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[The Tale of the Priest Carpus's Vision, and how merciful God is.]
Seynt Dyonys of Fraunce seyþ þus:—
hyt was a prest þat hyght Carpus;
Þys prest, þurgh prechyng and sawe,
Broght a sarysyn to crystyn lawe;
A-noþer sarasyn of paynye
Haddë þerwyþ grete enuye,
And turnede þys man to hym aȝeyn,
And oure crystyndom was alle veyn.
Þys prest þarëfor was sory,
And hatyd þys man felunly,
And preydë God he wuld hym sende
Dampnacyun with-outyn ende,
For he þe crystendom forsoke,
And to a fals beleue hym toke;
Fast he preyd yn hys atent,
þat God on hym veniauncë sent.
And God þe prestys prayere herde,
And shewed hym þat he mysferde.
hyt was a prest þat hyght Carpus;
Þys prest, þurgh prechyng and sawe,
Broght a sarysyn to crystyn lawe;
A-noþer sarasyn of paynye
Haddë þerwyþ grete enuye,
And turnede þys man to hym aȝeyn,
And oure crystyndom was alle veyn.
Þys prest þarëfor was sory,
And hatyd þys man felunly,
And preydë God he wuld hym sende
Dampnacyun with-outyn ende,
For he þe crystendom forsoke,
And to a fals beleue hym toke;
Fast he preyd yn hys atent,
þat God on hym veniauncë sent.
And God þe prestys prayere herde,
And shewed hym þat he mysferde.
Þys prest lay yn hys bede a nyȝt,
And, gostly, he sagh a syght;—
he sagh a swyþe merueylus brygge
Ouer þe depë pytte gan lygge,
Þe plank þat on þe bryggë was,
was as sledyr as any glas;
But yn þe put þat was þer-vndyr,
he sagh so moche sorowe and wundyr,
Of fendës felë þat þere wore,
Þogh y tolde moche, ȝyt were þer more.
And, gostly, he sagh a syght;—
he sagh a swyþe merueylus brygge
Ouer þe depë pytte gan lygge,
Þe plank þat on þe bryggë was,
was as sledyr as any glas;
But yn þe put þat was þer-vndyr,
he sagh so moche sorowe and wundyr,
Of fendës felë þat þere wore,
173
But, shortly to tellë fro,
Þe man he sagh on þe bryggë go
Yn ful gretë perel and kare,
And euer yn poynt to mysfare;
Yn poynt he was to falle adowne,
Of hys hede, formest þe crowne.
Þe man he sagh on þe bryggë go
Yn ful gretë perel and kare,
And euer yn poynt to mysfare;
Yn poynt he was to falle adowne,
Of hys hede, formest þe crowne.
Þe fendys þat were yn þe pytte
Smote vpwarde, ȝyf þey myȝt hym hytte;
And addres bete hym by þe fete.
Þe prest sagh þat, and ful weyl lete;
He preydë God þat he shuld falle
Down yn-to þe fendys alle,
And þer, with-outyn endë be,
‘For he turned away fro þe.’
Smote vpwarde, ȝyf þey myȝt hym hytte;
And addres bete hym by þe fete.
Þe prest sagh þat, and ful weyl lete;
He preydë God þat he shuld falle
Down yn-to þe fendys alle,
And þer, with-outyn endë be,
‘For he turned away fro þe.’
whan þe prest had seyë þys,
He loked vp to heuene blys;
Hym þoght þe rofe was cloue yn two,
And þe sky opened also,
And of Ihesu he hadde a syght,
How he was on þe rodë dyght;
He sagh hys wundys alle blody,
And spak to hym ful sorowfully,
“Carpus,” he seyd, “se wyþ þyn yne
what y suffred for mannys pyne;
Man to saue, y lete me slo,
why wust þou dampnë hym to wo?
why hast þou hym so moche with ylle?
And for mankynde y lete me spylle
with pyne, and hardë passyoun,
My blode y ȝaf for hys raunsun;
why wust þou he hadde hellë fere
Syn y haue boght hym so dere?
Ȝyt were y redy man to beye,
Er man with-outyn ende shulde deye.
But y haue shewde hym so moche yn dede
with my wundes þat þou seest blede,
þat y þarfor ne wuldë noght
Lese þat y so dere haue boght.
Aȝens me ne fyndeþ he no skylle,
But ȝyf hys ownë wylle hyt wylle.
Þogh he be nowe aȝens me went,
Ȝyt kepe y hys amendëment;
Þarfor, with gode deuocyoun,
Pray for mannys saluacyoun.”
Þan Carpus þanked God almyght
Þat he hadde herde and seye þat syght.
He loked vp to heuene blys;
Hym þoght þe rofe was cloue yn two,
And þe sky opened also,
And of Ihesu he hadde a syght,
How he was on þe rodë dyght;
He sagh hys wundys alle blody,
And spak to hym ful sorowfully,
“Carpus,” he seyd, “se wyþ þyn yne
what y suffred for mannys pyne;
Man to saue, y lete me slo,
why wust þou dampnë hym to wo?
why hast þou hym so moche with ylle?
And for mankynde y lete me spylle
with pyne, and hardë passyoun,
My blode y ȝaf for hys raunsun;
why wust þou he hadde hellë fere
Syn y haue boght hym so dere?
174
Er man with-outyn ende shulde deye.
But y haue shewde hym so moche yn dede
with my wundes þat þou seest blede,
þat y þarfor ne wuldë noght
Lese þat y so dere haue boght.
Aȝens me ne fyndeþ he no skylle,
But ȝyf hys ownë wylle hyt wylle.
Þogh he be nowe aȝens me went,
Ȝyt kepe y hys amendëment;
Þarfor, with gode deuocyoun,
Pray for mannys saluacyoun.”
Þan Carpus þanked God almyght
Þat he hadde herde and seye þat syght.
Þarfore shul we be ful mynde
To serue hym þat ys to vs so kynde,
And shewe hym loue whyle we be here
For þat he loveþ vs alle so dere,
Þat he ne wulde leue eft, for drede,
To deye for vs ȝyf we hadde nede.
Ne be we slogh, but sone vpryse,
Ne dredë vs þan on no wyse,
But, hope alle to gode endyng,
And serue þat mercyáble kyng,
Þat hys mercy be to vs lent
At þe day of Iugëmement;
Amen! so motë hyt betyde
To kepe vs fro sloghnes and accyde!
To serue hym þat ys to vs so kynde,
And shewe hym loue whyle we be here
For þat he loveþ vs alle so dere,
Þat he ne wulde leue eft, for drede,
To deye for vs ȝyf we hadde nede.
Ne be we slogh, but sone vpryse,
Ne dredë vs þan on no wyse,
But, hope alle to gode endyng,
And serue þat mercyáble kyng,
Þat hys mercy be to vs lent
At þe day of Iugëmement;
Amen! so motë hyt betyde
To kepe vs fro sloghnes and accyde!
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