Transcribers note: This sermon contains two stories about Christians stealing from Jews. Christians weren't very... nice... to Jews during the medieval period, and these stories are definitely written for a medieval Christian audience, not a faithful Jewish audience. Nonetheless, they are presented in as true a translation as I can render them. And considering the historical context, they are surprisingly sympathetic. Believe me, I was worried it was going to get much more hairy. Other highlights: St. Nicholas saves girls from the brothel, St. Nicholas bullies an emperor
For such a day ye shall have Saint Nicholas Day.
He is much praised in Holy Church for three things especially: for his meek living, for his heavenly [chesyng], and for his great compassion.
He was of meek living. For we read he had a father that was called Ephifanus and a mother that was called Johanna. And when he was born, they avowed chastity and dallyed no more together, but concentrated all their attention on their child, to make him a Christian, and would not call him Nychol, that is a man's name, but instead Nicholas, that is a child's name, so that all the days of his life he had the name of the child and the virtues of a child also, that is to say, meekness, simpleness, and without malice.
Also, while he was in his cradle, he fasted Wednesday and Friday, the which days he would suck but once in one day, and so tide him over. And he held forth these virtues all his life with his child's name, so children worship him especially before any other saint. Thus all the days of his life he lived so meekly and simply and so without malice that all people loved him and praised him for his meek living.
He was also chosen by a voice that came down from heaven, to be bishop of the city of Myrre. For when the bishop of that city was dead, the bishops of the country came together to choose another bishop. Then came a voice to one of them, that was the chiefest of them, and bade him go early on the morrow to the church door and make the one he found there the new bishop, "and is called Nycholas". On the morrow this bishop arose early and went to the church door, and found there Nicholas ready, and said to him, "What is thy name?" then he, as it was he, was full meek, meekly answered and said, "Sire," bowing his head, "Nycholas, servant to your holiness." Then said the bishop, "Come, son, with me, for I have to speak to thee in private." and took him to the other bishops and said, "Lo, sires, here he is that God hath ordained to us." And so they took him and consecrated him bishop, thus he was made bishop by heavenly choosing.
He had also great compassion for all that were diseased and in woe. For when his father and his mother were both dead, they left him an abundance of the world's goods, which he spent upon them that were needy. When it happened that there was a rich man that had three daughters, young fair women, but by mischief he was fallen in to such poverty that for great need he ordained that his daughters be whores and so to support her living and his living both. But when Nycholas heard of this, he had great compassion on them. And on a night privately at a window he cast in a bag with a sum of gold into the man's chamber. In the morrowtide the man rose and found this gold. He was so glad that no man could tell, and with that gold anon he got his eldest daughter married. Then on another night Nycholas cast another sum of gold into the man's chamber as he did before And so the third time until they were all married. But the third night, when this man heard this gold fall, anon he went out and caught up with Nycholas and knew that it was he that had so helped him in his time of need, and kneeled down and would have kissed his feet. He would not let him, but prayed him to keep better counsel {make better choices) while he lived.
Also another time men were in the sea in despair of their lives, crying to Saint Nycholas for help. Then anon he came to them, going on the water, and said to them: "Lo, I am ready at your calling." and helped them so that they came soon to a haven.
Also that time was there such a dearth of grain and a hunger in all that country that everyone almost died from the lack. Then it happened that the emperor's common ships, filled with wheat, sailed into the haven. Then went Saint Nycholas to them, praying them to grant him of each ship a hundred bushel of wheat for to relieve the people with, and he would make sure that they would not lack any measure of when when they had arrived home. Then he had what he asked for. And when these sailors came home, their ships were full of wheat and wanted nothing. And that grain that Saint Nycholas had through his holy power was of so great plenty and virtue (quality) that it fed all the people and there was enough left over for sowing.
Three knights also impeached to the emperor of traitory, by false suggestion, and were condemned to prison, to be slain that very night. But because these knights were weeping and crying to Saint Nycholas for help, he came that night to the emperor as he was in bed and said thus to him: "Why has thou so wrongfully condemned these knights to death? Rise up anon and make for to deliver them, or else I will pray to my God to raise battle against thee, in the which thou shalt be dead and beasts shall eat thee." Then said the emperor: "What art thou that speak so boldly to me?" "I am," he said, "Nicholas, the bishop of Myrre." Then was this emperor afraid, so that anon he had the knights brought to him and said thus: "What witchcraft have ye cast that hath troubled me so much this night? Know ye a man is called Nycholas, bishop of Myrre?" Then when they heard his name, anon they fell to the ground on their knees and held up their hands, thanking God and Saint Nycholas. And when they had told the emperor of his life, he bade them go to him and thank him for their lives and pray mightily to God on his behalf, and so they did. Thus, men see that he had great compassion upon all that were in dis-ease.
Then after when he knew that he would die, he prayed God to send him angels to fetch his soul. And when he saw the angels coming, he bowed to them with his head and said: In manus tuas, domine, commendo spiritum meum, and so gave up the ghost. And when he was buried, at the head of his tomb sprung a well of oil that was medicine to all who were sick. Then it happened that many years after, Turkus was walking in the city of Myrre where Saint Nycholas lay. And when men of the city of Barus heard that, seven and forty knights with their servants ordained him [schyppus] and went thither. ANd when they came thither, four monks that were left there told them of his tomb. And anon they opened it and found his bones swimming in oil, and took them up and brought them into the city of Bares with much joy and mirth.
Then because of the great miracles that were done there when Saint Nycholas was dead, another good man was chosen to be bishop in his stead. Then after, by envy of cruel men, he was put out of his bishopric. And then anon the oil ceased and ran out. Then was he called again to the bishopric, and then anon oil sprang out as it had done before.
Also a Christian man borrowed a certain sum of gold at a Jew. The Jew said he would loan nothing unless he had a [borgh.] He said he had none but Saint Nycholas. Then the Jew granted to take Saint Nycholas to [borgh]. So the Christian man swore upon the alter of Saint Nycholas that he would truly pay him again. THen they went forth and the day of payment of the money passed. The Jew then asked the CHristian man why he paid not him his money as he had promised. And he answered and said he had paid him each penny, and he said nay. The other said he had paid, and thereto he would bring it to the law. Then this Christian man made him a whole staff and put the gold therein and went to bring it to the law. When he brought it to court, he told the Jew to hold his staff while he swore. When he had done, he took his staff back again and went home. As he went by the way, he was sleepy and lay down and slept in the road. Then came a cart and went over him and slew him, and broke his staff, and the gold fell out. Everyone saw it as vengeance for his falsehood and called the Jew and bade him to take his gold. He was sorry and said he would not but Saint Nycholas would pray for to raise him to life. Then he would be christened and live in Christian faith. And so by the prayer of Saint Nycholas the dead man rose up, and then the Jew was christened by evidence of this miracle.
Also a Jew saw the great might of Saint Nycholas by working of miracles, and made an image of Saint Nycholas and set it in his shop among his goods, and bade him keep well his goods well he was away from home or else he should fall thereby. Then he went out of the town. So when he was gone forth, thieves came and stole his goods and bore them away. So when this Jew came home and found his goods stolen, he was full wroth with Saint Nycholas and took a scourge and beat this image of Saint Nycholas, as if it were Saint Nycholas himself, and thus spake to him, "I told thee to keep my goods safe, Nycholas, for the great trust I had in thee, and thus foully hast thou served me! Thou shalt be beaten each day until thou hast brought my goods back again." Then as the thieves were assembled for departure, with the stolen goods, Saint Nycholas came to them and said, "See how you have made me be beaten for these goods", and showed them his sides all bloody. "Go," said he, "and bring them straight back again, or else God's vengeance shall fall upon you and you shall be hanged." Then said they to him: "Who art thou that treateth us thus?" Then said he: "I am Nycho, God's servant, that the Jew told to keep his goods safe." Then were they so afeared that anon the same night they carried all the goods back again. Then on the morrow when the Jew saw his goods brought back again, anon he took faith and was after a true Christian man.
A man for the love of a son that he had, a cleric, made every year a feast for the day of Saint Nycholas. One time the father made a feast and invited many clerics. Then the devil came to the gate in the appearance of a pilgrim and asked for some goods. The father told his son to give the pilgrim alms. The child went to the door and the pilgrim was gone. Then the child followed after. Then he caught the child and strangled him. When the father heard, he was full sorry. He took the child and laid him in his chamber, crying for sorrow, and said: "A, Saint Nycholas, is this what I shall have for my worship of thee?" Anon the child rose up, as if he had been asleep.
Also a man prayed to God and to Saint Nycholas to give him a child, and he would lead the child to his church and should offer there a cup of gold. The child was born, and he had a cup made. WHen it was made, it was so fair that he had another made. Then he went forth with the child toward Saint Nycholas' church over the sea. Then in the sea the father bid his child: "Take the cup and [cleche] water." The child went forth and stooped down recklessly. The cup fell out of his hand, and he tried to catch it again but fell after and was drowned. The father made much sorrow, but yet he went forth with his other cup to do his pilgrimage. And when he would have offered up his cup, he set it on the altar, and anon it was thrown from the altar. He set it again on the altar and it was thrown from it again. The third time he set it on the altar and it was thrown well far from the altar. With that, in came in the child with his cup in his hand. Then he told to all folk how Saint Nycholas took him by the hand when he fell into the sea and carried him out safe. Then was the father glad and offered up both cups, and they went on their way.
There was also a rich man the which, by the prayer of Saint Nycholas, had a child. Then he built a chapel in honor of Saint Nycholas, and every year he made a feast in honor of Saint Nycholas. Then upon the day this child was taken by enemies and carried into another land and was in the service of a king. On Saint Nycholas' day, as he was serving the king, he thought on the mirth that his father made on that day, and he sighed and moaned, full sore. The king was worried and said, "Whatsoever thy Nycholas may do, thou shalt dwell here with us." Then suddenly a great wind came and smote the house, and the child was caught up with the cup that he bore in his hand and was set before the gates of the church where his father made the feast. Then was there great joy. Thus he had great compassion on them that were in dis-ease. Some books say that this child was of Normandy and was taken of a sultan beyond the sea and was often beaten. For certain, he was beaten upon Saint Nicholas day and put into the prison. Then he wept sore and with that he fell asleep. And when he woke, he was in the chapel of his fathers etc.
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