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 | The South English Legendary |  |
Þe holy rode þat was ifonde as ȝe witeþ in May
Anhansed he was in Septembre þe Holi Rode day
Mani a ȝer þer was bitwene riȝt is þat me telle
Of eiþer feste as it falleþ noþer bileue inelle
A king þere was in Perce Cosdroe was is name
Cristene men alle þat he fond he broȝte to ssame
Anhansed he was in Septembre þe Holi Rode day
Mani a ȝer þer was bitwene riȝt is þat me telle
Of eiþer feste as it falleþ noþer bileue inelle
A king þere was in Perce Cosdroe was is name
Cristene men alle þat he fond he broȝte to ssame
Wiþ is poer he wan also al þe londes þere aboute
Þo he com to Ierusalem of þe sepulcre he was in doute
Þare oure Louerd was on ileid anon so he is isei
For al is poer þat was so luþer he ne dorste come þer ney
Ac a partie of þe swete crois þat seint Eline þuder broȝte
He tok wiþ him & wende aȝen namore þuder he ne þoȝte
Þo he com to Ierusalem of þe sepulcre he was in doute
Þare oure Louerd was on ileid anon so he is isei
For al is poer þat was so luþer he ne dorste come þer ney
Ac a partie of þe swete crois þat seint Eline þuder broȝte
He tok wiþ him & wende aȝen namore þuder he ne þoȝte
Of þulke treo he was wel prout þei he luþer him sulf were
A swuþe hei tour of gold & seluer he let him sone rere
Ȝymmes & stones precious þere aboute he let do
Þe forme of sonne & of mone and of sterren also
Ssynde as it hom sulue were & turnde al aboute faste
And a þondringe he made eke ofte þat muche folk agaste
Þoru smale holes wiþ queintise þat water ofte þere
He made ualle adoun to gronde riȝt as it rein were
As ueruorþ as couþe enymon make þoru eny queintise
Þe fourme as it an heuene were he made in alle wise
Wende aboute mid queintise and as rein ofte rine
Ac me sucþ wel selde luþer prute come to gode fine
A swuþe hei tour of gold & seluer he let him sone rere
Ȝymmes & stones precious þere aboute he let do
Þe forme of sonne & of mone and of sterren also
Ssynde as it hom sulue were & turnde al aboute faste
And a þondringe he made eke ofte þat muche folk agaste
Þoru smale holes wiþ queintise þat water ofte þere
He made ualle adoun to gronde riȝt as it rein were
As ueruorþ as couþe enymon make þoru eny queintise
Þe fourme as it an heuene were he made in alle wise
Wende aboute mid queintise and as rein ofte rine
Ac me sucþ wel selde luþer prute come to gode fine
Anouwarde þis tour amidde al þis is sege he let rere
To sitte him sulf on as a god in heuene as þei it were
Inis riȝt half he made a sege is o sone he sette þere
As it were in stude of Godes Sone þat no defaute nere
Inis lift half he made anoþer a uair cok to him me vette
As in stude of þe Holy Gost inis lift half bi him he sette
And sat him sulf al amidde þe Uader as þei it were
And Sone & Holi Gost biside gret prute was þere
Nou was þis a maister hine and a wonder god also
Ac euere me þingþ he was a bastard and also him com two
To sitte him sulf on as a god in heuene as þei it were
Inis riȝt half he made a sege is o sone he sette þere
As it were in stude of Godes Sone þat no defaute nere
Inis lift half he made anoþer a uair cok to him me vette
As in stude of þe Holy Gost inis lift half bi him he sette
And sat him sulf al amidde þe Uader as þei it were
And Sone & Holi Gost biside gret prute was þere
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Ac euere me þingþ he was a bastard and also him com two
Eraclyus þe emperor þat Cristene was at Rome
Of is misfaringe prute he hurde telle ilome
Wiþ is ost he wende into is lond & werrede on him faste
Inis heuene he sat as a god as him noþing ne gaste
So þat is eoldoste sone he het wende attelaste
Aȝen þe emperor wiþ is ost and of þe lond him caste
For him ne deinede noȝt for him of is heuene ene aliȝte
Namore þanne it were a god wiþ an eorþlich man to fiȝte
Of is misfaringe prute he hurde telle ilome
Wiþ is ost he wende into is lond & werrede on him faste
Inis heuene he sat as a god as him noþing ne gaste
So þat is eoldoste sone he het wende attelaste
Aȝen þe emperor wiþ is ost and of þe lond him caste
For him ne deinede noȝt for him of is heuene ene aliȝte
Namore þanne it were a god wiþ an eorþlich man to fiȝte
Is sone aȝen þis emperor wiþ is ost forþ wende
Þo hi touward bataile come hore eiþer to oþer sende
Þat hi bitwene hom sulue to þe bataille ssolde do
And al hore ost stonde & biholde and non come þerto
And weþer of hom aboue were habbe ssolde þe miȝte
Of þe oþer is men & al is lond as is wille diȝte
Þo hi touward bataile come hore eiþer to oþer sende
Þat hi bitwene hom sulue to þe bataille ssolde do
And al hore ost stonde & biholde and non come þerto
And weþer of hom aboue were habbe ssolde þe miȝte
Of þe oþer is men & al is lond as is wille diȝte
Þo þis uorewarde was ymad togadere hi smite to gronde
And foȝte as it was hore riȝt and made harde wonde
And attelaste þis emperor þane oþer ouercom
And as forwarde was al is folk inis baundone nom
And let hom cristny euerichon and siwi him to is wille
And þis luþer king sat euere atom inis heuene wel stille
As a god & nuste noȝt þat he was bineþe ibroȝt
And so uuel is men him louede þat hy ne tolde him noȝt
And foȝte as it was hore riȝt and made harde wonde
And attelaste þis emperor þane oþer ouercom
And as forwarde was al is folk inis baundone nom
And let hom cristny euerichon and siwi him to is wille
And þis luþer king sat euere atom inis heuene wel stille
As a god & nuste noȝt þat he was bineþe ibroȝt
And so uuel is men him louede þat hy ne tolde him noȝt
Þe emperor him wende forþ in to is heuene anhei
He fond him sitte as a god is sone him sat wel nei
Hail be[o] þou he sede false god in þi fals heuene ifonde
Nim þi sone and þin holi gost ȝe beoþ nei aswonde
Bi him þat þou makedest after þat þolede for us wonde
Bote þou wolle on him biluue þou sselt here in a stonde
Of min honden þolie deþ and þi prute ibroȝt to gronde
For al þin heuene inelle bileue ne for marke ne for pounde
He fond him sitte as a god is sone him sat wel nei
Hail be[o] þou he sede false god in þi fals heuene ifonde
Nim þi sone and þin holi gost ȝe beoþ nei aswonde
Bi him þat þou makedest after þat þolede for us wonde
Bote þou wolle on him biluue þou sselt here in a stonde
Of min honden þolie deþ and þi prute ibroȝt to gronde
For al þin heuene inelle bileue ne for marke ne for pounde
Nai certes quaþ þis oþer þou ne sselt me noȝt so lere
Þat ichelle abowe to enyman bote he herre þanne ich were
Þe emperor drou out is swerd and smot of is heued riȝt þere
His ȝonge sone þat sat him bi þat was inis teþe ȝere
He let cristni and make kyng of al is fader lond
His men he ȝaf al þat seluer clanliche þat he þere uond
Mid þe gold & mid þe seluer þat he fond also þere
Þe churchen þat þe oþer hadde destrud þerwiþ he let rere
And made a lond þere wel biluued and in Godes lawe
Alle þat nolde turne to God he broȝte sone of dawe
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Þe emperor drou out is swerd and smot of is heued riȝt þere
His ȝonge sone þat sat him bi þat was inis teþe ȝere
He let cristni and make kyng of al is fader lond
His men he ȝaf al þat seluer clanliche þat he þere uond
Mid þe gold & mid þe seluer þat he fond also þere
Þe churchen þat þe oþer hadde destrud þerwiþ he let rere
And made a lond þere wel biluued and in Godes lawe
Alle þat nolde turne to God he broȝte sone of dawe
Þe holi crois þat he fond þere þat God was on ido
Adoun he nom wiþ gret honour & ladde wiþ him also
To þe boru of Ierusalem and þo he com þere biside
Ope þe hul of Oliuete a stonde he gan abide
Al þat folk aboute him com wiþ gret honur wiþ alle
And þonkede God of þat cas þat hom was þere biualle
Þat þe swete holi crois aȝen moste come
Þat þe luþer king Cosdroe hom hadde er bynome
Adoun he nom wiþ gret honour & ladde wiþ him also
To þe boru of Ierusalem and þo he com þere biside
Ope þe hul of Oliuete a stonde he gan abide
Al þat folk aboute him com wiþ gret honur wiþ alle
And þonkede God of þat cas þat hom was þere biualle
Þat þe swete holi crois aȝen moste come
Þat þe luþer king Cosdroe hom hadde er bynome
Þe emperor wende adoun þe hul wiþ fair procession
Þe wei þat oure Louerd wende toward þe passion
Þo he com al to þe boru and wolde in atte ȝate
A uair miracle oure Louerd sende þat he ne com in þerate
For þe stones þat þere were aboue adoun anon aliȝte
And bi þe oþer wal stod emuorþ þat noman in nemiȝte
Þe wei þat oure Louerd wende toward þe passion
Þo he com al to þe boru and wolde in atte ȝate
A uair miracle oure Louerd sende þat he ne com in þerate
For þe stones þat þere were aboue adoun anon aliȝte
And bi þe oþer wal stod emuorþ þat noman in nemiȝte
Sori was þis emperor and al is folk also
And dradde þat hi vnworþe were such holy þing to do
Þer was wop and crie inou on God þat he hom sende
Som grace ȝif is wille were þat hi saufliche in wende
And dradde þat hi vnworþe were such holy þing to do
Þer was wop and crie inou on God þat he hom sende
Som grace ȝif is wille were þat hi saufliche in wende
Þo stod þer an angel aboue þe ȝet a crois he huld anhonde
Sire emperor he sede þulke tyme þat oure Louerd was here alonde
Þo he com in at þisse ȝate to be[o] to deþe ido
Op a seli asse he rod in feble cloþes also
He ne com wiþ no gret nobleie so as þou dest nou
Wiþ riche cloþes ne oþer prute þei he were as hei as þou
Sire emperor he sede þulke tyme þat oure Louerd was here alonde
Þo he com in at þisse ȝate to be[o] to deþe ido
393
He ne com wiþ no gret nobleie so as þou dest nou
Wiþ riche cloþes ne oþer prute þei he were as hei as þou
Mid þis word he wende aȝen þis emperor anon
Aliȝte adoun & al is cloþes caste of euerichon
Anon to is sserte & to is brech sore wepinge wiþ alle
Þe stones arise up aȝen þat were er adoun ifalle
And leie euerich inis riȝt stude as hi hadde er ido
And þat ȝet ope as it was er þe wei clene also
Aliȝte adoun & al is cloþes caste of euerichon
Anon to is sserte & to is brech sore wepinge wiþ alle
Þe stones arise up aȝen þat were er adoun ifalle
And leie euerich inis riȝt stude as hi hadde er ido
And þat ȝet ope as it was er þe wei clene also
Þe emperor nom þe swete rode and al auote in ber
Þat folk siwede him wiþ gret prece gret ioie & blisse was þer
Anon þer com so swote smul so it fram heuene were
Þat al þe contreie aboute fulde and al þat stode þere
Þe emperor bar þe crois into þe temple anhey
He gan singe þis niwe song touore al þat were þer ney
Þat folk siwede him wiþ gret prece gret ioie & blisse was þer
Anon þer com so swote smul so it fram heuene were
Þat al þe contreie aboute fulde and al þat stode þere
Þe emperor bar þe crois into þe temple anhey
He gan singe þis niwe song touore al þat were þer ney
Þou crois briȝtore to þis world þanne al þe sterren be[o]
Þou ert to honure to þis men & a wel to louie tre[o]
Holior þanne alle þing þou one worþe were
Þat þou þe tresour of þe world al one upe þe bere
Þou swete tre[o] þat bere on þe þe swete nailes also
And þe swete berþene of Godes sone þat on þe was ido
Saue al þis companie þat igadered is
And here today togadere ibroȝt in þin heriinge iwis
Þou ert to honure to þis men & a wel to louie tre[o]
Holior þanne alle þing þou one worþe were
Þat þou þe tresour of þe world al one upe þe bere
Þou swete tre[o] þat bere on þe þe swete nailes also
And þe swete berþene of Godes sone þat on þe was ido
Saue al þis companie þat igadered is
And here today togadere ibroȝt in þin heriinge iwis
Þis sang song þe emperor þat wel is ȝute vnderstonde
For ȝute me it singþ in Holy Churche wanne me berþ þe crois ahonde
Þe folk honurede ek þe crois as hi miȝte come to
Wiþ offringe & murie song and oþer melodie also
For ȝute me it singþ in Holy Churche wanne me berþ þe crois ahonde
Þe folk honurede ek þe crois as hi miȝte come to
Wiþ offringe & murie song and oþer melodie also
Þis was þe Holy Rode day þat in Septembre is
Þeruore me halt ȝute þane day in Holi Churche iwis
Þoru uertue of þe swete rode anon in þe place
Mani miracle was aday þoru oure Louerdes grace
A ded man aros fram deþe to liue & ten museles þat þer were
And four men in strong palsie helde anon þere
And fiftene blindemen and manie oþere also
Helde þoru þe swete grace þat on þe rode was ido
Þeruore me halt ȝute þane day in Holi Churche iwis
Þoru uertue of þe swete rode anon in þe place
Mani miracle was aday þoru oure Louerdes grace
A ded man aros fram deþe to liue & ten museles þat þer were
394
And fiftene blindemen and manie oþere also
Helde þoru þe swete grace þat on þe rode was ido
Moni miracles þer habbeþ ibeo woso is telle couþe
Of þe swete rode an eorþe suþþe telle me somme nouþe
Of þe swete rode an eorþe suþþe telle me somme nouþe
| The South English Legendary | |