There was sometime at Rome a certain Pope called Gregory, 1which had a mother, whom he loved above all things, and chiefly for her goodness and virtue. It chanced through misfortune that the aforesaid woman was big with child, which for fear of her son & shame of the people, when the time of her labour drew nigh, killed the child. So like did she at an other time also no man knowing of it: After ward •t so chanced, that the aforesaid woman fell sick and died.2 The Pope and all the people did greatly rejoice of her, for they thought her to be a good woman & to be saved. But afterward when the aforesaid Pope song mass, he saw just by him a certain darkness, so that it seemed rather night than day: and in the same darkness he beheld a certain most miserable creature, to whom he said: O thou creature, I conjure thee in Gods behalf, that thou declare unto me, what thou art. She aū swered. O most dearly beloved son, ⟨image 236⟩I am thy Mother. The Pope marvelling greatly at the matter: said unto her: We hoped that thou haddest been a good woman, and placed in the kingdom of Heaven. Howe cometh it to pass, that thou art now in such pain? She opened unto him all things, that she had done in this world: and told him that therefore she suffered such pains, that the very flames of fire came out of the mouth of her. The Pope being moved with sorrow and pain of his mother, said unto her, O mine own mother, can any thing in the world deliver thee out of this pain? She said: If any man would sing a trentall of masses for me, I should be delivered out of all my pains,3 & be saved. He said: What masses should they be? She answered: Three masses of the Nativity of our lord. Three masses of the Epiphany of our lord Three of the Purification of our Lady.4 Three of the Annunciation of our Lady. Three of the Resurrection of our Lord. Three of the ascension of our Lord. Three of Pentecost. Three of the Trinity. Three of the Assumption of our Lady: and three of her Nativity: so that these masses ⟨p. 208⟩be celebrated within the Octaves of the said feasts, as on the first day, with the same Kirie eleyson. Gloria in excelsis, & Credo: & also the same Sequence & Preface, with Communicantes. Hane igitur: Sanctus, and Agnus, as it is contained in the Canon of the Mass:
THere was somtime at Rome a certaine Pope called Gregory, 1whiche had a mother, whome he loued aboue all thinges, and chiefly for her goodnesse and vertue. It chaūced thorow misfortune that the aforesaid womā was big with child, which for feare of her sonne & shame of the people, whē the time of her labour drew nye, killed the childe. So like did she at an other time also no man knowing of it: After ward •t so chaunced, that the aforesayd woman fell sicke and died.2 The Pope and al the people did greatly reioyse of her, for they thought her to be a good woman & to be saued. But afterwarde when the aforesayde Pope song masse, he saw iust by him a certain darknesse, so that it semed rather night than day: and in the same darknesse he behelde a certayne moste miserable creature, to whom he said: O thou creature, I coniure thee in Gods behalfe, that thou declare vnto me, what thou art. She aū swered. O most derely beloued sonne, ⟨image 236⟩I am thy Mother. The Pope maruellyng greatlye at the matter: sayd vnto her: We hoped that thou haddest bene a good woman, and placed in the kingdome of Heauen. Howe commeth it to passe, that thou art now in such payne? She opened vnto him all thinges, that she had done in this worlde: and tolde him yt therfore she suffred such paynes, yt the very flames of fyre came oute of the mouth of her. The Pope being moued with sorowe and payne of his mother, said vnto her, O mine owne mother, cā any thing in the world deliuer thee out of this paine? She said: If any mā would sing a trentall of masses for me, I should be deliuered out of all my paines,3 & be saued. He said: What masses shoulde they be? She aunswered: Thre masses of ye Natiuity of our lord. Thre masses of ye Epiphanie of our lord Three of the Purification of our Lady.4 Thre of the Annūciation of our Lady. Thre of the Resurrection of our Lord. Thre of the ascensiō of our Lord. Thre of Penthecost. Three of the Trinitie. Thre of the Assūption of our Lady: and thre of her Natiuitie: so yt these masses ⟨p. 208⟩be celebrated within ye Octaues of ye said feasts, as on the first day, with the same Kirie eleyson. Gloria in excelsis, & Credo: & also the same Sequēce & Preface, with Communicantes. Hane igitur: Sanctus, and Agnus, as it is contained in ye Canon of the Masse:
- 1Note this tale.
- 2All is not gold, that glistereth.All is not golde, that glistereth.
- 3A trentall of Masses, and what they are.
- 4Trinities of Masses.
