University of Virginia Library

“Fader, in egipe vas I borne,
& myn elderis me beforne.
In þe twel ȝer of my ȝuthed
fra kyne & cunctre bath I ȝed
til alysandir, or euir I stynt.
myn madynned quhow I fyrst tynt
þar, & how þane to lychory,
vith al þe luste, folouandly
I vndirlad me, þat I haf schame
In-to myn hart to think alane;
& it var lange to tel how I
had brynnand luste of lychory,
þat me na thocht at I mycht fillit be;
þat vylte þane sa lykyt me.
bot for gyftis I neuir sawld
to man, othyr ȝung na auld,
bot gaf It frely til al þai
þat with me wald sik mastri ma,
& ofte entysit ser þare-till,
to syne with me. sic was my wil;
& fuly led myn lyfe þare
wele sewinten ȝer owt & mare;
myn met of[te] thygand, [sa] þat I
frely mycht serwe to lychery,
& seldyne spane for my fud;
to fil myn flesche sa ȝed I wod;
ay valouand me in þat syne,
as sow a medynge dois vithine.
for þat wes maste þan myn mynd,
quhare-in I mysded maste to kynd.
In sic ful sowne [I was] lyffand ay,
til I percase a-pone a day
saw men of luby & egipe
hast þame to sey, for to schype.
þane sad me ane of þa mene,
þat þai var bone to Ierusalem,
‘to se þe solempnyte
of cristis croice, þat sal sone be.’
‘&, bruthyr, hopis þu þai wil me
vith þame tak to pase þe se?’
sad he: ‘ȝa, gyf þou has macht
to pay þame þi schip fraucht.’
‘frawcht haf I nane, bruthyr der;
bot I wil to þe schipe but ver;
& for I haf nane vthyr gud
to pay for fraucht or for fud,
myn body I wil gyfe þame til,
til demayne þat þar wil.’—
fader, spare me! na cause had I
for to mak sik trawel, trewly,
bot þat I mycht ful mony wyne
ay lustfully with me to syne.
fadir, þar-for for godis are
lewe no[v] & sper at me nomare!
for schame & dout lattis me
to tel mare of myn syne to þe.
for of myn syne It is vnfayre
quhene I spek; it fylis þe ayre.”
ȝoȝomas þane gretand faste,
answeryt, & sad at þe laste:
“tel furth þi tayle, modyr dere,
& al þe suth þu lat me here,
& fra me þu heile na thinge,
for his luf, of hewyne is kinge!”