<County: Staffordshire>
<Code: L0193>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Gough Eccl. Top. 4, Hand A>
<Text: Mirk's Festial>
<Tranche 1>
<fol. 17r>þe byrth of crist benn set to-gedyr Jn tokenyng~ þt who
soo sufferth any of þes he schall be sett next cryst
yn heuenn seynt steuen he ys set next for he had
passyonn and wyll þer-to ¶ Seynt Jonn had wyll
but he was not slayne ¶ The Jnnocentys thay
suffredenn deth but þay had no wyll þerto but not
a3eynes wyll þus may a mann be a+martyr þagh
he sched no blod þat ys whenn he suffereth wrong~
and ys pursued of euell menn and þonketh god þerfor
and taketh hit wyth good wyll and prayth for his
enmyes to god yn full scharyte ¶ For martyrdome
wyth-out charyte as seynt poule saythe profutyþe
noght wherfor taketh good hede and 3e schull fynde
þat þes þre wernn full of charyte ¶ Seynt Ste
venn whenn he schuld dye . he knelet a-downn forto
pray for his enmyes ¶ Seynt Jonn whenn he went
to hys deth he sayde to homm þat laydenn hymm my
chyldyrenn loueth to-gedyr and þat ys ynogh ¶ The
Jnnocentes for þay wernn so 3ong~ þat þay cowthe
not speke þay schewet hor loue by openn sygne for
þay dyddenn lagh on homm þat slowenn hem and playde
wyth hor hondes when þay seenn hor bryght swer
des schyne ¶ Then for enchesenn þat Saynt steuenn
was so gloryous martyr god schewet mony my
racles for hymm of þe wheche þis ys onn <lat>narracio</lat> Ther
was an honest womann and had seuenn sonnes and
þre doghtyrs but yn a myshappe a-ponn a day all
þay wraþedenn hor modyr so þat scho yn a gret
maleyse cursod hom all and a-nonn þer-wyth fell
vengeans a-pon homm so þat þe membrys of homm
qwokenn þat all þat seenn homm had compasyonn of
homm and rewedenn homm gretly and for þay myght
not do no good þay 3eden as maset bestes þurgh
<fol. 17v>all þe contre ¶ Then hapenet hit so þat a bruthur of
hem þat het Pole and a sustyr þat het Pallyda comen
yn-to a chyrche of saint steuenn and whenn þs mann herd
how deuotly seynt Steuenn prayde for hemm þat sloghenn
hymm he had full tryst þat he wold pray for hymm and
he wold be hys seruant alway aftyr And so yn þs full
hope he 3ede yn-to chansele and wyth all hys hert prayde
seynt steven of helpe. And a-nonn yn seght of all menn
he was all hole þen whenn his syster segh hyr broþer
hole prayde þe same wyse þen to seynt Steuenn and
þenn as scho prayde scho fell on slepe and whenn scho
woke scho was hole and wyth all hyr hert thonket
god and seynt Steuenn ¶ a-noþer myracull Seynt aus
teynn telleth þus a Senatour of rome wyth his wyfe
went to Jerusalemm and ther byld a fayre chapell ynn
worschyp of seynt Steuenn and whenn he was ded
he ordeynet hym-selfe to be buryed þer-ynn by seynt
Steuenn but longe aftyr hys deth his wyfe wold
goo a-3eyne to hyr contrey scho wold haue þe bonys
of hyr maystyr wyth hyr and soo wyth prayes
and yftes þe byschop broght hur þe bones of steuenn
and of hyr husbond and sayde to hyr J know not
wheþer ben þe bonys of þy maystyr þenn sayde scho syr
J know well þes benn my maysters bones and toke
seynt Steuens bonys yn-stude of hyr maystyrs
vnwyttyng~ þenn whenn scho come on þe see angeles
songenn yn þe ayre and as swete sauornn come out of þe
bones þat passed any spyces and þer-wyth fendys
cryedynn wo ys vs wo ys vs for steuenn goth and
byttyrly brennyth vs and betyth vs and þerwyth
reryth a tempest þat þe schepmenn wendenn to haue
bynn downet and cryed to seynt Steuenn and he a-nonn
<fol. 18r>aperet to homm and seyde be not a-dred and a-nonn þe tem
pest sesud ¶ Thenn herdenn þay fendes cryyng~ þu wykked womann our mayster brenne þe scheppe for stevenn þat
ys our aduersary ys þer-ynn ¶ Thenn þe prince of fendys
sende fyue fendes forto brenne þe schyppe but þenn
was þe angell of god redy and drownet homm yn-to þe
grownde of þe see and whenn þay come wt þe schyppe to
londe fendes cryedynn ¶ Goddys seruand comyth þat was
stenet to deth wyth wyket Jewys ¶ Then yn þe wor
schyppe of seynt Stevenn menn madenn a chyrche & put
hys bonys þerynn wher god wroght mony myracles
for hymm ¶ Now pray we to þs blesset martyr of crist
þat he woll pray for vs þat we may come to þe blysse
þat euer schall last to þe whech blys god bryng~ you
and me to amenn . <lat>De festo sancti Johannis apostoli et euangeliste sermo breuis</lat>
Goddys blessyd pepull 3e benn comenn þs day to holy
chyrch to worschyp god and our lady & seynt Jonn
þe Euangelyst þat ys goddys owne derlyng~ wherfor
all holy chyrche þs day maketh mencyonn of þe specyall
grace þat cryst 3af hymm befor all oþer dyscyples he 3af
hymm grace of vyrgynyte . and grace of kepyng~ of his
modyr fre . And grace of schowyng~ of hys pryuyte
he 3af hymm grace of virgynyte þat ys of maydenhode ¶ For
as þe story tellyth and summe hann an opyneonn whenn he
schuld haue wedded mary mawdelenn cryst called hymm
and bede hymm sewe hymm and he a-nonn laft all þis
worldes vanyte and sewed crist forth and kept hymm
clene maydenn tyll his endyng~ day ¶ Jn preuyng of þis
as we redenn whenn domiciann þe emperour of Rome herd
þat Jonn prechet yn a contrey þat ys called asy and byld
mony chyrches he was wroth þerwyth and send aftyr
Jonn and made put hymm ynn a brasynn tonne full of
<fol. 18v>oyle and soo settyth hym þerynn But whenn he had long~
sothenn þerynn and all menn went he had benn sothynn to
pesys þen þe Emperour bade aponn þe tonne and whenn
þe tonne was openet Jon come out of þe oyle and of
þe brennyg~ of þe fure as hole and as sond yn ych parte
of his body as he was clene of part of womonnys
body boþe of þoght and of dede . And oþer assay he had
full hard . whenn he see a tempull of Jewes full of
mawmetry he prayde to god forto dystrye hit . & þer-wt
a-nonn hit fell downe yn-to powdyr wherfor arysto
demus a byschop of þe tempull pursewed Jonn to þe deþe
þen sayde Jonn to hymm . what woll þu þat J do forto
make þe byleue on ihesu crist my+lord þen sayde he J
wyll make venymm and do menn forto dryngke hit befor
þe and whenn þu sest hom ded drynke þu þat wt-out harmm
and þen J schall leue on þy god ¶ Thenn sayd Jonn
goo & do as þu sayst þenn ordeynet þis byschop poy
senn and getenn two menn þat wernn dampned to þe
deth and made homm drynke of þat poysenn befor Jonn
and whenn þay hadenn drongkenn þay werne ded a-nonn
ryght ¶ Thenn Jonn toke þat poysenn and blessed ht
and so drangke hit of and was neuer þe wors & semede
lyflaker aftyr þenn he was before. for as clene as he
was wyth-out venymm of lechery . so clene he was
of þat poysenn aftyr he had drongkenn hit ¶ But
3et þs byschop seyde he myght not leue tyll he segh
þe menn reyset a-3eyne to lyue þat wernn sleyne by
dryngkyng~ of þat venymm ¶ Then Jonn cast oft hs
cote and sayde haue þis and lay hit a-pon þe ded bodyes
and say þus Jon crystys a-postole send me to you
& bede you ryse vp yn crystys name and when he
had don so þay rysynn a3eyne to lyue ¶ Then this
byschop wyth mony oþer leued ynn cryst and weronn
<fol. 19r>folowet of Jonn and he was aftyr a full holy mann ¶
Thus he þat hath grace to kepe hymm clene yn body &
sowle þagh þe fende held yn-to hymm venymm of lechery
or of othyr synne hyt schall do hym no harme but
yn þe a-3eyne-stondyng of his lust he ys a martyr be
for god and he schall be taken as for worthy to be
keper of crystys modyr ¶ Then þus for þe clennes
þat cryst sygh yn Jonn befor all oþer whenn he schuld
dye he charget Jonn wt þe kepyng~ of hys modyr~ and he
as a goode sonne schuld take hyr yn-to hys kepyng~
¶ So þat whenn cryst was ded and ley in his tombe Jon@
wyth oþer help bare hyr yn-to his hous & kept
hir þer tyll cryst was rysenn a-3eyne to lyue and
eft whenn cryst stegh yn-to heuenn he kept hyr yn þe
same chambyr as long~ as scho lyued aftyr here
yn erthe ¶ Thus had he grace of kepyng~ of crystus
modyr~ fre ¶ And he had also grace ynn schowyng@
of goddys pryuetye ¶ Thus was furst when cryst
sate at hys soper on schorþursday for gret loue þt
he had to cryst he lenet his hed to crystys brest and
þenn ryght as a mann leneth to a well & dryngketh his
body full of watyr . ryght soo Jonn drangke of þe well
of wysdoum þat ys yn crystys brest & fulled hys sowle
so full of gostly wysdome so þat aftyr he passed all
othyr yn wysdome ¶ Thus crist showed hymm of hs
priuete be-fore all othyr ¶ Also for he wold not stynte
to preche goddys worde the Emperour exilet hym alonly
ynto þe yle of pathmos ¶ But whenn he was þer hs
one god schewet hymm þe apocalyppys of þs world þat
wer~ forto come and most of Antecryst & of þe worldes
endyng~ and of þe day of dome . and as he segh hit he
wrot hit yn gret confyrmaconn of holy chyrche ¶ But
aftyr whenn þe Emperour was ded Jonn was callet a
<fol. 19v>3eyne to þe cyte of Ephesim þer he was byschop ¶ And
whenn he come þedyr a wydow þat het drusyann lay
ded on bere þen for Jonn segh mony wepe for hyr Jonn
sayde to hyr Drusyann ryse vp & go & make me some
mete & scho a-nonn ros vp as þogh scho had rysen from
slepe ¶
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 76r><line 31>¶ wherfor good men & woymenn J
<fol. 76v>charch you heyly in god-ys byhalue þt nonn of you to-day
com to god-ys bord but he be in full charyte to all god-is
pepull & also þt 3e be clene schryuenn & yn full wyll to
leue your synne for yf J wyst whech of you wer out of
charyte & vnschryuenn J most be techyng~ of holy menn
wt a foule mouþe say þus to hymm in audyens of all menn
J 3eue þe here not þy howsyll but þy dampnaconn in-to
euerlastyng~ payne tyll þu com to a-mendement wherfor
for crist-is loue yche mann sech well his conciens & clanse
ht þat he may abull receyue hys sauyour & 3et forto
styr you more in concyens y tell you þs ensampull <lat>narracio</lat>
J rede of a holy byschop þt prayd god bysily to 3eue hymm
grace to wytte whech wer worþy to receyue þe sacrament
& whech onn-worthy ¶ Thenn whenn þe pepull com to god-ys
bord he sagh <exp>homm</exp> somm com wt hor face red as blod &
blod droppyng~ out of hor mowþs . somm hor face as blacke
as any byche . summe as whyte as snow & summe fayre
& rody & lusty forto hold ¶ Thenn among~ oþur he sagh
two comynn wymen comyng~ & hor facys schonyng~ as
bryght as þe sonne þen had he moch wondyr of þs syght
& prayde to god to 3eue hymm reuelaconn & knowyng~ what
all þs bytokenyd ¶ Thenn come þer angyll to hymm & sayd
þes þat hann blody facys & blod droppe out of hor mow
þes þo benn envyous men & woymen & full of dedly wraþe
& woll not amend homm & gnawenn hom byhynd & be vsed
to swere horrybull oþs by god-ys sydys & his blod &
vmbrayden god of his passyon & donn hymm no reuerence
wherfor hor mowþs schull droppe of blod tyll þay
com to amendement þay þt haue blak facys benn lecherys
men & woymen þt wyll not leue hor synne ne hor lyst
ne schryue homm þerof . þay þt haue whit facys as snow
<fol. 77r>ben þay þt haue donn gret synnys & benn schryuen þerof & wt þe
wepyng~ of hor eenn hann wasshenn hor soules so whyt &
clene . þylke þat benn fayre & rody benn good comynn lyuers
þt lyuenn truly by hor maynn swynke & so kepyþe homm out
of dedly synne . & þes two woymen þt schynenn passyng~ all
oþur wer two comynn woymen & of euell lyuyng~ But
when þay come in-to þe chyrch þay toke suche repentans in
hor hertys þt þay maden a vow to god þt þay wold do neuer
more amys wt þe helpe of hys grace . wherfor god of hys
mercy haþ for3euenn homm hor synne & so clene wasschenn
hor sowles þt þay schyne þus passyng~ all oþer ¶ Then þs
Angyll went his way & þs byschop þonkyd god of hys
hegh grace þt he schewed hymm reuelaconn & serued god euer
aftyr wt all hys myght & had þe blysse of heuenn the
wheche blysse god graunte you & me Amen . <lat>de festo
sancti georgij martþris</lat>
Good men & woymen such a day 3e schull haue þe
fest of saynt George þe wheche day 3e schull
come to holy chyrch in worschyp of god & of þat holy mar
tyr seynt George þt bo3t his day full dere ¶ For as
J rede in hys lyfe J fynde þat þer was an horrybull dra
gonn þt men of þe Cyte wer so a-ferd þt þay by cownsell
of þe kyng~ yche day 3euenn hymm a schepe and a chyld
forto ete for he schuld not come in-to þe Cyte & ete hom
¶ Thenn whenn all þe chyldur of þe Cyte wer etenn for by
cause þt þe kyng~ 3af hom þt concell þay constrayned
hymm þat he put on doghtur forto 3eue hyr to þe dragon
as þay had hor chyldyr before ¶ Then þe kyng~ for
fere of þe pepull wyth wepyng~ & gret sorow ma
kyng~ delyuerd homm hyr doghtyr yn hyr best a
ray ¶ Then þay settyn hur yn þe place þer þay wer
<fol. 77v>wont to set oþur chyldur and a schepe wt hyr forto abyde þe tyme
tyll þe dragon wold come ¶ But þen by ordenance of god seynt
George come rydyng~ þt way & when he saw þe aray of þs dame
sell hymm þoght well þt hyt schuld be a womon of gret re
nonn & askyd hur why scho stode þer wt soo mornyng~ a chere
þen vnswared scho and sayde . gentyll kny3t well may J be
of heuy chere þt am a kyng~ys doghtur of þs Cyte & am sette
here forto be deuoured a-nonn of an <exp>horb</exp> horrybull dragon
þt haþ etonn all þe chyldur of þs Cyte . & for all benn etenn now
most J be etenn for my fadyr 3af þe Cyte þt consell wherfor
gentyll knyght gos hens fast & saue þy-selfe lest he les
þe as he woll me ¶ Damesell <lat>quod</lat> george þt wer a gret vy
leny to me þt am a kny3t well J-armed yf J schuld fle & þu þt
art a woman schuld a-byde ¶ Thenn wyth þs worde þe horry
bull best put vp his hed & spyttyng~ out fure & proferet
batayll to George þenn made George a cros befor hymm &
set hys spere in þe grate & wt such myght bare downn þe dragon
into þe erth þat he bade þis damysell bynd hur gurdull
a-bout his necke & lede hymm aftur hur in-to þe Cyte ¶ Thenn
þs dragonn sewet her forth as hyt had benn a gentyll hownn
de mekly wtout any mysdoyng~ ¶ But whenn þe pepull of
þe Cyte saw þe dragonn come þay floenn ych mann into hs hyrnn
for ferd ¶ Then callyd George þe pepull a-3eyne & bade þay
schuld not be a-ferd for yf þay woldenn leue in crist and
take fologht he wold befor homm all sle hymm & so dely
ver homm of hor enmy ¶ Then wer þay all so glad þat
xxti þowsand of men wt-out woymenn & chyldrenn wer
folowed & þe kyng~ was fyrst folowed and all hys
houshold þenn George slogh þys dragonn and bade
bryng~ . x . exen to hym & draw hym out of þe cyte
þat þe sauer of hymm schuld do homm no greue &
<fol. 78r>bade þe kyng~ byld fast in euery hurne of hys lond chyrches
& be lusty forto here god-ys seruyce & do honour to all men
of holy chrych & euer haue mynd & compassionn of all menn
þat wer nedy and pore ¶ Thenn when þt George had þus
turnyd þs lond to god-is fayþe he herd how þe Emperour
Dyaclisiann dyd mony cristen men to deþ he went to hymm bol
dely & repreued hymm of þe cursed dede ¶ Then þe Emperour a-non
commawndyd forto do hymm in-to prisonn and lay hymm þer vp-ryght
& a mylne-stonn vponn his brest forto haue so cruschet hym
to deþ ¶ But whenn he was seruet so he prayd to god of help
& god kept hym so þt he feld no harme ny no party of hys
body ¶ But whenn þe Emperour herd þerof he bade make a
wlele set full of howkes yn þat on syde of þe whele swerde
poyntys in þt oþur syde a3eyne þat . & set George in þe myddys
& so forto turne þe wheles & all to rase hys body onn ay-þur
syde But whenn he was yn þe turment he prayd to crist of
socour & was holpenn anonn aftyr he was put in hote bren
nyng~ lyme-kylne and closed þerynn forto haue benn brent
but god turnet wt hys my3t þe hete into cold dew ¶ 3ette þe
þryd day aftyr whenn all menn wendonn he had benn brent
to coles þenn was he fonde lyght & mery & þonked god
aftur whenn he was fatte & sette be-fore þe Emperour he re
preuyd hymm of hys false goddys & sayde þay wer but
fendys and wyth-out myght & false at nede ¶ Thenn
made þs Emperour forto bete his mouþe wt stonys tyll
ht was all to-pounet & made to bete hys body wt dry
bolle-senows tyll þe flessch fell from þe bonn & hys guttes
myght be seyne ¶ 3et aftyr þay made hymm to drynke
venomm þt was made strong~ for þe nonus forto haue poy
sont hymm to þe deþ a-non . but whenn George had made þe
syngne of þe cros on hit he dranke ht wt-out any greve
<fol. 78v>soo þt for wondur þerof þe man þt made þe poysenn anon turned to the
fayþe & a-nonn was donn to deþe for cryst-ys sake ¶ Then þe
ny3t aftur as George was in prisonn prayng~ to god god come
to hymm wt gret lyght and bade hymm be of good comfort for
in þe morow he schuld make an end of hys passyonn & so comm
to hymm into þe joy þt euer schall last & whenn he had set a crownn
of gold a-ponn hys hed he 3af hymm hys blessyng~ & stegh
into heuenn ¶ Thenn a-nonn on þe morow for he wold not do
sacryfice to þe Emperour-ys false goddus he made to smyte
of hys hed & soo passed to god & when þe Emperour wold
haue gonn to hys palys þe layte fure brent hymm and all hs
seruantes <lat>Narracio</lat> Jn a story of Antioch ys wryttonn þat
whenn cristen men beseget Jerusalem a fayre 3ong~ kny3t
aperut to a prest & sayde þt he was saynt George & leder of
cristenn men & commaundyd þt he schuld bere wt hom hs rely
kes & com wt homm to þe sege ¶ But whenn þay comen to þe wal
les of Jerusalemm þe sarecens werenn so strong~ wt-yn þat
cristenn men durst not clymbe vp hor laddres ¶ Then comm
seynt George cloþyd yn whyte and a red crosse on hys
brest and 3ode vp þe laddyrs & bade þe cristenn men comm aftur
hymm & so wt þe helpe of seynt George þay wonenn þe Cyte
and slogh all þe saresyns þay fondenn þer-ynn ¶ And þer
for pray we to saynt George þat he wyll be our helpe
at oure nede & saue þs reemm to þe worschyp of god & his
modyr mary & all þe company of heuenn Amen .