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

This vertuous abbasse/send to the emperouer
Of Constantynople for a porcion
Of the holy crosse/on whome our sauyour
For vs suffred deth/and payed our raunsom
The messangers opteyned theyr meke peticion
Receyued a litell part of the crosse certayne
From thens departyd/to theyr lady agayne

And as they passed/saylyng on the see
Sodenly rose vp wyndes moste hideous
The ayre for derkened by craft of our enemy
Great stormes aproched myghty/and meruelous
The tempest encreasyd/euer more greuous
The maryners were besy in eche part to attende
And laboured full fast theyr lyues to amende

The stormes and tempestis/continued truly
Fortie dayes and fortie nyghtes/withouten ceasyng
The mariners were mased mated/and wery
The ship was euer in parell of perysshyng
So whan the messangers knewe no other thyng
But deth approchyng of theyr lyues desperate
They called on Radegund/& sayd with mynde eleuate

O louely lady and blessed abbasse
O holy virgyn/and kynges dougther dere
O vertuous moniall replete with great grace
Helpe nowe thy seruauntes from paryll and dangere

Defende vs from deth/which aprocheth nere
Ceasse these great sees O swete maistres
Spede vs in our Iorney/thorowe thy goodnes

Suffre neuer the enemy of all mankynde
By malyce and enuy/to drenche vs all
Also swete lady/call to thy mynde
That we haue nowe brought/a relique speciall
And don well our message/by grace supernall
Therfore madame/in this necessite
Pray for vs all/to the blessyd trinyte

Ryght shortly apperyd/in all theyr syght
A whyte doufe flyeng/the ship all about
The tempest ceasyd/by myracle right
The wyndes were layde/within and without
The see was quiet/withouten dout
The marchandes/the maryners/with voyce Iocunde
Magnyfied our maker/and mayden Radegunde

The messangers came whome/all in prosperyte
And brought with them/the relique/of reuerence
Whiche solemply was set/in the monastery
With honour/worshyp/and mycle dilygence
And whan it came to open syght and presence
Myracles were shewed/by it euery day
Unto the people/of the sayd countray.