[Poems from the Vernon MS] | ||
I-writen I fynde a good stori,
Þe Pope hit wrot seint Gregori,
Of his Modur and of hire lyf,
Þat alle men heolden an holi hosewyf,
So sad of Maner, so mylde of Mood,
Þat alle men heolden hire holi and good;
De-boner, deuout, so milde of steuene,
Þat alle men gesset hire worþi to heuene.
As holi I-holden as heo was,
Þe fend ȝit falled hire in a foul cas,
He truyled hire wiþ his tricherye
And ladde hire in to lecherye,
Þat lust wiþ loue hire so be-gylede,
So foule, til heo was wiþ childe.
So priueliche noþeles heo hire bar
Þat þer-of nas no wiht I-war.
And for no wiht schulde wite hire cas,
Anon as hire child I-boren was,
Þe Nekke heo nom, þe child heo woriede,
And a-non þe child heo buriede.
Þe Pope hit wrot seint Gregori,
Of his Modur and of hire lyf,
Þat alle men heolden an holi hosewyf,
So sad of Maner, so mylde of Mood,
Þat alle men heolden hire holi and good;
De-boner, deuout, so milde of steuene,
Þat alle men gesset hire worþi to heuene.
261
Þe fend ȝit falled hire in a foul cas,
He truyled hire wiþ his tricherye
And ladde hire in to lecherye,
Þat lust wiþ loue hire so be-gylede,
So foule, til heo was wiþ childe.
So priueliche noþeles heo hire bar
Þat þer-of nas no wiht I-war.
And for no wiht schulde wite hire cas,
Anon as hire child I-boren was,
Þe Nekke heo nom, þe child heo woriede,
And a-non þe child heo buriede.
Þus was heo cumbred in careful cas,
Ne schewed neuer schrift þerof, allas!
ffor heo wolde holy I-holde be,
Heo tolde neuer prest hire priuite;
Al folk fayn was of hire fame,
So holy as heo was holden of name.
Ne schewed neuer schrift þerof, allas!
ffor heo wolde holy I-holde be,
Heo tolde neuer prest hire priuite;
Al folk fayn was of hire fame,
So holy as heo was holden of name.
Eft-sones hir fel þe same cas
Riht as bi-foren bi-tyd hire was.
ffor heo was comen of prys parage,
Of riche kun, of gentil lynage,
Hire sone was seynt Gregori þe pope,
Men heolden hire holy wiþ al heore hope,
Þerfore heo schonede hir schrift to schowe,
Leste by schrift hire cas weor knowe.
So schome makeþ men schone heor schrift
And leose þe grace of godus ȝift,
And siþen to liuen so sunfulli
And sorily dyen and sodeynli.
Riht as bi-foren bi-tyd hire was.
ffor heo was comen of prys parage,
Of riche kun, of gentil lynage,
Hire sone was seynt Gregori þe pope,
Men heolden hire holy wiþ al heore hope,
Þerfore heo schonede hir schrift to schowe,
Leste by schrift hire cas weor knowe.
So schome makeþ men schone heor schrift
And leose þe grace of godus ȝift,
And siþen to liuen so sunfulli
262
Þis wommones dedes ner not aspyet,
And softly sone þer-aftur heo dyed.
Whon heo was seyen so softly dye,
Men hopede heo weore in heuene ful hiȝe,
Men heolden hir holy and so deuoute
Þat of hire deþ men hedden no doute,
But wenden witerly alle to-wisse
Þat heo weore set in souereyn blisse.
And softly sone þer-aftur heo dyed.
Whon heo was seyen so softly dye,
Men hopede heo weore in heuene ful hiȝe,
Men heolden hir holy and so deuoute
Þat of hire deþ men hedden no doute,
But wenden witerly alle to-wisse
Þat heo weore set in souereyn blisse.
[Poems from the Vernon MS] | ||