prologue

The prologe of the translatour of this lytell treatyse in the seconde boke.

stanza 9

57Also we haue shewed vnder your licence
Of her departure from this lyfe mortall, ¹
And of her sepulture at the place of Hamburgence ; ²
The manyfolde myracles shewed by grace supernall,
The wofull lamentacion of her systers all;
And howe after .ix. yere of her translacion ³
By diuine ordinaunce miracles were done.

stanza 10

64We humble require you of your charite
To this seconde abstract to graunt pardon, ⁴
Conysderynge we omytte whilom the historie
And speke of cronicles / makyng a digression;
It is of no ignoraunce / nor presumption,
But to enlarge the mater and sentence,
To gladde the auditours / and moue their diligence.

stanza 11

71In our seconde boke expresse nowe wyll we,
Vnder your licence and speciall tuicion,
Of this blessed virgin / flourynge in chastite,
Why and wherfore she came to Chestre towne,
Principally by miracle / and diuine prouision,
And how for synne / vice / and wykednes
Danes oppressed this lande with wretchednes,

stanza 12

78And how she was receyued at Chestre citie;
Of the fyrst foundacion of towne and the place;
Of the great myracles there shewed openlie
To chanons and monkes / by singular grace,
Vnto euery creature in extreme case,
Howe Werburge delyuered the towne from enmite,
From dredfull fire / and plages of miserye.

stanza 13

85Also encronicled foloweth here expresse
A brefe compilacion of kynge Edwarde seniour ⁵
Of kyng Ethelstam ⁶ / the great worthynes,
Of humble kyng Edgare regnyng as emperour, ⁷
Of his comyng to Chestre / of his great honour;
And howe Erle Leofrice ⁸ repared of his charite
The mynstre of Werburge, gyuyng therto liberte;

stanza 14

92Of the seconde foundacion of the sayd monastery
From secular chanons to monkes religious
Soone after the conquest, sayth the historye,
By the erle of Chestre nominat Hug. Lupus, ⁹
With counsell and helpe of blessed Anselmus; ¹⁰
And of the great compas of the sayd abbay,
Enuired with walles myghty to assay;

stanza 15

99How Richard erle of Chestre by myracle ryght ¹¹
Was preserued from daunger of Walshemen ,
And howe he was drowned about mydnyght
Purposyng to distroye the monastery, certen. ¹²
Celestiall signes were shewed to men and women,
To chidren and innocentes by singular grace
Of blessed Werburge, patronesse of the place:

stanza 16

106These miracles specified / and many other mo
This virgin shewed within Chestre cite,
Whiche at this tyme we let ouer go,
Lest to the reders tedious it shulde be.
Almyghty god, both one two and thre,
Sende vs of theyr grace to make a good ende:
Helpe, lady Werburge, this warke to amende. ¹³