Hieronimus se halga sacerd awr['a]t aenne pistol be fordhsidhe thaere
eadigan MARIAN, Godes cennestran, to sumum halgan maedene, hyre nama waes
Eustochium, and to hyre meder Paulam, seo waes gehalgod wydewe. To thysum
twam wifmannum awr['a]t se ylca Hieronimus, menigfealde traht-bec, fordhan
dhe hi waeron haliges lifes men, and swidhe gecneordlaecende on boclicum
smeagungum. Thes Hieronimus waes halig sacerd, and getogen on Hebreiscum
gereorde, and on Greciscum, and on Ledenum fulfremedlice; and he awende ure
bibliothecan of Hebreiscum bocum to Leden spraece. He is se fyrmesta
wealhstod betwux Hebreiscum, and Grecum, and Ledenwarum. Twa and
hund-seofontig boca thaere ealdan ['ae] and thaere niwan he awende on Leden
to anre Bibliothecan, buton odhrum menigfealdum traht-bocum dhe he mid
gecneordum andgite deopdhancollice asmeade. Dha aet nextan he dihte thisne
pistol to thaere halgan wydewan Paulam, and to tham Godes maedene
Eustochium, hyre dehter, and to eallum tham maedenlicum werode, the him mid
drohtnigende waeron, thus cwedhende:
Witodlice ge neadiadh me thaet ic eow recce hu seo eadige Maria, on dhisum
daegdherlicum daege to heofonlicere wununge genumen waes, thaet eower
maedenlica heap haebbe thas lac Ledenre spraece, hu thes maera freolsdaeg
geond aeghwylces geares ymbryne beo aspend mid heofonlicum lofe, and mid
gastlicere blisse gemaersode sy, thylaes the eow on hand {438} becume seo
lease gesetnys dhe thurh gedwolmen wide tosawen is, and ge thonne tha
gehiwedan leasunge for sodhre race underfon.
Sodhlice fram anginne thaes halgan godspelles ge geleornodon hu se
heah-engel Gabriel tham eadigan maedene Marian thaes heofonlican
Aedhelinges acennednysse gecydde, and thaes Haelendes wundra, and thaere
gesaeligan Godes cennestran thenunge, and hyre lifes daeda on tham feower
godspellicum bocum geswutollice oncneowon. Iohannes se Godspellere awr['a]t
on Cristes throwunge, thaet he sylf and Maria stodon mid dreorigum mode
widh dhaere halgan rode, the se Haelend on gefaestnod waes. Dha cwaedh he
to his agenre meder, "Dhu faemne, efne her is thin sunu." Eft he cwaedh to
Iohanne, "Loca nu, her stent thin modor." Sydhdhan, of tham daege, haefde
se Godspellere Iohannes gymene thaere halgan Marian, and mid carfulre
thenunge, swa swa agenre meder, gehyrsumode.
Drihten, thurh his arfaestnysse, betaehte thaet eadige maeden his
cennestran tham claenan men Iohanne, sedhe on claenum maegdhhade symle
wunode; and he fordhy synderlice tham Drihtne leof waes, to dhan swidhe,
thaet he him thone deorwurdhan madhm, ealles middangeardes cw['e]ne,
betaecan wolde; gewislice thaet hire claenesta maegdhh['a]d tham claenan
men getheod waere mid gecwemre geferraedene on wynsumre drohtnunge. On him
b['a]m waes an miht ansundes maegdhhades, ac odher intinga on Marian; on
hire is waestmbaere maegdhh['a]d, swa swa on nanum odhrum. Nis on nanum
odhrum men maegdhh['a]d, gif thaer bidh waestmbaernys; ne waestmbaernys,
gif thaer bidh ansund maegdhh['a]d. Nu is fordhi gehalgod aegdher ge Marian
maegdhh['a]d ge hyre waestmbaernys thurh tha godcundlican acennednysse; and
heo ealle odhre oferstihdh on maegdhhade and on waestmbaernysse.
Dheah-hwaedhere, theah heo synderlice Iohannes gymene betaeht waere,
hwaedhere heo drohtnode gemaenelice, aefter Cristes upstige, mid tham
apostolicum werode, infarende and utfarende betwux him, and hi ealle mid
micelre arwurdhnysse and lufe hire thenodon, and heo him {440} cudhlice
ealle thing ymbe Cristes menniscnysse gewissode; fordhan the heo fram
frymdhe gewislice thurh thone Halgan Gast hi ealle geleornode, and mid
agenre gesihdhe geseah; theah dhe tha apostoli thurh thone ylcan Gast ealle
thing undergeaton, and on ealre sodhfaestnysse gelaerede wurdon. Se
heah-engel Gabriel hi ungewemmede geheold, and heo wunode on Iohannes and
on ealra thaera apostola gymene, on thaere heofonlican scole, embe Godes
['ae] smeagende, odhthaet God on thysum daege hi genam to dham heofonlican
thrymsetle, and hi ofer engla weredum geufrode.
Nis geraed on nanre bec nan swutelre gewissung be hire geendunge, buton
thaet heo nu to-daeg wuldorfullice of tham lichaman gew['a]t. Hyre byrigen
is swutol eallum onlociendum odh thysne andweardan daeg, on middan thaere
dene Iosaphat. Seo dene is betwux thaere dune Sion and tham munte Oliueti,
and seo byrigen is aeteowed open and emtig, and thaer on-uppon on hire
wurdhmynte is araered maere cyrce mid wundorlicum st['a]n-geweorce. Nis
nanum deadlicum men cudh h['u], odhdhe on hwylcere tide hyre halga lichama
thanon gebroden waere, odhdhe hwider he ahafen sy, odhdhe hwaedher heo of
deadhe arise: cwaedon theah gehwylce lareowas, thaet hyre Sunu, sedhe on
tham thriddan daege mihtilice of deadhe ar['a]s, thaet he eac his moder
lichaman of deadhe araerde, and mid undeadlicum wuldre on heofonan rice
gelogode. Eac swa gelice forwel menige lareowas on heora bocum setton, be
dham ge-edcucedum mannum the mid Criste of deadhe arison, thaet hi ecelice
araerede synd. Witodlice hi andetton thaet dha araeredan men naeron
sodhfaeste gewitan Cristes aeristes, buton hi waeron ecelice araerede. Ne
widhcwedhe we be thaere eadigan Marian tha ecan aeriste, theah, for
waerscipe gehealdenum geleafan, us gedafenadh thaet we hit wenon swidhor
thonne we unraedlice hit gesethan thaet dhe is uncudh buton aelcere
fraecednysse.
We raedadh gehwaer on bocum, thaet forwel oft englas comon to godra manna
fordhsidhe, and mid gastlicum lofsangum heora sawla to heofonum gelaeddon.
And, thaet gyt swutollicor is, {442} men gehyrdon on tham fordhsidhe
waepmanna sang and wifmanna sang, mid micclum leohte and swetum bredhe: on
dham is cudh thaet tha halgan men the to Godes rice thurh gode geearnunga
becomon, thaet hi on odhra manna fordhsidhe heora sawla underfodh, and mid
micelre blisse to reste gelaedadh. Nu gif se Haelend swilcne wurdhmynt on
his halgena fordhsidhe oft geswutelode, and heora gastas mid heofonlicum
lofsange to him gefeccan het, hu miccle swidhor wenst thu thaet he nu
to-daeg thaet heofonlice werod togeanes his agenre meder sendan wolde,
thaet hi mid ormaetum leohte and unasecgendlicum lofsangum hi to tham
thrymsetle gelaeddon the hire gegearcod waes fram frymdhe middangeardes.
Nis nan twynung thaet eall heofonlic thrym tha mid unasecgendlicere blisse
hire to-cymes faegnian wolde. Sodhlice eac we gelyfadh thaet Drihten sylf
hire togeanes come, and wynsumlice mid gefean to him on his thrymsetle hi
gesette: witodlice he wolde gefyllan thurh hine sylfne thaet he on his
['ae] bebead, thus cwedhende, "Arwurdha thinne faeder and thine moder." He
is his agen gewita thaet he his Faeder gearwurdhode, swa swa he cwaedh to
tham Iudeiscum, "Ic arwurdhige minne Faeder, and ge unarwurdhiadh me." On
his menniscnysse he arwurdhode his moder, thadha he waes, swa swa thaet
halige godspel segdh, hire underdheod on his geogodhhade. Micele swidhor is
to gelyfenne thaet he his modor mid unasecgendlicere arwurdhnysse on his
rice gewurdhode, thadha he wolde aefter dhaere menniscnysse on thysum life
hyre gehyrsumian.
Dhes symbel-daeg oferstihdh unwidhmetenlice ealra odhra halgena
maesse-dagas swa micclum swa this halige maeden, Godes modor, is
unwidhmetenlic eallum odhrum maedenum. Dhes freolsdaeg is us gearlic, ac he
is heofonwarum singallic. Be dhysre heofonlican cw['e]ne upstige wundrode
se Halga Gast on lofsangum, dhus befrinende, "Hwaet is dheos dhe her
astihdh swilce arisende daeg-rima, swa wlitig swa m['o]na, swa gecoren swa
sunne, and swa egeslic swa fyrd-truma?" Se Halga Gast wundrode, fordhan dhe
he dyde thaet eal heofonwaru {444} wundrode dhysre faemnan upfaereldes.
Maria is wlitigre dhonne se m['o]na, fordhan dhe heo scindh buton
aeteorunge hire beorhtnysse. Heo is gecoren swa swa sunne mid leoman
healicra mihta, fordhan dhe Drihten, sedhe is rihtwisnysse sunne, h['i]
geceas him to cennestran. Hire faer is widhmeten fyrdlicum truman, fordhan
dhe heo waes mid halgum maegnum ymbtrymed, and mid engla threatum.
Be dhissere heofonlican cw['e]ne is gecweden gyt thurh dhone ylcan Godes
Gast: he cwaedh, "Ic geseah dha wlitegan swilce culfran astigende ofer
streamlicum ridhum, and unasecgendlic braedh stemde of hire gyrlum; and,
swa swa on lengctenlicere tide, rosena blostman and lilian hi ymtrymedon."
Dhaera rosena blostman getacniadh mid heora readnysse martyrdom, and dha
lilian mid heora hwitnysse getacniadh dha scinendan claennysse ansundes
maegdhh['a]des. Ealle dha gecorenan dhe Gode gethugon dhurh martyrdom
odhdhe thurh claennysse, ealle hi gesidhodon mid thaere eadigan cw['e]ne;
fordhan dhe heo sylf is aegdher ge martyr ge maeden. Heo is swa wlitig swa
culfre, fordhan dhe heo lufode dha bilewitnysse, the se Halga Gast
getacnode, dhadha he waes gesewen on culfran gelicnysse ofer Criste on his
fulluhte. Odhre martyras on heora lichaman throwodon martyrdom for Cristes
geleafan, ac seo eadige Maria naes na lichamlice gemartyrod, ac hire sawul
waes swidhe geangsumod mid micelre throwunge, thadha heo stod dreorig foran
ongean Cristes rode, and hire leofe cild geseah mid isenum naeglum on
heardum treowe gefaestnod. Nu is heo mare thonne martyr, fordhan dhe heo
dhrowode thone martyrdom on hire sawle dhe odhre martyras dhrowodon on
heora lichaman. Heo lufode Crist ofer ealle odhre men, and fordhy waes eac
hire sarnys be him toforan odhra manna, and heo dyde his deadh hire agenne
deadh, fordhan dhe his dhrowung swa swa swurd dhurhferde hire sawle.
Nis heo nanes haliges maegnes bedaeled, ne nanes wlites, ne nanre
beorhtnysse; and fordhy heo waes ymbtrymed mid rosan and lilian, thaet hyre
mihta waeron mid mihtum {446} underwridhode, and hire faegernys mid
claennysse wlite waere geyht. Godes gecorenan scinadh on heofonlicum wuldre
aelc be his gedhingcdhum; nu is geleaflic thaet seo eadige] cw['e]n mid swa
micclum wuldre and beorhtnysse odhre oferstige, swa micclum swa hire
gedhincdhu odhra halgena unwidhmetenlice sind.
Drihten cwaedh aer his upstige, thaet on his Faeder huse sindon fela
wununga: sodhlice we gelyfadh thaet he nu to-daeg tha wynsumestan wununge
his leofan meder forgeafe. Godes gecorenra wuldor is gemetegod be heora
geearnungum, and nis hwaedhere n['a]n ceorung ne ['a]nda on heora aenigum,
ac h['i] ealle wuniadh on sodhre lufe and healicere sibbe, and aelc
blissadh on odhres gedhincdhum swa swa on his agenum.
Ic bidde eow, blissiadh on dhyssere freols-tide: witodlice nu to-daeg thaet
wuldorfulle maeden heofonas astah, thaet heo unasecgendlice mid Criste
ahafen on ecnysse rixige. Seo heofenlice cw['e]n weardh to-daeg generod
fram dhyssere m['a]nfullan worulde. Eft ic cwedhe, faegniadh fordhan dhe
heo becom orsorhlice to dham heofonlicum botle. Blissige eal middangeard,
fordhan dhe nu to-daeg us eallum is dhurh hire geearnunga h['ae]l geyht.
Thurh ure ealdan modor Euan us weardh heofonan rices geat belocen, and eft
dhurh Marian hit is us geopenod, thurh thaet heo sylf nu to-daeg
wuldorfullice inn-ferde.
God dhurh his witegan us bebead thaet we sceolon hine herian and
m['ae]rsian on his halgum, on dham he is wundorlic: micele swidhor
gedafenadh thaet we hine on dhisre maeran freols-tide his eadigan meder mid
lofsangum and wurdhfullum herungum wurdhian sceolon; fordhan dhe untwylice
eal hire wurdhmynt is Godes herung. Uton nu fordhi mid ealre estfulnysse
ures modes dhas maeran freols-tide wurdhian, fordhan dhe thaet sidhfaet ure
h['ae]le is on lofsangum ures Drihtnes. Tha dhe on maeigdhh['a]de wuniadh
blission h['i], fordhan dhe h['i] geearnodon thaet beon thaet h['i]
heriadh: habbon h['i] h['o]ge thaet h['i] syn swilce thaet h['i]
wurdhfullice herigan magon. Tha dhe on claenan wudewanh['a]de sind, herion
h['i] and arwurdhion, fordhan dhe swutol is thaet h['i] ne magon beon
claene buton dhurh Cristes gife, seodhe waes {448} fulfremedlice on Marian
dhe h['i] herigadh. Herigan eac and wurdhian dha dhe on sinscipe wuniadh,
fordhan dhe dhanon flewdh eallum mildheortnys and gifu thaet h['i] herigan
magon. Gif hwa synful sy, he andette, and nal['ae]s herige, dheah dhe ne
beo wlitig l['o]f on dhaes synfullan mudhe; hwaedhere ne geswice h['e]
dhaere herunge, fordhan dhe dhanon him is beh['a]ten forgyfenys.
Thes pistol is swidhe menigfeald ['u]s to gereccenne, and eow swidhe deop
to gehyrenne. Nu ne onhagadh ['u]s na swidhor be dham to sprecenne, ac we
wylladh sume odhre trimminge be dhaere maeran Godes meder gereccan, to
eowre gebetrunge. Sodhlice Maria is se maesta frofer and fultum cristenra
manna, thaet is forwel oft geswutelod, swa swa we on bocum raedadh.
Sum man waes mid drycraefte bepaeht, swa thaet h['e] Criste widhs['o]c, and
wr['a]t his hand-gewrit tham awyrgedan deofle, and him mannraedene
befaeste. His nama waes Theophilus. He dha eft sydhdhan hine bedhohte, and
dha hellican pinunge on his mode weolc; and ferde dha to sumere cyrcan the
waes to lofe dhaere eadigan Marian gehalgod, and dhaer-binnan swa lange mid
wope and faestenum hire fultumes and dhingunge baed, odhthaet heo sylf mid
micclum wuldre him to com, and cwaedh, thaet heo him gedhingod haefde widh
thone Heofenlican Deman, hire agenne Sunu.
We wylladh eac eow gereccan be geendunge dhaes arleasan Godes widhersacan
Iulianes.
Sum halig biscop waes Basilius geh['a]ten, se leornode on anre scole, and
se ylca Iulianus samod. Tha gelamp hit swa thaet Basilius weardh to biscope
gecoren to anre byrig dhe is geh['a]ten Cappadocia, and Iulianus to casere,
theah dhe he aeror to preoste bescoren waere. Iulianus dha ongann to
lufigenne haedhengyld, and his cristendome widhs['o]c, and mid eallum mode
haedhenscipe beeode, and his leode to dhan ylcan genydde. Tha aet suman
cyrre tengde h['e] to fyrde ongean Perscisne leodscipe, and gemette dhone
biscop, and cwaedh him to, "Eala, dhu Basili, nu ic haebbe dhe oferdhogen
on udhwitegunge." Se biscop him andwyrde, "God forgeafe thaet dhu
udhwitegunge {450} beeodest:" and h['e] mid tham worde him bead swylce
l['a]c swa he sylf breac, thaet waeron dhry berene hlafas, for bletsunge.
Tha het se widhersaca onfon dhaera hlafa, and agifan dham biscope togeanes
gaers, and cwaedh, "He bead ['u]s nytena f['o]dan, underfo h['e] gaers to
leanes." Basilius underfeng thaet gaers, dhus cwedhende, "Eala dhu casere,
sodhlice we budon dhe dhaes dhe we sylfe brucadh, and dhu us sealdest to
edleane ungesceadwisra nytena andlyfene, na us to f['o]dan, ac to hospe."
Se Godes widhersaca hine dha gehathyrte, and cwaedh, "Thonne ic fram fyrde
gecyrre ic towurpe dhas burh, and hi gesmedhige, and to yrdhlande awende,
swa thaet heo bidh cornbaere swidhor thonne mannbaere. Nis me uncudh thin
dyrstignys, and dhissere burhware, dhe dhurh dhine tihtinge dha anlicnysse,
dhe ic araerde and me to gebaed, tobraecon and towurpon." And h['e] mid
dhisum wordum ferde to Persciscum earde.
Hwaet dha Basilius cydde his ceastergewarum dhaes redhan caseres dheowrace,
and him selost raedbora weardh, thus cwedhende, "Mine gebrodhra, bringadh
eowre sceattas, and uton cunnian, gif we magon, dhone redhan widhersacan on
his geancyrre gegladian." Hi dha mid glaedum mode him to brohton goldes,
and seolfres, and deorwurdhra gimma ungerime hypan. Se bisceop dha
underfeng dha madmas, and bebead his preostum and eallum dham folce, thaet
h['i] heora l['a]c geoffrodon binnon dham temple dhe waes to wurdhmynte
dhaere eadigan Marian gehalgod, and het h['i] dhaer-binnon andbidigan mid
dhreora daga faestene, thaet se Aelmihtiga Wealdend, thurh his moder
dhingraedene towurpe thaes unrihtwisan caseres andgit. Tha on dhaere
dhriddan nihte dhaes faestenes geseah se bisceop micel heofenlic werod on
aelce healfe dhaes temples, and on middan dham werode saet seo heofenlice
cw['e]n Maria, and cwaedh to hire aetstandendum, "Gel['a]ngiadh me dhone
martyr Mercurium, thaet he gewende widh dhaes arleasan widhersacan
Iulianes, and hine acwelle, sedhe mid todhundenum mode God minne Sunu
forsihdh." Se halga cydhere Mercurius gew['ae]pnod hraedlice {452} c['o]m,
and be hyre haese ferde. Tha eode se bisceop into dhaere odhre cyrcan,
thaer se martyr inne laeig, and befr['a]n dhone cyrcweard hwaer dhaes
halgan waepnu waeron? He sw['o]r thaet h['e] on aefnunge aet his heafde
witodlice h['i] gesawe. And he dhaerrihte wende to S[=ca] Marian temple,
and dham folce gecydde his gesihdhe, and dhaes waelhreowan forwyrd. Tha
eode h['e] eft ongean to dhaes halgan martyres byrgenne, and funde his
spere standan mid blode begleddod.
Tha aefter dhrim dagum com ['a]n dhaes caseres dhegna, Libanius hatte, and
gesohte dhaes bisceopes f['e]t, fulluhtes biddende, and cydde him and ealre
dhaere buruhware thaes arleasan Iulianes deadh: cwaedh thaet seo fyrd
w['i]code widh dha ea Eufraten, and seofon weard-setl wacodon ofer dhone
casere. Tha com dhaer staeppende sum uncudh cempa, and hine hetelice
dhurhdhyde, and dhaerrihte of hyra gesihdhum fordw['a]n; and Iulianus dha
mid andhraecum hreame forswealt. Swa weardh seo burhwaru ahred thurh S[=ca]
Marian widh dhone Godes widhersacan. Tha bead se bisceop dham
ceastergewarum hyra sceattas, ac hi cwaedon thaet hi udhon dhaera laca tham
undeadlican Cyninge, dhe hi swa mihtelice generede, micele bet dhonne dham
deadlican cwellere. Se bisceop dheah nydde thaet folc thaet hi dhone
dhriddan dael thaes feos underfengon, and he mid tham twam daelum thaet
mynster geg['o]dode.
Gif hw['a] smeage hu dhis gewurde, thonne secge we, thaet dhes martyr his
l['i]f adreah on laewedum hade; dha weardh he dhurh haedhenra manna
ehtnysse for Cristes geleafan gemartyrod; and cristene men sydhdhan his
halgan lichaman binnon dham temple wurdhfullice gel['o]gedon, and his
waepna samod. Eft, dhadha seo halige cw['e]n hine asende, swa swa we n['u]
hwene ['ae]r saedon, tha ferde his gast swyftlice, and mid lichamlicum
waepne dhone Godes feond ofst['a]ng, his weard-setlum onlocigendum.
Mine gebrodhra dha leofostan, uton clypigan mid singalum benum to dhaere
halgan Godes meder, thaet heo ['u]s on urum {454} nydthearfnyssum to hire
Bearne gedhingige. Hit is swidhe geleaflic thaet he hyre miceles dhinges
tidhian wylle, sedhe hine sylfne gemedemode thaet he dhurh h['i], for
middangeardes alysednysse, to menniscum men acenned wurde, sedhe aefre is
God butan anginne, and nu dhurhwunadh, on anum hade, sodh man and sodh God,
['a] on ecnysse. Swa swa gehwilc man wunadh on sawle and on lichaman ['a]n
mann, swa is Crist, God and mann, ['a]n Haelend, sedhe leofadh and rixadh
mid Faeder and Halgum Gaste on ealra worulda woruld. Amen.