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 | The South English Legendary |  |
Þe deuelen anon in grete wraþþe harled him vorþer more
& broȝte him up a swuþe gret hul uol of sorwe & sore
He stod & biheld aboute þo he com up an hey
Hym wondrede of þe uele gostes þat he þer uppe ysey
& broȝte him up a swuþe gret hul uol of sorwe & sore
He stod & biheld aboute þo he com up an hey
Hym wondrede of þe uele gostes þat he þer uppe ysey
Þat al þat he sey er þer aȝen noȝt nere
Vp hore [ton] hy sete al forcliȝt & quakede for fere
In þe souþ half of þe hul a dep water þer was & lou
Þat foule stank & caldore was þanne eny is oþer snou
A norþerne wind so vaste bleu þat him þoȝte is fleiss torende
Euere sete þis seli gostes & aȝen þis wynd hom wende
And quakede and c[h]yuerede faste in drede & pine stronge
And abide as wo seiþ hore tyme hore deþ forto auonge
Vp hore [ton] hy sete al forcliȝt & quakede for fere
In þe souþ half of þe hul a dep water þer was & lou
Þat foule stank & caldore was þanne eny is oþer snou
A norþerne wind so vaste bleu þat him þoȝte is fleiss torende
Euere sete þis seli gostes & aȝen þis wynd hom wende
And quakede and c[h]yuerede faste in drede & pine stronge
And abide as wo seiþ hore tyme hore deþ forto auonge
Lo quaþ on of þis deuelen þou nost noȝt wat þis is
Bote þu þi þoȝt þe sonore turne þou sselt sone iwite iwis
He nadde bote þis word ised þat þer ne com a wynd blowe
And smot al þis sely gostes in þis depe water wel lowe
Þe norþorne wind hom drof adoun & al mid one blaste
Al þis gostes & þis kniȝt amidde þis water caste
Namore pine nemiȝte be[o] of stronge chile ne of stenche
Þanne þis gostes þer inne hadde hom nemiȝte non ablenche
Bote þu þi þoȝt þe sonore turne þou sselt sone iwite iwis
He nadde bote þis word ised þat þer ne com a wynd blowe
99
Þe norþorne wind hom drof adoun & al mid one blaste
Al þis gostes & þis kniȝt amidde þis water caste
Namore pine nemiȝte be[o] of stronge chile ne of stenche
Þanne þis gostes þer inne hadde hom nemiȝte non ablenche
Þo þis kniȝt þis stronge pine of þis water iuelde
He gan to crie on Iesu Crist þat faillede him wel selde
Anon wiþoute eny lette out of þis water he drou
Ac þis gostes bileuede þer wiþ wo & sorwe inou
Vor in þis water þat was so cold and so voule stonk also
Þis gostes swomme up & doun hor wo nas neuere ido
He gan to crie on Iesu Crist þat faillede him wel selde
Anon wiþoute eny lette out of þis water he drou
Ac þis gostes bileuede þer wiþ wo & sorwe inou
Vor in þis water þat was so cold and so voule stonk also
Þis gostes swomme up & doun hor wo nas neuere ido
Þe deuelen orne ek upe þe water so man deþ alonde
And wanne eny wolde clyueri up wiþ fote oþer honde
Anon hi drowe him doun aȝen þat þer ne ofscapede non
Þer was wowe & sorwe inou among hom euerichon
And wanne eny wolde clyueri up wiþ fote oþer honde
Anon hi drowe him doun aȝen þat þer ne ofscapede non
Þer was wowe & sorwe inou among hom euerichon
| The South English Legendary | |