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

A certayne woman dwelled by the monastery
Whiche was possessyd/with a spirite infernall
By long contynuaunce enduryng misery
Sore vexed/and greued/with paynes thrall
Tearyng with violence/as a beest brutall
Man/woman/and childe/with great cruelte
In a hiduous rage/alas the more pite

Thus she possessyd suffred mycle payne
The mynde sore moued/alienat from reason
The profet of her soule/forgetyng certayne
To charitable werkes/had no entencion
Frewyll was tollyd so was deuocion

She had no power to say nor do truly
But as the sayd fende put in her memory

She was strayte bounde/bothe fote and hande
For drede of myschefe/and wickydnesse
Her frendes dwellyng within the lande
Were woful in hert/no meruell doutlesse
Consideryng theyr kynswoman/in suche distresse
With wepyng waylyng/they came mekely
Besekyng mayde Radegunde/for helpe and remedy

O cumly creature/and kynges doughter dere
O vertuous lady/moniall and abbasse
We call to the knelyng afore the here
Have pyte and compassyon/in this exstreme case
Be thou our succour/comfort and solace
Helpe this wofull wreche/humble we the pray
By thy prayer and myght as thou well may

Unto whose prayer peticyon and desyre
Saynt Radegunde/was moued to compassyon
Commaundyng them all/with loue entyre
To bryng the sayd woman/and wofull person
Unto her presence/hastely and soone
Her frendes were glad/and made good chere
Ioyfull to fulfyll the commaundement in fere

Whan they aproched/to this wofull pacient
Redy to conuey her/to the holy place
The sayd wickyd sporyte/moued her entent
Euer to the contrary/by power and manace
She rayled/and raged/and spyt in theyr face

At the last by power/wysdome and myght
This woman was brought/before this lady bryght

On whom she had compassion/and pety
And anone commaunded/in presence of them all
That wycked sprite/and mortall enemy
To cease of his greuaunce/and paynes thrall
And shortly to the grounde/before her to fall
Also to departe this sayd woman fro
Neuer more to vex her with payne nor wo

Anone the sprite obeyed/the commaundement
Myght no lenger tary/day nor yet houre
Immediatly departed/from the feble pacient
With an hydeous cry full of great doloure
The woman rose vp out of her langour
And kneled downe/thankyng god almyght
And blessed Radegunde of this myracle ryght.