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 | The South English Legendary |  |
Hy drowe him wel harde aȝen þe gronde boþe vet & honde
Swuþe ver him þoȝte & longe aboute al in a west londe
So blak and derk was al þat lond þat noþing he ne say
Bote þe deuelen þat him drowe þat so þicke were him ney
Swuþe ver him þoȝte & longe aboute al in a west londe
So blak and derk was al þat lond þat noþing he ne say
Bote þe deuelen þat him drowe þat so þicke were him ney
Ac a softe wind þer was þat he hurde vnneþe
Ac so sserp and cold he bleu þat it broȝte him nei to deþe
Riȝt colde it wende þoru is herte & þoru is bodi also
Þat him were leuer þan al þe world þat þe pine were ido
Þus colde hi drowe him as him þoȝte riȝt norþ est iwis
As þe sonne arist in somer wanne þe dai lengost is
Þo hi come þuder as him þoȝte riȝt to þe worles ende
Hy turnde hom by a brod valeie & souþ ward gonne wende
Touward þe stude þat þe sonne at mid winter deþ arise
Þat wo was þis kniȝt fordrawe & ypined in alle wise
Ac so sserp and cold he bleu þat it broȝte him nei to deþe
Riȝt colde it wende þoru is herte & þoru is bodi also
Þat him were leuer þan al þe world þat þe pine were ido
Þus colde hi drowe him as him þoȝte riȝt norþ est iwis
As þe sonne arist in somer wanne þe dai lengost is
Þo hi come þuder as him þoȝte riȝt to þe worles ende
94
Touward þe stude þat þe sonne at mid winter deþ arise
Þat wo was þis kniȝt fordrawe & ypined in alle wise
Þo þoȝte him þat he hurde ver biuore him as it were
Swuþe deoluol cri & wop & swuþe reufol bere
Euer þe ner þat hi come þe ruloker was þe cri
So longe hy drowe him þat him þoȝte þat i were riȝt þerby
Þo come hi into a wilde veld non more ne miȝte be[o]
So longe he was in euerich side þat me nemiȝte non ende ise[o]
Of men & wymmen þis feld was vol in euerich side
Þe wombe naked toward þe gronde al brod isprad wide
Þe vet and honden al abrod to þe eorþe vaste ibonde
Wiþ nailes of ire al a fure ysmite þoru out to gronde
Þis wrecche gostes so ipined wiþ ire & wiþ fure
So deoluol cri and bere made þat deol it was to hure
Swuþe deoluol cri & wop & swuþe reufol bere
Euer þe ner þat hi come þe ruloker was þe cri
So longe hy drowe him þat him þoȝte þat i were riȝt þerby
Þo come hi into a wilde veld non more ne miȝte be[o]
So longe he was in euerich side þat me nemiȝte non ende ise[o]
Of men & wymmen þis feld was vol in euerich side
Þe wombe naked toward þe gronde al brod isprad wide
Þe vet and honden al abrod to þe eorþe vaste ibonde
Wiþ nailes of ire al a fure ysmite þoru out to gronde
Þis wrecche gostes so ipined wiþ ire & wiþ fure
So deoluol cri and bere made þat deol it was to hure
Hi cride merci deoluoliche ac me nolde hom non do
For angwise hi gnowe þe colde eorþe & gnowe hor tonge also
Þe deuelen orne al aboute & upe hom to gronde
And wiþ kene oules hom todrowe wiþ moni a dep wonde
Alas wy ne be[o] we her iwar oure sunne to bete
Ar we come to pultatorie and wiþ þe luþer gostes mete
For in pultatorie þe ssrewen beoþ as wel as in helle
And worþe forte þe day of dome telle wat me telle
Þe deuelen sede as þis men pineþ þou sselt also
Bote þou wolle þi þoȝt wende & after oure [red] do
For angwise hi gnowe þe colde eorþe & gnowe hor tonge also
Þe deuelen orne al aboute & upe hom to gronde
And wiþ kene oules hom todrowe wiþ moni a dep wonde
Alas wy ne be[o] we her iwar oure sunne to bete
Ar we come to pultatorie and wiþ þe luþer gostes mete
For in pultatorie þe ssrewen beoþ as wel as in helle
And worþe forte þe day of dome telle wat me telle
Þe deuelen sede as þis men pineþ þou sselt also
Bote þou wolle þi þoȝt wende & after oure [red] do
| The South English Legendary | |