7 De sancto Stephano

 

Blessed people of God's might, that are come this day to Holy Church in worship of God and his holy martyr Saint Stephen, that is called God's first martyr because he was the first martyr that suffered death for the love of Christ after the ascension of God--Then to strengthen your devotion all the more to this holy martyr, ye shall now hear what he suffered for God's love, as the book of the deeds of the apostles telleth.  

When Christ was ascended into heaven, the apostles all tended to the preaching of God's word and to holy prayer.  And for because they might not serve all that turned to the faith, they chose six holy men and good out of sixty and ten that were Christ's disciples for to help them in God's service, of the which Saint Stephen was the first and the wisest, and was so full of grace and might of the Holy Ghost that he did many wonders and miracles among the people.  But although a man be never so holy a liver, yet he shall have enemies.  Wherefore many Jews of diverse countries that had envy towards Saint Stephen rose up against him and despised and spited against him and against Christ's faith, having full purpose, that if they might not overcome him by disputation and by false witness, they might do him to death.  But when Saint Stephen knew their malice, he thought for to confound them them in one of these three ways: by shaming in disputation, or by dread of revelation, or by love and holy orison.  

But first he said by shaming in disputation.  For when they began to spite with him, he was so full of the Holy Ghost that they had no wit nor power to astound him, he but openly overcame them in all matters and proved their witness false and said he was ready to take death in verifying of all that he said, and proved well that it was a great shame to all of them, that were great clerics and knew the law and the prophecies that should come--and were fulfilled in Jesus Christ that he preached, and that they would not believe in him unless they were astounded by the Holy Ghost speaking in their hearts and showing them in conscience that they did amiss.  And whereas they saw that the common people turned to the faith because of the words and miracles that God showed in their sight, they [algate geynstoden stufly] and set God's works and naught only by malice of envious hearts and by no manner reason of scripture.  Then were they more angered against him, and filled their hearts with envy within, and gnashed their teeth against him.  And so that they might not overcome him by disputing, they sought that they might take him with some word of slander in God whereby they might lawfully have cause to do him to death.  

Then knew Saint Stephen their malice and lifted up his eyes even to heaven and saw Jesus, God's Son, standing on his father's right hand.  And then said Saint Stephen: "Lo, I see Jesus standing at his father's right hand ready to help me," and therewith anon his face shone as bright as if he had been an angel of heaven.  But when they herd him speak so, they were faint and stopped their ears, as if they had heard him speak false and slander of God, and had been horrible for any man to have heard him lie so.  Then anon they dragged him out of the city for to stone him to death as if he were a slanderer of God, and chose two men that could best hurl stones at him, and despoiled him of his clothes and laid them at the feet of a young man who was called Saul, that was after Saint Paul, for he was one of the chief of them that did Saint Stephen to death.  

But when Saint Stephen saw that he might not free himself by fear of revelation, then he turned to devout orisons.  And when they hurled stones at him and smote out his brain, he bried to God and said, "Lord Jesus, take my soul!" And because he wanted to pray more devoutly for his enemies than for himself, he kneeled down to the earth and said, "Lord Jesus, let the sin f them be forgiven and this guilt, for they know not what they do." And when he had said so, anon he slept in God.  

Now take heed what a burning love this man had in his heart, that he prayed more devoutly for his deadly enemies than he did for himself.  In this he gave a high example to all Christian people to have charity each to another and to pray heartily for their enemies and for folk that pursue them or do them dis-ease.  For he that prayeth devoutly for his enemy in that he is a martyr, for martyrdom falleth by three ways: by passion and will thereto, by will without passion, and by passion without will.  

In showing of these three martyrdoms, the three festus that show the birth of Christ are set together in token that who so suffereth any of these he shall be set even to Jesus in heaven.  Saint Stephen he is set next to him, for he had passion and will thereto, Saint John had will but no passion, the Innocents they suffered death but had no will thereto--but not [ageynus] will.  Thus may a man be a martyr, though he shed not his blood, that is, when he suffereth wrong and pursuit of evil men and thanketh God thereof, and taketh it with good will, and prayeth for his enemies to God in full charity.  For martyrdom without charity, as Saint Paul sayeth, profiteth naught.  Wherefore take good heed, and ye shall find that these three were full of charity:  Saint Stephen when he should die, he kneeled down for to pray for his enemies; Saint John when he went to his death, he said to them that took him: "Children, love together and that is enough"; the Innocents, for they were so young that they could not speak, they showed their love by open sign, for they did laugh upon them that slew them and played with their hands for joy when they saw the bright swords shine.  

Then for [encheson] that Saint Stephen was so glorious a martyr, God showed many miracles for him, of the which this is one.  There was an honest woman who had seven sons and three daughters.  But in a mishap one day, all of them vexed their mother so that she in a great malice cursed them all, and anon therewith fell vengeance upon them so that their limbs quaked, and all that saw them had great compassion on them and pitied them greatly.  And because they could do no work, they went as [mased] beasts all through the country.  Then happened it so that a brother of them that was named Paule and a sister that was named Pallida came into a church of Saint Stephen.  And when this man heard how devoutly they prayed for them, he had full trust that he would pray for him, and he would be his servant ever after.  And so in this full hope he went into the chancel, and with all his heart he prayed Saint Stephen of help.  And anon in sight of all men he was whole.  Then when the sister saw her brother whole, she prayed in the same wise to Saint Stephen.  And then as she prayed, she fell asleep, and when she woke, she was whole, and with all her heart thanked God and Saint Stephen.  

Another miracle Saint Augustine telleth thus: A senator of Rome with his wife went to Jerusalem and there built a fair chapel in worship of Saint Stephen.  And when he was dead, he ordained himself to be buried therein by Saint Stephen.  But long after his death his wife would go again to her country, and she would have the bones of her master with her.  And so with prayer and with gifts the bishop brought to her the bones of Saint Stephen and of her husband and said to her: "I know not which are the bones of thy master." Then said she: "Sire, I know full well.  These be my master's bones." and took Saint Stephens bones instead of her master's bones, unbeknownst to her.  Then when she came to the sea, angels sang in the air and a sweet smell came out of the bones that passed any spicery, and therewith fiends cried, "Woe is ours for Stphen goeth and bitterly burneth us and beateth us." and therewith roared a tempest that the sailors would have drowned and cried to Saint Stephen.  And he anon appeared to them and said: "Be not afraid" and anon the tempest ceased.  Then she heard these fiends cry, "Thou wicked [prynste], our master burneth the ship, because Stephen, that is our adversary, is therein."  Then the prince of fiends sent five fiends for to have burned the ship.  But then was the angel of God ready and drowned them in the ground of the sea.  And when they came with the ship to land, fiends cried: "God's servant cometh that was stoned to death by Jews wicked."  Then in worship of Saint Stephen men made a church and put his bones therein, where God worked many miracles after for him.