The South English Legendary

In þe cite of Leons a ȝong man þer was also
Þat ofte to sein Iames wende & gret loue hadde þerto
At o tyme as he þuder wolde he deode er a folie
Þat monymon to helle bringþ þe sunne of lecherie
Touward sein Ieme he wende forþ ar he issriue were
Þe deuel was wel ȝeorne aboute ȝif he miȝte him mislere
Aȝen him he com in þe wey swuþe milde and softe
Riȝt as he sein Iame were as he gileþ men wel ofte

Wostou euere he sede wo ich am þe oþer sede nay
Icham þulke he sede þat þou hast iserued mony a day
Sein Iame toward wam þou ert i nemay make of þe no mone
Þat þou ne dest swuþe wel of eche þing bote of one
Þat þou dust þe lecherie ar þou wendest to me
Among alle men ȝif þat nere mest ich preisi þe

Sein Iame merci quaþ þis oþer ich crie þe milce and ore
Forȝif me þulke luþer sunne inelle do namore
A beu frere quaþ þe ssrewe strong is þi misdede
Þou ne miȝt me neuere paie wel bote þou do as ich rede
Þe membre þou most kerue of warewiþ [þu] isuneged hast
Þe sunne ichelle þe forȝiue þanne wanne he is fram þe icast
Ac next me þou ssost in ioie be[o] in þe blisse of heuene aboue
Ȝif þou wost beo imartrid & þisulue martri for mi loue

A louerd sein Iame quaþ þis man þou haue merci of me
And ichelle me martri for mi sunne & for þe loue of þe
Þis wrecche man carf of is membres & awei fram him caste
And suþþe þoru is false rede him sulf slou attelaste
Iredy was þe ssrewe þere þe soule he nom anon
And wel glad bigan inis manere toward helle gon

Ne forȝut noȝt sein Iame is pilgrim for cas þat him gan bitide

339

Aȝen þe deuel adoun he com and bad þe ssrewe abide
Þou berst more he sede þanne þi nowe þat ichelle cuþe þe
Hastou bitraid mi pilgrim gret ssame þou dest me

Ȝe al for noȝt quaþ þe ssrewe þou ert hider icome
Inis sunne him sulf he slou þerwiþ ich him habbe inome
Ne mai noman in dedlich sunne to þe ioie of heuene wende
As wel þou miȝt go hom aȝen he is min wiþoute ende

Þou luþer þing quaþ sein Iame þou bitraidest him mid falshede
And wiþ tricherie to him come let him go ich rede
Ich habbe leue þe ssrewe sede to bigile & traie also
In ech quointise þat ich may wi wolde he misdo
Þis strif ilaste bitwene hom longe ac þo sein Iame nemiȝte
Wiþinne þe luþer ssrewe come wiþ reson ne wiþ riȝte
Þou sselt he sede wiþ me come to an herre Iustice
Þat þe ssel cuþe þi tricherie of wan þe ssel agrise

Touore oure Leuedi swete & milde þene ssrewe he gan lede
He ȝal and quakede deluoliche þo he sei hure for drede
Ȝe ȝolle mote he eueremo & uuel him mote bitide
Þe ssrewe fond is macche þo ichot he ssolde abide

Þou luþer þing oure Leuedi sede wi fondestou in alle wise
To bynyme us & bitraie men þat beoþ in oure seruise
Þou ne sselt neuere þe soule brouke for þi tricherie
Leoue Leuedi quaþ þe ssrewe mercy ich þe crie
Vnderstond þat ich habbe leue to gili men inou
And þat ich him fond in dedlich sunne & þerinne him sulf he slou
And nomon neuere in such cas to heuene come ne miȝte
As he is min mid alle lawe hold me ich bidde to riȝte

Þou luþer best oure Leuedi sede to muche oure poer is
Alas þat men nolleþ beo war ar hi do amis
As þou mid tricherie is lif him bynome

340

Also ichelle him ȝiue aȝen is lif þoru riȝt dome
And þanne he mai cheose as he wole godman oþer uuel be[o]
Oure Leuedi made þe soule anon to þe body aȝen fle[o]

Fram deþe to liue he aros þoru oure Leuedies lore
And god lif hadde afterward & þe deuel doutede þe more
His membres þat he of carf euere eft him dude misse
Bote a lite hol war þoru he miȝte wanne he wolde pisse
And þe deuel ȝeode adeolwei & held him bigabbed sore
Nadde neuere þe ssrewe so muche ssame þat he nere worþe more
For he deþ men euere more ssame sorwe him mote biualle
And luþer þrift uppon is heued amen seggeþ alle
Nou sein Iame for þe holy stude þat þou hast in Galis
Helpe us and al þine pilgrims & bring us to heuene blis

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