 | Legends of the Saints in the Scottish Dialect of the Fourteenth Century |  |
223
XXXVI.—IOH[A]N[E]S BAPTISTA.
In lofe of patriarkis al,
and of þame þat we prophetis cal,
spedful ware to say sum thinge
of sancte Iohne in þe lofynge.
þe quhilk, we rede, had names ma.
& ane of þame wes propheta,
fore he wes þe maste treu prophete,
þat of Ihesu spak; & ȝete
of þe spouse callit þe lemmane,
for gret luf god gef hym þane.
& candel wes he callit rycht,
for he brocht synful to þe sicht.
angele als callit wes he,
fore kepyng of verginite.
and voice als callit he wes,
of his spek for gret meknes;
& elyas wes callit [þar]-til.
til criste had he sa hartly wil,
als þai callit hyme baptyste,
for criste of hyme howine be liste.
& he wes callit for-criare
of criste, & als forgannare.
and of þame þat we prophetis cal,
spedful ware to say sum thinge
of sancte Iohne in þe lofynge.
þe quhilk, we rede, had names ma.
& ane of þame wes propheta,
fore he wes þe maste treu prophete,
þat of Ihesu spak; & ȝete
of þe spouse callit þe lemmane,
for gret luf god gef hym þane.
& candel wes he callit rycht,
for he brocht synful to þe sicht.
angele als callit wes he,
fore kepyng of verginite.
and voice als callit he wes,
of his spek for gret meknes;
& elyas wes callit [þar]-til.
til criste had he sa hartly wil,
als þai callit hyme baptyste,
for criste of hyme howine be liste.
& he wes callit for-criare
of criste, & als forgannare.
þe byrth of sancte Iohn, gabriel,
& name, to ȝacharie, cane tel.
& it is red of dauid kynge,
ȝarnande til eke godis lofing
four & twenty prestis made,
to serue god in to sic hade;
& ane of þame sine gert he cal
þe hye prince of þa prestis al.
& of þis nowmir sexten were
of þe kyne of eleaȝare,
& als of ytamaris kyne
war ordenit aucht þat order in.
& ane of þaim, as cut wald fal,
his owk a-bout suld serue al.
til abias þe aucht owke
commonly fel, as sais the buke,
of quhais kyne ȝacharias
& eliȝabeth, his wyf, was.
and bath ware barane for elde,
na had na barne þare thing to weld.
ȝet ware þai gud and rychtwise,
plesand to god in al wyse.
& tyd þis ȝachary, as ane
of þe prestis, wes in þe tempil gan,
by hym ane, til incense þe altere.
til hyme can gabriel apere,
þe puple bydande ȝet þer-oute.
& ȝachary of hyme had dout;
bot he bad hyme haf na dred
of hyme, bot tak gud heide,
for he wes send to tel hym but were
þat god wele herd [had] his prayere,
& sad hyme, a son get suld he,
þat to name Iohn callit suld be,
& mony men suld mak myrth
& Ioy þe tyme of his byrth;
“before god gret man sal he be,
&, of modir wame ore cum he,
þe haly gaste sal be hym in,
þat sal kene hym to distroy syn;
& mony sonnis of israel
þat lang tym in god[is] seruice nocht can duel,
to god, þar lord, turne sal he,
& sagat thru hyme sawit be;
wyne & cesare he ne sal drinke,
bot before god he sal wele suynke
in spryt & vertu of hely.”
as sum glos sais, lo, þe cause quhy:
“for he sal duel in wildirnes
as hely did til he here was;
& lytil sal he reke of mete
as did hely, þocht he mycht gete;
& he sal cled be mar roydly,
& arskare als þane wes hely;
& als hely wes for-rynnere
of Iuge þat awful sal apere,
sa þis Iohne sal for-rynnare be
of hyme þat sal ws sauf on tre;
in skaldand word luf god sal þay,
belyk, for þare word sal be ay
of suthfaste teching fore desyre
to þe folk as a brund of fyre.”
& quhen ȝachary al hale
had herd þe angel tel þis tale,
considerand þat he & his wyfe
barand ware bath fore lynth of lyfe,
mystroit þus, & þare-fore he
askit takine hou þis mocht be.
quod he: “fore þu trewis nocht
to þis bodword I þe brocht,
þu sal be dume til þat þu se
þi barne. þis takine I gyf þe.”
syne, quhen furth come ȝachary
to þe puple, þai wiste in hy
a visione he sene hade,
be þe beknynge he þaim made.
& he duelt dum til tym wes gane
of his office, & syne went hame.
& his wyf consawit þan sone,
& wist scho wes with barne but hone.
bot scho conseilit neuir-þe-les
fywe moneth þat scho with barne wes,
haffand scham þat men suld meyne
scho sa auld with barne suld bene.
nocht-þane blyth scho bad at hame,
fore [scho] as barane suld haf na blame,
sen of spousal þe reward is
barnis for til haf, I-wis.
þe sext moneth next in hy,
to spek with hyre come oure lady
of Iuda, of a ton þare nere,
to mend hyre & hyre chere.
& mary, þat had þane hir in
consawit of þe haly gaste but syne,
haliste hir quesing teyndirly.
& be þar tyd a gret ferly;
fore, quhen mary hire haluste hade,
þe barne in hyre wame but bade
agane kind mad Ioy in haste,
as fillit of þe haly gaste,
þo kynd gef hyme nocht to speke,
na hand til his lord to reke,
as ȝarnande til hailis hyme,
þat come til do away al syne.
þar-of eliȝabeth had ferly,
& sad þire wordis son in hy:
“ferly thing is þat I se
my lordis modir cum to me;
for, sene þi word thrillit myn ere,
þe barne þat in my wame I bere,
has mykil myrth, as I fele now,
Cusinge; þare-for blissit be þu
þat treutht gef to þe angele tale,
for þat in þe sal done be hale.”
“Magnificat” þan mary made
in lowing of god but abad,
& bad thre moneth in þat place,
till hir cusing deliuer was,
& mad hir seruice mony gate,
as medwyfe in-to sic [a] state,
& wes þe firste þat in hand tuke
þat blissit barne, as sais þe buke.
for-þi suld men hym gretly price,
& lowe hym in mony wyse;
for, as criste sais, þe maste wes he
þat euir wyf bare of dignite.
þar-fore to worschipe is nocht Irke
þe day of his byrth haly kirke,
þat euir ȝet wes grantit to man,
sen þat haly kirk begane;
fore anerly of criste þe byrth
& of sancte Iohne of mykil myrth,
al haly kirk has honourit ay,
& sal do til domysday.
fore wyf, þat barane wes, Iohn bare,
& a virgine, to couyre oure care,
consawit criste in hyre clen flesch,
scho vnuemmyt neuir-þe-les.
for of consawing in mary
þe oyse wes schewit ferlely;
for It is ferly gret to se
but man barne consauit be.
eliȝabeth, þo scho wes þane
baren, bare Iohn thru werk of man;
bot mary consauit but mare,
treuand þe angel, & criste bare.
eliȝabeth, of quham spek I,
consauit mane al anerly;
bot mary myld bath god & man
consawit, þat ws fra wa wane.
ȝete þis Iohne ful mykil Is,
in quhais lofing crist sad þis:
“ymang birthis þat weman bare
þane Iohne baptiste vas nane mare;
for he al vthyre in þat precedis,
& ewine is to þame in gud dedis;
for he oure-gais prophetis al
& patriarkis þat we cal.”
þane sum man ma sa percase;
fore Iohne of weman best barne wes,
þat Iohn þan criste is worthiare,
as be þis wordis can apere.
Nay: sen Iohne is anerly
borne of woman thru get kindly,
bot criste of maydine is þe birth,
þat agayne kynd bare hym with myrth.
ȝet mad is comparisone
to cristis generacione,
for he of manis kynd tuk flesche,
beand god ȝete, as he was.
& þis Iohne be-fore criste wes sende,
for to mak men þare synnis mende.
& god gef hyme sic grace but wen,
þat sum men wende he criste had ben,
bot mekand hyme-self he can say:
“we al þat borne are to þis day;”
þat is to say, we euirilkane,
“part of his fullines has tane;”
þat is to say, prophetis al,
& patriarkis þat we cal,
& apostulis, & al þe lafe,
þat he send mankind to safe,
othyre befor þat he tuk flesch
or sene þat he borne wes,
of his gret fullynes has tane;
for of þame-self grace þai had nan.
we ar weschele, bot wele is he,
þat fillis all of his plente.
for-þi, dere bruthir, gyf þat we
wil kene of hyme þe priuete,
treu, Iohne wes man anerly,
& crist god & man wes, suthfastly.
& man wes lawit & mad meke,
þat criste to hye hewine suld seke,
as þis Iohne in his prophecy
sad of criste before opynly:
“it worthis hym to grew til hicht
& me to lawnes [to] be dicht.”
& be-cause þat criste suld heit be,
þat tyme of þe ȝere borne wes he,
quhene þat þe dais takis linthynge;
& Iohne, quhen þai tak wanynge.
gret priuete is at þe birth
of sancte Iohne we hald in myrth,
as we cristis natiuite
makis in Ioy & gastly gle;
fore Iohnis birth, quha wil se,
betaknis oure humylite,
& cristis, & we sa richt,
be-taknis we sal cum to licht,
& in-to man lessit are we,
to god [þat] we ma grewande be.
In oure-selfe we suld be meke,
þat we þe hicht of god mycht seke.
& al sic priuete I-wise
in criste & Iohnne fulfillit is.
fore in takine of oure meknes,
sancte Iohnis heid of strikine wes,
& criste hye hangit one þe tre,
for mankind suld heit be.
als John þe propereste profit was
of al þat aperit in manis flesch,
& of cristis birth maste clere
prechit to men at þat tym were,
& confermyt sawis al,
þat vthire sad [had] gret & smal;
as schewyng hyme be spek of mouth
& be his fyngire mad hym cuth,
as quhen he sad þe puple to:
“godis awne lam cumis here, lo,
þat of þis warld dois awai syn,
quhare-of na smyt is hyme In.”
here-fore wes Iohnne but wene
þe beste profit þat euir had bene;
for he had grace criste to se,
command of hym til howine be.
& þis Iohnne, we spek of here,
þe first man [wes] but ony were
þis sacrament þat can begyne
in-to remissione of al syne.
bot his baptysme put nocht away
þe syne þat men dois þis day,
bot endusing makis men to
pennance for þare syne to do;
for in his preching he can say:
“dois worthy froite of pennance ay,
for I tell ȝou but ony were,
þat hewynnis kinrike cumis nere.”
& þat he prechit, he cane do,
þat men mare treuth gef hym to;
fore ore he taucht baptysme to man
in hyme-selfe pennance he began,
& manis conuersacione
he fled, & mad habitacione
in wildirnes, & strat lyf leide.
for in-to arsk hare he wes clede,
with a belte of reucht skine made,
& wyld hony wes his lyflede,
& a thinge callit locusta,
þat thinge fore fud he can ta.
for quhen criste fra galilee
come to sancte Iohne howine to be
in-to þe rywere of Iordane,
þat of twa wellis nam had tane;
þe tane “Iore,” þe toþir “dane”
men callis þame, as þai did þan;
& quhen sancte Iohne saw he com nere,
he sad with hye woice & with clere:
“lo! godis lame cum here to-day,
þat syne of þis warld dois away;”
& with fyngir beknyng mad he,
to gere men kene hyme & se,
& sad to criste: “here cumis þu
for to be baptiste thru me now,
& I of þe suld be baptyste.”
ful mekly til hyme þan sad criste:
“thole me now! for It is my wil
al rychtwyse[nes] þus til fulfil.”
sancte Iohne hyme baptist þan but hone,
sene he wald haf it done.
& nere-hand al þat duelland ware
in-to þat land, baptyste ware þare.
& quhen criste of wattir wane,
to pray deuotly he begane.
bot sic prayere he nocht made
for hyme-selfe þat syne nan hade,
bot suthly it wes fore þe sake
of al þame þat baptysme suld take,
þat þa mycht resaf clenly
þe haly gaste & worthely.
þar-with hopnyt þe he hewine
abeofe, quhare criste wes ewine,
& sa gret clernes þare wes sene
þat nane mycht one It gowe with ene.
& þe haly gaste bodely
in fourme of dow come sudenly,
& one his heide quhile sat stil,
& out of hewine spek hyme til
his faderis voice, þat al mycht here:
“þis is my luffit sone & dere,
In quhame it wele compless me,
here hyme for-þi, for sik is he.”
& trewis þat it wes nocht in waste
þat, seand al, þe haly gaste
lichtyt on hym þare, bot fore we
be þat certyfit suld be,
þat quha hofine is, leste and maste,
resawis þan þe haly gaste
vnsichtfully, to kepe hym ay
of godis lacht in-to þe way.
& name, to ȝacharie, cane tel.
& it is red of dauid kynge,
224
four & twenty prestis made,
to serue god in to sic hade;
& ane of þame sine gert he cal
þe hye prince of þa prestis al.
& of þis nowmir sexten were
of þe kyne of eleaȝare,
& als of ytamaris kyne
war ordenit aucht þat order in.
& ane of þaim, as cut wald fal,
his owk a-bout suld serue al.
til abias þe aucht owke
commonly fel, as sais the buke,
of quhais kyne ȝacharias
& eliȝabeth, his wyf, was.
and bath ware barane for elde,
na had na barne þare thing to weld.
ȝet ware þai gud and rychtwise,
plesand to god in al wyse.
& tyd þis ȝachary, as ane
of þe prestis, wes in þe tempil gan,
by hym ane, til incense þe altere.
til hyme can gabriel apere,
þe puple bydande ȝet þer-oute.
& ȝachary of hyme had dout;
bot he bad hyme haf na dred
of hyme, bot tak gud heide,
for he wes send to tel hym but were
þat god wele herd [had] his prayere,
& sad hyme, a son get suld he,
þat to name Iohn callit suld be,
& mony men suld mak myrth
& Ioy þe tyme of his byrth;
“before god gret man sal he be,
&, of modir wame ore cum he,
þe haly gaste sal be hym in,
225
& mony sonnis of israel
þat lang tym in god[is] seruice nocht can duel,
to god, þar lord, turne sal he,
& sagat thru hyme sawit be;
wyne & cesare he ne sal drinke,
bot before god he sal wele suynke
in spryt & vertu of hely.”
as sum glos sais, lo, þe cause quhy:
“for he sal duel in wildirnes
as hely did til he here was;
& lytil sal he reke of mete
as did hely, þocht he mycht gete;
& he sal cled be mar roydly,
& arskare als þane wes hely;
& als hely wes for-rynnere
of Iuge þat awful sal apere,
sa þis Iohne sal for-rynnare be
of hyme þat sal ws sauf on tre;
in skaldand word luf god sal þay,
belyk, for þare word sal be ay
of suthfaste teching fore desyre
to þe folk as a brund of fyre.”
& quhen ȝachary al hale
had herd þe angel tel þis tale,
considerand þat he & his wyfe
barand ware bath fore lynth of lyfe,
mystroit þus, & þare-fore he
askit takine hou þis mocht be.
quod he: “fore þu trewis nocht
to þis bodword I þe brocht,
þu sal be dume til þat þu se
þi barne. þis takine I gyf þe.”
syne, quhen furth come ȝachary
to þe puple, þai wiste in hy
a visione he sene hade,
226
& he duelt dum til tym wes gane
of his office, & syne went hame.
& his wyf consawit þan sone,
& wist scho wes with barne but hone.
bot scho conseilit neuir-þe-les
fywe moneth þat scho with barne wes,
haffand scham þat men suld meyne
scho sa auld with barne suld bene.
nocht-þane blyth scho bad at hame,
fore [scho] as barane suld haf na blame,
sen of spousal þe reward is
barnis for til haf, I-wis.
þe sext moneth next in hy,
to spek with hyre come oure lady
of Iuda, of a ton þare nere,
to mend hyre & hyre chere.
& mary, þat had þane hir in
consawit of þe haly gaste but syne,
haliste hir quesing teyndirly.
& be þar tyd a gret ferly;
fore, quhen mary hire haluste hade,
þe barne in hyre wame but bade
agane kind mad Ioy in haste,
as fillit of þe haly gaste,
þo kynd gef hyme nocht to speke,
na hand til his lord to reke,
as ȝarnande til hailis hyme,
þat come til do away al syne.
þar-of eliȝabeth had ferly,
& sad þire wordis son in hy:
“ferly thing is þat I se
my lordis modir cum to me;
for, sene þi word thrillit myn ere,
þe barne þat in my wame I bere,
227
Cusinge; þare-for blissit be þu
þat treutht gef to þe angele tale,
for þat in þe sal done be hale.”
“Magnificat” þan mary made
in lowing of god but abad,
& bad thre moneth in þat place,
till hir cusing deliuer was,
& mad hir seruice mony gate,
as medwyfe in-to sic [a] state,
& wes þe firste þat in hand tuke
þat blissit barne, as sais þe buke.
for-þi suld men hym gretly price,
& lowe hym in mony wyse;
for, as criste sais, þe maste wes he
þat euir wyf bare of dignite.
þar-fore to worschipe is nocht Irke
þe day of his byrth haly kirke,
þat euir ȝet wes grantit to man,
sen þat haly kirk begane;
fore anerly of criste þe byrth
& of sancte Iohne of mykil myrth,
al haly kirk has honourit ay,
& sal do til domysday.
fore wyf, þat barane wes, Iohn bare,
& a virgine, to couyre oure care,
consawit criste in hyre clen flesch,
scho vnuemmyt neuir-þe-les.
for of consawing in mary
þe oyse wes schewit ferlely;
for It is ferly gret to se
but man barne consauit be.
eliȝabeth, þo scho wes þane
baren, bare Iohn thru werk of man;
bot mary consauit but mare,
228
eliȝabeth, of quham spek I,
consauit mane al anerly;
bot mary myld bath god & man
consawit, þat ws fra wa wane.
ȝete þis Iohne ful mykil Is,
in quhais lofing crist sad þis:
“ymang birthis þat weman bare
þane Iohne baptiste vas nane mare;
for he al vthyre in þat precedis,
& ewine is to þame in gud dedis;
for he oure-gais prophetis al
& patriarkis þat we cal.”
þane sum man ma sa percase;
fore Iohne of weman best barne wes,
þat Iohn þan criste is worthiare,
as be þis wordis can apere.
Nay: sen Iohne is anerly
borne of woman thru get kindly,
bot criste of maydine is þe birth,
þat agayne kynd bare hym with myrth.
ȝet mad is comparisone
to cristis generacione,
for he of manis kynd tuk flesche,
beand god ȝete, as he was.
& þis Iohne be-fore criste wes sende,
for to mak men þare synnis mende.
& god gef hyme sic grace but wen,
þat sum men wende he criste had ben,
bot mekand hyme-self he can say:
“we al þat borne are to þis day;”
þat is to say, we euirilkane,
“part of his fullines has tane;”
þat is to say, prophetis al,
& patriarkis þat we cal,
229
þat he send mankind to safe,
othyre befor þat he tuk flesch
or sene þat he borne wes,
of his gret fullynes has tane;
for of þame-self grace þai had nan.
we ar weschele, bot wele is he,
þat fillis all of his plente.
for-þi, dere bruthir, gyf þat we
wil kene of hyme þe priuete,
treu, Iohne wes man anerly,
& crist god & man wes, suthfastly.
& man wes lawit & mad meke,
þat criste to hye hewine suld seke,
as þis Iohne in his prophecy
sad of criste before opynly:
“it worthis hym to grew til hicht
& me to lawnes [to] be dicht.”
& be-cause þat criste suld heit be,
þat tyme of þe ȝere borne wes he,
quhene þat þe dais takis linthynge;
& Iohne, quhen þai tak wanynge.
gret priuete is at þe birth
of sancte Iohne we hald in myrth,
as we cristis natiuite
makis in Ioy & gastly gle;
fore Iohnis birth, quha wil se,
betaknis oure humylite,
& cristis, & we sa richt,
be-taknis we sal cum to licht,
& in-to man lessit are we,
to god [þat] we ma grewande be.
In oure-selfe we suld be meke,
þat we þe hicht of god mycht seke.
& al sic priuete I-wise
230
fore in takine of oure meknes,
sancte Iohnis heid of strikine wes,
& criste hye hangit one þe tre,
for mankind suld heit be.
als John þe propereste profit was
of al þat aperit in manis flesch,
& of cristis birth maste clere
prechit to men at þat tym were,
& confermyt sawis al,
þat vthire sad [had] gret & smal;
as schewyng hyme be spek of mouth
& be his fyngire mad hym cuth,
as quhen he sad þe puple to:
“godis awne lam cumis here, lo,
þat of þis warld dois awai syn,
quhare-of na smyt is hyme In.”
here-fore wes Iohnne but wene
þe beste profit þat euir had bene;
for he had grace criste to se,
command of hym til howine be.
& þis Iohnne, we spek of here,
þe first man [wes] but ony were
þis sacrament þat can begyne
in-to remissione of al syne.
bot his baptysme put nocht away
þe syne þat men dois þis day,
bot endusing makis men to
pennance for þare syne to do;
for in his preching he can say:
“dois worthy froite of pennance ay,
for I tell ȝou but ony were,
þat hewynnis kinrike cumis nere.”
& þat he prechit, he cane do,
þat men mare treuth gef hym to;
fore ore he taucht baptysme to man
231
& manis conuersacione
he fled, & mad habitacione
in wildirnes, & strat lyf leide.
for in-to arsk hare he wes clede,
with a belte of reucht skine made,
& wyld hony wes his lyflede,
& a thinge callit locusta,
þat thinge fore fud he can ta.
for quhen criste fra galilee
come to sancte Iohne howine to be
in-to þe rywere of Iordane,
þat of twa wellis nam had tane;
þe tane “Iore,” þe toþir “dane”
men callis þame, as þai did þan;
& quhen sancte Iohne saw he com nere,
he sad with hye woice & with clere:
“lo! godis lame cum here to-day,
þat syne of þis warld dois away;”
& with fyngir beknyng mad he,
to gere men kene hyme & se,
& sad to criste: “here cumis þu
for to be baptiste thru me now,
& I of þe suld be baptyste.”
ful mekly til hyme þan sad criste:
“thole me now! for It is my wil
al rychtwyse[nes] þus til fulfil.”
sancte Iohne hyme baptist þan but hone,
sene he wald haf it done.
& nere-hand al þat duelland ware
in-to þat land, baptyste ware þare.
& quhen criste of wattir wane,
to pray deuotly he begane.
bot sic prayere he nocht made
for hyme-selfe þat syne nan hade,
232
of al þame þat baptysme suld take,
þat þa mycht resaf clenly
þe haly gaste & worthely.
þar-with hopnyt þe he hewine
abeofe, quhare criste wes ewine,
& sa gret clernes þare wes sene
þat nane mycht one It gowe with ene.
& þe haly gaste bodely
in fourme of dow come sudenly,
& one his heide quhile sat stil,
& out of hewine spek hyme til
his faderis voice, þat al mycht here:
“þis is my luffit sone & dere,
In quhame it wele compless me,
here hyme for-þi, for sik is he.”
& trewis þat it wes nocht in waste
þat, seand al, þe haly gaste
lichtyt on hym þare, bot fore we
be þat certyfit suld be,
þat quha hofine is, leste and maste,
resawis þan þe haly gaste
vnsichtfully, to kepe hym ay
of godis lacht in-to þe way.
herod gert Iohnne in presone caste,
be-cause he arguit hym sa faste
of herodyades, þat swa
his hawne bruthir he had tan fra,
& til his wyf wedit but skil,
agane law & godis wil.
& Iohne, beand in presone,
of cristis warkis herd renone.
of his disciplis þan send twa,
to criste, þis demand to ma:
“gyf þu be he þat cumyne is
or þare be ony, tel me þis!”
bot sancte Iohnne na dout had,
suppos he sic demand mad;
for he had sad before of hyme,
“lo, godis lame þat clengis syne.”
bot, fore sum disciplis drede
of þaim sancte Iohne with hym lede,
as sais þe glose: “he bad þaim ga
to cryste & sic demand hym ma,
as quha sa, quheþir þu sal me tel
be þiself ore oþir dispoiel,
ore quheþir, as þou has send me
for-seware of þi come to be,
quheþir þat [I] richt sa til hel
before þi cumyne sal ga tel.”
& quhen crist þe messag herde,
to þe messangeris he ansuert,
to gere þame of al dout quyt be,
þat þare wes nane to cum bot he,
sayand: “tel[lis] Iohne but were,
dum men ma spek & def ma here
& blynd ma se & halt ma ga
& missale are clene mad alsa
& men quyknyt þat ware dede”—
sic merwalis gveriste mast in þat stede,
& [kyd] þat he wes cummyne þane
in a persone bath god & mane.
& quhen þai passit ware þare way,
with sic taknyng as herd þai,
& clenly ware put out of dout
of þat thing þai cum a-bout,
He recommendit Iohnne til al,
þat þare gaderit ware, gret & smal,
sa þat þai suld nocht wene þat he
suld hafe inwy þat is bounte:
“ymang þe sonnis, I ȝou say,
of women þat rase to þis day
mare nane þane Iohnn þe baptiste.”
for of a uergine borne wes criste;
þar-fore to trou is behowe lyke,
þat sancte Iohnne wes nocht [hyme] lyke.
þane Iohnne criste commendit gretly
of uertuise fare & syndryly,
as men ma in his story se,
bot namely in-to thingis thre.
firste, in til his birth, þat wes
haly. & þare-to gud witnes
beris myraclis sewyn quhi þat he
before othire suld haly be.
firste, for þe angel gabriel
sone his birth opynly can tel;
þe todir, fore þe angele bande
his fadir tonge mystreuande;
þe thride, fore þai barane
gat hyme & bare, and ware ful fane;
þe ferde, fore þe haly gaste,
þat nocht wirkis into waste,
halouyt hym & fillit beforne
þat he of modir wes þan borne;
þe fyfte, be-cause þat he
in his modir wame mad gle,
quhen eliȝabeth mary mylde
hailiste, þat wes with chylde;
þe sext, fore his modir in hy
of mary þane mad prophecy,
as in ewangele [we] ma se;
þe sewinte enchesone als ma be
þat til his fadir, þat had lorne,
he gat þe spek as he wes borne.
þe tothyre cause quhy ȝung & ald
suld hyme commend & haly hald;
fore of ferlyful lyf wes he;
& namely in-to thingis thre.
and first, in gret meknes,
quhene of sic renon he wes,
quhen men wend criste he had ben,
for his uertuise þat þai had sen,
þat he wes criste he nyt planly,
na ȝete na profet, na hely.
& þis aganis þaim makis strife,
þat awantis þaim-selfe of uertuise lif.
þe todir, in abstinence, nocht ane
of met & drink þat he had tan,
na of clething, bot als of play
& wantones, þat he fled ay,
& of menis conuersacione;
for he mad habitacione
in wyldirnes, & duelt þer-in;
for he one na kine wai wald syn.
of tholmudnes als sic wes he
þat [he] with-stud in na degre
agane þame þat in ony thing
til hyme mysded, ald ore ȝinge;
as quhen þe pharaseus hym sad
dispituisly & mad vpbrad,
sayand, þe self dewil þat he had
in hyme. & he ansuere nan mad
na agayne errode, na fence wald ma,
þat fore a hoppare can hym sla.
þe thred part of þe thingis thre
quhare-in ferlyful wes he,
wes in til his opyne teching.
& þat wes in thre-fald thing:
þe firste wes, in prophecy,
as he of criste sa opynly
mad schewand with his hand,
sayand “lo ȝondir godis lame”;
þe todir, in preching, fore þat he
flechit na man in ony degre,
as quhen he arguit opynly
kink herrod of his adultery;
þe thred wes, fore he gef til al
heilful consel, gret & small,
eftyr þare stat in al degre,
hou to god þai suld euir be.
& fore he oysit þire thre here,
men callit hyme ferliful but were.
& to þire ansueris wthir thre,
quhare-throu ferlyful wes he,
in Ioy, quhare he þe thrinfald crone
sal euir bruk fore his wardone:
þe firste is of virginite,
þat ay vnuemmyt kepit he;
þe toþir crone þat to prechoure
sal gyffine be fore gret honoure;
þe thryd is crone þat sal be giffine
to marteris at here has wele striwine;
& seldine in-to wryt fynd we
þere thre til a man giffine be.
þare-fore þare [is] na man may
lofinge Inuch of sancte Iohnne say,
quham criste hyme-self lofit had,
& to be lofit sa worthy made.
be-cause he arguit hym sa faste
of herodyades, þat swa
his hawne bruthir he had tan fra,
& til his wyf wedit but skil,
agane law & godis wil.
& Iohne, beand in presone,
of cristis warkis herd renone.
of his disciplis þan send twa,
to criste, þis demand to ma:
“gyf þu be he þat cumyne is
233
bot sancte Iohnne na dout had,
suppos he sic demand mad;
for he had sad before of hyme,
“lo, godis lame þat clengis syne.”
bot, fore sum disciplis drede
of þaim sancte Iohne with hym lede,
as sais þe glose: “he bad þaim ga
to cryste & sic demand hym ma,
as quha sa, quheþir þu sal me tel
be þiself ore oþir dispoiel,
ore quheþir, as þou has send me
for-seware of þi come to be,
quheþir þat [I] richt sa til hel
before þi cumyne sal ga tel.”
& quhen crist þe messag herde,
to þe messangeris he ansuert,
to gere þame of al dout quyt be,
þat þare wes nane to cum bot he,
sayand: “tel[lis] Iohne but were,
dum men ma spek & def ma here
& blynd ma se & halt ma ga
& missale are clene mad alsa
& men quyknyt þat ware dede”—
sic merwalis gveriste mast in þat stede,
& [kyd] þat he wes cummyne þane
in a persone bath god & mane.
& quhen þai passit ware þare way,
with sic taknyng as herd þai,
& clenly ware put out of dout
of þat thing þai cum a-bout,
He recommendit Iohnne til al,
þat þare gaderit ware, gret & smal,
sa þat þai suld nocht wene þat he
suld hafe inwy þat is bounte:
234
of women þat rase to þis day
mare nane þane Iohnn þe baptiste.”
for of a uergine borne wes criste;
þar-fore to trou is behowe lyke,
þat sancte Iohnne wes nocht [hyme] lyke.
þane Iohnne criste commendit gretly
of uertuise fare & syndryly,
as men ma in his story se,
bot namely in-to thingis thre.
firste, in til his birth, þat wes
haly. & þare-to gud witnes
beris myraclis sewyn quhi þat he
before othire suld haly be.
firste, for þe angel gabriel
sone his birth opynly can tel;
þe todir, fore þe angele bande
his fadir tonge mystreuande;
þe thride, fore þai barane
gat hyme & bare, and ware ful fane;
þe ferde, fore þe haly gaste,
þat nocht wirkis into waste,
halouyt hym & fillit beforne
þat he of modir wes þan borne;
þe fyfte, be-cause þat he
in his modir wame mad gle,
quhen eliȝabeth mary mylde
hailiste, þat wes with chylde;
þe sext, fore his modir in hy
of mary þane mad prophecy,
as in ewangele [we] ma se;
þe sewinte enchesone als ma be
þat til his fadir, þat had lorne,
he gat þe spek as he wes borne.
þe tothyre cause quhy ȝung & ald
235
fore of ferlyful lyf wes he;
& namely in-to thingis thre.
and first, in gret meknes,
quhene of sic renon he wes,
quhen men wend criste he had ben,
for his uertuise þat þai had sen,
þat he wes criste he nyt planly,
na ȝete na profet, na hely.
& þis aganis þaim makis strife,
þat awantis þaim-selfe of uertuise lif.
þe todir, in abstinence, nocht ane
of met & drink þat he had tan,
na of clething, bot als of play
& wantones, þat he fled ay,
& of menis conuersacione;
for he mad habitacione
in wyldirnes, & duelt þer-in;
for he one na kine wai wald syn.
of tholmudnes als sic wes he
þat [he] with-stud in na degre
agane þame þat in ony thing
til hyme mysded, ald ore ȝinge;
as quhen þe pharaseus hym sad
dispituisly & mad vpbrad,
sayand, þe self dewil þat he had
in hyme. & he ansuere nan mad
na agayne errode, na fence wald ma,
þat fore a hoppare can hym sla.
þe thred part of þe thingis thre
quhare-in ferlyful wes he,
wes in til his opyne teching.
& þat wes in thre-fald thing:
þe firste wes, in prophecy,
as he of criste sa opynly
236
sayand “lo ȝondir godis lame”;
þe todir, in preching, fore þat he
flechit na man in ony degre,
as quhen he arguit opynly
kink herrod of his adultery;
þe thred wes, fore he gef til al
heilful consel, gret & small,
eftyr þare stat in al degre,
hou to god þai suld euir be.
& fore he oysit þire thre here,
men callit hyme ferliful but were.
& to þire ansueris wthir thre,
quhare-throu ferlyful wes he,
in Ioy, quhare he þe thrinfald crone
sal euir bruk fore his wardone:
þe firste is of virginite,
þat ay vnuemmyt kepit he;
þe toþir crone þat to prechoure
sal gyffine be fore gret honoure;
þe thryd is crone þat sal be giffine
to marteris at here has wele striwine;
& seldine in-to wryt fynd we
þere thre til a man giffine be.
þare-fore þare [is] na man may
lofinge Inuch of sancte Iohnne say,
quham criste hyme-self lofit had,
& to be lofit sa worthy made.
[N]ow sall we say in þis stede
quhare-fore he wes put to dede,
nocht of resone, bot of wil
a wyfis ȝarnyng til fulfil,
to gere hyme dee þat cuth nocht blyne,
for he wald scho lefit hir syne.
þat wes fel herodyades,
thru quham in presone he put wes.
ȝet herrod, þat gert þat do,
wald syndry tymis cum hym to,
& tholmodly gif hyme heryng,
& vmquhile do his byddyng.
þar-for þat wikit wif wes wa,
quhen scho herd he did sa.
fore-þi scho mad colusione
to bryng Iohne to confusione,
hafand dout ay þat he
fra herrode suld gere hyre put be.
for-þi scho gluterit hyme rycht ofte
With wysing fare & wordis softe,
til fraudfully scho gert þe kinge,
as for þe tyme of his beryng,
assemble hale his barne,
þat landis held of hyme in fee,
& mad gret mangery þaim to,
as afferit kyng to do.
& quhene þai best chere cuth ma,
þe wikit wife gert hir dochtir ga
aparalit in al thing in [h]al,
& spring & loupe befor þaim al.
& þat did scho [sa] menȝolly,
þat it to se wes ferly.
& sa gret Ioy had þe kyng,
þat scho sic myrth mad & dansinge,
þat sleily he sad hir til:
“douchtir, aske me quhat þu wil,
& my treutht I gyf to þe
but bad it sal þe giffine be,
þo it be half of my kinryke.”
& scho, þat tacht wes thru gret swik,
til herrod mad ansuere sone
one þis manere, & sad but hone:
“gyf me Iohn þe baptist hed in desch!”
and quhen herrod had herd þis,
he worth sary for to be,
for þe gret aith þat mad had he,
& fore þe cause of þaim with-al,
þat set at met in-to þe hal.
nocht-þane he gert a basare ga
& strik s. Iohnis hed hym fra,
& to þe maydine gef it son
in til a desch, til fil hir bone.
& scho it til hire modir gefe,
þat gretare tresoure bad nan hafe.
þane his disciplis com in hy,
& tuk with þame þe ded body,
& enterit [it] in gret wa;
& syne ilkane his get can ga.
þis herrod king, þat I ȝou newine,
mysdid here in maneris sewine:
first, in adultery, þat he did
with his bruthir wif, wele kyd;
& syne in ane wt[h]ir thing,
quhen he wald thole na chast[y]ing;
þe thrid, for þe pryd he had
of his birth at sic fest he mad;
þe ferd, for he did sa gret Il
a lassis ȝarnyng til fulfil;
þe fyft, ful Il did he,
suerand agane cheryte;
þe sext, quhen he cowertly
to sauf his aith did felny;
þe sewint, wes mast to myn entent,
þat he gert sla þat Innocent.
quhare-fore he wes put to dede,
nocht of resone, bot of wil
a wyfis ȝarnyng til fulfil,
to gere hyme dee þat cuth nocht blyne,
for he wald scho lefit hir syne.
237
thru quham in presone he put wes.
ȝet herrod, þat gert þat do,
wald syndry tymis cum hym to,
& tholmodly gif hyme heryng,
& vmquhile do his byddyng.
þar-for þat wikit wif wes wa,
quhen scho herd he did sa.
fore-þi scho mad colusione
to bryng Iohne to confusione,
hafand dout ay þat he
fra herrode suld gere hyre put be.
for-þi scho gluterit hyme rycht ofte
With wysing fare & wordis softe,
til fraudfully scho gert þe kinge,
as for þe tyme of his beryng,
assemble hale his barne,
þat landis held of hyme in fee,
& mad gret mangery þaim to,
as afferit kyng to do.
& quhene þai best chere cuth ma,
þe wikit wife gert hir dochtir ga
aparalit in al thing in [h]al,
& spring & loupe befor þaim al.
& þat did scho [sa] menȝolly,
þat it to se wes ferly.
& sa gret Ioy had þe kyng,
þat scho sic myrth mad & dansinge,
þat sleily he sad hir til:
“douchtir, aske me quhat þu wil,
& my treutht I gyf to þe
but bad it sal þe giffine be,
þo it be half of my kinryke.”
& scho, þat tacht wes thru gret swik,
til herrod mad ansuere sone
238
“gyf me Iohn þe baptist hed in desch!”
and quhen herrod had herd þis,
he worth sary for to be,
for þe gret aith þat mad had he,
& fore þe cause of þaim with-al,
þat set at met in-to þe hal.
nocht-þane he gert a basare ga
& strik s. Iohnis hed hym fra,
& to þe maydine gef it son
in til a desch, til fil hir bone.
& scho it til hire modir gefe,
þat gretare tresoure bad nan hafe.
þane his disciplis com in hy,
& tuk with þame þe ded body,
& enterit [it] in gret wa;
& syne ilkane his get can ga.
þis herrod king, þat I ȝou newine,
mysdid here in maneris sewine:
first, in adultery, þat he did
with his bruthir wif, wele kyd;
& syne in ane wt[h]ir thing,
quhen he wald thole na chast[y]ing;
þe thrid, for þe pryd he had
of his birth at sic fest he mad;
þe ferd, for he did sa gret Il
a lassis ȝarnyng til fulfil;
þe fyft, ful Il did he,
suerand agane cheryte;
þe sext, quhen he cowertly
to sauf his aith did felny;
þe sewint, wes mast to myn entent,
þat he gert sla þat Innocent.
as þe cornicle of euseby,
& of þe kirk als þe story
sais, þat hedit wes sancte Iohnn
in þe castel of [m]acherone,
beȝond Iordane in araby.
bot his disciplis his body
besyly gert enterit be
of sebasty in þe cyte;
& in Ierusaleme his hewide
wes grafine, & lang tym þer lefid.
& saraȝenis syne vpe can ta,
quhen Iulyane apostata
regnit, his banis, for inwy
þat [ferlis] kid were þan opynely,
& done at his grawe to sare & seke,
þat opinly com hym to sek,
& scalit þame in placis sere,
for þai na relikis wald þer were.
& eftyr of tyme þe processe,
þai blissit banis nocht-þe-les,
þai gadderit for þe mast part al,
& brynt [þaim] in-to powdre smal,
& skalit þaim in-[to] þe wynd,
þat na man part þar-of suld fynd.
nocht-þane in þat swithware
fra Ierusalem of case come þare
twa monkis, & stal priwely
of þai banis a gret party;
ymang wthire þai haf tane
of þat fyngire a litil bane,
to godis son þat strekit he,
quhen he come baptist to be;
þe quhilk sancte tecle with hir tuke,
& bar away, as sais þe buke,
& stedit it honorably
in þe kirk of marytany.
& þe self monkis al þe lafe
of þe banis but bad can hafe
to philpe, of Ierusaleme,
þat þe nynd bischope wes þan.
& he is dekine, þat wes ȝape,
with þame send to þe bischope
of alysandir. & he alsone
gert mak a costlyk kirk on one,
& fertrit [þame] with ful gret cure,
of þis [s. Iohne] in þe honoure.
syne eftir in deuocione
came twa monkis of þe ton
to Ierusalem, for to pray
to syndry sanctis þat þare lay.
to quham in-to visione
sancte Iohne mad reuelacione
of þat sted, quhare his hevid lay.
& þai slely stal it away,
& brocht it in þe reume of france,
& eftirwart syne perchance
bot quhou þat wes, I tel nocht here,
bot þai þat likis ma wele spere
& of þe kirk als þe story
239
in þe castel of [m]acherone,
beȝond Iordane in araby.
bot his disciplis his body
besyly gert enterit be
of sebasty in þe cyte;
& in Ierusaleme his hewide
wes grafine, & lang tym þer lefid.
& saraȝenis syne vpe can ta,
quhen Iulyane apostata
regnit, his banis, for inwy
þat [ferlis] kid were þan opynely,
& done at his grawe to sare & seke,
þat opinly com hym to sek,
& scalit þame in placis sere,
for þai na relikis wald þer were.
& eftyr of tyme þe processe,
þai blissit banis nocht-þe-les,
þai gadderit for þe mast part al,
& brynt [þaim] in-to powdre smal,
& skalit þaim in-[to] þe wynd,
þat na man part þar-of suld fynd.
nocht-þane in þat swithware
fra Ierusalem of case come þare
twa monkis, & stal priwely
of þai banis a gret party;
ymang wthire þai haf tane
of þat fyngire a litil bane,
to godis son þat strekit he,
quhen he come baptist to be;
þe quhilk sancte tecle with hir tuke,
& bar away, as sais þe buke,
& stedit it honorably
in þe kirk of marytany.
240
of þe banis but bad can hafe
to philpe, of Ierusaleme,
þat þe nynd bischope wes þan.
& he is dekine, þat wes ȝape,
with þame send to þe bischope
of alysandir. & he alsone
gert mak a costlyk kirk on one,
& fertrit [þame] with ful gret cure,
of þis [s. Iohne] in þe honoure.
syne eftir in deuocione
came twa monkis of þe ton
to Ierusalem, for to pray
to syndry sanctis þat þare lay.
to quham in-to visione
sancte Iohne mad reuelacione
of þat sted, quhare his hevid lay.
& þai slely stal it away,
& brocht it in þe reume of france,
& eftirwart syne perchance
bot quhou þat wes, I tel nocht here,
bot þai þat likis ma wele spere
In lofing of sancte Iohnn sais þus
þe gret doctore crissostomus:
“sancte Iohnne þe scole of uertuise wes,
& of clene lif þe maistres,
of halynes þe fourme clene,
& reule of rychtwisnes but wen,
meroure of uerginite,
of clenes, & of chastite,
þe way of pennance, & of syn
kennand þe pardone for to wyn,
of verray treutht [þe] discipline,
& of al vicis þe rwyne;
For Iohnne wes mare þan man, but were,
& til angelis he mycht be pere.
he wes þe nerreste get to law,
& firste gert men þe ewangel knau.
of appostolis þe voice wes he,
& of prophetis þe priuete,
& of þis erde he wes lycht,
& forrynnar of Iuge of mycht.
medyature als wes he
betwene ws & þe trinite.
ȝet he, þat of sic uertu wes,
wes gefine til a lurdan las.”
& sais sancte Ambrose,
Iohnne for fywe cause had lose:
first, for his syre & his dame
ware of gret kine & of gud fame;
& of mony merakilis sere,
þat thru hym ware wrocht hyne & here;
& als fore theuys fare & gud;
& for gyf[t] als, quha vndirstud;
& last thru predicacione,
quhare-of he had mast renone.
& þe lofing of his getteris
in-to fyfe thing wele aperis:
fore lowing in-to kine wel scheuis,
þat is enhornit with gud thewis,
& gud thewis in equite,
& office in presthed suld be,
& ded in byding al suld be,
& Iugment in equite,
quhare-in his getteris al ware.
& quha wald, mycht rakine mare
of merwalis gret þane men ma tel,
& syndry þat of Iohnne befel.
for gabriel mad playne schawinge
til his faddir of his getting,
& tald his name, & [þar]-to eke
þe tynsale of his fadir speke.
of fairere thewis þan wes he,
na halyare mycht na man be.
of his halynes als sais vs
þe doctore crisostomus,
þat Iohnis conversacione
wes suthfastly of sic renone,
þat Ilke manis lyf but were
culpable it gert apere.
of Iohnne be tane for sere thing
alsa of gyft ma lowyng;
for he in wame wes mad haly,
& had þe gyfte of prophecy;
for, þo in modir wame wes he,
ȝet kneu he god & mad gle,
& gaf sprit of prophecy
til his modir ferlifully.
& nocht les wes þe lowing,
þat he seruit for his preching;
quhare-of foure thingis þe angele
til his faddir cane pertly tele,
sayand, he suld conuert fele
of þe sonis of israel,
& þat he suld befor god pas
in þe uertu of helyas,
& tald hyme wthir thingis eke,
þat men ma in þe ewangel seke.
þe gret doctore crissostomus:
“sancte Iohnne þe scole of uertuise wes,
& of clene lif þe maistres,
of halynes þe fourme clene,
& reule of rychtwisnes but wen,
meroure of uerginite,
of clenes, & of chastite,
þe way of pennance, & of syn
kennand þe pardone for to wyn,
241
& of al vicis þe rwyne;
For Iohnne wes mare þan man, but were,
& til angelis he mycht be pere.
he wes þe nerreste get to law,
& firste gert men þe ewangel knau.
of appostolis þe voice wes he,
& of prophetis þe priuete,
& of þis erde he wes lycht,
& forrynnar of Iuge of mycht.
medyature als wes he
betwene ws & þe trinite.
ȝet he, þat of sic uertu wes,
wes gefine til a lurdan las.”
& sais sancte Ambrose,
Iohnne for fywe cause had lose:
first, for his syre & his dame
ware of gret kine & of gud fame;
& of mony merakilis sere,
þat thru hym ware wrocht hyne & here;
& als fore theuys fare & gud;
& for gyf[t] als, quha vndirstud;
& last thru predicacione,
quhare-of he had mast renone.
& þe lofing of his getteris
in-to fyfe thing wele aperis:
fore lowing in-to kine wel scheuis,
þat is enhornit with gud thewis,
& gud thewis in equite,
& office in presthed suld be,
& ded in byding al suld be,
& Iugment in equite,
quhare-in his getteris al ware.
& quha wald, mycht rakine mare
of merwalis gret þane men ma tel,
242
for gabriel mad playne schawinge
til his faddir of his getting,
& tald his name, & [þar]-to eke
þe tynsale of his fadir speke.
of fairere thewis þan wes he,
na halyare mycht na man be.
of his halynes als sais vs
þe doctore crisostomus,
þat Iohnis conversacione
wes suthfastly of sic renone,
þat Ilke manis lyf but were
culpable it gert apere.
of Iohnne be tane for sere thing
alsa of gyft ma lowyng;
for he in wame wes mad haly,
& had þe gyfte of prophecy;
for, þo in modir wame wes he,
ȝet kneu he god & mad gle,
& gaf sprit of prophecy
til his modir ferlifully.
& nocht les wes þe lowing,
þat he seruit for his preching;
quhare-of foure thingis þe angele
til his faddir cane pertly tele,
sayand, he suld conuert fele
of þe sonis of israel,
& þat he suld befor god pas
in þe uertu of helyas,
& tald hyme wthir thingis eke,
þat men ma in þe ewangel seke.
& þai ma not here quha liste,
þat sancte Iohnne þe ewangeliste
deit as þat day we mak
sic Ioy for þe baptiste sake;
nocht-þane þe kirk halowis hewyn
þe fest of his birth in til hewine
of cristis byrth þe thyrd day,
for sa þe feste of baptiste may
as þis tyme honourit be,
as gabriel had hycht with gle.
þat wes nocht, for þe ewangeliste
gef sic sted to þe baptiste
as to þe mare. for-þi befel
a merwale þat I here wil tel.
twa doctouris of theology,
of quham þe tane rycht increly
a-beoufe al vthire lufit þe baptist,
& þe tothire þe ewangeliste;
& þar-of disputacione
þai held lang but conclusione.
for-þi þai set a certane day,
to conclud best til assay
quhilk of þai Iohnis mare suld be
honourit in al degre.
& þe nycht befor, as þai
slepand in þare bedis lay,
of þere Iohnis athire aperit
til his ansuere, & syne sperit
quhy þai strafe quha of þam twa
were worthiest honour to ta;
“for in hewine frendis ar we,
& striwis nocht for dignite;
þare-for we wil ȝe do sa here,
þat of our mycht ȝe haf na were.
for we wil nocht for dignite
striwe, ne quha sal gretare be.
cese, þare-for, & hald na strife
for ws, þat are in quemful lif!”
þai doctouris þane on þe morne,
þe puple al beand beforne,
tald þar avisione in hy
Ilkane til vthire opynly,
& nomare for þai sanctis strafe
quhilk of þam mast honour suld haf.
[I] fynd wrytine þat rochary,
þat sancte Iohnne þe ewangeliste
deit as þat day we mak
243
nocht-þane þe kirk halowis hewyn
þe fest of his birth in til hewine
of cristis byrth þe thyrd day,
for sa þe feste of baptiste may
as þis tyme honourit be,
as gabriel had hycht with gle.
þat wes nocht, for þe ewangeliste
gef sic sted to þe baptiste
as to þe mare. for-þi befel
a merwale þat I here wil tel.
twa doctouris of theology,
of quham þe tane rycht increly
a-beoufe al vthire lufit þe baptist,
& þe tothire þe ewangeliste;
& þar-of disputacione
þai held lang but conclusione.
for-þi þai set a certane day,
to conclud best til assay
quhilk of þai Iohnis mare suld be
honourit in al degre.
& þe nycht befor, as þai
slepand in þare bedis lay,
of þere Iohnis athire aperit
til his ansuere, & syne sperit
quhy þai strafe quha of þam twa
were worthiest honour to ta;
“for in hewine frendis ar we,
& striwis nocht for dignite;
þare-for we wil ȝe do sa here,
þat of our mycht ȝe haf na were.
for we wil nocht for dignite
striwe, ne quha sal gretare be.
cese, þare-for, & hald na strife
for ws, þat are in quemful lif!”
244
þe puple al beand beforne,
tald þar avisione in hy
Ilkane til vthire opynly,
& nomare for þai sanctis strafe
quhilk of þam mast honour suld haf.
a michty king of lumberdy,
wes grawine, quhen he wes ded,
of sebaste in til a stede
of þis sancte Iohnne a kirk besyd,
of gret cost & mykil pryde,
quhare eftirwart for cowaitise
a man, vnhappy & wnwyse,
dalf vpe his graf be nichtirtale,
& bar away þat gud al hale.
to quham sancte Iohnn apperit son,
& sad hyme: “for þat þu has don
til hyme sa gret Iniquite
to ȝeme þat lypnit wes to me,
in my kirk sal þou neuir entre haf,
þi lif hale, þo þat my[ch]t safe.”
& sa fel eftir in-to ded;
for þat man, quhen he had maste nede,
þat kirk neuire entre mocht,
&, gyf he fandit, son hyme thocht
þat a wicht man fast can hym ta
be þe throt & gert bakwart ga;
& þo he profit þis fele cyse,
ȝet entre he ne mycht onywise.
& þis sancte Iohnne rewengit wes
of hyme þat done had sic trespas.
Now of a merwale tel wil we,
245
in þe prowince of the sare,
quhar-to þe cayne is tributare,
quhare men makis drink of spycery—
of betone þare is gret copy.
& sum cristine þare wonnyne mais,
þat þar propire kirkis hase.
thre Iorne lang is þat cunctre,
quhare-in [is] smarag þe cyte.
smarag is a faire ton
& chefe of þe regione
& haldis of þe caynis cusing.
þare wonnis cristine & saraȝine.
in þat cite, als I herd tel,
of sancte Iohnne a merwal fel.
þe caynis bruthire cygaty,
þat aucht þat lordschipe halely,
with cristine wes enducyt sa,
þat he baptysme can haly ta.
thru fauoure of þat gud king þen
a kirk biggit þe cristine men
in honoure of sancte Iohnn þe baptist.
& it wes bigit with sic liste,
þat in myddis wes a pillare,
þat þe charge of þe kirk suld bere,
& wes na pillare bot þat ane.
þe saraȝanis had a stane, [OMITTED]
& for þe cristine þai haitit ay;
bot sa gretly þe kink dred þai,
þat þai til þat durst na thing do.
his son syne succedit hyme to,
bot nocht in cristine fay. for-þi
þai saraȝanis þare chasit in hy
to distrenȝe þe cristine men ilkane,
246
þane profferit þai þe price & mare
for, gif it a-way tane ware,
þe pillar of force suld fal,
& sa eftir þe kirk al.
bot nedly wald þai hafe þe stane.
quhene cristine saw remed wes nan,
to sancte Iohne baptist can þai pray
deuotly. & quhen þe day
wes cumyne to resafe þe stane,
þe saraȝenis semlit ilkane,
treuand to se þe hale kirk fal,
fra þe stane remowit ware al.
bot þe pillar rase thre hand brad It fra,
thru goddis grace, til awai þa ta
þe stane fra þe ground away,
& hingis sa [on]-to þis day.
men ma se wele be þis ferly
þat þe baptist is ful mychty
with god, þat sic a wondir dide
for hyme, wele knawine & kide.
& als sancte gregor sais ws,
a man quhil, callit sanctulus,
a dekine in exile tuk
fra lumbardis, as sais þe buk,
on condicione, gif þe dekine
eschapit ony way fra hyne
thru miskepyng ore subtilite,
þat gud man for hym ded suld be.
ȝet þan, þo [þis] sanctulus
had mad his condicion þus,
he gert þe dekine fra hym fle,
þat his lif sa sawit mycht be.
& þere lumbardis, þat wald haf had
þe dekine & slane but bad,
247
& hyme askit ful angrely
þe dekine þat to kepe tuk he,
as connand wes, ore ellis ded be.
& he mekly sad þame til:
“ȝe ma do with me quhat ȝe wil;
for þe dekine quham of ȝe say,
fra me quyt is passit away.”
þane sad þai, he suld fulfil
þe condic[i]on he mad hym til.
þe worthi man þai band þan son,
& gert a basare cum but hone,
þat wes stark & likly als
but let to strik in twa his als.
& he mekly knelit done,
makand to god his oracione.
þan þe basare hewit on hicht
his hand, to strik, gif he mycht.
& sanctulus, þat wes hery,
to sancte Iohnne baptist can cry:
“[I]hon, hald his hand [þat] wald me sla!”
& fra he had sad sua,
his harme, þat strekit [wes] on hicht
to strik, he ne mocht for al his mycht
bryng done, bot [it] stud strekit þare
a hyldry steng as it ware.
þane had þe basare mekil wa,
quhen he saw hyme-self sted sa,
& to sancte Iohne a wou mad þare,
gif he wald ger hyme of his care,
þat he suld neuir stryk cristine man.
& sanctulus fore hyme rycht þane
to sancte Iohnne prayere mad
for hyme; & he gat heile but bade,
& ȝald to god þare-of lowing
& to sancte Iohnne for his helpyng.
248
ymang al vthire tellis ws,
of a wedow, þat had ȝarnyng
of þis sancte Iohnne to haf sum thing,
at as a relik scho mycht haf.
& besyly þis can scho crafe
with prayere gret & fastinge,
with almus ded & wakyng.
& quhen scho lang sic lyf had lede,
& þare-in [had] nathing spede,
scho wes anoyt in gret manere,
þat god wald nocht hire prayere here.
þar-for a wou to god scho mad,
in traste hope scho in hyme hade,
þat þare suld nothir met na drink
fra þine in-[to] hire body sinke,
til he had gefin hire sum thing
of þat scho mad hyme askin[g]e.
& as scho lay sa in þe kirke
at hire prayere, for fastine Irke,
a-pon þe autere scho saw ly
as a thoume-bane propirly,
þat quhytare wes þan ony snaw;
& in sprit cane wele knaw,
þat it of sancte Iohne wes a bane.
& þare-of blith scho had it tane,
& of sancte Iohnne in-to lowynge
scho gert in haste þe bellis rynge.
& thre bischopis in þat sithtware
war of chance assemblit þare;
of quhame ilkane a part but bade
þar-of with þame þocht til haf had.
& as þai mad þame to þe partinge,
þare fel þar-of a ferly thing;
for one þe clene clath, quhare it lay,
þar sprang of it but delay
249
& ilke bischope ane can gete,
& ware Ioyful & held þare way,
& þe bane lyand stil levit þai.
& þat þe wedou gat suyth,
& passit hir way þare-with ful [b]lith,
as vittand wele it wes a bane
of þe baptiste scho had tane.
& it is stedit þar-in as Iowel
in fyne gold and cristel.
& myraclis mony wrocht are þar,
thru mycht of hyme þat [þat] bane bare;
þe quhilk vs purchase grace, þat we
ma cum til hewine as did he.
for þis herrod, of quham I spak,
wes nocht to lofe bot al to lake
for his gret iniquite;
ȝet ware herodis ma þan he,
þat be get cane til hym succede
be Il thewis & Il dede.
& þai ware of gret fame al thre,
þo it ware nocht thru dignite,
bot erare fore dedis Il,
þat þai did aganis skil.
þe first of þame to nam can ta
of ascolonyca alsua,
& Ihesu in his tyme wes borne,
þat sawit ws al þat ware forlorne;
& his son herod antipas,
quham thru þe baptist slan wes;
& þe thred herrod had alsua
til his suornome agrippa,
þat slew sancte Iames for his preching,
& petre gert in presone thring.
250
Agrippa Iacobum, claudens in carcere petrum.
of þe twa last spek me ne list,
bot I wil say mare of þe firste.
antipater of ydumy,
as wrytine is in þe story,
þe kingis cusing to wif he tuke
of arabi, as sais þe buke,
& with hir gat a son, þat he
in birth gert herrod callit be.
& þat barne to name cane ta
sone eftir ascolonica.
quham fortone helpit sa þat he
gat hale þe kinrik of Iude
of august, þat wes e[m]peroure,
to hald of hyme with honoure.
& fra þine ware na kingis ma
of Iowis kine in-[to] Iuda.
& þis herrod sex sonnis gat;
þe eldast antipater hat,
alysander syne wes his bruþir,
& aristotolus ane wthir,
archelauce þe ferd wes,
& þe fyft, herot antipas,
& philpe, þe ȝungest but were
of þir brethir we rekine here.
of þir barnis herrod send twa
to rome, to lere; & ane of þa
wes alisander, & þe todyre,
aristotolus, his bruthire.
& with a Iow he gat þir twa,
þat he to wif befor can ta.
& quhen þir twa at rome had bene,
& leryt mykil gud & sene,
251
þar faddir & þare kine to se.
& þis alisander can so lere,
þat he wes a gud mutere,
& held oft disputacione
of þe rewme for þe successione
with his fadir, because þat he
sad antipater are suld be.
bot ȝet thocht þai brethir twa,
þat þai suld bath befor hym ga.
for-[þi] þare fadir þai thocht to sla.
& quhen he wist it wes sa,
he banyst þam of þe land.
& þai þat tuk Il on hande,
to rome went to þe emperoure,
to plenȝe apone þare fadir Iniure,
thinkand to prowe be resone
þat þai suld haf successione.
in þe meyne-tyme com kingis th[r]e,
þat magos sum-tyme cal we,
to Ierusalem to spere quhare
wes he, þat borne [wes] litil ayre
king of Iowis, “for his sterne we
has sene in þe est al thre.”
bot here-of wil I tel nomare,
fore men ma fynd it ellis quhare,
in a buk I mad of þe birth
of Ihesu criste, þat grant ws gyrth.
& herot thocht hyme Il begelt,
quhen þer thre kingis fra hym duelt,
& thocht al barnis [for] to sla,
sa þat criste mycht nocht eschape hym fra,
of twa ȝere elde & withine,
fellonly, ore he wald blyne.
& [þarfor] þat Il wikit man
252
for his son, þat to fostir wes
ymang wthir, slane wes percace.
& þat wes godis richtwisnes
of hyme þat mad sa fele bernles;
for he gert sla in þat lande
a hundir & fourty thousande
& foure thousand þare-til,
þat haly nowmir to fulfil,
þat sched þare blud for cristis sak.
quhat ferly þat he tuk wrak?
þis sanderis syne & aristotil,
his sonnis, þat ware rycht noble,
at hame ware cumyne, suspec had he
þat þai for his iniquite
suld sla hyme, gyf þai had mycht;
& sa to do ma fal þai hicht.
& his barboure tald hym til,
gyf he wald haf don þer wil,
he had schorne his hals in twa,
to schaf þat quhen he suld ga,
þar-for bath gold & fe
hechtand hyme in-to plente;
&, þat sanderis, his son, had sad
þat in ald men suld nocht be lad
hope of helpe na of rewarde,
as in ȝung men þat are forthirwarde.
& as þare fadir þis can here,
& þar-of had consalis sere,
he gert tak þame fra his presence
& sla þame bath, but audience.
& antipater ordenit he
of his kinrik ayre to be.
& next hyme herot antypa
ordenit [he] þat reume suld ta;
253
ordenit [he] to succed þane.
þane wes antypater wa,
þat his fadir sic a talȝe can ma;
þar-for he thocht of Iwil rede
his fadir for to do to dede;
& for þat cause gert poysone ma,
his fadir cowartly for to sla.
bot fore þar his don nathing,
as þe ewangel makis witnesing,
þane It sal be cuth & kyde,
& be curse of tyme vnhyd,
of antipater it fel sa,
þat thocht his fadir for to sla;
for it wes tald his fadir son,
þat in preson gert hyme be done,
& eftyr gert hyme slane be,
as, þat redis þis, sal se.
& eftir, quhen cesare herde
hou herrod with his sonnis ferde,
[he] sad: “I chese me erare now
for to be herodis sow
þan for to be his [son], for he
sa demanis þaim, as kene we,
þo he in sic flesch had delyte,
because þat he is proselit;”
þat is til vndirstand, þu treu,
of a payane cumyne a Iow.
syne, quhen herod had sewinty
ȝeris of elde al fullely,
he fel in [-to a] hard seknes,
þat sume dewil lyk a feuir wes,
& þar-to sic a sca had he,
þat of his body nocht wes fre,
& þar-with had he hard torment,
254
þan come diuerse medicinaris nere,
for wynninge of his stat to spere,
þat in [a] bath of oyle hyme laid,
for þat wes halesum, as þai sad.
bot þar-of gat he ne remede,
bot wes þane son nere-hand dede.
þar-for his tormentouris send he
one al syd in-to Iude,
& gert bryng hyme þe ȝungeste
of þat land & þe nobileste,
& gert þame in presone be done,
& til his cister sad he sone,
þat had to name salome:
“I wat weile þe Iowis sal be
ful blith; bot þane I ma ȝete
mak mony ane ful sare to grete,
& hafe als faire exequies
as ony þat before me wes.
sa treuly þu hicht me til
my byding þat þu sal fulfil;
þis is, quhene I ȝelde þe gaste,
þu sal gere sla al þai in haste,
þat in presone I gert be done.
sa sal Iuda haf sorow sowne.
oþire in my lyfe ore in my dede,
þai sal hafe sorou but remede.”
þis tyrand had in custume ay
eftire his mete Ilke day,
to payre ane apil & til eete;
& in hand a knyfe can gete;
bot fel [host] hyme trawalit sa,
þat he had wil hyme-self to sla,
& lukit a-bout, þat na mane
255
& hewit vpe þane his knyfe
til hafe refte his awne lyfe.
& þane his sistire son in hy,
þat he wiste nocht wes nere by,
& þe knyfe gat & his arme,
& lettit hyme; bot þat wes harme.
þane in þe hal rase sodenely,
as he dede had bene, gret cry.
þane antipater, quhare he sete,
in presone, sone herd þat;
&, wenand his fadir ded ware,
Cryit one þe gyalare,
& hicht til hyme go[l]d & fe,
Wald he hyme louse & mak hym fre.
& quhene his fadir herd had
þat his sone sic Ioy þane mad,
he gert his tormentouris furth ga,
& but mare he gert hym ga sla,
& archelaum his ayre made;
& dais fyfe atoure þat, bade
& tholit þane þe double deide
of lif & saule, but remede.
& þane his cistire salome
al his pressoneris mad fre,
þat he sa fayne wald [slane] haf bene,
to do þe Iowis payne & tene.
Remegius ȝet, [þat] þis tale
tellis in his originale,
mad of þe ewangel of mathy,
sais þat herod vnhappy,
with a knyf, hyme-self bare
ane apil eftere met to payre,
sleu hyme-self; & salome,
as befor bydine had he,
gert al þe Iowis sla but hone,
256
for til supple þe wikitnes,
þat in hire bruthir alway wes,
to gere men wit þat he wes wike
in al degre [bath] dede & quyke;
fore in hyme wes na mending,
bot [he] til hel ȝed but endynge,
quhare he sal de & neuir be dede,
for-out ransone & remede.
ȝet of sancte Iohnne in honoryng
I ma eke to a ferly thing,
þat fallis wyd-quhare I[l]ke ȝere,
in syndry landis fere & nere,
in fellone vengeance of þe deide,
þat he tholit thru wifis rede;
for he[rod] as ful cane consent
for hir to sla þat innocent.
al þai þat come of þat kine,
in quhat place þai ware in,
ay syne one sancte Ihonis day
of þat kine brane wod ga þai;
& þai þat wil þare wit recouere,
þai mone, of sancte Iohne in honoure,
Cume til his kirk to wariste be,
þat sa is sted, scho ore he.
for-quhy þai þat are hyme lewine,
bryngis þame of sancte Iohnn þe ewine,
in tyme of ewinsang; & þare þai wak
þat nicht for sancte Ihonis sak,
& al þe morne to þe sammyne tyde
stil in þat kirk þai mone byde,
& bundine, gife it be nede,
of þare heile gif þai wil spede.
& þis merwale wrocht is ay
i[l]ke ȝerys one sancte Ihonis day,
for to gere men haf in thocht
þis ferly, god fore hyme wrocht,
& in mynd of þe wikitnes,
þat cowartly til hyme done wes,
& þat men [suld] wit als þat he
suld be had in gret daynte.
& in lestand mynde of þis,
at amyas a gret parte is
of his hewide in þat lyknes
þat it had, beand in-to flesche.
þare-for to god lofynge ay be,
þat mad hyme of sa hye degre,
þat he is had ay in lowynge
with al cristine, ald and ȝynge.
I ma eke to a ferly thing,
þat fallis wyd-quhare I[l]ke ȝere,
in syndry landis fere & nere,
in fellone vengeance of þe deide,
þat he tholit thru wifis rede;
for he[rod] as ful cane consent
for hir to sla þat innocent.
al þai þat come of þat kine,
in quhat place þai ware in,
ay syne one sancte Ihonis day
of þat kine brane wod ga þai;
& þai þat wil þare wit recouere,
þai mone, of sancte Iohne in honoure,
Cume til his kirk to wariste be,
þat sa is sted, scho ore he.
for-quhy þai þat are hyme lewine,
bryngis þame of sancte Iohnn þe ewine,
in tyme of ewinsang; & þare þai wak
þat nicht for sancte Ihonis sak,
& al þe morne to þe sammyne tyde
stil in þat kirk þai mone byde,
& bundine, gife it be nede,
of þare heile gif þai wil spede.
& þis merwale wrocht is ay
257
for to gere men haf in thocht
þis ferly, god fore hyme wrocht,
& in mynd of þe wikitnes,
þat cowartly til hyme done wes,
& þat men [suld] wit als þat he
suld be had in gret daynte.
& in lestand mynde of þis,
at amyas a gret parte is
of his hewide in þat lyknes
þat it had, beand in-to flesche.
þare-for to god lofynge ay be,
þat mad hyme of sa hye degre,
þat he is had ay in lowynge
with al cristine, ald and ȝynge.
Now sancte Iohnne, þat sa worthi wes,
til þu duelt in brukil flesche,
þat þu seruit of cryste lowit to be,
& he alsa lowit of þe;
bot [þat] þu mad gret lowynge
of hyme, þat wes na ferly thing. [OMITTED]
& sic lowing þat sic neuir wes
mad of creatouris in manis flesche,
wes quhen criste sad nan wes borne
mare þane sancte Iohnne of wif beforne,
& said als he suld precede
elyas in al nedful dede,
& with vthire lofingis ma,
þat of þe ewangele men ma ta.
& Iohne of hyme gud witnes bare,
sayand þat he wes mare
“þat cummys in flesche eftir me,
for before þat I mad, wes he,
to quham I ame nocht worthi loute,
na of his schone þe laise tak oute.”
& seildine befor herde was
betwene god & man sic hamlynes.
þis Iohnne ȝete suld commendit be,
þat to criste of kyne wes he,
as he mycht fynd þat ȝarnyng had
in ane wthire buk I made,
quhare-in I recordit þe genology
of oure lady sanct mary,
hou sibe to Ihesu þis Iohnn wes
of þis warld as be lyne of flesche;
bot þat wil I nocht bryng in here,
for I ame auld & sum dele suere.
for-þi sancte Iohne I Requere þe,
þat excusit þu wil hafe me,
& in thank tak my gud wil,
sene I no mare ma do þare til.
& sene þu sa mykil may
with god of hewine, þe I pray
þat þu fore me requeste wil ma
til hyme, þat, quhen I hyne ga,
of þis warld þat I ma twine
but dete, schame, & dedly syne,
& al þat in affeccione
has þe, ore in deuocione,
þu purchas at Ihesu sic grace,
þat þai ma trastely se his face
one domysday, quhen he sal deme
gud and Il, as hyme think queme.
til þu duelt in brukil flesche,
þat þu seruit of cryste lowit to be,
& he alsa lowit of þe;
bot [þat] þu mad gret lowynge
of hyme, þat wes na ferly thing. [OMITTED]
& sic lowing þat sic neuir wes
mad of creatouris in manis flesche,
wes quhen criste sad nan wes borne
mare þane sancte Iohnne of wif beforne,
& said als he suld precede
elyas in al nedful dede,
& with vthire lofingis ma,
þat of þe ewangele men ma ta.
& Iohne of hyme gud witnes bare,
sayand þat he wes mare
“þat cummys in flesche eftir me,
for before þat I mad, wes he,
to quham I ame nocht worthi loute,
258
& seildine befor herde was
betwene god & man sic hamlynes.
þis Iohnne ȝete suld commendit be,
þat to criste of kyne wes he,
as he mycht fynd þat ȝarnyng had
in ane wthire buk I made,
quhare-in I recordit þe genology
of oure lady sanct mary,
hou sibe to Ihesu þis Iohnn wes
of þis warld as be lyne of flesche;
bot þat wil I nocht bryng in here,
for I ame auld & sum dele suere.
for-þi sancte Iohne I Requere þe,
þat excusit þu wil hafe me,
& in thank tak my gud wil,
sene I no mare ma do þare til.
& sene þu sa mykil may
with god of hewine, þe I pray
þat þu fore me requeste wil ma
til hyme, þat, quhen I hyne ga,
of þis warld þat I ma twine
but dete, schame, & dedly syne,
& al þat in affeccione
has þe, ore in deuocione,
þu purchas at Ihesu sic grace,
þat þai ma trastely se his face
one domysday, quhen he sal deme
gud and Il, as hyme think queme.
| Legends of the Saints in the Scottish Dialect of the Fourteenth Century | |