Here begynneth the lyfe of Saynt Radegunde :: :: University of Virginia Library

Here begynneth the lyfe of Saynt Radegunde

[by Henry Bradshaw]

Bradshaw, Henry

[section]

Here begynneth the lyfe of saynt Radegunde.

The prologe of the translatour in the lyfe of mayden Radegunde/quene and princesse.

Of the progeny of saynt Radegunde and howe she was taken in batell and maryed to Lothary a kynge of Fraunce.

Of the vertuous lyuing of saynt Radegund vndre spousage/and howe she contynued a pure virgyne

Of the great deuocion she vsed namely in tyme of lenton/and of the great pitie she had to all captiue prisoners.

Howe quene Radegunde shewed a great myracle deliueryng prisoners out of captiuite.

Howe quene Radegund desyred to be religyous/& of a myracle shewed/at her departyng by the way goyng

How Radegund was made relygious/& after elect abbasse of Pictauis/& howe by grace she was preserued from daunger of her husbande ye kyng.

Of the feruent deuocyon of saynt Radegunde and of the great penaunce and charitable warkes she vsed in religion.

Of the great perfeccion/and penaunce that lady Radegunde vsed in the tyme of lent.

Of the great affliccion/& hard punysshement that ye lady Radegunde vsed aboue the cours of nature in the sayd tyme of lent.

How this holy abbasse vsyng meditacyon refourmed her syster neglygent/with a lytell exortacion folowyng.

Howe blessyd Radegunde delyuered a woman possessyd with a fynde/from daunger and payne/to helth and prosperite.

Howe a ratte was slayne without hande aprochyng to hurt the vertuous labour of saynt Radegund.

Howe saynt Radegunde by prayer reuiued a laurell tre to burge and bryng forthe leaues without any rote.

Howe saynt Radegunde by humble intercession restored a yong Nunne from dethe to lyfe agayne.

Howe saynt Radegunde saued her seruantes from paryll of perisshyng which brought a parte of the holy crosse to Pectauis.

Of dyuerse myracles in generall/and how this abbasse saued dyuerse seke persons from Ieopardy of deth.

How Radegunde thabbasse cured .ii. sycke women from sickenesse/and infyrmite vnto helth and prosperyte.

How this abbasse healed dyuerse sicke women som from feuers/and some from vexacion of our gostly enemy.

Of the gostly visyon she had afore her infyrmyte & of the noble exortacion she made to her systers in her sykenes & payne.

With what pacience and deuocion lady Radegund receyued ye blessyd sacrament & extreme vnction afore her departure

Of the departure of this holy abbasse/and howe she apperyd ye same houre to a noble prefect/curyng hym from sickenesse of his throte.

How saynt Radegund cured one of her seruauntes from the plage of fier sittyng in her chayer without auctorite and right.

A breue rehersall of the great profet and remedy founde by true oblacion made to this moniall.

A prayer or orison of the blessyd quene Radegunde moniall and abbasse.

A breue conclucyon/& end of this poore translacyon mouyng the reders to accept this lytell vnworthy to be redde.

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How this holy abbasse vsyng meditacyon refourmed her syster neglygent/with a lytell exortacion folowyng.

This lady neuer spake/agayne good conscience
She neuer defained/nor vsed detraccion
Agayne verite/she neuer bare euidence
She neuer dissymuled/nor vsed adulacion
Hastynes/ne yre/debate/nor derysyon
She prayed for her enemyes/to amende by grace
Mouyng her susters/to the same in the place

Great grauite goodnesse/and humilyte
True loue to god/in her hert was feruent
Pacience in aduersyte/faythe/hoope/and charyte

Iustyce attemperaunce/fortitude were lent
With prudence benygnite euer resplendent
Gostely example/with good exortacion
Had resydence in Radegunde/and holy religyon

Her example was better/than a commaundement
Unto her subgettes/within the monastery
Her doctryne was profytable/and expedyent
By her fact and dede/she gaue examplary
Unto her subgettes/and all the famyle
Her precepte and dede/agreed bothe in one
As Christ gaue example/for our saluacyon

Also afore mydnyght moost commenly she sayd
All Dauid psaulter/long before mattence
After whan her systers/in bedde were layed
She styll contynued/prayeng in presence
Of the blessyd sacrementes/departyd nat thence
Tyll the day lyght/knelyng in deuocion
With wepyng teares/and meke medytacyon

That vnder lycence/and reformacyon
Of all them that this lytell werke shall se
We purpose to reherse/with deuyne proteccyon
Parte of her myracles/folowyng the story
Requiryng all reders/of theyr pure charite
To excuse my ignoraunt boldnesse also
And acccept myne entent symple tho it be
Quia bona voluntas/reputetur pro facto

This gracyous Radegunde/ceasyd day nor nyght
Princypally to prayse our lorde/with supplicacyon

Her mynde hert/& mouth/with all her gostly myght
Syngulerly was set her spouse Ihesu vpon
As she was feruent/in her contemplacyon
A moniall Codegunde by a posterne preuatly
Passyd without lycence/out of the monastery

(Whiche thyng knowen) thabbasse folowed shortly
And wolde haue called her by name Codigunda
In stede of whiche name/she sayd veraly
Come agayne dere syster (alleluya alleluya)
As the mynde thought/so spake Radegunda
Ryght so it fortuned/after many a season
Her soule was so feruent/vpon meditacion

Swete worthy princesses/borne of great rialte
Duchesses/countesses/ladies euerychone
Folowyng your appetite/and sensualite
In worldly worship/and vayne detractacion
Diuersite of garmentes made of theyr newe facyon
With delicat dayntes repastyng euery day
The body to conserue/in lust and likyng ay

Beholde and considre with your interiour eye
This humble abbasse/lady and moniall
Howe she refused all wordly dignite
Rychesse/reuerence/and honour imperiall
Uayne/vestures/garmentes/possessyons withall
Entred religion/with great humilite
Truly obseruyng/the essencials thre

Also for sufferyng/in this present lyfe
A lytell whyle payne/for loue of our sauyour

Usyng prayer penaunce/and life contemplatyfe
Nowe she is exalted/in heuenly honour
Whose glory shall euer encrease/more and more
Wherfore noble ladies/example ye may take
At this holy quene/all vice to forsake

O blessyd Radegunde O worthy princesse
Lady and quene/virgyn/and moniall
O vertuous abbasse/and sufferayne maistres
Nowe triumphant/in the see celestiall
We pray the mekely/pray for vs all
That after this lyfe/and mortall passage
We may come to blis/and eterne herytage.