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.

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

Of the great perfeccion/and penaunce that lady Radegunde vsed in the tyme of lent.

This noble Radegunde/& venerable abbasse
All the tyme of lent after her profession
Whan she solitary in her cell set was
She absteyned from breed/& costly refectiō
Using herbis/potage/made of malous alone
Without oyle/and salt/except vpon the sonday
She toke brede alon/a lytell for that day

She absteyned so sore/from drinkyng of water
The .xl. dayes of lent/with suche great penury
That she myght nat sing nor say with voyce clere
The seruice of god/nor orison priuatly

She vsed the rough heer/next her tender body
Watchyng all the nyght/vsyng meditacion
Her bed was dry asshes/and an heer layed vpon

Her clothyng was so poore/symple and small
She had nat a sleue/vpon her armes to do
But of her hoses/she made twayne at all
To couer her from colde/from frost/and wynters wo
Thus she dyd punysshe/her proure body so
That she assembled a seruaunt for to be
Rather than an abbasse of great auctorite

Also whan her systers all in bed were layed
This lady Radegunde/wolde euery nyght
Wype clene theyr showes lyke a poore mayde
And with soft oyntment anoyent them full right
Make all thynge redy/agayne the day light
Of all vile labours/that among them there was
She wolde fyrst serue moost subget in the place

Wherfore as her cours/came wekely about
She swepped all places/of the monastery
All great vile burthens/she bare them out
From stretes and corners/fulsom for to se
Secret purgacions horible to the eye
She nothyng disdayned nor was dismayde
On her childers to cary (in story as is sayd)

She humbled her selfe as lest in degre
Bearyng wod to the fyre/in her armes twayne
Seruyng her systers vexyd with infirmyte
Preparyng sustentacion/meate and drynke certayne

Wasshyng theyr fysnamy/and fedyng them playne
Sundry tymes kyssyng them with great humilyte
Therby recoueryng dyuers from penalite

Unto all people/she shewed good lyberalyte
Truly fulfyllyng her holy professyon
Theyr fete and handes/wasshyng at the fyrst entre
Of straungers to the place/desyryng them of pardon
Where was no offence/but all thyng well don
Example gyueng/of mekenesse and charyte
Unto all ladyes within christente.