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

Howe the body of saynt Werburge contynued hole / and substanciall at Hambury after the translacion by the space of two hundreth yeres / tyll the danes were comon to this lande / or it felle and was resolued vnto powder. The .xxxiii. Chapitre.

II.

[BOOK II.]

A balade to the auctour.

An other balade.

An other balade to saynt werburge.

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Howe the body of saynt Werburge contynued hole / and substanciall at Hambury after the translacion by the space of two hundreth yeres / tyll the danes were comon to this lande / or it felle and was resolued vnto powder. The .xxxiii. Chapitre.

494

This rutilant gemme and specious floure
Hole and substanciall remayned at Hambury
Two hundreth yeres in beaute and colour,
By singular grace / and angelicall custodye,
Tyll the danes were comon of malice and misery,
Of ire and myschief / as we vnderstande;
We meane the comyng of pagans to this lande.

495

Whiche danes by sufferaunce and dispensacion
Of almyghty god / for synne and iniquite
Punysshed vnpiteously all this region
with a wofull plage of great crudelite,
The sharpe swerde of deth / hauynge no pite,
Spared no creature / prest nor religious,
Long tyme duryng in their malice odious.

125

496

Than this vitall glebe by diuine ordinaunce
Voluntary permytted naturall resolution,
Lest the cruell gentils / and wiked myscreauntes
With pollute handes full of corrupcion
Shulde touche her body / by indignation;
Whiche pagans were enemyes to our lorde Iesu,
Rebels to holy churche, vnfeithful and vntrue.

497

Howe-be-it the power of our swete sauyour
Myght haue continued the body of his syruant
All that longe season in worshyp and honour,
As he preserued of his grace abundaunt
Many sayntes of this realme hole, fresshe and vernant
viii. hundreth yeres agon / to this present day,
And like so to endure / hole and clere alway.

498

Sothely to considre / our lorde omnipotent,
Glorious in his sayntes / scripture doth specifie,
Of his diuine prouidence / pleasure and intent
Some haue resolued / for the greatter glorie
Of their resurrection for the tyme, truly,
Some other to continue without corruption,
To the true example of his promission.

499

Many holy martyrs / for Christ haue byn slayne,
The hie prestis of god murdred cruelly,
Some with wylde bestes deuoured, in certayne,
Some cast in fiers, on cooles to broyle and fry,
Vpon many other byrdes fedyng openly—
Of whom the prophet clerely doth reherce:
‘The more peyne here and wo / the more glory, doubtles.’

500

The glorious martyr Stephan (as is red)
In this present lyfe dyd myracles many,
Neuertherles / he raised no people that were deed;

126

But after the resoluynge of his blessed body
He raised deed men to lyfe agayne, truely,
That the great power of lyfe myght sprynge
From iniurie of deth / by our heuen kynge.

501

Great was the respect of diuyne grace
In the body of Werburge / without resolucion,
Shewed by her myracles / for mannes helth and solace;
But greatter was the hope of the eterne renouacion
In her body resolued to naturall consumption,
Whiche for her merites to this present day
Helpeth all her seruantes that to her wyll praye.

502

Therfore worshyp we with singular deuocion
The holy lyuynge of this virgin gratious;
For why / all the halowynge of her conuersacion
Belongeth to the honour of our lorde Iesus,
Whiche of his grace hath made her so glorious
And graunteth his mercy / and of synne remyssion
To all them / for whom / she maketh intercession.

503

Blessed pure virgin / moines and abbasse,
O venerable werburge / mekely we the pray,
Make thou supplycacyon / to the graunter of grace,
After this lyfe present / that all we may
Come to heuen-blysse / whiche lasteth for ay,
There to beholde / the gloryous trynyte,
To whom be laude / worshyp / honour / & endeles glorye.