University of Virginia Library



[Here begyn̄eth ye lyf of saynt Ursula after ye cronycles of englōde]



With constant cure eschewynge Ignoraunce
With stedfast studye frome errour to applye
With modest mynde to withstande varyaūce
Cryste with thy comforte Illumyn me lucydently
Of Ursula virgyn the lyfe to veryfye
In laudynge her and for our informacyon
With grace I purpose playnly to patefye
The lyfe and londe where she had her creacyon
In the yere of god thre hondred thyrty and twayne
By ye romayns conquest brytayne was in subgeccyon
Thrughe a noble capytayne named Maximian
Whiche kepte this londe longe vnder his correccyon
By force dysinheryt the blode of trewe eleccyon
Put Conan meriedok from all his dygnyte
Whiche sholde haue ruled this lōde vndr his proteccyon
Of the blode royall dyscendynge lynyally
Than to recompence this Conan meriedocke
Maximian conquered the londe of amorican
And gaue it to Conan his lytell to reuoke
Whiche for the conquest was named lytell brytayne
Syth of the romayns the hole empyre he wan
Takynge from brytayne the chefe men of estate
To strength his warres he lefte no valyaunt man
So were the nobles from brytayne segregate
He lefte Dyonothus grete brytayne to protecte
Fader vnto Ursula and kynge of cornewall
This Conan meriedok to cornewall dyde dyrecte
For wyues of brytayne and Ursula in especyall
Whiche sente by shyppe a company virgynall
Xi. thousande maydens & thre score thousande wyues


Within the tēmes they toke theyr passage all
Whiche by grete tēpest ye moost parte lost theyr lyues
Saue all the virgyns arryued within the rynde
Amonge the hoost of Gwanus and duke melgye
Bycause they wolde not fulfyll the tyrauntes mynde
There they were quelled by the henaudes furyously
Thrugh this occasyon Gwanus wente to the see
And londed in brytayne vsurpynge the pryncypate
Wastynge the chyrche with force and cruelte
So sayth the cronycles for our certyfycate
Her hystory or legende these cronycles doth impunge
In the yere of god two hondred thyrty and eyght
Sayenge that .xi.M. virgyns bothe olde and yonge
Were quelled at colen by henaudes without fyght
With Cyryake pope and dyuers men of myght
But in my mynde this was chefe cause of varyaunce
Whan Gwanus in brytayne deposed ordre & ryght
So he dystroyed all bokes of allegaunce
The brytayns fledde this londe was so subgecte
Unto the romayns they sente for exhybycyon
Whiche were exhybyte and Gwanus clene deiecte
By Gracyan a paynym kepynge the hole possessyon
Of all the empyre of Rome vnder his tuicyon
So was this londe replete with folkes extraneous
Whiche had the actes of brytayne in derysyon
And brente theyr bokes for false and erroneous
Also the cronycles in processe ben contryued
After the actes not made Immedyatly
But now of late tyme not perfytly dystryued
Wherfore the brytayns counted one company


The holy vyrgyns with the women innumerably
Whiche with the stormes by see were drowned all
Her hystory of Colen declareth the contrary
As shall ensewe the trewe memoryall

Here begynneth ye lyfe after ye lengende of Colen

In ye londe of brytayne there dwelled a crysten kynge
Nothus or Maurus named vnyuersally
His wyfe ryght vertuous in payne perseuerynge
Bycause no chylde these two had lynyally
Tyll god permuted in Ioye theyr mesery
Sente them a chylde to augment theyr estate
A mayde Immaculate and chaste contynually
The prynte af pleasaunce in prudence prerogate
This vyrent vyrgyn in vertue venerable
Was named Ursula heyre apparent to the lande
Of courage constaunte in cryst incomparable
Of her vyrgynyte to hym she made a bande
To brynge her lampe Illumynate in her hande
Protecte eleete abiecte frone vylanye
That of her persone all prynces dyde demaunde
Them to assocyate to her vyrgynytye
The fructuous fame the fayrnes of flos mundi
Was spredde ouer al how she was preelecte
Quia ciuitas supra montem nequit abscondi
So that a tyraunt a paynym dyde her affecte
The kynge of brytayne moost souerayne of that secte
Unto his sone of her desyderatyue
Sente supplycacyons with thretenynge to deiecte
Nothus her fader yf he were negatyue
This noble Nothus sore meued in his mynde


To this demaunde no responce coude deuyse
Bycause his doughter to cryst her corps dyde bynde
And to the paynym he durst make no promyse
He fered his fury his londe wolde enterpryse
Thus gyue his answere he stode without counsell
Tyll that his doughter vertuous of wordes and wyse
Out of his herte all anger dyde expell
With prudence prompte to make contracte content
As she was taught by dyuyne ammonycyon
Afore her fader she sayd she wolde consent
To wedde this prynce reseruynge this condycyon
That he were crystened graūtynge an other peticyon
Of thre yeres space that he myght be instructe
Sendynge of virgyns .x. vnder my tuicyon
To euery virgyn a thousande moo conducte
The letter myssyues sealed by noble Nothus
Immedyatly in Englonde they were dyrecte
The sense therof pleased the prynce Ethereus
And prayed his fader to perfourme the effecte
That for that lady his ydolles he wolde deiecte
To this petycyon his fader dyde applye
And sought ouer all for virgyns preelecte
Of bothe the landes his mynde to satysfye
In lyke wyse Nothus puruayed on his partye
For shyppes & stuffe to perfourme theyr hole passage
And maryners good to kepe them company
With certayne women to gyue them better courage
And thus the virgyns gadred of euery age
Of euery partye resorte grete confluence
Some poore some ryche and some of hye lygnage


Her hystory and legende sheweth suche euydence
Than Nothus sendynge a message vnto Gerasen
The quene of cicile shewed her of all the facyon
Saynt Ursulaes aunt and syster to the quene
Whiche cristened her husbāde by her swete exortaciōn
Chaungynge his tyranny in crystes contemplacyon
She came to brytayne with her sone Adryan
And her foure doughters of heuenly conuersacyon
Uictoryn Babilla Aure and Iulyan
The reuerent rumor thrugh out all realmes reygned
With kynges and quenes and lordes of estate
With dyuers bysshoppes wtout theyr nōbre assygned
By confluence grete with them were assocyate
Grete Ioye it was to them congregate
That all the worlde of theyr fame was replenysshed
Hunger nor colde theyr bodyes dyde abate
Unto the tyme that thre yere were full fynysshed
To accompte theyr lygnage it were longe to procede
But of the pryncypall I purpose to dyscryue
Ryght as the hystory and legende doth me lede
To study theron it were contemplatyue
For of the virgyns I entende to contryue
With nōbre of kynges & bysshoppes of grete honour
To folowe these virgyns theyr dygnyte dyd depryue
It was grete solace to se these sayntes in ordour
Nothus reioysed to se the congregacyon
Augmentynge dayly in cryste our fayth catholyke
Theyr vertuous lyuynge theyr loue theyr cōuersaciō
Theyr heuenly lust replete with fode aungelyke
That of theyr praysynge the psalmist dyde pronostike
Quia perfecisti laudem ex ore infancium


Confourmynge well the wordes euangelyke
Quod virgines prudentes portabant oleum
Theyr holy names to expresse I entende
Of all the pryncypall after the trewe hystory
Tho that I can not in ryme all comprehende
Labour the entent and lette the sounde passe by
Theyr holy names to the ryme may not applye
To vary the sense for soundynge of a syllable
I holde not best leste some wolde thynke contrary
And Iuge this wrytynge forged or fallyble

The names of virgyns

Aboue all other these fyue were pryncypall
Ursula was fyrst to cryste that cast her courage
The nexte Nynnosa of her orygynall
Cordula the thyrde doughter of an erle sage
Her legende sheweth she was of Ursulaes lygnage
The fourth Eleutheria doughter to Ursulaes aunt
The fyfth Florencia ryght wyse but yonge of age
Doughter of a kynge in ye fayth of cryste flagraunt
After these fyue .xi. more were electe
To be chefe guydes the other to conducte
With dyuers matrones the chyldren to pretecte
Bothe preestes and clerkes the women to instructe
Some were small babes that of theyr moders sucte
Aungelles for comforte with them were conuersaunt
And deuylles also these virgyns seducte
Promysed grete ryches but they abode constaunt
The fyrst was Iothathe doughter of a kynge
With her two systers Gemynyan and Iustyce
Whiche had a thousande vyrgyns in her guydynce
The seconde Benygna whiche had a semblable offyce


With Sybyll Mobyll Eufrosyn and Eustyce
All foure her systers of a duke procreate
The thyrde Clemencia doughter to an erle of pryce
Iulian and Inducta her systers assocyate
The fourth Sapiencia doughter of a prynce prudent
With her two systers Eulalia and Serene
The fyfth Carpafora of a kynge procedent
With Eutropped & Pallidore systers & virgyns clene
The syxte Columba to a thousande dyde preuene
With Cordula her syster of a kynge generate
The seuenth Benedicta with her foure systers shene
To her obedyence a thousand congregate
The eyght Odilia of a grete erle dyscended
With systers twayne Ursicia and Iuliana
To her proteccyon a thousande were commaunded
The nynth Celindris with her syster Uirgilia
Borne of a kynge/the tenth was Sibilia
With her thre systers a thousande had to cure
Named Iuliana Lucia and Eugenia
All kynges doughters and virgyns clene and pure
The .xi. Lucia of corps and vertue venuste
Ryght nye of kynne to the prynce Ethereus
Under her guydynge she had a thousande Iuste
With Placida her syster a virgyn beauteous
These .xi. virgyns in cryste so courageous
Aboue all other possessed the pryncypate
They spente theyr tyme in sportes ryght vertuous
No game was lefte amonge them improbate

The names of byshoppes

The nombre of bysshoppes I purpose to patefye


That with these virgyns suffred theyr martyrdome
Fyue out of Englonde came to this company
Fyrst was Willm̄s of holy conuersacyon
Iacobus his brother wente with the congregacyon
And bysshoppes bothe and vncles to Ursula
The thyrde Ywanus borne of the same nacyon
Well aged and vncle to virgyn Eulalia
The fourth Elentherius/the fyfth Lotharius hyght
To the prynce Etherius ryght nye of lygnage
Also the bysshoppe of methe with all his myght
Named Mauricius mette them in theyr vyage
He hasted hym to wynne the heuenly gage
To Ursulales moder brother he was germayne
With Panthalus bysshop and guyde in theyr passage
Brought them to Rome & syth frome Rome agayne
Of .xiii. kynges her hystorye doth expresse
Of whiche I purpose theyr names to notefye
Besechynge hertely the reders to redresse
Theyr eeres to god and to flee ypocrysye
Some man wolde thynke that thy storye doth lye
That so many kynges sholde dye withouten fyght
Remembre of olde that cronycles verefye
That many a lorde was called a kynge of myght

The names of kynges.

Bycause of dygnyte a kynges sone named a kynge
A dukes sone a duke and so forth conformable
Not than as now one in a londe reygnynge
Wherof Ethereus in fayth bothe ferme and stable
Prynce of grete brytayne of Ursula spousable
Not in theyr passage to Rome assocyate
But as the aungell admytte hym acceptable
To be with his spouse in passyon copulate


The nexte Oliuers with his spouse called Oliua
The thyrde was Crophorus wt Cleopatra his spouse
The fourth was Lucius fader to ye pryncypall Yotha
And her two systers/the fyfth was Clodoueus
His quene Blandina and Eugyn beauteous
The syxte was Canutus with Balbina his quene
The seuenth with Margaret quene was Pyppinus
With theyr foure sones & doughters virgyns clene
The .viii. Adulphus with his quene Dyonyse
The .ix. Auitus/the .x. Syranus hyght
His quene Sibilia vertuous of wordes and wyse
The .xi. Rerfridus in denmarke kynge of ryght
Conuerte by his wyfe Oliua fayre and bryght
The .xii. Bonifacius a panym with them went
Forsoke the derke Illumynate with theyr lyght
To ensewe the rule of our lorde omnipotent
The .xiii. kynge Lauerencius was named
A paynym tyraunt ayenst our predycacyon
Cryste hym corrected and as a lambe hym tamed
He folowed his wyfe Ioyned to the congregacyon
Egally with them to cryste made Immolacyon
With quenes of Irlande Bustore and Maginorall
This vertuous turbe made Ioye and exultacyon
With playes and sportes and songes celestyall
Some man wolde aske how all these were susteyned
Where myght ye vytaylles be founde for so lōge space
He that to moyses manna in the deserte reyned
Myght them all satysfye with his perpetuall grace
They were appayred neyther in body nor in face
In clothynge labour in sykenes yonge nor olde
In all theyr Iournay welcomed in euery place


The gyftes of god be moderate many folde
Thus in theyr shyppes these sayntes celestyall
Sayled for solace and londed euery nyght
Tyll that our lorde to his courte dyde them call
With boryall blastes dyde stratche theyr sayles tyght
To be theyr guydes he sente his aungelles bryght
Athwarte the see by his dyuyne prouysyon
Brought them to hauē thrugh his immoderat myght
In the porte of tilia preserued in his tuicyon
This porte is sette besyde the mouth of the rynde
Where they were charged by the celestyall message
To sayle to Colen with the occydentall wynde
Theyr shyppes were prest to perfourme theyr passage
Ayenst the streme to Colen chose theyr vyage
That .viii. dayes saylynge the thyrde day dyd cōplete
Therwith the archebysshop & all the cytezeyns sage
Reuerently they were receyued in euery strete
And there a whyle these virgyns them reposed
Tyll that an aungell cōmaunded them to remeue
And vysyte Rome wherof the turbe reioysed
Thākynge ye archebysshop/& cytezens toke theyr leue
They dressed theyr shyppes their passage for to preue
And sayled thre dayes swyftely ayenst the rynde
Or none the fourth daye at basyle dyde arryue
Well .viii. dayes saylynge by force of vehemēt wynde
At theyr dyscendynge receyued reuerently
Of Panthalus bysshop and all the cytezeyns
Gretely reioysed to se suche a company
Strengthynge our fayth by so grete confluence
Takynge theyr Iournay with herte & dylygence
To rome on fote that were so tender of age


This Panthalus thought his synne to recompence
Hym to assocyate with them in theyr vyage
These holy virgyns to rome made theyr progressyon
And Panthalus bysshop with his affynytye
The maydens wente by couples in processyon
In vertuous talkynge theyr mynde dyde satysfye
They suffred no payne passynge the mountayns hye
No horse nor carte to them were exigent
Saue kynges and bysshoppes had in theyr company
An hondred horse to cary theyr arayment
No rayne nor tempest made them impedyment
Frome theyr departynge out of the palays of nothus
Unto the tyme that cryste omnipotent
Dyde them inuyte vnto his realme so gloryous
Thus in shorte space they came all Ioyous
Within a daye of Rome all congregate
They mette with the reuerent fader in god Cesartus
The bysshoppe of myllan to them assocyate

Here they came to Rome.

To rome they came theyr reuerence for to make
Where they were receyued ryght solemply wt procession
With all his cardynalles there came the pope ciriake
Unto saynt Peters they made theyr fyrst processyon
The pope was gladde to se theyr conuersacyon
For he of Brytayne had his orygynall
And vincent cardynall borne of the same nacyon
Many of theyr lygnage amonge the virgyns small
Some of the maydens that were not baptysed
The pope complete in them the sacrament
Euery daye prechynge holyly aduertysed


Tyll that our lorde an aungell to hym sente
And tolde the pope that it was expedyente
That he sholde resygne to Antherus his renowme
And folowe these vyrgyns to Colen in this entente
There to receyue the crowne of martyrdome
Maximian and Affricane in rome had dominacyon
Whiche of these vyrgyns made a grete inquisycyon
Tyll that they knewe theyr waye and conuersacyon
Ferynge that by them our fayth sholde haue addicion
And sente to Iulius of henawdes a preuy cōmyssyon
To mete these virgyns at Colen on the rynde
And there to kyll them reseruynge no remyssyon
And so this Iulius fulfylled the tyrauntes mynde
Whan ye these virgyns a whyle in Rome had reygned
They were commaunded by the courte celestyall
To take theyr waye where cryste had them assygned
Than Cyryake pope gaue vp his dygnyte papall
The romayns resysted so dyde the cardynalles all
But in no wyse he wolde to them applye
Of hym in Cathologo is no memoryall
Bycause he resygned they sayd Irreuerently
With Cyryake yssued the cardynall vincent
So to warde Colen this company toke theyr waye
Iacobus of brytayne after these virgyns wente
Cardynall of antyoche he had ben many a daye
Grete Ioye it was to se them in theyr araye
How mekely they wente to theyr passyon assygned
Now lette them passe perfourmynge theyr Iournay
And of Ethereus speke that in Englonde reygned
Unto Ethereus an aungell was dyrecte


Commaundynge hym to leue his patrymony
To mete his spouse with her to be electe
Whiche hasted hym to folowe effectuously
He baptysed his moder and his syster solemplye
To mete with Ursula by shyppe they toke passage
Ayenst the rynde to mense the ryche cyte
Therwith the virgyns they mette on theyr vyage
Than was Ethereus baptysed by the pope
Whiche afore that tyme by dyuyne ammonycyon
Commaunded was to haue good fayth and hope
And not be crystened but by the popes prouysyon
Than with grete Ioye to colen they made regressyon
With Clement ye bysshop with kynges & many a duke
And Merculus bysshop of grece in theyr tuicyon
With them assocyate Follarius bysshop of Luke
This holy turbe to Colen made theyr retourne
All clene confessed prest in theyr pylgrymage
Aboute the cyte the henaudes dyde soiourne
Whiche of the nauy aspyed the hole arryuage
Than Ursula prayed to cryste with all courage
To saue her systers from Sathanys seduccyon
Than sente our sauyour a celestyall message
Saynt Iohn̄ ye euāgelyst ye kepte thē from corrupcyon

Here begynneth the passyon.

This constaunt company towarde ye londe approched
To whome the henaudes resyste ryght vyolently
The shotte of arowes bytterly the bodyes broched
These souerayne sayntes suffred them pacyently
Tyll at the last the tyrauntes dyde aspye
The excellent fauour wherwith they were endued
Desyred theyr lust the virgyns dyde them denye


Wherfore the murther with rancour they renewed
Some in theyr shyppes were slayne & some on londe
Some were beheded/some drowned in the flood
To purchace blysse they suffred theyr enemyes honde
Cōmendynge theyr soules to hym that dyed on rood
As a newe herode they shedde the Innocentes blood
The Innaturall nacyon with rancour all enraged
Inflamed in furye fedde with the deuylles food
They spared no persone but quelled bothe yonge & aged
There Ursula stode with the noble prynce Ethereus
Constauntly abydynge the swerde of crownacyon
The rurall rebelles aspyed her with her spouse
To Iulius they made of them a presentacyon
Whiche at Ethereus had grete Indygnacyon
And roof hym with a swerde so smytte with Ialousy
He entreted the virgyn with fayre communycacyon
And with grete terrour his lust to satysfye
This vertuous virgyn abhorred his flesshely proffre
In hym rebukynge with wordes mylde and sage
The seed of sathan her sapyence myght not suffre
But grenned for woo with rancour he began to rage
He drewe an arowe his anger to asswage
And perced the prudent prymerose thrughe ye brayne
Commendynge her soule to cryste with all courage
Thus were these sayntes dysperpled spoyled & slayne
Alas what rumour thrughe out the cyte reygned
To se these virgyns lyenge alonge the streme
So noble lygnage theyr hedes so lowe enclyned
What deth were worthy these cowardes to cōdempne
Whiche spoyled theyr bodyes of golde & ≼cyous gēme


Aboute the cyte as the psalmyst declareth
Effuderunt vt aquam sanctorum sanguinem
In circuitu Ierusalem et non est qui sepeliret
All were deiecte excepte one Cordula
Whiche ferynge deth dyde her in a shyppe by lowe
She kepte her secrete tyll on the seconde daye
Than she behelde her systers lyenge on a rowe
Bothe preest and clerke dyspoyled & all ouerthrowe
Sorowfull in her thought yt she had taryed behynde
Amonge the tourmentes she dyde her selfe be knowe.
So was she quelled in callynge cryste to her mynde
Whan all were slayne these rebelles dyde remeue
Than came ye bysshop with prestes & solempne songe
And buryed theyr bodyes reuerently for theyr releue
None vnto this houre is buryed them amonge
The bankes with blode were rubefyed all a longe
Theyr soules receyued with the celestyall courte
Frome heuen to therth thaungelles melody songe
Wherof all crysten toke Ioye and grete comforte
With sayntes relyques this cyte is sanctefyed
Of whome all crysten doth make memoryall
In libro vite theyr names be notefyed
Within a nonrye theyr bones hath buryall
Of the sayd cyte in remors perpetuall
Where dayly cometh pylgrymes for consolacyon
Myracles ben shewed to people vnyuersall
Of some I purpose to make a declaracyon
An abbot there was not ferre frome Colen dwellynge
Herynge of the myracles desyred for consolacyon


To vysyte these virgyns deuocyon hym compellynge
Came to the nonrye to make his Immolacyon
Desyred of the abbesse for the virgyn laudacyon
One of theyr bodyes to reste in his abbacye
Promysynge ye abbesse with faythfull cōmynycacyon
Within a yere to sh rye her ornarlye
The abbesse graunted this virgyn was translated
Unto this abbay with songe ryght solemplye
This vntrue abbotte his faythfull promyse abayted
Lettynge her rest twelue moneth irreuerentlye
Behynde an awter couered Incompetently
In a bordyn cheste tyll an hole yere was fynysshed
The daye was paste the promyse to verefye
Home to her systers this vertuous virgyn vanysshed
The monkes at mydnyght in theyr seruyce deuyne
This virgyn paste shynynge in her araye
Out thrughe the quere lowly she dyde enclyne
Afore the sacrament her salutacyon dyde saye
And toke her lycence homewarde to go her waye
Makynge obeysaunce to the monkes one by one
This Insolent syght put them in grete affraye
Home to her tombe in Colen she is gone
The abbotte dyde thynke this syght but fantasye
Wente to her cheste and founde no thynge therin
Syth wente to Colen his mynde to satysfye
Tryste in his thought for his grete horryble synne
He tolde the abbesse the voydaunce of the virgyn
Streyght to her tombe they wente & foūde her there
In lawde of this (Te deum) they dyde begyn
Syth shall no man fro thens no relyques bere

A myracle done in Englonde.



Also in shropshyre a boute the maner of Langly
A spyryte of hell appered for grete illusyon
Faynynge hym selfe a spyryte of prophecye
Sayenge that he was an aungell that in conclusyon
Within that countre he caused grete confusyon
By terryble syghtes ofte chaungynge his sēblaunce
Some kylled themselfe/so bounde in his abusyon
Amonge good louers puttynge alway dystaunce
No preest nor clerke myghte put hym fro that place
Tyll god prouyded at Ursulaes petycyon
Sendynge his seruaūt garnysshed wt his grete grace
Whiche was an hermyte of holy dysposycyon
Named Iohā of warwycke to performe his cōmissiō
To voyde that fende whiche all the people Illuded
Saynt Ursula appered and gaue hym ammonycyon
To walke to Langly that this fende were excluded
This vertuous hermyte to Langley toke his waye
Where he enquyred the facyon of that fende
The people shewed that on the nexte palme sondaye
The spyryte wolde speke & shewe more of his mynde
No coniuracyon we haue that can hym bynde
Thus he hath shewed to them that hath hym sene
The heremyte merueyled to se the people so blynde
In them exortynge to be confessed clene
The day approched that this spyryte sholde appere
The people them kepte holy in contemplacyon
On palme sonday nyghte when all reposed were
It called the heremyte by name of his appellacyon
Whiche answered/and came at his vocacyon
Wenynge to hym it had ben the lorde of the place
He aspyed the spyryte whiche put hym in tribulacyō


His mynde dystracte to fle he had no space
Backwarde remenynge to the brynke of a water
The fende hym folowed in lykenes of a whele
All on a fyre the flambe abrode dyde shatter
To drowne the heremyte this was his curst cautele
Whiche for the water myght flee hym neuer a dele
But suffred the fyre feruente with confydence
His clothes they brente his flesshe the fyre dyde fele
He called on cryst for payne in his defence
A voyce appered sayenge vnto that fende
Sathan seductour thy cause is clene cassate
The deuyl then answered here haue I lost my mynde
Now thou arte come my name is adnichylate
After that voyce the grete hete dyde abate
The voyce constraynynge the fende there too confesse
And shewe the cause wherfore he dyd a wayte
To peruerte the people which shewed ye hole progresse
Thus sayd the spyryte here dwelled a synfull man
Whiche for two synnes was dampned perpetually
One for his rychesse whiche couetously he wan
And not dysposed where moost was necessary
Another cause was he commytte culpably
To mary a woman his fayth he had promysed
Whiche afterwarde of his purpose dyde vary
Maryenge a nother faythles vnauysed
My purpose was the people to deceyue
Causynge this body so dampned to translate
Commaundynge straytly all other sayntes to leue
And it to worshyp as souerayne sanctifycate


Affermynge my selfe frome god annuncyate
Sayenge that it was the bones of a virgyn holy
And I the soule to make it ratyfycate
This was my purpose to cause ydolatrye
Also I caused the persone of rokysly
To drowne hym selfe with dyuerse many mo
Iohn̄ darcas esquyers to hange hym pryuely
And dyuers bataylles ayenst the chyrche also
And all the people ydolatrye to do
Than the voyce caused the spyryte auoyde fro thens
Whiche sayd though I fro this habytacyon go
I haue moo felawes to kepe here resydens
Thus was the spyryte auoyded frome that place
The voyce with ye heremyte had holy cōmunycacyon
Shewynge hym her name Ursula replete with grace
For whome our lorde had graunted grete consolacion
Unto all people that hath her in laudacyon
Frome sodayne deth frome fyre and all tempeste
From fallynge sykenes from enmye from dampnaciō
At her petycyon our lorde hath this conceste
Also yf a woman with chylde be trauaylynge
And call to Ursula for helpe in her affeccyon
Our lorde hathe graunted the chylde his crystenynge
And saue the woman at Ursulaes petycyon
This hathe she gyuen the heremyte in commyssyon
Unto all people this myracle to commende
With dyuers moo wherof is no dyffynycyon
Loke in her hystorye where more is comprehende
Also she charged the heremyte that for her sake
His faythfull dylygence in this he wolde emplye


And charge the bysshop cōmaundement for to make
To all the curates to preche it solempnely
And her to reuerence with all her company
With certayne prayers wherof she hym instructe
To reuerence all her systers syngulerlye
The heremyte promysed to be her true conducte
This was the prayer that he that with contrycyon
Dayly wolde saye worshyppynge the trynyte
A pater noster and a credo for theyr exhybycyon
Fyue pater nosters in honour of the deyte
And aues fyue reuerencynge the virgyn Marye
And for all sayntes a pater noster aue and a crede
For all crysten soules as moche for theyr supplye
Perpetuall blysse in heuen shall be theyr mede
In honour of Ursula a pater noster wt the salutacyon
As moche to Iulyan in her passyon assymylyate
A pater noster and an aue for Cordulaes laudacyon
With suche lyke prayer eche virgyn reuerate
Than shall theyr synnes frome them be separate
All men and women that this prayer doth vse
Ursula to god shall be theyr aduocate
Of theyr offences clerely for to excuse
The thyrde parte of the virgyns shall be present
Hym to preserue frome fendes whan he shall dye
The seconde shall mete his soule with true entent
It to present afore the hye mageste
The thyrde shall praye for it to the trynyte
Whiche by petycyon hath graunt his mercye & grace
To all that sayth this prayer deuoutlye
Ones in theyr lyfe seuerally Whan they haue space


With this she vanyshed the heremyte in cōmaūdyng
That in her cause he wolde be dylygente
The heremyte lauded our lorde and her knelynge
And shewed the people the vysyon and thentente
Now the spyryte was gone at Ursulaes cōmaūdemēt
The people reioysed for voydaunce of the fende
Prayenge to the virgyns theyr soules to present
Unto that blysse endurynge without ende
Who that these virgyns wyll serue with this prayer
Pater noster and aues he must saye .xi. dayly
Than shall they seuerally be serued in thre yere
Seruynge the fader and the sone with our lady
All sayntes all soules as I dyde patefye
Afore eche thousande and credes .xi. in order
Or elles eche daye pater nosters .xxx. and thre
Thus in one yere ye may them all honour
This myracle was shewed at Langely in shropshyre
The whiche grete nobylles by wrytynge do testefye
Of worthy men who lyst them to requyre
As abbottes and knyghtes & squyers of that countre
With syr Roberte lee lorde of the sayd Langly
To testefye trouth theyr seales dyde appende
Whiche ben in Colen to shewe for a memorey
With many mo meruayles as sheweth her ture legēde
With souerayne sayntes this cyte is sanctefyed
As with thre kynges to cryste that made oblacyon
Also wt these virgȳs ryght meruaylously magnyfyed
Saynt Albon of englonde there resteth by trāslacyon
With thousandes mo not knowen by nominacyon
In libro vite whose names ben comprehende
Now lette vs praye this turbe with contemplacyon


That all oure soules to cryst they may commende