The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester

By Henry Bradshaw. Englisht. A.D. 1513, printed by Pynson A.D. 1521, and now re-edited by Carl Horstmann

Bradshaw, Henry

Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge / very frutefull for all christen people to rede.

The Prologe of .J. T. in the honour & laude of saint Werburge / and to the prayse of þe translatour of the legende folowynge.

Here foloweth the lyfe of the gloryous virgyn saynt werburge / also many miracles that god hath shewed for her. / & fyrst the prologe of the auctour.

[Whan Phebus had ronne his cours in sagittari]

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Of the departure of saynt Werburge vnto heuen at the abbay of Trentam / fro this myserable lyfe / & what lamentacyon her systers made for her dethe. Ca. xxix.

438

In all her infyrmyte / peyne and busynesse
She vsed prayer / and medytacyon,
Callynge for mercy / by interyor mekenesse
With wepynge eyes / and great lamentacyon;
Remembrynge in herte / our lordes passyon;
Commendynge her couent / vnto our sauyour
To be theyr defence / ayde / and protectour.

439

The peynes encreased / of her infyrmyte,
The panges doubled / her peyne to augment,
Nature decayed / vnto suche debylyte
That the sygnes of dethe / appered euydent.
The houre approched / after all Iudgment:
Wherfore all thynges / were redy preparate,
As was conuenyent / for so noble a state.

440

Her spouse Ihesus / hauynge pyte and cure
Vpon his spouses / in extreme dystresse,
Wolde not suffer her peyne / longer endure,
But sende his angels / with great lyghtnesse
To conforte his seruaunt / in peyne and sekenesse,
To dyssolue her wo / and great penalte
And brynge vp her soule / to eterne felycyte.

441

There derknes was tourned / all vnto lyght,
Langour and trouble / vnto prosperyte,

112

The day was gouernour / ouer the nyght
Whan that she passed / this lyfe transytory,
Bondage and thraldome / were brought to lyberte.
The tyme of Ioye / and euerlastynge pleasure
Was approchynge to Werburge / euer to endure.

442

A multytude of angelles / shynynge moost clere
Were redy to gyde / with humble reuerence
The soule of werburge / as truly dyd apere,
And brought it to blys / vnto the hye presence
Of almyghty god / moost of magnyfycence,
Clerely releashed / frome peynes of purgatory
To be rewarded / with euerlastynge glory.

443

This blessed vyrgyn / gloryous and pure,
In stedfast fayth / hope / loue / and charyte
The thyrde day of February / ye may be sure,
Expyred frome this lyfe / caduce and transytory
To eterne blysse / coronate with vyctory,
Chaungynge her lyfe / myserable and thrall
For infynyte ioye / and glory eternall.

444

With moche honour / these spyrytuall mynysters
Conueyed the soule / aboue the fyrmament,
Passynge the seuen planettes / and all the sterres,
Vnto the presence / of god omnypotent,
Syngynge full swetely / theyr songes equyualent
Of pleasaunt armony / of conforte and blys,
Salutynge her mekely / with wordes reuerent
Veni dilecta: veni coronabiris.

445

The thre Ierarcheses / were redy present
With heuenly melody / to receyue this monyall,
The quere of vyrgyns / mette her incontynent
With great solempnyte / and processyon royall,
Presentynge her soule / with myrthes angelycall

113

To Ihesu, her spouse / to whome he sayd, truly,
‘Well-come, dere doughter / to blysse celestyall,
Intra in gaudium: domui tui.’

446

In meane tyme and space / this venerable body
(The soule departed) lay whyte / streyght / and colde,
Semynge as on slepe / she had ben, verely,
With swete odours fragrant / passynge manyfolde
All spyces and herbes / in erth may be tolde;
The place was so pleasaunt / full of delyce
Lyke as it had ben / an erthly paradyce.

447

This forsayd venerable congregacyon
With wepynge teeres / and syghes lamentable
Wasshed the swete body / after the olde custome,
And dressed the corps / with clothes honorable,
Prepared all necessaryes / pleasaunt and commendable;
To churche she was brought / solemply in syght,
With feruent deuocyon / to be watched all nyght.

448

And as they watched / with due mynystracyon
Ouer the sayd corps / deuoutly prayenge,
They made great mournynge / and lamentacyon
Euerychone to other / for her departynge;
‘Alas,’ they all sayd / with wofull waylynge,
‘Our solace / our helthe / is clere gone away!
Alas for sorowe / what shall we now say?

449

‘The sterre of our conforte / is extyncte clere,
The lanturne of our lyght / is taken vs fro,
The floure of chastyte / is layd vpon a bere,
The myrrour of mekenes / now lyeth full loo,
The treasure of relygyon / from vs now is ago.
Our sorowe encresed / wretchednes / and mysery,
Syth thou arte departed. / alas, what remedy?

114

450

‘Our hertes ben plonged / in great wo and peyne,
Our myndes are medled / with heuy langour;
How shulde we now rest / frome mornynge, certayne,
Beholdynge now deed / whylom our protectour?
Swete lady, thou art gone / frome vs for euermore;
Our deedly sorowe / replete with bytternes,
For waylynge and wepynge / can neuer ceas.

451

‘With herte, mynde and voyce / to the we do call:
O blessed Werburge / our moost dere maystres,
O sufferayne lady / and ruler of vs all,
Why hase thou vs lefte / in suche heuynesse?
If thy wyll had ben / it is knowen expresse,
Thou myght haue taryed / with vs by petycyon.
Alas, remedylesse / is our lamentacyon!

452

‘Frome vs thou arte taken / and gone is our solace,
The myrrour of vertue / is deed now with the,
The tryed stock of truth / and the grounde of grace
Is pyteously decayed / our hope and sufferaynte.
O blessed sauyour / vpon vs haue pyte,
Sende vs our conforte / by thy great myght agayne
As thou hase reysed many / from dethe to lyfe, certayne.

453

‘O dredefull dethe / cruell enemy to nature,
With dolefull heuynes / on the we may complayne,
Takynge our heed frome vs / to our great dysconfyture,
Hath brought vs to thraldome / wofulnes and peyne;
Nother kynge ne emperour / thy fauour may optayne,
But he must departe / arested with thy launce.
Thanke we god of all / for it is his pleasaunce.’