University of Virginia Library

[C]orne þane, I vndirstande,
wes nocht so plentuss in lande
as It is now, bot one bestiale
þe commonnis nere lifit hale;
for, quhare now þe corne is beste,
þat tyme wes [bot] wilde foreste.
sa tyd þat Niniane a tym wente
to se his catel in entente,
& to þe lug se quhat þai
had, & how þai lay,
& to gyf þame his blissinge,
to safe þame fra al Il thinge;
& ȝed a-boute þame in-virone
& gef þame goddis benysone.
& with þe stafe, in hand he had,
a circle a-bout þaim he mad,
& bad his hirdis þat his fe
þat nycht in þe circle suld be.
þan to þe catel þai tuk les kepe.
for-þi, as al men war on slepe,
thefis, þat cuth be-hald
þat þe catele ware nocht in fald,
in þe circle þane but dout
ȝed, for to steile þe catel owte.
bot a bule fers & fel,
as kepare of þe catel,
one þe maister thef ruschit
as brane woud, & til erde duschit,
& in þe wame racht hym sic a rout,
til al his guttis schot oute,
& sone one hyme ȝed with fete.
& þat taknis lestis ȝete,
sene in a stane in þat [ilk] stede,
quhare þe maister thefe wes dede.
& al þai schrawis euire-ilkane,
þat ware in þat circle gane,
wex woud, & mocht nocht gange away,
& bad þare til þe morne-day.
þare þe bischope fand þaim in þat stede,
& ymang þaim þe maister thef dede
vndir þare fete, quhare þai stude,
& al his feris brawne woude.
þane come feil þare-on to gowe,
of his ferly & gef god lowe.
bot þe byschape, þat pyte had,
sa prayt for þaim but a-bade,
þat he þat deit sa wrechitly
wes resuscit in til hy,
& to þame þat woud ware gane,
he purchasit wit, ore he fane.
þane askit þai hym forgiffnes,
& he ful mekly can þaim bles.
sic warkis did sancte Niniane here,
& mony vthire als and sere.