 | The South English Legendary |  |
[Seint Quintin þe martir ]
Seint Quintin þe martir
of þe contray was of Rome
For Godes loue he þolede deþ er he to heuene come
Þemperour þat was of Rome þat het Maximian
He let turmenti whan he fond eni Cristene man
His men furde as roters & ernde al aboute
For Godes loue he þolede deþ er he to heuene come
Þemperour þat was of Rome þat het Maximian
He let turmenti whan he fond eni Cristene man
His men furde as roters & ernde al aboute
& defoulede so Cristene men þat hi neþerfte nowhar atroute
& vrne hi þat arewe were in to þe contray aboute
& flowe þe liþere turmentours þat kene were & proute
Somme hudde hem vnder hulles in valeye oþer in doune
In roches summe & olde diches þat hi neþerste come in toune
For drede of þe stronge deþ & ȝut hi dradde more
Þe longe pyne & strong bifore þat turmentede hem so sore
& vrne hi þat arewe were in to þe contray aboute
& flowe þe liþere turmentours þat kene were & proute
Somme hudde hem vnder hulles in valeye oþer in doune
In roches summe & olde diches þat hi neþerste come in toune
For drede of þe stronge deþ & ȝut hi dradde more
Þe longe pyne & strong bifore þat turmentede hem so sore
Seint Quintin was þo at Rome he dude him out also
Of Rome for turmentinge as he seȝ oþere do
Stilleliche he wende him forþ & in to France com
To þe cite of Amias þe riȝte wey he nom
Þer he gan to cuþe furst & prechede al abrod
As hardi knyȝt aȝe þe deuel no leng he nabod
Of Rome for turmentinge as he seȝ oþere do
Stilleliche he wende him forþ & in to France com
To þe cite of Amias þe riȝte wey he nom
Þer he gan to cuþe furst & prechede al abrod
As hardi knyȝt aȝe þe deuel no leng he nabod
Oure Louerd schowede ek for him gret miracle ynouȝ
So þat to oure Louerdes lawe gret folc wiþ alle he drouȝ
457
Þemperour sende þo in to eche londe
To turmenti Cristene men þat hi nemiȝte nowhar atstonde
A liþer Iustise Richemer into France he sende
For to siche Cristene men into al þe lond he wende
To turmenti Cristene men þat hi nemiȝte nowhar atstonde
A liþer Iustise Richemer into France he sende
For to siche Cristene men into al þe lond he wende
As þis iustise wende aboute to destruye Cristendom
To þe cite of Amias atte laste he com
Seint Quintin was sone ifonde for he nehudde him noȝt
Wel foule he was iharled forþ & bifore þe iust[is]e ibroȝt
To þe cite of Amias atte laste he com
Seint Quintin was sone ifonde for he nehudde him noȝt
Wel foule he was iharled forþ & bifore þe iust[is]e ibroȝt
Þe iustise him bihuld anon wiþ wel dreori chere
Belami he seide ich wolde wite what þi name were
& what beo þyne bileue for þu schalt boþe telle
Sire wel fawe quaþ þis oþer noþer hele ynelle
Belami he seide ich wolde wite what þi name were
& what beo þyne bileue for þu schalt boþe telle
Sire wel fawe quaþ þis oþer noþer hele ynelle
Quintin is mi name icleped & Cristene ich am iwis
& in Iesu Crist Godes sone al mi bileue is
& in Iesu Crist Godes sone al mi bileue is
A traitour quaþ þe iustise woltou take on so
Bi myne godes þat miȝtful beoþ þu schalt anoþer do
Wiþ stronge turmentȝ & diuerse ich wole þe lete spille
Sire þu miȝt quaþ seint Quintin bi me do þi wille
Ac bi God þat makede me & heuene & vrþe also
Þi þreting ne drede y noȝt ne ynelle non oþer do
Bi myne godes þat miȝtful beoþ þu schalt anoþer do
Wiþ stronge turmentȝ & diuerse ich wole þe lete spille
Sire þu miȝt quaþ seint Quintin bi me do þi wille
Ac bi God þat makede me & heuene & vrþe also
Þi þreting ne drede y noȝt ne ynelle non oþer do
Wele þat þe iustise was wroþ & gram þo
He let clipie his turmenturs þat prest were to wo
Þis holi man hi strupte naked & streiȝte him al alonge
Wiþ harde scourges hi leide him on of cordes & of þwonge
Þe more hi beote þis holi man he makede þe gladdere chere
So swiþe hi leide on him faste þat al weri hi were
Nou weri mote hi beo & vuele mote hem beo idoȝt
For wel was hem whan eni wo to Cristene men was ibroȝt
He let clipie his turmenturs þat prest were to wo
Þis holi man hi strupte naked & streiȝte him al alonge
Wiþ harde scourges hi leide him on of cordes & of þwonge
Þe more hi beote þis holi man he makede þe gladdere chere
So swiþe hi leide on him faste þat al weri hi were
Nou weri mote hi beo & vuele mote hem beo idoȝt
For wel was hem whan eni wo to Cristene men was ibroȝt
A voiȝ þer com fram heuene & seide Quintin glad þu beo
Mi leoue seriant beo stedeuast for ich am mid þe
Þo were þis turmentours so wery & so sore
For betinge þat hi fulle adoun & nemiȝte speke nomore
Mi leoue seriant beo stedeuast for ich am mid þe
Þo were þis turmentours so wery & so sore
For betinge þat hi fulle adoun & nemiȝte speke nomore
Þe iustise was þo so wroþ þat he nuste non oþer dede
Bote het hem bileue euerechdel & to prisoun him lede
To prisoun wende þis holi man mid glade hurte atte laste
Þerinne [he] was faste ibounde & þe dores iloke faste
He lai þer in afflicciouns & in beden also
A nyȝt as he was aslepe an angel com him to
458
To prisoun wende þis holi man mid glade hurte atte laste
Þerinne [he] was faste ibounde & þe dores iloke faste
He lai þer in afflicciouns & in beden also
A nyȝt as he was aslepe an angel com him to
Quintin he seide aris anon & go amidde þe strete
& preche þat folc to Iesu Crist for noþing þu ne lete
& preche þat folc to Iesu Crist for noþing þu ne lete
Quintin awok mid þis word & vp aros anon
& out of prisoun strong al sauf he gan gon
& passede o warde & siþþe anoþer þat so faste were iloke
& bileuede hem hol & faste ynou & noȝt on tobroke
& out of prisoun strong al sauf he gan gon
& passede o warde & siþþe anoþer þat so faste were iloke
& bileuede hem hol & faste ynou & noȝt on tobroke
He wende as þangel him bad & in to þe strete com
& prechede faste of Iesu Crist & of his Cristendom
For his prechinge þat folc com wel þicke aboute him go
He turnde to Iesu Crist tuo hondred men & mo
Þe gailers þat him scholde witie awoke atte laste
Hi fonde þe prisoun as hi hit makede þe doren iloke faste
Ac hi nefonde noȝt þis holi man þat hi þerinne caste
Hem wondrede hou he out com & somdel [were] agaste
Hi vrne aboute & soȝte him wide & þo hi hadde al isoȝt
Hi fonde him as h[e] hadde þat folc to Iesu Crist ibroȝt
Þo hi seȝe þat grete wonder hi vrne aȝe anon
To þe iustise Richemer so swiþe hi miȝte gon
Sire hi seide wite hit to soþe þyne godes sike beoþ
& alle þat onureþ hem for we þat soþe iseoþ
Þerfore we onuryeþ Iesu Crist þat almiȝti is
& soþfast God as we hit wite þurf Quintin iwis
& prechede faste of Iesu Crist & of his Cristendom
For his prechinge þat folc com wel þicke aboute him go
He turnde to Iesu Crist tuo hondred men & mo
Þe gailers þat him scholde witie awoke atte laste
Hi fonde þe prisoun as hi hit makede þe doren iloke faste
Ac hi nefonde noȝt þis holi man þat hi þerinne caste
Hem wondrede hou he out com & somdel [were] agaste
Hi vrne aboute & soȝte him wide & þo hi hadde al isoȝt
Hi fonde him as h[e] hadde þat folc to Iesu Crist ibroȝt
Þo hi seȝe þat grete wonder hi vrne aȝe anon
To þe iustise Richemer so swiþe hi miȝte gon
Sire hi seide wite hit to soþe þyne godes sike beoþ
& alle þat onureþ hem for we þat soþe iseoþ
Þerfore we onuryeþ Iesu Crist þat almiȝti is
& soþfast God as we hit wite þurf Quintin iwis
Beaus amis quaþ Richemer what is ȝou on bicome
As foles ȝe spekeþ & gydie men & ȝoure wit is ȝou bynome
Goþ hunne ich rede anon & turneþ ȝoure þoȝt
For ich wole furst fondi þat þis þeof to deþe beo ibroȝt
He let after þis holi man his turmentours sende
Þo he nemiȝte fram Iesu Crist for noþing his þoȝt wende
As foles ȝe spekeþ & gydie men & ȝoure wit is ȝou bynome
Goþ hunne ich rede anon & turneþ ȝoure þoȝt
For ich wole furst fondi þat þis þeof to deþe beo ibroȝt
He let after þis holi man his turmentours sende
459
Wiþ scourgen of ire he let hem bete & his bodi al tore[n]de
Þo he was defouled so a gret fur he let atende
He let þo walle pich & gresse & ooylle also
& anoueward his rug iwonded al berninge hit do
Siþþe he let nyme brode platen & sette al afure
& pulte to his nakede side þat wonder hit was to dure
Of alle þe turmentȝ þat me him dude vneþe oȝt he velde
Þe brennynge ne hette him noȝt ac him þoȝte al akelde
Louerd moche is þi miȝte as saiþ in þe sauter
On þin halewen þu ert wonderful as me mai iseo her
Þat betinge ne stronge wonde ne berninge of fure
So lute greuede þis holi man Louerd hou miȝte he hit dure
Þe iustise let nyme vynegre & salt atte laste
And makie þerof a biter drench & in his mouþ let caste
Chaynes of ire he nom siþþe heuie & gret ynouȝ
& wond aboute his heued & out of toune him drouȝ
Þe iustise let nyme þo spites of ire tueye
& aboue þe schuldre scheoue hem in & out atte þies beye
& spitede so þis holi man þeȝ he were þerto lene
Euere he þolede al his wo newiþseide he hem noȝt ene
Þo nomen hi ten þinne nailes þat bote schorte & smale nere
& lette hem caste amidde þat fur þat al brennynge hi were
& lette hem smyte in atte fyngres in ech fynger on
Byneþe þe nailes to þoþer ende bituene flesch & bon
Al brennynge hi were in ismyte nou Iesu Crist þyn ore
Þat eni man hurte hadde to turmenti oþer so sore
Louerd moche is þi grace þat þu wolt þyn halewen sende
Þat miȝte beo iturmented so & his hurte noȝt wende
Þo he was defouled so a gret fur he let atende
He let þo walle pich & gresse & ooylle also
& anoueward his rug iwonded al berninge hit do
Siþþe he let nyme brode platen & sette al afure
& pulte to his nakede side þat wonder hit was to dure
Of alle þe turmentȝ þat me him dude vneþe oȝt he velde
Þe brennynge ne hette him noȝt ac him þoȝte al akelde
Louerd moche is þi miȝte as saiþ in þe sauter
On þin halewen þu ert wonderful as me mai iseo her
Þat betinge ne stronge wonde ne berninge of fure
So lute greuede þis holi man Louerd hou miȝte he hit dure
Þe iustise let nyme vynegre & salt atte laste
And makie þerof a biter drench & in his mouþ let caste
Chaynes of ire he nom siþþe heuie & gret ynouȝ
& wond aboute his heued & out of toune him drouȝ
Þe iustise let nyme þo spites of ire tueye
& aboue þe schuldre scheoue hem in & out atte þies beye
& spitede so þis holi man þeȝ he were þerto lene
Euere he þolede al his wo newiþseide he hem noȝt ene
Þo nomen hi ten þinne nailes þat bote schorte & smale nere
& lette hem caste amidde þat fur þat al brennynge hi were
& lette hem smyte in atte fyngres in ech fynger on
Byneþe þe nailes to þoþer ende bituene flesch & bon
Al brennynge hi were in ismyte nou Iesu Crist þyn ore
Þat eni man hurte hadde to turmenti oþer so sore
Louerd moche is þi grace þat þu wolt þyn halewen sende
Þat miȝte beo iturmented so & his hurte noȝt wende
460
Þo þe iustise þis iseȝ þat hit was al for noȝt
Þis þeof he seide in some manere to deþe schal beon ibroȝt
His heued he let smyte of anon his turmentours prest were
A swerd hi nome kene ynou & smyte of his heued þere
Riȝt as hi þis dede dude a voiȝ þer com anon
Fram heuene þat þuse wordes seide þat hi ihurde echon
Þis þeof he seide in some manere to deþe schal beon ibroȝt
His heued he let smyte of anon his turmentours prest were
A swerd hi nome kene ynou & smyte of his heued þere
Riȝt as hi þis dede dude a voiȝ þer com anon
Fram heuene þat þuse wordes seide þat hi ihurde echon
Quintin Quintin mi seriant com her anon to me
& vnderfong þe croune þat iȝarked is to þe
Myn angles þe schulle vnderfonge & in to heuene lede
Riȝt as þe swete voiȝ þuse wordes him sede
& his heued was of ismyte as al þat folc iseȝ
A whit coluere cam out at his necke & fleȝ to heuene anheȝ
Hi seȝe heuene openy þer aȝen in he fleȝ anon
Nou God for þe loue of seint Quintin ous bringe þider echon
& vnderfong þe croune þat iȝarked is to þe
Myn angles þe schulle vnderfonge & in to heuene lede
Riȝt as þe swete voiȝ þuse wordes him sede
& his heued was of ismyte as al þat folc iseȝ
A whit coluere cam out at his necke & fleȝ to heuene anheȝ
Hi seȝe heuene openy þer aȝen in he fleȝ anon
Nou God for þe loue of seint Quintin ous bringe þider echon
| The South English Legendary | |