræded & beþeaht.
44þa gelamp þæt sum fearhryþer þæs oþræs ceapes
45geferscipe oferhogode, & him gewunode þæt he wæs geond
46þæt westen sundorgenga, & þa æt nehstan eft hwyrfende
47wæs toþæm yrfe & to þæm ceape & to heora gesetum.
48He þa se fear þæs hyrdes drafe forhogode & him on þæt
49westen gewunode to sumes scræfes dura.
50ða þæt se hlaford geahsode þæt þæt hryþer swa on
51wlencu geond þæt westen ferde, þa forbealh he hine
52forþon þe þæt hryþer him þuhte onwedenheorte þe
53þær swa ferde geond þone widgillan munt.
54þa gesamnode he mycel weorod his manna & hwearf æfter wegum
55ge buton geond þone wudu, & sohton þæt
56forwlencte hryþær.
57ða gemette he hit æt nehstan on þæs muntes cnolle, &
58geseah þæt hit stod an sumes scræfes dura.
59þa wæs he mid yrre swiðlice onstyred, forðon þe hit swa
60wedende eode, & swa ofermodlice ferde.
61þa genam he his bogan & hine gebende, & ða mid geættredum
62stræle ongan sceotan wiþ þæs þe he geseah
63þæt hryþer stondan.
64ða sona mid þan þe se stræl on flyge wæs, þa com swiðe
65mycel windes blæd foran ongean, þæt seo stræl
66instepe wearð eft gecyrred, & ða þone ilcan welegan
67mon, þe heo ær from sended wæs, he sceat,
68þæt he sona dead wæs.
69ða þæt gesawon ða burgware, ða wurdon hie swiðe forhte
70for ðæm fære þe heo næfre swylc wundor ne
71gesawon.
72Ond þa ne dorstan hie þære stowe genealæcan þe hie þæt
73hryþer gesawon æt stondan.
74ða wæs on þa ilcan tid on þære heora byrig se wæs
75haten Sepontus halig biscep.
76þa gesohtan hie hine & him þæt wundor sægdon, & hie hine
77lare beahsodan, hwæt him þæs to donne wære.
78þa lærde he hie & him to ræde fand þæt hie þry dagas
79fæston, & to Sancte Michaele þæt hie wilnodan
80þæt God gecyþde þæt mannum bemiðen wæs & bedigled.
81þa hie þæt gedon hæfdon ge on fæstenne, ge on
82sealmsange, ge on ælmessan, ða wæs þæm ilcan biscepe
83ætiewed on niht se hea & se halga heahengel Michahel.
84& him þa eaðmodlice & luflice tospræc & þus cwæð,
85Weoroldlice &

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86wislice ge dyde þætte mannum bedigled
87wæs on eorðan þæt ge þæt on heofenas to Gode
88sohtan.
89Wite þu eac þæt se mon se þær mid his agenum stræle
90ofsceoten wæs, þa þæt wæs mid minum willan gedon;
91& min nama is Michael; ic eom heahengel Heofoncyninges &
92ic on his gesihþe simle stonde.
93Secgge ic þe nu eac þæt ic onsundrum þa stowe her on
94eorðan lufige, & ofer ealle oþre ic hie geceas
95& eac gecyþe on eallum ðæm tacnum þe þær gelimpeð,
96þæt ic eom ðære stowe on sundran scyppend &
97hyrde.
98ða þæt wæs þus gesprecen & gecyðed, hie þa þa
99burgware swiþe bliþe & gefeonde mid þon heora halgan
100bisceope þa stowe sohtan.
101& þa æfter heora gewunon þær þone lifgendan God & þone
102halgan heahengel Michael meagollice gebædon;
103& Gode þær eaðmodlice lac onsægdon.
104& hie þa ðær twa dura sceawodan on þære ciricean; ðær
105wæs seo suðduru hwæt hwega hade mare.
106& þa gyt hi ne mihton ofer þæt scræf swa swæðhlype
107þær hi gongan, ærðon hie gerymdon þone upgang
108& geworhtan.
109Ac hie daga gehwylce geornlice þær ute heora gebedum æt
110fulgon.
111On þa ilcan tid Neapolite ða heora nehgeburas þa þe þa
112giet on hæðnum þeawum dwelgende wæron, & deoflum hyrdon.
113Hie þa þa burgware Beneuentius & Sepontanus hatton, þa
114twa leode, hie þa ongunnon anwigges biddan
115& heora land to bismere oferhergodan, & him ðæs nænige
116bote dydon, buton ofermodlice wig & þreatunge.
117Hie þa lærde se heora halga bisceop, & him to ræde fand
118þæt hie dydon þreora daga fæsten & manigfealde
119ælmessan & halige lofsangas, & to ðæm heahengle
120Michaele, swa to ðæm getreowestan mundboran,
121þæt hie him frofre & fultomes wilnodan, þæt hie moston
122ðara feonda searo beswican & ofercuman.
123þa on þa ilcan tid þa hæðnan bysmerlice & synlice heora
124þa leasan godas mid mislicum deofolgeldum
125hie him laþodan on fultum.
126þa on ða ilcan tid wæs se eadiga engel Michahel ætiewed
127þæm hera bisceope on gesihþe, & him sige
128toweardne geheht, & him sægde þæt heora bena wæron æt
129Gode gehyrede, & hie lærde ðæt hie æt þære
130þriddan tide on morgenne hie forð trymedan ongean heora
131feondum.
132& him eac geheht, þæt he wolde him

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133sylfa geseon heora gebæro, & him þær on fultume beon.
134Hie þa swa bliþe on morgenne wæron, & gefeonde ferdon
135ongean þæm heðnum.
136& hie wiston be þæs engles sægenum, ge be heora sige, ge
137eac be þara hæþenra manna fleame & ondfylle.
138& þa sona on ðære frymþe þæs gefeohtes, ða wæs
139Garganus se munt, se þe hie onfeohtan sceoldan, mid
140mycclum brogan & mid ongryslan eall oferlæded; & unhierlic
141storm of ðæm munte astag, & mid þystro genipum
142þæs muntes cnoll eal oferswogen wæs.
143ða flugon þa legetu swylce fyrene strælas ongean þa
144hæðnan leode, toðæm þicce þæt hie nænige þinga
145ongean locian ne mihton for ðæs leges bryne.
146þa wæs gefylled þæt se witga foresægde; & Drihten herede
147& þus cwæð: Qui facit angelos suos spiritus
148et ministros suos ignem urentem ; Hwilum se ilca God
149sendeþ his engla gastas to ærendwrecum,
150hwilum he sendeþ þurh fyres leg.
151ða flugon þa hæðnan leode, & gelice se leg hie cwylmde,
152gelice þa Cristenan him mid heora wæpnum
153hyndon & onsetton, oþþæt hie unsofte þo Neapulite
154& ofercomon ða hæþnan leode, þa þe lifdon heora
155burh healfcwice, & oferfeollan þa ðe þa frecennesse &
156yrmþo genæson.
157þa us þa wæs gecyþed Cristenum leodum, se Godes engel
158þær cwom on fultum & on frofre.
159& þa sona ealle eaðmodlice to þæm cyninga Cyninge, to
160Criste sylfum, onhnigan.
161& him ealle on hand eodan þa hæðnan leode, & be þara
162Cristenra lare lifdon & fulwihte onfengon.
163& hie ongeaton geornlice þæt þæm Cristenum leodum com
164Godes engel on fultum & on frofre.
165& þa mid þy þe þa Cristenan leode þæt wel sceawodan,
166ða gesawon hie & getealdon þæt þær wæs eac syx
167hund manna mid þy lege anum & mid þæm fyrenum strælum
168acweald, buton þæm þe hie mid heora wæpnum
169acwealdon & ofslogan.
170Hie þa swa sigebeorhte & swa gebegde mid mycelre blisse to
171ham foran, & sona þæm ælmihtigan Gode
172& þæm heahengle Michaele to þære halgan ciricean hie
173eaðmodlice & luflice þancudan þæs siges ðe hie
174gefered hæfdon.
175þa gemittan hie eac beforan ðære norðdura þære ciricean
176on þæm marmanstane swylce mannes swaðu, þon
177gelicost þe þær sum mon þa gestode.
178& þa fotlastas wæron swutole & gesyne

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179on þæm stane, swa hie on wexe wæron aðyde.
180þa ongeaton hie geornlice þæt se eadiga Michael þær wæs
181toweard him to fultome, ða hwile ðe hie æt
182þæm gefeohte wæron.
183& him sylfa þæt tanc þæs siges gesette, & gecyðde
184into þy swiðan slæpe.
185On ðæm stane hi þa sona ðær ciricean ofergetimbredon &
186þær weofod inne wlitelice geworhtan & gegyredon.
187& þa stowe mid mycclum gefean seoþþan weorþodan &
188beeodan, hie þa hæfdan miccle lufan & geleafan
189to þære ciricean.
190Ond eac healico ondrysnu þa leode.
191& him wæs on mode myccle weorce & mycel tweo hwæt hie be
192þære dorstan don, hweþer hie þa ciricean
193halgedon, oþþe hwæt ðæs Godes willa wære, & þæs
194halgan wyrhtan þe hie his hand geworhte.
195Hie þa þæt to ræde ærest fundon, þæt hie ciricean
196arærdon be eastan þære stowe, & þa gehalgodan
197on Sancte Petres naman, þæs halgan Cristes ðegnes.
198& þær gedydon twa weofedu in, & gehalgodan on Sanctæ
199Marian noman Cristes modor, & oðer on Sancte
200Iohannes Baptistan, Cristes fulwihtfæder.
201Him þa se heora arwyrða bisceop eadiglice & halwendlice
202geðeaht forðbrohte, & hie lærede þæt hie
203raðost to Rome sendon to ðæm papan, & ðone papan & þæt
204papseld þæt hie befrinon & beahsodan hwæt
205him þæs to ræde þuhte, hweþer hie þa ciricean halgian
206dorston on oþre wisan.
207þislic ærende se eadiga papa ða ðær eft onsende & þas
208word cwæð, Gif hit sie mannes gemet þæt he ciricean
209halgian sceole, ðonne is hit ealles gerisnost þæt
210hit sy on ðæm dæge ðe se sige onseald
211wæs.
212gif hit þonne hwæt elles ðæm halgan hirede be þære
213stowe licige, & him leofre sie, þonne is hit ealles
214selest to ðæm dæge to secenne hwæt þæs willa sie.
215Ond þonne seo tid nealæce uton wit þonne begen don mid
216uncrum burhwarum feower daga fæsten, & ða
217halgan þrynesse georne biddan þæt heo þæt lac þæt hie
218þurh ðone halgan heahengel ærest æteowde mannum
219wundorlic tacn, þæt hie þæt mannum to fylgenne on
220cyðde, forðgelædde & gebringe.
221Hie ða ealle eaðmodlice, swa heora æþela bisceoþ lærde,
222feower daga fæsten gedydon.
223þa ðære nihte þe hie þæt fæsten gefæst hæfdon, þa
224wæs Sanctus Michael þæm bisceope on gesihþe æteowed
225& him cwæð to, Nis eow ðæs weorces þearf þæt

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226ge ða ciricean halgian, forðon þe ic hie geworhte
227& ic hie gehalgode.
228ge þonne nu þyder ingongað & me ætsondað, & geornlice
229mundbyrde gelyfað to ðære stowe, & hie genehge
230mid gebedum seceað.
231ðin is þonne þæt þu þær to morgne mæssan inne
232gesinge, & þis folc þær æfter ðeawe to husle gange.
233min is þonne þæt ic mid arwyrðnesse tacne æteowe &
234gecyþe hine, þurh hine sylfne hie gehalgode & gebletsode.
235Hie ða sona on morgenne swiðe gefeonde for ðære andsware
236mid mycelre anrædnesse gebeda & mid haligra
237lofsanga lacum þyder coman, & ða eodan ealle on ða
238ciricean.
239Of ðæs portices dura þæs ðærscwolde wæs gesyne þæt
240þa swaðo wæron ærest utwearde ongunnen, ðe ic
241ær sægde þæt þær ærest on ðæm marmanstane gemeted
242wæron.
243þeos circe mid þys portice mihte hu hwego fif hund manna
244befon & behabban.
245ðonne wæs æteowed þæt arwyrðe weofod wið þone suðwag
246to middes hu hwega ðæs wages.
247Wæs hit eac bewrigen & oferbræded mid baswe godwebbe.
248wæs þæt ilce hus eac hwem dragen, nalas æfter gewunan
249mennisces weorces þæt þa wagas wæron rihte,
250ac git swiðor on scræfes onlicnesse þæt wæs æteowed.
251& gelomlice ða stanas swa of oðrum clife stæðhlyplice ut
252sceoredon.
253Eac swylce se hrof wæs on mislicre heanesse; on sumre stowe
254he wæs þæt man mid his handa nealice geræcean
255mihte, in sumre eaþelice mid heafde gehrinan.
256Ic þonne gelyfe þæt se heahengel ures Drihtnes miccle
257swiðor sohte & lufode þære heortan clænnesse
258þonne þara stana frætwednesse.
259ðonne wæs se cnoll swa hit nu cuð is, þæt se munt is
260mycel uteweard; & he is styccemælum mid hsomige
261wuda oferwexen; sum mid grenum felda oferbræded.
262Ond þa æfter þon þe ðær wæron ða halgan lofsangas &
263mæssan gefyllede, hie ða mid mycclum gefean &
264blisse & mid þæs engles bletsunga eft hwyrfende wæron to
265heora husum.
266Se bisceop þa ðær gesette gode sangeras & mæssepreostas &
267manigfealdlice ciricean þegnas, þa þær
268seoððan dæghwamlice mid gelimplicre endebyrdnesse
269weorðode.
270næs hweðre nænig man þe þær æfre nihtes tidum dorste
271on þære ciricean cuman.
272Ac on dægred siþþan hit frumlyhte, hie þyder inwæron to
273ðæm lofsangum gesamnode.
274þonne wæs

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275þær eac of þæm ilcan stane þære ciricean
276hrofes on þa norðhealfe þæs weofodes swiþe wynsum
277ond hluttor wæta utflowende, þæt þa biggengan þe on
278ðære stowe stille wunodan.
279þonne wæs ongean ðyssum wæterscipe glæsen fæt on
280seolfrenre racenteage ahangen þæt ðæs wynsuman wætan
281þær onfeng.
282þær wæs gewuna þæm folce þonne hie to husle gegangen
283hæfdon, þæt hie æfter hlæddrum up to ðæm glæsenum
284fæte astigon & þære heofonlican wætan hie þær
285onfengon & onbyrigdon.
286Seo þonne wæs wynsumu on ðære onbyrignesse, & heo wæs on
287þæm innoðe halwende.
288Is þis eac to tacne þæt manige men on feforadle & on
289mislicum oþrum untrumnessum þurh þyses wætan
290onbyrignesse wurdan sona gehælde.
291Eac swylce oþrum gemetum unarimede manna untrumnessa ðær
292wæron oft & gelome gehælde.
293& manigfeald onlic wundor ðysum, ðam þe heora miht wæs
294gelimplic & arwyrðe, ðær wæron & gyt beoð
295æteowed & gecyðed, ealles oftost hweðre on ðæm dæge
296þe seo tid bið & his weorðung.
297ðonne of ðæm þeodlande þæm þe þær ymbsyndon ða folc
298þær cumende beoð, þonne is to gelyfenne & geare
299to witenne þæt þær manigfealde & mislice untrumra
300manna beoð gehælde.
301& ðæs engles mægen & his wundor þær þonne weorðod
302bið, & oftost æteowed on þæm dæge.
303swa cwæð Sanctus Paulus, Qui ad ministrum summis ;
304Englas beoð to ðegnunge gæstum fram Gode hider
305on world sended, to ðæm ðe þone ecean eðel mid mode &
306mid mægene to Gode geearniað, þæt him syn
307on fultume ða þe wið þæm awergdum gastum syngallice
308feohtan sceolan.
309Ac uton nu biddan þone heahengel Sanctus Michahel & ða
310nigen endebyrdnessa ðara haligra engla, þæt
311hie us syn on fultume wið helsceaðum.
312Hie wæron þa halgan on onfenge manna saulum.
313Swa Sanctus Paulus wæs geseonde on norðanweardne þisne
314middangeard, þær ealle wætero niðergewitað,
315& he þær geseah ofer ðæm wætere sumne harne stan.
316& wæron norð of ðæm stane awexene swiðe hrimige bearwas,
317& ðær wæron þystrogenipo, & under þæm stane
318wæs niccra eardung & wearga.
319& he geseah þæt on ðæm clife hangodan on ðæm isigean
320bearwum manige swearte saula be heora handum
321gebundne.
322& þa fynd þara on nicra onlicnesse heora

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323gripende wæron, swa swa grædig wulf.
324& þæt wæter wæs sweart under þæm clife neoðan.
325& betuh þæm clife on ðæm wætre wæron swylce twelf mila.
326& ðonne ða twigo forburston þonne gewitan þa saula niðer
327þa þe on ðæm twigum hangodan, & him onfengon
328ða nicras.
329ðis ðonne wæron ða saula þa ðe her on worlde mid
330unrihte gefyrenode wæron, & ðæs noldan geswican
331ær heora lifes ende.
332Ac uton nu biddan Sanctus Michael geornlice þæt he ure
333saula gelæde on gefean, þær hie motan blissian
334abuton ende on ecnesse.
335AMEN.