The PurveyProject

De sancto Michaele arcangelo
Homilies for Saints

Par Alina MIHOC
Publication en ligne le 05 octobre 2013

1Frendys, we redyn that this feste of seynt Mishel arcaungel was first founden to be halowed at a gret hille that was called Gargone. And thanne it tellith more that there was in a cite besyde a wonder ryche man duellynge. His name was Gargonus. And so amonge the whiche bestys, there was on of hem

2/f. 75v/ eueremore goynge be himself. And so after hit befel upon a day that alle his bestys come home and this best cam not home as it was wonte. And whanne this man Gargonus myst this best, anon he was greued therewith and went himself with a bowe in his honde and certyn of arowes vnder his gyrdel. And so he went him forthe to that hille that his bestys was wont to gon, and whanne he was thedyre comyn he was ware where his bestys went and stode. And anon he bent his bowe and sette an arowe thereinne and so hepurposed to haue slayn the beste. And so he drewe this arow and lete it gon, and there cam as it had ben a blaste of wynde and turned the arow evene ageyn to him that shet it and hit him and wounde him right sore. And whanne he was thus hurte, he wondered gretlyche what best it was that he wolde haue shet atte but nere durst he not come but went him home ayen. And went him to the beshope of the cite and tolde him as it stode. And thanne it tellith that, the beshope went and made his preyers to God iii dayes and iii nytes to wete what thinge it myte be. And so at the laste, Mishel appered to him and seyde : ‘Now ƿu beshope, ƿu hast don wele’, he seyde, ‘for wete ƿu wele it is my wille that man be smetyn with his owne drawte to come so to

3/f. 76r/ sekyn Goddes preuete. For I am’, he seyde, ‘Mishell, the whiche am alwey in the syte of God and was thedyr sent to worshipe that place in erthe’. And whanne he had thus seyde to h[i]m1, he and certyn men with him wentyn on the morow to that hille. And whanne thei come aboven to the coppe, and there thei founden as it had ben a mannes pas dentyd into the erthe. And tho thei seyde it was a gate of sum man, and wayten thei wolde what it were and went in, and there thei founde a feyr chirche and to auters made thereinne. And thereinne thei founde a lytel boke and it was shewed amonge hem and it spake thus that seynt Mishel the arcaungel shulde be worshiped in here hertys, and that day be halowed in the worshipe of him. And therefore began first the feste of seynt Mishell to be halowed. And also we fynde that seyn Mishel ouerecam the dragoun, that was a fende, and slow him with his spere. And whanne he was slayn, there cam a voys from heuene syngynge: ‘Heil be to oure Lord God

4/f. 76v/ withoutyn ende’, seyde it. ‘And ƿu, Mishel arcangel, I haue ordeynde the to be prynce ouere all myn angels and ouere alle cristen peple, hem to gouerne and helpen, as Daniel the profete seyde: Nemo est adiutor meus in omnibus nisi Micael arcangelus et princeps noster. And this is to seyn: ‘No man’, seyde Daniel, ‘is my helper in al thinges but only oure prynce Michael the arcaungel’, and he shal be weyere of soules. And therefore, gode man and women, who sumeuere wil haue uictory must loue seynt Mishell and halow wele his day so that they moun haue socoure and helpe in the todere worlde and come to the blisse euerelastynge. Amen.

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