chapter 5

Of the notable myracles of saynt Werburge shewed in the tyme of chanons / and fyrst howe she saued Chester from distruction of walshemen.

stanza 104

723Shortly the kynge remoued his great host,
Departed from the cite without any praye,
And gaue in commaundement in euery cost
Saynt Werburge landes to meynteyne alway,
Assigned her possessions euer after that day
With the signe of the crosse, a token euident,
In pleasyng this virgin / for drede of punysshement.

chapter 7

Howe saynt Werburgesaued Chestrefrom innumberable barbarike nacions / purposynge to distroye and spoyle the sayd cite.

stanza 109

758An other tyme innumerable barbarike nacions
Came to spoyle Chestre, to robbe it and distry,
(Sayth the historye) from diuers regions: ¹ .
Harolde kyng of danes / the kynge of gotes & galwedy ,
Maucolyn of Scotlande, and all theyr company,
With baners displayed, well armed to fyght;
Theyr tentes rially in hoole heth were pyght. ²

stanza 110

765They set theyr ordinaunce agaynst the towne
Vpon euery side / timorous for to se,
Namely at the northgate they were redy-bowne
By myght, police to haue entered the cite.
The citezens, dredyng to be in captiuite,
Made intercession vnto this holy abbasse
For theyr deliueraunce in suche extreme case.

stanza 111

772 The deuout chanons sette the holy shryne
Agaynst theyr enemies at the sayd northgate,
Trustyne to Werburge to saue them from ruyne
And shewe some myracle to them disconsolate.
For the citezens were of their lyues desperate,
Passynge mannes mynde to escape theyr daunger
But all-only by merite of this virgin clere.

stanza 112

779As the kynges were sautynge this forsayd cite,
Trustyne for a praye to haue it euery hour,
One of the sayd ennemies, replet with iniquite,
Nat worshyppyng ye virgin / nor dredyng our sauiour,
Smote this riall relique with a stone in his rancour,
Brake therof a corner, curiously wrought,
Cast all to the grounde: than sorowe came vnsought.

stanza 113

786The sayd malefactour nat passynge the place
Vexed with the deuill for his greuous offence,
Roryng and yellyng his outragious trespase,
Tore his tonge a-sonder in wodely violence,
Miserable exspired afore them in presence;
Satan ceased nat to shewe great punysshement
Vpon his soule and body / by signes euident.

stanza 114

793 These kynges considerynge this soden vengeaunce
Amonge them all lyght so soone and hastely,
Shortly remoued theyr great ordinaunce,
Departed from the cite with theyr company;
Callyng on this virgin fast for grace and mercy,
Promyttynge neuer after to retourne agayne
To disquiete her seruauntes and cite, in certayne.

chapter 10

Howe an other woman vnlaufully wurkynge was made blynde / and by saynt Werburge restored was to her syght agayne.

stanza 126

877Within the same cite afore the abbay-gate
Dwelled a woman / which brake the commaundement
Of god and holy churche / hye sabbot-day dyd violate
Unlaufully wurkynge: ³ wherfore great punysshement
Fell vpon this woman with peynes equiualent,
Sodaynly smytten / wurkynge full busely
With greuous blyndnes / and mycle miserye.