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| II. |
 | The South English Legendary |  |
Þe deuelen harlede þis kniȝt uorþ þat wo was him to drawe
Þat him were leuer þanne eny þing þat he were of lyf dawe
So þat hi come to a swuþe gret water deop & brod inou
A strong mist þat stonk swuþe uoule out of þis water drou
Of brimston & of oþer wo so strang stench neuere [he] ne sey
Þat mid alle pine of þe world he miȝte stonde þer ney
Þat him were leuer þanne eny þing þat he were of lyf dawe
So þat hi come to a swuþe gret water deop & brod inou
A strong mist þat stonk swuþe uoule out of þis water drou
Of brimston & of oþer wo so strang stench neuere [he] ne sey
Þat mid alle pine of þe world he miȝte stonde þer ney
A brugge þer was ouer þe water smallore nemiȝte non be[o]
Þe smoke was so þikke aboute þat vnneþe he miȝte ise[o]
Lo sede þis sory deuelen we seggeþ þe iwis
Þat vnder þis water deop inou þe put of helle is
And þat þou sselt sone iwite for þou sselt forþ anon
And ouer þis swote water up þis brugge gon
Þe smoke was so þikke aboute þat vnneþe he miȝte ise[o]
Lo sede þis sory deuelen we seggeþ þe iwis
Þat vnder þis water deop inou þe put of helle is
And þat þou sselt sone iwite for þou sselt forþ anon
And ouer þis swote water up þis brugge gon
Hy nome þis sely kniȝt anon and upe þis brugge him drowe
And made him go þer vnþonkes wiþ wrechede inowe
For þre[o] þinges vuel ynou on þis brugge were
Þe on was þat he was so hey þat vnneþe me miȝte for fere
Þer uppe go & so deop adoun habbe so grislich siȝte
Þe oþer was þat he was so narȝ þat vnneþe me miȝte
Þar uppe sette eny vot þat he ne uel adoun anon
Þe þridde þat he was so smeþe þat me ne ssolde þeron gon
Bote me slide & folle adoun & so wis neuere he nere
Þis þre[o] þinges þis seli kniȝt broȝte in grete fere
And made him go þer vnþonkes wiþ wrechede inowe
For þre[o] þinges vuel ynou on þis brugge were
Þe on was þat he was so hey þat vnneþe me miȝte for fere
Þer uppe go & so deop adoun habbe so grislich siȝte
Þe oþer was þat he was so narȝ þat vnneþe me miȝte
Þar uppe sette eny vot þat he ne uel adoun anon
102
Bote me slide & folle adoun & so wis neuere he nere
Þis þre[o] þinges þis seli kniȝt broȝte in grete fere
For he was narȝ & slider & hey he ne ssolde him so bitelle
Þat he glide out in eny half þat he ne vel to helle
Þer up he was mid strengþe ibroȝt & ymad þer uppe gon
So gret dred as hym þoȝte nadde neuer man non
Ac sone he þoȝte on Iesu Crist þat so ofte him sauede er
And cride on is holy name þat he holpe him þer
And gan him go þe baldeloker & þe innore more he com
Þe hardiore him þoȝte he was and betere herte nom
And þe braddore was is wey & so longe forþ he ȝeode
Þat he was so brod þat þer miȝte go up a cart for neode
And so longe þat tweie cartes miȝte mete hom wel inou
Þis kniȝt þo wel baldeliche as maister forþ him drou
Þe deuelen stode byneþe þe brugge & iseie him faste gon
Þat of al þe wo þat hy him dude ne ouercom him noȝt on
And þoȝte þat it was for noȝt after him to honte more
Wel grislich hy gonne ȝolle and crie & wepe sore
Þat of ȝollinge þat hy made him þoȝte grettore fere
Þan of al þe pine þat he hadde er so grislich was þe bere
Hor oules hy nome & crokes and touward him caste anhey
Ac þer nas non þat miȝte him touche ne non come him ney
So þat al sauf wiþ alle ioye ouer þis water he drou
And þe deuelen bihinde were wiþ sorwe & sor inou
And let him go woder he wolde & ne fondede him namore
And huld hom clanlich ouercome þat hom ofþoȝte sore
Þat he glide out in eny half þat he ne vel to helle
Þer up he was mid strengþe ibroȝt & ymad þer uppe gon
So gret dred as hym þoȝte nadde neuer man non
Ac sone he þoȝte on Iesu Crist þat so ofte him sauede er
And cride on is holy name þat he holpe him þer
And gan him go þe baldeloker & þe innore more he com
Þe hardiore him þoȝte he was and betere herte nom
And þe braddore was is wey & so longe forþ he ȝeode
Þat he was so brod þat þer miȝte go up a cart for neode
And so longe þat tweie cartes miȝte mete hom wel inou
Þis kniȝt þo wel baldeliche as maister forþ him drou
Þe deuelen stode byneþe þe brugge & iseie him faste gon
Þat of al þe wo þat hy him dude ne ouercom him noȝt on
And þoȝte þat it was for noȝt after him to honte more
Wel grislich hy gonne ȝolle and crie & wepe sore
Þat of ȝollinge þat hy made him þoȝte grettore fere
Þan of al þe pine þat he hadde er so grislich was þe bere
Hor oules hy nome & crokes and touward him caste anhey
Ac þer nas non þat miȝte him touche ne non come him ney
So þat al sauf wiþ alle ioye ouer þis water he drou
And þe deuelen bihinde were wiþ sorwe & sor inou
And let him go woder he wolde & ne fondede him namore
And huld hom clanlich ouercome þat hom ofþoȝte sore
| The South English Legendary | |