 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Cuberto
Sein Cubert was ibore here in Engelonde
God dude for him vair miracle as ȝe ssolleþ vnderstonde
Þe wile he was a ȝong child inis eiȝteþe ȝere
Wiþ children he pleide atte balle þat is felawes were
Þer com go a lite child hit þoȝte þre[o] ȝer old
A swete creature & fair it was milde & bold
To þe ȝonge Cuberd he ȝeode leue broþer he sede
Ne þench noȝt on such idel game for it ne aȝte noȝt be[o] þi dede
God dude for him vair miracle as ȝe ssolleþ vnderstonde
Þe wile he was a ȝong child inis eiȝteþe ȝere
Wiþ children he pleide atte balle þat is felawes were
Þer com go a lite child hit þoȝte þre[o] ȝer old
A swete creature & fair it was milde & bold
To þe ȝonge Cuberd he ȝeode leue broþer he sede
Ne þench noȝt on such idel game for it ne aȝte noȝt be[o] þi dede
119
Sein Cuberd ne tok no ȝeme to þe childes rede
And pleide forþ wiþ is felawes also hi him bede
Þo þis ȝonge child isei þat he is red forsok
Adoun he uel to gronde & gret deol to him tok
Hit bigan to wepe sore & is honden wringe
Þe children hadde al deol of him and bileuede hor pleiinge
Also hi couþe hi gladede him sore hi gonne to siche
Ac euere þis ȝonge child made deol iliche
And pleide forþ wiþ is felawes also hi him bede
Þo þis ȝonge child isei þat he is red forsok
Adoun he uel to gronde & gret deol to him tok
Hit bigan to wepe sore & is honden wringe
Þe children hadde al deol of him and bileuede hor pleiinge
Also hi couþe hi gladede him sore hi gonne to siche
Ac euere þis ȝonge child made deol iliche
A weilawey quaþ sein Cuberd wi wepestou so sore
Ȝif we þe habbeþ oȝt misdo we ne ssolleþ namore
Þanne spak þis ȝonge child sore hi wope beye
Cuberd it ne valþ noȝt to þe wiþ ȝonge children pleie
For none suche idel games ne bicomþ þe to werche
Wanne God haþ purueid þe an heued of Holy Churche
Mid þis word me nuste woder þis ȝonge child wende
An angel it was of heuene þat oure Louerd þuder sende
Ȝif we þe habbeþ oȝt misdo we ne ssolleþ namore
Þanne spak þis ȝonge child sore hi wope beye
Cuberd it ne valþ noȝt to þe wiþ ȝonge children pleie
For none suche idel games ne bicomþ þe to werche
Wanne God haþ purueid þe an heued of Holy Churche
Mid þis word me nuste woder þis ȝonge child wende
An angel it was of heuene þat oure Louerd þuder sende
Þo bigan sein Cubert weope and sike sore
And bileuede al þis idel game nolde he pleie namore
He made is fader and is frend sette him to lore
And inis ȝonghede niȝt and day ofseruede Godes ore
Þo he of grettore elde was as þe boc us haþ ised
Hit biuel þat seint Aydan þe bissop was ded
Cuberd auelde was wiþ ssep angles of heuene he sei
Þe bissopes [soule] seint Aydan to heuene bere anhey
And bileuede al þis idel game nolde he pleie namore
He made is fader and is frend sette him to lore
And inis ȝonghede niȝt and day ofseruede Godes ore
Þo he of grettore elde was as þe boc us haþ ised
Hit biuel þat seint Aydan þe bissop was ded
Cuberd auelde was wiþ ssep angles of heuene he sei
Þe bissopes [soule] seint Aydan to heuene bere anhey
Alas sede sein Cuberd fol icham to longe
Inelle þis ssep to lengore wite auonge wo so auonge
He wende to þe abbey of Gireuaus grei monk he þer bicom
Gret ioie made þe couent alle þo he þat abit nom
Swuþe wel is ordre he held he was of gret penance
Þe holioste monk iholde he was in Engelond oþer in France
Hit biuel þer afterward þat þer com a goute
In is kne[o] of gret angwise war of he was in doute
Inelle þis ssep to lengore wite auonge wo so auonge
He wende to þe abbey of Gireuaus grei monk he þer bicom
Gret ioie made þe couent alle þo he þat abit nom
Swuþe wel is ordre he held he was of gret penance
Þe holioste monk iholde he was in Engelond oþer in France
Hit biuel þer afterward þat þer com a goute
In is kne[o] of gret angwise war of he was in doute
So longe þat is kne[o] toswal gret angwise he uelde
Þe synuen inis hamme ssronke he nemiȝte þe leg iwelde
Ne strecche forþ is leg bineþe ioyned was to is þei
As a crupel lame he was he werþ swuþe sori
Red ne couþe him non þerof þat þen leg ysey
And naþeles euere is hope was þat Godes help was ney
Solas to habbe in a day he let him bere aboute
A uair kniȝt he mette in þe feld wiþ loreins swuþe prute
Þe synuen inis hamme ssronke he nemiȝte þe leg iwelde
Ne strecche forþ is leg bineþe ioyned was to is þei
120
Red ne couþe him non þerof þat þen leg ysey
And naþeles euere is hope was þat Godes help was ney
Solas to habbe in a day he let him bere aboute
A uair kniȝt he mette in þe feld wiþ loreins swuþe prute
Þis kniȝt hom bad a stonde abide þat sein Cubert bere
He bigan to handli þe sore leg as þei he leche were
Nim he sede þe milk of a cou þat is of o colour
Þe ius of smal sage do þerto & clene wete flour
Togadere poune it swuþe wel & lei it al hote þerto
As a plastre al abrod and it þe wol god do
Þo he hadde þis ised is wei forþ he wende
An angel of heuene it was þat oure Louerd þuder sende
He bigan to handli þe sore leg as þei he leche were
Nim he sede þe milk of a cou þat is of o colour
Þe ius of smal sage do þerto & clene wete flour
Togadere poune it swuþe wel & lei it al hote þerto
As a plastre al abrod and it þe wol god do
Þo he hadde þis ised is wei forþ he wende
An angel of heuene it was þat oure Louerd þuder sende
As sein Cuberd þis gode plastre longe to him bonde
Is leg and eke is sinuen bicome hol & sonde
Þis nas noȝt longe þer afterward as þe boc us deþ telle
Þat þe abbot ne sende him out [] to on of hore celle
Ostiler he was ymad gistes forto auonge
God for him miracle dude ar he were þer longe
Angles þer come ofte to him & wiþ him ofte hi ete
As þei it oþer gistes were þe gistnynge was wel swete
Wel gladlich gistes þen mete he ȝaf he nolde noman werne
Þen mete þat bad porcharite he nas noþing steorne
Him sulf he hom wolde ȝiue water to hore honde
And serui hom of alle mes & biuore hom stonde
Is leg and eke is sinuen bicome hol & sonde
Þis nas noȝt longe þer afterward as þe boc us deþ telle
Þat þe abbot ne sende him out [] to on of hore celle
Ostiler he was ymad gistes forto auonge
God for him miracle dude ar he were þer longe
Angles þer come ofte to him & wiþ him ofte hi ete
As þei it oþer gistes were þe gistnynge was wel swete
Wel gladlich gistes þen mete he ȝaf he nolde noman werne
Þen mete þat bad porcharite he nas noþing steorne
Him sulf he hom wolde ȝiue water to hore honde
And serui hom of alle mes & biuore hom stonde
Hit biuel þat an hendi gist & a wel uair þer com
And bad þane mete por charite sein Cuberd in him nom
He ȝaf him water to is honde & to þe heie deis him sette
Mete & drinke largeliche wiþ gode herte vette
To þe bachouse he ȝeode him sulf as þe bacars hadde ibake
To uecche is gustes bred al hot þe gladdore him to make
Þo he com aȝen wiþ hot bred is gist ne vond he noȝt
Þer of hadde þis holyman gret wonder inis þoȝt
And bad þane mete por charite sein Cuberd in him nom
He ȝaf him water to is honde & to þe heie deis him sette
Mete & drinke largeliche wiþ gode herte vette
To þe bachouse he ȝeode him sulf as þe bacars hadde ibake
To uecche is gustes bred al hot þe gladdore him to make
Þo he com aȝen wiþ hot bred is gist ne vond he noȝt
Þer of hadde þis holyman gret wonder inis þoȝt
121
Wel þicke it was þer oute ysnywed he ne miȝte finde is fore
Ware forþ he wende awei in þe snowe ne in þe vlore
As he soȝte þisne gist & wende aboute wide
He smulde swuþe swote smul in a chambre þer biside
Þo he com into þe chambre he uond a bord ysprad
And þer uppe þreo hote loues wel þat he was glad
Þis is he sede Godes angel þat þis haþ hider ibroȝt
He com hider to uede us and be[o] yued noȝt
Ware forþ he wende awei in þe snowe ne in þe vlore
As he soȝte þisne gist & wende aboute wide
He smulde swuþe swote smul in a chambre þer biside
Þo he com into þe chambre he uond a bord ysprad
And þer uppe þreo hote loues wel þat he was glad
Þis is he sede Godes angel þat þis haþ hider ibroȝt
He com hider to uede us and be[o] yued noȝt
Eche niȝt wanne þis monekes to bedde were igone
Sein Cuberd wel stilleliche wendeþ forþ al one
Into þe colde se he ȝeode anon to þe chinne
Forte it was nei mid niȝt so he stod þer inne
Þanne wende he up þerof & wanne he com to londe
For feblesse he uel adoun for he ne miȝte noȝt stonde
Þanne come þer up of þe se tweie oteres grete
And lickede him in eche stude ar hi him wolde lete
And wanne hi hadde him þus ilikked hi neme him into þe se
And sein Cuberd hol & sond wende into is celle aȝe
Wiþ oþere he wende to matyns & ȝeorne song & radde
Þe monkes wende euerichone [] þat he come out of is bedde
Sein Cuberd wel stilleliche wendeþ forþ al one
Into þe colde se he ȝeode anon to þe chinne
Forte it was nei mid niȝt so he stod þer inne
Þanne wende he up þerof & wanne he com to londe
For feblesse he uel adoun for he ne miȝte noȝt stonde
Þanne come þer up of þe se tweie oteres grete
And lickede him in eche stude ar hi him wolde lete
And wanne hi hadde him þus ilikked hi neme him into þe se
And sein Cuberd hol & sond wende into is celle aȝe
Wiþ oþere he wende to matyns & ȝeorne song & radde
Þe monkes wende euerichone [] þat he come out of is bedde
A monk þat þer inne was vnderȝet it eueridel
Ac as sein Cuberd him bad he helede it swuþe wel
As oure Louerdes wille was þer after it gan falle
Þat þe bissop of Duram deide as we ssolleþ alle
Me wende and nom sein Cuberd & made him bissop þere
His bissopriche he weste wel & wel þat folk gan lere
Ac as sein Cuberd him bad he helede it swuþe wel
As oure Louerdes wille was þer after it gan falle
Þat þe bissop of Duram deide as we ssolleþ alle
Me wende and nom sein Cuberd & made him bissop þere
His bissopriche he weste wel & wel þat folk gan lere
Þo was it to soþe ibroȝt þat þe angel him er sede
Þat he ssolde be[o] heued of Holy Churche as [he] atte bal pleide
Þo he hadde longe iserued God after him he sende
So þat in þe monþe of Lude out of þis worlde he wende
To þe ioie of heuene God lete us ek also
And þoru bone of sein Cubert bringe us alle þerto
Þat he ssolde be[o] heued of Holy Churche as [he] atte bal pleide
Þo he hadde longe iserued God after him he sende
So þat in þe monþe of Lude out of þis worlde he wende
To þe ioie of heuene God lete us ek also
And þoru bone of sein Cubert bringe us alle þerto
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