ABSTRACT
Goode men and woymen, such a day ys Saynt Nycholas-daye. Þe wheche nome ys vndyrstonden þe praysyng of þe pepull; for 24 among all corseyntys of Heuen, Seynt Nycholas ys heghly yprayset of þe pepull, and also yn holy chyrch specyaly for þre vertues: for his meke lyuyng, for his heuenly chesyng, and for his gret compassyon hauyng. He was meke of lyuyng; for as 28 we reden, he had a fadyr þat was callet Epyphanyus, and a modyr þat was heton Ioon. Þe wheche yn hor 3ouþe geton Saynt Nycholas. And when he was borne, þay auoued 3 chastyte, and delet no mor togedyr, but hulden hom payet of þe chyld. 32 Þen þay maden forto cristen hym, and callet hym Nychol þat ys a manys name; but Nicholas, þat ys a chyldys name, so 12þat, || all his lyfe-dayes, he huld þat name of a chyld, and þe 7 a vertues wyth þat ben mekenes, and sympulnes, and wythout maleys. Also when he was yn cradull, he fast Wennysday and 4 Fryday; þe wheche dayes he nold sowke but ones yn þe day, and soo hold hym apayde. And for he huld forþe þes vertues all his lyfe-days wyth his chyldes name, 3et childyr dydden hym worschyp spesyaly byfor any oþer seynt. Þus all his lyfe-dayes, 8 be lyued so mekly, and so symply, and soo wythout maleys, þat all þe pepull hym louet and praysyd for his meke leuyng.
