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biginneth the martyrdom of Sancte Katerine. (2) Ah Costentin ferde thurh the burhmenne read into Franclonde ant wunede summe hwile thear for the burhes neode, ant Maxence steorede the refschipe i Rome. (3) Weox umbe-hwile wreathe ham bitweonen, ant comen to fehte. (4) Wes Maxence overcumen ant fleah into Alixandre. (5) Costentin walde efter ant warpen him theonne, ah se wide him weox weorre on euche halve (ant nomeliche in a lont Ylirie hatte) thet ter he etstutte. (6) Tha Maxence iherde this, thet he wes of him siker ant of his cume carles, warth king of thet lont the lei into Rome as duden meast alle the othre of the weorlde. (7) Bigon anan ase wed wulf to weorrin Hali Chirche ant dreaien Cristene men (the lut thet ter weren) alle to heathendom, heathene as he wes, summe thurh muchele yeoven ant misliche meden, summe thurh fearlac of eisfule threates, o least with stronge tintreohen ant licomliche pinen. (8) I the fif ant thrittuthe yer of his rixlinge he set o kine seotle i the moder-burh of Alixandres riche, ant sende heaste ant bode, se wid se thet lont wes, thet poure ba ant riche comen ther bivoren him to the temple i the tun of his heathene godes, euchan with his lac forte wurthgin ham with. (9) Comen alle to his bode, ant euchan bi his evene bivore Maxence seolf wurdgede his maumez. (10) The riche reo|theren ant schep ant bule (hwa se mahte), brohte to lake; the poure, cwike briddes. twenti, feier ant freolich o wlite ant o westum ant yet (thet is mare wurth), steathelvest withinnen of treowe bileave, anes kinges Cost hehte anlepi dohter, icuret cleargesse Katerine inempnet. (2) Theos meiden wes bathe feaderles ant moderles of hire childhade; ah thah ha yung were, ha heold hire ealdrene hird wisliche ant warliche i the eritage ant i the eard thet com hire of burde, nawt forthi thet hire thuhte god in hire heorte to habbe monie under hire ant beon icleopet leafdi (thet feole telleth wel to) ah ba ha wes offearet of scheome ant of sunne yef theo weren todreavet other misferden thet hire forthfeadres hefden ivostret. (3) For hireseolf, ne kepte ha nawt of the worlde. (4) Thus lo, for hare sake ane dale ha etheold of hire ealdrene god ant spende al thet other i neodfule ant i nakede. luvede ha nane lihte plohen ne nane sotte songes, nalde ha nane ronnes ne nane luve-runes leornin ne lusten, ah ever ha hefde on Hali Writ ehnen other heorte, oftest ba togederes. (2) Hire feader hefde iset hire earliche to lare ant heo, thurh the Hali Gast, undernom hit se wel thet nan nes hire evening. (3) Modi meistres ant feole fondeden ofte hire o swithe feole halve forte underneomen hire, ah nes thear nan thet mahte neaver eanes | wrenchen hire with al his crefti crokes ut of the weie, ah se sone ha yeald ham swucche yeincleappes, ant wende hare wiheles upon hamseolven thet al ha icneowen ham cravant ant overcumen, ant cwethen hire the meistrie ant te menske al up. meithhad, as ha set in a bur of hire burdeboldes, ha iherde a swuch nurth towart te aweariede maumetes temple: lowinde of thet ahte, ludinge of the men, gleowinde of euch gleo to herien ant hersumin hare heathene godes. (2) As ha this iherde ant nuste yet hwet hit wes, ha sende swithe forte witen hwet wunder hit were. (3) Sone se hire sonde com agein ant seide hire thet sothe, heo wes swa itend of wreaththe thet wod ha walde iwurthen. (4) Het up of hire hird hwuch as ha walde ant wende hire thiderwart. (5) Ifont ter swithe feole yeinde ant yurinde ant theotinde unthuldeliche with reowthfule reames: the Cristene weren ant leaffule i Godes lei, ah for dred of death duden thet deofles lac as the heathene duden. (6) Hwa wes wurse thene heo, heorte iwundet inwith, for the wrecches thet ha seh se wrathe werkes wurchen agein Godes wille? (7) Thohte, thah (as ha wes thuldi ant tholemod) se yung thing as ha wes hwet hit mahte yeinen, thah heo hire ane were, agein se kene keiser ant al his kineriche. (8) Stot stille ane hwile ant hef hire heorte up to the hehe Healant the iheret is in Heovene. (9) Bisohte Him help ant hap ant wisdom, ase wisliche as | al the world is iweld thurh His wissunge. (10) Threfter wepnede hire with sothe bileave ant wrat on hire breoste ant bivoren hire teth ant te tunge of hire muth the hali Rode-taken. (11) Ant com leapinde forth as al itent of the lei of the Hali Gast, as the keiser stot bimong thet sunfule slaht of thet islein ahte — deovele to lake, thet euch waried weoved of the mix maumez ron of thet balefule blod al biblodeget — ant bigon to yeien ludere steavene: ilke yeld thet tu dest to deovelen — thet fordeth the bathe i licome ant i sawle, ant alle the hit driveth — yef thu hit yulde ant yeve to His wurthemunt the scheop the ant al the world, ant welt thurh His wisdom al thet ischapen is. (3) Ich walde, king, greten the yef thu understode thet He ane is to herien, thurh hwam ant under hwam alle kinges rixlith, ne ne mei nathing withstonden His wille, thah He muche tholie. (4) Thes heovenliche Lauerd luveth treowe bileave, ant nowther blod ne ban of unforgult ahte ah thet me halde ant heie His halewinde heastes. (5) Ne nis nathing hwerthurh monnes muchele meadschipe wreatheth Him mare then the schafte of mon — thet He schop ant yef schad ba of god ant of ufel thurh wit ant thurh wisdom — schal wurthe se vorth ut of his witte thur the awariede gast thet he yelt the wurthemunt to unwitelese thing thet te feont wuneth in thet he ahte to Gode, ant herieth ant hersumeth | seheliche schaftes — blodles ant banles ant leomen bute live — as he sculde his ant heoren ant alre thinge Schupent: thet is, God unsehelich. neaver an ne kecheth he creftiluker cang men, ne leadeth to unbileave then thet he maketh men — thet ahten to wite wel thet ha beoth biyetene ant iborene ant ibroht forth thurh the heovenliche Feader — to makie swucche maumez of treo other of stan other (thurh mare meadschipe) of gold other of seolver, ant yeoven ham misliche nomen, of sunne other of mone, of wind ant wude ant weattres, ant hersumeth ant wurthgith as thah ha godes weren. (2) Ne naveth he thurh other thing i this bileave ibroht ow bute thet ow thuncheth thet ha schulen leasten áá forthi thet ye ne sehen ham neaver biginnen. (3) Ah ther nis buten an Godd thur hwam witerliche ha alle weren iwrahte ant of nawiht, ant i this weorlde iset us forto frovrin ant to fremien. (4) Ant alswa as euch thing hefde biginnunge of His godlec, alswa schulden alle habben endunge yef He thet walde. (5) Engles ant sawlen, thurh thet ha bigunnen, ahten ant mahten endin thurh cunde; ah He thurh His milce ant godlec of His grace maked ham thet ha beoth in eche buten ende. (6) Ant thervore nis nathing evening ne eche with Godd — thet ye gremieth — for He is hare alre schupent ant schop ham i sum time, ant na time nes, neaver, thet He bigon to beon in.” thus. (2) Swithe he awundrede him of hire wliti westum ant swither of hire wordes, ant feng on thus to speokene: “Thi leor is, meiden, lufsum ant ti muth murie, ant witti ant wise weordes hit weren yef ha neren false! (3) Ah we witen wel thet ure laghen, ure bileave, ant ure lei hefde lahe sprung. (4) Ah al thet ye seggeth is se sutel sotschipe thet hit na wis mon ah wittlese hit weneth. (5) Me hwet is mare meadschipe then forte leven on him ant seggen he is Godes sune — the the Giws demden ant heathene ahongeden — ant thet he wes akennet of Marie, a meiden, buten monnes man, ant iboren of hire bute bruche of hire bodi, deide ant wes iburiet, ant herhede helle, ant aras of death, ant steah into Heovene, ant schal eft o Domesdei cumen ba te demen the cwike ant te deade? (6) Hwa walde ileve this thet is ase noht wurth, thet alle ower leasunges beoth unlefliche? (7) Ah yet ne thuncheth ow nawt inoh to forleosen ow thus i thulli misbileave; ah gath yet ant seggeth scheome bi ure undeaddeliche godes the sunne ant te mone, thet euch mon ahte hersumin ant herien in eorthe.” him thullich onswere: “Al ich iseo thine sahen sottliche isette. (2) Cleopest theo thing godes the nowther sturien ne mahen ne steoren hamseolven bute as the hehe King hat ham i Heovene. (3) Ant heo buheth to Him as schafte to his Schuppent. (4) Nis buten an Godd (as ich ear seide) thet al the world wrahte ant al worldliche thing, ant al wurcheth His wil bute mon | ane. (5) Stille beo thu thenne, ant stew swuche wordes, for ha beoth al witlese ant windi of wisdom.” ich iseo wel — for sutel is ant etsene o thine sulliche sahen — thet tu were iset yung to leaf ant to lare. (2) Ah of swuch larspel thu havest leave ileornet thet tu art theronont al to deope ilearet hwen thu forcwethest for thi Crist ure undedliche godes ant seist ha beoth idele ant empti of gode. (3) Ah wastu nu hwet is? (4) We schulen bringe to ende thet we bigunnen habbeth, ant tu schalt, tu motild, to curt cume seothen ant kine mede ikepen yef thu wult ti wil iwende to ure, for yef hit went agein us, ne schal the na teone ne tintreohe trukien.” (5) Tha he hefde thus iseid, cleopede an of his men dearneliche to him ant sende iselede writes with his ahne kine ring yeont al his kineriche to alle the icudde clerkes, ant het ham hihin towart him hare cume swithe — ant swa muche the swithere thet, he bihet to medin ham with swithe heh mede, ant makien ham hehest in his halle yef ha theos modi motild overcume mahten ant wende the hokeres of his heathene godes upon hire heavead, thet ha were on alre erst ikennen ant icnawen thet nis bute dusilec al thet ha driveth, ant threfter thenne fordon ant fordemed yef ha nalde leaven thet ha yet lefde, ant hare lagen luvien. (6) Thes sonde wende him forth as the king hehte. | (7) He heold on to herien his hethene maumez with misliche lakes long time of the dei thet he idon hefde, ant wende tha, the wari, towart his buriboldes, ant bed bringen anan this meiden bivoren him. (8) Ant seide to hire thus: “Nat ich nowther thi nome ne ich ne cnawe thi cun, ne hwucche men thu havest ihaved hiderto to meistres, ah thi schene nebscheft ant ti semliche schape schaweth wel thet tu art freomonne foster, ant ti sputi speche walde of wisdom ant of wit beore the witnesse, yef thu ne misnome onont ure maumez — thet tu se muchel misseist — ant ure godes hokerest — the thu schuldest, as we doth, heien ant herien.” icleopet. (2) Yef thu wult cnawe mi cun: ich am kinges dohter. (3) Cost hehte mi feader, ant habbe ihavet hiderto swithe hehe meistres. (4) Ah forthi thet te lare thet heo me learden limpeth to idel yelp, ant falleth to biyete to wurthschipe of the worlde, ne ne helpeth nawiht eche lif to haben, ne yelpe ich nawiht therof. (5) Ah sone se ich seh the leome of the sothe lare the leadeth to thet eche lif, ich leafde al thet other ant toc me Him to Lauerd ant makede Him mi leofmon, the theos word seide thurh an of His witegen: Perdam sapientiam sapientum et intellectum intelligentium reprobabo. (6) ‘Ich chulle fordo the wisdom of theos wise world-men,’ He seith, ‘ant awarpen the wit of theose world-witti.’ (7) Ich herde eft theos word of another witege: Deus autem noster in celo omnia quecumque voluit fecit. | Simulacra gentium argentum et aurum et cetera usque ad similes illis fiant. (8) ‘Ure Godd is in Heovene thet wurcheth al thet He wule. (9) Theos maumez beoth imaket of gold ant of seolver al with monnes honden: muth bute speche, hehnen bute sihthe, earen buten herunge, honden bute felunge, fet bute yonge. (10) Theo thet ham makieth mote beon ilich ham ant alle the ham trusteth.’ (11) Ah nu thu seist thet ha beoth alleweldinde godes ant wult thet ich do ham wurthschipe! (12) Schaw sumhwet of ham forhwi ha beon wurthe forte beon iwurdget for ear nulle ich nowther ham heien ne herien.” havest inohe. (2) Ah thole nu ane hwile ant tu schald ifinden hwa the ontswerie.” (3) Thes sondesmon, umbe long, tha he hefde al thet lont overgan ant thurh- sohte, com ant brohte with him fifti scolmeistres: of alle the creftes the clearc ah to cunnen ant in alle wittes of worldliche wisdomes wisest o worlde. (4) The king wes swithe icwemet ant walde witen yef ha weren se wise ant se witi as me foreseide. (5) Ant ha somet seiden thet witiest ha weren of alle the meistres the weren in Estlonde ant heaved of the heste, ant mest nomecuthe icud of alle clergies. us hider to cumene.” witti ant wis on hire wordes thet ha with hire anes mot meistreth us alle. (2) Ah yet me teoneth mare thet ha tuketh ure godes to balewe ant to | bismere ant seith hit beoth deoflen thet in ham dearieth. (3) Ich mahte inohreathe wel habben aweld hire, yef ha nalde with luve, with luther eie lanhure. (4) Ah yet me thuncheth betere thet ha beo ear overcumen with desputunge. (5) Ant yef ha theyet wule, then ha wat hire woh, withstonden agein us, ich hire wule don to the derveste death thet me mei hire demen, ant with kinewurthe yeoves yelden ow hehliche ower yong hider (yef ye agein wulleth). (6) Other, yef ow is willre forte wunie with me, ye schule beon mine readesmen in alle mine dearne runes ant mine dearne deden.” Hwuch wis read of se cud keiser, makie se monie clerkes to cumene — ant se swithe crefti of alle clergies — of Alixandres lont the alre leaste ende to motin with a meiden! (3) Me, an mahte of ure men with his mot meistrin ant with his anes wit awarpen the alre wiseste the wuneth bi westen! (4) Ah hwuch se ha eaver beo, let bringen hire forth thet ha understonde thet ha ne stod neaver ear thene thes dei bute bivore dusie.” (5) Theos meiden wes bicluset the hwile i cwarterne ant i cwalmhuse. (6) Com a sonde ant seide hire thet ha schulde cume forth to fehten i the marhen: ane agein vifti. (7) Nes this meiden nawiht hervore imenget in hire mod inwith, ah buten euch fearlac bitahte al hire feht in hire Helendes hont, ant bigon to Him to bidde theos bone: alwealdinde | Godd, Thi Feadres wisdom, Thu thet tahtest Thine thet ha ne sculde nowther diverin ne dreden for teone, ne for tintreohe, ne for na worldlich wontreathe, ah warnedest ham wel hu me ham walde threatin ant leaden unlaheliche, ant elnedest ham swa thet ham wes eth to drehen al thet me dude ham ant al thet ha drohen for Thi deore luve, deorewurthe Lauerd; ant seidest Theseolven: Dum steteritis ante reges et presides, et cetera; ‘Hwene ye stondeth bivore kinges ant eorles, ne thenche ye neaver hweat ne hu ye schulen seggen, for Ich chulle yeoven ow ba tunge ant tale thet an ne schal of alle ower witherwines witen hwet he warpe a word agein ow’ — Lauert, wune with me ant halt thet Tu bihete us ant sete, Jesu, swete sahen i mi muth to marhen, ant yef swuch mahte ant strengthe i mine wordes thet theo the beoth icumene ageines Thi deore nome me to under- neomene moten missen throf. (2) Awelt thurh Thi wisdom hare worldliche wit ant thurh Thi muchele mihte mestre ham swa ha beon alle istewet ant stille, other wenden to The ant Thi nome wurdgin, the with Godd heh Feader ant with the Hali Gast thurh-wunest in alre worlde world, áá on ecnesse.” (3) Nefde ha bute iseid swa thet an engel ne com lihtinde with swuch leome from Heovene thet ha wes sumdel offruht ant offert, for al the cwarterne of his cume leitede o leie. (4) Ah the engel elnede hire ant sweteliche seide: havest bigunnen, for thi leofmon ant ti Lauert (for hwas nome thu undernome this strif) is with the eaver ihwer i stude | ant i stalle the wel wule wite the. (3) He bihat te thet He wule i thi muth healden flowinde weattres of wittie wordes, the schule the flit of thine fan swifteliche avellen. (4) Ant swuch wunder ham schal thunchen of thi wisdom thet ha wulleth alle wende to Criste, ant cume thurh martirdom to Drihtin in Heovene. (5) Monie schule turnen to treow bileave thurh hare forbisne. (6) Ant tu schalt sone etsterten al the strengthe of this strif thurh a stealewurhthe deth, ant beo thenne undervon i the feire verredene ant i the murie mot of meidnes, ant libben lives buten ende with Jesu Crist thi Lauerd, thi leofmon in Heovene. (7) Ich hit am Michael, Godes heh-engel, ant of Heovene isent forte seggen the thus.” (8) Ant mid tet ilke, step up ant steah to the steorren. (9) Theos meiden (thet ich munie) stot, thurh theos steavene stercliche istrenget, ant abad baldeliche athet me com ant fatte hire to fliten with the fifti. (10) Maxence ine marhen set i kineseotle ant bed bringen bivoren him thes modi moteres ant te meiden with ham. (11) Heo with Cristes Cros cruchede hire overal ant com baldeliche bivoren thes feondes an foster ant agein thes fifti, alle ferliche freken. (12) Comen alle strikinde, strengest te swithest, of eaver-euch strete forte here this strif. (13) Stoden on an half theos meistres, se monie ant unimete modi; theos meiden on other half. (14) Heo biheolden hire hokerliche alle, ant heo stot hercnende ant biheolt efter help up towart Heovene. (15) The king bigon | to wreththen thet te dei eode awei ant heo ne duden nawiht. (16) Ant the eadie Katerine bigon forte seggen: dest fifti meistres to moti with a meiden! (2) Ant havest ham bihaten — yef ha mahen on me the herre hont habben — kinewurthe meden, ant me nawiht under al, the moti, a meiden, ageines ham alle. (3) Ah ne drede ich nawiht thet mi Lauert nule wel yelde me mi hwile (for hwas nome ich underneome to fehten o this wise). (4) Ah yette me an hwet thet tu ne maht nawt wearne with rihte. (5) Yef me is ilevet thurh mi leove Lauert forte leggen ham adun, thet tu thi misbileave lete thenne lanhure ant lihte to ure.” to the to legge lahe upo me. (3) Of mine bileave — beo ha duhti other dusi — nave thu nawt to donne. (4) Do nu thet tu schalt don ant we schule lustnin hu thi Lauerd ant ti leof — thet al thi bileave is upon — wule werie to dei thine leasunges.” toc on towart thes fif sithe tene to talien o this wise: “Nu ye alles to strif beoth isturet hidere forte beon with gold ant gersum igrette — ant se feole, cuthe men ba ant utcumene copnith ant kepeth hwuch ure is kempe to overcumen other— lure ow is to leosen ower swinkes lan the leoteth se lihtliche of ant spearieth ower speche, ant schome ow is to schuderin lengre under schelde ant schunien thet ye | schule to. (2) Scheoteth forth sum word ant let us ontswerien! (3) The meast kempe is icud ant kenest of ow alle of the creft, the he is nomecuthest ant meast con: cume, cuthe throf, ant thet haveth in heorte (nu we schullen talien) take ut of his tunge, ant teveli with me.” iflut hidere, thu schalt sette sikel forth, ant seggen earst hwet tu wult, ant we schulen seothen.” leornede ant luvede the liffule leave of Hali Chirche — the ich ichosen habbe — ich aweorp with alle the glistinde wordes the beoth in ower bokes, the beoth withuten godlec ant empti withinnen, thet ye beoth with toswollen, nawt with wit ah with wint of ane wlonke wordes the thuncheth se greate, ant beoth godlese thah ant beare of euch blisse, thah ye blissen ow throf. (2) Lo, thullich is al thet ye thencheth todei forto weorri me with — Homers motes ant Aristotles turnes, Esculapies creftes ant Galienes grapes, Filistiones flites ant Platunes bokes, ant al thes writers writes thet ye wreothieth on. (3) Thah ich beo in alle of se earliche ilearet thet ich ne font nawt feole neaver min evening; thah, forthi thet ha beoth ful of idel yelp ant empti of thet hali liffule lare, al ich forsake ham her ant cwethe ham al scher up, ant segge thet ich ne con ne ne cnawe na creft bute of an thet is soth wit ant wisdom ant heore eche heale thet Him riht leveth; thet is, Jesu Crist, mi Lauert ant mi leofmon the seide — as ich seide ear ant yet wule seggen —: Perdam sapientiam sapientum et intel|lectum et cetera. (4) ‘Ich chulle fordon the wisdom of theos wise worldmen ant warpen the wit of theos world-witti.’ (5) The alre schafte Schuppent schawde ure eareste aldren Adam ant Eve the wit ant te wei of lif thurh His halwunde heast, ant hefde ham bihaten (yef heo ham wel heolden) heoveneliche meden. (6) Ah the wrenchfule feont, thurh onden, with his willes weorp ham ut sone of Paraises selhthen into this liflese lif. (7) Ant al thet lihte of ham twa schulde vorleosen, yef thet Godes goddlec nere the mare, the swa muche luvede us (thah se luthere ilatet) thet He lihte nu late of heovenliche leomen; ant forthi thet He is to ure sihthe unsehelich | in His ahne cunde, com ant creap in ure forto beon isehen thrin, ant nom blod ant ban of a meidenes bodi. (8) Thus He schrudde ant hudde Him, alre thinge Schuppent, mid ure fleschliche schrud, ant schawde us His nebscheft ant weolc — hwil His wil wes — bimong worldliche men. (9) Ant tha he hefde arudd us of feondes raketehen, wende up as He walde wunien ther He wuneth, áá withuten wonunge. (10) Swa thet we witen wel, thurh wundres thet He wrahte thet na mon ne mahte, thet He is soth Godd, ant eft thurh thet He throwede ant tholede deth on Rode as dedlich mon, that He is ec soth mon: of His Feader soth Godd, ant of His moder soth mon, in anhad ba somet, soth mon ant soth Godd weldinde ant wissinde alle worldliche thing efter His wille. (11) Thes is mi Lauerd thet ich on leve. (12) Thes is al the lare thet ich nu leorni. (13) Thes is the i this strif schal strengen me agein ow. (14) In His hali nome ich schal leten lihtlich of al thet ye cunnen kasten agein me. (15) Ne beo ye so monie, for nis Him no dervre forto adweschen adun feole | then fewe, bivoren theo Him riht leveth ant luvieth.” ant Godes sune, hu mahte he as mon derfliche deien? (2) Yef he wes soth mon, hu mahte he death overcumen? (3) Alle wise witen wel thet hit is agein riht ant agein leave of euch cundelich lahe thet Godd the is undedlich mahe deth drehen, ant deadlich mon mahe death overcumen. (4) Ant thah hit mahte nu beon thet he ba were, soth Godd ant soth mon efter thet tu munnest, an he mahte inohrathe of theos twa thing — ba somet nanesweis.” of thi dusi onsware ant te deopnesse, thet tu of thet thing thet te misthuncheth undervest the an half ant dustest adun the other: the Goddnesse of Godd for the mennesse of His monhad, as thah the Almihti ne mahte nawt theos twa misliche cundes gederin togederes. (2) Ye, ne makede He mon of lam to His ilicnesse? (3) Hwi schulde He forhohien to wurthen to thet thing thet is iwend uppon Him? (4) Ant hwen He hit mahte don buten ewt to leosen of His hehnesse, | hwi were hit Him erveth to don — the thet alle thing mei ant wule al thet god is — to neomen monnes cunde ant beon isehen soth mon Godd thah unsehlich in His ahne cunde, ant tholien as mon deth hwen duhti Him thuhte? (5) Ah yef thu wult siker beon thet seoth beo thet ich segge, leaf thi lease wit thet tu wlenchest te in, ant liht to ure lare thet tu mahe stihen to understonden in Him Godes muchele strencthe, ant nan monnes mihte, thurh His wundri werkes ant wurthful in eorthe. (6) For nultu nawt tenne thet tu schuldest heien heanin ne hatien na mare: thet is, i soth Godd monnes unmihte thet He neodeles nom uppon Himseolven, us forto salvin ant maken us stronge thurh His unstrencthe. (7) His unstrencthe ich cleopie thet He wes as mon cundeliche ofhungret ant weri ant pinen mahte tholien. (8) In euch thing of the world beoth sutel ant ethsene the weolen of Godes wisdom, thah in this an thing He schawde ant sutelede inoh that He wes soth Godd, the leadeth euch leafful to treowe bileave ant His leove nome to herien ant to heien, tha He with His stefne the storvene astearde ant mid His word awahte the liflese liches to lif | ant to leome. (9) Thus ne dude neaver nan dedlich mon thurh his anes mihte yef He Godd nere. (10) Other, thurh wiheles ant thurh wicchecreftes, wurchith summe wundres ant bigulith unweoten, the weneth thet hit beo swa as hit on ehe bereth ham. (11) Ah thes, thurh thet He wes soth Godd, in His cunde icuplet with ure, arerde the deade, botnede blinde, the dumbe, ant te deave, healde halte and hoverede, ant euch unheale, ant draf of the wedde awariede wihtes, ant as alweldende wrahte her on worlde al thet He walde. (12) Ant yef thu nult nanesweis witen thet He wrahte thulliche wundres, lef lanhure thet tu isist: miracles thet His men makieth yette, thurh Him ant His deorewurthe nome, deies ant nihtes. Godd ba beon ant mon. (3) Ah yef He nere soth Godd ant undeadlich Himseolf, hu mahte He lenen lif to the deade? (4) Ant yef He nere soth mon, hu mahte He drehen thet He droh ant deien so derfliche? (5) Thurh this suteleth soth al thet ich segge: ant tat is Godd seolf, the duste death under Him thurh | thet He is Drihtin, meinful ant almihti. (6) Ant seolf the ilke is Godes Sune, the onont thet He Godd wes ne mahte He drehen na deth, ant tah deide ah fleschliche for; ba He underveng ban ant flesch on ure cunde — thet is bruchel ant dedlich — forto deien in hire forthi thet He wes undedlich in His ahne ne in hire ne mahte He nanesweis deien — buten in ure. (7) Thes sothe Godd ant Godes sune, the deide onont ure cunde thet He hefde, aras ant arerde Himseolven from deathe, for thah He were dedlich thurh thet He mon wes onont His mennesse ant deide as ich seide, He ne losede na lif onont thet He Godd wes ne undedlichnesse onont His Drihtnesse, ah wes eaver ant is Drihtin undedlich. (8) Thus ido dede, death ne akaste nawt Crist, ah Crist overcom deth ant sloh hire in Himseolven.” for ham alle: “Yef Drihtin the darede in ure mennesse wrahte theos wundres — as thu wult thet we leven — hwi walde He throwin as He dude ant tholien deth on Rode? (2) Hwen He com to arudden of deathes raketehen | othre hwi deide He Himseolven? (3) Ant hu mei He helpen ant beon bivoren othre, the thurh-ferde death as heo doth? (4) Hefde He thet lanhure Himseolven aleset sum walde hopien ant habben bileave to His alesunge.” of theos cnotti cnotten (yef thu wult icnawen), ah her thu wenest yet thet tu ne wenen therf: thet Godd, the is unthrowlich, throwede other tholede pine other passiun o the deore Rode onont thet He Godd wes. (2) Ne mahte thet wite thu His heovenliche cunde o nanes cunnes wise felen sar ne sorhe uppon the Cruche, ah al the weane ant te wa wente uppon the unstrencthe of thet undervo flesch thet He neodeles nom with al ure nowcin bute sunne ane uppon Himseolven. (3) O Godd, the is al freo, ne mei nan uvel festnin; ne mahte me nowther Godd, onont thet He Godd wes, beatin ne binden ne neomenne halden, for He is unneomelich. (4) Ah thurh the mon thet He wes ischrudd ant ihudd with, He bicherde thene feont ant schrenchte then alde deovel ant toschrapede his hefde! (5) Nes nawt iteiet to the Treo ther He deide uppon forto drahen | buten flesch-timber, ah swa He withuten woh adweschte ant adun warp thene witherwine of Helle, mon i monnes cunde, the mid woh hefde to deth idrahen moncun thurh dedliche sunnen. (6) That wes, as ich munne, mon ant nawt Godes drihtnesse thurh-driven uppon the Rode, thah He in the ilke time soth Godd were. (7) Ah mon — for mon the misdude — tholede dom ant deide, ant Godd i mon for monnes bruche bette ant eode on bote, as His ahne goddlec lahede hit ant lokede. (8) Low, this makede Him thet He underveng mon (thet is, bicom mon) thet te bruchen thet mon hefde ibroken agein Him weren ibet thurh mon, ant thet He arise earest from deathe to live thet ne dredeth na deth. (9) Thurh Him we mahen habben sikere bileave to arisen alle efter Him. (10) Eth were ure Lauerd, liviende Godes Sune, to awarpen His unwine ant reavin him his hondiwerc — thet he with woh etheold — on euch wise in world thet he eaver walde: with an anlepi word; ye, with His an wil. (11) Ah the witti Weldent ant te rihtwise Godd bireadde hit swa swithe wel, thet he thet overcom mon were akast | thurh mon with meokelec ant liste, nawt with luther strencthe, thet he ne mahte nanesweis meanen Him of wohe.” — the an modgeste of ham thet mealde toyein hire warth swa awundret of hire wittie wordes, ant swa offearet ant offruht ant alle hise feren, thet nefde heore nan tunge to tavelin atine with. (2) Swa swithe Godes grace agaste ant agelwede ham thet euchan biheold other as ha bidweolet weren, thet nan ne seide nawiht ah seten stille as stan. (3) Cwich ne cweth ther neaver an. wurthen ut of his ahne wit, wodeliche yeide: “Hwet nu, unwreste men, ant wacre then ei wake, of dead ant of dult wit? (2) Nu is ower stunde! (3) Hwi studgi ye nu ant steventith se stille? (4) Nabbe ye teth ba ant tunge to sturien? (5) Is nu se steorliche unstrenget ower strengthe ant ower wit awealt swa thet te mihte ant te mot of a se meoke meiden schal meistren ow alle? (6) Me, yef fifti wimmen ant thah ther ma weren hefden with wordes ower an awarpen, nere hit schendlac inoh ant schir scheome to ow alle thet yelpeth of lare? (7) Nu is alre scheomene meast: thet anlepi meiden with hire anes muth haveth swa bitevelet, itemet, ant iteiet alle, italde bi tale fif sithe tene, icudde ant icorene ant of feorrene ifat, thet al ye beoth blodles, ikimet ut of ow seolven. (8) Hwider is ower wit ant ower wisdom iwend? (9) Breoketh on, for bismere, ant biginneth sumhwet!” and cweth to the king: “An hwet ich chulle thet tu wite: thet we habbeth witnese of alle the wise the beoth in estlonde thet neaver athet tes dei ne funde we nohwer nan swa deop ilearet the durste sputi with us, ant yef he come i place, nere he neaver se prud thet he ne talde him al tom ear he turnde from us. (2) Ah nis nawt lihtliche of this meidenes mot, for yef ich soth schal seggen, | in hire ne moteth na mon, for nawt nis hit monlich mot thet ha mealeth. (3) Ne nawt nis heo thet haveth mot, ah is an heovenlich gast in hire swa agein us thet we ne cunnen (ant tah we cuthen, ne nullen ne ne durren) warpen na word agein to weorri, ne te wreaththin Him thet ha wreotheth on. (4) For sone se ha Crist cleopede ant His nome nempnede ant te muchele mihtes of His hehnesse, ant schawde seoththen suteliche the deopnesse ant te derne run of His death o Rode, al wat awei ure worldliche wit swa we weren adrede of His drihtnesse. (5) Ant thet we kennith the wel, keiser, ant cutheth thet we leaveth thi lahe ant al thi bileave ant turneth alle to Crist. (6) Ant her we cnawlechith Him soth Godd and Godes Sune thet se muche godlec cudde us alle on eorthe thet woh haveth eni mon to weorrin Him mare. (7) This we schawith the. (8) Nu sei thet tu wult.” of grome ant of teone, bed bringen o brune an ad amidde the burh, ant ba binden ham swa the fet ant te honden thet ha wrungen agein. (2) Ant i the reade lei ant i thet leitinde fur het warpen, euch fot. (3) As me droh ham to hare death, tha yeide thus the an ant elnede the othre: “O leove iferen, feire is us ifallen, ah yet we forgeoteth us. (4) Nu the deore Drihtin arew us ant toc read of ure alde dusischipes the we driven longe, ant haveth idiht us todei forte drehe this death thurh His milde milce, thet we forlete this lif for His treowe luve i treowe bileave ant i the cnaw|lechunge of His kinewurthe nome, hwi ne hihi we forte beon ifulhet as He het hise ear we faren heonne?” moste, i the wurthschipe of Godd, with halwende weattres bihealden ham alle. (2) Ah heo ham ontswerde ant swoteliche seide: “Ne drede ye ow nawiht, cnihtes icorene, for ye schulen beon ifulhet ant beten alle the bruchen thet ye ibroken habbeth in ower blodes rune. (3) Ant tis ferliche fur schal lihten in ow the halwende lei of the Hali Gast, the i furene tungen ontende the apostles.” honden to Heovene. (2) Ant swa somet readliche thurh seli martyrdom verden with murthe, icrunet to Criste, o the threotuthe dei of Novembres moneth. (3) Ah thet wes miracle muchel, thet nowther nes iwemmet clath thet ha hefden ne her of hare heafden, ah with se swithe lufsume leores ha leien, se rudie ant se reade ilitet eaver- euch leor, as lilie ileid to rose, thet nawt ne thuhte hit thet ha weren deade, ah thet ha slepten swoteliche a sweovete, swa thet feole turnden to treowe bileave ant tholeden anan death I the nome of Drihtin. (4) Comen Cristene a naht ant nomen hare bodies ant biburieden ham deorliche, as hit deh Drihtines cnihtes. bivoren him, ant thus to hire cleopede: “O mihti meiden! (2) O witti wummon wurthmunt ant alle wurthschipe wurthe! (3) O schene nebschaft ant schape se | swithe semlich, thet schulde beo se prudeliche ischrud ant iprud ba with pel ant with purpre! (4) Nim yeme of thi yuhethe; areow thi wlite ant tac read, seli, to the seolven. (5) Ga ant gret ure godes the thu igremet havest, ant tu schalt (efter the cwen) eaver the other beon in halle ant i bure, ant al ich chulle dihten the deden of mi kinedom efter thet tu demest. (6) Ah yet ich segge mare: ich chulle lete makie the of golt an ymage as cwen icrunet ant swa me schal amit te burh setten hit on heh up. (7) Therefter me schal beoden ant bodien hit overal thet alle the ther bigath greten hit o thi nome ant buhe thertowart, alle the wurthmunt, burhmen ant othre. (8) On ende, thu schalt habben heheliche, as an of ure heovenliche leafdis, of marbrestan a temple thet schal áá stonden hwil thet te worlt stont to witnesse of thi wurthschipe.” uleth thi muth ant murie thu makest hit, ah ich drede thet tis dream me dreaie towart deathe as deth meareminnes. (2) Ah al the helpeth an thin olhnunge ant tin eie. (3) Ful wel ich chulle thet tu wite ne maht tu with nawiht wende min heorte from Him thet ich heie ant áá wulle herien. (4) Bihat al thet tu wult; threp threfter inoh ant threate thet tu beo weri. (5) Ne mei me wunne ne weole ne na worldes wurthshipe, ne mei me nowther teone ne tintreohe turnen from mi leofmones luve thet ich on leve. (6) He haveth iweddet Him to mi meithhad with the ring of rihte | bileave, ant ich habbe to Him treowliche itake me. (7) Swa wit beoth ivestnet ant iteiet in an ant swa the cnotte is icnut bituhhen us tweien, thet ne mei hit liste ne luther strengthe nowther of na liviende mon lowsin ne leothien. (8) He is mi lif ant mi luve, He is thet gleadeth me, mi sothe blisse buve me, weole ant al mi wunne, ne nawt ne willni ich elles. (9) Mi swete lif, se swoteliche He smecheth me ant smealleth, thet al me thuncheth savure ant softe thet He sent me. (10) Stute nu thenne ant stew the, ant stille thine wordes, for ha beoth me unwurth, thet wite thu to wisse.” Het o wodi wise strupen hire steort-naket ant beaten hire beare flesch ant hire freoliche bodi with cnottede schurgen. (3) Ant me swa dude sone thet hire leofliche lich litherede al a blode. (4) Ah heo hit lihtliche aber ant lahinde tholede. (5) Het hire threfter kasten i cwalmhus ant bed halden hire thrin thet ha nowther ne ete leasse ne mare tweolf dahes fulle. of Alixandre. (2) The cwen Auguste longede forte seo this meiden. (3) Ant cleopede to hire Porphire, cnihtene prince, ant seide him a sweven thet hire wes ischawet, thet ha seh sitte theos meiden with monie hwite wurthliche men ant meidnes inohe al abute biset, ant heo wes hireseolf ther imong as hire thuhte. (4) Ant te an toc a guldene crune ant sette on hire heavet ant seide to hire | thus: “Have, cwen, a crune isent te of Heovene.” (5) Ant forthi, ha seide, hire luste swithe yeorne speoke with the meiden. the cwarterne. (2) Ah swuch leome ant liht leitede thrinne thet ne mahten ha nawt loki thear-ageines, ah feollen ba for fearleac dun duvelrihtes. (3) Ah an se swithe swote smeal com anan therefter thet fleide awei thet fearlac ant frovrede ham sone. (4) “Ariseth,” quoth Katerine, “ne drede ye nawiht, for the deore Drihtin haveth idiht ow ba the blisfule crune of His icorene.” (5) Tha ha weren iseten up sehen as the engles with smirles of aromaz smireden hire wunden, ant bieoden swa the bruchen of hire bodi, al tobroken of the beattunge, thet tet flesch ant tet fel worthen se feire thet ha awundreden ham swithe of thet sihthe. (6) Ah this meiden bigon to bealden ham bathe, ant to the cwen seide: “Cwen, icoren of Jesu Crist, beo nu stealewurthe, for thu schalt stihen bivore me to Drihtin in Heovene. (7) Ne beo thu nawiht offruht for pinen the feareth forth in an honthwile, for with swucche thu schalt buggen ant biyeote the endelease blissen. (8) Ne dred tu nawt to leaven thin eorthliche lauerd for Jesu Crist thet is King of thet eche kinedom, the yelt for the false wurthschipe of this world heoveriches wunne, for thing thet sone alith weole thet áá lesteth.” te endelese lif thet Godd haveth ilevet His icorene for the luren thet tis worldliche lif thet ha leoseth for the luve of rihte | bileave. (2) Heo ontswerede ant seide: “Beo nu thenne, Porphire, stille ant understont te: constu bulden a bur inwith thin heorte, al abute bitrumet with a deorewurthe wal, schininde ant schene of gimstanes steapre then is ei steorre, ant euch bolt thrinwith briht as hit bearnde ant leitede al o leie? (3) Ant al thet terin is glistinde ant gleaminde as hit were seolver other gold smeate, isteanet euch strete with deorewurthe stanes of misliche heowes imen get togederes, isliket ant ismaket as eni gles smethest, bute sloh ant slec, eaver iliche sumerlich; ant alle the burhmen seove sithe brihtre then beo sunne, gleowinde o euch gleo ant a mare iliche glead. (4) For nawiht ne derveth ham ne nawiht ne wonteth ham of al thet ha wulleth other mahe wilnin, alle singinde somet ase lifleovi, euchan with other, alle pleinde somet, alle lahinde somet, eaver iliche lusti bute longunge. (5) For ther is áá liht ant leitinde leome; ne niht nis ther neaver ne neaver na newcin. (6) Ne eileth ther na mon nowther sorhe ne sar, nowther heate ne chele, nowther hunger ne thurst, ne nan ofthunchunge. (7) For nis thear nawt bittres, ah is al beatewil, swottre ant swettre then eaver ei healewi, i thet heovenliche lond, i thet endelese lif, i the wunnen ant te weolen thurh-wuniende, ant monie ma murhthen then alle men mahten with hare muth munien ant tellen with tunge (thah ha áá talden), the neaver ne linneth nowther ne leassith ah leasteth aá mare, se lengre se mare. (8) Yef thu | yet wite wult hwucche wihtes thear beon thear as al this blisse is, yef thear is orcost other ei ahte, ich the ontswerie. (9) Al thet eaver oht is al is ther iwer, ant hwet se noht nis, thet nis ther nohwer. (10) Yef thu eskest ‘Hwet oht?’ nan eorthliche ehe ne mei hit seon ich segge ne nan eorthliche eare hercnin ne heren, ne heorte thenchen of mon — ant hure meale with muth — hwet te worldes Wealdent haveth iyarket alle theo the Him ariht luvieth.” hardi, forthi thet ha hefden isehen sihthen of Heovene, thet ha wenden from hire abute the midniht, yarowe to al thet wa thet ei mon mahte ham yarki to drehe for Drihtin. (2) Freineden Porphire alle his cnihtes hwer he hefde with the cwen iwunet ant iwiket swa longe of the niht. (3) Ant Porphire ham seide: “Hwer ich habbe iwiket ich on wel thet ye witen, for wel ow schal iwurthen yef ye me wulleth lustnin ant leven, for nabbe ich nawt teos niht i worldliche wecchen ah habbe in heovenliche iwaket, therin is al mi rihte bileave, thear me unwreah me the wei thet leadeth to thet lif, ther me liveth áá i blisse buten euch bale, i wunne bute wa. (4) Forthi, yef ye beoth mine as under me isette, ant wulleth alle with me in eche murhthe wunien, leaveth to leven lengre o thes lease maumez — the mearreth ow ant alle theo the ham to luteth — ant wendeth to the Wealdent the al the world wrahte: Godd heo|venlich Feader, euch godes ful. (5) Ant heieth ant herieth His an deorewurthe Sune Jesu Crist hatte, ant te Hali Gast, Hare beire luve, the lihteth of Ham ba ant limeth togederes swa thet nan ne mei sundri from other, alle threo an Godd almihti overal, for He halt in His hont — thet is, wisseth ant wealt — the Heovene ant te eorthe, the sea ant te sunne, ant alle ischepene thing sehene ant unsehene. (6) Theo the leveth this soth ant leaveth thet lease ant buhsume ant beisume haldeth His heastes, He haveth bihaten ham thet He ham wule leasten, thet is, blisse buten ende i the riche of Heovene. (7) Ant hwa se is se unseli thet he this schunie, ne schal him neaver teone ne tintreohe trukien in inwarde Helle. (8) To longe we habbethidriven ure dusichipes, ant He haveth itholet us, the tholemode Lauerd. (9) Ne we nusten hwet we duden athet He undutte us ant tahte us treowe ileave thurh thet eadi meiden, Katerine, thet te king pineth i cwalmhus ant thencheth to acwellen.” (10) Thus he talede wel with twa hundret cnihtes ant with ma yet, thet yeven anan up hare yeomere bileave ant wurpen alle awei hare witlese lei ant wenden to Criste. keiser het) bute mete ant mel i the cwarterne, ah with fode of Heovene thurh His ahne engel i culvrene iliche, fedde hire al the tweolf dahes as He dude Daniel thurh Abacuc the prophete i the liunes leohe ther he in lutede. (2) Ure Lauerd Himseolf com with engles | ant with monie meidnes with alle, with swuch dream ant drihtfere as Drihtin deh to cumene, ant schawde Him ant sutelede Himseolf to hireseolven, ant spec with hire ant seide: “Bihalt Me, deore dohter! (3) Bihalt thin hehe Healent, for hwas nome thu havest al undernume this nowcin. (4) Beo stalewurthe ant stont wel. (5) Ne thearf thu drede na deth, for lo, with hwucche Ich habbe idiht to do the i Mi kinedom — thet is thin — with Me imeane as Mi leofmon. (6) Na thing ne dret tu, for Ich am eaver with the, do thet me do the, ant monie schulen thurh the yet turne to Me.” (7) With this ilke steap up with thet heovenlich hird ant steah into the Heovene, ant heo biheolt efter hwil ha a mahte, blisful ant blithe. — agein to his kineburh. (2) Theos meiden ine marhen wes ibroht bivoren him, ant he bigon to von on thisses weis towart hire: “This me were leovere, yef thu wel waldest, to habben ant to halden the cwic then to acwelle the. (3) Thu most nede, notheles, an of thes twa curen cheosen ananriht: libben, yef thu leist lac to ure liviende godes, other, yef thu nawt nult, thu schalt dreoriliche deien.” swa thet ich ne leose nawt Him thet is mi lif ant mi leof, Jesu Crist mi Lauerd. (2) Ne nawiht ne drede ich na deth thet overgeath for thet endelese lif thet He haveth ilevet me ananriht therefter. (3) Ah thu bithench me anan teo|nen ant tintreohen, the alre meast derve thet ei deadlich flesch mahe drehen ant drahen, for me longeth heanewart, for mi Lauerd Jesu Crist, mi deorewurthe leofmon, luttel ear me haveth ileathet. (4) Ant wel is me thet ich mot ba mi flesch ant mi blod offrin Him to lake the offrede to His Feader, for me ant for al volc, Himseolf o the Rode.” thes deofles budel, Belial of Helle) Cursates hehte, ant tus on heh cleopede: “O kene king! (2) O icudd keiser! (3) Yet ne seh Katerine nanes cunnes pine thet ha oht dredde. (4) Do ido dede! (5) Nu ha thus threateth ant threpeth agein the hat, hwil ha wed tus, inwith the threo dahes yarkin fowr hweoles, ant let thurh-driven threfter the spaken ant te velien with irnenne gadien swa thet te pikes ant te irnene preones se scharpe ant se sterke borien thurh, ant beore forth feor o thet other half thet al the hweoles beon thurh-spitet mid kenre pikes then ei cnif, rawe bi rawe. (6) Let thenne turnen hit tidliche abuten swa thet Katerine schal, with thet grisliche rune, hwen ha therbi sit ant bisith therupon, swiken hire sotschipes ant ure wil wurchen. (7) Other, yef thet ha nule no, ha schal beo tohwitheret with the hweoles swa in an honthwile thet alle the hit bihaldeth schule grure habben.” (8) The king hercnede his read; ant wes sone, as he het, thes heane ant tes heatele tintreoh itimbret ant wes the thridde dei idrahen thider as the reven weren eaver iwunet. (9) Ant te king heold ta of | this a meiden hise kinemotes. other ant anes weis bathe; the other twa turnden anes weis alswa ah toyein the othre, swa thet hwenne the twa walden keasten uppart thing thet ha kahten, the othre walden drahen hit ant dusten dunewardes, se grisliche igreithet thet grure grap euch mon hwen he lokede thron. (2) Her amidde wes this meiden iset forte al torenden reowliche ant reowthfulliche torondin yef ha nalde hare read heren ne hercnin. (3) Ah heo keaste up hire ehnen ant cleopede towart Heovene, ful heh with hire heorte ah with stille stevene: “Almihti Godd, cuth nu Thi mihte ant menske nu Thin hehe nome, heovenliche Lauerd, ant forte festnin ham i treowe bileave the beoth to The iturnde, ant thet Maxence ant alle hise halden ham mate, smit se smeortliche herto thet al theos fower hweoles tohwitherin to stucches.” adunewart, ant draf therto dunriht as a thunres dune ant duste hit a swuch dunt thet hit bigon to cleaterin al ant tocleoven, tobursten ant tobreken as thah hit were bruchel gles, ba the treo ant tet irn, ant ruten forth with swuch rune the stucchen of bathe bimong ham as ha stoden ant seten therabuten thet ter weren isleine of thet awariede volc fowr thusent fulle. (2) Thear me mahte iheren the heathene hundes yellen ant yeien ant yuren on euch half, the Cristene ken|chen ant herie then Healent, the helpeth Hise overal. (3) The keiser, al acanget, hefde iloset mon drem ant dearede, al adedet, druicninde ant dreori, ant drupest alre monne. ta ant hire bileave ihole theyet, ne mahte ha na mare, ah dude hire adun swithe ant forth withute fearlac o vet thidewardes, ant weorp hire bivoren then awariede wulf, ant yeide lut-stevene: “Wrecche mon thet tu hit art, hwerto wult tu wreastlin with the worldes Wealdent? (3) Hwet meadschipe maketh the, thu bittre balefule beast, to weorri The thet wrahte the ant alle worldliche thing? (4) Beo nu ken ant cnawes of thet tet tu isehen havest: hu mihti ant hu meinful, hu heh ant hu hali is thes Cristenes godd Crist thet ha herieth. (5) Hu wrakeliche wenest tu wule He, al wrathe, wreoken o the, wrecche, the haveth todriven with a dunt ant fordon, for the, todei se feole thusent?” (6) Ant monie mid alle of thet heathene folc the alle weren isihen thider forte seo this feorlich, sone se ha this sehen ant herden swa the cwen speoken, alle somet turnden ant token to yeien: Godd Crist, soth Godes Sune. (2) Ant to Him we kennith ant cnaweth to Lauerd ant to heh Healent heonne forthwardes. (3) Ant tine mix maumez alle beon amanset, for ha ne mahe nowther helpen hamseolven ne heom thet ham servith!” swithest. (2) Biheolt hire heterliche ant bigon to threatin hire thus, o thisse wise: “Hu nu, dame, dotest tu? (3) Cwen, acangest tu nu mid alle thes othre? (4) Hwi motest tu se meadliche? (5) Ich swerie, bi the mahtes of ure godes muchele, bute yef thu the timluker do the i the geinturn ant ure godes grete thet tu gremest nuthe, ic schal schawin hu mi sweort bite i thi swire ant leote toluki thi flesch the fuheles of the lufte. (6) Ant yet ne schalt tu nower neh se lihtliche etsterten ah strengre thu schalt tholien, for ich chulle leote luken ant teo the tittes awei of thine beare breosten ant threfter do the to deth, dervest thing to drehen.” mare wa ant mare weane dest me for mi neowe leofmon, the ich on with luve leve, se thu wurchest mi wil ant mi weole mare. (3) Do nu thenne hihendliche thet tu havest on heorte, for of me ne schalt tu biyeote nawiht mare.” unhendeliche neomen hire, ant bute dom ananriht thurh-driven hire tittes with irnene neilles ant rende ham up hetterliche with the breost roten. (2) As thes deofles driveles drohen hire forth to fordon hire ha biseh towart Katerine ant seide: “Eadi meiden, ernde me to thi leove Lauerd for hwas luve ich tholie thet me bilimeth me thus, thet He, i the tintreohe thet ich am iturnt to, heardi min heorte | thet tet wake flesch ne wursi neaver mi mod swa thet ich slakie to ofservin Heoveriche, thet ich ne forga neaver for fearlac of na pine thet beo fleschlic, the crune the Crist haveth — efter thet tu cwiddest — ilevet His icorene.” Drihtin of Heovene, for the is ilevet todei, for a lutel eorthlich lont, thet heovenliche kinedom; for a mon of lam, the the is Lauerd of lif, for this lutle pine the alith i lute hwile, endelese reste i the riche of Heovene, for this swifte pine the aswiketh se sone, blissen buten ende ant murhthen áá mare. (2) Ne nawiht ne wen thu thet tu nu forwurthe, for nu thu biginnest earst ant art ibore to libben i thet lif thet leasteth áá bute linunge.” ha veng to cleopien upo the cwelleres ant hihede ham to donne thet ham wes ihaten. (2) Ant heo duden drohen hire withute the burh geten ant tuhen hire tittes up of hire breosten bi the beare bane with eawles of irne, ant swipten of therefter with sweort hire heaved, ant heo swearf to Criste upo the threo ant twentuthe dei of Novembres moneth. (3) Ant thet wes on a Weodnesdei thet ha thus wende, martir, to the murhthes the neaver ne wonieth. (4) Porphire ananriht ferde thider i the niht, ant swucche with him of his men thet he wel truste on, ant al thes leafdis licome leofliche smi|rede with smirles of aromaz swote smellinde ant biburiede hire as hit deh martyr ant cwen forte donne. forbod, thet licome ilead theonne. (2) Tha Porphire iseh feole the me seide hit upon gultelese leaden ant dreien to deathe, leop forth withute fearlac ant com bivoren the keiser ant keneliche cleopede: “Sei, thu Sathanesse sune, thu king forcuthest, hwet const tu to theos men thet tu thus leadest! (3) Lowr! (4) Ich am her, thu heateliche gast, with alle mine hirdmen to yelde reisun for ham. (5) Fordem nu me ant mine for we ageines thin heast thet licome awei leadden ant leiden in eorthe.” ofservet ant thurh the alle the othre. (2) Ah for thu art icudd cniht ant heaved of ham alle, cheos yet of theos twa. (3) Other chear ananriht thet te othre chearren thurh the, ant tu schalt libben ant beo leof ant wurth with me. (4) Other yef thet tu nult, streche forth thi swire scharp sweord to undervonne.” gremeden him se sare thet he het hetterliche anan withute the burh bihefden ham euch fot, ant leaven hare bodies unburiet alle, fode to willde deor ant to luftfuheles. (2) His heaste wes ivorthet, ant alle clane bihefdet. (3) Ah for al his forbod, nes hit thet te bodies neren ifatte i the niht ant feire bi|buriet. (4) Nalde nawt Godd leoten His martyrs licomes liggen to forleosen, thet hefde bihaten thet an her of hare fax ne schulde forwurthen. cumen swithe bivoren him. (2) Ha wes sone ibroht forth ant he brec on to seggen: “Thah thu beo schuldi — the ane — of ham alle clane, thah thu with thi wicchecreft habbe imaket se monie to eornen towart hare death as ha weren wode, yet yef thu withdreiest te ant wulle greten ure godes ase forth as thu ham havest igremet ant igabbet, thu maht in alle murthe longe libbe with me ant meast schalt beo cuth ant icudd in al mi kineriche. (3) Ne lead tu us na lengre, ah loke nu bilive hwether the beo leovere don thet ich the leare ant libben yef thu swa dest, other this ilke dei se dreoriliche deien thet ham schal agrisen alle the hit bihaldeth.” schal arise thurh thet fal a thusentfalt te fehere, of death to lif undeathlich, ant to arise from ream to áá leastinde lahtre, from bale to eche blisse, from wa to wunne ant to weole thurh-wuniende. (2) Nawiht, king, ne kepe ich thet tu hit fir firsti, ah hat hihendliche thet tu havest in heorte, for ich am yarow to al the wa thet tu const me yarkin thet ich iseo mahe mi lufsume leofmon ant beon ibroht se blithe bimong | mine feolahes the folhith Him overal i the feire ferredene of virgines in Heovene.” meanen ah het swithe with hire of his ehsihthe ant biheafdin utewith the barren of the burhe. (2) Heo as me ledde hire lokede ayeinwart for ludinge thet ha herde, ant seh efter hire heathene monie, wepmen ant wummen, with wringinde honden wepinde sare, ah the meidnes alre meast with sari mod ant sorhful ant te riche leafdis letten teares trondlin. (3) Ant heo biwende hire ayein, sumdel iwreathet, ant eadwat ham hare wop with thulliche wordes: “Ye leafdis ant ye meidnes, yef ye weren wise, nalde ye nawt bringe me forth towart blisse with se bale bere, nalde ye neaver remen ne makie reothe for me, the feare to eche reste into the riche of Heovene. (4) Beoth blithe, ich biseche ow, yef ye me blisse unneth, for ich iseo Jesu Crist, the cleopeth me ant copneth, the is mi Lauerd ant mi luve, mi lif ant mi leofmon, mi wunne ant me iweddet, mi murhthe ant mi mede ant meidene crune. (5) Ower wop wendeth al on ow seolven lest ye eft wepen echeliche in Helle for thet heathene lif thet ye in liggeth, as ye schulen alle bute yef ye forleoten, hwil ye beoth o live, ower misbileave.” | ant sculde hire bone beon — thet he for his freolec fristede hire ant fremede the hwile thet ha buhe hire ant bede ane bone. (2) He yettede hire ant yef blitheliche leave. (3) Ant heo biheolt uppart with up aheven heorte, ant cneolinde dunewart thus to Crist cleopede: “Lauerd, leome ant lif of alle riht bileave, milde Jesu, the art Te seolf meidene mede, iheret ant iheiet beo Thu, hehe Healent! (4) Ant The ich thonki, Lauerd, thet Tu havest ileavet me ant waldest thet ich were i tale of Thine wummen. (5) Lauerd, milce me nu ant yette me thet ich yirne. (6) Ich bidde The theos bone, thet alle theo the munneth mi pine ant mi passiun — The to luve, Lauerd — ant cleopieth to me hwen ha schulen the derf of death drehen, other hwen se ha hit eaver doth, i neode ant i nowcin, hihentliche iher ham, heovenliche Healent. (7) Aflei from ham alle uvel: weorre ant wone bathe, ant untidi wederes, hunger ant euch hete the heaneth ham ant hearmith. (8) Lowr, her ich abide the bite of sweordes egge! (9) The thet deth me to death do al thet he mei don, neome thet he neome mei: thet lif of mi licome. (10) Mi sawle ich sende to The, Healent in Heovene. (11) Hat thet ha beo iset thurh Thine hali engles i thet heovenliche hirt bimong Thine meidnes.” “Cum, Mi leove leofmon, cum nu Min iweddet, leovest an wummon! (2) Low, the | yete of eche lif abit te al iopenet; the wununge of euch wunne kepeth ant copneth thi cume. (3) Lo, al the meidene mot ant tet hird of Heovene kimeth her agein the with kempene crune. (4) Cum nu, ant ne beo thu na thing o dute of al thet tu ibeden havest. (5) Alle theo the munneth the ant ti passiun, hu thu death drohe, with inwarde heorte, in eaver-euch time thet heo to the cleopien with luve ant riht bileave, Ich bihate ham hihentliche help of heoveriche.” to the cwellere: “Mi lif ant mi leofmon, Jesu Crist mi Lauerd, haveth nu icleopet me! (2) Do nu thenne hihentliche thet te is ihaten.” (3) Ant he, as ha het him, hef thet heatele sweord up ant swipte hire of thet heaved. (4) I thet ilke stude anan iworthen twa wundres: the an of the twa wes thet ter sprong ut mid te dunt milc imenget with blod, to beoren hire wittnesse of hire hwite meithhad; the other wes thet ter engles lihten of Heovene ant heven hire on heh up, ant beren forth hire bodi ant biburieden hit i the Munt of Synai, ther Moyses fatte the lahe et ure Lauerd, from theonne as ha deide twenti dahene yong ant yette ma, as pilegrimes the wel witen seggeth. (5) Thear ure Lauerd wurcheth se feole wundres for hire as na muth ne mei munnen. (6) Ah bimong ham alle this is | an of the heste: thet ter rinneth áá mare eoile iliche rive, ant striketh a stream ut of thet stanene thruh thet ha in resteth. (7) Yet, of the lutle banes the floweth ut with the eoille floweth other eoile ut, hwider se me eaver bereth ham ant hwer se ha beoth ihalden, thet healeth alle uveles ant botneth men of euch bale the rihte bileave habbeth. pinen, i Novembres moneth the fif ant twentuthe dei, ant Fridei, onont te under, i the dei ant i the time thet hire deore leofmon Jesu, ure Lauerd, leafde lif o Rode for hire ant for us alle. (2) Beo He as Healent iheret ant iheiet, in alre worlde worlt, áá on ecnesse. (3) Amen. |
begins the martyrdom of Saint Katherine. the highest in Rome. (2) But Constantine went, through the citizens’ advice, into France and dwelled there for a while because of the city’s need, and Maxence guided the government in Rome. (3) There grew, after a time, anger between them, and they came to fight. (4) Maxence was overcome and fled into Alexandria. (5) Constantine wanted to go after and cast him out, but war spread around him so widely on every side (and especially in a land called Illyria) that there he stopped. (6) When Maxence heard this, so that he was sure of him and fearless at his coming, he became king of that land, which was subject to Rome, as were most of the others in the world. (7) He began at once like a mad wolf to wage war on Holy Church and to draw Christian men (the few that there were) all to heathendom, since he was a heathen, some through great gifts and various rewards, some through terror of his fearful threats, and at last with fierce torments and bodily tortures. (8) In the thirty-fifth year of his reign he sat on his royal seat in the mother-city of the kingdom of Alexandria, and sent an order and command, as wide as that land was, that both poor and rich should come there before him to the temple of his heathen gods in the town, each with his offering with which to worship them. (9) They all came at his command, and everyone according to his means before Maxence himself worshiped his idols. (10) The rich brought cattle and sheep and bulls (those who could) as offerings; the poor, live birds. twenty, fair and lovely in face and form and yet (what is worth more), steadfast within of true belief, the only daughter of a king called Cost, a well-known scholar named Katherine. (2) This maiden was both fatherless and motherless from her childhood; but though she was young, she looked after her parents’ household wisely and prudently in the inheritance and in the land which came to her by birth, not because that seemed to her good in her heart to have many under her and to be called lady (which many consider a good) but she was afraid both of shame and of sin if those whom her forefathers had fostered were driven away or came to harm. (3) For herself, she cared nothing for the world. (4) Thus lo, for their sake only she kept a part of her parents’ goods, and spent all the rest on the needy and on the naked. love any frivolous games or any stupid songs, nor did she wish to learn or listen to any love-songs or love-stories, but ever on Holy Writ she had eyes or heart, most often both together. (2) Her father had set her early to learning and she, through the Holy Ghost, undertook it so well that no one was her equal. (3) Numerous and proud scholars tested her often from very many different sides to trick her, but there was not one there, with all his crafty tricks, who could ever once wrench her out of the way, but so soon she repaid them such counter-strokes, and turned their wiles upon them that they all knew themselves defeated and overcome, and granted her the victory and the honor completely. maiden in maidenhood, as she sat in a room of her family house, she heard a great noise in the direction of the accursed idols’ temple: the lowing of the cattle, the shouting of the people, the merry-making of each musical instrument to praise and worship their heathen gods. (2) As she heard this and did not know yet what it was, she sent quickly to find out what strange thing it could be. (3) As soon as her messenger came back and told her the truth, she was so inflamed with wrath that she would have gone mad. (4) She called up from her company of servants whichever ones as she wanted and went in that direction. (5) She found there a great many people howling and yelling and crying querulously in pitiable laments: those who were Christians and faithful to God’s law, but for dread of death they did that devil’s sacrifice as the heathen did. (6) Who was worse off than she, her heart wounded within, for the wretches that she saw work such evil works against God’s will? (7) She thought, though (as she was patient and long-suffering) what it might gain so young a creature as she was to strive, although she was alone by herself, against so cruel a king and all his kingdom. (8) She stood still for a moment and heaved her heart up to the high Savior who is praised in Heaven. (9) She asked Him for help and luck and wisdom, as wisely as all the world is ruled by His guidance. (10) After that she armed herself with true belief and traced the holy Rood-token on her breast and before her teeth and the tongue of her mouth. (11) And she came leaping forth as if all inflamed with the flame of the Holy Ghost, as the emperor stood among that sinful slaughter of those slain beasts — sacrifices to the devil, so that each accursed altar of the filthy idols ran bloodied by that foul blood — and began to cry out in a loud voice: you offered this same sacrifice that you do to devils — who destroy you both in body and in soul, and all who practice it — if you yielded and gave it to His honor who made you and all the world, and rules through His wisdom all that is made. (3) I would, king, greet you if you understood that He alone must be praised, through whom and under whom all kings rule, nor can anything withstand His will, although He endures much. (4) This heavenly Lord loves true belief, and neither the blood nor bone of guiltless beasts but one who keeps to and carries out His sanctifying commandments. (5) Nor is there anything through which the great madness of men angers Him more than that the creature man — whom He shaped and to whom He gave discernment both of good and of evil through wit and through wisdom — should go so far out of his mind through the accursed spirit that he gives the honor that he ought to give to God to non-sentient things which the devil dwells in, and praises and worships visible creatures — bloodless and boneless and limbs without life — as he should the Maker of him and them and all things: that is, God invisible. does he ever more craftily catch foolish men, nor leads them into unbelief, than when he makes men — who ought to know well that they are begotten and born and brought forth through the heavenly Father — to make such idols of tree or of stone or (through more madness) of gold or of silver, and to give them various names, of sun or of moon, of wind and wood and waters, and praise and worship them as though they were gods. (2) Nor has he for another reason brought you into this belief except that you think that these things will last forever because you never saw them made. (3) But there is nothing except one God, through whom certainly they all were wrought and from nothing, and set in this world to comfort and to help us. (4) And also as each thing had a beginning from His goodness, so must they all have an ending if He wished it. (5) Angels and souls, because they began, ought and must end through nature; but He through His mercy and the goodness of His grace makes them so that they are in eternity without end. (6) And therefore there is nothing equal to nor eternal with God — whom you anger — for He is the maker of them all and made them at some time, and there was no time, ever, during which he began to exist.” was very surprised by her lovely form and more by her words, and began in this way to speak: “Your face is, maiden, lovely and your mouth pleasant, and witty and wise words they would be if they were not false! (3) But we know well that our laws, our belief, and our religion have a lawful origin. (4) But all that you say is such clear foolishness that no wise man but a witless one would believe it. (5) Yet what is more madness than to believe in Him and say He is God’s Son — he whom the Jews condemned and the heathens hanged — and that he was born of Mary, a maiden, without the fellowship of a man, and born of her without breach of her body, died and was buried, and harrowed hell, and arose from death, and ascended into Heaven, and will again on Doomsday come to judge both the quick and the dead? (6) Who would believe this which is worth nothing, because all your lies are unbelievable? (7) But yet it seems to you not enough to damn yourself thus in such misbelief; but moreover you go and say shame about our immortal gods the sun and the moon, which every man ought to worship and honor on earth.” such an answer: “I see that all your words are foolishly expressed. (2) You call those things gods which can neither move nor steer themselves except as the high King of Heaven commands them. (3) And they bow to Him as a creature to his Creator. (4) There is not but one God (as I said before) who wrought all the world and every worldly thing, and everything works His will except humankind alone. (5) Be still then, and stop such words, for they are all witless and devoid of wisdom.” clearly — for it is clear and evident in your remarkable words — that you were set young to belief and to learning. (2) But from such teaching you have learned belief which you are, in that regard, all too deeply taught when you renounce for your Christ our immortal gods and say they are worthless and empty of good. (3) But do you know what the situation is now? (4) We will bring to an end what we have begun, and you must, you argumentative babbler, come afterwards to court and receive a royal reward if you will turn your will to ours, for if it goes against us, no torment or torture will be spared you.” (5) When he had said thus, he called one of his men secretly to him and sent sealed letters with his own royal ring throughout his entire kingdom to all the renowned scholars, and commanded them to greatly hasten their coming — and to hasten it even more swiftly, because he promised to honor them with a very lofty reward, and to make them highest in his hall if they could overcome this proud debater and turn the mockeries of his heathen gods upon her head, so that at first she would be willing to admit and acknowledge that all that she argues is only folly, and then afterwards be condemned and doomed if she would not abandon what she still believed and love their laws. (6) This messenger went his way forth as the king commanded. (7) He continued to worship his heathen idols with various offerings for the greater part of the day until he had finished, and he went then, the villain, toward his dwellings, and ordered this maiden brought immediately before him. (8) And he said thus to her: “I know neither your name, nor do I know your kin, nor which men you have had hitherto as teachers, but your fair face and your seemly shape show well that you are a child of noble men, and your eloquent speech would reveal wisdom and wit, if you were not mistaken about our idols — which you slander so much — and mock our gods — whom you should, as we do, honor and praise.” (2) If you wish to know my kin, I am a king’s daughter. (3) My father was called Cost, and I have had hitherto very great teachers. (4) But because the learning that they taught me pertains to idle boasting, and belongs to profit for worship of the world, and does not at all help anyone have eternal life, I do not at all boast of it. (5) But as soon as I saw the light of the true learning that leads to that eternal life, I renounced all the rest, and took Him to me as Lord and made Him my lover, who said these words through one of His prophets: Perdam sapientiam sapientum et intellectum intellegentium reprobabo. (6) ‘I will destroy the wisdom of these wise worldly ones,’ He says, ‘and cast down the wit of these worldly-wise ones.’ (7) I heard moreover these words from another prophet: Deus autem noster in celo omnia quecumque voluit fecit. Simulacra gentium argentum et aurum et cetera usque ad similes illis fiant. (8) ‘Our God is in Heaven who works all that He wishes. (9) These idols are made of gold and of silver entirely by human hands: mouth without speech, eyes without sight, ears without hearing, hands without feeling, feet without movement. (10) May those who make them be like them, and all those who trust in them.’ (11) But now you say that they are all-ruling gods and wish me to worship them! (12) Show something of them — for what reason are they worthy to be worshiped? — for until then I will neither honor nor praise them.” more than enough words. (2) But wait now a while and you will meet one who shall answer you.”(3) This messenger, after a long time, when he had traversed that whole land and searched it from end to end, came and brought with him fifty schoolmasters: of all the crafts which a clerk ought to know and in all the disciplines of worldly wisdom the wisest in the world. (4) The king was greatly pleased and wanted to know if they were as wise and as clever as he was told. (5) And together they said that they were the wisest of all the masters who were in the Eastern Empire and chief among the most distinguished, and the most widely known in all the branches of knowledge. you commanded us to come here.” and wise in her words that she with her reasoning alone masters us all. (2) But, it angers me still more that she reviles our gods maliciously and scornfully and says it is devils that lurk inside them. (3) I could readily enough have overpowered her, if she would not have love, then at least with terrible fear. (4) But yet it seems better to me that she be first overcome with disputing. (5) And if she still will, when she knows her error, stand against us, I will put her to the most painful death that anyone could deem for her, and with royal gifts I will richly repay you for your coming here (if you want to go back). (6) Or, if it is preferable to you to stay with me, you will be my advisors in all my secret meetings and my secret matters.” (2) What wise council from so famous an emperor, to make so many clerks come — and so very skilled in all the branches of knowledge — from the furthest ends of the land of Alexandria to dispute with a maiden! (3) Moreover, one of our men with his own argument can master and with his wit alone overthrow the wisest of all who lives in the west! (4) But whosoever she may be, let her be brought forth so that she may understand that before this day she never stood before anyone except fools.” (5) This maiden was locked in the meantime in prison and in the death-house. (6) A messenger came and told her that she would come forth to fight in the morning: one against fifty. (7) This maiden was in no way on account of this dismayed internally in her mind, but without any fear entrusted all her fight into her Healer’s hands, and began to pray this prayer to Him: all-ruling God, Your Father’s wisdom, You who taught Your own that they should neither tremble nor dread for torment, nor for torture, nor for any worldly hardship, but warned them well how people would threaten them and lead them immorally, and strengthened them so that it was easy for them to endure all that was done to them and all that they suffered for Your dear love, precious Lord; and You said Yourself: Dum steteritis ante reges et presides, et cetera; ‘When you stand before kings and earls, do not ever think about what or how you will speak, for I will give you both tongue and tale so that not one of all your enemies will know how he may cast a word against you’ — Lord, dwell with me and keep what you promised and established for us and set, Jesus, sweet words in my mouth tomorrow, and give such might and strength to my speech that those who are come against Your dear name to entrap me may miss in their aim. (2) Through Your wisdom overrule their worldly wit and through Your great strength master them so that they all may be stopped and silent, or else turn to You and worship Your name, who with God the high Father and with the Holy Ghost lasts forever from world into world, forever in eternity.” (3) She had scarcely said this when an angel came descending with such light from Heaven that she was somewhat frightened and afraid, for all the prison blazed with flame from his coming. (4) But the angel encouraged her and sweetly said: begun, for your lover and your Lord (in whose name you have undertaken this contest), who will watch you well, is with you everywhere in all places. (3) He promises you that He will pour into your mouth flowing waters of wise words, that will swiftly fell the argument of your enemies. (4) And your wisdom will seem such a wonder to them that they will all turn to Christ and come through martyrdom to the Lord in Heaven. (5) Many will turn to true belief through their example. (6) And you will soon escape all the violence of this strife through a stalwart death, and then be received in the fair fellowship and in the merry meeting of maidens, and live life without end with Jesus Christ your Lord, your lover in Heaven. (7) I am Michael, God’s archangel, and am sent from Heaven to say so to you.” (8) And with that, he rose up and ascended to the stars. (9) This maiden (whom I have in mind) stood, stoutly strengthened from this speech, and waited boldly until someone came and brought her to argue against the fifty. (10) Maxence in the morning sat on the throne and ordered brought before him these proud debaters and the maiden with them. (11) She with Christ’s cross crossed herself everywhere and came boldly before the very child of the devil and against these fifty, all formidable fighters. (12) Everyone came striding, the strongest and swiftest from every single street to hear this strife. (13) There on one side stood these masters, so many and immeasurably proud; this maiden on the other side. (14) They all stared at her scornfully, and she stood listening and looking up toward Heaven for help. (15) The king began to get angry because the day passed by and they did nothing at all. (16) And the blessed Katherine began to speak: make fifty masters debate with a maiden! (2) And you have promised them — if they can have the higher hand over me — kingly rewards, and me nothing at all, who argues, a maiden, against them all. (3) But I do not at all fear that my Lord will not reward me well for my time (for whose name I undertake to fight in this way). (4) But grant me one thing which you may not justly refuse. (5) If it is permitted me with the help of my beloved Lord to cast them down, that you then at least abandon your misbelief and adopt ours.” business to lay the law upon me. (3) Whether it is valid or foolish, do not be con- cerned with my faith. (4) Now do what you will do and we will hear how your Lord and your love — in whom is all your belief — will defend your lies today.” and began to speak to those five times ten in this way: “Since all of you have been spurred on here to the struggle in order to be rewarded with gold and gifts — and so many, both famous men and foreigners, wait and watch to see which of us is the champion to overcome the other — it is your loss to lose the reward of your work, who take it so lightly and are sparing of your speech, and it is shame to you to shudder longer under shield and shun what you should do. (2) Shoot forth some word and let us answer! (3) Whoever is known as the greatest champion among you and keenest of the craft of all of you, he who is the most famous and knows the most: come, let him show it, and what he has in his heart, since we will speak, let him take it out with his tongue and argue with me.” so far for you here, you must cut the first swath, and say first what you wish, and we will speak afterwards.” loved the life-giving belief of Holy Church — which I have chosen — I cast away with it all the glistening words that are in your books, which are without goodness and empty within, and with which you are puffed up, not with wit but only with the wind of some haughty words which seem so splendid, and yet are worthless and barren of every blessing, though you bless yourselves with them. (2) Lo, such is all that you think to fight me with today — Homer’s arguments and Aristotle’s sub- tleties, Asclepius’ skills and Galen’s gropings, Philistion’s debates and Plato’s books, and all these writers’ writings which you lean on. (3) Although I was instructed in all of them so young that I never found many my equal, nevertheless, because they are full of idle yelping and empty of that holy life-giving lore, I forsake them here and give them all up completely, and say that I neither know nor acknowledge any craft but the one that is true wit and wisdom and the eternal salvation of those who believe truly in Him; that is, Jesus Christ, my Lord and my lover who said — as I said before and still will say —: Perdam sapientiam sapientum et intellectum et cetera. (4) ‘I will destroy the wisdom of these wise worldly men and cast down the wit of these worldly-wise people.’ (5) The Creator of all creatures showed our first ancestors Adam and Eve the wit and the way of life through His sanctifying commandment, and had promised them (if they guarded themselves well) heavenly reward. (6) But the crafty fiend, through jealousy, with his wiles soon cast them out of the joys of Paradise into this lifeless life. (7) And all who descended from those two would be destroyed, if God’s goodness were not greater, who loved us so much (though so wickedly mannered) that He descended now recently from heavenly rays of light; and because He is to our sight invisible in His own kind, came and crept into ours in order to be seen in it, and took blood and bone from a maiden’s body. (8) Thus He shrouded and hid Himself, the Creator of all things, with our fleshly shroud, and showed us His face and walked — while it was His will — among worldly men. (9) And when He had rescued us from the fiend’s fetters, He went up as He wished to dwell where He dwells, forever without waning. (10) Because of this we know well, through the wonders that He worked which no man might, that He is true God, and again through the fact that He suffered and endured death on the Cross as a mortal man, that He is also true man: from His Father true God, and from His mother true man, in unity both together, true man and true God governing and guiding all worldly things after His will. (11) This is my Lord in whom I believe. (12) This is all the lore that I now learn. (13) This is what will strengthen me against you in this strife. (14) In His holy name I will think little of everything that you think to cast against me. (15) Nor are you so many, for it is no harder for Him to overwhelm many than few, before those who truly believe and love Him.” God’s son, how might he as a man dreadfully die? (2) If he was true man, how might he overcome death? (3) All the wise know well that it is against truth and against the authority of every natural law that God who is immortal may suffer death, and that mortal man may overcome death. (4) And though it might now be that he were both, true God and true man after what you imagine, he could easily do one of these two things — but in no way both together.” audacity and the wisdom of your foolish answer, that you accept half of that thing that displeases you and cast away the other: the Godness of God for the humanity of His manhood, as though the Almighty could not gather together these two separate natures. (2) On the contrary, did He not make mankind out of clay in His likeness? (3) Why should He disdain to become that thing that is modeled upon Him? (4) And when He could do it without losing anything of His dignity, why would it be hard for Him to do — He who can and will do everything that is good — to take man’s nature and be seen as true human though God is invisible in His own nature, and suffer death as a human when it seemed worthy to Him? (5) But if you want to be sure that what I say is true, leave your false knowledge that you pride yourself on, and adopt our lore so that you may arise to understand in Him God’s great strength, and not man’s might, through His wondrous and worthy works on earth. (6) For then you will not any more scoff at or hate what you should honor: that is, in true God man’s weakness which He needlessly took upon Himself, to heal us and make us strong through His weakness. (7) I call it His weakness in that He was as a man naturally ahungered and weary and could endure pains. (8) In everything of the world the riches of God’s wisdom are clear and evident, yet in this one thing He showed and made clear enough that He was true God, who leads every believer to true belief and to praise and exalt His beloved name, when He with His voice stirred the dead and with His word awoke the lifeless corpses to life and to light. (9) No mortal man ever did this through his own might unless He were God. (10) Others, through wiles and through witchcrafts, work certain wonders and beguile the ignorant, who think that it is just as it appears to them in the eye. (11) But this one, because he was true God, in His nature coupled with ours, raised the dead, healed the blind, the dumb, and the deaf, cured the cripples and the humpbacked, and every disease, and drove from the mad accursed demons, and as the all-powerful He worked here in the world all that He wished. (12) And if you will not in any way know that He wrought such wonders, believe at least what you see: miracles His people work still, through Him and His beloved name, by day and by night. be both God and man. (3) But if He were not true God and Himself immortal, how could He give life to the dead? (4) And if He were not true man, how could He suffer what He suffered and die so cruelly? (5) Through this all that I say is shown to be the truth: and that is God Himself, who cast death down under Him because He is the Lord, strong and almighty. (6) And the very same one is God’s Son, who insofar as He was God could suffer no death, and yet He died but in the flesh; for He took on both bone and flesh in our nature — which is brittle and mortal — in order to die in it because He was immortal in His own nature and in it He could not die in any way — only in ours. (7) This true God and God’s Son, who died insofar as he had our nature, arose and raised Himself up from death, for although He was mortal because He was man as regards His manhood and died, as I said, He did not lose life insofar as He was God, nor immortality with respect to His divine nature, but was ever and is the immortal Lord. (8) Thus put to death, death did not cast down Christ, but Christ overcame death and slew it in Himself.” them all: “If the Lord who hid in our humanity worked these wonders — as you wish us to believe — why would He suffer as He did and endure death on the Cross? (2) When He came to rescue others from death’s fetters, why did He die Himself? (3) And how can He help and be above others, who underwent death as they do? (4) Had He at least redeemed Himself some would hope and have belief in His redemption.” of these intricate knots (if you would recognize it), but here you still think what you ought not think: that God, who is incapable of suffering, suffered or endured pain or passion on the dear Rood insofar as He was God. (2) And know that His heavenly nature might not in any kind of way feel pain or sorrow on the Cross; but all the wretchedness and woe was directed upon the weakness of that borrowed flesh that He needlessly took upon Himself with all our hardship, only without sin. (3) On God, who is completely free, no evil can fasten; nor could anyone either beat or bind or seize or hold God, inasmuch as He is God, for He is unseizable. (4) But through the man with which He was shrouded and hidden, He duped the fiend and deceived the old devil and robbed him blind! (5) Nor was anything tied in order to suffer upon the Tree where he died except for flesh- matter, so that without a doubt He, a man in human nature, overwhelmed and cast down the enemy of Hell, who had wrongfully dragged humankind down to death through deadly sins. (6) That was, as I mentioned, a man and not God’s divinity pierced upon the Cross, although at that same time He was true God. (7) But humanity — for it was humanity who did wrong — suffered judgment and died, and God in humanity for humanity’s mistake made it good and expiated the sin, as His own goodness ordained and determined. (8) Lo, this caused Him to take on humankind (that is, become a human) so that the breaches that humankind had committed against Him would be atoned for through humanity, and so that He who does not dread death should arise first from death to life. (9) Through Him we can all have a certain belief to rise up after Him. (10) It would have been easy for our Lord, the living God’s Son, to cast down His foe and seize from him His handiwork — which he held captive with injustice — in any way in the world that He ever wanted to: with a single word; yes, with His will alone. (11) But the wise Lord and the righteous God planned it so very well that He who overcame humankind was cast down through humankind with meekness and skill, not with brute force, so that the Devil could in no way complain to Him of injustice.” more — the proudest one of them who argued against her became so astonished by her wise words, and so afraid and affrighted, as well as all his fellows, that none of them had a tongue to continue the argument with. (2) So thoroughly God’s grace terrified and frightened them that each one looked at the other as if they were bewildered, so that no one said anything but sat still as stone. (3) Not one there ever uttered a sound. out of his own wit, savagely shouted: “What now, miserable men, and weaker than any weak ones, of dead and of dulled wit? (2) Now it is your turn! (3) Why do you hesitate now and stand so still? (4) Do you not have both teeth and tongue to stir? (5) Is your strength now so severely weakened and your wit so overcome that the might and the argument of so meek a maiden will master you all? (6) Moreover, if fifty women, and though there were more, had overthrown one of you with words, would it not be humiliation enough and complete shame to you all who brag of learning? (7) Now is the greatest of all shames: that a single maiden with her own mouth has so out-argued, tamed, and tied all of you, counted by number five times ten, known and chosen and fetched from afar, that you are all bloodless, overcome out of yourselves. (8) Where have your wit and your wisdom gone? (9) Open up, for shame, and begin something!” swered and said to the king: “One thing that I want you to know: that we have the witness of all the wise who are in the east that never until this day have we found anywhere one so deeply learned who dared debate with us, and if he appeared in public, he would never be so proud that he did not consider himself entirely tame before he turned from us. (2) But there is nothing trivial about this maiden’s speech, for if I will tell the truth, no human speaks in her, for it is not a human argument that she speaks. (3) Nor is it she who holds this debate, but it is a heavenly spirit in her so against us that we do not know how (and though we knew, we would not wish or dare) to cast a word against her to wage war, nor to anger Him whom she relies on. (4) For as soon as she called Christ and named His name and the great strengths of His highness, and showed afterwards clearly the deepness and the secret mystery of His death on the Cross, we were so afraid of His majesty that all our worldly wit went away. (5) And we declare this to you, emperor, and make it known that we leave your law and all your belief and all turn to Christ. (6) And here we acknowledge Him true God and God’s Son who has shown so much goodness to us all on earth that anyone is wrong to fight Him further. (7) This we reveal to you. (8) Now say what you will.” with rage and anger, commanded a funeral pyre to be set aflame in the middle of town, and commanded them bound both feet and hands so that they writhed against it. (2) And into the red flame and into that blazing fire he commanded them to be cast, every single one. (3) As they were dragged to their death, one of them cried out thus and strengthened the others: “O dear friends, things have fallen out fairly for us, but yet we forget ourselves. (4) Since the dear Lord pitied us and considered our old follies which we practiced for a long time, and has ordained for us today to suffer this death through His gentle mercy, so that we relinquish this life for His true love in true belief and in the acknowledgment of His kingly name, why do we not hasten to be baptized as He commanded His own before we depart from here?” should, in the worship of God, bathe them all with sacred waters. (2) But she answered them and sweetly said: “Do not be at all afraid, chosen knights, for you will be baptized and atone for all the breaches that you have broken by the flowing of your blood. (3) And this fearsome fire will alight in you the healing flame of the Holy Ghost, who inflamed the apostles with fiery tongues.” up their hands to Heaven. (2) And so they departed together swiftly through holy martyrdom with joy, crowned to Christ, on the thirteenth day of the month of November. (3) But that was a great miracle, that neither the clothing which they had nor a hair of their heads was harmed, but with such lovely faces they lay, so flushed and glowing red every face, as a lily laid against a rose, that it did not seem that they were dead at all, but that they slept sweetly in a sleep, so that many turned to true belief and suffered death immediately in the name of the Lord. (4) Christians came by night and took their bodies and buried them tenderly, as is fitting for the Lord’s knights. should be brought before him, and he said thus to her: “O mighty maiden! (2) O wise woman worthy of every worship and reverence! (3) O bright face and shape so very seemly, which should be so proudly clothed and adorned with rich and purple clothing! (4) Take heed of your youth; have pity on your beauty and consider, blessed one, yourself. (5) Go and greet our gods whom you have enraged, and you will (after the queen) always be second in hall and in chamber, and I will order the business of my kingdom entirely after what you advise. (6) But still I say more: I will have made for you a statue of gold like a crowned queen and it will be set high up in the middle of the town. (7) Thereafter it will be announced and proclaimed everywhere that all who pass by there greet it in your name and bow towards it, all in reverence to you, citizens and others. (8) Finally, you will have honorably, as one of our heavenly ladies, a temple of marble that will stand forever while the world stands as witness of your worship.” flatters your mouth and you make it sound pleasant, but I fear that this song would draw me toward death, as does the mermaid’s. (2) But your flattery and your fear all help you equally. (3) Full well I want you to know that you cannot with anything turn my heart from Him whom I honor and will always praise. (4) Promise all that you want; afterward scold enough and threaten until you are weary. (5) Neither joy nor riches nor any world’s worship, nor can torment nor torture turn me from my lover’s love in whom I believe. (6) He has wedded Himself to my maidenhood with the ring of right belief, and I have committed myself to Him truly. (7) We two are so fastened and tied into one and the knot is so knotted between us two, that neither the cleverness nor brute force of any living man may loosen or undo it. (8) He is my life and my love, it is He who gladdens me, my true bliss above me, my joy and all my well-being, and I desire nothing else. (9) My sweet life, so sweetly He tastes and smells to me, that everything seems delicious and pleasing which He sends me. (10) Stop now then and be silent, and still your words, for they are worthless to me, know that for certain.” say. (2) In a mad fashion he ordered her stripped stark naked and her bare flesh and her beautiful body beaten with knotted scourges. (3) And it was immediately done so that her lovely body became lathered all in blood. (4) But she bore it lightly and suffered it laughing. (5) Afterward he commanded her to be cast into prison and ordered her held therein so that she ate neither less nor more for twelve full days. furthest end of Alexandria. (2) The queen Augusta longed to see this maiden. (3) And she called to her Porphirius, the leader of the knights, and told him a dream which had been shown to her, that she saw this maiden sit with many worthy men in white and maidens enough surrounded her, and she was there herself among them as it seemed to her. (4) And the one took a golden crown and set it on her head and said to her thus: “Have, queen, a crown sent to you from Heaven.” (5) And therefore, she said, she very eagerly desired to speak with the maiden. to the prison. (2) But such radiance and light shone inside it that they could not look at it, but both fell down headlong in fear. (3) But so very sweet a smell came immediately afterwards that that fear fled away and they were soon comforted. (4) “Arise,” said Katherine, “and fear nothing, for the dear Lord has ordained for you both the blissful crown of His chosen ones.” (5) When they had sat up they watched as the angels with ointments of spices smeared her wounds, and so treated the cuts in her body, all torn up from the beating, so that the flesh and the skin grew so fair that they wondered very much at that sight. (6) But this maiden began to encourage them both, and to the queen said: “Queen, chosen of Jesus Christ, be now stalwart, for you will ascend before me to the Lord in Heaven. (7) Do not be at all afraid of the pains which pass away in a moment, for with such you will buy and obtain endless bliss. (8) And fear not to leave your earthly lord for Jesus Christ who is King of that eternal kingdom, who yields the joy of the heaven-kingdom in exchange for the false worship of this world, a wealth that lasts forever in exchange for things which soon cease.” endless life that God has granted His chosen in exchange for the losses and this worldly life which they lose for the love of true belief. (2) She answered and said: “Be still now, Porphirius, and understand: can you build a city within your heart, all surrounded with a precious wall, shining and beautiful from gemstones brighter than is any star, and every dwelling within bright as though it burned and blazed all in flame? (3) And all that is therein is glistening and gleaming as though it were silver or pure gold, each street paved with precious stones of various hues mixed together, glossed and polished as any of the smoothest glass, without mud or mire, forever like summer; and all the citizens seven times brighter than is the sun, rejoicing from every joy and forever equally glad. (4) For nothing at all either hurts them nor do they lack anything of all they want or could want, all singing together like lifelong friends, each one with the other, all playing together, all laughing together, always equally joyful without longing. (5) For there is always light and blazing radiance; nor is night ever there nor ever any distress. (6) Neither does sorrow or pain afflict any man there, neither heat nor cold, neither hunger nor thirst, nor any displeasure. (7) For nothing of bitterness is there, but everything is tasty, sweeter, and more fragrant than any healing tincture, in that heavenly land, in that endless life, in the pleasures and the blessings everlasting, and many more mirths than all people might mention with their mouths and tell with tongue (even if they talked forever), which never cease or lessen but last evermore, the longer the greater. (8) If you still wish to know what people there are at the place where all this bliss is, if there is wealth or any property, I answer you. (9) All that ever is good is there everywhere, and whatever is evil, that is nowhere. (10) If you ask, ‘What good?’, I say that no earthly eye can see it, and no earthly ear hearken or hear, nor human heart think — and least of all mention with mouth — what the world’s Ruler has prepared for all those who love Him rightly.” words, because they had seen sights of Heaven, that they went from her about midnight, prepared for all that woe that any man might ordain them to endure for the Ruler. (2) All of his knights asked Porphirius where he had stayed with the queen and lodged for so long into the night. (3) And Porphirius said to them: “Where I have stayed I grant well that you know, for it will go well for you if you will listen and believe me, for I have not this night kept awake in any worldly watch but in a heavenly one, in which is all my true belief, where the way that leads to that life was made clear to me where one lives forever in bliss without any hardship, in joy without woe. (4) Therefore, if you are mine as you are placed under me, and all want to live with me in eternal joy, leave off believing any longer in these false idols — which mar you and all those who bow down to them — and turn to the Ruler who made all the world: God the heavenly Father, full of every good. (5) And honor and worship His one precious Son called Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, the love of both of Them, who proceeds from Them both and unites Them together so that none can be sundered from the others, all three one God almighty over all, for He holds in His hand — that is, He governs and guides — the Heaven and the earth, the sea and the sun, and all created things seen and unseen. (6) Those who believe this truth and leave that falsehood and buxomly and obediently hold to His commandments, He has promised them what He will fulfill for them, that is, bliss without end in the kingdom of Heaven. (7) And for whomever is so foolish that he should shun this, torment and torture will never fail him in innermost Hell. (8) For too long have we indulged our follies, and He has suffered us, the patient Lord. (9) We did not know what we did until He revealed to us and taught us true belief through that blessed maiden, Katherine, whom the king tortures in prison and intends to kill.” (10) Thus he talked well with two hundred knights and with more yet, so that they at once gave up their wretched belief and cast away all their witless law and turned to Christ. emperor commanded) without food and meal in the prison, but, with food of Heaven through His own angel in the likeness of a dove, fed her the whole twelve days as He did Daniel through Habakkuk the prophet in the lion’s lair in which he lay imprisoned. (2) Our Lord Himself came with angels and with many maidens as well, with such angelic singing and a procession as it befits the Lord to come, and showed and revealed Himself to her, and spoke with her and said: “Behold Me, dear daughter! (3) Behold your high Savior, for whose name you have undertaken all this hardship. (4) Be stalwart and stand firm. (5) You need not dread any death, for lo, because of that I have ordained to put you in My kingdom — which is yours — shared with Me as My lover. (6) And dread you nothing, for I am ever with you, let be done what may be done to you, and many will yet turn to Me through you.” (7) With this He rose up with that heavenly company and ascended into the Heavens, and she looked after them as long as she could, blissful and blithe. came again to his capital city. (2) This maiden in the morning was brought before him, and he began to reproach her in this way: “I would rather, if you were well willing, have and hold you alive than kill you! (3) You need, nevertheless, to choose one of these two options immediately: live, if you offer a sacrifice to our living gods, or, if you will not, you will miserably die.” I do not lose Him who is my life and my love, Jesus Christ my Lord. (2) I do not fear at all any death that passes by in return for that endless life He has granted me immediately thereafter. (3) But you — come up with torments and tortures for me right away, the most cruel of all that any mortal flesh could endure and suffer, for I long to go from here, for my Lord Jesus Christ, my precious lover, summoned me a little earlier. (4) And well it is for me that I may offer both my flesh and my blood as a sacrifice to Him who offered to His Father, for me and for all folk, Himself on the Rood.” one who was a beadle of the devil, Belial of Hell) named Cursates, and thus aloud he called out: “O mighty king! (2) O famous emperor! (3) Katherine did not yet see any of the kinds of torture that she ought to fear. (4) Make the deed done! (5) Since she thus threatens and scolds you, order while she rages like this, four wheels to be prepared within three days, and then order afterward the spokes and the rims be driven through with spikes of iron so that the points and the iron pins pierce through so sharply and so strongly, and project far on the other side so that all the wheels are studded with spikes sharper than any knife, row on row. (6) Then have it turned quickly about so that from that terrible movement, Katherine shall cease her follies and work our will, when she sits nearby and looks upon it. (7) Or, if she will not, she will be so whirled to pieces by the wheels that in a moment all who behold it will feel terror.” (8) The king heeded his counsel; and soon, as he commanded, this heinous and hateful torture was constructed and was on the third day drawn there where the reeves were accustomed to be. (9) And then the king held his royal council concerning this one maiden. side by side with the other and both in one direction; the other two turned in one direction also but opposite the others, so that, when the first two would cast upward the thing which they caught, the other two would drag it and fling it downward, so fearsomely built that terror took hold of each man when he looked at it. (2) Here in the middle was this maiden set to be torn apart wretchedly and piteously ripped up if she would neither hear nor hearken to their counsel. (3) But she cast up her eyes and called toward Heaven, very loudly with her heart but with a quiet voice: “Almighty God, make known now Your might and glorify now Your high name, heavenly Lord, and in order to fasten those who are turned to You in true belief, and so that Maxence and all his people consider themselves vanquished, strike so hard here that all these four wheels shatter into fragments.” downward, and dashed straight down into it as a thunder’s din and struck it such a blow that it all began to clatter and split apart, burst and break up as though it were brittle glass, both the wood and the iron, and the pieces of both burst forth with such violence among them as they stood and sat around there that there were slain of that accursed folk a full four thousand. (2) There one could hear the heathen hounds yell and yelp and yowl on every side, the Christians laugh loudly and praise the Savior, who helps His own everywhere. (3) The emperor, completely demented, had lost human joy and cowered, quite mortified, swooning and sorrowful and most downcast of all men. den herself until then and still concealed her belief, and she could not any more, but came down quickly and forth without fear on foot went forward there, and cast herself before the accursed wolf, and cried in a loud voice: “Wretched man that you are, why will you wrestle with the world’s Ruler? (3) What madness, you bitter baleful beast, makes you war against Him who made you and all worldly things? (4) Be now willing to acknowledge and admit what you have seen: how mighty and how strong, how high and how holy is this Christian’s God Christ whom she worships. (5) How vengefully do you think He, entirely angry, will wreak vengeance on you, wretch, He who has destroyed the wheel with one blow and put to death, because of you, so many thousands today?” (6) And many among all that heathen folk who had all come there to see this wonder, as soon as they saw this and heard the queen speak so, all together converted and began to cry out: true Son of God. (2) And Him we declare and acknowledge as our Lord and high Savior henceforth. (3) And your filthy idols are all accursed, for they can neither help themselves nor those who serve them.” with the queen. (2) He looked at her wrathfully and began to threaten her thus, in this way: “ How now, dame, are you mad? (3) Queen, are you insane now with all these others? (4) Why do you speak so madly? (5) I swear, by the powers of our great gods, that unless you turn yourself around sooner and honor our gods whom you now anger, I will show how my sword may bite into your neck and let the birds of the sky tear into your flesh. (6) And yet you will escape nowhere near so lightly but suffer more strongly, for I will have the nipples torn and rent away from your bare breasts and after that put you to death, the cruelest thing to suffer.” and the more misery you do to me for my new lover, in whom I believe with love, the more you work my will and my joy. (3) Do now then quickly what you have in your heart, for from me you will get nothing more.” heart he commanded her to be taken roughly, and without a trial immediately to have iron nails driven through her nipples and have them ripped up fiercely with the breast-roots. (2) As these devil’s drudges dragged her forth to put her to death she looked towards Katherine and said: “Blessed maiden, intercede for me to your beloved Lord for whose love I suffer to be mutilated in this way, that He, in the torture that I am turned to, may strengthen my heart so that the weak flesh never worsens my spirit so that I fear to deserve the Heaven-kingdom less, that I never forgo for fear of any pain that is fleshly, the crown which Christ — according to what you say — has granted His chosen.” Heaven, for to you is granted today, in place of a little earthly land, that heavenly kingdom; for a man of earth, He who is Lord of life, for this little pain which passes in a little while, endless rest in the kingdom of Heaven, for this swift pain which ceases so soon, bliss without end and joy forever more. (2) Do not at all believe that you perish now, for now you begin first and are born to live in that life that lasts forever without ending.” that she began to call upon the killers and urged them to do what was commanded them. (2) And they did drag her outside the city gates and tore her nipples up from her breasts to the bare bones with awls of iron, and swiped off her head after that with a sword, and she crossed over to Christ on the third and twentieth day of the month of November. (3) And that was on a Wednesday that she went thus, a martyr, to the joys which never end. (4) Porphirius immediately went there in the night, and with him those of his men he trusted well, and anointed all this lady’s body lovingly with sweet smelling aromatic spices and buried her as it was fitting to do for a queen and a martyr. against the king’s prohibition, taken that body from there. (2) When Porphirius saw many guiltless people who were accused of it led off and dragged to death, he leapt forth without fear and came before the emperor and boldly called out: “Say, you son of Satan, you most infamous king, what you know to these men you lead away like this! (3) Look! (4) I am here, you hateful ghost, with all my retainers to give an answer for them. (5) Now condemn me and mine, for against your order we carried off that body and laid it in the earth.” have deserved death and through you all the others. (2) But since you are a famous knight and leader of them all, choose nevertheless between these two. (3) Either change your mind immediately so that the others change their minds through you, and you will live and be dear and esteemed to me. (4) Or, if you will not, stretch forth your neck to accept the sharp sword.” gibes enraged him so sorely that he angrily ordered that every single one of them be beheaded at once outside the city, and all their bodies left unburied, food for wild beasts and birds of the sky. (2) His command was carried out, and all without exception were beheaded. (3) But despite his command, it happened that the bodies were fetched in the night and fittingly buried. (4) God would not let His martyrs’ bodies lie destroyed, He who had promised that not a single hair of their heads would be lost. he commanded that Katherine come quickly before him. (2) She was soon brought forth, and he burst out saying: “Though you are responsible — you alone —for every single one of them, though you with your witchcraft have made so many run towards their deaths as if they were mad, still if you restrain yourself and will honor our gods as fully as you have enraged and mocked them, you can live long with me in all joy and be the most renowned and famous in all my kingdom. (3) Now lead us astray no longer, but consider now quickly whether it is preferable to you to do what I advise you and live if you do so, or this same day to die so dreadfully that it will terrify all those who behold it.” will rise through that fall a thousandfold more fair, from death to immortal life, and rise from wailing to everlasting laughter, from bale to every bliss, from woe to joy and to lasting happiness. (2) In no way, king, do I care for you to postpone it further, but command quickly what you have in your heart, for I am prepared for all the woe that you can contrive for me so that I can see my beautiful lover and be brought so blithely among my fellows who follow Him everywhere in the fair fellowship of virgins in Heaven.” what to say but commanded her to be taken quickly from his sight and beheaded outside the gates of the city. (2) As she was led she looked backwards because of a clamor that she heard, and saw behind her many heathens, men and women, weeping sorrowfully and wringing their hands, but the maidens most of all with sad and sorrowful spirits and the rich ladies letting their tears roll down. (3) And she turned around, somewhat angered, and reproached them for their weeping with these words: “You ladies and you maidens: if you were wise, you would not bring me forth towards bliss with such a sorrowful clamor, and you would never lament or cause grief for me, who goes to eternal rest in the kingdom of Heaven. (4) Be happy, I beseech you, if you wish me bliss, for I see Jesus Christ, who calls and looks for me, who is my Lord and my love, my life and my lover, my joy and my spouse, my mirth and my reward and the maidens’ crown. (5) Turn your weeping all on yourselves, lest afterward you weep eternally in Hell because of that heathen life in which you remain, as you all will unless you give up, while you are alive, your false belief.” above her and was about to be her doom — that he because of his kindness would delay for her and aid her while she bowed down and prayed a prayer. (2) He assented and gave permission gladly. (3) And she looked upward with heart uplifted, and kneeling downward called to Christ thus: “Lord, light and life of all true belief, mild Jesus, who are Yourself the maidens’ reward, may You be praised and glorified, high Savior! (4) And You I thank, Lord, that You have allowed me and wish that I were in the group of Your women. (5) Lord, pity me now and give me what I yearn for. (6) I pray You this prayer, that all those who remember my pain and my passion — to love You, Lord — and call to me when they must endure the pain of death, or whensoever they do it, in need and in hardship, hastily hear them, heavenly Savior. (7) Drive from them all evil: war and want both, and unseasonable weather, hunger and every hatred that injures and harms them. (8) Lo, here I await the bite of the sword’s edge! (9) May he who puts me to death do all that he may do, let him take what he may take: the life of my body. (10) My soul I send to You, Savior in Heaven. (11) Command that it be set by Your holy angels in that heavenly company among Your maidens.” from Heaven: “Come, My beloved lover, come now My spouse, dearest of women! (2) Lo, the gate of eternal life awaits you all open; the dwelling of every joy waits and watches for your coming. (3) Lo, all the assembly of maidens and the company of Heaven comes here to greet you with the champions’ crown. (4) Come now, and do not be in any doubt about all that you have prayed for. (5) All those who remember you and your passion, how you suffered death, in their inmost hearts, every single time they call to you with love and true belief, I prom- ise them immediate help from the heavenly kingdom.” killer: “My life and my lover, Jesus Christ my Lord, has now called me! (2) Do now then quickly what is commanded of you.” (3) And he, as she ordered him, heaved up that hateful sword and swiped off her head. (4) In the same place immediately two wonders occurred: one of the two was that there sprang out with the blow milk mixed with blood, to bear witness to her white maidenhood; the other was that angels came down there from Heaven and lifted her up on high, and carried her body forth and buried it on Mount Sinai, where Moses brought the law from our Lord, from there where she died twenty days’ journey and yet more, as pilgrims say who know it well. (5) There our Lord works so many wonders for her that no mouth can recount them. (6) But among them all this is one of the highest: that there runs oil forever unceasingly abundant, and a stream runs out of that stone tomb that she rests in. (7) Furthermore, from the little bones which flow out with the oil another oil flows out, wherever they are carried and wherever they are kept, which heals all sicknesses and cures people of every misery who have true belief. pains, in the month of November the fifth and twentieth day, and Friday, towards the third hour, on the day and at the time that her dear lover Jesus, our Lord, gave up His life on the Rood for her and for us all. (2) May He be praised and exalted as Savior, from world into all worlds, forever into eternity. (3) Amen. |