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42

De vita et conversacione Sancti Roberti iuxta Knaresburgum
[_]

Square brackets denote editorial insertions or emendations.

Prologus.

Thou luffly Lord of ylkay lede,
Crist, þat we knaw by our crede,
And God that ys our gouernoure,
That luffys all lele men paramoure,
And maker ys of all mankynd,
Thatt man has maste her in thi mynd,
Þatt sytt sall sothely by theselff
In sege to deme the tribes twelff
Of Yraell—als clerkys kan proffe
Þat forsakes all for thi loffe—
And called ys God of Abraham.
Our Lorde, þat lykkend ys to a lambe,
I beseke the, whare I sytte,
Visett þat thou wald my wytte
Wyth wysdom of thi worthi well
This lyffyng trewly forto tell
Of Saintt Robertt, þat heremytte
Was approued here perfytte,
Besyde Knaresburgh in a skerre
In a creues closed hym ferre,
And full deuoutely he lay
In contemplacion nyght and day
In seruice of our Sauioure,
Als solitary dose day and houre;
And howe he lyffed in þat caue,
Efter the konnyng þat I haue,
Þat treuly whilk I to me toke,
Enformed als I was by a boke
That was sentt me by a frere
Fray Sayntt Robertys to me her;
43

Efter that boke sall I say,
Bott I purpose forto pray
To Cryst þat he wald sped my penne;
Þareto say ylk man ‘Amen’.

De ortu & parentela Sancti Roberti.

Vhenn frendes fared well at a fest
And glewmen gladdes þaim wyth gest,
Of harpyng som has lyst to here
And som of carpyng of tales sere
Of Arthure, Ector, and Achilles—
Princes þat wer proude in prese—
Of kyngys and kempes, of conquerours,
Of lordys, of ladys, of paramours,
Þat ar bott vaine and vanite.
Of slyke sall noght my carpyng be,
Bott of a better he me haste,
Fadir and Son and Haly Gaste.
Somtyme in Yorke hys lyffe to lede
Off a ryghtwys man I red;
Toccus Flos I vndirstand
Men called hym when he was lyuande,
And his wyff Dame Suniuyte;
Sho bare a barne þat was perfyte.
Robertt I rede thei named hym ryght,
For bath he was stalworth and wyght,
Wyth thre faes to feght ay freshe,
The warlde, þe fend, and wyth hys flesshe;
Þir thre he felled wythowten fayll
And broght them down in playn batayll.
Than when this chyld myldest of mode
Couth spek and gang, he was full goode,
Of maners meke and of gud thewes,
Chaste and etchewand ay schrewes,
Deuoutt, deboner, and discrett:
A mylder man myght nay man mett.
Nouther he was wanton ne wyld,
Ne wyth nay foly wald he be fyld,
44

Bott dressed hym wyth deuocioune,
Hauntand hympne and orysoune,
Vsand abstinence ay fere,
Fretand hys fleshe wyth fastyngys sere:
That tyme nane toke hym wyth trispas;
Off the Haly Gast fulfylled he was;
In chyldhed chosen to chastite,
Cheftane and chefe of charite,
And of all vertues may diuerse
Halff þan I may here reherce.
In scoles, when he was sett to lere,
He consaued mare in a ȝhere
Þan hys felawes dyd in fyffe—
Sway thoght Sayntt Roberte forto thryffe!—
Wydow and wyff and maden myld,
Þar company etchewed þis chyld,
And yemed hys yeres well in hys youth
By clargy als the chyld well couth;
Omonge a thowsand an was he
Þat was chosen to this degree;
Ay wyth resone he rewled hym ryght.
Cryst comforth hym ay als hys knyght!

Quomodo Robertus factus est subdiaconus.

Than Robertt, blissed in his brest,
Purpost hym to be a prest,
And to a byshope mayde hym boune
And was subdiakenn wyth phannoune;
And whi nay may orders he toke
Fynd I noght brefed in my boke,
Ne ȝytt the cause whi waytt I noght.
He waytt þat waytt all þatt ys wroght!
45

Quomodo Robertus ivit ad Novum Monasterium ad fratrem ibidem con[u]ersantem.

Than Robert, ay þat ryghtwys was,
Purpost hym wyth page to passe
Vnto this North Countre a-day,
To Newmostres, the abbay gray,
Whare he hade a brother frere
Off letters lewed als som ys here.
When he was broght vnto his brother,
Swetly salussed ayther other.
Faythfully þan spake the frere
And sayd, ‘Robertt, welcom here.
The rewle of this religioune
To proffe ytt wyth perfeccioune,
Wyth othir obseruaunce perfyte,
Dresse the, Robertt, wyth delyte,
By the counsayll of collacioune,
To com to contemplacioune.’
The presidentt þan of that place
Sway he gouerned hym by grace,
Hauntand hoge heghe halynesse,
Feruently fretand hys fleshe,
In praers bath and in pennaunce
Abydand, and in perseueraunce;
And off meruayles þat befell
May wyth mouth þan I kane tell.
‘Se,’ he sayd, ‘all in this house,
Howe byrddys and bestys to Robert bouse;
Howe meke, how myld þat Robert ys!’
All meruailed off hys modynesse.
Foure monethes and tway wekys mare
Robertt reued wyth monkys þare.

Quo(modo Robertus) reversus (est Ebo)racum.

And than þis man, myldest of mode,
To Yorke agayn full myldly yode,
46

To hys frenshipe and hys frendys,
Bott lytell while wyth thaym he lendys.
Wyth the Haly Gast this man inspired
Nathyng bott God in erth desyred.
Wythowten counsayll of his kynne,

Quomodo Knaresburgum venit.

Vnwettand all bath mare and mynne
Bott God, þatt wyssed hym by and thrugh,
He kayred and com to Knaresburgh;
All thynge forsakand þat he sawe,
Nathyng hym lyked bott Goddys lawe.
Thar ane hermett Robertt fand
Deuoutly in a roch dwelland,
Þat a knyght had beyn befor,
That tow(r)e and towne and hys tresour,
All had forsaken, chyld and wyffe,
And þare als hermett led hys lyffe.
When this hermett Robertt sawe,
‘Welcom,’ he sayd, ‘my fair felawe!’
And soyne he sayd wyth gud ententt,
‘Blyssed be God, þat me has sentt
Swylk a felaw wyth me to woune,
Þat dubbed ys wyth deuocioune.’
Thare bath they wouned in wyldernes
And haunted full hegh halynesse.

Quomodo herimita in temptacione decidit.

Bot þe fend, þat ys oure fell enmy,
To þir tway had great invy;
Bott Robertt myght he noght arest
For nay fandyng maste ne lest;
47

To hys felagh forthi he ferd
And sway mased mayd hym and merred
That Robertt, wyth nay resone ryght,
Fray hys mynd amend hym myght.
Langir lyked hym noght that lyffe,
Bott als a wreche wentt to hys wyffe,
Als a hounde þat kastes out of hys kytte
And ay turnes and takys eft hys vomytte;
And forthermare kan I noght tell
By this fayland what befell.
Þan Robertt ranne hys saule to saue
And in a roche closed him in caue;
Off mannes solace nane he hadde
Bott grace of God þat mayd hym glad;
Wyth ympnes þis hermett þat was tryed
Gastly God he gloryfyed.

Quomodo ad capellam Sancte Hilde devenit.

Tyll on a tyme Robertt gan hy
Vnto a wydow þat wouned þareby.
‘Dam’, he sayd, ‘to gyff me this day
Off thi almose I the pray.’
Than sayd þat wyff, mody and myld,
‘Þe chapell I graunte þe of Sayntt Hylde,
Wyth all the land þat lyes þartyll
Þat the lykys—this ys my wyll—
To the and thi poremene all ay;
Agayn my gyft sall nay man say.’
Þar Robertt wouned þan all a ȝhere
Wyth hys poralles in prayer.

Quomodo latrones eum spoliaverunt.

Tyll ytt befell apon a nyght
Fyff theffys com wyth mayn and myght;
48

Robertt to robbe þay ranne a-day.
Hys bour thei brak and bare away
Hys bred, hys chese, hys sustinaunce,
And hys pormen purueaunce.
Þus the fend þes faytors fyff
Fanded to fell hym fray hys lyff,
Bott ay stalworthly he stode
Agayn that foull vnfrely fode,
Hauand in hys mynd always
How God in hys gospell says,
‘Yff foles pursue ȝow, fals and fell,
In a cytee whare ȝe dwell,
Fles into another thanne.’
Þarfor Robertt rayse and ranne

Quomodo ivit Spoford.

And sped hym vnto Spofford towne
To serue God wyth deuocioune;
Þare he haunted halynesse
And affliccions of hys flesshe,
Vsand abstenence swa great
All men had meruayll of hys mette.
They caryed fra countres to hym þanne
To honore hym als ay haly mane;
Þai rosed hym doand reuerence
And peirles praysed hym i presenec.
Bott when that Robertt vndyrstode
Vaynglory þat ay es noght gode,
He purpost priuely forto passe
Away whar þat hys wounyng was,

Quomodo venit Hedlay.

And caryed and come to ane abbay
Off monkes þat men calles Hedlay;
And thei resaued Sayntt Robertt fair
Yff he had beyn a myghty mare,
49

And benyngly broght hym in
Omang þase monkes mare & mynne.
All approued hym als perfytte
And cled hym in a coule of whytt.
Nathyng vndyrneth he hade;
Bott a coule—and þat was bade—
Mair to couerynge of hys skynne
Than for cald away to wynne.
Hys lyffe to lele men gaffe great lyght
Als doys a sterne apon a nyght.
Off perfeccioune oft he preched
And full playnly he enpeched
Monkes vnmeke in þare presence
Þat sett them vnto insolence.
On hym thei raise all in a routte
And bade this blyssed mane gay oute;
Att hym þay wex bath wrath & irke
Bath in closter and in kyrke,
And sway dered hym wyth þair dynne
Off messy þatt he myght noght mynne.

Quomodo revenit ad capellam beate Hilde virginis.

Than Robertt rewed and sair repentt
And to Saynt Hylde chapell he wentt,
Wele leuer to dwell wyth theffys mekyll
Þan wyth felaghes fals and fekyll,
Better to beld wyth bestys wyld
Þan wyth merred men and vnmyld.
When he was commen to hys chapell
In depe deuocions forto dwell,
Poremen that war penyles
He fand tham fode of fysshe and flesshe.
Iwys this wydow was full fayne
When sho wyste he com agayne;
Men off crafte swyth gartt scho call
To bygge Sayntt Robertt a honest hall,
And mansiounes for hys men gart make
And a lath for Robertt saike,
50

Hys corne, hys catell in to brynge.
Bott he etchewed ouer all thynge
Wordes to speke of vanite
Wyth freinde or fay; ay wald he fle.
Ay to hys mette when he suld flytte,
In sylence sadly wald he sytte;
Hys visage waned swa wald he wepe,
Opon a pamentt ly and slepe
A lytyll space that dremyng droghe—
Off slepe had he noght halff enoghe!
He hired and had þaime to hys handes,
Als scriptur says, four seruandes,
Tway to the ploghe and ane to gay
Aboute the countre forto ta
Almos togedir in that land
For the poremen þat he fand;
The fourth seruaund, soth to say,
Hymselff to serue he held hym ay.
Þe bred of this Goddes louer lele
Þe fourth partte was of barly mele,
Þe fyfht of as, wyth mesor maste
Wele proporciond in a past;
Hys potage was of cale and leke,
Off other herbes þat he gartt seke,
Sothen wyth saltte and serued tytte:
In hys dysshe was na delytte.
Fisshe or flesshe whedir he toke
Fynd I nathing in my boke,
Bott watir drang or ayll thynne,
And ȝytt mesor was þareinne.
A! myghty men, haue mynd of this,
Þat fedes youe bath of flesshe and fysshe
And all dayntes þat are dere
And delytes youe in þaim here:
When thou ys sett & semly serued
And thi bred wyth knyffe ys kerued,
Partte a porcioune vnto the pore:
51

Sway dyd Sayntt Robert att hys dore.
Haue mynd of mesor, man and wyffe,
How Sayntt Robertt rewled hys lyffe;
To begge an brynge pore men of baile,
Þis was hys purpose principale.

Quomodo mater eius nuper defuncta eidem apparuit.

A tyme als Saint Robertt lay
In a medow, tyme of May,
In flouers slepand in a sted,
Appered hys moder þatt was ded,
Paile and wan of hyde and hew,
Roberd praers to pursue.
‘Son,’ sho sayd, ‘tentt to my taile.
To blysse þou may bryng me fra baile
Thrugh help of thi halynesse.
Haue mynd I sufferd the of my flesshe.’
Roberd remed and rewed sair
And frayned his moder of hyr far.
‘Son,’ scho sayd, ‘yt ys noght to layn:
I am pressed and put to payn
For mettes and mesores maid vnlele,
For okir and vthir fautes fele;
For þir and vthir nyght and day
I beseke the for me pray.’
Þan Roberd raise and redy was
Vnto hys praers forto passe;
He syghed, he sobbed, he lytyll sleped,
Hys handys he wrang, and wyghtly weped;
To God he praed wyth Peter & Paule
Forto saue hys moder saule.
52

Þan in the endynge of þat ȝere
Appered hys moder to hym here
And blyssed hyr barne þat maid hir blyth,
Sayand, ‘My sone, now sall I swyth
Wend to welth þat neuer sall wane.
Farwele! I blysse the, blode and bane.’

Quomodo Willelmus de Stutivilla precepit prosterni habitacula.

Apon a tyme, als telles a texte,
Bifell this farly althir nexte.
Þare wouned a worthly lord a whyle—
Men called hyme William Scutivyle—
Lord of that land, bath est & weste,
Off fryth, of feild, and of forest.
Als this William wentt a-day
Byside Sainte Roberde place to play,
He spirred and spared noght in that place
Whay bygged, wha belded in that space.
All thei answerd hym full tytt,
‘Ane hermet, þat ys full perfytt;
Roberd, þat ys nay rebelloure,
A seruand of our Sauioure.’
Þan Wylliam fast began to flytte
And sayd, ‘This ys ane ypocrytte,
Fautour, felaghe, and a fere;
Off all the theffys þat wounes here
A receptour Robertt ys,
And of my wyld all þat here ys.
By the eghe of God, bott yff ȝe bowe
And dyng doune hys byggynges nowe,
I sall gar bryn yowe als a belle:
He[r] sall he nay langar dwell!’
Bott ȝytt hys seruandys dyd nay skathe,
Ne bowede noght to hys byddynges brathe,
Bott lett hys byggynges blythly stand;
Þai wyst þat he was wele lyuand.
53

Quomodo prostrata sunt edificia eius.

Bott sone aftyr þis befell
Þat this Wylliam I of tell
Wyth hys hondes hyed hym to hontt
Besyd the place whare Roberd wontt,
And sawe hys byggynges haile abyde.
He chawfed hym and byganne to chyde;
He banned and bost þaim forto bete,
And sware by Goddes eghen in hys threte
Bott yff þai dang hys byggynges doune
Þat he sulde gar crake þair croune.
Þan þai durst na langar byde,
Bott vnto Roberd housynge hyed
And dang them doune, bath lesse & mare;
Nathyng left þai standand þair.
Þan Robertt sawe and sayd þaim tyll,
‘Whedir your lordyng wyll or nyll,
Besyd his tour and hys castell
Wythouten end here sall I dwell.’
Þis dyd the deuill—þis ys nay dowte—
Stirred þis steren man & þis stoute
Agayns þis blyssed man in bataill,
Wyth fandynge forto gare hym faile;
Bott ay stalworthly he stode
Augayns the fend; noght chaunged hys mode.
He sayd, ‘My Lord, my helpe, ys haile;

Quomodo venit ad capellam Sancti Egidii.

Off man I dred nay bytter baile.’
When Robert saw all dongen doune,
Wyth his boke he mayd hym boune
And fared all that forest thrughe
And come agayn to Knaresburghe,
To a chapell of Sayntt Gyle,
Byfor whare he hade wouned a whyll,
54

Þat bygged was in tha buskes wythin,
A lytell holett; he hyed hym in
And þare wyth depe deuocioune
He crepe in contemplacioune,
And als ane aungell lede hys lyffe,
Sway heghe, sway haly, þat man and wyffe,
Heghe and lawe, vnto hym hyed
In faith forto be edified.

Quomodo quis audivit vocem demonis clamantis.

A tyme was herd her of a hend
A voyce þus cryand of a fend,
‘Allas! allas! I am the vyce
Þat kest outt Adam of paradyse,
And ȝytt I may noght wyth forfett
Ouercome þis catyeff Robynett;
Ȝit am I prest hym to pursue.
Hys noy sall now be euer newe!’

Quomodo dictus Willelmus vidit vaporem fumi ascende[n]tem.

Eftirward a lytell while
The forsayd William Scutivyle
Outt of the North Countre, I weyne,
Come to Knaresburghe castell cleyne.
Bott als þis ryall was rydand
Wyth hond and hauke opon hys hand,
Out off Roberd hull full he
Rayse a reike þat men myght se.
Þan sayd Sir William merueland,
‘What bemeynes ȝond reke rysand?’
‘Sir,’ ane sayd, ‘out of a cote
Whare Robertt dwelles, a mane deuoute.’
55

‘What!’ sayd Wylliam, ‘ys þis he
Fray my forest þat I gartt fle?’
‘Yha,’ þai sayd, ‘þis ys the same;
Off your wyld beres he na blaym.’
Þan Wylliam wex wytles and wode
And swar by Goddes eghen þar he stod
That he suld noght to bed be boune
To hys cotage ware casten doune;
Bott ȝytt þis Wylliam was of wyne
Sway dronken þar, als I deuyne,
Þat he myght noght hald hys athe,
Botte he sware he suld hym skathe
And doune gar dyng hys domicelle
Opon the morn, euerylkay dele.
Þus þis keyn knyght hym vncled
And busked and bouned hym to hys bed.

Quomodo tres --- erunt Willelm[o] in grabato

Bott off a ferly þat eftir fell,
Yff ȝe wyll lythe, I wyll youe tell.
Als William lay, moysand in mynd,
Appered thre men blakker þan ynd.
Tway droghe a trayle wyth pykes sere—
Was neuer sharper thorne ne brere;
Thyrd fared befor, a foule freke,
Wyth tway maces, þus to speke:
‘Ryse vp, Wylliam, stythely stand,
And taik þis mace here in thi hand
And defend the wyth thi myght,
For fersly sall I wyth the fyght
For Robertt saike, þat nay man noyes,
Whame þou derfely doune distroes.’
Þan Wylliam, rysand of hys bede,
Bath hys armes full wyd he spred,
And ‘Mercy’ cryed full carefully
And sayd, ‘My mysded mend wyll I.’
Þan þir thre warlowes vanist all away;
Wylliam sleped to ytt was day.
56

On the morne he raise out of hys bed
And full hastely hym sped

Hic precatur Willelmus veniam a Roberto.

To Robertt holett, whare þat he
Befor hys fett fell on hys kne
And sayd, ‘Roberd, forgyff me all
My greuouse gyltes; amend I sall.’
Roberd forgaff, and William kyssed
And blythely wyth hys hand hym blyssed.
Þan William sayd, ‘Fray the roches he

Hic dedit Roberto possessionem & elimosinam.

To Grymbalde Kyrkstane gyff I the;
Land and lythe, all þat þare lyse,
To tyll ytt on thi best wyse.
Tway hors, tway oxen I the gyffe,
Helpe and hald here whyls I lyffe;
Tway key I graunte the of my grace
To all thi poremen of thi place;
Also sustinaunce I sall the send,
Fray Yole Day ylka ȝere to thend
Off dayes thretten folowand,
Tym þat I lyff in this land,
Almos bathe of flesshe and fysshe
For thretten men; sall they nott mysse.’
Þus messy, mast þat ys of myght,
Bath chastes conqueroure and knyght.
He kemmes the crowell wyth hys cambe,
Off a lyon makys a lambe.
He mayd hym meke þat Roberd merred
And mayd hym wardan in this werld;
Hys sainttys in sorowe noght forsakes
Bott, them to comforthe, trewly takes
Wyrshype and wysdom wyth concord
And loueyng ay to be slyk a lord.
57

Walterus frater eius & maior civitatis Eboracensis edificavit igitur domicilia cum capella.

This bifell þat I sall say;
Eftirward opon a day
Walter, þat was hys brothir dere
And Mare of Yorke full many ȝhere,
Com to Knaresburgh, als I rede,
Robertt to vysett in hys dede.
When he was broght vnto hys brother
Full fare salussed ayther other.
‘Brother,’ he sayd, ‘me rewes sare
Þat thou beldes in thes buskes bare,
And specially in this spelunke
In wyldernes als dyd a monke.
Yff thou wyll leue and wend wyth me,
Whare þat þi liste ys best to be,
In couent, closter or company
I sall gar sett the sekerly.’
Roberd sayd, ‘Nay! soth I the tell,

Hec requies & cetera.

Wythouten end here wyll I dwell;
Here haue I chosen ay forto won.
Farwell! in my benyson!’
When Walter wyst away he wentt;
He thanked God for hys trewe ententt.
Þan Walter wentt and sentt hym to serse
Werkmen wyse of craftes diuerse,
Hym to byge a chapell gode
In the honore of the Haly Rode.
Þare Robertt ryst hym, als I rede,
Irke ne ydell neuer of dede.

Quomodo Yvonem sibi sociavit.

Roberd vmbythoght hym þane
Wyth hym to won to haue som man
58

To beilde hym wyth hys besines
Þat he myght haunte hys halynes.
Furth he wentt and ane he fand,
Yue that men called in that land.
‘Yue,’ he sayd, ‘comme, folowe me;
Off Gode a seruand sall þou be.’
Thus answerd Yue and to hym sayd,
‘Off this tydynges am I payd.
I wyll forsake all þatt I se,
Fadyr and freynd, and folowe the,
Gold and good, ryches and rentt,
Towne and toure and tenementt,
Playng and prosperyte,
In pouerte forto won wyth the.’
Yue to Roberd ay was lele,
Hys almos helpe hym forto dele.
To all þat pore was in þat place
Full trewly toke Robertt trace.

De temptacionibus Yvonis.

Sathan, þat sotell ys and quayntte,
Thoght to take Yue wyth a taynte.
He stirred hym stryffe on ylkay syde
Þat Yue thoght bytter to abyde,
Bott Roberd wyth hys resons swett
Redy was ay hys bales to bett;
Bott ȝytte the fend forged hym a whyle
This blissed mane forto begyle,
Sway that this man, opon a day
Wyttles waned and wentt away—
Bott God wald noght þat he ware shente!

Ubi fregit tibiam.

In wodde vnwarly als he wentte,
Wyth a boghe hys bayn he brake,
59

And þare lay Yue styll in a slake,
And weped iwysse and was full way;
The fende was fayn þat was hys fay.
Bott Robertt be reuelacioun
Was talde þis tribulacioun.
Robertt rayse, busked hym belyue,
And ranne to he come vnto Yue;
And when he saw hym sytt and say,
‘Allas! allas!’ and ‘Waloway!’
Roberd badde hym be in rest—
To mane bowes all thinges for hys beste.
He toke hys fotte and badde hym stand

Hic Robertus sanavit tibiam.

And blyssed ytt blythly wyth hys hand,
And ytt was hayll, na hurtt ytt had,
And than was Yue in gast full glad.
Agayne þan wentt thay bath in fere
And lyued togedir full many ȝhere.
In frost and snawe to Yorke he yode

Quomodo nudis pedibus ivit Eboracum.

Barefotte, þat men myght trace his blode,
Almos to purchace to hys pore;
Euer off catyffes hade he cure.
On theffes þan vengiaunce doune gun lyght
Þat robbed Sayntt Roberd on a nyght,
Brekand the chapell of Sayntt Hylde.
Sway sall robbers be begyled;
That gode men greues, þai sall hym gryme;
Yff ytt be taryed, ytt commes a tyme!

Quomodo vaccam domavit.

Off a myracle wyll I melle
Þat I trow be trew and lele.
Off Sayntt Robertt, anes as I rede,
Off a cow he had nede
60

To hys pormen in hys place;
Þareffor to the Erll Roberd gayse
And for a cowe he com and craued.
He graunte hym ane þat wytles raued.
He bad hym to hys forest fare
And ‘Slyke a cowe take the þare.
I halde hir wyld; maik þou hyr tame.
To thi pore men lede hyr hame.’
Roberd rayked and þider yode
And fand this cowe, wyttles and wod;
Styll sho stode, nathynge stirrand.
Roberd arest hyr in a band
And hame wyth hyr full fast he hyed—
Meruayle them thoght þat stod besyde.
Byrde and best all bowed hym tyll,
Euer to wyrke aftir hys wyll.
Bott ȝytt a mare ferly befell
By this cow þat I sall telle.
A mane þare stode and sawe þis syght:
To the Erlle he hyed and spake on heght;
‘Syr,’ he sayd, ‘sone sall ȝe se

Quomodo fautori eam donavit.

Ȝond kowe þat he sall gyff hyr me;
Wyth somme sotell trape or trayne
I sall gett ȝond kowe agayne.’
The Erle sayd, ‘So motte I the,
Nay counsaylle þarto gyffe I the.’
This faytour forged hym on a wyle
Sayntt Robertt how he myght begylle.
He wapped hym in a wreched wede,
Schappen and sewed in many a screde,
Bygane to haltt, to grayn, to grett,
Sway Sayntt Robertt forto mett.
He cryed als a cayteyff chached in care,
61

Reuffully to rupe and to rare.
He cryed and craued Sayntt Robertt kowe:
‘Roberd,’ he sayd, ‘grauntt me hyr nowe,
For his sake that sakles was salde;
Þoue sees I am bath croked and alde.’
Roberd sayd, ‘Þou schapes þi skorne:
God gaffe, Gode haue! Taike hir by the horne
And lede hyr wyth the now away.’
Bott whatt byfell I thynk to say.
A fott this faytoure myght noght fle,
In lyme and lyth so halted he;
This wreke when he saw opon hym fall,
Opon Sayntt Robertt fast gun he call:
‘Roberd,’ he sayd, ‘thou rewe on me!
This greuouse gylte forgyff þou me.’
Roberd said, ‘Here may þou se
He that begyles, begylde sall be.’
He blyssed hys bane and mayd yt haile;
Þane hame he wentt and tald þis taile.

Quomodo cervos includebat orrio.

Off another wyll I neuen—
Wyth helpe of hyme þatt ys in heuen—
Off this forsayd þat I fynde;
Es noght to hyd ne halde behynd.
Hertes full heghe of hede and horn
Vsed to comme to Robertt corn.
In feild thei fulled ytt wyth þare fette
And stroede ytt bath by sty and strette.
Whene Robertt wyst, he was noght payd,
Bott yode vnto þair lorde and sayd,
‘Sir, thy catell euen and morne
Bathe distroes my hay and my corne.
Sir, gare kepe þaim, I the praye;
My gode es all in corn and hay
To my lyfelade þat I haue,
And to my cayteyffes in my caue.’
Than to Saintt Robertt he sayd,
62

‘Off thi harme I am noght payed;
Iff my catell do the skathe,
I gyffe the gode leue in thi lathe
To pynde my dere þare all bedeyn
To the tyme þat all þi harmes be seyne.’
Vnto this sawe Roberd assentt
And hame full wysely ys he wentt;
Bott he rayse vp oppon the morne
And fand þese hertys all in hys corne.
He wentt and wagged att them a wand
And draffe þise dere hame wyth hys hand,
And by law pynde þaime in hys lathe
And bade the lord gar se hys skathe.
Bott when þat knyght knewe wele þis case
Full mekyll meruayll in hertt he hayse;
‘Robertt,’ he sayd, ‘þis ys enoghe!
Gar putt þir hertes in thi ploghe
And latt them drawe whyls þai may dre:
I grauntt þaim frely nowe to the.’
‘Gramarcy, sir,’ gun Robertt say,
And hyed hym hame by the redy way.

Quomodo cervos aratro copulavit.

Into hys ploghe he gartt þaim passe.
Als meke and mylde als lamme þai was
To dryff, to drawe, to louse, to bynde,
Als any ox þat man myght fynde.
All men had meruaille of this syght,
Sayd Roberd was a man of myght.
Thay loued our Lord omnipotentte
Sway great a grace þat hym had sente.

Quomodo demon apparuit ei.

The fend to man þat ys enmy
To Robertt had greatt inuy;
Als wreth he wex als a wype:
He thoghte to teyne hym wyth a type.
Apon a tyme, als I am lered,
63

Þe fend to Sayntt Robertt appered.
In a lyknes blake and lathe—
Ytt to discryffe I am noght grathe!
Aboutte hys house þis harlott hyede,
Hys deuociouns he defyed;
All the vessell þat he fand
He tyfeld and touched þaim wyth hys hand,
His pott, hys panne, his sause, his soule,
Wyth hys fyngers fatt and foule.
When Robertt sawe, þat reken was,
‘A! wrech,’ he sayd, ‘I byde the pas
Outte off this place now wyth thi playntte.
Þou sall noght take me wyth a tayntt.’

Item alia vice demon apparuit ei.

Another tyme, als I here tell,
This noyand nedder fals and fell
Appered in lyknes of a carle,
Blake als pyke, bygan to parle.
He toke a strenkell þare ytt stode
Wyth haly watter gayn and gode,
And wyth a wanyng of þat wate
He gartt Sir Gerrard ga hys gate.

Item alias apparuit ei demon.

Another tyme opon a nyghte,
Roberd prayand for hys plyghte,
In lyknes of a yonge chylde
Off seuen ȝeres, meke and mylde,
Appered and kneled opon hys kne
And mowed befor Saynt Roberd ee;
He mayd great noyse and great vnreste
To lett hym of hys praers preste.
Bott Roberd sesed noght for þis syght,
Bott euer prayand lay þat nyght.
64

Than þat warlow wex full way:
Togedir he gedird all the stray
Wythin the place, and þane he paste
Apon a fyer ytt forto caste.
Than Robertt crossed ytt all aboutte
And sone þat flamme was slokkend oute.

Item apparuit Roberto.

Another tyme þis Gerrard gryme
In lyknes transfigured hyme
Off a chyld off sexten ȝhere
Sway to Robertt to appere,
And, on hym gapand, gyrned and gnaste;
Robertt þaroff was noght abaste
And wyth hys staffe, als he was wontt,
Bett hym and began to shontt.
‘Allas! allas!’ begane to say,
‘I weynd. I weynd, full waloway!
Yff I be slegh, I am ouersett
Off this rusty Robynett.’
Thus Sathanas on ylkay syde
Vmbeseged hym tyme and tyde
In temptacions ilkane sere
Þat may be wroght or wretyn here,
Sway to brynge hyme vnto baille,
Bott of hys hertt he was sway haille
That na fandyng myght hym fell—
And that forthoght the fend of hell!

Quomodo Johannes rex ministravit Robertum.

Forthirmare now wyll I flytte
To enforme youe of a fytte,
Kynge Johanne how Syr Bryane broght;
Hys celle to se he him besoght.
Robert he fand kneland prayand,
Hys orysons contynuand,
That for nay noyse þat þai couth maike
65

Nay mare he mowed þan dose ane ake.
Þan Bryan sayd, wythouten lytte,
‘Roberd, my brothir, rise vpe tyte.
Here standes our comly kyng wyth croune
To visett the wyth deuocioune.’
Þane Roberd rase full hastely
And spak to Bryan besily
And sayd, wythouten taryinge,
‘Kenne me, Bryan, to my kynge.’
Sir Bryan sayd to hym by signe,
‘Þis ys Kyng Johann maste condigne.’
Þan Robertt toke ane ere of corne
And sayd, standand the kyng byforne,

De spica grani.

‘Yff thou be kynge, sir, kan þou oght
Off corn maike slyke ane ere of noght?’
Than þai sayd to that suffraynge,
‘Þis man ys noght haille of brayne;
By this ensample þat we se
He schewes hymselffe a fole to be.’
‘Sir,’ he sayd, ‘so motte I the,
Þis man ys mare wyse þane we,
For he serues bath day and houre
Na suffrayne botte hys Sauioure
In whame ys all wysdom & wytte;
This man full wysely folowes ytt.’
Than sayd the kyng, semly in saylle,
Vnto þis man spirituaylle,
‘Aske me, Robertt, what þou wyll,
And godely sall I grauntte þaretyll.’
Tha[n] sayd Robertt to the kynge,
‘I haue nay nede of erthly thynge.
Enoghe I haue, syr, graunte mercy.’
Than wentt the kyng to hys company.
66

Quomodo Yvo obiurgavit Robertum.

When the kyng was wentt, to hym come Yue
And sayd, ‘Robertt, þoue wyll nott thryue.
Off the kyng why wald þou craue na gode,
Ne aske nay almos or he yode,
To þi poralles in this place?’
Roberd sayd, ‘In Gode ys grace,
That godely gyffes vs kow and corne.’
‘Yha,’ quod Yue, ‘bott noght by the horne!
Fole, gay furth, pursue þi frende.’
Roberd sayd, ‘Yha,’ and furth gan weynd

Quomodo rex dedit terram & cetera.

And to the kyng began to say,
‘Certes, syr, I forgat to pray
For som almos, flesshe or fysshe.’
The kynge answerd and sayd, ‘Iwysse,
I gyff and grauntt, est and west,
Als mekyll land in my forest
Als thou may tyll the wyth a ploghe.’
‘Syr,’ sayd Roberd, ‘þat ys enoghe
Me to manteyn and my men.’
Agayn Sayntt Robertt rayked hym then.
Sirres, forsoth my hertt in sonder
Me thynke bath wepes and wirkes for wondir
That he, þat was sway waike a thynge,
Durst spek sway saffly wyth hys kynge.
Tyrauntes trembled þat did hym teyne;
Slyke selcouth was bath schewed and seyne.
Bestes and birdes vnto hym bowed;
Fendys hym fledde þat come in clowde;
Durste nayne hym dere he was so digne;
God for hym schewed full many signe.
Þan Robertt tilled and mayd hym toghe
Aboutte housebandry of hys ploghe.
67

Quomodo rector de Knaresburgo decimas exigebat.

Off Knaresburghe kyrke the persone þan
Rodely vnto Roberd ranne,
Hys teynde to craue of corne and hay,
Bott defyed hym wyth ‘Nay’.
The persone sayd, ‘Þou sall ytt gyffe,
Wyll þoue, nyll þoue, and I lyffe,
And I my happe haue and my hele;
The lawe sall ytt discusse and dele.’
Robertt sayd, ‘Sothly þou raues
Þat vntrewly teyndes craues
To pore men þat appropird ys.
Neuer ȝytt yt newed to now a cresse!
My teyndes thou craues vnconnandly;
I graunte the Crystys cursynge forthi!’
T[h]e persone tonge, þat toyled þis sayntt
And displesed hym wyth hys playntt,
Was wyth vengiaunce and wyth wreke
Spoyled þat he myght neuer speke,
Ne had nay space, bott att hys laste
In payne and pouertt hethen he paste.
Thus he þat couettys thyng vnlele,
When he deghes hais noght to dele
Off hys aghen wythin hys wane.
Yll gytten gode, men says ytt sall be gane.

Quomodo habuit spiritum prophecie.

Ȝitt of a meruayle list me mele,
That I trowe be trewe and lele,
Off Roberd that was resonable
And to pore men profytable,
How Bryan, by the kyngys commaundment,
Into this North þat tym was sentt;
Bott on nay wyse wald he weynd
Bott by Sayntt Robertt hys faythfull freynd.
68

Full ryally to hym he rayd
And kneland on hys kne he sayd,
‘I beseke the for me pray
And blysse me or I weynd away.’
Roberd badde Sir Bryane stand
And blythely blyssed hym wyth hys hand,
Spekan to hym in prophecy,
‘Weynd þoue worschipfully;
Gouerne þou sall well þi degre
In ioy and in prosperite,
Bott agayn commes þou nay mare.
Cryst he kepe the nowe fray care!’
Þir wordes when Bryan vnderstod
Away he wentt wyth drery mod,
And to Northe Cuntre he rayd,
And þair he dyed als Robertt sayd;
His saule passed vnto paradyse
For in this warld Bryan was wyse.
Here may ȝe se, bath yonge and alde,
A prophett þat he may be called.

Quomodo prophetavit de Fontinensibus.

Bott ȝytt forthermare I fynd—
Þat ys noght gode to hald behynd—
Eftsones how he prophetised:
Þase wordes to wrytt I am avised.
Befor Robertt that ryghtwyse was
Outt off this wreched dayle suld passe,
‘When I am sweltt,’ he sayd to somme,
‘Monkes of Fountaunce sammenn sall comme
My body forto bere away
Beried to be in thare abbay.
Ytt ys my wyll wyth myght and mayn
Stalworthly þat ȝe stand agayn.
I wyll be doluen wharso I deghe;
Beried my body þare sall ytt be;
69

Wythouten end here wyll I rest;
Here my wounyng chese I fyrste,
Here wyll I leynd, her wyll I ly
In this place perpetuely.’
Roberd keped a ryghtwyse reule
All tym þat he couth crepe or creule,
In crage, in creues, or in caue,
Sway sadde he was hys saule to saue.
Fray sted to sted he stepped and stode
Þar nay myscheffe merred hys mode;
Comforth ne care, baile ne blysse,
Myght noght chaunge hys chere a rysshe;
Durese, dishese, dere ne dred,
Well ne wyrschipe, als I red,
Myght stire hym halffe a stryde;
All bytternes he couth abyde;
Forthi our Lord to lerred and lewed
Many ferly for hym schewed,
Hys godnes bath to gloryfy
And vther men to edyfy,
And als to men hys mekyll myght
Forto mostre day and nyght,
Myracles sway many wythouten maike
Our Sauiour schewed has for hys saike,
Bath efter ded and in hys lyffe—
The halff þat I kane noght discryffe.
Thus in romaunce haue I herd
That Roberd rouled hys lyffe in werlde.
To hym be louynge lastand ay
Þat hym gaffe power forto pray,
And forto saue oure saules syne
In blysse bringand fra bitter pyne.
Than Roberd, aye þat ryghtwys wasse,
Persayued þat hym bode hethen passe
By dede, þat nouther duke ne kynge
Ne suffrayn sparys he; nay thinge
70

Sinfull ne saint, ryche ne pore,
May sayff ne maike nane, sound ne sore.

Quomodo ornavit lampidem suam ante mortem.

He sett hym sadly forto say
Psalmes and ympnes, and forto pray
To Gode and to hys Moder dere,
And to all hys sainttys sere,
And to hys aungels and all
Doune to comme began to call,
Att hys wey[n]dynge hym to wyshe
And to bryng hys saule to blesse.
Þan in seknes sadde and sare
He fell þat he myght moue nay mare,
Bott cryed on Gode contynuely,
‘Lord, on me þou haue mercy!’
When Yue saw Roberd draw to dede
Full wille he wex þan off hys rede;

De Yvonis doloribus et gemitu.

He syghed, he sobbed and gaffe hym yll,
Bott ay badde Robertt Yue be styll;
In hertt was heuy all þat herde
Þat Robertt weynd suld off þis werlde.
Kneland þai come and þaim commend,
Þar saules to saue wythouten end.
Than monkes of Fountaunce come full tyte
And wyth þaim broght an habytt whytt,
And sayd, ‘Robertt, this sall þou haue
Wyth the when thou gase to thi graffe.’
Roberd sayd, ‘Sirres, when I deghe
My aghen clethyng suffyce to me.’
(Bott ȝytt they dyd when he was ded
Befor that myght noght stand in sted;
Þat ys to say, in coule hym cled,
And sway thay bare Robertt to bed.)
When Robertt saw þat he suld dee
‘In manus tuas, Domine,’
71

He sayd and sweltt and gaffe hys gaste
To the Fader and þe Son and the Haly Gaste.
Than aungels broght hys saull to blysse,
Honored it to be als ane off hys.
Yue closed hys eghe wyth mekyll care;
All wepid for way, bath lesse and mare.
A herce they sett sone apon trees
And dyd deuoutly dirigees.
When thys was talde, Fountaunce full faste
Wyth great power þider paste
To reue þaim Robertt body blyste,
Bott Knaresburgh of tham wyste,
Off men off armes araed routte
Forto hald þase monkes oute.
Wythouten harme so hyed they hame;
Bare nane for hys body blayme.
Than caryed and com outt of the cuntree
Mane and wyff of all degree,
Pore and rych, all maide þaim boune
Wyth men off religyoune,
To bere hys body oponn a bere
Wyth melody þat men myght here,
And beryed hym in a grayff full god
In the chapell þat was of the Haly Rode,
Befor the heghe awter in a toumbe;
Hys myracles may nay man soumbe
In the chapell—þat er red full ryffe—
That Walter wroght hym in hys lyffe.
All þat was seke and to hym soght,
Be þat thai yode, þaim ayled noght.
Crased & croked, bath deiff and domme,
War cured þat to hys toumbe wald comme.
Þe halt was heled, the lame was lyght,
Blynde and bysen hadde þair syght,
Men of menbirs þat war mayned
72

Was saued full sound when þai wer saynd;
Obcessed off fend he gart þaim flytte,
Wytles and wod won in þair wytt;
Lunatykes and frenesyse
Thrugh hys myght ware mayd full wyse;
Baran bare hir childe belyffe
And some ware rased fra ded to lyffe.
And, to conclude þaim all in fere,
All þat hurtt hadde any here,
Or any seknes, all ware saued
Thayr hele because þai of hym craued.
Þai may be glad and blyth þat has
Slyke a patrone off þair place
Þat ys off power forto pray
For thare plyght bath nyght & day.
God for hys saike hys seruaundes saues,
Nathyng denyes hym þat he craues.
All praers þus for þar place
To God to gouern þaim by grace,
And whaso greues god men þerin
Or payres þair place, þai do great syn
And er acursed by bulles sere
Þat Papys of Rome has graunt þaim here.
Forthi I rede you all forbere
Sanctuaries to do þaim dere.
Yue ledde hys lyff lang in that sted
Aftur the tyme Roberd was ded
In bedes, praers, and orisounes
And in othir deuociounes.
Þan dyed þis daynty man a-day
And went to ioye þat last sall ay,
To the whike he bryng yow all and me,
Amen, Amen per charite.

DE INITIO CREACIONIS ORDINIS SANCTE TRINITATIS

Almyghty Lord in mageste
Þat was and ys and ay sall be,
73

Grauntte me nowe and euermore
Þe grace þat I besoght before.
Eftyr the tyme Roberd was dede
Yue wouned styll in þatt stede,
Apperand in perfeccioune
To serue God in subieccioune.
The place wyth the appurtinaunce
Tha[n] gyffen was to hys gouernaunce;
He gaff ytt—ȝytt all men may se—
To Couerham wyth a charter fre,
Þair to fynd perpetuely
Tway chanons syngand sykyrly;
And sway thay dyd ȝheres diuerse,
Bott clerly kanne I noght reherce
How ytt wentt outt off þair hand,
Bott trewly als I vndyrstand
That ytt some tyme stode desolatte
For dede or elles for some debaytte,
And sway entird ay to be
The Ordir of the Haly Trinite.
In ane hede persons thre ar knytt;
By þis ensaumpill sall þou wytt
Playnly þat possessiounes
Off this ryall relygiounes
Deuised and deltt sall be in thre:
Tway partes to the Ministre and his menȝhe;
Þe third þat raysed ys of þar rentt
To the Haly Land sall ytt be sentt
To releue and to relese
Crysten men þat ar in dishese,
Ys doune in full depe doungeouns
Pyned in pyttes and i prisouns
Omong the Jewes, and Saraȝyns
In þair fetters fast þaim byndys
And in þair ploghes puttys þaim to draw
And sithen þair sede settes þaim to sawe.
The third porcion of this ordir fre,
74

Þat þai send byȝond the se,
Ys raunsoun and redempcioun
Off ylkay a crysten region,
Crysten cayteffys forto by
Outt of prysouns þair þai ly.
Mynistre þus expounde ȝhe may,
Þat ys bott seruaund forto say;
All yff he serue, ȝytt hys degre
Als a prelate awe to be.
Þis worde ys wreten of our Lord,
Þat to þis curate may accorde.

Non veni ministrari sed ministrare.

Oure Sauiour sais, yff ytt be soghte,
‘Her to be serued come I noght,
Bott forto serue I come myselff.’
Þis same he schewed vnto twelff.
The clethinge of þise men perfyte
By this incheson ytt ys whit:
For the angels bryght þat lyghted lawe
In clething whytt als any snaw
Bysyde the graue of our Sauiour,
And also by thys same coloure
May men vndirstand and se
The clennes of mannes chastite;
The crosse, þat on þair clethinge cleues,
Ys mynd of the rode þat man releues—
The rede by resoun of hys blode,
Þe blewe for the water þat wyth ytt yode:
Thus I vndirstand þaim here.

Tot capita tot sentencie.

Ilke hede has a sentence sere
How the Order of the Haly Trinite
First begane—here sall ȝe se;
Als I haue herd I vndirtoke,
Bott I haue seyn ytt in nay boke.
Off twa heremites haue I herd
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That wyse ware when þai woned in werld;
Off the Haly Gast þai wair inspired,
Bott anely Gode noght þai desyred.
A preciouse purpos ayther toke
And wysely wrayt ytt in a boke;
To the Pape þay putt þat blyssed byll
And he resaued ytt wyth gode wyll.
When he hade þair gud intentt
Wyth thar byll away he wentt,
Prayand God to schewe hym sone
By þat byll what suld be doyne,
And called hys counsayll in this case
To beseke God off hys grace.
Bott aftur what befell
Forre þair prayers sall I tell.
The Pape als he sang messe a-day
Specially for þis case to pray,
Appered ane aungell bryght of ble
And kest a clething att hys kne,
And badde hym take þat clething tyte
Þairin to cleth hym men perfyte.
The Pape doune falland wyth hys handes
Loued our Lord þat hys seruaundes
Sway saues and comforthes ay
And grauntes all þaim þat þai for pray.
He toke this clethinge cleyn and whyte
And þarein cledde þase heremytes tyte,
Badde þaime increse and multyply
Here to lyffe a halely.
Þan þai stepped ouer streme and strand
And releued in the Haly Land;
Cayteffes þat wer chached in care,
Pressed in prisouns, naked and bare,
Plonged in ploghe, in cartt drawand,
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Outt thei boght þaim wyth besand.
Þan þus began þe ordre fre
That ys off the Haly Trinite.
Detbundon þis order ys to do
On this wise þase cayteffes to,
Thaim to raunsoune and to by
Wyth the third partt off thar tresory.
Nay mair att þis tym kan I say,
Bott wyth all my hertt I pray
To God þat he þaim saue & send
To myrth þat neuer mare sall haue end.
Explicit.

A PRAYER

Hayle! cheftane, Cristes aghen confessour,
Als seruauntt of our Sauiour;
Haile! Saintt Robert, thrugh Goddes grace
Pere and patron of this place;
Haile! our gouernour and our gyde,
Haile! þat vs socoures on ylka syde,
Haile! þat couers our caytefte,
Haile! þat saues þat serue wyll the,
Haile! Robert, þat ay ryghtwyse was,
Þi bred was menged ay wyth asse;
Haile! diamaunde, þat dose vs ese,
Fordo and dylle all our dishese.
I beseke the to begyne
And to conuerte me fray my synne;
My lyppes wyth louynges be fuffylled,
Þi wyll to wyrke þat I be wylled.
For þe grace to the þat graunted was
Þe bandes þou brest of my tryspas,
And owtt of prison, I the pray,
Off synne my saulle gar wynne away.
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Lede me, Roberd, outt of luste,
For all my doynges ar bott duste.
Weile I waytt, wythowten weyn,
My synnes to schew or to be seyn
Are sulped as sute ys in my syght;
Þarfor my lyffe may noght be lyght.
A! blyssed saint and cetiȝand,
In heuen þat shynes als diamaund,
Dresse me fra dampnacion
And send me saluacion.
When I am couped, I pray the come
To defend me at þat dome
Þat the feynd sall fourme for my foly,
Þat I may weynd wyth victory
Wyth the to woune in endles blysse.
Ryghtwys Roberd, pray for þis!
Amen.
Explicit.

ORACIO PRESIDENTIS

Hayle! Saint Robert, a confessoure
Þate suetely serued oure Sauioure;
Hayle! peirles patrone of þis place,
I besek the send vs grace,
Strength and myght—þat wounes herin—
The to serue wythouten syne,
And wyth our seruice þat we maye
Her perfytely please the aye,
And helpe vs i necessite
Sen þou arte our avowe fre
And saint on whayme mast tryst we haue,
This house and vs to kepe and saue
Fray dett and dedlye synnes seuenn,
And forto bryng vure saules to heuenn;
And of thi godenes graunt me grace
Sway ryghtwislye to reul this place,
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And sway to gouernn to my degre
Þat I, all yff I simple be,
Occupyes als presidentt
By grace þat God here has me sentt—
May be vnto the saluacioun
Off all this congregacioun,
And hape and helefull mayntenaunce
Off the place for my gouernaunce—
And helpe to me in all my nede
And sauyng to my saule and mede;
And suffrandly, I the beseke,
Of maners to be myld and meke,
In persecuciounes pacientt
And in myne office diligentt—
My malicoly thou amese
And comfurthe me in all dishese—
And sway tholemode of my thoght
That ire ne wrath ouersett me noght;
And boxum to euiralkay ded
Þat may multiply my mede;
Of thoght and dede forto be chaste
And mercyfull þou make me maste,
And to be abstinentt at borde
And trew and lele to be of worde
And sobyr whene I am assayled—
And send me helpe þat neuer fayled—
And compacientt forto be
Of all in anger þat I se.
Forgyffnes gett me of my syne
And of my mysded gar me mynne—
And forto vse all vertues ilkay day,
And of all vices to voyde away—
And victorye of this warld als
Off my fleshe and the feinde fals—
And stythe bath well & way to drye.
Als ane of thine þoue socoure me
And all my brether, lered and lewed,
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And my systers, seryne or shwed;
In charyte generalle
Haue mercy, Roberd, of thayme alle;
Helpe me to kepe myne obseruaunce,
And, sen I haue the gouernaunce
By eleccion of this place,
I beseke the send me grace
To gouernn ytt in prosperyte
That ytt to the lele louyng be,
To hym þat hyrd ys of this shepe
Þat I haue cure of forto kepe,
And to hys Moder free
And to all hys halowes he;
And to my felaghes mare and lesse
Helpe and hele and halynes,
And bath of saule and body blysse
And saluacion aftyr this;
And graunt me myght, strengh and grace,
Þair simple prelate of this place,
With discrecion that I maye
Sway gouernn ytt bath nyght and day,
And Goddes seruice wyth instance
And all vther obseruaunce,
In pece, in quiete, and i reste
And in charete þat ys beste,
By meke sufferaunce & pacience
Þat, for my dughty diligence,
When I am ded and doluenn lyse
Tha[t] I may passe to paradyse,
And att þase fre yhates wyth the mette
And here thi voce þat ys so swette
To me sayand on this wyse,
‘Welcom vnto paradyse.
Welcom, son, vnto this place,
For sen þou hase thrugh grace
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Well gouerned thi lytyll cell,
Wythowten end here sall þou dwell
In joy and solace and in blysse.’
Saintt Robertt, thou grauntt me this,
And helpe þus þat ytt may be.
Amen, Amen per charite.

ORACIO AD BEATUM ROBERTUM

Hayle! heremete mast þat ys of myght
Fray way to were the wafull wyght.
Hayle! in care þat comforthes all
That hertely her wyll on the call.
Hayle! man þat was wythowten make,
I beseke the, for hys sake
Here þat nathinge the denied
Þat þoue aftur craued or cryed,
For this grett prerogatyff
Fray langor lese me; of my lyffe
I beseke the saue me sound,
Whider or whare or when I found,
On land or water wheder yt be;
Fra all greuaunce of aduersite,
Saintt Robertt, kepe me I the pray,
Fra thonour and leuenyng ylka day,
Fray sodann ded and dremes,
And fray all dishesse þat es
Of fier, of water or of wound,
Or any greuaunce of this ground,
Fray fendes fals and fell
And men þat keyn ar and crowell,
Fray wyld bestes and enposynnyng
And vermyn and all vther thyng,
Fra bytyng, thretyng, and fray theffys,
And all maner of myscheffys
That outher may me greff or skath
In saule, in body or in bath;
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And fray vnhappes all that ar here,
Fray noye and ned and angers sere,
Fray tribulacion, traye and teyne,
An destany of cares keyn;
Fray way and wandreth of þis werld—
Or wyth myscomforth to be merred—
Fray plyghtes and pareles manyfalde
Of hongyr, threst, myst or calde;
Fray pouerte and perplexite
And combraunce of all catyefte;
Fray dole of passion and of pyne,
Fray fautes and all enseging syne,
Fray syte and fray all seknes here,
Fray mournyng and all sorowes sere,
Fray dett and fray all dedely syn
Off trispas, wikkednes I am in;
Fray vengeaunce, wreth and wrechednes,
And fray all pereles mare and lesse
Þat was or ys or may befall.
Sayntt Robertt, kepe me fray thaym all,
And grauntt me, for thi charite,
When I am ded þat I may se
Thiselff wyth aungels stand me by
My countes to cast, and to reply
Off my trispas ylkay playntte,
That I be noght tane wyth tayntte;
Bott fray þat bytter bayle gar brynge
My saule to se my semely Kynge
And euer to belde wyth hym in blysse—
I beseke the grauntte me this.
Amen.
Explicit.
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