University of Virginia Library

Peter of “petra” may be tane,
In latine leid þat is a stane;
for men may a stane neuir bow;
Richt swa þis petir fra ihesu
vald neuir bow for aduersite,
na for na porele þat mycht be,
bot as ane stane wes petir ay.
for-þi cane criste apone hym lay
þe fundament of haly kirk,
quhar-throw sa wysly he cane wirk,
and sad til hyme þis wourd but were,
þat ferly now is grete to here:
“þu art petir, at is, oure stane,
to byg myn wark one haff I tane;”
and sad til hym with swet stewin:
“to þe I gyff þe keys of hewyne;
To bind and louss quhowm-euer þou will
Plane poware is gewin þe þare-till.”
alswa crist thaucht hym his schepe
In his ȝemschele for to kepe.
and þis petir, a-beove þe lafe,
a stannand luf to criste can hafe;
for had he wittin, as þe buk sais,
quhat he was suld criste betraise,
vith his tetht he wald haf refyn sone.
for-þi criste has wisly done,
þat opinly wald nocht discouere
Till his discipulis þat tratoure.
with oþeris alse in þe se Rouande,
quhen þai saw criste one þe dry lande,
he bad nocht, bot hym nakyt swith,
and of þe bate he lape belyfe,
and as one dry land ȝed one se;
sic ardent luf till hym had he.
and criste hym luffit sa tenderly,
þat he hym tuk to be hym by
In his transfiguracion,
and in his resurreccione.
and petir broucht to cristis fay
thre thowsand men on witsonday;
and he resuscit thabitane;
and alss he heilyt anyan;
and sindry oþir, at war leile,
throw his schadow gat helpe and heile.
and als of herrod presowne
þe angel brocht hym but ransone.
And fra þat his master wes dede,
his lyf in penance he cane leide;
Bred and water wes his fude,
na clathis he had, at ware gude,
bot kirtil and clok, but mare.
and in his bosum ay he bare
a sudare, to wepe his Ene;
for ay he grate, quhen h[e] cuth mene
of his master swet spekin[g]e,
his teching, and his fosteringe.
And ilkane nycht as day cane daw,
as he mycht heyre þe cok craw,
þane wald he think quhow lethirly
þat he is master cuth deny.
and clement sais, at peteris wyfe,
for cristis sak, losit þe lyff,
and quhen men lede hyre to þe stede,
quhar schow suld be put to dede,
Petir wes fane, and bad hir trew
fermly euir in criste ihesu.