University of Virginia Library

Seint Andreu þapostle was seint Peteres broþer
Oure Louerd silf to Cristendom him brouȝte & non oþer
For fischeres hi were boþe & as hi fischede a day
Bi þe se oure Louerd com & here fisschin isay
Come he seide after me & ich wole ȝou make
Manfischers & þis oþere here nettes gonne forsake
& suede him mid þis word & nechose noȝt amis
Hem was so betere þan to pasken in þe water iwis
While oure Louerd an vrþe was mid him boþe hi were
& siþþe hi wende wide aboute Cristendom to lere

In þe lond of Patras seint Andreu siþþe com
He turnde þer wel faste þat folc to Cristendom
Churchen he rerde al aboute & teiȝte me þerto
Egeas wyf þe Iustise he makede Cristene also
Þerfore þe iustise was wroþ & wende to Patras
To þe cite in gret wraþþe as seint Andreu was
Cristenemen þat he þer fond sone he let take
To make hem wiþ his turmentȝ Cristendom forsake

Seint Andreu sone to him com sire he seide nym ȝeme
Þu þat ert so gret iustise seli men to deme
Þe heȝe Iustise of heuene þu haddest neede to knowe
Þat into þe put of helle þe schal deme wel lowe

What ertou Andreu quaþ þe Iustise þat meni dai haþ igo
& idrawe men to þi false god þu neschalt neuereft mo
Ich drawe men quaþ seint Andreu to God þat soþ is
Ac wrecches & false ȝoure beoþ & deue & dombe iwis
Whi saistou so quaþ þe iustise þu wost wel mid alle
Þat þu þerof loude lixt hou miȝte hit so falle
For þe God þat þu of telst þe Gywes while nome
& slowe him as he worþi was bi pur riȝt of dome

Nai certes quaþ seint Andreu riȝt nas hit noȝt
Ac þurf Godes wille ous to bugge he was to deþe ibroȝt

Hou miȝte hit beo quaþ þe Iustise þat his wille were þerto
For þe Gywes him wiþ strenȝþe nome & him slowe also

Ich wot to soþe quaþ Andreu aȝen his wille hit nas
For ich was wiþ him þulke tyme & iseȝ hou hit was
For er wel longe he tolde ous fore hou hit scholde beo
Tyme & stede & euerech poynt as we miȝte siþþe iseo
If þu woldest þat soþe ihure & if þu riȝt vnderstode
Gret vertu ich wole þe telle of þe swete holi rode
Ich wole herkny quaþ þis oþer & bote þu do after me
In þe rode as þi Louerd deide ich wole sette þe
If ich doutede quaþ þis oþer y neprechede þerof noȝt
Ac þeron is al myn hope mi ioye & al mi þoȝt
Þis þu miȝt telle quaþ þe Iustise men þat luueþ þe
& for ynelle hit ileoue noȝt oþer þing þu schalt telle me
Bote þu bileoue on oure godes miȝti of alle þinge
In þe rode þat þu of spext to deþe me schal þe bringe
Almiȝti God quaþ þis oþer ich herie niȝt & day
Ich bileoue on him & herie wole þe while ich speke may

Þe Iustise was þo wroþ ynouȝ seint Andreu he let caste
In strong prisoun & he lai þer þe while hit ilaste
As þe iustise sat amorwe in his sige to him he was ibroȝt
Andreu he seide ich hopie wel þat þu beo bet biþoȝt
& þat þou habbe fram folie þi þoȝt iturnd to niȝt
To libbe wiþ ous in ioye gret & leue þin vnriȝt

Þu liþere bern quaþ seint Andreu þu huntest aboute noȝt
Þe more turment þu me dost þe gladdere is mi þoȝt
For þe mo turmentȝ þat ich þolie for mi Louerd er þat ich deye
Þe more worþ mi ioye wiþ him in þe ioye of heuene heye
Ich doutie more of þe þan of me for mi pyne nele ileste
Bote o dai oþer tueye her oþer þreo atte meste
Ac þe turment þat þu schalt habbe wharto þu schalt wende
In tuenti þousend ȝer ne mo neworþ ibroȝt to ende
Þo was þe Iustise swiþe wroþ he het his men anon
Seint Andreu scourgi so þat him oke ech bon
& siþþe bynde him honde & fet to þe rode faste
Wiþ stronge corden for his lyf scholde þe lengore ilaste
& he þe more in pyne beo & þe more schede of his blode
Þe turmenturs wel ynouȝ his heste vnderstode
Anon to þe bon hi beoten him furst wiþ stronge scourges gode
In to þe vrþe hi pulte faste þe tuei endes of þe rode

Þo seint Andreu iseȝ þe rode adoun he sat akneo
Hail beo þu swete rode he seide swettest of alle treo
Þat þu wiþ mi Louerdes lymes ihalewed mostest beo
& of ȝymmes preciouses wel glad ich þe iseo
& wel glad ich come to þe wel glad afong þu me
For euere siþþe mi Louerdes deþ [iwilned] ich habbe þe
Nym me nou al fram þis men to mi Louerd þu most me sende
For al myn hope & mi wil is þurf þe to him wende
Þo he strupte of him silf his cloþes atte bigynnynge
& bitoc þe turmenturs þat scholde him to deþe bringe
Faste boþe fet & honde to þe croiȝ hi bounde
Þe honden boþe aboue þe heued þe fet toward to grounde
Þat folc com þicke aboute him he gan to prechi faste
Tuei dayes & tuei niȝt þe while his ly[f] ilaste
Þat folc þretnede þe iustise & þicke aboute him come
& wolde him alto drawe anon bote he him adoun nome

Þe Iustise him wolde nyme adoun seint Andreu him forbed
Inele noȝt he seide come adoun er þan ich beo ded
For ich iseo mi swete Louerd & er while ich iseȝ
Þat abydeþ me til ich come he is her wel neȝ
Whan me wolde him nyme adoun hem þoȝte he was anheȝ
No man nemiȝte him areche for euere vpward he steȝ
Here armes whan hi vpward reiȝte bicome as stif as treo
So gret liȝt þer com aboute him þat noman nemiȝte him iseo
Hi hurde him & neseȝe him noȝt þat liȝt ileste iwis
Forte þe holi soule wende þerwiþ to heuene blis
Þo þe soule was forþ iwend & þe holi bodi bileuede þere
Maximille þe iustises wyf & oþere þat þer were
Wiþ gret honur hi hit neme adoun & to buringe bere

Ȝut nolde þe iustise ileoue noþing þat he gan him lere
Þerfore amidde þe wey as he homward wende
He ful ded tofore þe men & his soule to helle sende
Ac seint Andreu was siþþe heȝe ilad iwis
To þe lond of Constantinople þer as he ȝut is
Swiþe glad þat lond is þat he euere þer com
In þisse manere seint Andreu þolede martirdom

A miracle of seint Andreu ful late her alonde
Telle ich mot for heo [is] god ho so hire vnderstond
A bischop while an holi man among holi halewen alle
Mest he louede seint Andreu so his hurte gan falle
Þe deuel for hate of seint Andreu hadde þerto gret onde
To bringe in synne þe gode man niȝt & day he gan fonde
So þat he turne a dai his forme as he gan biþenche
To þe forme of a fair womman for he is ful of wrenche
Fairere womman þan he bicom an vrþe nemai beo non
Wiþ noblei & prute ynou to þe bischop he gan gon
Sire heo seide þe heȝe kyng sauue þi dignete
& holde þi state in honur & ȝyue me grace to þe
Fram furrene londe ich am icome for[to] speke in priueite
Wiþ þe of mi soule neode if þu woldest schryue me

Damoisele þe bischop seide ich habbe a penancer
Þat mai þe schryue wiþoute me for he bad mi poer
A sire merci quaþ þis oþer mi synne is so priue
Þat myn hurte hit nele for noþing schowe noman bote þe
Bi bischops ich com meni on as ich hiderward wende
Ac y nespac wiþ noman for ich wot þat God me hider sende
Depardeus if mi Louerd hit wole quaþ þis holi man
Com & ich wole þurf oure Louerdes grace consaille þe [as] ich can

Sire quaþ þis false maide ich crie þe milce & ore
For care & deol þat ich am on ich wilny moche þi lore
For as mi fader vnder God myn schrift telle ich þe mai
Þat ich habbe clene lyf ilad euere ȝut to þis day
A kynges douȝter ich am iwis & al mi fader lyf
Þerfore mi fader me wolde make an heȝ manes wyf
& God ich take to witnisse þat ich þat do nolde
Ne leose mi clene maidenhod for al þe wordles golde
I nemiȝte no lyf habbe of mi fader bote ich dude his wille
Ac þo ich ihurde of þi godnisse fram him ich stal wel stille
To þe þat schalt vnder God consailli me of mi lyue
So as such a clene þing mot to oþer do whan neode him wole todryue
Nou liþer þrift vpon hire clannisse & hire maidenhod also
Wel felliche heo hire biþoȝte to make þe gode man misdo
Whanne wolde hit hire bicome to beo so god & clene
Nou sorewe & sor vpe hire forte ich hire bymene

Þis holi man hadde ioye of þe schrewes speche
Dameisele he seide God hit leoue þat ich mote þe som god teche
Þu schalt bileue atte mete & siþþe me schal þe rede
Þat nere noȝt to þin onur þis liþere maide sede
For so wickede þe wordle is nou & men of liþere mod
Þat me nolde wel raþere þenche þe liþere þan þe god
Of non vuel quaþ þe bischop neschal noman ous doute
For mi meyne schal serui ous & stonde ous aboute
Þis bischop nom þis false maide & riȝt bi him sette
Al prest his men aboute mete & drinke hem fette

Þis bischop bihuld þis liþere [þing] ofte as heo sat him neȝ
Þat neuere a so fair creature him poȝte he neseȝ
So longe þat he turned his þoȝt & vpe hire his hurte caste
Þat he þoȝte do folie bi hire atte laste
Þe liþere þing him makede also fol semblant ynouȝ
Þermide as me ofte mai to liþer þoȝt heo him drouȝ
Seint Andreu þat he louede nolde him noȝt vorȝite
Fram heuene he aliȝt adoun fram sunne him to wite
Ate biscopes ȝate he com & bed þe porter to him wende
He escte wiþ wam he wolde speke & ho him þuder sende
A seli pilgrim he sede icham wiþ þe biscop ich haue to done
Þe porter sede þe biscop fore & dude is erande sone
Let him in quaþ þe biscop ȝif he wole speke wiþ me
Sire mercy quaþ þis maide þat nefalleþ noȝt to þe
Strange men come up þi mete bote þou wite wat hi be
Vor gilours þat so vele beþ as me mai al dai ise
Ac escche him verst a good demaunde þat be al wel biþoȝt
Ȝif he ansuereþ wel riȝt it is þat he [be] in ibroȝt
Wel seistou þe biscop sede & alle is men also
Lokeþ nou among ous alle ho schal þe demaunde do
Non of alle it nolde do & sede hi ne couþe noȝt
& seide þat þe maide moste vor heo was queintest of þoȝt
Þat nere noȝt quaþ þe screwe vor inam bote a womman
& ȝif my lord þe biscop wole ich wole escche as ich can
Esche him wuche is þe meste wonder þat þe kyng of alle kynge
Our Lord euere an erþe dude in a lutel þinge
Þo hi hurde þis demaunde þer nas so good clerc non
Þat couþe þerto ȝeue an ansuere hem wondred echon
Þer porter escte þe pilgrim ate ȝate as he stod
Ȝe quaþ he me may fel wel þerto ȝeue ansuere good
Þe meste wonder in a lutel þing þat God þoru is grace
Euere here an erþe makede it was in mannes face
Vor among alle þe men þat euere were & euere schulle be
Nas ones face iliche anoþer as me mai al dai ise
Þe porter eode & tolde fore wat þe pilgrim sede
Þer nas non þat þe ansuere ihurde þat nas in wonder & drede
& him het bringe in to wite more of is lore
Abid sire quaþ þe deuel let him erst telle more
Wen ȝe habbeþ more of him ȝe mowe him in bringe
A straunger demaunde ich wole him make & of strengore þinge
Escce in wuche stude erþe heiere þen heuene be
Þer nas non þat couþe ansuere þerto ise
Ac [ȝif] hi of þe verste demaunde in gret wonder were
Such twenti wonder hem þoȝte of þe latere þere
Þe porter escte þe pilgrim as he stod wiþþoute
Ȝe quaþ he of þis ansuere inabbe none doute
Þo God was an erþe man erþe he was inouȝ
To heuene seþþe in is monhede erþe wiþ him drouȝ
& þer as he is in is trone aboue þe heuene he is
Þer is erþe in is manhede heiere þen heuene iwis
Þis porter eode & tolde uore þis ansuere anon
Hi sete alle as hi gidi were in gret wonder echon
Parde quaþ þis luþer best ȝut ȝe scholle to him sende
Þe þridde demaunde he schal ous telle & seþþe let him in wende
Bid him þat he ous telle þis þing wiþþoute gile
Hou muche is bitwene heuene & erþe & hou mony myle
Nou wo worþe is pol so wis & sorwe him come to
Ichot þer nys non of ȝou þat couþe aposy so
Þe porter escte þis demaunde þo he to þe ȝate wende
Escce of him sulf quaþ þis oþer þat þe huder sende
Vor he it met þo he vel fram heuene to helle
Wiþ Lucifer & oþer deueles he may þe bet telle
Queynte was þe escere þat so queinte vnderstod
Ac queintore was þe answeriare þat is answere was so good
Þe porter sede is erande þat þe pilgrim hem sende
Þo þe deuel ihurde þis adeuelwei he wende
Þo non nuste war he bicom þe biscop him biþoȝte
Þat it þe deuel was & in fol þoȝt him broȝte
& þat som mon com fram God & ate ȝate was þere
Wepynge he het is men loke ho it were
Ac þo hi come to þe ȝate hi nemiȝte him noȝt ise
Wo was þe biscop þat he nuste ho it hadde ibe
Crienge he was nyȝt & day in orisons wel stille
Þat God him scewede ho it were ȝif it were is wille
So þat him com a toknynge as he hurde grede
Þat þe womman þe deuel was to vonde him of mysdede
& þe pilgrim was seint Andreu þat vor him þuder wende
To disturby him of þe deuel þat he flesliche him neschende
Þe biscop cride God mercy & clene lif after ladde
& seruede þo seint Andreu betere þen he euere hadde
Nou bidde we seint Andreu þat he ous so wisse
& bidde uor ous þat we come to heuene blisse