The South English Legendary

Sein Thomas at Kanterburi a Midwinteresday
Stod and prechede þat folk as many man ysay
Inis predicacion he gan to siche sore
And deol and sorwe made inou ne miȝte noman more
He weop swuþe sore þe teres orne adoun
Þer was ek many wepinge eiȝe sone into al þat toun

Mi leoue frendes quaþ þis holyman wepinge wel sore
Ȝoure preost ich habbe awile ibe[o] ac i nemay nou namore
For myn endeday is nei icome i ne worþ here noȝt longe
Icham for Holy Churche riȝte iredy þane deþ auonge
Biddeþ for me for Godes loue and for Holy Churche also
Þat geþ almest nou to gronde bote God nyme ȝeme þertwo
Ac þane deþ ichelle vawe auonge ȝif it is Godes wille
For þe riȝtes of Holy Churche raþer þanne he[o] aspille

Boc and candle he nom an honde and amansede riȝt þere
Alle þat werrede Holy Churche and aȝen hure riȝtes were
And nameliche sire Randolf de Brok & Roberd de Brok also
Þat þe bissopriche of Kanterburi gret vnriȝt habbeþ ido
For þe wile sein Thomas was out of londe kyng Henri bitok
Þe bissopriche al to loke sire Randolf de Brok
And made Roberd de Brok is clerk þat was þo
Wardein of þis vnder him þat dude þe lond wel wo

Hi destrude al þe bissopriche and two hom sulf nom inou
And let him gret bold arere of þat he nom wiþ wou
Þer inne a Cristes masseday þo þis mansinge was ido
He sat and et nobliche and mony wiþ him also
He caste þe hondes of is bred þat biuore him lay

676

And euerich hond it forsok as al þat folk ysay
Þo handlede he oþer bred and let menge it attelaste
Wiþ oþer bred þat biside lay and þe hound it caste
Al þat he ihandled hadde þe houndes forlete
And chose out þat oþer þe[re] among and clanliche it ete

Þe mansynge was on him isene anon þulke day
Þare was gret wreche of God as al þat folk ysay
As þis foure luþer knyȝtes of wan we gonne telle
To Engelonde were icome sein Thomas to quelle

To þe castel of Fiss Salt Wode a sein Iones day hi come
Six mile fram Kanterburi and þare hore in hy nome
And sire Randolf de Broc [] to hom com wel sone
Þulke tyme hy nome hore red þe luþer dede to done
Þe morwe a Childes masseday as [God] þan day sende
Sire Randolf de Brok priueliche to Kanterburi wende
Forto enqueri sein Thomas ware hi miȝte finde
Þat he ne drou him noȝt awey ne hudde him bihinde

Þis kniȝtes þane Tiwesday nolde no leng bileue
Ac wende hom to Kanterburi wel ar it were eue
Aboute þe tyme of euesang to sein Thomas hi come
Þan eue [wei] baldeliche to is chambre hy come
Hi come and fonde him stilleliche inis chambre stonde
Wiþ is priue clerkes and gret conseil hadde an honde

Sire Reinaud le Fis Ours grimliche forþ wende
Sire he sede oure louerd þe kyng in message us hider sende
Fram him out of Normandie an heste we habbeþ ibroȝt
Þat þou do is comandement þat þou ne bileue it noȝt
Þat þou wende to is sone þat ȝong kyng ymad is
And amende aȝen him þat þou hast is fader idon amis
And swere þane oþ to be[o] him triwe of þe baronie also
Þat þou halst of him in chef do þat þou aȝtest do

677

Þe clerkes þat þou bringst mid þe ȝif hi wolleþ here astonde
Swerie þe kyng triwe to be[o] oþer hi solleþ out of londe

Beu freres quaþ þis holyman inelle noþing lye
Ichelle do þe kyng al þat ich aȝte of þe baronie
Ac nolde God þat Holi Churche vnder fote were so
Þat ich oþer mine clerkes [] eny oþ ssolde do
For þou wost þat alle lewede men þat beoþ inis londe
Ne swerieþ him noȝt þulke oþ as ich vnderstonde
Nou were Holy Churche in seruage ido
In more þanne a lewed man nay ne worþ it noȝt so

Me þingþ wel quaþ sire Reynaud þat þou nelt do noþing
Of þe heste þat we bringeþ [þ]e fram oure louerd þe kyng
We hoteþ þe inis half þat þou asoili also
Is bissops þat þou hast [] in centence ido

Beu freres quaþ sein Thomas it nis mi dede noȝt
Ac þoru þe pope owe mouþ in centence hi beþ ibroȝt
And þou wost i nemay noȝt wel þe pope is dede vndo
Þei þe pope it do quaþ sire Reinaud þoru þe it is so

Ȝif þe pope haþ quaþ sein Thomas in sentence hom ibroȝt
Þat habbeþ myne churches misdo it ne mispaieþ me noȝt

In eche manere þou ssowest wel sire Reinaud sede þo
Forto anuye oure louerd þe kyng and þou ert is fo
Ware þoru we wel iseoþ þat þou wilnest him do wo
And bynyme is croune ȝif þou miȝt ac ne ssel it noȝt be[o] so
And king wost be[o] inis steode ac neworst þou neuere mo
Certes sire quaþ sein Thomas i ne þenche noþing þertwo

Ac ich him wole þerto helpe as muche as ich may
And for him and for his onur ich bidde niȝt and day
For þer nis nou noman on eorþe þat ich loue more iwis
Þanne ich do him wiþoute is fader þat mi louerd is
Ac a seinte Marie day Magdaleyin to soþe ich segge þe

678

Þo þe acord was ferst ymad bitwene mi louerd and me
He sede me þat ich let amansi al þat hadde misdo
In mi churche þat is owe moder is & ich habbe ido also

Auoi sire prest quaþ þis oþer to muche þou spext ney
Þou desclandrest þin owe louerd þou nert noþer god ne sley
Seistou þat my louerd þe kyng in mansinge let do
Alle þat made is sone kyng ne encentede he noȝt þerto
Nas it is owe dede ne bi non oþer mannes lore
Auoi sire prest biþench þe bet and ne sey so namore

Certes sire quaþ sein Thomas þou wost wel it was so
For þou were þare þo þisulf and manie oþere þerto
Erchebissops and bissops and oþer grete and heie
Ȝe vif hondred men and mo as þou þi sulf iseie

Be[o] stille quaþ þis luþer kniȝt hold þi mouþ ich rede
Þou misseist foule þi nowe louerd day þat wo it sede
Wo miȝte soffre such desclandre bote he nome þerof wreche
Bi þe fei þat ich owe to God me ssel þe anoþer teche
Is felawes also euerichon hore armes abrod caste
And ferde as men þat wode were and þretnede faste

To þe monekes hy wende anon comeþ here forþ hi sede
Ȝe holdeþ here þe kynges fo witeþ him wel ich rede
Þat he to þe kynges wille is body habbe ȝare
Oþer he ssel ȝoure lond aboute & ȝoure maners make bare

Sire Reinaud quaþ sein Thomas wenstou ichelle fle
Nay parde noȝt a uot for þe kyng ne for þe

Bi God preost quaþ þis oþer bi þat þou wost þan ende
Þi fleinge worþ lite worþ þou ne sselt noȝt fer wende

Þis kniȝtes in grete wraþþe inou wende ham forþ anon
And let ham army swuþe wel and come aȝen echon
Wiþ swerdes and wiþ axes and wiþ oþer armes mo
Roberd de Brok þe luþer clerk was also wiþ ham þo

679

In to þe cloister of Kanterburi wiþ gret noise hi gonne weue
Þe monkes songe complin for it was ney eue
Somme for þis grete noyse fel adoun for fere
Somme bygonne to fleo aboute as men þat witles were
Sein Thomas nom a crois an honde and oþer arme non
And þare wiþ wel baldeliche ȝeode aȝen is fon

Þe monekes orne to him sone sire mercy hi sede
For Godes loue abid ȝute her oure Louerd þe may ȝute rede
Soffre þat we þe ȝute helpe oþer þat we wiþ þe deiȝe
Somme wolde make þe dore þo hi þis folk yseye

Bileueþ quaþ þis holyman ȝe nedoþ noȝt as þe wise
Singeþ forþ ȝoure complin and oure Louerdes seruise
Me ne ssel of Holy Churche castel make non
Leteþ foles a stounde aweode and in hare folye gon

Þis kniȝtes come reke in hore folye forto do
Ware is hi sede þis traitour and fals bissop also
Sein Thomas bar þe crois an honde and answerede is fon
Icham here he sede Godes preost traitor nam ich non
Secheþ þat wole ȝou fle[o] o[þ]re drede ȝoure þretynge
No prestore ne beoþ ȝoure swerdes me to deþe bringe
Þanne myn heorte prestore nis þane deþ forto take
For þe riȝte of Holy Churche inele noȝt þane deþ forsake

Þare wende forþ on [anon] and is hure of him drou
And is mantel afterward wiþ luþer heorte inou
Sire Reinaud le Fiȝ Ours porsiwede faste anon
Sire Reinaud quaþ sein Thomas hou ssel nou þis gon
Ich habbe god ido ofte þe and oþer mo
Þou sselt quaþ þis oþer iwite hou it ssel go

Traitor þou ert ded anon non oþer nel ich do
To soþe quaþ þis holy man wel prest am ich þerto
For þe riȝte of Holy Churche þane deþ ich am wel vawe

680

Ȝif ȝe miȝte þer afterward [] in pes be[o] and in lawe

Ac ich bidde ȝou ȝif ȝe me sleþ in oure Louerdes name
Þat ȝe ne come ney non oþer man harm to do ne ssame
For non oþer gulti þer nis of þat ȝe witeþ me
Ac gulteles hi beoþ bote ich one þerof siker ȝe be[o]
And also as hi gulteles beoþ harmles let ȝam wende

Þis godeman sat adoun akneo þo he say þan ende
And forto auonge is martirdom is heued he buide adoun
And wel softe as some heorde he sede þis horison
Oure Louerd and seinte Marie and seint Deonis also
And alle þe auowes of þis churche in was ore icham ido
Ich bitake mi soule he sede and Holy Churche riȝte
Ȝute he bad for Holi Churche þo he nadde oþer miȝte

Sire Reynaud le Fiȝ Ours mest sorwe of echon
Forto smite þis holyman is swerd he drou anon
Ac Edward Grim þat was is clerk of Grantebrugge ibore
To helpe is louerd ȝif he miȝte pulte is arm byuore
He wonded is arm swuþe sore þat blod orn adoun
Mid þulke dunt also he smot sein Thomas ope þe croun
Þat þe blod orn bi is face adoun in þe riȝt half of þe wonde
Loude gradde þis luþer kniȝt smiteþ alle to gronde

Edward Grim and al is men þat aboute him so were
Ourne aboute ech inis side ope þe weuedes for fere
As it bi oure Louerd ferde þo þe Giwes him nome
Is deciples flowe anon me nuste war hi bicome
For in þe gospel it is iwrite þat oure Louerd him sulf þo sede
Wanne me smit þe ssep hurde þe ssep wolleþ tosprede
And oure Louerd bad þat me ne ssolde is deciples non harm do
Þer on þoȝte sein Thomas and bad for is also

Anoþer kniȝt smot sein Thomas in þulke sulue wonde

681

And made him buye is face adoun & loke toward þe gronde
Þe þridde in þulke sulue stude þer after smot anon
And made him aloute al adoun is face ope þe ston
In þulke steode þe veorþe smot þat þe oþer hadde er ido
Þat þe point of is swerd brak in þe marbre ston atwo

Ȝute þulke point at Kanterburi þe monekes leteþ wite
For þe honur of þe holyman þat þerewiþ was ismite
Wiþ þulke strok he smot al of þe scolle and eke þe croune
Þat þe brain orn abrod in þe pauement þare doune

Þe wite brain was ymeng wiþ þe rede blod þere
Þe colour was wel uair to se[o] þei it rulich were
Al round it orn aboute is heued as it were a diademe
Al round þere aboute lay war of me tok gret ȝeme
For wanne me peint an halwe ȝe ne seoþ noȝt bileued
Þat þer nis ipeint a round al aboute is heued
Þat is icluped diademe and me say þare a uair cas
B[i] þe diademe of is heued þat he halwe was

Þo þis holyman was ded loude hi gradde echon
Þis traitour is to deþe ibroȝt wende we hanne anon
Siweþ us þe kynges men and þat wiþ him beoþ
Of þis traitor we beoþ awreke as ȝe nou iseoþ
He þoȝte be[o] herre þanne þe kyng & binyme him is croune
And to noȝte bringe al Engelond & nou he liþ þare doune
As þe Giwes bi oure Louerd sede þo hi wolde him to deþe do
Þat he made him kyng and non nas & Godes sone also

Þo þis luþer kniȝtes were fram sein Thomas igon
Roberd de Brok him biþoȝte and aȝen turnde anon
And þoru þe scolle smot is swerd deope wiþinne þe heued
Þo was þe scole al amty and no brain bileued

As þe Giwes smite oure Louerd to þe heorte gronde
After is deþ wiþ a sper and made him þe vifte wonde

682

Þis luþer men alle in o stude smite sein Thomas
In þe scolle euene abrod as þe croune was

He nas þe man þat enes wolde is heued wiþdrawe
Ne fonde forto blenche awey ne is [fot] aweiward wawe
Ne enes grone ne make cri as mildeliche and softe
His heued held euene forþ þei hi him smite ofte
Þis luþer kniȝtes wende anon to al is tresorie
And breke is doren & is coffren & dude hore robberie
Hi nome is cloþes & is hors and is tresour also
Chartren and oþer priue writes þat inis cofre were ido
Hi bitoke sire Randolf de Brok þat he þare wiþ wende
To þe kyng in Normandie & segge þat hi him sende
Þat he dude þare wiþ wat he wolde & ȝif þere eny were
Þat wiþsede eny word he ssolde is bane arere

Amang is tresour he fond ek tweie wel stronge here
Wel villiche hi caste ham awey as þei it no god nere
And naþeles hi biþoȝte þo and were somdel in fere
And bispeke bitwene hom stille þat he godmon were

Sire Willam Traci tolde of þis godeman sein Thomas
Þe bissop of Excetre as he in ssrifte was
Þat þo sein Thomas was aslawe and hi outward wende þere
Hom agros so sore þat hy were nei witles for fere
Þo ham þoȝte as hi outward wende ne ȝeode hi neuere so blyue
Þat þe eorþe openede vnder ham to forswolwe ham alyue

Þo sein Thomas aslawe was and þe knites out agon
Into al toun of Kanterburi couþ it was anon
Þat folk cride deoluoliche and to churche faste drowe
And onurede þat holy body and custe it ek inowe

Þe monekes come þuder sone and þe holy body toke
And in a bere faire it leide & biuore an auter it biwoke

683

Þe face was wiȝt and cler inou and no blod þer inne
Bote fram þe riȝt half of is uorheued to is lift chinne
And a smal rewe þare was of blod þat ouer is nose drou
Namore blod nas inis face as al þat folk iseie nou

Þe wonde bledde allonge niȝt me hente þer of iwis
In þe churche of Kanterburi of þe blod ȝute is
Ac he nas of þe worse hiu of al þat he bledde þere
Bote cler & yhuwed wel inou as he aliue were
Somdel liȝinge wiþ þe mouþ he lay as he slepe

Þat folk was aboute him þicke þat blod forto kepe
And forto gaderi of þat blod þat issad was in þe gronde
And of þe eorþe þat was ibled & glade were wanne hi it fonde
For þat hom nolde noman weorne þicke awei me it drou
And wo so him miȝte enes touche he was glad inou

Amorwe þis luþer kniȝtes armede hom efsone
And wiþoute toun nome hore red wat hom was to done
Hi biradde hom to nime is bodi & mid wilde hors to drawe
An[d] on a waritreo honge it suþþe and sede it was lawe
For he nas worþe to beon ibured in churche ne in churche ȝerd
Þe monekes oftrowede þis and were somdel aferd
Hy burede þis holi body in haste þare biside
Wiþ lite solempnite for hi ne dorste noȝt abide

Þis holy body was ibured in þe ministre of Iesu Crist
Biuore seint Austins weued and sein Ion þe Baptist
Hi ne dorste no leng abide forte he iwasse were
Ac al vngreiþid leide it on and hudde it for fere
As hi strupte is cloþes of al wiþoute hi fonde

Clerkes cloþes as him biuel ac anoþer atte gronde

684

For monkes abit was wiþinne as hi fonde þere
Boþe couele & stamin hi fonde next is here
So þat he was monk wiþinne & seculer wiþoute
Nuste noman is priuetes þat him was aboute

Nexst is fleis þe here was wiþ knottes manyon
Þat deop inis fleiss wode somme anon to þe bon
Þare of he hadde sseorte and brech lite ese he miȝte uele
So þat he was þare on ibonde fram schuldren to þe hele

Wiþ lite ese he miȝte sitte an[d] vnseliliche ride
And vneseliche ligge ek and wende up oþer side
Fol of wormes was is fleiss ek to al oþer wo
In no creature ich vnderstonde neuere nere iseie mo
For in eche stude of is fleiss þo þicke hi were isete
Þat þe grete ne miȝte come for þe smale to hare mete
Faste hi crope and ssoue ek as eneten al aboute
Ac þe smale cleueþ faste to þe grete leuede wiþoute

He deide enleue hondred ȝer and seuenti and on
After þat oure Louerd aliȝte to nyme oure fleiss & bon
Of elde þre[o] and vifti ȝer he him sulf was þo
He hadde many a fair day ilyued in care and wo

Þe king was euere in Normandie and her of nuste noȝt
He made deol and sorwe inou þo þe tiding him was ibroȝt
In þe castel of Argentim he soiournede þo
Wiþoute þe ȝet ne cam he noȝt four dawes ne mo
Ac euere him huld in priuete in wop and oþer wo
For no neode þat me him sede wiþoute he nolde go
He neþoȝte noþing of þe world wel lite he roȝte also
Þe sorwe and deol þat he made nemiȝte neuere be[o] ido

He sende anon to Kanterburi for þis deolfol dede
And þe monekes bede pitesliche þat hi for him bede
And sende ham word þat it nas noþing bi is rede

685

Ac þe kniȝtes wende forþ and noþing him ne sede
And he sende after hom þat hi come aȝe to me
And ar þe messager miȝte come hi were ver in þe se

To þe pope also god þe king sende sone
And bad in conseil priueliche wat him were to done
And bad him for þe loue of God in such angwisse him rede
Þat he were ischriue & asoiled of þe luþer dede
Þe pope hadde gret pite þat he such word him sende
And gret ioie þat he hadde wille is lif forto amende

Tweie cardinals he sende him wise men boþe two
And ssriue him of þulke sunne and asoile also
And þe bissops to asoily þat were in mansinge
Welle þat þis cardinals wolcome were þe kynge

Þe kyng bad hom deoluoliche to ssriue him of þe dede
And bihet hom stableliche to stonde al at hore rede
He swor ek ope þe halidom þat it nas þoru him noȝt

Ne bi is wille ne bi is heste þat he was to deþe ibroȝt
Ne þat for is fader deþe so sori man he nas
Ne for is moder noþemo as he for him was
And þat he wolde wiþ gode heorte þe penance al auonge
Þat hi wolde legge on him nere hi noȝt so stronge
For he was encheson of is anuy & of is deþe also
For þe knites to paie him broȝte him þertwo

Þo þe cardinals yseie þat he to repentance drou
Hi asoilede him and leide on him penance strong inou
In priuete as riȝt was þat noman it nuste
And þeose ek þat ich nou telle þat þe folk of weste
Þat he fonde in þe Holy Lond to hondred kniȝtes to fiȝte
And al a ȝer wiþ temple[r]s for Holy Churche riȝte
And þe status of Claringdone ssolde al out wiþdrawe

For wan þis holyman was ibroȝt of dawe
And he clanliche ȝelde aȝen þat al bynome was
Þe bissopriche of Kanterburi for wraþþe of sein Thomas
And þat he ssolde is uuel wille clanliche forȝiue
To alle þat he hadde of londe for wraþþe of him idriue

686

Þe king grantede al hore wille wepinge wel sore
And sede þat it was to lite and bad legge on him more
And sede al to ȝoure wille here mi body ich take
Ȝiueþ me penance inou inelle non forsake

He wende out atte churche dore asoilled forto be[o]
And ne held him noȝt worþe þat me ssolde him wiþinne ise[o]
Wiþoute churche piteisliche he sat adoun akne[o]
Ac þe cardinals nolde noȝt is body al vnwre[o]
Ac somdel aboue is cloþe hi asoilede him riȝt þere
For deol hi wope ek pitesliche moni þat þare were

He made eke ane biheste mid wel dreori chere
Is fader penance to folveolle ȝif he of power nere
Ȝif he falle in feble stat þat he ne miȝte it folende
Þe charge he nom ope him sulue and dude as þe hende
Þus was þis holyman ybroȝt to martirdom
Mani was þe faire miracle þat for him sone com

University of Virginia Library