<County: Staffordshire>
<Code: L0717>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Gough eccl. top. 4, Hand B>
<Text: Mirk's Festial>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 98r>Crsten men and women 3e schul knowe well þt þis is an
he3e feste in holy chirch of cristes body þe which is eche day
offerth vp in holy chirch in þe auter to þe fader of heuen in remission
of synne al þt lyuen here in parfite charite and in gret socoure & reles
of her payne þt ben in purgatori ¶ Then sclul 3e know þt þis fest
was fondon by a <rbd><1 word></rbd> þt was called vrban þe fourth he had gret
deuocion in þis sacrament consyderyng þe gret grace of god & he3e help
þt god 3euet to al his pepul by vertu of þis sacrament ¶ Wherfor
he ordeynet þis fest for to be halouet þis þursday next after þe fest
of þe trinite For ry3t as eche cristen man & woman þt wol be sa
ued mot nede haue parfite charite in þe trinite . ry3t so mot he haue
ful fayth and beleue in þe sacrament of cristis body þt is made in þe
auter by vertu of þe holy wordys þt þe prest sayed þer & by worchyng
of þe holy gost ¶ Then for þis holy <rbd><1 word></rbd> þo3t for to draw godis
pepul wt þe bettur wyl to þe chirch þt day he grawnteþ al þo þt
ben verely schryuen & contrite for hyr synnes and ben in þe chirch
at boþe euensonges of þis fest & at masse & at maytines . For
eche of þes a hundret days of pardon & for eche oþur owre of þis day
fourty days to pardon . & for eche day of þis vtas<?> a hundret days
to pardon to dure fore euer-more ¶ Then schul 3e know well þt oure
lord ihesu crist on schere þursday at ny3t when he had sowput &
wyst how þt he schul in þe morow suffre deth & so passe out of
þis world vnto his fader . he ordeynet a perpetual memory of
his passion for to abyde wt his pepul ¶ Thus he toke bred &
wyne & made hit his owne flessch & his blod & 3af hit to his
discyples & bade hem ete hit & drynk hit in mynde of hym & so 3af
hit to hem & to al oþur prestes . 3ee & to al oþur prestes power & digni
te for to make his body of bred & wyne in þe auter . so þt eche
prest haþ of cristis 3eft power for to make þis sacrament be he
bettur be he wors . For þt sacrament is so he3e & holy in hym-self þt þer
may no good man a-mende hit ne no euel man apayre hit .
But þe prest þe which is a good lyuere & doþ his offyce well and
worþely . hym schal be well þt euer he was borne for he haþ of
<fol. 98v>godis 3eft here in erth þt he 3af neuer to angele in heuen þt is for to
make godis body ¶ wherfor he schal haue suche a worsschypp
in heuen a-monge angeles & passyng þt no tonge may telle ne hert
þenke . And he þt is an euel lyuer and wot hym-self in dedly synne
and is in no purpos to amende hym . Be hym sekyr for+to haue a perpetu
al confusion of fendys in helle and be vndur hem in euer-lastyng payne
Then schal 3e knowe well þt crist laft þus þis sacrament for to be vset
algate in holy chirch for foure skylles to al godis pepul ¶ For manes
gret helpyng . For cristis passione mynnyng . For gret loue schowyng .
and for gret mede getyng ¶ The forme is for manes gret helpyng
boþe in lyf and in deth . first in lyuyng . for as saynt austyn sayed . als
ofte as a man or a woman cometh in to þe chirch to here masse . God 3e
ueth hym seuen 3eftis . and þo ben þes . ¶ That day hym schal wonte
no bodyly fode . Jdul speche þt day is for3euen hym . His idul ly3t o
þues ben for-3eton . He schal not þt day lese his si3th . he schal not þt
day dey no sodeyne deth . and as longe as þe masse lesteth he schal
not wax olde ¶ And his angele telleth eche paas þt he goþ to þe chirch
in gret worschip to hym . be-for god þis help he haþ in lyuyng . Jn deyng
a cristen man sendyth aftur þe preste for to come to hym wt godys body
for two causes nedeful at his endyng ¶ On is for to se þe sacrament
of godys body and receyue hit knolechyng þt he beleueth stedefastly
þt hit is þe same flessch and blod þt crist toke in mayden mary and
was borne of hyr verray god and man . and aftur soffreth deth on þe
crosse and was buryed and ros from deth to lyue . and now settyth on
þe faderis ryght hond in heuen . and schal come a3en forto deme þe
qweke and þe dede ¶ And so wt þis parfite beleue he armeth hym
and maketh hym strong and my3ty for to a3en-stond þe fendes þt wol
assayle hym when he passeth oute from þe body in al wyse þai con for
to assay 3ef þei mow bryng hym oute of þe beleue ¶ Then schal þe sa
crament þt he receyuet make hym so myghty þt he schal ouercome hem and
sett no3t by hem ¶ That oþur skyl is for to aske mercy of crist and remis
sion of his synnes hauyng ful beleue þt crist is euer redy to for3eue al þt
asket mercy wt trew hert ¶ This was schowet by ensample when
he honget on þe crosse by-twyx two þeues þt weren men of curseth
<fol. 99r>lyuyng and were þerfore dampned to be dede ¶ Then one of hem
asket crist mercy wt meke hert and repentyng . and at þe forme pray
er a-non crist 3yf hym mercy and more wt grawnted hym forto come
to paradyce a-none þt same day ¶ That oþur nolde aske no mercy
for a prowde hert þt he had . and þerfor he was dampned ¶ Then
as crist þt day schdde his blod on þe crosse in helpe of al mankynd
So 3et eche day in þe masse he scheddet his blod in he3e mede to
al þt þis beleuet ¶ For wt-out þis beleue þer may no man be sa
uet . wherfor J telle þis ensample þt y rede in þe lyue of saynt
Ode þt was bischop of Canturbury . <lat>Narracio</lat> This byschop
had wt hym of his clerkys þt beleuet not parfitly in þe sacrament
of þe auter . and sayde þt þai my3t not beleue þt crist schedd his
blod in þe masse . Then was þis bischop sory for her mysbeleue
an prayed to god 3orne for her amendement . and so on a day as
he was at his masse when he had made þe fraccion as þe maner
is he sa3e þe blod drop doun from þe ost fast in-to þe chalice þen
he made syne to hem þt mysbeleuet to come and se ¶ and when
þei saue his fyngurys blody and blod rane of cristis body in-to
þe chalis þai weron agryset þt for verray fer þai cryet and sayd
Be þow blesset man þt has þis grace þus to handul cristis bo
dy we beleue now fully þt . þat þis is verray godis body and his
blod þt dropet þer-in-to þe chalis ¶ But now pray to hym þt þu
hast þer-in þi hondys þt he sende no vengance vpon vs for oure
mysbeleue and so þe sacrament turnet in-to his forme of bred as
hit was beforn . and þai weren good men and parfyte al-way aftur
in þe beleue ¶ The secund cause þt þe sacrament is vset in þe
auter is forto make man by ofte seynge to haue þe sadur mynde
of cristis passion in his hert . and so to be armet algate a3en
þe fende . for as saynt austyn sayde . þe mynde of cristis pas
sion is þe best defence a3ens temptacions of þe fende . ¶ herefor
ben roodes sett on hey in holy chirch and so by sy3t þerof haue mynd
of cristis passion ¶ And þerfor roodes and oþur ymages ben necessa
ry in holy chirch what-euer þes lollardes sayn . For yf þay nade
ben profitable goode holy faders þt haue be to-fore vs wold haue
<fol. 99v>don hem out of holy chirch mony a 3ere gon ¶ But ry3t
as a man doþ worschip to þe kyngis sele . not for loue of
þe sele but for reuerence of þe man þt owet hit . So for þe
roode is þe kyngis sele of heuen and oþur ymages þt ben made
of holy sayntes þt ben in heuen wt hym and þerfore men wors
chipen ymages ¶ For as Jon Weller<?> tellet ymages and peyn
tours ben lewde menys bokys . and J say bodyly þt þer ben
mony þousannd of pepul þt couþ not ymagen in her hert
how crist was doun on þe roode but as þai lerne hit be sy3t
of ymages and payntours ¶ Thus for to make <ill><1 word></ill> haue þe
bettur mynde of cristis passion J telle yow þis ensample
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 101r>self . þus . þou foule þef þt hast left þi creature þu schalt
abye . and when he hade beten hym-self þus . þen kest he
on his clothes and ran furth . and þen was he warre of
a pyler of fyre þt last from þe erth vp to heuen . Then was
he fyrst a-gast . but aftyr he blesset hym and 3ode nere hyt
þen saue he al þe bestes of þe medow a-bout þt pyler in .
compas . So when he come to þis pyler hit schon als bry3t
as any sonne þen was he warre of godis body lyyng .
on þe gras . and þe pyler of fyre from hit vp to heuen . þen
fel he donne on knes . and asket mercy wt al his hert wepyng
sore for his neclygens . but when he hade made his prayer
he ros vp an loket about and saue al þe bestys knele on
bothe her knes and worschyppyd godis body saue one
blak hors knelet but on his one kne . þen sayde þis good
man to hym þus . yf þu be any best þt may speke . J bydde
þe in þe vertu of þis body þt here lyet þt þu speke and telle .
me why þu kneles but on one kne . whyle al þes oþur bestes
knelen on boþe her knes . Then ansuereth he and sayd . J am
a fende of helle and wold not knele on noþur kne my wylles
but J am made to do so a3en my wylle . for hit is wry
ten þt eche man of heuen and erth and helle schal bowe
to hym .
Then sayde he to hym why art þu lyke an hors . þen
sayde he J go þis like an hors for+to make men for+to stele
me . and þus was a man of suche a toun honget for me
and eft a-noþur . and at suche a toun þe þyrde . Then sayde
þis vykery J commaunde þe in þe uertu of þis body þt here
is þt þu go in-to wyldernes þer no man comet . and be þer tyl
<last 7 lines of page partly illegible on printout>
<fol. 101v>wt al þoure hert and beleue sadly þer-in as J haue sayde 3ow
and þen wol he loue þou and bryng 3ow to þe blysse þer he
is in and so god graunt <lat></lat>
Good men and women suche day is þe fest of seynt
barnabe cristis holy apostul but for he was
not one of þe nombre of þe twolfe apostulis þerfore
his day is not haleuet But in diuerse places boþe here
and <ill><2 words></ill> day ys womons holy and plees for godis
loue men <smudge> Thys man was an holy man for when
he herd Crist preche he dude a-none as he concelet hym
he 3ode and sold al his lond and al oþur thyng þt he hade
and broght þe price to þe apostules and put hit into
her dysposicione and he hym-self sewet crist pore
boþe in body and in spyrite . For he hade ful beleue
in godis mercy and þt he prevet when he hade conuer
tit saynt Poule he came to Jerusalem for+to haue ben
in company wt cristis disciplus but þai al fled from
hym as schep from þe wolfe and durst not be in his
company be no way . Then barnabe trust in þe mercy
of god . and made of lyons schepe þt is of prowd men
and hye he made symple and meke and prowde he
made hem lowe and symple and ful of al vertu . wher
fore he 3ode to poule and broght hym to þe apostlus
<last 11 lines partly illegible on printout>
<fol. 102r>oþur wold haue ben bolde for+to haue don amys . þen
hade barnabe compassyon of þis man for he was
sory for his trespas and also for he was his broþur sonne
where-for he made þis man sewe hym and so for loue
of þis man barnabe left poule and 3ede in-to a-noþur con
tre for to preche . and so þis Jon was an holy man aftur
in so muche þt Crist apperyt to hym and comfortet hym
in his tribulacione ¶ Barnabe hade also gret de
syre for to suffre deth for cristis loue . wherefor crist ap
peret to hym in a vysion and bade hym goo into Cy
pure and take martirdome þer for his loue Then was
Barnabe glad and fayne and 3ede þyder wt glade
chere . and when þay comen þydur þan seen boþe men
and women at her temple renne nakyd and makyng
playes of mawmetry . where-for barnabe was so wroth
þt he cursed þe temple . and sodenly a parte þerof fel
donn and ouerfel mony of hem . þen were þe byschopes
of þe temple so wroth þt þai token barnabe and bown
den hym wt cordes and dyde hym gret passion and
aftur þai dro3 hym out of þe Cyte and a gret fyre and
kest barnabe þer-Jn and so brent hym to þe deth . But
on þe ny3t aftur . Jon wt his feres token þt was vn
brennet of barnabe and buryed hit in a preuy place
Thus . þis man made and ende wt þis world and
is now an holy martyr wt god in heuen . wherfor 3e
schal knele donn and pray þis holy saynt þt he wol so pray
for 3ow to god þt he 3eue 3ow grace for to be pore in hert
and haue ful fayet in godis mercy and also to haue com
passyon of al þt ben in diseas and þt 3e mow dey in
ful charite and in wyll for to com to crist for to dwelle
wt hym for euer in þe ioye þt euer schal last to þe whiche
ioye god bryng vs . amen <lat></lat>
Cristen men and women . suche a day schal be seynt
wynfrydus day þe which day is now ordeynet
<fol. 102v>to be halow<rbd><.></rbd>et . An þer ar mony men that han deuoconn
to þis holy mayden wherfor 3e þt haue deuocion to þis
holy seynt comet þt day to þe chyrch to worschyp god &
þis holy mayden and martyr . Then how sche suffret mar
tyrdome 3e schal now here . for þo3e some knowen hit . þer
ar mony þt knowen hyt not . and þo3e a good tale be twys
tolde hit is þe bettur to lernen and for+to vndurstond . Ther
was in 3onre tyme a holy heremyt þt was callet Bew
now þe which com to a good man þe whych was callet
thewythe þe which was wynfredes fader þt was a ry
che man of londes and rentys and prayet þis thewyt for+to
3eue hym a place of erth on þe which he my3t bylde a chirche
to serue god Jn and to preche godis word to þe pepul . Then
was thewyt glad of þis askyng and ordeynet hym a place
ne3 to his owen house þt he my3t wt oþur come to seruyce of
god . Thus in þe mene whyle þis chirch was in byldyng
ofte he preched godys word to þe pepul . and wynfrede come
þydur wt hyr fader . and when sche herd hym speke of the
gret mede þt maydenys schulde haue in heuen passyng al
oþur orders . þen hade sche so gret deuocion in his sayng þt a
none sche made a vow þt sche wold neuer haue part of
manes body . but abyde alwey in hir maydenhode whyl
þt sche lyuet . Then on a soneday when þis chirch was made
and byld thewyt wt al his meyne 3ede to þe chirch but
wynfrede bode at home for a sekenes þt greuet hir þen and
my3t not go to þe chyrch . þen als sche sat at home hur
self come þer-Jn a kynges sonne þt was callet Cradok for+to
ly by þis mayden . but when he spak to hyr of doyng of
þt synne sche sayde þt sche wold go in-to hir chambre and
make hyr more honest þen sche was and so come to hym
a-none a3en ¶ and when sche come in-to þe chambre by
an vtture dore sche ran towarde þe chirch als fast as sche
my3t hopyng for+to haue socure þer . But when Cradoc
saue hyr renne toward þe chirch he ouertoke hir and sayde
<fol. 103r>but yf sche wolde a-sent to his wyll he wolde anone
smyt of hir hede . Then knelet wynfrede donn and sayde
J haue leuer þu do me to deth þen defowle my body þt J
made a vowe for+to kepe clene in mayden-hode whyle
þt J leue to my lord ihesu crist . Then Cradok out wt his
swerde and at on strong smet of hir hede and for hit was
donn þe hylle to þe chirch þe hede neuer stynt tombelyng
til hit come þyder in sy3t of al þt weren þer . wherfor men
were sore a-fry3t þt þai made suche a noyse þt Bewnow
hade gret wondyr what hit my3t be and come to hem for+to
wyte what was þe cause of þt noyse . Then when he saue
þe hede he toke hit vp and kysset hit ofte tymes sore wepyng
and bare hit vp to þe body be-holdyng on Cradok how he
wyput his swerd on þe gresse