 | The South English Legendary |  |
59
De sancta Scolastica
Sein Scolace þat holy maide holy was of liue
Leuer heo hadde nonne beo þanne be[o] wedded to wiue
Sein Benet hure broþer was þat [þe] reule uerst vond
Of blake monkes & of nonnes þat me halt into al þe lond
His suster sein Scolace blak nonne he let make
And taȝte hure penance do to faste & eke to wake
Leuer heo hadde nonne beo þanne be[o] wedded to wiue
Sein Benet hure broþer was þat [þe] reule uerst vond
Of blake monkes & of nonnes þat me halt into al þe lond
His suster sein Scolace blak nonne he let make
And taȝte hure penance do to faste & eke to wake
Þis to holy creatures eche ȝer hadde a wone
To come togadere som time & telle of Godes sone
Ac hor noþer in oþeres abbey bileue come ne[m]iȝte
Ne wende bileue for noþing out of hore celle biniȝte
To come togadere som time & telle of Godes sone
Ac hor noþer in oþeres abbey bileue come ne[m]iȝte
Ne wende bileue for noþing out of hore celle biniȝte
Þo þis gode maide ibroȝt was in gret elde
Hure longede wiþ hure broþer speke for feblesse þat heo uelde
Þo he[o] hadde to him ysend togadere gonne hi wende
And tolde of Godes priuete of þane day to ende
Of þe ioie of heuene hou holi men hore lif ladde
Þer of al hore ioie was þat hi bitwene hom hadde
Hure longede wiþ hure broþer speke for feblesse þat heo uelde
Þo he[o] hadde to him ysend togadere gonne hi wende
And tolde of Godes priuete of þane day to ende
Of þe ioie of heuene hou holi men hore lif ladde
Þer of al hore ioie was þat hi bitwene hom hadde
Sori were þis holy þinges boþe þo it was eue
Sein Benet to is suster sede þat he nemiȝte no leng bileue
Sor was þis maide þo broþer he[o] sede þin ore
Þis holy wordes so murie beoþ ȝute we mote telle more
Wanne we in Godes seruise beoþ ne dorre we oure ordre breke
Ich am so feble þat i ne wene neuer eft wiþ þe speke
Bilef we togadere þis o niȝt for him þat us so deore boȝte
Ichot he wol it us forȝiue for we doþ it in gode þoȝte
Sein Benet to is suster sede þat he nemiȝte no leng bileue
Sor was þis maide þo broþer he[o] sede þin ore
Þis holy wordes so murie beoþ ȝute we mote telle more
Wanne we in Godes seruise beoþ ne dorre we oure ordre breke
Ich am so feble þat i ne wene neuer eft wiþ þe speke
Bilef we togadere þis o niȝt for him þat us so deore boȝte
Ichot he wol it us forȝiue for we doþ it in gode þoȝte
Beo stille quaþ sein Benet loke wat þou dest telle
Wel þou wost þat i ne may be niȝte be[o] fram my celle
Wel þou wost þat i ne may be niȝte be[o] fram my celle
Þo þis maide isei þat it ne huld to be[o] mid hure broþer more
Hure heued he[o] bigan to hange adoun & siȝte swuþe sore
Louerd he[o] sede þou ert fol of milce and of ore
Lete me ȝif þi wille be[o] hure more of þi lore
Ne let noȝt mi broþer toniȝt fram m[e] Louerd wende
And lete us wiþ tales of þi blisse [] þis niȝt bringe to ende
Hure heued he[o] bigan to hange adoun & siȝte swuþe sore
Louerd he[o] sede þou ert fol of milce and of ore
Lete me ȝif þi wille be[o] hure more of þi lore
60
And lete us wiþ tales of þi blisse [] þis niȝt bringe to ende
As þis maide lokede up þo he[o] hadde ido hure bone
Þat weder þat was so cler & uair bigan to change sone
Hit gan to sniwe & þondri liȝte & eke rine
Þat uer wiþinne niȝt it was ar þat weder wolde fine
Þat wel was eche quik best þat was in eni inne
Nou was þis a maister maide þat such weder couþe winne
No nemiȝte sein Benet for weder þanne wende
Soster he sede wat haste ido þou fondest me to ssende
Þat weder þat was so cler & uair bigan to change sone
Hit gan to sniwe & þondri liȝte & eke rine
Þat uer wiþinne niȝt it was ar þat weder wolde fine
Þat wel was eche quik best þat was in eni inne
Nou was þis a maister maide þat such weder couþe winne
No nemiȝte sein Benet for weder þanne wende
Soster he sede wat haste ido þou fondest me to ssende
Ȝif it mi Louerdes wille nere wel ne dudestou noȝt
Þat ich ssel min ordres breke so nadde ich neuere iþoȝt
Þat ich ssel min ordres breke so nadde ich neuere iþoȝt
Leue broþer þe maide sede ich bidde þe swuþe ȝerne
To bileue here þis niȝt and euere þou dust weorne
Ich bad mi Louerd anoþer bone & he me hurde anon
Cheos weþer þou wolt bileue oþer henne gon
Bilef me al one ȝif þou miȝt for no þonk necan ich þe
Ich þonki God of heuene þat sone hurde me
To bileue here þis niȝt and euere þou dust weorne
Ich bad mi Louerd anoþer bone & he me hurde anon
Cheos weþer þou wolt bileue oþer henne gon
Bilef me al one ȝif þou miȝt for no þonk necan ich þe
Ich þonki God of heuene þat sone hurde me
Þo hi nemiȝte departi noȝt alniȝt to gadere hi woke
And tolde of þe swetnesse þat is mid God in tale & in boke
Þe niȝt hom þoȝte swuþe ssort & sory atte ende
Hi were þo hi seie day þat hi ssolde ato wende
Hy ne dorste no leng togadere be[o] ac wende to hore celle
Sori hi were for hy nemiȝte no leng togadere telle
And tolde of þe swetnesse þat is mid God in tale & in boke
Þe niȝt hom þoȝte swuþe ssort & sory atte ende
Hi were þo hi seie day þat hi ssolde ato wende
Hy ne dorste no leng togadere be[o] ac wende to hore celle
Sori hi were for hy nemiȝte no leng togadere telle
Þo þe maide was hom icome sore sik he[o] lay
And as oure Louerd is wille was he[o] deide þe þridde day
Sein Benet inis celle ȝeode his suster soule he sei
In forme of a coluer wiȝt fle[o] to heuene an hei
Heuene openede hure aȝen þe coluer gan in vle[o]
Glad was þis holyman þat þis miȝte ise[o]
Amorwe he & his couent þuder wende sone
And burede þis holy maide as riȝt was to done
So God leoue þat we mote wiþ Cristen men be[o]
Ibured at oure endeday and to heuene vle[o]
And as oure Louerd is wille was he[o] deide þe þridde day
Sein Benet inis celle ȝeode his suster soule he sei
In forme of a coluer wiȝt fle[o] to heuene an hei
Heuene openede hure aȝen þe coluer gan in vle[o]
Glad was þis holyman þat þis miȝte ise[o]
Amorwe he & his couent þuder wende sone
And burede þis holy maide as riȝt was to done
So God leoue þat we mote wiþ Cristen men be[o]
Ibured at oure endeday and to heuene vle[o]
| The South English Legendary | |