The Golden Legend (Volume 7); Or, Lives of the Saints

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1900. Excerpt: ... THE GOLDEN LEGEND Here folloiveth the Life ofS. Katherine, virgin and martyr, and first of her name. Kather1ne is said of catha, that is all, and ruina, The Life that is falling, for all the edifice of the devil fell oJ S. all from her. For the edifice of pride fell from her Katherme by humility that she had, and the edifice of fleshly desire fell from her by her virginity, and worldly covetise, for that she despised all worldly things. Or Katherine may be said as, a little chain, for she made a chain of good works by which she mounted into heaven, and this chain or ladder had four grees or steps which be: innocence of work, cleanness of body, despising of vanity and saying of truth, which the prophet putteth by order where he saith: Quis ascendet in montem domini? Innocens manibus. Who shall ascend into the mountain of our Lord? that is heaven, and he answereth: The innocent of his hands, he that is clean in his heart, he that hath not taken in vain his soul, and he that hath not sworn in fraud and deceit to his neighbour. And it appeareth in her legend how these four degrees were in her. Katherine, by descent of line, was of the noble lineage of the emperors of Rome as it shall be declared more plainly hereafter by a notable chronicle, whose most blessed life and conversation wrote the solemn doctor Athanasius, which knew her lineage and her life, for he was one The Life of her masters in her tender age ere she was of S. converted to the christian faith. And after, the Katnenne said Athanasius, by her preaching and marvellous work of our Lord, was converted also, which, after her martyrdom, was made bishop of Alexandria, and a glorious pillar of the church by the grace of God and merits of S. Katherine. And as we find by credible chronicles, in the time of Diocletian and Maximian ...