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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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.

This venerable virgyn/exspired sothely
The .xiii. day of August/to blis eternall
Angels were present/with mycle melody
To receyue the soule/from the lyfe temperall

For euer to reigne/in the see celestiall
To haue her merite/and glorificacion
For her great vertue/and contemplacion

And at the same houre/of her departyng
Quareours laboryng/in the mounte therby
Herd swete armony of angels singyng
One sayd howe the voyce of a sad company
Ascendeth to the eares of god almyghty
Suffre her no lenger to endure distres
Take her to ioy/and eterne quietnes

Whan the angels sayeng/thus endyd was
They receyued the soule/of this fayre lady
And brought it syngyng/to the celestiall palace
(As afore is sayd) to reigne eternally
Unto whiche place/of endles glory
Pray for vs abbasse/and holy moniall
That we may thyder come/both one and all

Manyfolde merites/and myracles memoratyue
Magnifien this mayde/with great magnificence
Enduryng the tyme/of this present lyfe
And at her departure/knowen by experience
For she apperyd gostly in presence
The same houre she passyd/from this lyfe dolorous
To a great gouernoure/called Demolemus

This sayd Demolemus/was paynfully cruciat
In his brest and throte/by host and swellyng
His breth restrayned with passyons tortuat
Ryght like to exspire/at euery hours endyng

Radegunde bad hym/straytely commaundyng
To lose .vii. presoners/within his Iayle and holde
And he shulde haue helth/and pleasure manyfolde

(Whiche visyon past) he waked sodenly
Callyng to mynde/her wyll and commaundement
Knewe well by the visyon/that this noble lady
Than was departed from this lyfe present
Prouyng the trueth/by messangers diligent
Afterwarde he sende his seruaunt to the prison
Deliuerd all captyue from payne and affliction

Incontynently by merit and grace of this abbasse
Demolemus mended/of sickenes and infyrmite
His throte and his heed/whiche wofull was
Were sone delyuered/from all penalyte
His breth restored/at his owne lyberte
This forsayd ruler/and the prisoners all
Praysed this virgyn/with mynde speciall

Whiche sayd myracles notyfied playne
Thorowe the countrey/and all the region
Many poore prisoners/sufferyng great payne
Made dayly prayers/and humble supplicacion
Unto this lady promisyng an oblacion
Desiryng her suffrage with humylite
Were saued from deth/and put at lyberte.