 | Handlyng Synne |  |
56
A tale
Seynt Gregori of a nunne tellys
Þat ȝede to helle for no þyng ellys
But for she spake euer vyleyny
Among here felaws al ahy.
Þys nunnë was of dedys chaste,
But þat she spakë wurdys waste
She madë many of here felawys
Þenke on synnë for her sawys.
For many tyme a vyleynys wurde
Gadryþ foulë þouþ to hurde.
So dede she her felawys alle,
For here wurdys, yn synnë falle.
Noþeles, yn here dedys,
Se was chaste as men er hedys.
Þat ȝede to helle for no þyng ellys
But for she spake euer vyleyny
Among here felaws al ahy.
Þys nunnë was of dedys chaste,
But þat she spakë wurdys waste
She madë many of here felawys
Þenke on synnë for her sawys.
For many tyme a vyleynys wurde
Gadryþ foulë þouþ to hurde.
So dede she her felawys alle,
For here wurdys, yn synnë falle.
Noþeles, yn here dedys,
Se was chaste as men er hedys.
Sone aftyr þys nunnë deyde,
As of herë was purueyde,
She was beryyd, as fyl to be,
Be syde an auter before þe gre.
Sone aftyr, þys chaunce gan falle:—
Of þe cherche þe wardeynys alle
were waked oute of here slepe,
So loude þey herde one cry & wepe;
Þey sterte vp allë for to see
what wundyr þyng þat myȝt be.
Þey say aboute þe Nunnë stonde,
Fendys, with brynnyng swerdys yn honde:
Al hem þoght þey wulde here slo,
For þey cloue here mouþe euyn o two;
And, þe to syde al to-brent
Before þe auter on þe pament.
Þe wardeynys come eft on þe morow
To see where had be þat sorow.
þey fonde þe brenyng euery deyl
As þey before had seye hyt weyl;
Half þe body was brent a-way,
And haluyndele yn her grauë lay.
Seynt Gregorye seyþ þat hyt was sygne
Þat half here lyfë was nat dygne;
For þogh here dedys werë chaste,
Here wurdys were al vyle & waste.
So was hyt shewyd before here ygne,
Þat haluyndele she was ȝoue to pyne.
Loke how ȝeuene dome þer was,
Euene lyke aȝens here trespas.
See how here tunggë made here slayn
And foulë wurdes broght here to payn.
As of herë was purueyde,
She was beryyd, as fyl to be,
Be syde an auter before þe gre.
Sone aftyr, þys chaunce gan falle:—
Of þe cherche þe wardeynys alle
were waked oute of here slepe,
So loude þey herde one cry & wepe;
Þey sterte vp allë for to see
what wundyr þyng þat myȝt be.
Þey say aboute þe Nunnë stonde,
Fendys, with brynnyng swerdys yn honde:
Al hem þoght þey wulde here slo,
For þey cloue here mouþe euyn o two;
57
Before þe auter on þe pament.
Þe wardeynys come eft on þe morow
To see where had be þat sorow.
þey fonde þe brenyng euery deyl
As þey before had seye hyt weyl;
Half þe body was brent a-way,
And haluyndele yn her grauë lay.
Seynt Gregorye seyþ þat hyt was sygne
Þat half here lyfë was nat dygne;
For þogh here dedys werë chaste,
Here wurdys were al vyle & waste.
So was hyt shewyd before here ygne,
Þat haluyndele she was ȝoue to pyne.
Loke how ȝeuene dome þer was,
Euene lyke aȝens here trespas.
See how here tunggë made here slayn
And foulë wurdes broght here to payn.
| Handlyng Synne | |