The South English Legendary

Sen Iulian com of heie men as me findeþ iwrite
Cristene stilleliche heo bicom þat noman ne ssolde iwite
Maximian het þe emperor þe heþene þat was þo
Alle Cristene he dude to deþe þat he miȝte of go
A gret maister he hadde vnder him þat het Elyse
He wolde þat Iulian to him iwedded solde be[o] an alle wise
Wiþ hure uader & moder he spak so þat hi were at on
Þo wende he to þis holi maide & wende habbe is wille anon

Swete sire quaþ sein Iulian hit ne uel noȝt to me
Bote þou were man of more poer to be[o] ispoused to þe
Þis man was glad for þis word to þe emperor he wende
Noble ȝiftes he him ȝaf [] & fair presant him sende
So þat he made him vnder him hext Iustice of is londe
To do & hote wat he wolde for is ȝift & for is sonde

Þis Iustice wende to Iuliane þo is poer was
And wende hure habbe as is spouse ac he faillede of is as

Þis maide him uaire answerede leue sire he[o] sede
Bote we be[o] of one lawe hou mowe we be[o] of one rede

Cristen womman ich am iwis ine recche wo it wite
Bicom Cristene for mi loue and [me] þou hast biȝute

Sori was þis luþer man he nuste þo wat he miȝte
Weste þis he sede þe emperor he wolde þe luþer diȝte
Ȝif we Cristene beoþ boþe sone we worþe dede
Þanne were oure ioie al ido þat we ssolde togadere lede
Ihote ich am alle Cristene men to deþe do uppon myn oþe
Þere uore lemman turn þi þoȝt & haue ruþe on us boþe

Leoue sire quaþ þat holy maide ȝif þou ert ofdrad
Of þe emperor þat is eorþlich man iwis þou ert amad
Þei is poer be[o] non such sone it wole ago
Ac dred God þat poer haþ of eche þing euere mo

Swuþe dreory was þis luþerman þat he nemiȝte hure wende
To habbe conseil of hure uader after him he lette sende
Þo hi togadere come hy made gret feste
And fondede hure clene þoȝt to change wiþ faire byheste
Þo hi speke fairost mid hure þis maide ham ȝaf answere
Ichelle holde þat ich habbe itake ȝe ne doþ me þerof no dere
Ac o word ȝe ne turneþ me noȝt þer aboute ȝe spilleþ breþ
Doþ me wat pine ȝe wolleþ for i ne drede noȝt þan deþ

Þo hi seie þat þis maide hure þoȝt change nolde
Hure fader bitok hure þe Iustice to do wiþ hure wat he wolde
Þe Iustice let hure strupe naked & legge hure plat to gronde
Six kniȝtes ȝeode hure al aboute & made hure mani wonde
Hi leide hure on wiþ harde scorgen þat hi weri were
And euere lai þis maide & lou as hure noþing nere
Þo hi seie hure stable þoȝt þat he[o] nas in none fere
Hi nome & honge hure oþe a bem bi þe trassours of hure here

Þer bi he[o] heng so alday þe kniȝtes bineþe stode
Wiþ scorges hi leide hure euere uppon þat he[o] stremede ablode
Þe more torment þat hi hure dude þe bet hi hure paide
Þo hi nemiȝte hure wille habbe adoun hi nome þe maide
And bad hure teorne for hure deþ hure þoȝt in alle wise
And þench on hure heie cunne & on hure owe gentrise

Þo hi nemiȝte for no þing bringe hure of hure þoȝt
A chitel uol of iwalled bras biuore þis maide was ibroȝt
Hy ȝote adoun aboute hure ssuldren as he[o] upriȝt stod
By rugge & wombe it orn adoun as it were flod
Fram þe necke to þe uot ech stude it þoru soȝte
Euere stod þis holy maide as hure noþing ne roȝte
Louerd muche is þi miȝte þat muche iweld bras
In hure wonded body & ne greuede noȝt fair miracle was

So wroþ was þo þe Iustice he het is men hure lede
In strong prisone & binde hure uaste forte me nome oþer rede

Þo þis maide in prison was þe deuel to hure wende
In forme of an angel & sede hure þat oure Louerd him þuder sende
Forto saui hure fram þe deþ & wissi hure wel to done
Þat he[o] tormens forto fle[o] dude þe Iustices bone
For oure Louerd hadde of hure reuþe & wilnede hure lif
And leuer hadde þanne hure deþ þat he[o] were wedded wife

Þis maide stod in grete þoȝte þat he hure þerto gan rede
And þat oure Louerd him so bad bi him as he sede
He[o] sat akne[o] & bad oure Louerd þat he hure ssolde lere
Wel to don & warni ek wat þe messager were

As he[o] sat in hure orison he[o] hurde a uois þat sede
Beo studeuast in þi bileue and ich þe wol wel rede

At þe messager axe wat he be[o] [] & ne haue of him no drede
And nyme him faste for ichelle be[o] [] wiþ þe in euerich dede

Þo þe maide þis ihurde [] þane deouel he[o] nom wel uaste
He[o] made þe signe of þe crois & to hure vet him caste
Tel me he[o] sede wat þou ert oþer ichelle þe quelle
Leuedy he sede let me go & ichelle þe sone telle

Nay þou sselt abide her þis maide sede þo
Forte þou me telle wat þou ert & þanne þe sselt go

Þo sede he ich am a deuel yhote Belial
Aȝen ech mannes god dede ich can do luþer gal
Þo Adam and Eue wolde in Godes seruise be[o]
Ich am broȝte in dedlich sunne þoru þe appel of þe tre[o]
Þo bitwune Caim was muche loue & Abel is broþer
Ich made þoru lite envie þat on sle þat oþer
Ich made Iesus in þe rode deiȝe ac þat we suþþe aboȝte
Ich made Erodes þe children sle þo hi Iesus soȝte
Ich habbe imad men oþer sle & ssipes in se drenche
Alle wo ich habbe an eorþe ido þat man may on þenche

Wo sende þe hider quaþ þat maide þe deuel aȝen sede
Satan oure maister þat is atom þat us alle schel rede
Ȝif he sent ou quaþ þis maide to eni holy manne
And ȝe ne mowe noȝt him ouercome wat deþ he þanne
Þanne ne dorre we noȝt quaþ þe deuel touore oure maister wende
Oure acountes forto ȝelde ac he let us ofsende
And ȝif we ower beoþ ifonde he let us bete sore
Þere uore wanne we vyndeþ eniman stable in Godes lore
We fondeþ him in luþer þoȝt to bringe wi[þ] al oure miȝte
And anon he mai us ouercome ȝif he wol aȝen us fiȝte
For we nabbeþ poer noman to bringe in sunne aȝen mode
For Iesus bynom us þulke miȝte þo he deide uppon þe rode

Of al þat ich habbe an eorþe igo so clanlich ouercome
Neuere ich nas as ich nou am m[i] miȝte me is bynome
Maide for þin hendyssipe þou haue mercy of me
Let me go at þis o tyme i ne ssel neuere eft dere þe
Alas þat inadde er iwest wat me ssolde bitide
Certes quaþ þis maide þo ȝute þou sselt abide

Þis maide nom þis foule best & faste it gan bynde
Mid a raketeye þat aboute hure was his honden byhynde
Mid anoþer raketeie of hure he[o] bet him swuþe sore
And euere sede þis foule best hende maide þin hore
Haue reuþe of þi wrecche prison & þench þat þou ert fre[o]
Inabbe icome aney non þat me derste handly oþer se[o]
And þou me derst þus tormenty alas wi ne mai ich fle[o]
Wy ertou so strang maidenot þat þou nemiȝt ouercome be[o]
Alas maidenot alas wi woltou wiþ us fiȝte
Maidens ichelle euere eft drede inabbe aȝen hom no miȝte
Þus þis maide tormentide þus þis foule wiȝt
Þe Iustice het þis maide vecche byuore him anon riȝt

Þis maide nom þis foule best & after hure it drou
Leoue leuedy he sede þin ore yssend ich am inou
Ne make namo men [gawe] on me nertou corteis & hende
Þench þat maidens ssolde milde be[o] & bring me of þis bende
War is þe kunde of þi maidenot þat ssolde be[o] milde & stille
& þou ert aȝen me so sterne hou miȝtou habbe þe wille

So longe he on þis maide cride as he[o] him drou and ladde
Afte hure þoru þe chepinge þat reuþe of him heo [h]adde

A chambre foreyne he[o] sey al up touward þe strete
Fol it was of fulþhede old and al forlete
Þis maide nom þis foule þing & caste it al amidde
Day þat him wolde ricchore bed biseche oþer bidde
For it was god inou to him wiþinne & eke aboue
Wat segge ȝe segge ich soþ ne lieþ noȝt for is loue

Ȝute nolde noȝt þis luþer men þat iseie al þis dede
Biluue on God & turne hore þoȝt ac þe more hure wiþsede
Þo he[o] biuore þe Iustice com hi wolde change hure þoȝt
And bihete hure prute & gret nobleie ac al ne held it noȝt
A weol of ire swuþe strang byuore hure hy caste
Al were þe uelien aboute wiþ rasours ystiked uaste
Þat weol hi turnde al aboute þe maide þerbi hi sette
Dupe wode in hure naked fleiss þe rasors kene iwette
Þat þo hure uless was al to torne so deope wode & gnowe
Þat þe bones hy to slitte and þe marrou out drowe

Þat marrou sprang out alaboute so ouercome he[o] was
Þat he[o] almest ȝaf þe gost & no wonder it nas
Of al þat me drou hure tendre limes hy nere enes sore
Ac euere sede þat Iesu Crist þolede for hure more

Glad were þo þe luþer men [] þat so ney þe deþe hure seie
Ac oure Louerd is wille nas it noȝt þat he[o] ssolde deie
An angel wiþ a naked swerd to þe weol aliȝte
And heu it al to smale pece þer was Godes miȝte
And þis maide ȝeode uorþ al hol as hure noþing nere
Sore dradde þis luþer men þat þere aboute were

Oure Louerd Crist can so is fon wanne is wille is afere
Vif hondred men turnde to him for þulke miracle þere
An hondred wymmen & þritti & þer ne bileuede of hom noȝt on
Þat þis luþer man in þe place ne let byheuedi anon
Touward þis maide þis Iustice for wraþþe was nei wod
He lette make of wode [and] col a strang fur and god

Amidde he lette þis maide caste for heo forberne ssolde
He wende hure to sle anon ac oure Louerd it nolde
An angel þer com & þis fur tospradde wide & drou
Amidde þe place þe maide stod harmles & glad inou

He[o] þonkede God & sat akne[o] & hure orison sede
Þe Iustice sede wat ssolde we do wat ssel us to rede
We ne ssolleþ þis foule wicche ouercome mid no dede
Ȝif no vur nemai hure brenne in led we ssolleþ hure [b]rede
A chitel hi sette þer mid fur & fulde hit fol of lede
Þis may say þis led boilly he[o] nas noȝt in drede
Anon so he[o] was þer inne ido þat fur began to sprede
Fram þe chitel it hupte aboute in lengþe & in brede
Sixti men & seuentene it barnde in þe place
Of luþer men þat stode þerbi þer was oure Lou[er]des grace
Amidde þe chitel þis maide stod al hol wiþoute harm
Þat led þat boillinge was vnneþe it þoȝte hure warm

Þe Iustice bigan to weope & crie þo he þis isey
For is men forbarnd were witles he was ney
Wat do ȝe he sede mi godes is ȝoure strengþe inome
Ssel a womman wiþ hure wicchinge us alle ouercome
Helpeþ me nou ȝif þat ȝe mowe þat we ne be[o] broȝt to ssame
He[o] nessel me wraþþi namore ichelle pleie oþer game

Com vorþ he sede mi manquellare led þis hore fram me
And smite of hure heued wiþoute toun þat ich neuere eft hure ne se

Glad was þis holy maide þo he[o] weste hure ende
For he[o] weste after hure tormens woder he[o] ssolde wende
He[o] þonkede uaste Iesu Crist þat wolde after hure sende
Go bliue he[o] sede to þe quellare & bring me of þis bende

As me ladde þis maide touward hure martirdom

Belial þis foule deuel wel glad bihinde com
Ne spareþ noȝt he sede ac hieþ faste þat he[o] of dawe be[o]
Nabbeþ of hure namore reuþe þanne he[o] hadde of me
Nolde he[o] noþing sparie me of al þat ich hure bad
Vnneþe ich der on hure loke so sore ich am adrad

Þo þis maide hurde þis hure eiȝene up he[o] caste
A out out þe deuel sede holdeþ hure nou faste
Leste he[o] efsone cacche me þat me vuel bitidde
Fle[o] ichelle þe wile ich may do þat ich ȝou bidde
Ac þei he[o] him hadde icaȝt and ileid as clene
And in as fair bed as he[o] dude er day þat him bimene

Þo þis maide com to þulke stude as he[o] ssolde biheued be[o]
To oure Louerd he[o] bad hure orison & sat adoun akne[o]
Þe quellare as he[o] bad hure beden drou is swerd kene
He smot of hure heued fram hure body þat it fel in þe grene
Angles were ȝare anon hure soule forto auonge
Þus he[o] boȝte þe blisse of heuene wiþ tormentis stronge
Hure bodi hi lette ligge þere hi nolde it burie noȝt
For bestes it ssolde todrawe for þat was hore þoȝt

A god womman þat het Sophie wonede þer biside
Burie he[o] þoȝte þat holy body wat so hure ssolde bitide
For þer nere no Cristen men lede he[o] þoȝte it to Rome
Al bi ssipe to burie it þere ac þo hi in þe ssipe come
Þe wind com & drof hore ssip toward anoþer londe
Into þe lond of Campaine and þere it gan astonde

Þo hy nemiȝte þe ssip þanne bringe hi nome þoru Godes grace
And burede þis bodi upe þe se in a wel fair place
Þer it is ȝute wel uaire honured ac þo þe tiþi[n]ge was icome
To þe Iustice þat þis body was awei ilad and inome
He nom wiþ him foure & þritti men & afterward gan wende

Ȝif he miȝte þis body atake more he þoȝte it ssende
Amidde þe se þer com a wind as it were for þe none
And caste hore ssip up þe doun & adreinte hom euerichone
Þe Iustices wrecche bodi suþþe þe se to londe caste
And bestes & foules it todrawe þe wile þer a pece ilaste
Þo hadde he is owe dom þat he wolde þe maide ssende
Þus sein Iulian þe holy maide hure lif broȝte to ende

University of Virginia Library

De sancta Iuliana virgine