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 deuocion she vsed namely in tyme of lenton/and of the great pitie she had to all captiue prisoners.

Whan the tyme of lenton approched nere
To speke of her penaunce/is a strayte thyng
For at the same tyme/with conscience clere
She send to a religious woman in lyueng
Nominat Pia/her fully mynde sheweng
To whome this moniall/knowyng her entent
Send Radegunde an heer sealed full diligent

Whiche heer this lady (as rehersed is)
With reuerence receyued/and put next her body
Trustyng in the vesture great comfort and blis
Pleasaunt to our lorde/to her soule remedy
And yet she wolde were clothes richely
Upon the sayd heer in the tyme of lenton
Expellyng fame/and wordly commendacion

Upon solempne dayes/and feestes principall
The quene was reuest/with clothes of golde
With tissewes fyne/and veluettes at all
And whan the comon people/yong and olde
Praysed suche garmentes/with fame manyfolde
She vtterly abhorred suche riall riche clothyng
Sende them to churches/for preestes in to syng

By fortune if Lothary her lorde were absent
Who wolde than byleue/her singuler deuocion
Her prayer/abstinence/and hert penetent
Her great contricion and humble supplicacion
Euer remembryng our lordes passion
Submittyng her selfe as vnto his fete
Wasshesyng his woundes/with teares salt and wete

She refused glotony/by vertuous temparaunce
Our sauyour Iesu was her hole refeccion
Upon bodely feding/gaue litell attendaunce
Dayly prouidyng her soules sustentacion
Great vigilles/penaunce/and holy orison
Refresshed her soule/and the body also
No penaunce was tedious for her to do

If any transgressour were Iuged to dye
Or any man suffred wrong accusacion
She was so mercyable/and full of pitie
For them to the kyng/she made intercession
Knelyng full mekely/desyring peticyon
And to his counsell with prayer continuall
Tyll she had pardon/and grace for them all

All the kynges court/example myght take
To vse humilite/and great gentylnesse
At lady Radegunde/and synne to forsake
For why she was called/of more and of lesse
Rather a minister/than to be a maistresse
Deligent to serue/euery tyme and season
Pore/as well/as ryche with great deuocion

Nother man ne childe/dwellyng in the palace
Was discontent/at this swete lady
She had suche wysdone/and singuler grace
Transcendyng other ladyes/of memory
Dukes/erles/and barons/and all theyr progeny
Example may take/at this quene ryall
To encrease in mekenesse/and vertuous morall

By her great prudence/and exortacion
The kyng was moued/to grace and pitie
Merciable to the pore/in all his region
Hauyng compassion/lyberall/and fre
To execute Iustice prompte with mercie
A good benefactour/to places religyous
By the instant mocion/of his quene vertuous.