 | The South English Legendary |  |
61
De sancto Valentino
Sein Valentin þe martir god man was inou
And þoru is prechinge many man to Cristendom drou
And sikemen þoru Godes grace monye to hele broȝte
So þat men þat sike were wel wide alonde him soȝte
And þoru is prechinge many man to Cristendom drou
And sikemen þoru Godes grace monye to hele broȝte
So þat men þat sike were wel wide alonde him soȝte
A gret maister þer was þo at Rome Cratan was is name
He hurde telle of him and of is holy fame
A sone he hadde in siknesse þat him was leof inou
Þat þe crompe hadde & oþer siknesse þat is limes fordrou
Þat is chin and al is face lay bitwene his þie
More pine þanne he hadde ne dorste noman drie
So þat heie men & noble his fader sende fram Rome
To þe holyman sein Valentyn þat he þuder come
Forto hele his sike sone and inou of his nome
For he was þer of siker inou as me tolde him ilome
He hurde telle of him and of is holy fame
A sone he hadde in siknesse þat him was leof inou
Þat þe crompe hadde & oþer siknesse þat is limes fordrou
Þat is chin and al is face lay bitwene his þie
More pine þanne he hadde ne dorste noman drie
So þat heie men & noble his fader sende fram Rome
To þe holyman sein Valentyn þat he þuder come
Forto hele his sike sone and inou of his nome
For he was þer of siker inou as me tolde him ilome
So þat þis holyman com þuder þoru is bone
Sire Craton þis holyman his sone him broȝte sone
And bad him for þe loue of God þat on was al is þoȝt
Þat he broȝte is sone to hele þat he ne perssede noȝt
Sire Craton þis holyman his sone him broȝte sone
And bad him for þe loue of God þat on was al is þoȝt
Þat he broȝte is sone to hele þat he ne perssede noȝt
Ȝif þou wolt quaþ þis holyman þat þi sone hol be[o]
Kuþ it somdel in dede and þou sselt it hol ise[o]
Kuþ it somdel in dede and þou sselt it hol ise[o]
A Louerd merci quaþ þis oþer euene ichelle dele
And [ȝiue] him clanlich half mi god wo so him bringe to hele
And [ȝiue] him clanlich half mi god wo so him bringe to hele
Ȝif þou wolt quaþ sein Valentin & þine men echon
Biluue in Iesu Crist þi sone worþ hol anon
Þo was Craton glad inou þo þis forwarde was ydo
His wif and al is oþer men encentede wel þerto
Biluue in Iesu Crist þi sone worþ hol anon
Þo was Craton glad inou þo þis forwarde was ydo
His wif and al is oþer men encentede wel þerto
Sein Valentin sat akne[o] in greot deuocion
And to Iesu Crist for þe sike sede is orisoun
Þis sike man as God it wolde his limes streiȝte anon
And aros up hol and sound of fleiss and of bon
And to Iesu Crist for þe sike sede is orisoun
Þis sike man as God it wolde his limes streiȝte anon
And aros up hol and sound of fleiss and of bon
Þo sire Craton and is wif isei þis noble dede
Þat hore sone was so iheld hy nome hom sone to rede
And biluuede on Iesu Crist & hore maine echon
And þoru grace of þis holyman ybaptized were anon
Þat folk þat hurde her of telle aboute bi eche side
Turnde þoru þis holyman to Cristendom wel wide
And þe Iustices sone also aperteliche sede
Þat he biluuede on Iesu Crist & amang al þat folk gan grede
Þat hore sone was so iheld hy nome hom sone to rede
And biluuede on Iesu Crist & hore maine echon
And þoru grace of þis holyman ybaptized were anon
Þat folk þat hurde her of telle aboute bi eche side
62
And þe Iustices sone also aperteliche sede
Þat he biluuede on Iesu Crist & amang al þat folk gan grede
So þat þe senaturs of Rome wraþþede hom echon
And sein Valentin þis holyman in bendes broȝte anon
And tormentede him sore inou boþe vleyss and bon
And þe false godes him het honure of tre[o] & of ston
Ac þo hi nemi[ȝ]te in no manere bringe him in such wou
And þat folk al longe day þicke aboute him drou
Þe Iustice Placidas þat luþer was inou
A niȝt let smite of his heued & þis holyman slou
And is soule to heuene wende þoru Godes grace
Nou God for þe loue of him us bringe to þulke place
And sein Valentin þis holyman in bendes broȝte anon
And tormentede him sore inou boþe vleyss and bon
And þe false godes him het honure of tre[o] & of ston
Ac þo hi nemi[ȝ]te in no manere bringe him in such wou
And þat folk al longe day þicke aboute him drou
Þe Iustice Placidas þat luþer was inou
A niȝt let smite of his heued & þis holyman slou
And is soule to heuene wende þoru Godes grace
Nou God for þe loue of him us bringe to þulke place
| The South English Legendary | |