 | The South English Legendary |  |
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
| The South English Legendary | |