British Library Egerton 2891

SEint donston was of engeland· Icome of gode more ¶ De Sancto Donstano miracle oure lourd dude for him· ar he were ibore ffor Þo he was inis moder wombe · acandle masseday Þat folk was at churche Inon · as to Þe tyme lay As hy stode alle ^wiÞ bihore liȝt · as me deÞ ȝute non hore liȝt queynte oueral· [...] non muste hou Here riȝt it barnde swuÞe wel · ⁊ here riȝt it was aloute Þat folk stod in gret wonder and was Þerof in gret doute and hy speke ech to oÞer · In wuch manere it were Hou it queinte so deoluoliche · Þe liȝt Þ^at hy bere ¶ And hy stode and speke Þerof · in gret wonder echon · Sein donstones moder taper · af ure werÞ anon · Þat heo heold Þere in hurre hond · heo miste wanne it com · Þat folk stod and Þ^at bihuld and gret wonder Þarof nom Ne non muste wanne it com · bote Þoru is louerdes g^race Þar of In tende al hore liȝt · aboute in Þe place wat was Þa^t ourre Louerd crⁱst · fr^am heuene Þa^t liȝt sende And Þa^t folk Þa^t stod aboute · hore tapres Þerof tende Dote of Þa^t ulke holy child · Þ^at in hurre wombe was Þere Al engelonde scholde beo in liȝt. bet Þanne it euere werre ¶ Þus child was ibore nie hondred ȝer · ⁊ fiue and twenti riȝt After Þa^t ourre swete louerd · inis moder was aliȝt And Þe ferste ȝer of Þe crounynge · of Þe king aÞelston Is moder het kyndride is fader het herston Þo Þis child was an eorÞe ibore · is frend nom Þerto hede Helet it do to glastyngbury · to norissy and to fede To teche him ek is bileue · pater noster and crede Þat child wax and wel iÞei · as it moste nede ¶ Lyte ȝeiue he nom to alÞeworld · to alle godnesse he drou · Þo he was of mannes wit · to us uncle he gan go Þe erchebissop of kanterburi · seint Aldelm Þa^t was Þo Þ^at made wiÞ him ioie Inou · and euere Þe leng Þe more Þo he sei of is godnesse · and of is wise lore ffor deinte Þa^t hehadde of him · he let him sone brⁱnge Biuore Þe prⁱnce of engelond · aÞelston Þe kynge

Þe kyng him made ioie Inon · and gr^antede al us bone Of wat Þing so e wolde bidde · ȝif it were todone ¶ Þe bad he him an abbey · Þa^t he was on forÞ ibroȝt In Þe toun of glastyngburi · Þa^t him ne weornede noȝt ¶ Þe king him gr^antede is bone anon · and after him also Edmond is broÞer Þa^t was kyng · and inis poer ido To glastyngburi wende sone · Þe godeman sein donston Þo beie Þe kynges him ȝeue leue · edmond and aÞelston · Of Þe hous of glastyngburi · agret orden^ar he was· And made muche of hore god rule · Þa^t neuerer er among hom nas At Þa^t hous Þa^t was ferst bigonne · four hondred ȝer biuore And eke preo and fifti ȝer · ar sein donston werre ybore ¶ ffor Þer was ordres of monkes · ar sein patrⁱck com · And ar seint Austin to engelond · broȝte crⁱstendom And seint patrⁱck deide four hondred · ⁊ to anfifti ȝer After Þat ourre swete leuedy · ourre louerd an eorÞe ber At none monekes Þer nere ferst · bote as ⁱⁿ hudynge echon · And as men Þat drowe to wildernesse · for drede of godes son· ¶ Seint donston and seint aÞelwold · as ourre louerde it bisay Iiorneied to prestes were · boÞe In oneday · Þer after sone to glastyngburi · sein donston anon wende Abbot he was Þer Inne Imad · is lyf Þarfore to amende · And for he nolde bi is wille · no tyme idel beo Apriue smiÞ bi is celle · he gan him bi seo ffor wanne he moste of is orisoun · reste for wirinisse ¶ To worke he wolde his honden do · to fleo idelnesse Serui he wolde poueremen · Þe wile he miȝte dure Allday for Þe loue of god · he ne kepte of hom non hurre And wane he sat at is worke Þer · is Bonden at is dede And is heorte at ihesus crⁱst · is mouÞ is beden sede So Þa^t alone tyme · he was in preo studes Is honden Þere is heorte at god · is mouÞ to bidde is bedes ¶ Þeruore Þe deuel hadde to him · gret en vie and onde Atime he com to is smiÞÞe · alone him to fonde Riȝt as Þe sonne ȝeode adoun · as he womman were And spak wiÞ him of is work · wiÞ Liȝnige chere And sede Þat hehadde wiÞ him · gret werk to done Truflinge he smot here and Þere · In anoÞer tale sone ¶ Þis holyman hadded gret wonder · Þa^t heo was herre and Þere He sat longe and biÞoȝte him narwe · wo it were

þo he biþoȝte him wo it was · he drou forþ is tange And leide in þe hote fur · and spak faire wel lange ffore þe tonge was al asure · and suþþe stille Inon þe deouel he hence biþe nose and wel faste drou ¶He twengde and schok hurre biþe nose Þa^t þe fur out blaste þe deuel wrikkede here and þere · and he held euere faste he ȝal and hupte and drou aȝen · and made grislich bere He nolde for al is biȝete · Þa^t behadde icome þere Wiþ is tonge he strok is nose · and twengde him euere sore fforte it was wiþ Inne niȝte · Þa^t he miȝte Iseo namore þe ssrewe was glad and bliþe Inon · þo he was out of is honde And sley and gr^adde biþe lyft · Þa^t ine burde into al þe londe Out wat haþ þis calwe ido · wat haþ þis calwe ido In þe contreie ine hurde wide · hou þe schrewe gr^adde so As god þe ssrewe hadd ibeo · habbe Ismit achom is nose he ne hiede namore þuder ward · to tilie him of þe pose ¶ þis holy abbot sein donston · hadde aret poer wiþ king edmond Þa^t was þo · ⁊ was al is conseiler After kyng Edmon is deþe · agod wile þer agon þat Edwine is sone was kyng ymad · ⁊ noȝt afterward emon þis Edwine hadde vuel red· and þer after he drou · Wiþ sein donston he was droþ · syker wiþ gret wou Of is abbei he dude him out · and dude him ssame Inou · þe more schame Þa^t he him dude þe more þe godeman lou · He dros him out of engelonde · and let him cere fleme þis godeman wende forþ wel glad · ne tok he neuere ȝeiue ¶ To þe abbey of seint amant · biȝende see he drou And so iournedede þere longe· and ladde god lyf Inon After king Edwines deþe · edgar Þa^t was is broþer was kyng Imad for he was · ner þan eny oþer Swirþe godman he bicom · and louede holy chirche And ech man Þa^t him þerto radde · after him he gan wurche Me tolde In of sein donston · Þa^t he come aȝen sone And bileued is conseiler · of Þa^t he hadde to done ¶ Sein donston com hom aȝen · and faire was vnder fonge And hadde is abbei al in pes · fr^am wan he was Ionge Wiþ þe kyng he was swuþe wel · and was al is conseiler Muche ine spak of is godnesse Wise fer and ner ·

¶ It byuel Þa^t þe bissop of wircestre was ded þe kyng and þe erchebissop ode · þarof nome horered And þe holy abbot sein donston · bissop hy made þere To make him herre in godes lawe is wille þei it nere Somme men esste atte erchebissop of kanterburi sire ode Ware fore he him bissop made · and is gr^aces were so gode ffor hessel q^aþ þis godeman · after me here beo [...]rche bissop of kanterbury · and þat me schel yseo Wat woston þis oþer sede · þou spexst follich iwis [[Noston]][...] namore þane þi fot ope god al it is ¶ [...][[b]]ileoue friend q^aþ þis godeman · ne dorþe ȝeiue blame noȝt · Wel ichot Þa^t ourre lourde crⁱst · In my mouþ haþ ybroȝt As wo seiþ of þulke þinge þat he haþ in me ysed Telle ich may þeiit biualle · after Þa^t icham ded Bissop he was of londone · sein donston suþþe also Of londone and wircestre · and heolde boþe two It biuel Þa^t þe erchebissop · of kanterburi was ded þe pope and þe kyng edgar · þerof nome horered· And made þe gode sein donston erchebissop þere · Godemen Þa^t him iknewe wel · glad þarof were · ¶ Cristendon of engelond · to god stat he drou · And riȝtes of holy churche · beheld op faste Inon· He formede þoru al engelond Þa^t ech person ssolde cheose To wite him chast fr^am leiherie · oþer is churche leose Seint aþelwold was þulke tyme · bissop of wynchestre And seint oswold þe godeman · bissop of wircestre þis bissops and seint donston · were al at one rede And edgar þe gode kyng · to do þis gode dede ¶ þeose þreo bissops wende aboute · þoru al engelonde And ech super person caste out · hom ne nuȝte non astonde ffor churchen and hore oþer god· clanliche hom by nome And bi sette it on gode men · þoru þe popes gr^ant of rome ¶Eiȝte and foura abbeis · of monkes and of nonne Of þe tresour ^þat hi rerede in engeland · of persons so iwonne And so it was welbet biset · þanne it waser on schrewe ffor þare gode maistres beoþ · som godnesse walleþ schewe ¶Gode were þis þreo bissops Þa^t at one tyme were þo þe betere is engelond forhom · and worþ euere mo Oure lourd ȝaf an eorþe · sein donston faire gr^ace þat at one tyme as he was · In aprinne place

Is fader and is moder ek · I þe ioie of heuene an hei After Þa^t hi dede were · aparteliche he sei Wel gret loue ourre louerd him cudde · wanne he him schowed þere So muche of is prⁱuete · þe wile he aliue were ¶ As helai anoþer tyme · Inis reste aniȝt he isei þe ioie of heuene · and þe place þer Inne wel briȝt Angles he hurde also singe · amurie song þer Inne Þa^t me singþ ȝute in holy churche · wa(n)ne me deþ þe masse biginne Kyrreleison · cristi leyson · was Þa^t murie sang þis holyman Þa^t þis churche · ne þoȝte him noþing long Wel aȝte he to heuene come · at is ende day Wanne he ȝe wile was alyue · so much of heuene I say · ¶ Harpe he louede swuþe wel · of harpe he couþe Inon · Aday he sat inis solas · and alay þeron drou · þe harpe heng op biþe wowe · þo it was tyme to ete þo it was ȝare þerto ibroȝt · he sat down to is mete Of heuene he gan to þenche sone · of ioie Þa^t was þere Of þe iouiol blisse Þa^t was þere · among halwen Þa^t þer were · ¶ He sat as he were Inome · son muche þeron he þoȝte Is harpe Þa^t heng biþe wowe · of wam helite roȝte Bigan to cuþe is holy þoȝt · ded treo þei it were As ourre louerdes wille was · as hurde alle Þa^t were þere Al bi him sulue he gan to harpe · am^arie steuene iwis þat me singþ ȝute In holy churche · Þa^t an englyss is þis ¶ Al halwe soule glade beoþ · Þa^t in heuene beoþ ido þat ssmeþ oure louerdes wey · and for him schadde also hore blod for is swete loue · þerfore hy scholleþ wone And kynges beo wiþ oute ende · wiþ crⁱst godes sone þis is astenme þat murie is · as þe folk hured alle þe harpe song al bi him sulue · as he heng biþe walle ffair grace ourre louerd him schewe^de þar · wanne þe dede treo So scholde singe of þulke ioie · Þa^t he ssolde Inne beo Louerd ihered beo þi gr^ace · and þi miȝte also þat þou wost for him herre alyue · such miracle do ¶ þo þis holyman hadde ilyued · an eorþe manioday And is endedai was nei Icome · as it fel in þe ȝere he let of sende is frendes · Þa^t specials him were Is men Þa^t him seruede ek · he let hom clupie also And for ȝaf hom al hore tressas · Þa^t hi him hadde ido