The life of saint katherine   portrait of St. Catherine of Alexandria  
HEre beginneth the right excellent and full glorious life and passion of the right blessed virgin and martyr saint Katherine.  

¶ The first chapter.  
THis blessed virgin saint katheryn was by the descent of the line and of the noble kin read of the Emperor of Rome/ as it shall be declared more plainly here after/ by a noble chronicle which most blessed life and conversation was written of the solemn doctor Athanasius that knew her birth her kindred her holy life & conversation. And this same Athanasius was done of her masters in her tender age/ and by the grace of the holy ghost she was converted to the faith. And after that she was converted/ she converted the same athanasi us by holy and marvelous works that our lord wrought in her. and after by his wisdom he was made bishop of Alisandre/ & was a glorious pillar of holy church/ by the grace of our lord god & her holy meritis/ as we do find by credible chronicles For in the time of th'emperor Dioclesian & maximian/ so great & cruel tyranny was showed in the world & not only of christian but also of paynims that in that time many a realm that was sub get to tome put a way the yok of their servage & openly rebelled aienst themperor among which the realm of Ermony was one of the most that mightily withstood the tribute that longed to the emperor of rome wherefore there was chosen to apeas that rebellion a lord of great dignity of the counsel of high Constantius which was afore all other manly in arms/ and therewith right discrete and full of virtues. The which lord than when he came in to Ermony staunched so by his virtue and man lie governance that rebellion/ that he deserved the love of all his enemies/ so far forth/ that the king and all his people desired that he should wed the daughter and the heir of the land and when this was done within a while after the king of Ermonie died/ & Constantius was crowned king of that land the which within a while after had a son by the queen the which was cleped costus And soon after that died the queen for whom was made great lamentation of her people. After whose death Constantius the king turned again to Rome for to see the emperors welfare/ and for to see & know how his lordships were governed in though parties. and in the mean time came tidings to th'emperor of Rome how that great britain that now is called England rebelled against the emperor of Rome. wherefore it was seen among the counsel/ that it was to require constancius the king of Ermonie to take on him for to redress that rebellion. the which request he godlly granted & drew him towards the parties & in hi● coming he ruled him so by his virtue & prudence wherefore we be in darkness & till the light of grac● come we may not see the clear way. and when him list to come he shall void away the dark clothes of ignorance. & she we him clearly to me which I so fervently desire and love. And if so be that him list not that I find him/ yet reason commandeth me to keep hole that is unhurt. wherefore I beseech you humbly my lady my mother that ye ne noon other never move more of this matter For I behight you plainly that for to die therefore I shall never have other but only him that I have described/ to whom I shall truly keep all the pure love of my heart. And with this she rose up/ and her mother & all the lords from the parliament. And with great sorrow/ and lamētacien they took there leave & went on their way. & than they young lady went home unto her palace whose heart was so set on fire with this husband that she had described that she could no thing think n●… do but all her mind & her intention was only on him/ wherfoore she studied & mused continually how she might find him but it would not be as yet/ forsooth she had no means thereto. Nat withstanding he was full near her heart. for he it was that had kynled her heart with a brenning fires love that should never be quenched by no peynene tribulation which was weal seen in her glorio●● passion hereafter.  
Ere I leave this young queen as for a time sitting in her palace continually thinking and imagining how she might find this new spouse with many a tear of elongation and many a sore sigh/ for her blind ignorance and now I shall turn as our lord will give me grace to she we how our lord by his special my racle cleped her to baptism/ in a singular manner ●hat never was herd of before ne sith & after how ●●e wedded her visibly in a glorious manner/ shewing her sovereign tokens of love/ that never was showed to none exthly creature save only to our lady his blessed mother. ¶ Beside Alysander a certain space of miles there dwelt an holy father in desert that hight Adrian the which had served our holy father almighty god the space of. thirty. year in great penance. And on a day as he walked by eight his cell in meditation/ there came against him the most reverent lady that any earthly creature might behold. and when the hermit bihelde her most excellent estate/ and high beauty above kind he was so sore atoned and dreadful that he fell down as deed. than this blessed lady saying his great dread/ cleped him goodly by his name & said brother Adryan dread ye not for I am not come to you but for your great worship honour & profit with that she took him by the hand mildly & comforted him & said to him in this wise. Adrian ye must go on a message to the city of alexander for me and into the palaces of the young Queen & there, ye must say to her that that lady gretethe her well whose son she chase to her lord and husband sitting in her parliament with her mother and all her lords about her where she had a great contluyte and battle in keeping of her virginity/ and tell her that the same lord that she did cheese there is my son that am a clean virgin and he desireth her beauty and he loveth her chastity among all virgins in earth/ & bid her without tarrying that she come with you alone into this place and she shallbe new clothed and than she shall see him/ and have him to her everlasting spouse. The hermit hearing all this/ answered thus. O blessed Lady how should I do this message. for neither I know the cite ne the weigh and what am I though I knew it for to do such a message unto the queen Her many will not suffer me to come unto her presence: and she will not believe me of my message. but put me in durance as though I were a faith. tour. ¶ Adryan said this blessed Lady dread ye not for that that my son hath begun in her must nediss be performed: for were ye well she is a special chosen vessel of grace before all other women wherefore tarry not ne dread not. For both ye shall know the city and also the weigh into her Paleys for there shall no creature take heed to you.  
¶ And when ye come into her palace take good heed which doors open against you/ and enter in boldly till that ye come unto this fair young queen whom ye shall find alone in her study stodyinge full sore in her wits of that that will not be wherefore my son hath compassion on her labour and for her good will she shall be specially fed with his grace that was never none like to her/ out ache mine own person that am his own mother. where fore Adryan high you fast & bring me my dear daughter that I love with all mine heart. And when Adryan had received his message/ he laid him down flat before his sovereign lady saying in this wise. All worship & joy be to my lord god your blessed son. & your blessed will be fulfilled & I will go at your commandment.   

¶ The seven. chapter.  
And anon adrian rose him up & hied him fast to the city of alisander & passed the desert and so forth till he came to the city/ and so he went forth to the palace as he had learned so did he/ and entered in at the doors the which opened against him/ & so he yode from chamber to chamber till that he came to the secret study where as no creature used to come but she herself alone/ & when that he entered in at the door he saw where sat the fairest creature & the most goodly that any creature might behold/ and she sat so sad in her study that she heard him not unto the time that he kneeled him