University of Virginia Library

gregour of twryne alswa sais,
þat Iustine yungre in þai dais,
þar was a man disparit swa
þat he a stalowart gyrne can ma
to hang hym-self with be þe hals,
at þe tysing of þe feynd fals.
nocht-þan he had in custum ay
deuotely to sanct paule to pray,
& quhen þat he did ony thing,
he wald call paule in helpyng;
& tyd hym to do swa þare,
quhen he [þe] rape mad al ȝare,
sayand: “sanct paule, I pray þe
þat þou wald cum now, & helpe me!”
þan come a schadow full hugly,
blak & blay, & stud hyme by,
& sad hyme: “man, do furth þi dede!
quhy houffis þou? quhy has þou dred?”
for-þi þe man was graithand ay
þe girne, & yhet þan can he say:
“sanct paule, helpe me now but bad!”
with þat þe gyrne wes redy mad.
þan a schaudow rycht nerehand,
as of a man, saw by hym stand,
& to þe first schadow can say:
“þu wekit spryt, ga hyne þi way!
for paule, þis manis adwocat,
is cumine till hym now fut-hat.”
with þat þe foule schedow can fle;
& þan þe man thocht weile þat he
had mysdon in his entent;
for-þi he can hym sare repent,
& gretly lof[it] god & paule,
þat wald nocht thole hym tyn his saule,
na of þe feynd confundit be,
as þan to purpos tane had he.
for-þi to god be honour ay,
as we alsinful acht to say;
& helpyne to all warldly men
In hewyry tyme! say we Amen.