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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The prologe of the translatour in the lyfe of mayden Radegunde/quene and princesse.

WWhan the feruent heate/of the somer seasō
Was almost endyd by course of nature
And Phebus entred ye signe of Scorpiō
Passyng ye equinoctial thā ye may be sure
The day decresed/ye nyght dyd lōg ēdure
Colde frosty mornynges/and euintydes withall
Began to approche/a long space continuall.

That season lyueries ben vsed of duety
Ryght at the solempne feast of all Halomas
By the gentylnesse of England/and curtesy
To gladde theyr guestes in euery lordes place
And to theyr company to be great solace
To passe the euentide/after good humanite
In myrthes/in disportes/and liberalite

Than I reuolued with due circumstaunce
The gentyll maners/and discrete behauour
Of seculer people vsyng temperaunce
How they dispend the tyme/the day/the houre
Some in great policy for wordly honoure
Some in marchaundise for lucre and wynnyng
And some in chiualry/great fame opteynyng

Some other gyuen to wanton company
To wordly pleasours/and singuler affeccyon
Some to distemperaunce and vile glotony
And some to Christes/labour/and occupacion

yet some be disposed to contemplacion
To prayer to study/of theyr goodnesse
And some (the more pitie) to slouth/and ydelnesse

Nowe syth that I am lowest of degre
A man of holy churche by true profession
Consyderyng the condicions of people worldly
(As afore is sayd) my fully entencion
By diuyne grace and gostly supportacion
Is for to write the lyfe historiall
Of Radegunde the princesse quene and montall

After my reason me thynke more conuenient
To spende wynter nyghtes in suche besynesse
For drede of temptation and causles insolent
Rather than to lose suche tyme in ydelnesse
Whiche to all vyce/is rote and maistresse
Enuy to vertue/a stepmother to study
Occasyon of ruyne/and mycle malady.

A secondary cause/mouyng me therto
To write the lyfe of this virgyn glorious
Was the instant desyre/and peticyon also
Of speciall frendes/honest and vertuous
Whiche lately requyred me full memorious
With synguler request/and humble instaunce
This lyfe to discrybe/with due circumstaunce

To whome I graunted/vnder this condicyon
That of their wysedom/they wolde excuse me
And take this poore dede/of no presumpcion
Nor done for vauntage/auoyding vaynglore

But alonly to content theyr mynde and satisfy
Where they knowe well my insufficience
My great ignoraunce/and also necligence

The thyrde cause mouyng moste princypally
Is for to extolle/the glorious name
Of this holy virgyn/and gracious lady
With honour/reuerence/and excellent fame
To the cōmen people/desiryng the same
Whose lyfe hath ben kept scilent many a day
Knowen to fewe persons within this countray

Therfore I require/and pray you euerychone
That this litell treatyse shall reed or se
To accept my mynde with your discrecion
And it to correct after your charite
Amende the mater/where is necessite
For syth it is knowen/that I am no clarke
Under protestacion/I procede to Warke

And where I vnworthy/this treatyse begyn
I humble beseke our blessed sauyour
His mother also mary the virgyn
To be my helpe/comfort/and succoure
Nowe swete Radegunde/of virgins the floure
Make supplicacion/vnto the trinite
And direct my penne to describe thy stori