University of Virginia Library

De sancto Edwardo Rege

Seint Edward þe ȝonge martir was king of Engelonde
Wel ȝong ymartred he was þoru tricherie & onde
Þe kynges sone Edgar he was & kyng he was vnneþe
Þre[o] ȝer & seue monþes ar he was ibroȝt to deþe
Þo is moder þe gode quene as God wolde was ded
His fader nom anoþer wif [] þat luþer was and qued
Þat louede lite seint Edward & radde euere luþer red
Bi hure hi hadde anoþer sone þat ihote was Aþeldred
Þe quene louede hure owe sone as echman deþ is blod
Ac he[o] louede lite seint Edward for stepmoder is selde god
He[o] willede more þanne eny þing þat seint Edward ded were
Þat hure owe sone after þe king þe eritage bere
Þo þe king Edgar was ded seint Edward is sone
After him was king ymad as lawe was and wone
Þe godnesse of þis ȝonge king ne may no tonge telle
He was meok & milde inou & fair of fleiss & felle
Deboner to speke wiþ and wiþ pouere men mest
Chast and wis of conseil and prute he louede lest
Wilde men ne louede he noȝt þat recheles were of þoȝte
Ac wisemen he drou to him & after hom he wroȝte
Ech dede þat he wolde do þe meste del ssolde go
After þe erchebissop of Kanterburi sein Donston þat was þo
Þis holyman was glad of him and al is lond also

111

Of such king þat was hore louerd þat fonde so wel to do
God pais þer was in Engelond & loue & ioye inou
Richesse and al oþer god for elles it were wou
For wanne þe heued haþ Godes grace & loueþ alle gode
Wonder hit were bote al his þe betere bistode
To þe godnesse of þis holyman þe deuel hadde envie
And is stepmoder þe luþer quene þat fol was of tricherie
For he[o] þoȝte niȝt & day ȝif he[o] miȝte wiþ eny þing
Þat seint Edward were aslawe & hure sone imad king
For he was eldost after him & þe kynges sone also
Þis luþer womman narwe þoȝte hou þis miȝte be[o] ido
To somme þat þer were hure luþer þoȝt he[o] sede
Þat hi hure holpe wiþ somme gile to do þe luþer dede
Þis luþer men ek forþ wiþ hure were in luþer þoȝt
Wiþ wuche gile hy miȝte do þat þis were to ende ibroȝt
So þat he[o] hadde to hure conseil inowe attenende
For noþing nis fellor þan womman wanne he[o] wol to vuel wende
A day þis king an honteþ wende mid is kniȝtes bi cas
In a uair wode in Dorsete þat bi side Waram was
Þat fair wode was þulke tyme ac nou he is al adoune
Bote þornes & þunne boskes þat stondeþ biside þe toune
As seint Edward wende anhonteþ a gret wille him com to
Forto iseo is ȝonge broþer for anon he þoȝte it do
For he was a lite biside as is stepmoder was
In a toun þat me clupede Corf þat bote þre[o] mile nas
A strong castel þer is nou ac þo nas þar non þere
Longe þoȝte seint Edward at is broþer ar he were
And vewe men mid him he nom & þuderward he gan ride
His men pleide & arnde bi þe wey & spradde aboute wide
So þat wiþ him ne bileuede none ac al one he was sone
Ac naþeles forþ he wende is wey as he þoȝte to done
Þe court he bihuld awey as is broþer [inne] was
Þuder he wende mildeliche noman wiþ him nas

112

He ne þoȝte noman bote god ne non he nadde misdo
Touward is deþ wel uaire he wende and mildeliche also
Þo is stepmoder þe luþer quene al one isei him come
Heo þoȝte do hure wille of him as he[o] hadde hure red inome
Þe luþer men he[o] clupede sone þat were at hure rede
And bispeke bi wuch felonie do þis luþer dede
Þo þis holyman was ney icome þe quene aȝen him ȝeode
Wiþ fair manie & gret honur & gret loue him gan beode
Þe feste þat he[o] wiþ him made no tonge telle ne may
And swor þat he ssolde aliȝte & wiþ hure bileue alday
Certes ma dame quaþ þis king so ne may it noȝt be[o]
Ac let me speke wiþ mi broþer for me longeþ him to se[o]
Vor ar ich habbe him iseie i ne worþe noȝt bliþe iwis
Min herte is so muche on him and no wonder it nis
A sire quaþ þis luþer quene wanne it ne may oþer be[o]
Veorst ichelle to þe drinke and suþþe þou sselt him se[o]
Iredy was þe botiler and broȝte him drinke anon
Among alle oþere þat þere were o ssrewe þer com gon
And wolcomede him wiþ a uair semlant & made ioie inou
And custe him Iudas is cos and þer wiþ him slou
For as he stoupede to him prest he was inou
Þoru is wombe he smot a knif & is gottes al todrou
A long knif it was & smal inou as me may ȝute ise[o]
For in þe churche of Cauersham it haþ ȝare ibe[o]
Þe holyman sat upriȝt and isei is deþes wonde
He ne rod bote lite wey ar he uel to gronde
And let þere is swete lyf is soule to heuene wende
Awei litel vuel þoȝte he þo me is wombe rende
As luþer he was as Iudas þat so fellich him custe
And wiþ tricherie is wombe rente ar he it euere weste
Þo þis holyman ymartred was hi þat him broȝte þerto
Biþoȝte hou hi miȝte best bi þis holy body do
Hi porueide a deorne stude and þer inne þis body caste
Wel villiche & stilleliche and burede him wel uaste

113

Þo þis luþer dede was al ido [] þe quene hadde al hure wille
For me halt euere wiþ þe quike þe dede is sone stille
Ac þe erchebissop of Kanterburi sein Donston þo was
Þo þis child was ibroȝt of dawe in so deoluol cas
He bihet wel is broþer Aþeldred þat after him was king
Þat he ne ssolde atte nende biliȝhe þe dede noþing
And sein Donston spak ek þer of [] wel longe þer byuore
A[s] he baptizede Aþeldred sone so he was ibore
For he defoulede inis hond þe water and eke þe ston
Biuore þe bissops þat þer were & þe hei men euerichon
And dude is nature in þe vant sein Donston sede anon
Þat he ssolde of sunne encheson be[o] & of wrechede monion
And suþþe after is broþer deþe þis godeman sein Donston
Hatede muche to crouni him ȝif he it myȝte forgon
Ac þo he it moste nede do for it was riȝt & lawe
Sire kyng he sede for þou ert mid vnriȝt herto idrawe
Þoru ssedinge of þi broþer blod þat þus is ibroȝt of dawe
Vpe þin owe heued it ssel come þi moder luþer plawe
For wiþoute ssedinge of blode ne worþ neuere þe sunne ido
Of þe lond folk of Engelond þat no gult nabbeþ þerto
For more wrechede & sorwe þer comeþ bi þine daye
Into Engelond uor þulke sunne þa[n] me euere iseye
And þanne of þi broþer blode strong wreche þer worþ ibroȝt
And þat werry al bi þine lyue & by mine daye noȝt
Al þat com to soþe inou and wo so it wole iwite
In þe lif of seint Alphe he mai it finde iwrite
Me nom þo þat child Aþeldred þat was þe kinges sone
And after is broþer him made king as lawe was & wone
Þis heiȝemen of þe londe mid him hulde echon
And mid hore prince & mid hore louerd & þe dede forȝet anon
Ac amang lowe men & simple deol þer was inou

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Hi corsede al wiþoute god þat hor louerd slou
Alas hi sede wat ssolle we nou wo ssel nou for us be[o]
Wo ssel us nou fram worre wite woder mowe we fle[o]
Wo ssel nou pais alonde holde oure ioie is al ido
Of worre & wowe we mowe be[o] siker al wrechede comþ us to
Gret wille hadde þe godemen of þe contreie biside
In som vair place þe bodi legge & soȝte it wel wide
Hi ortrowede wel þat it were in som voul stude ido
Hi soȝte it ofte wide aboute and ne couþe come þerto
A tyme as þis gode men of Waram þer biside
In þe contreie wende & soȝte þis holy body wide
Hi stode & bihelde hom biside þo seie hy gret liȝt
Aboute a place cler inou as a piler stod upriȝt
Hi þoȝte þer was Godes grace þuder hi wende & soȝte
And fonde þere þis holy body & upe of þe eorþe it broȝte
Þer was wop & sorwe inou þo hi seie þis grislich wonde
Ac ȝute was hore herte glad inou for he was ifonde
Wiþ wel uair procession þis body forþ hi bere
In þe toun of Waram & burede it vaire þere
In a churche ȝard of oure Leuedy bi este þe churche a lite
Þere hy burede þis holy body wiþ gret honur & prute
A chapel þer is arered as þis holy body lay
In þe toun of Waram þat stont ȝute to þis day
Þe put þer he was ferst ifonde a welle þer gan springe
Fair and cler þat ȝute ilast and is of gret botnynge
Þat me clupeþ ȝute to þis day seint Edwardes welle
Þer mony miracle haþ ibe[o] as þe contreie gan telle
Þis holy body lay gode wile þere as it was ido
In þe toun of Waram and manymon com þerto
Þe tiþinge hou he ymartred was [] sone sprong wel wide
And for þe miracles þat for him come aboute in euerich side
An hei eorl þer was alonde þo þat ihote was Alfer
Þat seint Edward louede muche þo he was aliue her
Þo he hurde telle of þe miracle þat oure Louerd for him wroȝte

115

Glad and bliþe he was inou as ech man wel aȝte
Him þoȝte it wa[s] wel vuel ido þat he lay so lowe þere
Þat he nere ibured in here stude as he wel worþ were
For gret deol he hadde inis herte þat he was ymorþred so
A[nd] such creature as he was in so lowe stude ido
In Dorsete he wende wide aboute & to heie men þat were [þer]
And to bissopes and to abbotes & to heie men þat þer were
And bad hom þulke holy body þat hi it þanne bere
To herre stude as it was worþe þat hi þer aȝen nere
Is messagers he sende ek aboute for þis þing so wide
And to þe abbesse of Wiltone þat ihote was Wilfride
And to seint Edith þe holy womman þat nonne was þo þar
Þat was seint Edwardes soster & þe kynges doȝter Eggar
So þat bissopes & abbotes & heie men manyon
Togadere come in a tyme as hi bispeke echon
Hy wende to þis holy body and þo hi þerto come
Hi fonde it ligge hol and sond as hi it up nome
As hol it was wiþoute wenne as it aliue er was
Þer nas non þat þis isey þat glad & ioiuol nas
And seint Edithe is holy suster to þe body orn anon
And custe it & clupte vaste byuore hom echon
For gladnesse he lou & wep teres monyon
Þo heo sei hure broþer so aslawe & so sound of fleiss & bon
Wo so nadde neuere deol iseie of hure miȝte þere
Þis heiemen wiþ gret honur þis holy body forþ bere
Wiþ gret song & procession þat folk þuder ward drou
Oure Louerd dude þeruore is loue fair miracle inou
For tweie crupeles þat in hore limes al uorcroked were
In grete hope leie in þe wey & abide þe bere
[O]n seint Edward hi cride ȝeorne þat he hom holpe þere
Þis men nome þis holy body & ouer þis sikemen bere

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Hor limes hi gonne strecche ariȝt & hole bicome anon
Þer was ioie & blisse inou among þis men echon
His stepmoder þat him þerto broȝte her of hurde telle
For þeose miracles hure ofþoȝte þat he[o] let him quelle
Vpe hure palfrei he[o] werþ a day after þat body to wende
To bidde forȝiuenesse of hure misdede ȝif God hure wole sende
As he[o] wolde wende þuderward & wiþ hure many on
Hy ne miȝte make hure palfray þat it wolde a uot gon
Hy bete it vaste & drowe also & neuere þe betere it nas
Þe quene þoȝte on hure misdede þat þer uore it was
Heo aliȝte of hure palfray auote forto gon
Touward þe gode holi cors ac poer nadde he[o] non
Aȝenward wel he[o] miȝte gon ac vorþ ward for noþing
He[o] bileuede þo it was non oþer in greot deol & mornyng
He[o] repentede of hure misdede & as it is ised
He[o] com to god amendement ȝute ar he[o] were ded
Þis men ladde þis holy body wiþ gret honur & prute
To þe abbeie of Ssefteburi þer as it liþ ȝute
Among blake nonnen þat þer beoþ & also þat were þo
Þat fram þe toun of Waram is twenti mile & mo
In þe norþ half of þe heye weued in þe walle biside
Hi leide þo þis holy body þat monion secheþ wide
In þulke abbey of Ssefteburi seint Edward hi leide þere
For þe kyng Alfred is grant sire þat hous let verst arere
And made þer inne is doȝter nonne þat ihote was Olyue
For hure loue he haþ þat hous arered & gret god þerto iȝiue
For an hondred hiden of god lond wiþ hure he ȝaf þer
As fre[o] þe hous in euerich point as he huld him sulf er
In is þrou seint Edward lay on & twenti ȝer

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So þat hi seie toknynge ofte þat hi nolde namore be[o] þer
For wanne men come ofte to is tombe as liȝtliche up it bere
And heue up & doun as hi wolde ȝif it liȝtore were
Seint Edward com also a niȝt in a uision
To an holyman þer biside of religion
Go he seide to Sseftesburi to þe abbesse of þe house
Dame Aldrede þe clene maide þat is Godes spouse
And seie hure þat [inelle namore] ligge þer ich nou do
And þat ich be[o] broȝt in oþer steode & þat heo segge mi broþer also
Þis gode [man] amorwe aros & ne vorȝet noȝt þis cas
To þe abbesse he wende of Ssefteburi & tolde al hou it was
Þis gode womman was þo glad inou to þe king he[o] wende sone
And of is broþer tolde him al & wat þer was to done
Wel þe king was one glad þo he hurde telle
So swete tyþinge of is broþer þei is moder him lete quelle
He wolde habbe ywend to Ssefteburi in ssrine him to bringe
Ac he was so ofcet wiþ werre þat he ne miȝte for none þinge
Þo was it come on is heued þat sein Donston him bihet
For worre he hadde & sorwe inou ar he þat lif let
So vaste him siwede þo is fon þat he ne miȝte þanne wende
To [heiȝe] men aboute in þe lond wel wide he gan sende
And to Wilfin þe gode bissop þat was bissop þo
Þat hy ssolde wiþ gret honur to Ssefteburi go
And is broþer in ssrine bringe as riȝt was to done
Þis bissop wiþ þis oþer men to Ssafteburi com sone
Wiþ swuþe vair procession to is tombe hy wende

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And fair miracle among alle oure Louerd for him sende
For þo y openide þat lid of is swete tombe þere
Þer com adoun þoru al þe churche as it a mist were
Among al þe prece þat þer was þat hi seie al mid eiȝe
Fleu among hom as a mist so swete þing neuere hi ne seie
So swote & god was þat smul þat al þat þer were
For [murþe] þoȝt[e] þat hy stode in parais & noȝt þere
Þis holy body up hi nome wiþ gret honur & prute
And leide it in a wel uair ssrine þer as it liþ ȝute
In þis manere he was issrined in þe on & twentiþe ȝer
Þat þe volk him broȝte fram Waram & burede him uerst þer
A þousond ȝer it was & on after þulke stonde
Þat oure Louerd was an eorþe ibore & aliȝte for us to gronde
Þis king Aþeldred is broþer god man was inou
Edward was is sone ihote þat to alle godnesse drou
Þat king was suþþe after him and hei halwe in heuene is
Icluped seint Edward as is vncle at Westmestre he liþ iwis
Fortene niȝt upe Mihelmasse is day valþ in þe ȝere
Amidde þe monþe of Lude seint Edward þe ere
Nou God for loue of hom boþe þat oure kinges were
To þe ioie of heuene þat hi beoþ inne wiþ hom bringe us þere