Prologue

 

By mine own feeble letter I feel how it fareth by other that are in the same degree that have charge of souls and are bound to teach parishioners of all the principal festus that come in the year, showing them what the saints suffered and did for God's love, so that they should have the more devotion in God's saints and will the better come to the church to serve God and pray to holy saints of their help.  But many are ignorant for lack of books and simpleness of letters, therefore in help of such humble clerics (such as I am myself) I have brought out this treatis out of Legenda Aurea with more adding to, so he that hath lust to study therein, he shall find ready for all the principal festis of the year a short sermon needful for him to teach, and for others to learn.  And because this treatise speaketh all of festis, I will and pray that it be called a Festial, the which beginneth on the Sunday of the Advent in worship of God and of all the saints that are written herein.  Explicit prefacio.  Incipit liber qui vocatur Festial.  In dei nomine.  Amen.