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| II. |
 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Steffano
Seinte Steuene was a Gyu & of Giwes he com
And þoru prechinge of þe apostles turnde to Cristendom
So þat he wende aboute wide & prechede of God wel uaste
In þe sinagoge amange þe Giwes he com attelaste
And prechede ham & prouede ek wiþ gode resons inowe
Þat hare bileue nas riȝt noȝt ac þat hi to þe deouel drowe
And þoru prechinge of þe apostles turnde to Cristendom
So þat he wende aboute wide & prechede of God wel uaste
In þe sinagoge amange þe Giwes he com attelaste
And prechede ham & prouede ek wiþ gode resons inowe
Þat hare bileue nas riȝt noȝt ac þat hi to þe deouel drowe
Þere arise up of þe Giwes þe wisoste þat þere were
And desputede aȝen him and aȝen þat he gan lere
Ac hare resons were wel badde wel sone hi were ouercome
Þere arise oþer þreo þo þat hare red hadde inome
And sede þat he misseid hadde by Moises lawe
And þat Iesus Nazaren wolde þulke stude todrawe
Ech of þeose þreo luþermen oþer witnesse bar
Þat seinte Steuene sede so þat biuore ham stod þar
And desputede aȝen him and aȝen þat he gan lere
Ac hare resons were wel badde wel sone hi were ouercome
Þere arise oþer þreo þo þat hare red hadde inome
And sede þat he misseid hadde by Moises lawe
And þat Iesus Nazaren wolde þulke stude todrawe
Ech of þeose þreo luþermen oþer witnesse bar
Þat seinte Steuene sede so þat biuore ham stod þar
Hy nome seinte Steuene anon as it were for þe none
And sette him amidde þe synagoge among ham euerichone
Þo sson is face briȝtore þanne þe sonne liȝt
Þat þer nas non of ham þat miȝte him biholde ariȝt
And sette him amidde þe synagoge among ham euerichone
Þo sson is face briȝtore þanne þe sonne liȝt
Þat þer nas non of ham þat miȝte him biholde ariȝt
Seinte Steuene seide ham þo many a pprophecie
Þat prophetes bi Iesu sede þat ibore was of Marie
He ssewede ham ek in hare bokes ware hi were iwrite
And hou hi were to ende ibroȝt ȝif hi it wolde iwite
And þe luþer men he seide wiþoute gult him slowe
Þe Giwes grennede on him uaste & to busmere him lowe
Þis holyman amang ȝam alle biheld up anhey
Iesu Crist in heuene inis fader riȝt hond he sey
Þat prophetes bi Iesu sede þat ibore was of Marie
He ssewede ham ek in hare bokes ware hi were iwrite
And hou hi were to ende ibroȝt ȝif hi it wolde iwite
591
Þe Giwes grennede on him uaste & to busmere him lowe
Þis holyman amang ȝam alle biheld up anhey
Iesu Crist in heuene inis fader riȝt hond he sey
Lo he sede ich ise[o] þoru Iesu Cristes sonde
Heuene iopened and Iesus inis fader riȝt honde
As wolues þe Giwes ȝolle on him & nome him faste echone
And ladde him wiþoute toun and hende him wiþ stone
Heuene iopened and Iesus inis fader riȝt honde
As wolues þe Giwes ȝolle on him & nome him faste echone
And ladde him wiþoute toun and hende him wiþ stone
Ferst hi strupte is cloþes of & at a childes fet þruste
And for he ne couþe do namore hare cloþes sat & weste
Helpe he wolde him to sle ac he nemiȝte for ȝonghede
Saul was þe ȝute is name he dude many luþer dede
For þo he hadde mannes strengþe worse man non nas
And suþþe he com to Cristendom and Poul icluped was
And for he ne couþe do namore hare cloþes sat & weste
Helpe he wolde him to sle ac he nemiȝte for ȝonghede
Saul was þe ȝute is name he dude many luþer dede
For þo he hadde mannes strengþe worse man non nas
And suþþe he com to Cristendom and Poul icluped was
Þat was sein Poul þe gode apostel he was a luþer grom
And naþeles he as manie oþere to a godman suþþe bicom
As þe Giwes seinte Steuene wiþ stones hende faste
Þe godeman held is hond up & to heuene is eiȝene caste
And naþeles he as manie oþere to a godman suþþe bicom
As þe Giwes seinte Steuene wiþ stones hende faste
Þe godeman held is hond up & to heuene is eiȝene caste
Louerd ȝif it is þi wille vnderfong mi soule he sede
Þo gan he sitte adoun akneo and wel loude grede
Louerd ȝif it is þi wille forȝiue ham þis misdede
For hy nute weþer hi doþ wel oþer to quede
Þo gan he sitte adoun akneo and wel loude grede
Louerd ȝif it is þi wille forȝiue ham þis misdede
For hy nute weþer hi doþ wel oþer to quede
Þe Giwes þrewe stones faste so þat he deide sone
And wende to þe ioie of heuene as is riȝt was to done
And þus he þolede martirdom and þe ferste martir was
After oure Louerdes passion so wel miȝte him be[o] þas
For twelf monþe after is deþ and þre[o] quarters also
Þane morwe after Midwinter day to deþe he was ido
Men wende forþ suþþe for drede þat vnderstode is lore
And burede him stilleliche and bymende him wel sore
And wende to þe ioie of heuene as is riȝt was to done
And þus he þolede martirdom and þe ferste martir was
After oure Louerdes passion so wel miȝte him be[o] þas
For twelf monþe after is deþ and þre[o] quarters also
Þane morwe after Midwinter day to deþe he was ido
Men wende forþ suþþe for drede þat vnderstode is lore
And burede him stilleliche and bymende him wel sore
Anon so he ymartred was and no wreche þerof necom
Þe Giwes were þe hardiore to werri Cristendom
Holy Churche in Ierusalem hi werrede in eche side
Godes deciples were to sprad in þe lond wel wide
Ac seinte Steuene þis holyman vnder eorþe lay
Ar he were in ssrine ido many a long day
Þe Giwes were þe hardiore to werri Cristendom
Holy Churche in Ierusalem hi werrede in eche side
Godes deciples were to sprad in þe lond wel wide
592
Ar he were in ssrine ido many a long day
De Inuenione sancti Steffani
An holy preost þer was suþþe þat was god Cristene man
Þat louede God & Holy Churche is name was Lucian
In a Vriniȝt as þis preost þe þridde tid of þe niȝte
Lay inis bedde al wakynge him com a wonder siȝte
Þat louede God & Holy Churche is name was Lucian
In a Vriniȝt as þis preost þe þridde tid of þe niȝte
Lay inis bedde al wakynge him com a wonder siȝte
Þer com to him a uair oldman biuore is bedde alowe
His berd long & swuþe sid is cloþes wiȝt so snowe
Is mantel wiþ croises al aboute wel uaire aboute him drou
Hosen & sson ek al of golde him þoȝte fair inou
A ȝeord of golde he bar anhonde & þerwiþ he smot þrie
Lucian þe holy preost and wel mildeliche gan crie
His berd long & swuþe sid is cloþes wiȝt so snowe
Is mantel wiþ croises al aboute wel uaire aboute him drou
Hosen & sson ek al of golde him þoȝte fair inou
A ȝeord of golde he bar anhonde & þerwiþ he smot þrie
Lucian þe holy preost and wel mildeliche gan crie
Lucian Lucian Lucian aris
And seie þe bissop of Ierusalem Ion þat is so wis
And esse him hou longe [w]e ssolle [] in þe eorþe iclosed be[o]
Bidde him þat he us openy þat men us mowe ise[o]
Þat þe holy dore of milce oure swete Louerd vndo
Þ[e] watloker for loue of me & of myne felawes also
And seie þe bissop of Ierusalem Ion þat is so wis
And esse him hou longe [w]e ssolle [] in þe eorþe iclosed be[o]
Bidde him þat he us openy þat men us mowe ise[o]
Þat þe holy dore of milce oure swete Louerd vndo
Þ[e] watloker for loue of me & of myne felawes also
Ich ne segge þis noȝt for me ac for mine felawes þre[o]
Þat longe vnder eorþe beoþ & ssolde aboue be[o]
For ich am Gamaliel þat forþ broȝte iwis
And norissede sein Paul þat nouþe apostel is
Seinte Steuene þe holyman bi us liþ also
Þat after oure Louerdes passion ferst was to deþe ido
Nichodemus þe godeman my neueu is þe þridde
Þat to oure Louerd com a niȝt is wissinge forto bidde
Þe veorþe is myn owene sone Abibas þe gode
We ne liggeþ noȝt þere faire wo so him vnderstode
Þat longe vnder eorþe beoþ & ssolde aboue be[o]
For ich am Gamaliel þat forþ broȝte iwis
And norissede sein Paul þat nouþe apostel is
Seinte Steuene þe holyman bi us liþ also
Þat after oure Louerdes passion ferst was to deþe ido
Nichodemus þe godeman my neueu is þe þridde
Þat to oure Louerd com a niȝt is wissinge forto bidde
Þe veorþe is myn owene sone Abibas þe gode
We ne liggeþ noȝt þere faire wo so him vnderstode
Þo Lucyan awok and þis siȝte hadde al yseie
He nuste wat him was to done he was in gret eyȝe
Ȝeorne he bad Iesu Crist þe sikeror forto be[o]
And ȝif þe siȝte were þoru him þat he it moste eft ise[o]
He nuste wat him was to done he was in gret eyȝe
Ȝeorne he bad Iesu Crist þe sikeror forto be[o]
And ȝif þe siȝte were þoru him þat he it moste eft ise[o]
Þe nexte Friday afterward at þulke sulue tide
Gamaliel efsone cam he nolde no leng abide
In þe sulue abit þat he dude er Lucian he sede
Wy nastou ido þat ich þe bad biþench þe bet ich rede
Gamaliel efsone cam he nolde no leng abide
593
Wy nastou ido þat ich þe bad biþench þe bet ich rede
Louerd quaþ þis Lucian ich was somdel in drede
Þat it bote a sweuene nas to do such holy dede
Þere fore ȝif þou woldest come þe þridde tide
Þou miȝtest gladie me þe more þat ich nolde no leng abide
Þat it bote a sweuene nas to do such holy dede
Þere fore ȝif þou woldest come þe þridde tide
Þou miȝtest gladie me þe more þat ich nolde no leng abide
Þe niȝt eft a seueniȝt com þis holyman
In þe manere þat he dude er to þis Lucyan
He esste him anon in grete wraþþe wi he abod so longe
And wat penance biuore God he wolde þerof auonge
In þe manere þat he dude er to þis Lucyan
He esste him anon in grete wraþþe wi he abod so longe
And wat penance biuore God he wolde þerof auonge
A Louerd quaþ þis Lucian ichelle nou hie faste
Ich ne abod noȝt bote for ich wolde be[o] siker þerof attelaste
Þis Lucian him dude forþ to þe bissop Ion
And tolde him þe holy mannes heste & þis siȝte anon
Þe bissop gan for ioie weope and lufde al þat he sede
And wende forþ hasteliche to do þis holy dede
Ich ne abod noȝt bote for ich wolde be[o] siker þerof attelaste
Þis Lucian him dude forþ to þe bissop Ion
And tolde him þe holy mannes heste & þis siȝte anon
Þe bissop gan for ioie weope and lufde al þat he sede
And wende forþ hasteliche to do þis holy dede
Hy come and dolue faste inou wel depe in þe gronde
So þat þoru oure Louerdes grace þis holyman hi fonde
Seinte Steuenes holy bones in þe est half hi fonde þere
Þo hi miȝte wonder ise[o] alle þat þere were
For anon so he was ifonde þe eorþe quakede faste
Þat al þe folk wondrede þerof and were sore agaste
Þer smot out also of is bones a noble smul & swote
Þat spradde aboute in to al þe place & monymon com to bote
For þre[o] & seuenti men þat in gret siknesse were
Iheld were þoru þulke smul anon among hom þere
Hy nome op þis holy bones wel clene and richeliche
And to þe churche of Sion bere ham swuþe heiliche
For of þe apostles he was ymad in þulke churche þere
Ercedekne of Cristene men er he ymartred were
In þulke churche his holy bones were ido in ssrine
Nou God for þe loue of seinte Steuene ssuld us fram helle pine
So þat þoru oure Louerdes grace þis holyman hi fonde
Seinte Steuenes holy bones in þe est half hi fonde þere
Þo hi miȝte wonder ise[o] alle þat þere were
For anon so he was ifonde þe eorþe quakede faste
Þat al þe folk wondrede þerof and were sore agaste
Þer smot out also of is bones a noble smul & swote
Þat spradde aboute in to al þe place & monymon com to bote
For þre[o] & seuenti men þat in gret siknesse were
Iheld were þoru þulke smul anon among hom þere
Hy nome op þis holy bones wel clene and richeliche
And to þe churche of Sion bere ham swuþe heiliche
For of þe apostles he was ymad in þulke churche þere
Ercedekne of Cristene men er he ymartred were
594
Nou God for þe loue of seinte Steuene ssuld us fram helle pine
| The South English Legendary | |