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

Afterward she askyd the holy communion
With mycle reuerence/and humilite
To comfort the soule agayne temptacion
At the sharpe passage/of this mortalyte
Where preistes/and clarkes/were all redy
Theyr offyce to supple right/conuenient
And brought with them/the blessyd sacrament

At whose commyng/this reuerent Radegunde
With gostly comfort humbled her body
Sayeng to the sacrament/with hert iocunde
Welcome my maker/god sonne almighty
Welcom my redemer/and kyng of glory
Welcom my ioy/comfort and solace
My trust/my treasure/in euery place

As the church techith/I beleue stydfastly
That thou descendyd from blis eternall
And was incarnat/in mayden Mary
Suffred passyon/and deth moost thrall
Man soule to redeme/from payne infernall
And that thou institute/thy blessed body
In furme of bredde to vs sacramentally

Thus with great wepyng/and feruent deuocion
In true fayth/hope/and charite
Radegunde receyued the holy communion
To preserue the soule from ieopardy
With all obseruaunce/and suffrage gostly
After all this she askyd extreme vnction
For spirituall comfort/and saluacyon

And as she lay in suche extremite
Sufferyng great payne/abyding the houre
She be toke her soule/vnto the custodie
Of Ihesu her spouse/our blessyd sauyour
Also to visyt her/they came with great honoure
Many sad citesyns wyddowes/virgyns pure
Lamentyng and wepyng/for her departure

They held vp theyr handes/towarde heuen on hye
Pyteously cryeng/made great lamentacion
Sayeng O blessyd lorde/god almyghty
Why suffers thou this mayde/departe from vs alon
Fatherles childerne without consolacion
Good lorde if it be thy wyll and pleasure
Permyt her to abyde with vs and endure

O blessyd abbasse/thou art our succoure
Our singuler comfort/both day and nyght
Our helpe and refuge/agayne all langoure
Our speciall defence/vnder god almyght
Alas swete maistres/and lady bryght
Why wyll you departe/from vs so hastely
But agayne deth/may be no remedy.