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 | The South English Legendary |  |
As he wolde þer inne wende aȝen him þer com gon
A procession vair inou of noble men echon
Wiþ crois and wiþ tapres wiþ baners swuþe clere
Þat folk byhinde reuested euerich bi his ivere
Bissops somme & ercedekenes & monkes and frere
And euerich him þoȝte in þe abit þat hi werede an eorþe here
Mid þe meste ioie þat miȝte be[o] þis kniȝt hy gonne auonge
And ladde him mid ioie inou of solas and of songe
A procession vair inou of noble men echon
Wiþ crois and wiþ tapres wiþ baners swuþe clere
Þat folk byhinde reuested euerich bi his ivere
Bissops somme & ercedekenes & monkes and frere
And euerich him þoȝte in þe abit þat hi werede an eorþe here
Mid þe meste ioie þat miȝte be[o] þis kniȝt hy gonne auonge
And ladde him mid ioie inou of solas and of songe
Þo þis murie song was ido to him sone þer come
Tweie as it maistres were and bi þe hond him nome
Hy wolcomede him mildeliche & þonkede oure Louerd faste
Þat ȝaf him so god bileue þat so studeuastliche laste
Hi ladde him aboute & ssewede him þat lond ver & ney
So muche clernesse ne oþer ioye him þoȝte neuere he ne sey
For as þe sonne bynymeþ þe liȝt of a candle aboute midday
Also it by nom þe sonne leom þe liȝt þat he þer isay
So brod & long þe place was þat he nemiȝte non ende ise[o]
Al murie med & swote floures swettore ne miȝte non be[o]
Treon also wiþ noble frut þat smulde swote inou
So gret swotnesse up al aboute of euerich place drou
Þat þer wiþoute mete & drinke him þoȝte euere mo
He miȝte libbe wiþ alle ioie ȝif he miȝte þer among go
Tweie as it maistres were and bi þe hond him nome
Hy wolcomede him mildeliche & þonkede oure Louerd faste
Þat ȝaf him so god bileue þat so studeuastliche laste
Hi ladde him aboute & ssewede him þat lond ver & ney
So muche clernesse ne oþer ioye him þoȝte neuere he ne sey
104
Also it by nom þe sonne leom þe liȝt þat he þer isay
So brod & long þe place was þat he nemiȝte non ende ise[o]
Al murie med & swote floures swettore ne miȝte non be[o]
Treon also wiþ noble frut þat smulde swote inou
So gret swotnesse up al aboute of euerich place drou
Þat þer wiþoute mete & drinke him þoȝte euere mo
He miȝte libbe wiþ alle ioie ȝif he miȝte þer among go
Hit was þare euere iliche liȝt and euere it was day
So muche folk in no place him þoȝte neuere he ne sey
Ech companie bi oþer stod and suþþe ech to oþer drou
Wiþ murye song & melodie and oþer ioie inou
Þat ech of oþer þe more ioye to gadere miȝte offonge
Almiȝti God þat hom ssop hi herede mid hore songe
And as som sterre as ȝe iseoþ briȝtore þanne oþer is
Also was of hom þat somme ssinde briȝtore þan oþer iwis
So muche folk in no place him þoȝte neuere he ne sey
Ech companie bi oþer stod and suþþe ech to oþer drou
Wiþ murye song & melodie and oþer ioie inou
Þat ech of oþer þe more ioye to gadere miȝte offonge
Almiȝti God þat hom ssop hi herede mid hore songe
And as som sterre as ȝe iseoþ briȝtore þanne oþer is
Also was of hom þat somme ssinde briȝtore þan oþer iwis
Ac þulke þat dercoste was him þoȝte was more cler
And clerore ssinde þanne eni lond þat he sei euer er
And eche werede cloþes of þe taille þat hi werede an eorþe here
Monekes þat to monk biuel and frere as to frere
So hi hadde hore riȝte forme ac wel briȝtore was þat hiu
So þat wat hi werede an eorþe bi hore cloþinge he kneu
Somme hadde þe croune of golde anouward þe heued ido
Somme bere in hore honde ȝerden of gold also
Echone hi þonkede Iesu Crist þat studeuast herte him sende
Þis kniȝt þat mid al þis pine is herte noȝt ne wende
Echone þoȝte as for him in þe more ioie were
He stod and biheld al þis ioie as þei no wit on him nere
And clerore ssinde þanne eni lond þat he sei euer er
And eche werede cloþes of þe taille þat hi werede an eorþe here
Monekes þat to monk biuel and frere as to frere
So hi hadde hore riȝte forme ac wel briȝtore was þat hiu
So þat wat hi werede an eorþe bi hore cloþinge he kneu
Somme hadde þe croune of golde anouward þe heued ido
Somme bere in hore honde ȝerden of gold also
Echone hi þonkede Iesu Crist þat studeuast herte him sende
Þis kniȝt þat mid al þis pine is herte noȝt ne wende
Echone þoȝte as for him in þe more ioie were
He stod and biheld al þis ioie as þei no wit on him nere
| The South English Legendary | |