The South English Legendary

Seinte Katerine of noble cunne com bi olde dawe
Hire fader kyng hire moder quene boþe of olde lawe
King Cost hire fader het gret clerc þat maide was
Þer nas non of þe soue artȝ þat heo gret clerk of nas
Þulke tyme heo was old eiȝtetene ȝer vneþe
& ich wene in þulke vlþe heo was ibroȝt to deþe
Maxent þemperour in eche londe let crie
Þat eche kinriche vnder him come to Alisandrie
Ech man to do for his stat to here god sacrefise
And of hem þat bileuede to do stronge gywise

Þo alle þe men were þider icome to don here lawe
Seinte Katerine baldeliche þiderward gan drawe

534

Heo stod bihalues & bihuld here gydihede
Heo seȝ honure þe maumetȝ meni Cristene men for drede

Þo hadde heo gret deol in hurte heo blescede hire anon
& forþ anon to þemperour baldeliche gan gon
Sire riche emperour heo seide þu ert noble & hende
Þu scholdest þi poer & þi wit to som wysdom wende
For þe folie ich sigge þat þat ich iseo her do
So moche folc of furrene londe þat þu clipest herto

In gret ioye & wonder in ȝoure hurte of þis temple ȝe doþ so
Þat is ymaked of lym & ston & of ȝoure maumetȝ also
Whi nebiholde ȝe þe heȝe temple þerof ȝou wondri mai
Of heuene þat goþ aboute aboue ȝou niȝt & dai
Of sonne & mone & of þe sterres þat fram þe est to þe west
Wendeþ & neuere weri beoþ & neuere hi nabbeþ rest
Biþench þe bet & turn þi þoȝt to som wysdom ich rede
& whan þyn owene inwit þe saiþ þat nowhar nis such a dede
Almiȝti God þu him holde þat such wonder can make
Tofore alle oþere honure him & ȝoure maumetȝ þu forsake
Mid oþer reisouns of clergie þat maide preouede also
Þat here godes noþing nere þat hi a[n]ourede hem to

Þemperour stod & necouþe answerie in none wise
Him wondrede of hire fairhede & of hire queyntise
Maide he seide abyd herwiþ forto oure sacrefise
& we schulle anoþer wiþ þe speke ich oþer mi Iustise

Þis heȝe man after his sacrefise ȝeode & sat in his trone
& al his folc aboute him me brouȝte þis maide sone
Maide quaþ þis emperour þu þenchest gent & freo
Of what kyn ertou icome wonder me þinȝþ of þe

Sire emperour quaþ þis maide ich wilni swiþe lute
Of mi kyn to telle þe for hit were sinne & prute
For in his boc þe wise man Catoun saiþ also
Þat man neschal him silue preise ne blame noþemo

535

For so doþ foles þat beoþ idreiȝt wiþ veyne glorie & prute
Ac naþelos ich wole wiþoute prute of mi kyn telle a lute

Ich am þe kinges douȝter Cost þat þu wost wel which he is
Hider ich com to speke wiþ ȝou þat ȝe bileoueþ amis
For me clepeþ him godes wiþ wrong þat ane fot nemowe go
Ne noman helpe in none wise ne hem silue noþemo
Maide seide þemperour if þat þis soþ were
Al þe men of þe wordle were in gydihede & þu one hem scholdest lere
& me schal leoue alle men & more hit wole beo note
Þan a fol womman as þu ert ȝoure bolt is sone ischote
Sire quaþ þis maide þo þeȝ þu lute telle of me
As god mai þe resoun beo of me as of þe
For emperour me saiþ þu ert & echman is also
Þat mai hote & his men mote nede his heste do
Of bodi & soule þu ert ymaked as þu miȝt þe silf iseo
Mid riȝte þi soule maister is & þi bodi hire hyne schal beo
If þanne þi bodi maister is & þi soule his hyne
Aȝe cunde þanne hit is & þu worst þerfore in helle pyne
Þurf clergie þis holi maide resouns makede so quoynte
Þat þemperour ne non of his necouþe answerie hire in none poynte

Maide he seide þu schalt abide in warde her mid me
& bityme ich wole fynde þat schal answerie to þe
Þis emperour sende anon wel wide aboute his sonde

To þe heȝiste clerkes þat were in eni londe
& bihet hem mede gret to do a lute maistrie
To susteni vp here lawe þurf strenȝþe of clergie
So þat vyfti maistres come þe gretteste þat me fond
As wide as me miȝte siche owhar in eni lond
Þemperour hem seide anon whi he after hem sende
Aȝen a womman to desputi þat al here lawe schende

Nou is þis seide þat on gret schame ich vnderstonde
An emperour to siche aboute so wide in eche londe

536

After maistres to plaidi aȝen a ȝung wenche
Whan on of oure knaues miȝte hire resouns sone aquenche

Nai seide þemperour heo is wisere þan ȝe wene
If ȝe mowe oȝt aȝen hire do hit worþ sone isene
For ich wole bet þat ȝe hire ouercome mid resouns a somme wise
Þan we hire mid strenȝþe makede to do sacrefise
Let bringe hire forþ quaþ þat on & heo schal sigge anon
Þat heo nespac neuere wiþ wisere men er heo fram ous gon
An angel to þis maide com & bad hire noþing drede
For heo scholde hem alle ouercome & to Cristendom lede
Þat þurf hire resouns hi scholde alle afonge martirdom

Þo þis maide ihurde þis gret ioye to hire heo nom
Wel baldeliche heo wende forþ þo mesters hire to com
Sire heo seide to þemperour ȝyfstou a wys dom
Þus fele maistres of clergie bringest & settest abenche
To desputi aȝe me one þat nam bote a fol wenche
& if hi ouercomeþ me þu bihotest hem grete prute
& mid strenȝþe makest me wiþ hem speke & bihotest me lute
& þinȝþ me vnriȝt whan ich am one aȝon hem alle
Ac ich wole whan God is myn help afonge what me wole bifalle

Sai me quene what ertou þat o maister sede
Aȝen oure clergie þenȝþstou speke turn þi þoȝt ich rede
Þu saist þat God almiȝti deþ an vrþe þolede here
Ich wole preoui þat hit nemiȝte beo soþ in none manere
Ho so deyeþ he nemai neuere to lyue come
Whan al þe vertu of his bodi þurf deþ him is bynome

If þu saist þat God is ded þu nemiȝt libbe noȝt
If he þat lyf þe scholde ȝeue is to deþe ibroȝt

Nai seide þis holi maide þu faillest of þyn art
Þe netit bote þu speke bet of þe maistrie no part
God hadde euere & euere schal wiþ [him] his godhede
& for loue of ous in oure flesch he nom his manhede

537

Of tuo þinges he was ymaked aiþer moste his cunde afonge
For in cunde of manhode ous to bugge he þolede deþ stronge
Ac to bileue ded hit was aȝe cunde of godhede
Þerfore he aros fram deþe to lyue þo he hadde ido al his dede
Þurf þe stronge deþ þat þurf Adam we were on ibroȝt
Þurf godhede ymengd in oure kunde nede moste beo iboȝt
If þu wiþsaist þis reisoun anoþer ich wole þe make
Þat clerkes seide of ȝoure lawe ȝe nemowe noȝt forsake
Platon þe grete philosophe þat was of ȝoure lawe
Seide þat God wolde iscourged beo & eke todrawe
Loke hou hit miȝte beo soþ in oþer manere
Bote þat þe mochele God for ous bicom a lute man here
As god Balaham ȝoure prophete þat heþene was also

In his boc seide ȝe witeþ whar if ȝe wolleþ loke þerto
Þat þer scholde of Iacobes cunde a sterre arise briȝte
Þat boþe kinges & dukes scholde bynyme here miȝte
Þat was þat oure Louerd wolde of Iacobes cunde beo ibore
& ouercome alle þat euere were siþþe oþer bifore

Ȝut þreo kynges of ȝoure lawe of þulke sterre þoȝte
For þe sterre þat God was ibore & þerfore lok him broȝte

Þo þe maistres ihurde hire speke of so gret clergie
Necouþe hi answerie noȝt o word ac ȝyue hire þe maistrie
Certes sire quaþ þis maistres so gret cler[c] non þer nis
Þat to hire reisouns hire scholde answerie for hi beoþ soþe iwis
We seoþ þat þe Holi Gost is mid hire & in hire mouþe
We ne conne answerie hire noȝt ne we neþore þeȝ we couþe
Þerfore bote oure lawe þe betere we iseo

538

Alle we siggeþ mid one mouþe icristned we wolleþ beo

Hei traitours quaþ þemperour beo ȝe icome herto
Certes ȝe schulle to stronge deþe alle beon ido
Amidde þe toun he het anon forbrenne hem echone
& hi þane deþ for Godes loue afonge wiþoute mone
Ac mest reuþ hi hadde of alle þat hi ifulled nere
Þis maide hem gan to conforti & of Cristendom lere
& seide here stronge deþ þat hi þolede þere
Scholde beo here Cristendom if hi stedefast were

Þis maistres were igladed þo gladliche forþ hi ȝeode
& nome þane deþ for Godes loue þat me wolde hem beode
Hi makede þe signe of þe croiȝ & in þe fur me hem caste
Þo hi hadde longe ibrend & ded were atte laste
& þat fur was aqueynt al hol hi leye þere
Whyttere & fairere in heu þan hi euere were
Þer nas non so lute wem noȝt þe leste of hare here
Oþer of cloþ apeired were hi leye wiþ faire chere
Þemperour let fecche anon þat maide Katerine
Haue reuþe he seide of þe silue & schulde fram pyne
Haue reuþ of þi ȝunge bodi þat so fair is & hende
Þu schalt libbe in gret noblei if þu wolt þi þoȝt wende
In mi paleys ich wole þe make [] heȝist after mi quene
& after þi forme lete make an ymage briȝt & schene
Ouergult & hire sette amidde þe cite
& ech man him schal honure for honur of þe
As me schal a god do þu neschalt mid al þi lore
So moche noblei biþenche þat y þe nele do more

Sire emperour quaþ þis maide bilef þi fole þoȝt
Þu nast no more while to spille þan to speke so embe noȝt
God almiȝties spouse ich am & al þi blandisinge
Ne þi turmentȝ neschulle ene fram him myn hurte bringe

Þemperour hire let strupe al naked to a piler faste ibounde
& bete hire sore wiþ stronge scourges & make hire harde wounde
Þo hi seȝe þat hi nemiȝte þermid turne hire þoȝt
In durke prisoun & in deope sone heo was ibroȝt

539

Þat noman neȝaf hire mete ne drinke for heo scholde for hunger deye
Oþer turne hire þoȝt to here lawe & beo ibroȝt out of treye
In prisoun þis maide lai tuelf dayes & tuel[f] niȝt
Þat heo noþer ne et ne dronk neseȝ non vrþlich liȝt

A whyt colure fram heuene com to hire eche dai
& broȝte hire fram heuene mete as heo in prisoun lai

A dai as þemperour fram home was afare
Þemperice þoȝte on hire & hadde of hire grete care
Of hire bed wel priueiliche heo aros at midniȝt
& nom wiþ hire sire Porphirie þat was hire priuei kniȝt
Þo hi to prisoun come hi seȝe þer gret liȝt

Hem wondrede wharof hit were þat þulke stede was so briȝt
Þo seȝen hi Katerine in þe prisones grounde
And an angel of heuene smyrie hire wounde

Þemperice cride anon Katerine þyn ore
Mi riȝte bileue tech þu me ynele beo fol namore
Þe kniȝt also god sire Porphirie loude cride also
Þat moche folc þat þer aboute was sone com þerto
Sire Porfirie ful adoun to hire fet & loude he gan to crie
Anon þis maide hem prechede of God & of seinte Marie
So þat Porphirie & þemperice þurf þis maide þere
& tuo hondred knyȝtes ek ibaptiȝed were
Oure Louerd him silf com adoun siþþe to seinte Katerine
Lo her he seide ich hit am for wham þu ert in pyne
Beo stedeuast in þi turmentȝ & ich wole beo mid þe
Þi sige is ymaked in heuene þer þu schalt wone wiþ me

Anoþer dai þis emperour after þis maide sende
Þat heo were for hunger ded swiþe wel he wende
Þis maide was tofore him ibroȝt swiþe fair & round
What he seide hou goþ þis is heo ȝut hol & sound
Whar beoþ þis traitours þat hire in prisoun wiste
Hi habbeþ ifed hire stilleliche þat noman hit nuste
Bi þe fei ich owe Mahoun hi neschulle nomore

540

He let nyme his gailers & turmenti sore

Sire emperour quaþ þis maide is þis god iugement
Gultelese men for mi gult to bringe in such turment
Ho þat me haþ þer ifed he nedredeþ þe noȝt
For an angel of heuene hit is þat mete me haþ ibroȝt
Do me what turmentȝ so þu wolt & let hem quite gon
For certes of þat þu hem saist gult nabbeþ hi non

Hei hende maide Katerine seide þemperour
Þench on þi noble gentrise for of maidenes þu ert flour
Turn þi þoȝt þu schalt beo þemperesse peer
Heo neschal habbe noȝt tofore þe bote þat heo is mi fer

Gode man quaþ þis holi maide þu spext al embe noȝt
Mid al þi poer þu neschalt fram Iesu wende mi þoȝt
Alle þe turmentȝ þat þu miȝt þenche of pynes swiþe stronge
Þu miȝt do me if þu wolt iredi ich am to afonge
For noþing ne wilny ich so moche as mi flesch & blod iwis
To ȝyue for mi Louerdes loue þat for me ȝaf his

Þo was þemperour so wroþ þat he was neȝ iswowe
Four wheles of ire he let fulle of rasours kene ynowe
& makede hem mid gynne turne aboute þe tuei wheles vpward
& oþer tueie euene hem aȝe in þoþer side doneward
Þat ho þat bituene were in þoþer half nescholde wende
Þat þe rasours nolde al his flesch todrawe & torende

Þo þis maide was ido þeron to schende
Oure Louerd Crist fram heuene an angel gan þider sende
Þis angel wiþ a drawe swerd þis wheles al toheu
& þe peces flowe aboute as corn whan me hit seu
& smyte on þis liþere men wel harde to þe grounde
Þat four þousend þer were aslawe in a lute stounde
Ȝe for Gode þat was wel þer hi miȝte lurne
To fiȝte aȝe Iesu Crist mid here false querne
To wende aboute here rasours þe holie maide to drawe
Hi nemiȝte hit noȝt wel biliȝe þat were ibroȝt of dawe

Þo nuste þemperour noȝ[t] what do for deol ne for sore

541

Þe emperesse nolde þo hire stat hele nomore
Sire heo seide hou goþ þis for Godes loue þyn ore
Ich iseo þis maide is god & of holi lore
Ȝoure maumetȝ ich forsake y nebileue for no f[o]re
Þo gan þemperour for wraþþe loude ȝulle & rore
Him þoȝte he nemiȝte for noþing fram Iesu hire þo[ȝt] wende
He het þat me scholde hire lede to þe tounes ende
& hire breosten fram hire bodi wiþ kene hokes rende
And after smyte of hire heued hire þe more to schende

Wiþ gode hurte þemperesse þane deþ gan afonge
Þe quellers heo bad hiȝie faste & nabide noȝt to longe
Hi nome kene hokes of ire & hire flesch tognowe
As me draweþ wiþ combes wolle here breostes hi todrowe
Fram hire bodi mossel mele & siþþe smyte of hire heued
Þe bodi for houndes hit scholde ete vnbured hit was bileued
Ac Porfirie burede aniȝt þis holi bodi & god

Þo þemperour þat bodi miste he was wroþ & wod
He turmende meni men þat nemiȝte hem noȝt skere
Þo seide Porfirie anon lo sire whar ich am here
Ich burede þyn holi wyf þat was Cristes make
& to Iesu Crist ich haue also al myn hurte itake
For no poer þat þu miȝt do ynele him noȝt forsake

Þo gan þemperour for sorewe alle his lymes to schake
Mahoun he seide what schalt þis beo hou schal ich nou do
Nou ich haue mi wyf forlore & sire Porfirie also
Whi nas Porfirie al myn hurte neltou me noȝt rede

Þo wende þis oþer kniȝte[s] forþ & loude gonne grede
& we beoþ Cristene bicome euerechone hi sede
We nulleþ þane deþ for Godes loue leue for no drede
Þemperour þo gan drawe his her & sore sike & grone
Mahoun he seide hou schal ich do schal ich bileue alone

Whi neltou raþere fecche me & bringe me of þis lyue
Þan suffri to leose alle mi men after mi leoue wyue
Ac þeȝ þu nulle helpe me ynelle forsake þe noȝt

542

Þis foles þat habbe forsake þe to deþe schulle beo ibroȝt
He let nyme Porfirie anon & his felawes echone
& let smyte of here heuedes wiþ[out] þe toun as Mahounes fone

Þo let he fecche Katerine Damaisele he sede
Ich wole if þu turne wolt forȝyue þe þi misdede
& wiþ gret noblei as emperesse oueral wiþ me þe lede
& alle þing ich wole do also after þi rede

Certes sire quaþ [þis] maide þis wordes beoþ for noȝt
Þu neschalt me neuere fram him bringe þat haþ me deore iboȝt
Do what þu wolt & haue ido & bring þi wille to ende
For þu neschalt mid no turment mi þoȝt fram Iesu wende

Whar beo ȝe mi quellers þemperour þo sede
Þis wicche ȝe schulle faste bynde & wiþoute þe toun lede
& smyte of hire heued anon & do þe gode dede
Þat heo nebringe ous neuereft in sorwe ne in drede

Þo þis maide was ibroȝt to sle wiþoute þe toun
To God heo makede hire preyere [] akneo heo sat adoun
Louerd heo seide grante me þat echman þat haueþ mone
In eni neode oþer anuy in myne passione
Þat he mote to his wille help habbe sone
Þo com oure Louerd silf & sede ich granti þe þi bone
Com her forþ mi lemman mi leoue spouse also
Heueneȝat yopened is þat þu schalt come to

Þe quellere smot of hire heued as þe men aboute stode
Whit mulc þer orn out of þe wounde & noȝt o drope of blode
Þat was signe of maidenhod þat þe mulc out com
Þat clene was wiþoute synne & wiþoute swikedom

An angel com & nom þe bodi among alle þe manne
& bar hit to þe hul of Synay tuenti iourneyes þanne
& burede hit þer nobliche & faire ynou also
Þerȝut to þis dai þe bones beoþ ido
Of hire tumbe þer vrneþ ȝut holi oylle wel blyue

543

Wher þurf meni sik man is ibroȝt to hele & to lyue
Wide alonde hit is ilad ho so hit habbe mote
Noble relik hit is sike men to habbe of bote
Þreo hondred ȝer & tuenti after þat God was ibore
Imartred was þis holi maide of wham we tolde bifore
Noou Iesu Crist for þe swete loue of seinte Katerine
Ȝyue ous þe ioye of heuene & schulde ous fram helle pine

University of Virginia Library

[Seinte Katerine of noble cunne ]