 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Matthi[e] apostolo
Seint Mathi apostel is as ȝe ssolle iwite
Þoru lot apostel he was ymad as we findeþ iwrite
Iudas þat apostel was þo he hadde oure Louerd isold
Þer nas non lange in his stude þat apostel was itold
After þe tyme þat oure Louerd [] to heuene was ystye
Þe apostles were togadere alle & oure Leuedy Marie
So þat seinte Peter radde as oure Louerd hadde ybede
Of Iudas þat apostel was to nyme on in is steode
So þat hy nome and caste lot up sein Matthi it gan ualle
So þat sein Matthi & sein Poul were last of ham alle
Sein Matthi com of heiȝe men þat apostel nou is
In þe lond of Belhem ybore he was iwis
Suþþe þo he apostel was & hi wende alle wide
To prechi men to Cristendom euerich inis side
In to þe lond of Inde sein Matthi þen wey nom
Þer he prechede monymon & broȝte to Cristendom
He helde ek men þat sike were ne may noman rekeni alle
Þoru him folk to Cristendom wel wide bigan to falle
Þoru lot apostel he was ymad as we findeþ iwrite
Iudas þat apostel was þo he hadde oure Louerd isold
Þer nas non lange in his stude þat apostel was itold
After þe tyme þat oure Louerd [] to heuene was ystye
Þe apostles were togadere alle & oure Leuedy Marie
So þat seinte Peter radde as oure Louerd hadde ybede
Of Iudas þat apostel was to nyme on in is steode
So þat hy nome and caste lot up sein Matthi it gan ualle
So þat sein Matthi & sein Poul were last of ham alle
Sein Matthi com of heiȝe men þat apostel nou is
In þe lond of Belhem ybore he was iwis
Suþþe þo he apostel was & hi wende alle wide
To prechi men to Cristendom euerich inis side
In to þe lond of Inde sein Matthi þen wey nom
Þer he prechede monymon & broȝte to Cristendom
He helde ek men þat sike were ne may noman rekeni alle
Þoru him folk to Cristendom wel wide bigan to falle
Þer was a maister in þe lond þat a drench made þere
Þat al þat þer of dronke oȝt ablend anon hi were
Þer of me broȝte sein Matthi & he hit dronk anon
And him nas þeruore noþe wors ac hol him gan gon
Þat al þat þer of dronke oȝt ablend anon hi were
Þer of me broȝte sein Matthi & he hit dronk anon
And him nas þeruore noþe wors ac hol him gan gon
Þat folk þoȝte wonder gret þat he ne les anon is siȝte
Awey leue frend quaþ sein Matthi ȝe ne seoþ noȝt Godes miȝte
Þat ȝe se[o] to soþe Godes miȝte þat he me hider sende
Let bringe hider al þe men þat þer þoru beoþ ablende
Me let hom seche wel wide out & broȝte þer in þe place
Þis holyman hom helede anon þoru oure Louerdes grace
Þreo hondred men and to þoru oure Louerdes miȝte
Þat were ablend þoru þe drench he ȝaf þer hore siȝte
Þat folk cride ȝeorne on him & þicke aboute him com
And bileuede þoru him hore god & turnde to Cristendom
Awey leue frend quaþ sein Matthi ȝe ne seoþ noȝt Godes miȝte
Þat ȝe se[o] to soþe Godes miȝte þat he me hider sende
Let bringe hider al þe men þat þer þoru beoþ ablende
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Þis holyman hom helede anon þoru oure Louerdes grace
Þreo hondred men and to þoru oure Louerdes miȝte
Þat were ablend þoru þe drench he ȝaf þer hore siȝte
Þat folk cride ȝeorne on him & þicke aboute him com
And bileuede þoru him hore god & turnde to Cristendom
Þe luþer Iustice of þe lond her of hurde telle
He let nyme þis holyman & in strange deþe quelle
Ac hit nis nower in boc ivonde wat deþ he hadde þere
Ac ymartred he was in strong torment [as] somme þe apostles were
Gode men come þer afterward & þat holy body nome
And out of þe londe of Inde ladde it swuþe to Rome
And bure[de] it þer wiþ gret honur as me sseueþ ȝute
In seinte Marie Churche is heued wiþ gret prute
Nou God for þe loue of seint Mathi lete us here so wisse
Þat wanne we hannes wendeþ come to heuene blisse
He let nyme þis holyman & in strange deþe quelle
Ac hit nis nower in boc ivonde wat deþ he hadde þere
Ac ymartred he was in strong torment [as] somme þe apostles were
Gode men come þer afterward & þat holy body nome
And out of þe londe of Inde ladde it swuþe to Rome
And bure[de] it þer wiþ gret honur as me sseueþ ȝute
In seinte Marie Churche is heued wiþ gret prute
Nou God for þe loue of seint Mathi lete us here so wisse
Þat wanne we hannes wendeþ come to heuene blisse
| The South English Legendary | |