 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancta Anastacia
Seint Anastace was ibore at Rome by olde dawe
Of swuþe heie men icome al of þe olde lawe
Heo let hure cristny priueliche þat vnneþe enyman weste
And seruede God stilleliche þat non of hure freond it nuste
An heyman hure louede þat ihote was Papille
Iwedded he[o] was to þis man al aȝen hure wille
And wanne he wolde bi hure ligge oþer folie do
Heo feinede hure euere sik and ascapede so
Of swuþe heie men icome al of þe olde lawe
Heo let hure cristny priueliche þat vnneþe enyman weste
And seruede God stilleliche þat non of hure freond it nuste
An heyman hure louede þat ihote was Papille
Iwedded he[o] was to þis man al aȝen hure wille
And wanne he wolde bi hure ligge oþer folie do
Heo feinede hure euere sik and ascapede so
Þis maide ȝeode to Cristene men & confortede ham ilome
Priueliche in prison as þe luþer men ham nome
So þat hure louerd it vnderȝet he nam hure wel uaste
And wiþ oþere Cristene men in strong prison hure caste
Þis maide lay in prison forte hure louerd was ded
Ac sone he[o] was deliuered þo þoru hure frenden red
Priueliche in prison as þe luþer men ham nome
So þat hure louerd it vnderȝet he nam hure wel uaste
And wiþ oþere Cristene men in strong prison hure caste
Þis maide lay in prison forte hure louerd was ded
Ac sone he[o] was deliuered þo þoru hure frenden red
In grete nobleie hi hure dude in ioie & wille inou
Ac þis maide euere stilleliche to Godis seruise drou
Þreo maydens hure were bitake hure to serui þere
Þe fairoste þat myȝte be[o] þreo sustren it were
Cristene hi were alle þreo as hare leuedi ham gan lere
Hi seruede God al iuere ac iknowe þerof hi nere
Ac þis maide euere stilleliche to Godis seruise drou
Þreo maydens hure were bitake hure to serui þere
Þe fairoste þat myȝte be[o] þreo sustren it were
Cristene hi were alle þreo as hare leuedi ham gan lere
Hi seruede God al iuere ac iknowe þerof hi nere
Þis þreo faire sostren þat so uair ham bere
Þe prince louede in folye fram ȝere to ȝere
So þat he wondrede of ham þat hi turnde to God hare þoȝt
Þe þre[o] maidens he nam sone ac hare leuedy noȝt
In a chambre of þe kychene he bilek ham faste
Þer me crokkes and caudrons of þe kychene in caste
Þe prince louede in folye fram ȝere to ȝere
So þat he wondrede of ham þat hi turnde to God hare þoȝt
Þe þre[o] maidens he nam sone ac hare leuedy noȝt
In a chambre of þe kychene he bilek ham faste
Þer me crokkes and caudrons of þe kychene in caste
So hadde he in a day to þis maidens fol wille
He vnlek þe dore & wende in to do folie stille
As sone so he wiþinne cam witles he was anon
As gidie as he miȝte beo he necouþe iknowe noȝt on
He vnlek þe dore & wende in to do folie stille
As sone so he wiþinne cam witles he was anon
587
Þe maidens he wende cluppe & cusse as is wille was to do
He clupte & custe þe crokkes faste and þe caudron[s] also
Þat stode þere vnwasse somme among hom he walwede faste
Lolloker schrewe nemiȝte be[o] so bidoubed attelaste
Þo he wende habbe al ido wel glad he wende out
He nesei him sulf noȝt wuch he was to is men he wende wel prout
Nas him noȝt wel iþeined ȝuse me þingþ iwis
His lemman he hadde after wille bote he ȝeode a lite amys
His cosses were wel biset bote þe crokkes were to clene
Þeie somme oþere were yserued so hi nere noȝt to bymene
He clupte & custe þe crokkes faste and þe caudron[s] also
Þat stode þere vnwasse somme among hom he walwede faste
Lolloker schrewe nemiȝte be[o] so bidoubed attelaste
Þo he wende habbe al ido wel glad he wende out
He nesei him sulf noȝt wuch he was to is men he wende wel prout
Nas him noȝt wel iþeined ȝuse me þingþ iwis
His lemman he hadde after wille bote he ȝeode a lite amys
His cosses were wel biset bote þe crokkes were to clene
Þeie somme oþere were yserued so hi nere noȝt to bymene
Anon so is men him iseie so grislich and amad
Hi wende it were þe deuel of helle & sore hi were adrad
Wiþ staues & stones hi leide him on þat he gan nei þat lyf lete
Wy uare ȝe so quaþ þis wrecche wolle ȝe ȝoure louerd bete
Þo were hi wroþer þanne hi were er hi smite on him duntes grete
He nuste weþer him betere was faire speke oþer þrete
Oure louerd hi sede neuere þou nere þi miȝte þe is bynome
Þe were betere atom in helle þanne amang us habbe icome
Hi wende it were þe deuel of helle & sore hi were adrad
Wiþ staues & stones hi leide him on þat he gan nei þat lyf lete
Wy uare ȝe so quaþ þis wrecche wolle ȝe ȝoure louerd bete
Þo were hi wroþer þanne hi were er hi smite on him duntes grete
He nuste weþer him betere was faire speke oþer þrete
Oure louerd hi sede neuere þou nere þi miȝte þe is bynome
Þe were betere atom in helle þanne amang us habbe icome
Þe wrecche nuste non oþer red bote atorn attelaste
And hi leide him on as he atorn mid stones wel faste
To þe emperor he wende to plainte hou is men him hadde ibete
And þo he was fram ham ascaped he gan ham faste þrete
And hi leide him on as he atorn mid stones wel faste
To þe emperor he wende to plainte hou is men him hadde ibete
And þo he was fram ham ascaped he gan ham faste þrete
Þo he come fram þe emperor to plaine ope ȝam þere
Hi were al agrise & wende also þat þe deuel it were
Wiþ dinge & stones hi leide him on & somme atourne for fere
Hi spatte on him & smite faste & al hi þe wrecche totere
Hi were al agrise & wende also þat þe deuel it were
588
Hi spatte on him & smite faste & al hi þe wrecche totere
Weilawey he seide wi fare ȝe so nas ich er ibete inou
Ich com hider to habbe riȝt & ȝe me beteþ more mid wou
Nam ich Iustice vnder þe emperor wi fare ȝe so mid me
Þou luxst queþe þe oþere þou ert a deouel & þat we solleþ cuþe þe
For grisloker deouel þanne þou ert non neuere iseie nas
Þo wondrede him for alle seide þat he so lolich was
Ich com hider to habbe riȝt & ȝe me beteþ more mid wou
Nam ich Iustice vnder þe emperor wi fare ȝe so mid me
Þou luxst queþe þe oþere þou ert a deouel & þat we solleþ cuþe þe
For grisloker deouel þanne þou ert non neuere iseie nas
Þo wondrede him for alle seide þat he so lolich was
Certes he seide ich am Iustice wat so ȝe by me wene
And ȝif ȝou þingþ oþer þanne ich am biwicched ich am ich [wene]
For þe þreo horen þat ich nam þat in myne prison beoþ
For ich lay bi ȝam hi me habbeþ biwicched as ȝe iseiþ
And ȝif ȝou þingþ oþer þanne ich am biwicched ich am ich [wene]
For þe þreo horen þat ich nam þat in myne prison beoþ
For ich lay bi ȝam hi me habbeþ biwicched as ȝe iseiþ
Þo vette þe emperor þeos maidens biuore him anon
And esste at ȝam wat hi were & wat lif hi ladde echon
Sire hi sede we beoþ Cristene & Cristene we wolleþ be[o]
Þou miȝt do mid us wat þou wolt we nolleþ noȝt þane deþ fle[o]
Þe emperor het is tormentors strupe ham naked anon
And bote hi forsoke Iesu Crist quelle ham echon
And esste at ȝam wat hi were & wat lif hi ladde echon
Sire hi sede we beoþ Cristene & Cristene we wolleþ be[o]
Þou miȝt do mid us wat þou wolt we nolleþ noȝt þane deþ fle[o]
Þe emperor het is tormentors strupe ham naked anon
And bote hi forsoke Iesu Crist quelle ham echon
Þe tormentors hupte forþ hare cloþes of to drawe
And hi alle þane leste þred nemiȝte enes wawe
Ac on ham so faste hi sete as hi cleuede to þe rugge
Hou geþ þis quaþ þe emperor þe wicchen it ssolleþ abugge
For nou ichot þat my Iustice of ham soþ sede
Stronge wicchen hi beoþ alle certes hi ssolleþ be[o] dede
And hi alle þane leste þred nemiȝte enes wawe
Ac on ham so faste hi sete as hi cleuede to þe rugge
Hou geþ þis quaþ þe emperor þe wicchen it ssolleþ abugge
For nou ichot þat my Iustice of ham soþ sede
Stronge wicchen hi beoþ alle certes hi ssolleþ be[o] dede
Þer he let ham sle anon þis clene þinges þre[o]
Hare soulen to heuene wende þer hi solleþ euere be[o]
Ac it were lite harm þei many fol þat folie wilneþ do
Toke on as þe Iustice dude and were iserued so
Ferst idaubed & ypined and suþþe iboned faste
Were hi ofte iserued so hi wolde be[o] somdel agaste
Hare soulen to heuene wende þer hi solleþ euere be[o]
Ac it were lite harm þei many fol þat folie wilneþ do
Toke on as þe Iustice dude and were iserued so
Ferst idaubed & ypined and suþþe iboned faste
Were hi ofte iserued so hi wolde be[o] somdel agaste
589
Þo þe emperor ihurde of Anastace þat he[o] was Cristene also
For he[o] of heiemen was icome he nuste wat wiþ hure do
For he[o] of heiemen was icome he nuste wat wiþ hure do
An heyman he tok hure of þe londe for habbe hure to wyue
Ȝif he miȝte þoru eny loue changi of hure lyue
He com ferst to þis holy maide & wolde hure cusse in pleye
And ar he it euere miȝte do is eiȝene wende out beye
He stod as a witles man he ne dorste go for eye
To is maumes he wende anon ac me ladde him bi þe weie
Me þingþ so he moste nede oþer he moste steppe amys
To loue hi hadde feble hap þe Iustice & he iwis
Þe on bidaubed and tobete and þe oþer suþþe ablend
Lite was me þingþ hare biȝete hi helde ham boþe issend
Ȝif he miȝte þoru eny loue changi of hure lyue
He com ferst to þis holy maide & wolde hure cusse in pleye
And ar he it euere miȝte do is eiȝene wende out beye
He stod as a witles man he ne dorste go for eye
To is maumes he wende anon ac me ladde him bi þe weie
Me þingþ so he moste nede oþer he moste steppe amys
To loue hi hadde feble hap þe Iustice & he iwis
Þe on bidaubed and tobete and þe oþer suþþe ablend
Lite was me þingþ hare biȝete hi helde ham boþe issend
Anon he esste þe maumes wi he were ablend so
Þe maumet sede for þou hast Anastace misdo
Þou ert oure lif & soule þou nemiȝt noȝt fram us fle[o]
And mid us þou sselt wiþoute ende in þe pine of helle be[o]
Me ladde þane wrecche hom aȝen & as sone as he hom com
He fel doun ded as a stok and þane heie wei to helle nom
Þe maumet sede for þou hast Anastace misdo
Þou ert oure lif & soule þou nemiȝt noȝt fram us fle[o]
And mid us þou sselt wiþoute ende in þe pine of helle be[o]
Me ladde þane wrecche hom aȝen & as sone as he hom com
He fel doun ded as a stok and þane heie wei to helle nom
Þo þe emperor ihurde of is frend þat to such cas was igon
Wroþ he was mid Anastace after hure he sende anon
And esscte war he[o] to hare godes turne wolde hure þoȝt
Certes sire he[o] sede nay þou specst embe noȝt
Þo he[o] nolde oþer do a gret fur me tende
Wiþ wode and col gret inou and þis maide brende
And so he[o] let þer þat lif and to heuene wende
Angles fonge hure soule sone þat oure Louerd þuder sende
Wroþ he was mid Anastace after hure he sende anon
And esscte war he[o] to hare godes turne wolde hure þoȝt
Certes sire he[o] sede nay þou specst embe noȝt
Þo he[o] nolde oþer do a gret fur me tende
Wiþ wode and col gret inou and þis maide brende
And so he[o] let þer þat lif and to heuene wende
Angles fonge hure soule sone þat oure Louerd þuder sende
A Midwinter day heo was ymartred as ȝe habbeþ ihurd biuore
Two hondred ȝer & four score after þat God was ibore
For þe heynesse of þulke daye me singþ of hure þe lasse
For me neseiþ bote a munde of hure atte middel masse
Lesinges me seiþ manion þat he[o] mid oure Leuedi was
Þo oure Louerd was ibore ac neuere soþ it nas
Ac som fals man ferst yound þulke lesinge wiþ vnriȝt
For me haþ of hure a munde eche ȝer þulke niȝt
And þe manere is to muche an eorþe forto luue lesynge
To þe ioie of heuene þer he[o] is inne God oure soule bringe
590
For þe heynesse of þulke daye me singþ of hure þe lasse
For me neseiþ bote a munde of hure atte middel masse
Lesinges me seiþ manion þat he[o] mid oure Leuedi was
Þo oure Louerd was ibore ac neuere soþ it nas
Ac som fals man ferst yound þulke lesinge wiþ vnriȝt
For me haþ of hure a munde eche ȝer þulke niȝt
And þe manere is to muche an eorþe forto luue lesynge
To þe ioie of heuene þer he[o] is inne God oure soule bringe
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