Excerpt 27

Prospiciat paci tue gloriosa uirginum uirgo, 1 que purissimum pectus aperuit uestiende ueritati, ut possemus in terris filium Dei quamuis indignis et culpabilibus oculis intueri. Et ipsa enim misterio dulci duas sibi uoluit basilicas infra muros tuos edificari euidenter ostendens quod et te protegat in presenti et eternam tibi, si grate seruias, uitam, sufficiat emereri. In una comes caput ciuium cum sua curia pro more obseruat diuina sollempnia, 2 in altera basilica miraculum prebetur cum muliebris sexus mirabiliter preliatur. 3 Dormis dilectissima ciuitas ad spectaculum; negligentia tibi grauat palpebras oculorum. Curris frequenter aspicere canum rictus, ferocias molosorum, quam horrende tauros lacerant et artus ursorum. Ante annos paucissimos erumpens extra muros prosiluisti, omnis etas, sexus, condicio cucurrit, uix anicula sub tecto remansit, De colludio illo, ante Iohannem filium regis et Filippum de Wirescestria i . 4 spectari duos armis septos et equis impositos, quadam loci planicie ut fidenter dicam futurorum presagio contendere, 5 cum pro suo modo sine militari exercitio, tamen uirtute uesana coram filio regis et quodam altero de proceribus regni sine ludo luderent et pro laude labili multis intuentibus actis calcaribus et calentibus animis decertarent. Ibi tamen iuxta uotum tuum Anglus preualuit et emulum insecutus artauit, ut maiorum tumor ceperet et minorum tenor cresceret,Nota hoc. pluribus illud spectantibus prudentibus aliud expectantibus. Set siue hec magna signauerint, siue modica, siue nulla, uacante nugacitatis aspectu, confer te ad spectacula puritatis, pulcritudinis, pacis, pensa quam pium, quam preciosum lucere in terris uitam angelorum. Habes non extra set intra murum, De sanctimonialibus, ancillis Dei. merum et mirandum uirtutis argumentum.

Excerpt 27

Let the glorious virgin of virgins guard your peace, 1 she who revealled the purest heart under a cloaking of truth so that we could admire the incarnate son of God with eyes unworthy and sin-stained. As a delightful mystery, she wanted to build for herself two churches within the walls, to show manifestly that she can both protect youin the present and earn you eternal life, if you serve her. In one church, the Earl, the leader of the citizens, customarily performs the divine service with his court, 2 in the other church, miraculously, the female sex marvellously battles. 3 You sleep through this spectacle, beloved city; sloth weighs down your eyelids. You frequently run to see dogs fighting, fierce mastiffs, to see how dreadfully they mangle bulls and bears. A very few years ago, you excitedly rushed outside the walls, regardless of age, sex or estate, so that scarcely one little old woman remained indoors, Concerning the jousting before John, the king's Son, and Philip of Worcester. 4 to watch two men armed and on horseback fight, and, on that plain to joust, as I might confidently say, foreshadowing future events, 5 when on their own without an army but nevertheless with frenzied strength, in the presence of the king's son and another nobleman they toyed with each other but not in jest and sought praise from the lips of those watching as they fought, spurring their horses and inflaming their passions. According to your wishes, the Englishman triumphed and overcame his opponent; by that the pride of the mighty was pricked and the way of life of the meek strengthenedNote these things. when many watching expected another outcome. But whether these things signified anything great, anything small, or nothing at all, having the empty appearance of a trifle, compare them with that show of purity, beauty and peace, think how blessedly, how preciously, they reflect on earth the life of angels. You have not outside the walls but within themConcerning nuns, servants of God. an unalloyed example of virtue.

Excerpt 28

Itaque lector meus attendat, qualiter ipsa domina nostra uirginum Virgo, quam, sicut res docent, duas habere memorie sue basilicas diximus infra muros urbis,De basilicis Domine nostre, benedicabilis Marie . terciam sibi constitui placuit extra muros, uicinam ecclesiae Iohannis Domini precursoris, 6 pulcro ueraciter ordine, gestorum plenissima racione. Nempe apud Nazareth Galilee, olim saluata ab archangelo, cum concepisset de spiritu sancto plena gaudiorum, propter salutem orbis terrarum, exurgens cum festinacione abiit in montana (Luke 1:39) et intrauit domum Zacharie et salutauit Elisabeth (Luke 1:40) cognatum suam. Nimirum ex celesti nuncio et comuni gaudio omnium conditorum suaue nimis ac sullime editura colloquium, pariter et seni ac prouecte mulieri ipsa expedicior et liberior, facilior et fecundior, quamuis altior et eminentior tamen uirgo iuuencula, prebitura pietatis obsequium, iam in suo portans utero filium, qui postea lauit pedes apostolorum.

Excerpt 28

Therefore let my reader carefully notice how this lady, our Virgin of virgins, whom, in accordance with the facts, we said has two churches within the walls dedicated to her memoryConcerning the churches of our Lady, the blessed Mary . was happy to establish a third outside the walls near the church of John, precursor of the Lord, 6 a truly beautiful location with great historical significance. Certainly at Nazareth in Galilee, having been greeted by the Archangel Gabriel when full of joy concerning the holy spirit and the salvation of the entire world Mary went into the hill country with haste (Luke 1:39) and she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth (Luke 1:40), her kinswoman. Evidently she had a most sweet and sublime conversation with the pregnant woman because of the heavenly messenger and the common joy of all creation, though compared to the the aged woman she was more unencumbered and free, more fecund and fertile, and though a young virgin, higher and more eminent, who would behave with pious obedience carrying in her womb her son who later washed the feet of the apostles.

Iustissime igitur atque pulcherrime apud nostram Cestriam, pro sua matre matri Domini quasi refundens uicem¶De processione que sit festis diebus a clericis Cestrie inter duas basilicas . suae in Christo familie, inspirauit Iohannes Baptista consuetudinem, ut festis temporibus atque dominicis diebus, coris incedentibus et uocibus dulcissimis resonantibus, gloriosae uirginis ac Domini genitricis ecclesiam deuotissime satagant uisitare et consuetis officiis pro more uenerabilis cleri, ad Eterni Regis gloriam officiosissime salutare. Veraciter tanquam diceret Baptista clarissimus sibi ministrantibus rebus simul et racionibus. Quia tria uidentur in temporibus, semel, sepe, ac semper,Semel, sepe, semper: unum montanis Iudee, alterum Cestrie, tercium in eternitate. per humilitatem et iusticiam contendere satagamus, 7 et reddamus regine celi officii et gratie fecundissimum fenus, ut crescentibus comodis, quia semel in terris dignata est meam matrem salutare, nos ei sepe curemusdignissimas laudes salutando refundere, quatinus eius gloriosis precibus mereamur in celis, semper et aeternaliter himnos nostros cum angelis sociare.

Therefore, thanking Christ for the fortune of his family like his mother thanking the mother of the Lord, John the Baptist very properly and beautifully established a custom in Chester,Concerning the procession made by the clerks of Chester between the two churches on holy days. by which on holy days and Sundays, with choirs proceeding and their very sweet voices resounding they visit the church of the glorious Virgin and mother of the Lord with great devotion and with the formalities typical of that venerable clergy most dutifully visit them to the glory of the eternal king. It is as if the most illustrious Baptist had spoken to those attending to him in both word and deed. We must try to act with meekness and justness because this may be seen three times in history: once, often and always. 7 Once, often, always: the first in little-known Judah, the second in Chester, the third in eternity. We should pay back the queen of heaven with most fruitful kindness and goodwill when, with increasing benefit, we undertake to lavish most fitting praise on her by visiting, since she once on earth deigned to greet my mother, so that we may earn her glorious prayers in heaven to always and eternally share our hymns with angels.

Hec cum ita sint, ut dicamus pauca que restant: intendat Cestriae habitator, exeunti portam orientalem, qualiter ei trinus uiarum trames aperitur et pulcra super locorum uocabulis, que se offerunt, consideracio inuenitur; nec solum pulcra, set etiam iocunda. Nam progressus paululum a ciuitate si directus incedit, statim a fronte uenientem locus excipit, quem nominant Villam Christi;De triuio Cestrie quod aperit exeuntibus et plures latuit de proxime uicinis. si uero flectit ad dexteram alter locus, quem uocant incole, Veterem Vadum; si autem uertitur ad sinistram, uenitur ad locum, quem de latibulis insidiantium, recte dicunt Vallem Demonum.

We will now say something about a few little things that remain: the inhabitant of Chester should notice, leaving the East Gate, how three roads are presented to him and how they and their names prove to be beautiful subjects for consideration; indeed, not only beautiful, but also congenial. For if he walks a little way directly out of the city, a place immediately appears in front which they call the village of Christ;Concerning the three roads which appear to those leaving Chester and what escapes the notice of many the about neighbouring villages. if he turns to the right, another place appears which they call the Old Ford; if however he turns to the left, he has come to the place which they rightly call the Valley of Demons, since it is a hiding place for robbers.

Apparatus Criticus

i.
Wirecestria] Warecestria ta Back to context...

Footnotes

1.
Lucian begins to talk about the Virgin Mary. Back to context...
2.
This is the church of St Mary on the Hill, granted by Earl Ranulph to St Werburgh's in the mid twelfth century. Back to context...
3.
This is the Benedictine nunnery of St Mary, founded in the mid twelfth century by Ranulph II. See Harris, 1980, 146-50. Back to context...
4.
Philip of Worcester was one of the household knights of Prince, later King John. He witnessed 15 comital acta before 1194 and reappeared in John's royal household: see Church 1999, 22. Taylor 1912, 10 suggests the combat took place in 1186, when John and Philip were waiting at Chester to sail to Ireland. The Annales Cestrienses imply that Philip was John's deputy in Ireland: Christie, 1887, 33, 35. Back to context...
5.
Given the anonymity of the two protagonists, it is difficult to say why their combat should have been a prognostication of future events (futurorum presagio). Back to context...
6.
This is the White Chapel, a chapel dedicated to St Mary within the precincts of St John's, which was in use as a grammar school in 1353. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book as a monasterium. Back to context...
7.
Lucian uses the exegetical technique of allegory to trace the historical and spiritual resonances of Mary's visit to Elizabeth. Note how he conflates the spatial (Judea, Chester) and temporal (eternity). Back to context...