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.

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115

How the hamburgenses toke the blessed body of Werburge frome Trentam by myracle & brought it to Hambury / & of þe buryall of werburge / & of manyfolde myracles shewed for her merytes .ix. yere after her translacyon. Ca. xxx.

454

This gloryous vyrgyn / and moost blessed abbace
Departed from this lyfe / caduce and transytory
(As afore is sayd) the yere and tyme of grace
Almoost seuen hundreth / the thyrde day of February,
To celestyall blysse / and infynyte glory;
Her subiectes oppressed / with wylfull pensyuenesse,
With great trybulacyon / care and heuynesse.

455

But where werburge gaue / in commaundyment
To bury her corps / at place of Hambury,
As was the wyll / of our lorde omnypotent;
Her subiectes of Trentam / whiche had her body,
Purposed her wyll / and entent to deny,
Prepared to kepe / the corps by stronge hande,
With them to remayne / as ye shall vnderstande.

456

The sayd people of Trentam / watched full dylygent
Her corps, fulfyllynge / the obsequyes funerall,
Entendynge to auoyde / and frustrate her testament
Gate a great company / by power Marcyall,
Closed fast theyr doores / and gates one and all,
Made sure yche place / by theyr prouydens
For to kepe the corps / excludynge Thamburgens.

457

But, as Salomon sayth / sentencyously,
‘There may be no counseyll / power ne prudence,
Wysedome of man / nor naturall polycy,
To derogate or chaunge / deuyne sentence;’
Proued euer[y] day / by true experyence:

116

‘Tho mankynde prepose / his mynde to fulfyll,
yet god dysposeth / all thynge at his wyll.’

458

And as they watched / the same sayd nyght
Moost busyly / to execute they[r] wyll and entent,
By deuyne prouydence / passynge mannes myght
Sodeynly on slepe / was all that couent,
Theyr company and mynysters / that were there lent,
Hauynge no power / for to waken, doubtles;
God so prouyded / for theyr great maystres.

459

Than shortly resembled / vnto that sayd place
The people of Hamburgens / a great company,
With the mynysters of god / people full of grace:
And anone by the wyll / of our lorde almyghty
The lockes and the barres / of that sayd monastery
Fell downe to the grounde / by power supernall,
Without mannes hande / that enter they myght all.

460

Whiche myracle proued / the people of Hambury
Entred Trentam abbay / with mynde reuerent,
And founde there on slepe / all the other company,
Man / woman / and chylde / all that were present.
They kneled all downe / and worshypped the sacrament,
Praysynge our maker / of theyr good spede,
Theyr specyall socour / euer at theyr nede.

461

Her blessed body / from Trentam they dyd take,
Gladly departynge / out of the monastery—
Nother man nor woman / had power to wake,
Tyll they were passed / all greuous Ieopardy;
Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his grace deuoutly,
Solemply syngyng their songes celestiall
With infinite gladnes / and comfort spirituall.

462

After all this done / this holy congregacion

117

With reuerence / honour / and solempnite,
With wepynge tearis / for pure affection,
With lamentable songes / masse and dirige
Buried the corps / of this blessed ladie
Right in the chauncell / of the sayd abbay,
There bodily to rest / as her wyll was alway.

463

All obsequies ended / therto belongynge
As was agreable for suche a president,
The systers departed / with clamour and mournynge,
Plonged in heuynes / and to their celles went,
To wepe and wayle secretly / their hartis to content,
Criynge: ‘alas, alas / nowe buried haue we
The exemple of vertu / mekenes / and chastite!’

464

And as the history of her lyfe / doth expresse
In a boke nominat / the thrid Passionary,
After the buriall of this patronesse
The place was decorat / with myracles many,
Manifest to the people / of euery progeny
Howe god almyghty of his speciall grace
Hath done for his seruant / in short tyme and space.

465

For many people greued with infirmite,
Dolorous of hert / and interiour tribulacion,
Heuynes of mynde / or other penalite,
To her graue resortyng / with feruent deuocion,
Sekynge for remedy / with great contricion,
Anon by her prayer / vnto our sauyour
They were released from peyne and langour.

466

Also by her merite, suffrage and peticion
Euery humble creature had helpe and succour;
To distract persons / was yelded reason,
wikked spirites expulsed were that same hour,
Impotent and feble to helth she dyd restour,

118

Halt and lame had passage / the blynde had perfect syght,
The dombe had speche / the deffe herynge ryght.

467

Women with childe / beynge in great ieopardy,
Namely in trauelyng / greued with wo and payne,
Whan they myght nat come / sendyng to her oratorye,
Makynge true oblacion / restaured were, certayne,
To helth and prosperite / from wo delyuered playne;
And if they obteyned a relique from the place,
The mother and childe / by it founde speciall grace.

468

The deuout pilgrym / the perfit maryner,
The true laborer / the marchant with richesse,
The carefull pore man / the peynfull prisoner
Were sondry tymes delyuered from wo and distresse;
Men / women / childer / sekynge with mekenes
This glorious virgyn / with humble supplicacion,
Founde soone remedie / helpe and consolacion.