University of Virginia Library

Þe tyme þat maximiane
þe stat of þe empyre had tane,
It tyd hyme [to] cum, as we rede,
to þe cyte of nichomede,
& þar to mak sacrifice
til syndry ydolis on his wyse;
& gef byding þar til al þai
þat come nocht sacrifice to ma,
but delay suld de Ilkane,
& al þar gudis suld be tane
& gefine as eschete to þame
þat for sic cause had ony slane.
for-þi folk mony fundine ware,
þat for to sla sik wald nocht spare,
& befor vthir þai slew al
þat Ihesu criste þar lord durst cal.
& þis persecucione
wel lang tyme wes sa fellone,
þat nane durst nere vthire schau
þat he wes cristine, for gret aw.
na þe fadir durste nocht say
to þe son he held cristis fay.
for in sic doute war þai þane,
þat nane durst tel his wil to man,
quhat of gudis for drednes,
& quhat of herd paynis þe distres.
ȝet þan war discouerit þare
thretty & thre in þat swithware,
& brocht son befor þe kynge,
þat one þis wyis mad franyng:
“ȝunge men, ȝe byrd wel knaw
of lordis þe fellone [l]aw
a-gane cristine men þat þai haf mad,
þat wil nocht sacrify but bad.”
þai sad, þai [had] herd sic thing,
& demyt it bot ful hething
& wikitnes and gret foly,
þat cristine men suld cryste deny.
þar-at richt gryme wes þe king,
& bad his tormentouris son bring
skurgis of senonis felly mad,
& gert þame dungyne be but bad,
& notyt wel for price ab ad
þe ansuere þat ilkane mad.
syne gert he þame with yrne be bundyn
& in to presone als be thrungyne.
bot be lyknes of manis thocht
þai paynis grewit þaim rycht nocht.

[a] mychty knicht þan stud by
of hye office & seiȝnory,
& of þe emperure had tane
þat stat, & callit wes adryane,
& to þe stedfestnes had hede
of þai men þat na paynis cuth dred,
& sad: “gud men, I coniure ȝow
be þe name of ȝoure lord Ihesu,
ȝe tel me quhat rewarde
ȝe think til hafe eftyrwarde
for sic tormentis as ȝe tak here
for ȝoure god with glad chere.”
þane ansuert þai al as ane,
& sad one [til] adryane:
“sa gret reward haf we, [þu] trew,
for þir paynis we tak now,
þat manis sicht mycht neuir it se,
na with manis [er] herde be,
na be comprysit in manis wit
hou mykil and gret blise is It,
þat god has grathit plentuisly
for þame þat luffis hyme parfitly.”
þane Adryane forowte mare
in myddis of al þat ware þare
lape furth to þame, & sad: “not me
with þame þat cristine men wil be;
for my tyme gane by I bane
þat I wes nocht cristine mane.
ȝet wil I, þo it lat be,
to criste and his treutht tak me,
& ydolis here forsakis ay,
for ocht þat man ma do ore say.”
& quhene þe emperoure þis herde,
as nere owte of wit he ferde,
for adryane sad sa vtrely
þat he wald neuire sacryfy;
ȝet gert he hyme be brocht hym til,
& sperit gyf þat wes his wil.
& for Adryane sad: “ȝa,”
he gert his tormentouris hyme ta,
& in Irne bundine faste,
in hard presone gere hyme caste.
þane his wyfe, natalia,
þat herd hou he bundine wes sa,
rafe hyre clathis and drew hyre hare,
fore na womane lufit man mare.
bot quhene scho wiste for cristis fay
þat he sa in presone lay,
cane nane tel þe Ioy scho made.
& to presone þane [rane] but bade,
& fore Ioy faste gretand,
kissit þe fetris þat hyme band,
& syne þe fetris of al þai
þat for lyk cause ware bundine sa;
for scho wes cristine, bot fore doute
to þat tyme scho leit nocht owte.
þane sad scho til hir husband sone:
“blissit be þu þat þis has done!
for I say þe, my husband dere,
þat þu has fundine now but were
sic riches, þat nane of þi kyne
befor þis day war worth to wyne,
sic riches quhare-of þai hafe ned,
to hewynnis blis þat wil þam sped;
for þe tyme cumis quhene nane
sal gyfte, na ȝet ocre be tane,
& quhene nane sal vthir relefe,
hou-euire to þame þai be lewe,
as for to les þame of [þar] payne,
suppos þai wald neuir sa fane;
na þe fadir sal nocht be
of mycht to helpe þe son, parde;
na þe modir sal no mare
helpe þe douchtir, fra þai hyne fare;
na þe lord helpe his mane;
na frend helpe frend for al he cane;
na riches na possessoure
sal helpe man in-[to] þat stoure;
for riches, be he neuir sa sle,
sal lefe hyme al, quhen he sal de.
þar-for is riches nan sa gud
as trew in god with mayne & mud,
& al fals ydolis til forsak,
& cese to syne & baptysme tak,
& of þe riches he has here
mak hurde in hewine, quhare na were
Is; & sa bruke sal he þat ilke blis,
þat god has grathit for al his,
quhene ilke mane sal resawe but were
rewarde as þai mak cause here.”
& quhene scho had sic sermone mad,
þat he þe warld suld dispit but bad,
& al þe Ioy þat is þare-in,
& frend and falouys & his kyne,
& treuly drese his hart ful ewine
euir to þe blis of hewine,
sir Adryane cane til hir say:
“my gud cystire, ga þi way,
&, or to ded we led be,
I sal cume & spek with þe,
& cal þe, to se our passione,
to pasts to god quhen we are bone.”
hir husband scho commendit þan
to þai thretty & thre men,
& þame, to confort hyme, can pray,
& tuk hir leif & wend hir way.
sone eftyr a-pone ane,
It wes tald to sir Adryane
þe certane day quhene þat he
to thole þe ded suld callit be.
with geileris þane cane he trete
with faire giftis & riches grete,
& borowis alsua for hyme fande
al þai menȝe ware in bande,
þat he, þe space of ouris twa,
mycht haf lefe til his wyf to ga;
for he wes obliste til his wyfe
to speke with hir in-to his lyfe.
& þus leife he gat, & he sped hyme
besyly til his awne in.
þane cumand, a knawine man
saw hyme; & hame he ran,
& to natalia tald he,
hir husband wes of pressone fre,
“&, lo, he cummys here now.”
bot til his tale scho ne wald treu,
bot sad: “quha had þat pouste
to mak hyme of presone fre?
god forbed it sa fal,
þat he lefe his falouys al,
quhare þai ar bundine in a stede,
& fle fra þame for dout of dede!”
þane sad hir seruand: “my lord here
Is cummyne of pressone, for-owt were.”
þane wend scho þat he flede,
martirdome for he drede.
scho gret þane fast & mad Il chere.
quhene scho saw hyme cumand nere,
scho rase, & agayne hyme can spare
dure and ȝet with hart sare,
& sad: “fare be þat man fra me,
þat fra god falline is he;
& god forbed it me betyde
to spek with hyme or be besyde,
þat fayntly has his lord nyt,
& tholit neuir of ficht a fyt!”
til hyme scho turnyt þane,
& sad: “but god þu wrechit man,
quhat ned þe to begyne þe thing
þat þu mycht nocht bring til ending;
or quhat gert þe departe, þu say,
fra fallouys þat in presone lay?
or tel me quhare-for þu flede,
to ficht befor þat þu wes nede,
or quhy þu fled, seand na payne,
na namane fichtand þe agane,
or [hou] durst þu for schame fle,
seand na arrow schot at þe?
& I had ferly quhene I wiste
þat þu, þat wes a paiane firste,
but god of kynd of wikit men,
hou þu had grace criste for to kene,
or quha of þe offerand mad
to criste,—and þu fra hym þis slad!
allace! allace! harmys ay,
quhat sal I wrech[it] woman say,
quhat sal I say, quhat sal I do,
þat sic a man is couplit to?
god, wald þu lene me of þi grace
þe tyme of ane ȝere of space,
þat I þe wyfe mycht callit be
of hyme þat marterit ware fore þe!
bot erar of a transgressoure
of goddis law and trygetoure,
now sal I callit be þe wyfe.
þat gerris me Irk of my lyfe.
I wend a cristine man þu had bene,
bot now is wele þe contrar sene;
þu did nocht ellis, I se now,
bot to god mad a clasine how.
for-þi in sclandir mone we ay
be had hyne to domysday.”
quhene Adryane had herd þis,
his hart wes ful of bleumand blis,
& ferlyt þat sic stedfastnes
in a woman fundine was,
þat ȝunge wes & of bewte,
& of noble blud, al thre,
& but cumpany of mane
had four & twenty oukis ben þane,
& wes of brukil kynd þare-to,
on quhat manere suld cum hyr to
sic wordis for to spek hyme til.
for-þi mare ardent wes his wil
hard martirdome til vndirga,
quhene he til hire spek tent can ta,
lattand hir say quhat scho wil.
for-þi he held lang tyme stil;
& quhene he schaw scho sic way
mad and torment hir-selfe say,
he wes anoyt increly,
& sad til hir: “my dere lady
& my wif natalya,
ames þi-self, & faire nocht sa!
for my wil wes neuir, dred nocht,
to do sa as þu has thocht,
for martirdome I think nocht fle;
bot I cume for to cal one þe,
as I hicht þe befor, þat þu
mycht cume to se oure processione now.”
Ȝet trewit scho nocht hyme fully,
bot sad til hyme angrely:
“I pray ȝow, herknes here, & se
hou goddis fa wald dissawe me,
as trespassoure agane goddis law,
þat to le has nane aw
mar þane quhylume had Iudas,
þat to betraise criste hardy was!”
quhene he had lang standine þare,
& herd þis schame & als mare,
ful mekly til hir cane he say:
“myne awne dere wyf, I þe pray
lat me cume in & speke with þe!
fra þine-furth sal þu nocht me se.
& gyf þu ne do, quhen I am dede,
þu sal mak dule but remede,
for þu [ne] wald spek with me now.
ane vthir thing als þu trew,
þat þai þat ar borowis fore me
for my lang duelling, slane sal be;
& þo I þare-of hafe schame,
anence god þu sal haf blame,
quhene þe marteris for þi thra wil
mone thole for me aganis skil.”
natalia þane in hyme lete,
& athire fel til vtheris fete,
& at þe erde a tyme la sa,
with hartis sare makand wa.
& eftyr son on fet þai wane,
& to þe presone fast þai rane,
& þar-in son wane he
to freth his borowis & mak fre.
natalia hyme folouyt ewine,
& wes þar with [hyme] dais sewine,
& of þai sekmen, þat quhilis
with a faire clath scho clengit þare bilis,
& softyt hurtis þat ware sare,
& listly als kemmyt þare hare,
& with hir handis dryit þare fete
with a faire & clene schete,
& did þame al þe ese scho mocht,
as þe tyme stud, & sparit nocht.
& quhene cumyne wes þe day,
þat þai apere suld but delay,
þe emperour gef commaundment
þat þai suld be til hym present.
þane war þai of presone brocht,
bot nothir ga na stand þai mocht,
bot men one barowis þaim bare,
rycht as þai dede bodys ware,
& to þe emperour war sa
present, for þai mycht nocht ga.
þane adryane, be-cause þat he
wes nocht pynyt in sic degre,
ran eftir þaim with gladsum faire,
þo his handis bundine ware
be-hynd his bake. & soone [wes] tan
& stentit out one a frame,
& sa dicht bot recouere
wes laid befor þe emperoure.
natalia hyme folouyt ay,
& sic wordis til hyme can say:
“my gud husband, þo þu se
hard tormentis be dicht for þe,
be nocht abasit ony way,
bot Ihesu criste haf in mynd ay!
for torment here sal tyt be done;
þane þu sal haf Ioy eftir sone
of angelis, þat with suet stewine
sal blythly bere þi saule in hewyn;
þan sal þou sadly lofe god þou mocht
throu a schorte payne yddir be brocht.”
þe emperoure til adryane
sad: “has þu ȝete consal tane
qu[h]ethir þu wil sacryfy
til oure goddis þat ar mychtty,
& lif & bruk þi firste pouste
& þi worschepe & dingnite,
ore þu wil ȝete in criste trew
& thole þar-for bittyr ded now?”
þane ansuert hyme sir Adriane,
& sad: “my consel I haf tane,
þat is, þat I sa[l] worchipe ay
hye god in hewine & kepe his fay,
na sal neuir fal fra þat entent
for ony manere of torment.”
þane wes he sare with scurgis befte,
rywine & rente & dungine efte.
natalia þane with gud wil
þir tothir sanctis þis tauld til,
hou adryane begonnyne hade
to be martyr & wes nocht made.
ȝet adryane with blitht faire
sad, maumentis nocht ellis ware
bot kistis, mad craftely,
quhar-in þe feyndis mocht herbry,
men to dissawe & to brynge,
þat til ydolis gefe trewyng,
to þe ay-lestand pyne of hel,
quhar þai sal to-gyddir duel.
þe emperoure hyme moneste þan
þat he suld nocht his godis bane,
na þame sclaundir na missay.
þane adryane, þat bundine lay,
sad: “gyf I be torment sare
for I þame wary þat nocht are,
hou suld þu but payne pas away,
þat dredis nocht god to missay?”
þe emperour sad: “ȝet think me
þat fals men has begylit þe.”
þane adryane ansuert hym til,
& said: “certis, þu seis ful Il
quhene þu þaim callis dissawouris,
of crystis treutht þat ware doctouris,
& tacht men quhou þat þa mycht
hald hy[n]e þe way to verray lycht.”
natalia þane besy was
to tel þe wordis mare & les
til al þe haly cumpany,
þat bad þar dom nere þare-by.
þane furth come campyonis foure,
& al stud adryane atoure,
& dange hyme til þai ware wery.
natalya þane in gret hy
went to þe haly folk, þat ware
for goddis sake sa punyste sare,
& tald þe payne þat adryane
with tholmodnes for god had tane,
& al þe demaundis, þat ware
mad til hyme, & his ansuere.
& adryane in þe mene-tyme
wes put to sic torment & pyne,
þat al þe guttis hyme withine
brak out—sa rewine wes þe skine.
ȝete sa wes he nocht lefte,
bot in hard bandis bundine eft,
& with þe forsad sanctis sowne
dispytuisly in presone done,
til þai wikit men avysit ware
hou þai wald punyse hym sarare.
þis adryane wes of gret state
& ȝung, faire and delycat,
& of he kyne þat michty ware,
& of elde thretty & aucht ȝere.
þane his ȝung wif natalia,
þat ȝunge was & faire alsa,
come to þe presone, & hyme fand
in bandis wyd opyne lyand,
& nothir hale had lith na lyme,
na ocht ellis in his skine.
þane set scho don nere hyme by,
as hyr nocht aylit, sobyrly,
& hyr harme vndir his hed lad,
& hyme be-haldand þis-gat sad:
“gud husband, blissit is þu,
þat þusgat has seruit now
of þe fare nowmir for to be
of haly men, & reste in le;
blissit be þu, of myne ene licht,
in erde þat me beste confort mycht;
for þu has tholit for hym sare,
þat bocht ws þat wnworthy ware.
þar-for, my suet, til hym now ga,
of his gret blis part for to ta.”
þane, quhene þe emperour þis herd tel,
Angrey he wes & ful cruel,
þat syndry matron[is] had accesss
to þe presone, þame to refresche
& to conforte þame ware þare;
he bad þai suld cume no mare
to conforte þame [&] to remede,
& wndir payne of deide.
& sone, fra natalya
herd þat it wes ordenit sa,
hyr har scho gerte cut of þane,
& tuk hir clething of a mane,
& sa gat lefe, & duelt [þar] stil,
þai haly men to serue til,
& entysit gud womene sere
for to do þe sammyne manere.
& wndir sic colour as þis
þai did gret ese to þe sanctis.
þane prayt scho richt increly
hyr husband, þat in payne can ly,
þat, quhene cumyne he ware in hewyn
to duel þar with angelis stewine,
at god til hyr he wald purchese,
til scho lifit til haf sic grace,
þat scho mycht here wnuemmyt be,
bot for to de in chastyte,
& þat scho mycht son of þis lyfe
cume til his Ioy, quhare is na strife.
þe emperoure herd eftir sone
hou þe matron[is] had done,
& was ware na woud in hy,
& gert bryng hyme a gret steþi.
sone þai sanctis furth ware brocht,
þat of þame-selfe litil wrocht,
& to þe stedy brocht wes þane
of þame eftir wthire man & man,
& gert þar theis brokine be
sa smal, þat men mycht merch se,
þat þai mycht be pynyt sa
befor þai to ded suld ga.
& syne, mare pyne þame to do,
he bad men suld gang [þame] to
& strik fra þame lym eftir lyme,
for þai wald nocht obey til hyme.
þane wes natalya ful rad,
þat, gyf adryane sene had
þai marteris be sa with delte,
þat his hart for dred suld melt,
& for sic dout criste to forsake.
& for sic dout requeste scho can make
þat firste fra sir Adryane
ane of his lymmis suld be tane
fra hyme foroute hartly offence,
giffand hyme hartly pacience,
[þat] til vthyr, gif ony were
paynis had tholit befere,
sa he mycht in sume thing
in paynis be to þame ewinlyng.
at hyre requeste but ony mare
his hand wes strikine of þare;
& he to god þane ȝald þe geste,
þat hyme resawit in til haste.
& al þe lawe but ony doute
þe lymmys fra þame strekit oute,
& tormentouris þame of strak tyte
dispitusly, foroute respyte.
& sa resawit þai þe dede
with pacience in þat [ilk] stede,
& wane sa þe Ioyful crone,
þat in hewine to þaim wes bon.
þe emperoure þane in gret yre
þar gert mak a gret fyr,
& gerte þame al be castine in,
in poudre wenand þaim to bryne.
bot þis natalia ȝet þane
stal a hand of hyre awne man,
& in hir bousume gat it sone,
& syne bad til al wes done.
bot eftir, quhen scho tent can ta
þat al þai sanctis brynt wer sa,
scho wald haf ronnyne in þe fire,
til haf brynt hir bane & lyr,
þat scho mycht be parthenare
with þai þat say consumyt ware.
bot god, þat disponis wele al,
of þe hewine a rayne gert fal,
sa wyolent & fellonny,
þat þe fyr slokit wes in hy,
& þe bodyis of al þai
þat in þe fyre wes castyn sa,
vnbrynt haile fundine ware,
& wnuemmyt in hyd ore hare.
syne eftir lang þat þis wes don
& cristine men ware a-bon,
be commowne consel, gud & sad,
in processe of tyme þai ware had
to constantinnople, & þare
þai war enterit with fel faire,
quhene pece to haly kirk ves lent.
& þane of tyme by wes went
twa hundre and aucht schore of ȝere
fra Ihesu criste oure flesch tuk here,
to quhome al Ioy ȝoldine be
of al cristine & of me.

[I]n þis meyne-tym duelt at hame
natalia, to kepe hyr fame,
& in clenes held þe hand
of sir Adryane, hir husbande,
& vndir hir heid lad it to kepe,
quhethir scho cane wak ore slepe.
of hir husband scho had sic thocht,
þat for-ȝet hyme scho nocht mocht.
a lang tyme þan passit by,
a tribune, þat wes mychty,
beheld to þis natalia,
& wes anawmerit of hir sa
þat til his wyf he wald hir haf,
for scho faire wes abeof þe lafe,
& cummyne of kine of gret honoure.
for-þi in hy to þe emperoure
he went & askit hir to wede,
& his wil gat hastly & spede.
& sa [þat] he mycht get þe wil
of hyr-self þat weding til,
þe trybune til natalia,
þane matronis gert sone ga,
to tel hir [þat] he wald hir wede
for teyndir luf, & bring to bed,
& he þe emperouris wil
& his consent had gottine þare-til;
fore-þi be þame he hire requerit,
to gyf hyme ansuere sic as afferit.
& as þis herd natalia,
warly sic ansuere can scho ma:
“hou suld grow sic grace to me,
þat sa michty lord as he
wald deigne me til tak to wif
ore with me to leid his lyf,
& þare-to with þe emperoure
is mykil lowit & in honoure?
quhy suld I nocht grant hyme til
his ȝarnynge gladly til fulfil?
þare-for ȝe tel hyme þat I
his wil to fulfil is al redy,
bot þat he gudly grant to me
þe space of twa dais ore thre,
þat I ma purway me to ga
in honeste sic band to ma.”
nocht-þane þis ansuere sutelly
scho gef to þame & couertly,
þat scho mycht purches sum remede
to flit in-[to] sume wthir stede.
& quhene þe matronis a-way ware,
scho prayt þare god, gretand sare,
þat he wald hire wnuemmyt kepe.
& þar-with scho fel one slepe;
& of þire sanctis til hire aperit ane,
&, as I treu, sir adryane,
& spak til hire rycht teyndirly,
& conforte hire debonarly,
& bad hire pas but [mar] delay,
þar quhare al þai sanctis lay,
& þat hir bone suld be hir tyd
for þe benefice scho þame ded.
þane waknyt scho of þat slepe,
& to þai wordis tuk gud kepe,
& of cristine a cumpany
scho gat, and to þe sey in hy
went, & nocht with hire bare
bot adryanis hand but mare,
& schippit son, & lefit þe land,
to god of hewine þaim commendand.
bot quhene þe trybune herd say
hou sleily scho gat away,
he tuk a gret cumpany
of stout knychtis & mychty,
& of schippis gret pleynte,
& folouyt hyre one þe see.
bot þane sone a gret wynd rase,
& to þe trybune contrare was,
& scalit his nawine to & fra,
þat [fele] of þame to grond can ga,
& sume fayne to kepe þare life
of þat storme eftir þe stryf.
& as þe storme maste fellone was,
þe feynd in-[to] þe lyklynes,
as þame thocht, of a marynare
one þe sey to þame can apere
in a bat, þo it fantasy
wes, & loud one þame can cry:
“ȝe þat are with natalia
in þis storme castine to & fra,
I tel ȝou, ȝe saile nocht richt
in þe myrknes of þis nycht.
lattis me wit quhen come ȝe,
& in quhat hawine ȝe wald be,
& I sal wis ȝou þe rycht way.”
þe marynere can til hyme say:
for he wald in sic place þaim bring,
quhare þai mycht peryse but helping.
þe maistere gert þe steris-man
to þe left hand stere hym þane.
bot in a bat þane ful nere,
sir adryane til þame can apere,
& bad þame þane but lat
to þe richt hand þe stere set,
& dresse þame to hald þare trad
in-to þe sey as þai first had.
þan tald he to þame opynly
þat þe fals feynd slichtfully
put þame to sic parele,
þat þai suld drone in-[to] schort quhile:
“bot I sal leid ȝou, god helpand,
quhare ȝe wald be, to þe rycht land.”
þane befor þaim, as þai thocht,
he rowit, &, as þai saile mocht,
þai folouyt hyme at al þar mycht,
as for þe maste part of þe nycht.
& as þe day be-cuth to clere,
þat men mycht se fere & nere,
natalia knew hire husbande
at þame þe next gat led to land.
& fra scho saw sir adryane,
in hart gret Ioy [þane] has scho tane.
þane to constantinople come þai
hale & sownd in dawing of day.
natalia þane richt ȝare
sperit quhare þe marteris ware
enterrit; & fra scho wiste,
yddir scho sped but ony riste,
& gert rype quhare þe bodys ware.
& adryane sa gat scho þare,
& laid his hand to þe body,
& þai assemblit sone in hy,
in al degre, als faire & queme
in his lyf as he had bene.
þane in gud deuocione
scho mad to god hire oracione,
& thankit hyme in hartly wil
of al gud deid don hire til,
& namely of þe ded þat he
til hir did þare, þat al mycht se.
& quhen scho had lang increly
mad hire prayere, scho wes wery
& fel one slepe; & adryane
til hir aperit sone one ane,
& haliste hir hamely,
& bad hir glad be, & mery;
for scho suld bruk with hym þe pece
in lestand Ioy, þat nocht suld cese.
þane waknyt scho in haste,
& tald þis al to leste & maste,
& at þaim al hire leif [scho] tuk,
& ȝald þe gaste, as sais þe buk.
þane tuk þai hire body,
& hir husbandis laid it by,
þat in þis lif scho luffit maste
next fadir, son & haly gaste.
als wisly I pray þai twa,
þat in þare lif vthire luffit sa,
owt of þis lyf þat we ma twene
but schame, det, & deidly syne.