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previous section Legendys of Hooly Wummen by Osbern Bokenham
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Thys blyssyd Elyzabeth, as I seyde before,
The kyngys doughtyr was of vngarye,
Noble of byrthe, but of relygyous lore
More nobyl, for she dede magnyfye
Alle hyr kynrede & eek gloryfy
Wyth manye exaunplys of perfyhtnesse,
And wyth myraclys bryhter þan þe skye
Enbelshyd yt by þe grace of hyr holynesse.
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No wundyr, for of kende þe souereyn auctoure
Abouyn al natur hyr extollyd ful hye,
Whan she, þat was of beute floure
And fostryd up wyth kyngly delycacye
Wyt many anothyr of hyr allye,
Alle chyldly thyngys dede despyse,
Or ellys them treuly she dede applye
Wyth al hyr dylygence to goddys seruyse.
In wyche maner werkys men se moun
Hyr tendyr youthe wyth what sympylnesse
Began fyrst, & wyth what deuocyoun
From day to day she dede hyr besynesse
In studijs to ben ocupyid of goodnesse.
Veyn pleyis to despyse was hyr dylygence,
The fauoure to fleen of fortunys fykylnesse,
And eueremore to perfytyn in goddys reuerence.
For whan she fyue yere was of age
Or ellys lesse, as þe legende doth seye,
So deuouth to god was hyr corage
That to cherche she oft wold go to preye,
And whan she there was, hyr to getyn aweye,
To seruyn god so desyrous was she,
Hy[r] compers & hyr maydyns for to pleye
Anethe myht wythoute greth dyffyculte.
Yet whan to pleyn aftyr chyldryns guyse
Wyth hyr pleyfers brouht was she,
And yche othyr chasyd in dyuerse wyse,
Euer to chercheward she dede fle,
Sekyng therby an oportunyte
To entryn; yn whan she come was,
God worchepyng she fel doun on hyr kne,
Or ellys in þe pawment up-on hyr faas.
And thou she of lettrure no kunnyng had,
Yet ful oftyn-tyme she wold vse
To han a sauter opyn beforn hyr sprad,
Where-in she made hyr for to muse,
And long yt was or she hyt wold refuse,
As thow she had red euen by & by,
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Sekyng a colour hyr so to excuse
Not to [be] led oute þens to hastyly.
Also ful oftyn in hyr pleying
Prostrate to ground she fel doun
Vp-on hyr face, hyr-self mesuryng
As þe pley askyd, but hyr intencyoun
Was þerby to han an occasyoun
Vndyr colour of pley so couertly
To worshepyn god wyth deuocyoun,
Whom in herte [she] louyd souereynly.
She usyd also a ful noble custum
That yf she owt wunne by pleying,
Were yt more or lesse, þat al & summe
To oþir smale maydyns pore & ying
She yaf it anoon, þem exhortying
Her pater noster often forto seye,
And oure lady to salusyn wyth gabrielis gretyng;
And þus shem inducyd for to kun prey.
Thus, as by processe of yerys she dede growe,
She encrecyd by the effect of deuocyoun;
And for in no wyse she wolde ben ouyrthrowe
By sleythe of þe deuyl or of hys suggestyoun,
She put hyr in oure ladyis proteccyoun,
Hyr mekely besechyng hyr aduocate to be;
And seynt Ioon þe ewangelyst by specyal affeccyoun
She ches to be kepere of hyr uirgynyte.
For wyche entent, on seynt valentynys day,
Whan of sundry apostlys, aftyr vse of þat cuntre,
Vp-on sundry taprys, wych on þe auter lay,
Wrytyn sundry namys vsyd were to be,
And yche mayde tooke oon aftyr þe casuelte,
Thryis tooke euenly Elyzabeth aloon
Aftyr þe desyre in hyr hert secre
The tapyr wych intytlyd was to seynt Ioon.
Aftyr wych tyme in hyr affeccyoun
Thys blyssyd apostyl she set so hye
That who-so askyd hyr ony petycyoun
In hys name, she ne koude yt denye.
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And þat no successyon shuld hyr ludyfye
Of werdly prosperyte, she dayly dede vse,
As ner as she koude ony about hyr spye,
Sum thyng prosperous from hyr to refuse.
Wherfore in pleying whan she sey succede
Myrthe & wantounnesse, aftyr chyldyrns guyse,
Sodeynly she secyd & wold no more procede,
Seying to hyr pleyfers sadly in þis wyse:
‘Oon song is ynow, as I you deuyse;
Wherfore for goddys sake wyl we vs restreyne
From a-noþir soung.’ & þus be wurdys wyse
Hyr handmaydyns from vanyte she vsyd to restreyne.
As of hyr outward port what shuld I more seyn
But þat in al hyr aray she louyd honeste,
And of nyce garnementys skorn had & dysdeyn?
Also certeyn vrysouns vsyd yche day she,
Wych for ony occupacyouns yf happyd lefth to be,
Thow she by hem at euyn wych dedyn hyr kepe
Constreynyd were to bedde, yet in no degre
Tyl hyr stent were seruyd she ne wolde slepe.
Solemne festys þis maydyn eek ful of grace
Euere kepte wyth swych deuocyoun
That no-bodi hyr sleuys to lace
She suffren wolde tyl mes was doon;
Ne glouys on þe sunday tyl yt was noon,
Wer yt neuere so coulde, vsyn nold she,
In þat to satysfyen hyr deuocyoun
And for þe reuerence of þe dominycal solemnyte.
And þat she shulde of swyche syngulartes
Wych þat she louyd & had in vsage,
No wyse be lettyd, up-on hyr knees
Ful oft knelyng wyth deuouth corage
Auowyd þat neuere, for no language
Of man nere wumman, neythir greth ne smal,
From þese cerymonyis she shulde outrage
Tyl dethe of hyr lyf vndyrmynde þe wal.
Dyuyne seruyse also wyth swych reuerence
She herd, þat whan þe gospel shulde be
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Red, & in þe sacramentis presens
Of crystys body, euere ryht up stude she,
Wyth sleuys vnlacyd, & hy[r] nowchys perde
She put a-syde, & eek al othyr gere
Wych to hyr hede longyde in ony degre
On hyr shuldyr þat tyme she vsyd to bere.
And whan þis body innocent þus prudently
Had reulyd þe tyme of hyr virgynyte,
And by cours of yerys successyfly
Atteynyd þe state of wummans degre,
By hyr [fadyr] constreynyd to entryn was she
The state wych longyth to weddit men,
Wych stant in þe feyth of the trynyte
Wyth kepyng of goddys preceptis ten.
To þe wych astate thow she sothly
Loth were, yet she assentyd þer-to,
Neythyr for lust nere lykynge of hir body,
But hyr fadrys wyl for she wold do,
And in þat astate þat she myht also
Educatyn, yf hyr fruht god dede sende,
Them to hys seruyse; þis meuyd hir, lo,
To þis conclusyoun to condescende.
But yet er she to þe lawe was bounde
Of maryage, stondyng in hyr lyberte,
Shewyng þat no lust of flessh founde
In no maner wyse in hyr myht be,
In a maystrys hande wyth humylyte
She a vow made: yf for to sterue
Yt happyd hyr husbonde er than she,
Perpetuel continence þat she shulde obserue.
Thus weddyd was to Langrauye, of Turyngye
The prynce, þis Elyzabeth, of contynence
The uery myrour, ful solemnelye,
As askyd þe stat of þer magnyfycence,
As ordeynyd hadde goddys prouydence,
That to hys loue she many shuld brynge
Both greth & smale, & throgh hyr prudence
Hem god to seruyn she shuld yeuyn techynge.
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Wherfore, althow hyr estate dede chaunge
Thys blyssyd Elyzabeth, by hyr fadrys decre,
To swych as to hyre was ful straunge,
I mene to matrymony from uirgynyte,
Yet not-for-þan in hyr hert secre
Hyr affeccyoun wyth-owtyn chaungabylnesse
Was more leef a maydyn to haue be
Than princesse or quene or emperesse.
But of [how] greth deuocyoun & eek reuerence
To godward she was & of what mekenesse
And efthsonys of how greth abstynence
She was to hyr-self, & of what largenesse
And pyte to þe pore, & what tendyrnesse
Of seke men she hadde, & how men in care
To counforte & chere she dede hyr besynesse,
The processys folwynge shul c[l]erely declare.
To speke fyrst of preyer: of swych feruoure
She was þat hyr madynnys she dede preuente
In goyng to cherche ful many an oure
Or more, where þe tyme she spente
So deuouthly & wyth so holy entente,
That yt semyd she purposyd to purchace
Of hym þat from heuyn al goodnesse sente
Wyth hyr pryuate preers sum newe grace.
And not oonly in cherche þis was hyr guyse
To preyen, but eek yche nyht also
Ful oft tymys she dede up ryse
Out of hyr bed þe same to do,
There abydyng an our or two
In swyche preyers as hyr thoute best;
Yet hyr husbonde ful oftyn hyr preyid, lo,
To sparyn hyr body & hyt yeuyn sum rest.
And for þis custome she wold wele kepe
And in no wyse hyr-self þerfro restreyne,
If hyt hyr happyd ony tyme to slepe
Past hyr custom, she dede ordeyne
Oon of hyr maydyns, wych was certeyne
Most famylyare hyr wyth, hyr for to take
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By þe bare foot & hyr soor to streyne
Therby tyl she of hyr slepe dede wake.
And so yt fel þat onys on a nyht
Thys damysel, as she was wone, priuyly
To þe bed cam wyth-outyn ony lyht,
And by þe foot she shoke vnwarely
The pryince, & he woke sodeynly;
And whan of þe cause he had informacyoun,
He hyt foryaf, & ful prudently
Euere þer-of made dyssymulacyoun.
So þus, by suffraunce of þis good man,
Conformabylly yche nyght dede ryse
Thys blyssyd Elyzabeth, þis holy wumman,
As ye me han herde beforn deuyse.
But þat þe acceptabyllere þe sacryfyse
Of hyr preyers to god myht alwey be,
Them to wattryn in plenteuous wyse
Wyth wepyng eyne ful oftyn oysyd she.
And not-wythstondyng þe greth wepyng
Wych she dede vsyn in capyousnesse,
In hyr chere apperyd no dyffyguryng
By hyr terys, but rather gladnesse;
And so who hyr sey myht ueryly gesse
That ioye & sorue in hyr had swych a temperaunce,
That þow she outward shewyd trystesse
Yet of inward ioye she hadde habundaunce.
And for to spekyn of hyr mekenesse,
A mekere creatur no where þan she
Was neuer noon, lyche as I gesse,
For more meke soothly þer myht noon be;
For þe more despect thyng were in ony degre,
And þe more contemtyble in sundry wyse,
Of them euere she hadde þe more cherte,
And þe gladere was hem to exercyse.
Thys sempt wel by oon þat in hyr seruyse
So greuously syknyd, þe soth to seyn,
That hym to seen yche man dede agryse
And hym to touchyn had uery dysdeyn
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Saf she alone, þis ys certeyn;
For of hym she had swyche tendyrnesse,
That hys heed in hyr lap for to leyn
She hym oft suffryd thorgh hyr gentylnesse.
And not-wythstondyng hys horrybylnesse,
Swych in mekenesse was hyr grace, lo,
That alle hys sorys both more & lesse,
Whan no madyn of hyrs wold put hand to,
Wyth a pyn or a nedle for to vndo
And lete out þe fylthe she not dede abasshe,
And hys ruggyd erys she clyppyd a[l]so,
And wyth hyr owyn handys hys hede to wasshe.
In ragacyouns also, aftyr hyr custum,
In lynene clothys alway clad was she,
And barefoot euere folwyd þe processyoun,
So was she groundyd in humylyte.
And eek at stacyouns wher sermons shuld be,
She nold ben among þe statys hy,
But among þe wummen of porest degre
She alwey wold syttyn ful deuouthly.
In hyr puryfycacyouns eek she ne wold
Wyth precyous gemmys hyr dysguyse,
Wyth nowchys nere wyth clothys of gold
As of ladyis of astate yt ys þe guyse;
But by exaunple of marye, in humble wyse
In hyr owyn armys hyr chyldryn fre,
Werdly pompe so vsyng to despyse,
Wyth a lamb & a candele up offryd she.
And whan she from cherche cam home agen,
In-to hyr chaumbyr she went hastyly
And all þo clothys dede of, certeyn,
Wyth wyche to cherche she went, sothly.
And anoon forth-wyth euene by & by,
Ere þan she wolde to mete goon,
To sum pore wumman wych dwellyd þer ny
Awey she hem yaf euene euerychon.
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A tokne yt was also of greth mekenesse
In hyr þat stood in swyche lyberte
As she dede, & in so greth wurthynesse,
That to oon maystyr Conrade she wolde be
Subiect, stondyng þe greth pouerte
Wych he was yn, saf þat of kunnyng
And of doctryne ful excellent was he,
And ful perfyth eke was of good lyuyng.
To whom, by leue of hyr husbonde,
Thys humble & most meke creature
A solemne vow made in hys ryht hande
Hym to obeyin wyth-outyn forfature
In alle thyngis whyl hyr lyf dede endure;
And þis she dede oonly for þat entent
To purchasyn þe meryht of obedyens pure,
And by exaunple of cryst to deyin obedyent.
Not long aftyr þis up-on a day,
Whan he hyr had clepyd to hys prechyng,
And þe Markesesse of Me[n]ence kept hyr away
That she ne myht kepyn hys byddyng,
So greuously he bare hyr absentyng
That no foryiuenesse he wolde hyr hete
Tyl, to hyr smok voydyd hyr clothyng,
Wyth othyr gylty maydyns she was bete.
O uery mekenesse! o blyssyd obedyence!
What wumman koude now obeyin to
Swych a comaundement wythoute offence
As dede þis myroure of pacyence, lo!
Vnneth ony nunne yt mekely wold do;
And, to seyn pleyn treuthe, I trowe yt nolde here
Wyth-owtyn murmur & grucchyng also
Neythyr prest ner munk, chanoun ner frere.
For both of men & wummen also
The molde þese dayis ys so sore alayde
Wyth froward wyl, þat for to do
Swyche obedyencys yf þei were asayide,
They wolde compleyn & ben euyl apayid.
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And þis ys o greth cause, as I dar wele saye,
That relygyous gouernaunce ys so sore affrayid,
For dew correccyouns ben al put aweye.
But in þis mater I wyl no ferthyr walk
Ner þer-of do make lenger exclamacyoun;
For perauentur, yf I dyde treuly talke,
Sum folk wolde haue greth indygnacyoun
That fro my mater swych dylatacyoun
I dede make wyth-owtyn nede;
Wherfore to cece I make protestacyoun,
An ageyn to Elyzabeth I wyl me spede.
I sey þis myrour of uery obedyence,
Thys blyssyd Elyzabeth, þe soth to seyn,
Greth rygour vsyd of streyht abstynence,
And wyth vygylyis & dyscyplynys hir body dede peyn.
And ful oftyn also she hyr dede restreyne
From hyr husbondys bed, & in priue manere
Al nyht slepelees, þis ys certeyne,
She perseuerently lay in hyr preyere.
And yf yt happyd ony whyle þat she lest,
Aftyr þat she long had wacchyd be,
To graunt hyr body to haue sum rest,
Constreynyd by þe comoun necessyte
Of slepe as yt nedyth mannys freelte,
To bed to hyr lord she nolde goon ageyn,
But euyn in þe flore al clade wolde she
Down on tapytys to slepe hyr leyn.
Hyr maydyns also she vsyd to charge
Ful oft sythys, in hyr lordys absence,
Wyth yerdys wych wer both grete & large
Hyr body to betyn wyth greth vyolence.
And þis she dede to make a recompence
Of crystys chorgynge to þe byttyr peyn,
And eek þat she wyth swych sharpnesse
Hyr flesh from wantounnesse she myht refreyn.
More-ouyr hyr abstynence in etyng
And drynkyng to knowyn yf we wyl muse,
And temperaunce eek in al swych thyng,
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I say þat ful oftyn she dede vse,
At þe table syttyng, hyr to excuse
To hyr husbonde, oonly for that entent
That delycat metys she myht refuse,
And wyth symple brede oonly to be content.
For maystyr Conrade hyr had streythly
Chargyd, no wyse þat she shuld eete
Of hyr houshould metys wych conscyonsly
Hyr thoute hyr seruauntys dede not gete.
And for þis charge she nold forgete,
Whan othyr delycatly dede habounde,
She & hyr maydyns oftyn dede frete
The most groos metys þat myht be founde.
But not-wythstondyng þe greth streyhtnesse
That to hyr-self she vsyd contunely,
Yet mete she wolde both hanlyn & dresse,
And departyn hyt aboutyn ful plenteuously
Throgh-out þe alle both fer & ny.
Thys was þat in hyr of superstycyoun
No n[o]te shuld be, but wyth curteysy
Alle gestys comyng she glad shuld moun.
It fel on a tyme, aftyr a longe iourne,
Whan she both feynt was & wery,
That to mete were set hyr lorde & she
An seruyd wyth met wych certeynly
Wer not, as she trowyd, get ryhtfully;
Wherfore blak brede & hard also,
In hote watyr moystyd ful pacyently,
Wyth hyr maydyns she eet & content was so.
For wych cause of hys most clere expence
A certeyn porcyoun assygnyd he
Wherby wyth-owte scrupyl of conscyence
She & hyr maydyns myht foundyn be,
Wych wer assentyd to lyuyn in swych degre
As her lady dede; but not-for-than
Mete of þe courte ful often left she
And eet þe meet of sum good pore man.
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Whan Langrauye þis maner of reule dede here
Of hys wyf, he hyt suffryd pacyently,
And neuere yt grucchyd in wurde & chere,
But rether yt approuid in hys thought preuy.
And ful oftyn he seyd very feythfully
Ne had be in part for the wardys shame
And for trowble also of hys meny,
He gladly wold han done þe same.
The state moreouyr of wylful pouerte,
Wych no weye contendyth for to be gaye,
Not-wythstondyng hyr hy dygnyte,
In wyl she desyryd from day to day;
And þat for two causys, þe soth to sey,
Fyrst to crystys pouerte for to be kynde,
And þat þe werde wyth hys pompous aray
Shuld of hys in hyr ony propyr thyng fynde.
Wherfore ful oftyn þis blyssyd matrone,
Whan in hyr chaunbyr euene preuyly
Wyth hyr owyn maydyns she was alone,
She hyr wolde arayin ful porely
Whyth rude clothys, & also on hy
Vp-on hyr hede leyn a foule kerche,
Seying: ‘lo, þus wyl I goon sothly
Whanne I come to þe state of pouerte.’
And thow wyth þe brydyl of abstynence
She hyr-self refreynyd, as herd haue ye
Yet to pore men swych affluence
Of almesse she [rehe]rsyd & swych lyberalte,
That she noon suffryd wych she myht se
In-to myserye or myschef for to falle;
Wherfore thorgh-oute al þat cuntre
‘Modyr of pore men’ folk dede hyr calle.
And to þe seuene werkys of mercy
Wyth greth dylygence she dede intende,
And hem euere fulfyllyd ryht deuouthly,
For þat entent þat she myht comprende
That frendely blyssyng wych cryst shal sende
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To hys chosen chyldren, whan in aspecyal
Of þese werkys he þem shal comende
And seyn: ‘comyth, takyth þe kyndam ternal!’
And shortly to makyn a rehersayle
Of hem, I saye þe she wold gladely
Clothe þe pore nakyd, ner she nold fayle
Pore pylgrymys to beryin ful honestly.
She made also crysmys ful dylygently
For pore chyldryn whan þai shul crystyn be,
And wolde be godmodyr þat she þerby
To helpe hem myht haue þe more lyberte.
Ful oftyn wyth hyr maydyns also wold she
Wyth hyr owyn handys wul spyn & dresse
To makyn of cloth, & þat for causys thre:
Fyrst wyth hyr labour to excludyn ydylnesse;
Exaunple eek to shewyn of mekenesse;
The thryd cause ys þat wyt þe laboure
Of hyr owyn handys she myht doon almesse
To pore men wych askyd for crystys honour.
The hungry more-ouyr she vsyd to fede,
Yeuyng vytalys ful plenteuously
To alle þo peples wych weryn in nede,
But in tyme of derthe most copyously.
Wherfore onys whan hyr husbonde sothly
Wyth Frederyk þe emperoure was at Cremone,
Alle hys garners she emptyd vttyrly,
And delt corn a-boute where ony made mone.
Drynk also wyth ryht glad chere
Ful oftyn she yaf on-to þe thrusty.
Wherof a greth myracle, as ye shal here,
Fel onys; for whyl she to a greth company
Yaf bere in a cuppe ful dylygently
Wyth hyr owyn handys thorgh hyr mekenesse,
Whan þei alle had dronkyn suffycyently
Yet of beere in þe cuppe was neuyr þe lesse.
And for to spekyn of hyr hospytalyte,
She þer-yn had so gret affeccyoun,
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That pylgrymys & al men in pouerte
To herberwyn she vsyd wyth deuocyoun.
Wherfore an hospytale in þe vale doun
Euene vndyr þe castel she dede make,
In wych þo þat up shuld not clymbyn moun
Shuld receyuyd ben & hyr almes take.
But not-wythstondyng þe dyffyculte
Of to & fro goyng both up & doun,
Yet yche day onys at þe lest wold she
Of þis hospytal makyn vysytacyoun,
And to þe seke men makyn admynystracyoun
Of swych as þey nedyd, & þer-wyth-alle
She hem yaf many an exhortacyoun
That þei from pacyence shuld not falle.
And þow she [e]uery stynkyng exalacyoun
Of þe eyr bare alwey heuyly,
Yet for goddys loue seke mennys corrupcyoun
She not abhorryd, but ful pacyently
It suffryd euyr, & eek ful dylygently
Hyr besyid hem for to helpe & cure
Whan hyr maydyns wych stodyn by
Vnneth of hem myht þe breth endur.
Pore wummens chyldryn also vsyd she
In þat place to kepyn ful many oon,
To wych she shewyd as grete cherte
As she modyr had be to þem euerychon.
And whanne she cam, sume to hyr runne anoon
As chyldryn to þe modyr, & sume dede crepe,
And eftsonys whan she awey dede goon,
As she here modyr had ben þei gunne wepe.
Smale pottys of glas she onys dede beye
And anelectys eek wych ryht freel be,
The chyldryn þer-wyt for to pley
As yt was þe guyse of þat cuntre;
And as in hyr lappe doun broght hem she,
From þe hyest cra vnwarely at onys
They fel, noon harmyd in no degre,
273

Al-be-yt þei fel on ryht greth stonys.
Seke wummen eek was hyr delyte
In þat cuntre wych bedlaure dede lye,
Both yunge & olde, for to vysyte,
As fer as she ony koude aspye;
And here preuy chaunbrys she wold yn prye
To knowyn her nede ful dylygently,
And þem to counforth she wold hyr hye
Both wyth wurde & dede cherytabylly.
In wych dede, as me semyth sothly,
She by fyue-folde of consyderacyoun
Of god purchasyd rewarde eternally:
Fyrst by propyr & personel vysytacyoun,
By trauayle eek in goyng up & doun,
The thrydde ys compassyoun & pyte,
The fourte ys gostly consolacyoun,
The fyfte of temporal subsydye ys plente.
She also wele louyd to beryin pore men,
And in þat dede she had swyche lykyng,
That whan of ony she herde she fast dede ren
Tyl she cam þer, wyt hyr beryng
Sum maner cloth of hyr owyn makeyng,
In wych she myht þe deed body leyn;
And tyl yt were beryid, for no thyng
Home she ne wolde returne ageyn.
And onys yt happyd þat no thyng redy
Aftyr hyr entent she myht fynde
To wrap in a mannys deede body,
For þat she ordeynyd was left behynde
For greth haste; & þer-wyth to hyr mynde
Cam hyr greth vayle, & anoon she hyt rent,
The deed body there-yn to wynde,
And þer-[y]n yt beryid wyth humble entent.
Lo, þus exercysyd was þis blyssyd wumman
In þe seuene werkys of bodyly pyte,
An mo wysys þan I now tellyn can;
In wych eke hyr husbonde comendyd may be
274

For to godwarde ryht deuouht was he.
And for he swych werkys myht not tendyn to,
Hys wyf leue he yaf and auctoryte
For her bothyns profyht what hyr lyst to do.
Thus longe to-gedyr lyuyd these two,
Langrauye & Elyzabeth, ful uerteuously,
And up-on a day she hym þus seyd to:
‘Dere spouse, whom next god most tendyrly
I loue & euere haue done treuly,
I counsel you fully you to delyte
To leuyn alle þese ocupacyouns werdly,
And þe londe of behest for to vysyte,
I mene ierusalem, & al þat cuntre
In wych cryst made hys bodyly pylgrimage,
An for oure sake þer deyid on a tre,
Betrayid by þe iewys cruel outrage;
Wych now hethyn men kepyn in seruage.
Where, yf þou woldyst wyth a deuouth entent
To delyueryn yt exercysyn þi corage,
I ne kan seen where yt myht bettyr be spent.
Bettyr, no! ner nowher ellys so weel
In þis werd, y dar ryht boldly seye!
For who be þe cours of þe fatal whele
In þat holy iourne happe for to deye,
If he be clene he goth a sykyr weye
To heuenewarde, for he may not fayle.
Wherfore, husbonde, I you counsel & preye
For soule hele forsake not þis trauayle.’
Thus, thorgh þese wordys & many mo
Of Elyzabeth, Langrauye was steryd treuly
To Ierusalem on pylgrimage for to go
And ageyn þe hethene to fyhtyn manly.
And whan he hym made al redy
And shuld furth passyn on hys pylgrimage,
To takyn hys leue he cam ful goodly
To Elyzabeth stondyng in opyn pla[g]e.
And þer anoon ful many a wattryng face
275

Of lordys & ladyis men myht aspye,
And þe comouns þer clothys dede al to-race,
And weptyn eek wyth-outyn remedye.
And summe lowde: ‘allace, allace!’ dede crye.
‘Why forsakyst us, oure lord, o Langrauy?’
But Elyzabeth hyr eyne from terys kept drye,
And þus to hym seyde ful wummanly:
‘Wyth what affeccyoun & how enterely
I þe loue, dere spouse, & euyr haue do,
No man knowyth but god & þou & I,
Wych not oonly in fleshe bodyly, lo,
By þe knot of spousayle ioynyd hath us two,
But in spyryth eek thorgh hys cheryte
So to-gedyr confedryd hath so
That impossyble ys vndo þe knot to be.
But why y now shuld wepe in ony wyse
Resonable cause kan I noon se,
Syth I se þe goon to doon hym seruyse
Whom I loue in most souereyn degre.
Sumtyme I sorwyd whan thow wentyst fro me,
But now neythyr sorwyn ne wepyn I may,
Be so þat cryst thorgh hys benygnyte
The grace yiue to seruyn hym to hys pay.’
Thus Langrauye, as crystys owyn knyht,
Armyd in uertu & in cheryte,
Leue takyn goodly of euery wyht,
To Ierusalem forth took hys iourne.
Where whan [he] had a certeyn tyme be,
And in goddys cause quyt hym ful manly
The froyht of hys labour þere receyuyd he,
And deyid & went to goddys mercy.
And þus entryd Elyzabeth consequently
The state of wydewod, in wych þat she
Exercysyd was ful uerteuously
And assaylyd wyth ful myche aduersyte,
And hyr pacyence assayid in sundry degre.
But she so was rotyd in stedefastnesse
276

That in no wyse she hurt myht be,
For alle thyng she suffryd wyth gladnesse.
Anoon þan as by þe trumpet of fame
Blowe was thorgh-out al Turyngye
Langrauyis deth, Elyzabethys grame
Began to growyn, for euene sodeynly
Langrauyis brothyr, by uery tyrauntrye,
As she a wastour & a dystroyour had be,
From hyr dowarye hyr drof ful vnpytouslye
And from alle þat she hadde in ony degre.
And whan she was brought to swych pouerte
That she ne hadde where hyr heed to leye,
In a tauerners hous in a swyncote lay she
Tyl mydnyht, & þan she took þe weye
To a place of menours, [&] hem dede preye
Te deum laudamus to synge wyth deuocyoun,
That he hyr maad wurthy, er she dede deye,
To suffren despyht & persecucyoun.
The next day aftyr compellyd she was
Wyth hyr yunge chyldryn & hir maydyns also
Of oon of hyr enmyis to dwellyn in þe place,
Where a streyht loggyng was sygnyd hyr to.
And both hyr ost & hyr ostes hyr dede do
Alle þe greuaunce þat þei coude deuyse.
And whan she þis sey, ful humbylly, lo,
Bad þe wallys fare wele, seying þis wyse:
‘Yf I hadde foundyn in þis place here
In men & wummen ony gentylnesse,
I wolde han leue take of hem wyth a glad chere.
But syth I noon fynde, I me hens wyl dresse.’
And þus constreynyd by ful greth dystresse,
To hyr fyrst herberwe ageyn she went.
But fyrst hyr chyldryn for þere tendyrnesse
To be norsshyd to sundry placys she sent.
And onys hyr [h]appyd to pacyn forth by
A ryht foule weye, whedyr she wold goon,
Wych ryht depe was & ryht vnesy,
277

Wher-yn was leyde ful many a stoon,
Many a blok & many an hors-boon,
In wych men myht skape goyng warlye,
And ellys pleynly þer myht noon
Scapyn awey wyth clothys drye.
And euene as she entryd had þe strete,
An old wumman, to whom hyr mercy
She oftyn had shewyd, she ther dede mete;
But weye she hyr yeuyn nolde, treuly,
An so in þe slooth she fel rewly.
And as sone as she myht she dede upryse,
And was not wroth but low meryly,
And wypt hyr clothys in ful besy wyse.
Aftyr þis an abbesse of greth dygnyte,
Wych hyr graundam was by lyneal descence,
Hauyng compassyoun of hyr pouerte,
To þe bysshope hyr broht of hauenberegence,
Wych was hyr eme, a man of greth reuerence;
And he hyr receyuyd ful honestly,
Purposyng to doon al hys dylygence
Hyr ayen to maryin ful solemnely.
And whan hyr maydyns þis herd preuyly,
Wych wyth hyr had vowyd to ke[pe] chastyte,
In her hertys inward þei wer sory,
Dredyng uttyrly þat yt so shuld be.
Wherfore þei weptyn þat pyte was to se;
And wan þei yt hyr tolde, ful sore wepyng
She fyrst was astoynyd of þat nouelte,
And þus aftyr þem counfortyd, mekely seying:
‘I truste in my god oonly, for whos loue
Perpetuel avowyd I haue contynence,
Þat he wyl my purpose gracyously approue,
And brekyn to þat contrarye euery vyolence,
And geyn al mannys counsel make resystence.
And yf I noon oþir wyse may me sure make,
Kuttyn of my nose I shal in here presence;
278

Þan me so dyfformyd no man shal wyl take.’
And forth-wyth at þe bysshopys comaundement
Thys blyssyd Elyzabeth ful of humyly[t]e
Maugre hyr teth to a castel was sent,
Ther to abydyn hyr frendys decre,
And to sum wurthy man maryid to be.
But she hyr comyttyd to god in hyr thouht.
And in þe mene tyme fro be-yonde þe se
Hyr husbondys bonys by goddys grace wer broht.
Thanne anoon ageyn she fecchyd was þens
Wyth þe seyd bonys to metyn deuouthly.
And whan þat she was commyn, wyth greth reuerence
The bysshope & she wyth a greth cumpany
Them ageynys wentyn processyonally.
And whan þei were receyuyd, she dede conuerte
To godward in heuene hyr eyne mekely,
Thus to hym seying wyth a deuouth hert:
‘Euere-lestyng honour, lorde, be to þe,
Wych in myne husbondys bonys home sendynge
Hast vouchyd-saf of þi benygnyte
Thy wrechyd handmayd to yiuyn gladynge.
Thow knowyst wel, lorde, thow y hym þe lyuynge
Louyd next þe, yet, lord, for þine honoure
I gladly hym wantyd, & wyth-oute wepynge
To Ierusalem I sent hym yt for to sokour.
And al-be-yt to me ful delectable yt were
Wyth hym to han lyuyd euere in swyche pouerte
That yche of vs shulde haue been a beggere,
And thorgh al þe werd sowt oure necessyte,
Yet wold I not, lord, wytnesse of the,
Ageyn þi wyl hys raunson appende
Oon heer of myn hede; wherfore hym & me
Oonly to þi grace I lowly recomende.’
And whan she þis wyse receyuyd had
Hyr husbondys bonys fro be-yunde þe se,
Inwardly in hert she was ful glad.
And anoon she wyth greth solemnyte
279

Hem dede beryin; & aftyr þat seyd she
Thys wys to þe bysshope in wurdys pleyn:
‘Syr, syth my lord ys now comyn home to me,
Othyr husbonde wyl I neuere haue noon, certeyn.’
And þat þe hundyrdfold fruht she ne shuld lese
Wych longyth to hem þat wyth stedefastnesse
Of crystys gospel þe perfeccyoun do chese,
And fro þe lyfth hand passyth of wrechydnesse
To þe ryht hand of heuenely blysfulnesse,
The state she entryd of pore relygyoun,
Wylful pouerte wyth chast clennesse
Kepyng, & of obedyence þe subieccyoun.
Hyr habyth contemptyble & of lytyl valu
Was russet, þe werst þat myht be founde,
Wych ful oftyn wyth cloth of a-nothyr heu
Was lengthyd þat yt myht touche þe grounde
And for al nyce pryde she wold confounde,
Whanne hyr sleuys wer rent wer seruyd þe same.
And for she in mekenesse so dede habounde,
To spynnyn & cardyn she hadde no shame.
And whan hyr fadyr, þe kyng of vngary,
As ys seyd beforn, al þis dede here,
How she was brouht to pouerte & myserye,
An erl he sent, wych he louyd entere,
Thedyr anoon hyr to counfortyn & chere,
And to steryn hyr to returne to hym ageyn.
And whan to hyr presence he gan appere,
He astoynyd was, & þus dede seyn:
‘Was neuere kyngys doughtyr, I trow certeyn,
So euyl arayid & in so rode degre
Seyn syttyng & vsyn werkys vyleyn!’
And anoon doun knelyng to hyre seyd he:
‘Leue al thys, lady, & return wyth me
Home to your fadyr wyth-owt more let.’
But for nouht he coude seyn yt nolde be,
For þus to lyuyn & deyin hyr hert was set.
And þat hyr hert myht oonly to god up pace,
And so no lettyng shuld han hyr deuocyoun,
280

She hym preyid enterly of hys specyal grace
That he hyr grauntyn wold of al temporal possessyoun
Contempt, & from hyr hert al delectacyoun
Of hyr chyldryn takyn in euery degre,
And ageyn al spyht & eek desolacyoun
Constaunth & pacyent euere for to be.
And whan she had preyid hertyly þis wyse,
To hyr maydyns she seyd: ‘god my preyere
So hath herd þat I as dung now despyse
Al temporal þingis, & my chyldryn here
To me þan oþir mennys be no more dere;
And despyht & reproue I set ryht not by.
And þerfore me semyth wyth myn herte entere
I loue no thyng ellys but god hym-self oonly.’
Eek Maystyr Conrade, hyr for to proue,
Ioynyd hyr oftyn þingys to hyr ful conrary.
And two maydyns wych she lengest dede loue,
Wych wyth hyr of youthe had be contunely,
He put a-way out of hyr cumpany.
And þis he dede oonly to þat ende,
That hyr dygnytes & hyr fyrst glory
They shulde not reducyn o[n]t[o] hyr mynde.
But in al hys preceptys, euene by & by,
Wych he hyr bad, wyth-out resystence
Or murmur or grocchyng, eueremore redy
She was foundyn to hys obedyence,
And þer-wyth constaunte to pacyence;
By wych hyr soule she myht possede,
And by meke obecyaunce wyth-outyn vyolence,
She myht vyctory han & heuene to mede.
And oft she seyde: ‘yf for god drede y
An erdely man, þe heuenely iuge to fere
Mych more I owe; & þerfore trewely
To þis pore man, wyche ys but a beggere,
I chese to be subiect & obedyent rathere
Than to ony oþir more ryche man,
281

To escheu al occasyouns þat I myht lere
By wych temporal counfort I ony myht han.’
Aftyr þis yt happyd in-to a nunnery
Hyr onys to entryn wyth-owtyn hys leue,
Requyryd of þe nunnys ful deuouthly,
Wych hym so sore dede agreue,
That not wyth wurde oonly he hir dede repreue,
But he hyr so sore eek dede betyn be
That thre wokys aftyr both morwe & eue
The merkys of hyr wundys men myht se.
And þan to hyr maydyns she dede seye,
Both for here & hyre owyn consolacyoun:
‘Lyche as, whan a flode rysyth up heye,
Gres goth vndyr, & whan yt fallyth doun
Gres surmountyth, so, whan afflycccyoun
To us comyth, we owyn wyth mekenesse
Us to submyt, & whan yt sesyth we moun
Rysyn up to god wyth [g]o[s]tly gladnesse.’
And so wele she groundyd was in loulynesse
That she nolde suffryn in no maner wyse,
Hyr maydyns hyr clepyn ‘lady’ nere ‘maystresse’,
Nere, whan she cam, ageyn hyr for to ryse,
As among ientelys yt ys þe guyse;
Nere in þe plurere noumbyr spekyn hyr to
But oonly in þe syngulere, she hem dede deuyse,
As souereyns to subiectys be won to do.
She dysshys in þe kechyn ful oftyn also
Wolde wasshyn & wypyn; to exclude lettyng,
Hyr maydyns she sent oþir thyngys to do
In þe mene tyme of þis doyng.
And ful oftyn she seyd, wyth chere smylyng,
If ony lyf of more despecteuousnesse
She coude han fondyn in ony thyng,
She hyt wold han chosyn wyth greth gladnesse.
Aftyr þis, þat she myht wyth marye
Of þe best part han sum porcyoun,
Hyr-self ful dylygently she dede applye
To ben exercysyd in contemplacyoun,
282

In wych she had so greth consolacyoun
That aftyr terys wych she shedde copyously
She had many an heuenely vysytacyoun,
And men to loue god she steryd besyly.
And þis grace she had most syngulerly,
That when she sempte most mery to be,
Than of pore deuocyoun most copyously
She terys out shedde, ful of pyte;
And þat was doon in so meruelous degre
That wepyng & ioying to ony manys syht
To-gedyr she was, for no deformyte
Ner rymple aspyin in hyr no man myht.
‘For tho wych in wepynge,’ quod she,
‘Deformen her chere inordynally
And altryn her face in sundry degre,
God to skornyn þei seme treuly;
But so to doon yt ys vncomely.
Wherfore yche man for hys byhoue
That he yeuyth god, yeue yt gladly,
For a glad yiuer god doth loue.’
And in þis astate of contemplacyoun
Wych she wyth Marye dede excercyse,
Many an holy reuelacyoun
And many a vysyoun of hy empryse
To hyr was shewyd in sundry wyse,
Of wych oon I now entende
Here to tellyn, as doth deuyse
Ianuence in hys golden legende.
Onys swych tym as euery man
That crystene ys doth hys deuer
Wyth al þe dylygence þat he kan
From synne to make hys conscynce cler,
I mene in lente, wyth þe feer
Enflawmyd of perfyht cheryte,
In a cherche in deuouth preyer
As she lay, thus vysytyd was she.
On-to þe awter as she hyr eyne
Vpward kest wyth greth dylygence,
283

So sadly fyxid þei wer both tweyne
And stablysshyd wyth so greth reuerence
As she had ben in goddys presence;
And þis enduryd a ful longe space,
Wher wyth heuenely influence
And gostly conforth she refresshyd was.
But whan she home cam, & for febylnesse
In hyr maydyns lappe lenyd softly,
Owt at a wyndow she dede dresse
To heueneward hyr eyne ful deuouthly,
And anoon forth-wyth euene sodeynly
Swych gladnes in hyr þer dede appere
And swych ioye þat [r]yht enterly
She low, & wyth hy hertly chere.
And whan she longe in þis vysyoun
Of greth gladnesse had counfortyd be,
Sodeynly hyr hert syne she kest doun
And shed oute terys in greth plente.
And eftsonys she low as fyrst dede she,
And aftyr wept ageyn ful plenteuously;
And tyl complyn tym in swych degre
She altenyd þe tyme meruelously.
And whan þat she longe in þis manere
Contunyd had, no word seyng,
At þe last wyth a ful glad chere
She gan to oysyn þis talkyng,
As she had answerd to a-nothyr spekyng:
‘Ya, lord, wylt þou ben wyth me?
So to be wyth þe yt ys my lykyng,
And from þe neuere departyd to be.’
And aftyr þis, whan she preyid was
Of hyr maydyns wyth humble supplycacyoun
That she wolde of a specyal graas,
To goddys worshepe & here edyfycacyoun,
Declaren to hem hyr reuelacyoun
That she had þan, & what yt ment,
284

And by here inportune preyer ouyr-comyn,
She þus hem shewyd hyr entent:
‘I sawe þan,’ quod she, ‘heuene on hy
Beforn me opnyd to my semyng,
And Ihesu my loue most benygnely
Of hys good grace to me bowyng.
And whan I hys chere most bryht shynyng
Behelde, so ful I was of gladenesse
Myn hertys ioye þan wyth lawhyng
Me thouht I coude no bettyr expresse.
And eftsonys, whan yt hys goodnesse
Lykyd hys presence to wythdrawyn fro me,
I so oppressyd was wyth heuynesse
And ouyrcomyn wyth sorwe in swyche degre
As ye þan dede beholde and se;
And for I myht not hym wyth me kepe
At my wyl, whan he dede fle,
I koude noht ellys but sorwyn & wepe.
But whan yt plesyd hys mercyfulnesse
On me to rewyn & han mercy,
He shewyd me ageyn þe bryhtnesse
Of hys glad chere, & seyd goodly:
“Yf þou wyth me wylt ben, sothly
I wyl be wyth þe, be not aferde.”
And I hym answerde ageyn redyly
Euene in swyche forme as ye haue herde.’
And þan hyr maydyns gunne hyr beseche
That þe vysyoun wych at þe autere
Che had in cherche she wold hem teche.
And she hem answerd in þis manere:
‘It nedyth not you þat for to here;
But þis I wyl ye knowe treuly
That in ioye & myrth I was entere,
And þer many a prynce of god I sy.’
And not oonly þus in contemplacyoun
Thys blyssyd wumman had þat honour
To be inspyryd wyth heuenely reuelacyoun,
But hyr preyer eek had swych fauour,
285

So strong was eek & of swyche vygour,
That sum, wych cold bodyly were
And gostly, yt causyd of both feruour,
As by an exaunple ye may lere.
A yong man oo tyme she dede se,
Arayid, as she thouhte, to seculerly,
To whom she seyd in þis degre:
‘Yung man, þou lyuyst to dyssoluthly,
An seruyst not oure souereyn lord on hy.
Desyryst ony helpe of my preyere?’
‘Ya, þat I do,’ quod he, ‘sekyrly.
I beseche yow þer-of wyth herte entere.’
And she a-noon wyth ful glad chere,
Desyryng þis yung man for to wynne,
Bygan to makyn hyr preyere,
An counselyd hym eek for hys synne
To preyin also; & anoon wyth-ynne
He wex uery hoot in al hys body;
Wherfore of preying þat she wolde blynne
He hyr besowht ful benygnely.
But she preyid furth & wold not cece
Wyth deuouht herte & entent pure,
And euere hys hete dede more encrece,
Þat no lengere hym þouht he yt myht endure.
Wherfore he cryid: ‘o blysful creature,
Sesyth of preying, I beseche yow;
For so sore I brenne þat my nature
Consumyth & wastyth, but I ne woot how.’
And in uery treuth so hote was he
That he swet & rekyd meruelously,
And hys armys as he wood had be
Kest to & fro & al hys body,
As ych man myht se þat stode hym by,
Wych hym myht neyþir reule ne stere.
And so he ferd euere contunely
Whyl Elyzabeth contunyd hyr preyere.
And whan she secyd & preyid no more
Hys heet eek secyd, & he mekely
Knelyng thankyd hyr þerfore.
286

And anoon he, compunct inwardly,
Seyng how strong & how myhty
Hyr preyer was, wyth an holy entent
The werd he forsuke uttyrly,
And to þe menours ordre went,
Of þe holy conuersacyoun of þis wumman,
Blyssyd Elyzabeth, who-so lyst to knowe
Mo exaunplys, he redyly may han
In Ianuencis legend, wych ys kouth & knowe;
Two or thre stondyn euene by rowe
Next þis wych last I of made mende.
But as for me, now best ys, I trow,
To eschewe prolyxite, to make an ende.
For þow I had kunnyng for to ryme
And eek to endyten as copyously
As had Gower & chaunce[r]s in þer tyme,
Or as now hath þe munk of bery,
Ioon Lytgate, yet cowd not I
Thys blyssyd wumman Elyzabeth commende
Aftyr hyr merytys suffycyently,
And þerfore to secyn I now intende.
What tym þat god þis blyssyd creature,
Thys holy Elyzabeth, þorgh hys goodnesse
Delyueryn wold from þe foule ordure
Of þis woful werdys wrechydnesse,
And bryngyn hyr up to þe gladsumnesse,
Of þe blysse of heuene to hyr [h]e sent,
To been hyr massagere, a feruent accesse;
And she yt receyuyd wyth glade entent.
And as she lay in þis syknesse,
To þe wall she hyr turnyd sodeynly;
And euyn furth-wyth of greth swetnesse
Syngyng she made a melody.
And anoon hyr maydyns stondyng by
To hyr went, & hyr dede beseche
Of þis melodyus song þe cause why
She wold fouchesaf hem for to teche.
287

To whom demurely þus answed she:
‘I wyl þat ye haue ful knowlechyng
That here betwyx þe wal and me
Cam sodeynly a feyre byrd flying,
SWych as I neuyr sawe in my lyuyng,
And to syng began in so sweth manere
That I ne myht ne conteyne for no thyng
But song wyth hyr, as ye dede here.’
And in þis syknesse she euere mery
Was & neuere secyd for to preye.
But whan hyr tym neyhyd ny,
That ys to seyn, whan she shuld deye,
The day beforn she þus dede seye
To hyr maydyns: ‘what wold ye do
If þe deuyl, wych ych man to trey
Is euere besy, come now yow to?’
And anoon aftyr she had seyd so,
Wyth an hy voys she gan to crye
As þow þe deuyl she had spoke to:
‘Fle fast awey, & hens the hye’—
And þus thryi[s] she dede specyfye
Thys wurd ‘fle’—‘for I the despyse!’
Aftyr wych wurdys, ful demurely
To hyr maydyns she seyd þis wyse:
‘Lo, now neyhyth þe tyme of mydnyht
In wych cryst Ihesu born wold be,
And yn þat same oure he throgh hys myht
To hys heuenely dwellyng clepyd hath me.
Now, fare wele alle!’ & þer-wyth she
In-to þe handys of hyr creatour
Yald up hyr spiryth, & anoon yt he
Led in at þe gatys of hys heuennely tour.
And not-wythstondyng þat hyr body
Foure dayis kept vnberyid was
Aftyr hyr deth, yet certeynly
288

Noon euyl odour from yt dede paas,
But rather an odour of solace,
Wych alle men meruelously dede conforte
That al þat tyme in-to þat place
The body to vysyte dede resorte.
[M]ore-ouyr of byrdys a ful greth route,
Swych as men to-forn neuere had se,
On þe cherche-rof syttyng wyth-owte,
Begunne to synge in meruelous degre,
And in here song madyn swych melode
Þat alle men wundryd þat yt dede here,
For, as yt sempt, þei seydyn a dyryge
In her maner wyt ful glad chere.
Now, blyssyd Elyzabeth, wyth hert entere
And al humblenesse, I þe beseche,
Accepte þe entent of my preyere:
For my synnys to þe heuenely leche
Be medyatryce, & a mene me teche
How wyth-owtyn ony empechement
Askapyn I may þe cruel wreche,
The day of þe last iugement.
And fynally, lady, to þe trew entent
Of hyr attende wych specyally
Thy lyf to make me yaf comaundement,
And þe in hert louyth ful affecteuosly,
I mene Dame Elyzabeth ver, sothly.
A chartyr hyr purchase here of pardoun,
And whan she shal passyn from þis owtlaury,
Of god hyr brynge to þe contemplacyoun.
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