 | The Life of St. George |  |
How saynt George presentyd hym selfe before Dacian confessynge hym crysten as he which was glad to dye for the faythe of cryst and of the disputacyon betwene saynt george and Dacyan. Capitulum. xvii.
Whan gloryous george / sawe this extremyte
So cruell dedys hym mouyd by nature
In boldnes kyndled / and wyth audacyte
He tought no lenger / in sylence to indure
But cast asyde / his clothynge & vesture
With all his garmentys / pertaynynge to a knyght
In symple habyte / hym selfe: he homely dyght
So cruell dedys hym mouyd by nature
In boldnes kyndled / and wyth audacyte
He tought no lenger / in sylence to indure
But cast asyde / his clothynge & vesture
With all his garmentys / pertaynynge to a knyght
In symple habyte / hym selfe: he homely dyght
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Bycause no man sholde hym perceyue nor knowe
Ne shewe hym fauour / for his olde excellence
Suche was his harte / by vertue meke & lowe
Thus he inspyred / by heuynly influence
Cam vnto Dacyan / nat dredynge his presence
And boldly thus sayd / o Dacyan vntrue
Knowe thou that I / am seruaunt of Iesu.
Ne shewe hym fauour / for his olde excellence
Suche was his harte / by vertue meke & lowe
Thus he inspyred / by heuynly influence
Cam vnto Dacyan / nat dredynge his presence
And boldly thus sayd / o Dacyan vntrue
Knowe thou that I / am seruaunt of Iesu.
Thou art a tyrant / and worthy punysshment
These men to murdre / without transgressyon
Wherfore I wyll / thou knowe my playne intent
Here I defye / thy goddys euerychone
And yelde me seruaunt / vnto one god alone
Which by his worde / all thynge hath made of noght
My lord is cryst / which with his blode me bought
These men to murdre / without transgressyon
Wherfore I wyll / thou knowe my playne intent
Here I defye / thy goddys euerychone
And yelde me seruaunt / vnto one god alone
Which by his worde / all thynge hath made of noght
My lord is cryst / which with his blode me bought
Though dacyan / had in that londe great myght
yet of these wordes / was he abasshed nere
He fered to displeas / or greue the noble knyght
Whose noble fame / so open was and clere
For thoughe george / thus homely dyd appere
yet was he knowen / in person and in name
No symple habyte / cowde hyde hys noble fame.
yet of these wordes / was he abasshed nere
He fered to displeas / or greue the noble knyght
Whose noble fame / so open was and clere
For thoughe george / thus homely dyd appere
yet was he knowen / in person and in name
No symple habyte / cowde hyde hys noble fame.
Wherefore the tyrant / by counsell disceyuable
At fyrst indeuered / to tourne the sayntes mynde
By frendly speche / and wordes amyable
Therby supposynge / the knyghtes wyt to blynde
This wycked iudge / and traytour moste vnkynde
Iudged the newe doctryne / of chryst to be in fame
Bycause his ydolles / be it had lost theyr name.
At fyrst indeuered / to tourne the sayntes mynde
By frendly speche / and wordes amyable
Therby supposynge / the knyghtes wyt to blynde
This wycked iudge / and traytour moste vnkynde
Iudged the newe doctryne / of chryst to be in fame
Bycause his ydolles / be it had lost theyr name.
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Alway the knyght / perseuered stedfastly
With constant speche / and word vnuariable
Whiche thynge perceyued / the tyrant fynally
Sayde to the knyght / with wordes fauorable
O noble knyght / and captayne honorable
The strayt commaundement / of the emperour
Constrayneth vs / to this extreme rygour
With constant speche / and word vnuariable
Whiche thynge perceyued / the tyrant fynally
Sayde to the knyght / with wordes fauorable
O noble knyght / and captayne honorable
The strayt commaundement / of the emperour
Constrayneth vs / to this extreme rygour
Thy selfe hast harde / howe the commyssyon
Agaynst this sect / of straunge & newe byleue
Is executed / in euery regyon
Beware / thy owne foly / thus may the greatly greue
If thou thy betters / actes thus repreue.
Councell thy selfe / renne nat in ieopardy
He his fowle hardy / that dare begyn rasshly
Agaynst this sect / of straunge & newe byleue
Is executed / in euery regyon
Beware / thy owne foly / thus may the greatly greue
If thou thy betters / actes thus repreue.
Councell thy selfe / renne nat in ieopardy
He his fowle hardy / that dare begyn rasshly
I se thy here / fast wexeth gray and hore
Which is playne tokyn / of age auncyent
wysedom discrete / thy mynde shulde gyde ye more
Thou entrest the see / in wawes vyolent
In a frayle vessel / in peryll euydent
Thou playne resemblest / a man of grauyte
Than ought thy person / and maners to agree.
Which is playne tokyn / of age auncyent
wysedom discrete / thy mynde shulde gyde ye more
Thou entrest the see / in wawes vyolent
In a frayle vessel / in peryll euydent
Thou playne resemblest / a man of grauyte
Than ought thy person / and maners to agree.
Whyle thou hast layser / withdrawe thy fote agayne
Desyst: contende nat / with goddes excellent
As dyd the gyantes / to theyr great hurte and payne
Which for presumpcion with fyre of heuyn were brent
It is great foly / and purpos imprudent
Agayne the Emperour / contendynge to withstonde
Syns he is drad / of see: and euery londe.
Desyst: contende nat / with goddes excellent
As dyd the gyantes / to theyr great hurte and payne
Which for presumpcion with fyre of heuyn were brent
It is great foly / and purpos imprudent
Agayne the Emperour / contendynge to withstonde
Syns he is drad / of see: and euery londe.
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These wordes mouyd / the knyght no thynge at all
In parfyte feyth / his mynde was stablyd fast
In hope of blysse / and ioy perpetuall.
To dacyan / than sayde he at the last
Knowe thou well tyrant / after my youth was past
Of ydolles I lefte / the seruyce and homage
Receyuynge cryste / after my tendyr age.
In parfyte feyth / his mynde was stablyd fast
In hope of blysse / and ioy perpetuall.
To dacyan / than sayde he at the last
Knowe thou well tyrant / after my youth was past
Of ydolles I lefte / the seruyce and homage
Receyuynge cryste / after my tendyr age.
I count my yeres / all lost in syn and vyce
Which in my youth / for lacke of wyt I spent
In Idolatry / and fendly sacryfyce
My other yeres / vnto this tyme present
Spent in true seruyce / of cryst omnipotent
I count as wonne / and well bestowyd eche day
From my fyrste age / to these my heres gray
Which in my youth / for lacke of wyt I spent
In Idolatry / and fendly sacryfyce
My other yeres / vnto this tyme present
Spent in true seruyce / of cryst omnipotent
I count as wonne / and well bestowyd eche day
From my fyrste age / to these my heres gray
It were great foly / and purpose imprudent
That thynge which I / haue ben longe tyme to wyn
So sone to lese / agayne in one moment
Permutynge vertue / with fowle and beestly synne
Knowe thou well Dacyan / I thynke thy wyt but thyn
To thynke that prayer / or rygour can compell
Me to do homage / to dampned spyrytes of hell
That thynge which I / haue ben longe tyme to wyn
So sone to lese / agayne in one moment
Permutynge vertue / with fowle and beestly synne
Knowe thou well Dacyan / I thynke thy wyt but thyn
To thynke that prayer / or rygour can compell
Me to do homage / to dampned spyrytes of hell
These stockes / and stones / and Imagys echone
Ar fendes of hell / and these great temples all
Ar fendes houses / of all these ydollys noon
Ought to be countyd / as god celestyall
For pluto and other / fendys infernall
Fals blynders / and seductours of mankynde
Make the and thyn / with this fals errour blynde
Ar fendes of hell / and these great temples all
Ar fendes houses / of all these ydollys noon
Ought to be countyd / as god celestyall
For pluto and other / fendys infernall
Fals blynders / and seductours of mankynde
Make the and thyn / with this fals errour blynde
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All these false Idollys / we cristen men defy
As cursyd fendes / foule and abhomynable
And here one god / confesse we opynly
Tryforme in persons / his ioy intermynable
The son of god / I knowlege ferme and stable
True god and man / whose name is chryst Iesu
Unto whose seruyce / I humbly me subdue.
As cursyd fendes / foule and abhomynable
And here one god / confesse we opynly
Tryforme in persons / his ioy intermynable
The son of god / I knowlege ferme and stable
True god and man / whose name is chryst Iesu
Unto whose seruyce / I humbly me subdue.
To his holy auters shalbe my sacrifice
whiche is a dede / of parfyte grauyte.
Soche seruyce sholde / hore herys exercyce
Thus shal myn age / and lyuynge wele agre.
I nonght do presume by rasshe audacite
But wysely I order my dedys by prudence.
In heuenly confort hauyge my confidence.
whiche is a dede / of parfyte grauyte.
Soche seruyce sholde / hore herys exercyce
Thus shal myn age / and lyuynge wele agre.
I nonght do presume by rasshe audacite
But wysely I order my dedys by prudence.
In heuenly confort hauyge my confidence.
Into this same Sect / I entred longe agone:
I take nat the Se / in feble shyp nor frayle
No storme / nor tempest / of ayre nor regyon
Agaynst my Shyp / is able to preuayle
Thoughe dredeful tempest / and stormys me assayle
Al that vnto me / can do no dysconfort.
I se the Hauyn / wherto I shal resort.
I take nat the Se / in feble shyp nor frayle
No storme / nor tempest / of ayre nor regyon
Agaynst my Shyp / is able to preuayle
Thoughe dredeful tempest / and stormys me assayle
Al that vnto me / can do no dysconfort.
I se the Hauyn / wherto I shal resort.
The heuenly mountayns / to me do playne apere.
My sowle abordeth / the hauyn of paradyse
These worldly stormes / shal dryue me nere and nere
No sonde nor rocke / can do me preiudyce.
For no temptacion / to syn shal me attyce
My sowle to defyle / by errour nor offence
Chryst is my socour / my gyde / and my defence
My sowle abordeth / the hauyn of paradyse
These worldly stormes / shal dryue me nere and nere
No sonde nor rocke / can do me preiudyce.
For no temptacion / to syn shal me attyce
My sowle to defyle / by errour nor offence
Chryst is my socour / my gyde / and my defence
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I gather herbes / fayre / swete / and redolent
wyth fragrant floures / of grace and diligence
To make for my Shyp / Garlandes of plesant sent
To adourne my sowle / agaynst the same shal hence.
That it may haue syght / of goddys bryght presence
There to be sacyat / with that eternal glory
After this feynt lyfe / vnsure and transytory.
wyth fragrant floures / of grace and diligence
To make for my Shyp / Garlandes of plesant sent
To adourne my sowle / agaynst the same shal hence.
That it may haue syght / of goddys bryght presence
There to be sacyat / with that eternal glory
After this feynt lyfe / vnsure and transytory.
And lyke wyse as I / syth tyme I fyrst was knyght
Haue for the Romayns / oft fought in war mortal /
From hens forwarde / I purpose for to fyght
Agayne fals Idollys of Fendes infernal
In chrystys quarel / It is a thynge but smal
My lyfe to bestowe: more hath he done for me
For trouth to contende / it semeth my degre.
Haue for the Romayns / oft fought in war mortal /
From hens forwarde / I purpose for to fyght
Agayne fals Idollys of Fendes infernal
In chrystys quarel / It is a thynge but smal
My lyfe to bestowe: more hath he done for me
For trouth to contende / it semeth my degre.
This lawe is ordeyned / of the emperoure
He styrred therto / by fendly company
And thinkynge to serue / our god and sauyour
The fende he seruyth / alas full damnably
Ryght so doyst thou / in errour semblably
And all ye wretches / blyndyd in syn & vyce
To damnyd fendes / make dayly sacryfyce.
He styrred therto / by fendly company
And thinkynge to serue / our god and sauyour
The fende he seruyth / alas full damnably
Ryght so doyst thou / in errour semblably
And all ye wretches / blyndyd in syn & vyce
To damnyd fendes / make dayly sacryfyce.
Suche is your foly / suche is your errour blynde
Our lawe is parfyte / clere & no thynge obscure
I wyll thou knowe / no thynge shall tourne my mynde
From this byleue / though I shulde deth indure
Deth is laste ende / of euery creature
The noblest dede / that longyth to a knyght
Is for to dye / to fortyfye the ryght.
Our lawe is parfyte / clere & no thynge obscure
I wyll thou knowe / no thynge shall tourne my mynde
From this byleue / though I shulde deth indure
Deth is laste ende / of euery creature
The noblest dede / that longyth to a knyght
Is for to dye / to fortyfye the ryght.
| The Life of St. George | |