men over all where he could find them, and for this cause St. Silvester
fled out of the town with his clerks, and hid him in a mountain. And for
the cruelty of Constantine God sent him such a sickness that he became
lazar and measel, and by the counsel of his physicians he got three
thousand young children for to have cut their throats, for to have their
blood in a bath all hot, and thereby he might be healed of his measelry.
And when he should ascend into his chariot for to go to the place where
he should be bathed, the mothers of the children came crying and braying
for sorrow of their children, and when he understood that they were
mothers of the children, he had great pity on them and said to his
knights and them that were about him: The dignity of the empire of Rome
is brought forth of the fountain of pity, the which hath stablished by
decree that who that slayeth a child in battle shall have his head
smitten off, then should it be great cruelty to us for to do to ours
such thing as we defend to strange nations, for so should cruelty
surmount us. It is better that we leave cruelty and that pity surmount
us, and therefore me seemeth better to save the lives of these
innocents, than by their death I should have again my health, of the
which we be not yet certain. Ne we may recover nothing for to slay them,
for if so were that I should thereby have health, that should be a cruel
health that should be bought with the death of so many innocents. Then
he commanded to render and deliver again to the mothers their children,
and gave to every each of them a good gift, and thus made them return to
their houses with great joy, from whence they departed with great
sorrow, and he himself returned again in his chariot unto his palace.
Now it happed that the night after St. Peter and St. Paul appeared to
this Emperor Constantine, saying to him: Because thou hast had horror to
shed and spill the blood of innocents, our Lord Jesu Christ hath had
pity on thee, and commandeth thee to send unto such a mountain where
Silvester is hid with his clerks, and say to him that thou comest for to
be baptized of him and thou shalt be healed of thy malady. And when he
was awaked he did do call his knights and commanded them to go to that
mountain and bring the Pope Silvester to him courteously and fair, for
to speak with him. When St. Silvester saw from far the knights come to
him, he supposed they sought him for to be martyred, and began to say
to his clerks that they should be firm and stable in the faith for to
suffer martyrdom. When the knights came to him they said to him much
courteously that Constantine sent for him, and prayed him that he would
come and speak with him. And forthwith he came, and when they had
intersaluted each other, Constantine told to him his vision. And when
Silvester demanded of him what men they were that so appeared to him,
the emperor wist not ne could not name them. St. Silvester opened a book
wherein the images of St. Peter and St. Paul were portrayed, and
demanded of him if they were like unto them. Then Constantine anon knew
them and said that he had seen them in his sleep. Then St. Silvester
preached to him the faith of Jesu Christ, and baptized him; and when he
was baptized, a great light descended upon him so that he said that he
had seen Jesu Christ, and was healed forthwith of his measelry. And then
he ordained seven laws unto holy church, the first was that all the city
should worship Jesu Christ as very God, the second thing was that
whosoever should say any villany of Jesu Christ he should be punished,
the third, whosomever should do villany to Christian men, he should lose
half his goods. The fourth, that the Bishop of Rome should be chief of
all holy church, like as the emperor is chief of all the world. The
fifth, that who that had done or should do trespass and fled to the
church, that he should be kept there free from all injury. The sixth,
that no man should edify any churches without license of holy church and
consent of the bishop. The seventh, that the dime and tenth part of the
possessions should be given to the church.
After this the emperor came to St. Peter's church and confessed meekly
all his sins tofore all people, and what wrong he had done to Christian
men, and made to dig and cast out to make the foundements for the
churches, and bare on his shoulders twelve hods or baskets full of
earth. When Helen, the mother of Constantine, dwelling in Bethany, heard
say that the emperor was become Christian, she sent to him a letter, in
which she praised much her son of this that he had renounced the false
idols, but she blamed him much that he had renounced the law of the
Jews, and worshipped a man crucified. Then Constantine remanded to his
mother that she should assemble the greatest masters of the Jews, and he
should assemble the greatest masters of the Christian men, to the end
that they might dispute and know which was the truest law. Then Helen
assembled twelve masters which she brought with her, which were the
wisest that they might find in that law, and St. Silvester and his
clerks were of that other party. Then the emperor ordained two Paynims,
Gentiles, to be their judges, of whom that one was named Crato, and that
other Zenophilus, which were proved wise and expert, and they to give
the sentence, and be judge of the disputation. Then began one of the
masters of the Jews for to maintain and dispute his law, and St.
Silvester and his clerks answered to his disputation, and to them all,
always concluding them by Scripture. The judges which were true and
just, held more of the party of St. Silvester than of the Jews. Then
said one of the masters of the Jews named Zambry, I marvel, said he,
that ye be so wise and incline you to their words, let us leave all
these words and go we to the effect of the deeds. Then he did do come
[caused to come] a cruel bull, and said a word in his ear, and anon the
bull died. Then the people were all against Silvester. Then said
Silvester, believe not thou that he hath named in the ear the name of
Jesu Christ, but the name of some devil, know ye verily it is no great
strength to slay a bull, for a man, or a lion, or a serpent may well
slay him, but it is great virtue to raise him again to life, then if he
may not raise him it is by the devil. And if he may raise him again to
life, I shall believe that he is dead by the power of God. And when the
judges heard this, they said to Zambry, that had slain the bull, that he
should raise him again. Then he answered that if Silvester might raise
him in the name of Jesus of Galilee his master, then he would believe in
him, and thereto bound them all the Jews that were there. And St.
Silvester first made his orisons and prayers to our Lord, and sith came
to the bull and said to him in his ear: Thou cursed creature that art
entered into this bull and hast slain him, go out in the name of Jesu
Christ, in whose name I command thee bull, arise thou up and go thou
with the other beasts debonairly, and anon the bull arose and went forth
softly. Then the queen and the judges, which were Paynims, were
converted to the faith.
In this time it happed that there was at Rome a dragon in a pit, which
every day slew with his breath more than three hundred men. Then came
the bishops of the idols unto the emperor and said unto him: O thou most
holy emperor, sith the time that thou hast received Christian faith the
dragon which is in yonder foss or pit slayeth every day with his breath
more than three hundred men. Then sent the emperor for St. Silvester and
asked counsel of him of this matter. St. Silvester answered that by the
might of God he promised to make him cease of his hurt and blessure of
this people. Then St. Silvester put himself to prayer, and St. Peter
appeared to him and said: Go surely to the dragon and the two priests
that be with thee take in thy company, and when thou shalt come to him
thou shalt say to him in this manner: Our Lord Jesu Christ which was
born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, buried and arose, and now sitteth on
the right side of the Father, this is he that shall come to deem and
judge the living and the dead, I command thee Sathanas that thou abide
him in this place till he come. Then thou shalt bind his mouth with a
thread, and seal it with thy seal, wherein is the imprint of the cross.
Then thou and the two priests shall come to me whole and safe, and such
bread as I shall make ready for you ye shall eat. Thus as St. Peter had
said, St. Silvester did. And when he came to the pit, he descended down
one hundred and fifty steps, bearing with him two lanterns, and found
the dragon, and said the words that St. Peter had said to him, and bound
his mouth with the thread, and sealed it, and after returned, and as he
came upward again he met with two enchanters which followed him for to
see if he descended, which were almost dead of the stench of the dragon,
whom he brought with him whole and sound, which anon were baptized, with
a great multitude of people with them. Thus was the city of Rome
delivered from double death, that was from the culture and worshipping
of false idols, and from the venom of the dragon. At the last when St.
Silvester approached toward his death, he called to him the clergy and
admonished them to have charity, and that they should diligently govern
their churches, and keep their flock from the wolves. And after the year
of the incarnation of our Lord three hundred and twenty, he departed out
of this world and slept in our Lord, etc.
OF ST. AUSTIN THAT BROUGHT CHRISTENDOM TO ENGLAND
St. Austin was a holy monk and sent in to England, to preach the faith
of our Lord Jesu Christ, by St. Gregory, then being pope of Rome. The
which had a great zeal and love unto England, as is rehearsed all along
in his legend, how that he saw children of England in the market of Rome
for to be sold, which were fair of visage, for which cause he demanded
license and obtained to go into England for to convert the people
thereof to Christian faith. And he being on the way the pope died and he
was chosen pope, and was countermanded and came again to Rome. And
after, when he was sacred into the papacy, he remembered the realm of
England, and sent St. Austin, as head and chief, and other holy monks
and priests with him, to the number of forty persons, unto the realm of
England. And as they came toward England they came in the province of
Anjou, purposing to have rested all night at a place called Pounte, say
a mile from the city and river of Ligerim, but the women scorned and
were so noyous to them that they drove them out of the town, and they
came unto a fair broad elm, and purposed to have rested there that
night, but one of the women which was more cruel than the other purposed
to drive them thence, and came so nigh them that they might not rest
there that night. And then St. Austin took his staff for to remove from
that place, and suddenly his staff sprang out of his hand with a great
violence, the space of three furlongs thence, and there sticked fast in
the earth. And when St. Austin came to his staff and pulled it out of
the earth, incontinent by the might of our Lord, sourded and sprang
there a fair well or fountain of clear water which refreshed him well
and all his fellowship. And about that well they rested all that night,
and they that dwelled thereby saw all that night over that place a great
light coming from heaven which covered all that place where these holy
men lay. And on the morn St. Austin wrote in the earth with his staff
beside the well these words following: Here had Austin, the servant of
the servants of God, hospitality, whom St. Gregory the pope hath sent to
convert England.
On the morn when the holy men were departed, the dwellers of the coasts
thereby which saw the light in the night tofore, came thither and found
there a fair well, of the which they marvelled greatly. And when they
saw the scripture written in the earth they were greatly abashed because
of their unkindness, and repented them full sore of that they had mocked
them the day before. And after, they edified there a fair church in the
same place in the worship of St. Austin, the which the bishop of Anjou
hallowed. And to the hallowing thereof came so great multitude of people
that they trod the corn in the fields down all plain, like unto a floor
clean swept, for there was no sparing of it. Notwithstanding, at the
time of reaping, that ground so trodden bare more corn and better than
any other fields beside, not trodden, did. And the high altar of that
church standeth over the place where St. Austin wrote with his staff by
the well, and yet unto this day may no woman come in to that church. But
there was a noble woman that said that she was not guilty in offending
St. Austin, and took a taper in her hand and went for to offer it in the
said church; but the sentence of Almighty God may not be revoked, for as
soon as she entered the church her bowels and sinews began to shrink and
she fell down dead in ensample of all other women; whereby we may
understand that injury done against a saint displeaseth greatly Almighty
God.
And from thence St. Austin and his fellowship came into England and
arrived in the isle of Thanet in East Kent, and king Ethelbert reigned
that time in Kent, which was a noble man and a mighty. To whom St.
Austin sent, showing the intent of his coming from the court of Rome,
and said that he had brought to him right joyful and pleasant tidings,
and said that if he would obey and do after his preaching that he should
have everlasting joy in the bliss of heaven, and should reign with
Almighty God in his kingdom. And then King Ethelbert hearing this,
commanded that they should abide and tarry in the same isle, and that
all things should be ministered to them that were necessary, unto the
time that he were otherwise advised. And soon after, the king came to
them in the same isle, and he being in the field, St. Austin with his
fellowship came and spake with him, having tofore them the sign of the
cross, singing by the way the litany, beseeching God devoutly to
strengthen them and help. And the king received him and his fellowship,
and in the same place St. Austin preached a glorious sermon, and
declared to the king the Christian faith openly and the great merit and
avail that should come thereof in time coming. And when he had ended his
sermon the king said to him: Your promises be full fair that ye bring,
but because they be new and have not been heard here before, we may not
yet give consent thereto; nevertheless, because ye be come as pilgrims
from far countries, we will not be grevious ne hard to you, but we will
receive you meekly and minister to you such things as be necessary,
neither we will forbid you, but as many as ye can convert to your faith
and religion by your preaching ye shall have license to baptize them,
and to accompany them to your law. And then the king gave to them a
mansion in the city of Dorobernence, which now is called Canterbury. And
when they drew nigh the city they came in with a cross of silver, and
with procession singing the litany, praying Almighty God of succor and
help that he would take away his wrath from the city and to inflame the
hearts of the people to receive his doctrine. And then St. Austin and
his fellowship began to preach there the word of God, and about there in
the province, and such people as were well disposed anon were converted,
and followed this holy man. And by the holy conversation and miracles
that they did much people were converted and great fame arose in the
country. And when it came to the king's ear, anon he came to the
presence of St. Austin and desired him to preach again, and then the
word of God so inflamed him, that incontinent, as soon as the sermon was
ended, the king fell down to the feet of St. Austin and said
sorrowfully: Alas! woe is me, that I have erred so long and know not of
him that thou speakest of, thy promises be so delectable that I think it
all too long till I be christened, wherefore, holy father, I require
thee to minister to me the sacrament of baptism. And then St. Austin,
seeing the great meekness and obedience of the king that he had to be
christened, he took him up with weeping tears and baptized him with all
his household and meiny, and informed them diligently in the Christian
faith with great joy and gladness. And when all this was done St.
Austin, desiring the health of the people of England, went forth on foot
to York; and when he came nigh to the city there met him a blind man
which said to him: O thou holy Austin, help me that am full needy. To
whom St. Austin said: I have no silver, but such as I have I give thee;
in the name of Jesu Christ arise and be all whole, and with that word he
received his sight and believed in our Lord and was baptized. And upon
Christmas day he baptized, in the river named Swale, ten thousand men
without women and children, and there was a great multitude of people
resorting to the said river, which was so deep that no man might pass
over on foot, and yet by miracle of our Lord there was neither man,
woman, ne child drowned, but they that were sick were made whole both in
body and in soul. And in the same place they builded a church in the
worship of God and St. Austin. And when St. Austin had preached the
faith to the people and had confirmed them steadfastly therein, he
returned again from York, and by the way he met a leper asking help, and
when St. Austin had said these words to him: In the name of Jesu Christ
be thou cleansed from all thy leprosy, anon all his filth fell away, and
a fair new skin appeared on his body so that he seemed all a new man.
Also as St. Austin came into Oxfordshire to a town that is called
Compton to preach the word of God, to whom the curate said: Holy father,
the lord of this lordship hath been ofttimes warned of me to pay his
tithes to God, and yet he withholdeth them, and therefore I have cursed
him, and I find him the more obstinate. To whom St. Austin said: Son,
why payest thou not thy tithes to God and to the church? Knowest thou
not that the tithes be not thine but belong to God? And then the knight
said to him: I know well that I till the ground, wherefore I ought as
well to have the tenth sheaf as the ninth, and when St. Austin could not
turn the knight's entent, then he departed from him and went to mass.
And ere he began he charged that all they that were accursed should go
out of the church, and then rose a dead body and went out in to the
churchyard with a white cloth on his head, and stood still there till
the mass was done. And then St. Austin went to him and demanded him
what he was, and he answered and said: I was sometime lord of this town,
and because I would not pay my tithes to my curate he accursed me, and
so I died and went to hell. And then St. Austin bade bring him to the
place where his curate was buried, and then the carrion brought him
thither to the grave, and because that all men should know that life and
death be in the power of God, St. Austin said: I command thee in the
name of God to arise, for we have need of thee, and then he arose anon,
and stood before all the people. To whom St. Austin said: Thou knowest
well that our Lord is merciful, and I demand thee, brother, if thou
knowest this man? and he said: Yea, would God that I had never known
him, for he was a withholder of his tithes, and in all his life an, evil
doer, thou knowest that our Lord is merciful, and as long as the pains
of hell endure let us also be merciful to all Christians. And then St.
Austin delivered to the curate a rod, and there the knight kneeling on
his knees was assoiled, and then he commanded him to go again to his
grave, and there to abide till the day of doom; and he entered anon into
his grave and forthwith fell to ashes and powder. And then St. Austin
said to the priest: How long hast thou lain here? and he said a hundred
and fifty years; and then he asked how it stood with him, and he said:
Well, holy father, for I am in everlasting bliss; and then said St.
Austin: Wilt thou that I pray to Almighty God that thou abide here with
us to confirm the hearts of men in very belief? And then he said: Nay,
holy father, for I am in a place of rest; and then said St. Austin: Go
in peace, and pray for me and for all holy church, and he then entered
again into his grave, and anon the body was turned to earth. Of this
sight the lord was sore afeard, and came all quaking to St. Austin and
to his curate, and demanded forgiveness of his trespass, and promised to
make amends and ever after to pay his tithes and to follow the doctrine
of St. Austin.
After this St. Austin entered into Dorsetshire, and came in to a town
whereas were wicked people who refused his doctrine and preaching
utterly and drove him out of the town, casting on him the tails of
thornbacks, or like fishes, wherefore he besought Almighty God to show
his judgment on them, and God sent to them a shameful token, for the
children that were born after in that place had tails, as it is said,
till they had repented them. It is said commonly that this fell at
Strood in Kent, but blessed be God at this day is no such deformity.
Item in another place there were certain people which would in no wise
give faith to his preaching ne his doctrine, but scorned and mocked him,
wherefore God took such vengeance that they burned with fire invisible,
so that their skin was red as blood, and suffered so great pain that
they were constrained to come and ask forgiveness of St. Austin, and
then he prayed God for them that they might be acceptable to him and
receive baptism and that he would release their pain, and then he
christened them and that burning heat was quenched and they were made
perfectly whole, and felt never after more thereof. On a time, as St.
Austin was in his prayers, our Lord appeared to him, and comforting him
with a gentle and familiar speech, said: O thou my good servant and
true, be thou comforted and do manly, for I thy Lord God am with thee in
all thine affection, and mine ears be open to thy prayers, and for whom
thou demandest any petition thou shalt have thy desire, and the gate of
everlasting life is open to thee, where thou shalt joy with me without
end. And in that same place where our Lord said these words he fixed his
staff into the ground, and a well of clear water sourded and sprang up
in that same place, the which well is called Cerne, and it is in the
country of Dorset, whereas now is builded a fair abbey, and is named
Cerne after the well. And the church is builded in the same place
whereas our Lord appeared to St. Austin. Also in the same country was a
young man that was lame, dumb, and deaf, and by the prayers of St.
Austin he was made whole, and then soon after he was dissolute and
wanton, and noyed and grieved the people with jangling and talking in
the church. And then God sent to him his old infirmity again, because of
his misguiding, and at the last he fell to repentance, and asked God
forgiveness and St. Austin. And St. Austin prayed for him and he was
made whole again the second time, and after that he continued in good
and virtuous living to his life's end.
And after this St. Austin, full of virtues, departed out of this world
unto our Lord God, and lieth buried at Canterbury in the abbey that he
founded there in the worship and rule, whereas our Lord God showeth yet
daily many miracles. And the third day before the nativity of our Lady
is hallowed the translation of St. Austin. In which night a citizen of
Canterbury, being that time at Winchester, saw heaven open over the
church of St. Austin, and a burning ladder shining full bright, and
angels coming down to the same church. And then him thought that the
church had burned of the great light and brightness that came down on
the ladder, and marvelled greatly what this should mean, for he knew
nothing of the translation of St. Austin; and when he knew the truth,
that on that time the body of the glorious saint was translated, he gave
laud and thankings to almighty God, and we may verily know by that
evident vision that it is an holy and devout place; and as it is said
that of old time, ancient holy men that used to come thither would at
the entry of it do off their hosen and shoes and durst not presume to go
into that holy monastery but barefoot, because so many holy saints be
there shrined and buried. And God hath showed so many miracles in that
holy place for his blessed saint, St. Austin, that if I should write
them here it should occupy a great book.
EDWIN AND PAULINUS
_The Conversion of Northumbria_
The black-hair'd gaunt Paulinus
By ruddy Edwin stood:--
"Bow down, O king of Deira,
Before the blessed Rood!
Cast out thy heathen idols,
And worship Christ our Lord."
--But Edwin look'd and ponder'd,
And answer'd not a word.
Again the gaunt Paulinus
To ruddy Edwin spake:
"God offers life immortal
For his dear Son's own sake!
Wilt thou not hear his message,
Who bears the keys and sword?"
--But Edwin look'd and ponder'd,
And answer'd not a word.
Rose then a sage old warrior;
Was five-score winters old;
Whose beard from chin to girdle
Like one long snow-wreath roll'd:--
"At Yule-time in our chamber
We sit in warmth and light,
While cold and howling round us
Lies the black land of Night.
"Athwart the room a sparrow
Darts from the open door:
Within the happy hearth-light
One red flash--and no more!
We see it come from darkness,
And into darkness go:--
So is our life, King Edwin!
Alas, that it is so!
"But if this pale Paulinus
Have somewhat more to tell;
Some news of Whence and Whither,
And where the soul will dwell;--
If on that outer darkness
The sun of hope may shine;--
He makes life worth the living!
I take his God for mine!"
So spake the wise old warrior;
And all about him cried:
"Paulinus' God hath conquer'd!
And he shall be our guide:--
For he makes life worth living
Who brings this message plain,
When our brief days are over,
That we shall live again."
_--Unknown_
THE LIFE OF ST. GEORGE MARTYR