 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Iacobo
Sein Iacob was oure Louerdes kun oure Leuedi soster sone
Telle ichelle somwat of þe kunne nou it comþ in mone
Seint Anne oure Leuedi moder hosebondes hadde þre
Ioachym & Cleophas þe þridde het Salome
Heo hadde euerich after oþer for iwedded heo was þrie
Bi ech of hom he[o] hadde a doȝter and euerich het Marie
Ioachim doȝter was eoldest of þe þre[o]
Iwedded was to Iosep and Marie Cleophe
Þat was Cleophas is doȝter & midmost ibore
Iwedded was to Aphei þat was hure louerd ycore
Ac þe ȝengoste of alle þreo Marie Salome
To a godman iwedded was ycluped was Zebede
By him he hadde sein Ion þe gospellare and sein Iame in Galis
And breþere were beye to soþ ich segge iwis
Telle ichelle somwat of þe kunne nou it comþ in mone
Seint Anne oure Leuedi moder hosebondes hadde þre
Ioachym & Cleophas þe þridde het Salome
Heo hadde euerich after oþer for iwedded heo was þrie
Bi ech of hom he[o] hadde a doȝter and euerich het Marie
Ioachim doȝter was eoldest of þe þre[o]
Iwedded was to Iosep and Marie Cleophe
Þat was Cleophas is doȝter & midmost ibore
Iwedded was to Aphei þat was hure louerd ycore
Ac þe ȝengoste of alle þreo Marie Salome
To a godman iwedded was ycluped was Zebede
By him he hadde sein Ion þe gospellare and sein Iame in Galis
And breþere were beye to soþ ich segge iwis
Þe ȝongoste soster Marie Salome
Hadde tweie holy sones by hure louerd Zebede
Sein Ieme þe holyman and sein Ion þe Wuangelist
Þat was alle berne best mid oure Louerd Iesu Crist
Þe eoldeste soster of alle þre[o] oure Leuedi swete & milde
Ber oure Louerd Iesu Crist best of alle childe
So þat he[o] þat eoldost was child nadd[e] bote on in fey
Þe middemoste hadde a god sone [] sein Ieme Alphei
Ac þe þridde hadde [four] sones [] ȝongost of alle þre[o]
Þis were oure Louerdes cosins as ȝe mowe here ise[o]
And alle bote Iosep one apostles were iwis
Telle ichelle of sein Iacop of wan þis chapitle is
Hadde tweie holy sones by hure louerd Zebede
Sein Ieme þe holyman and sein Ion þe Wuangelist
Þat was alle berne best mid oure Louerd Iesu Crist
Þe eoldeste soster of alle þre[o] oure Leuedi swete & milde
Ber oure Louerd Iesu Crist best of alle childe
So þat he[o] þat eoldost was child nadd[e] bote on in fey
Þe middemoste hadde a god sone [] sein Ieme Alphei
Ac þe þridde hadde [four] sones [] ȝongost of alle þre[o]
166
And alle bote Iosep one apostles were iwis
Telle ichelle of sein Iacop of wan þis chapitle is
Among men of Farise sein Iacop an eorþe com
Hom þoȝte þat he a mon was of gret wisdom
Þeruore þe prince of hom in an Ester day
Bad him prechi al þat folk aȝen Godes lay
Vp a laddre he sette him heie þat me him ssolde wide iseo
And hure þat is word þe bet ileoued ssolde be[o]
Hom þoȝte þat he a mon was of gret wisdom
Þeruore þe prince of hom in an Ester day
Bad him prechi al þat folk aȝen Godes lay
Vp a laddre he sette him heie þat me him ssolde wide iseo
And hure þat is word þe bet ileoued ssolde be[o]
Þo he was an hei iset & al þat folk him aboute
He prechede hom of Godes sone he ne bileuede for no doute
Hou he hadde iþoled deþ and hou in þulke daye
Fram deþe to lyue he aros þe deuel to bitraye
And hou þe deuel us bynom þat us hadde in poer longe
And hou echman in þulke daye Godes fleiss scholde auonge
He prechede hom of Godes sone he ne bileuede for no doute
Hou he hadde iþoled deþ and hou in þulke daye
Fram deþe to lyue he aros þe deuel to bitraye
And hou þe deuel us bynom þat us hadde in poer longe
And hou echman in þulke daye Godes fleiss scholde auonge
Hou geþ þis þe prince sede be[o] stille ich þe biseche
Ich bidde þe bilef þis foule þoȝt þat þou byginst to teche
Ich bidde þe bilef þis foule þoȝt þat þou byginst to teche
Nay nay sede þis holyman i ne teche no folie
Ac ichelle bynyme ȝoure fole þoȝt to segge soþ & noȝt lie
Þe prince for wraþþe anon þe laddre gan doun veolle
As sein Iacop þer uppe was him forto quelle
Fram swuþe heiȝe he uel adoun ac þo he was aualle
Þat echmon wende he were ded he ros up among hom alle
Ac ichelle bynyme ȝoure fole þoȝt to segge soþ & noȝt lie
Þe prince for wraþþe anon þe laddre gan doun veolle
As sein Iacop þer uppe was him forto quelle
Fram swuþe heiȝe he uel adoun ac þo he was aualle
Þat echmon wende he were ded he ros up among hom alle
And prechede as he dude er wiþ god herte inou
Þa folk him nom vaste anon and to þe prison him drou
Þer he was in bendes stronge fram þat was Esterday
Forte it com þer afterward þe ueorste day of May
Þo he out of prison com he bigan to prechi blyue
He ne bileuede for non eiȝe of deþ þe wile he was aliue
Mid a uoulares perche þat me teseþ upe cloþ
Ismite he was upe þe scolle þat þe brain out drof
Þa folk him nom vaste anon and to þe prison him drou
Þer he was in bendes stronge fram þat was Esterday
Forte it com þer afterward þe ueorste day of May
Þo he out of prison com he bigan to prechi blyue
He ne bileuede for non eiȝe of deþ þe wile he was aliue
Mid a uoulares perche þat me teseþ upe cloþ
Ismite he was upe þe scolle þat þe brain out drof
167
His soule anon so he was ded to heuene gan wende
Þus sein Iacob þe holyman broȝte is lyf to ende
Apostel he was and eke martir faste me ssolde is eue
Ac for þe heie feste of Ester me it deþ bileue
Nou bidde we ȝerne sein Iacop & sein Phelip also
Þat oure soule mote forþ wiþ hare in þe ioie of heuene be[o] ido
Þus sein Iacob þe holyman broȝte is lyf to ende
Apostel he was and eke martir faste me ssolde is eue
Ac for þe heie feste of Ester me it deþ bileue
Nou bidde we ȝerne sein Iacop & sein Phelip also
Þat oure soule mote forþ wiþ hare in þe ioie of heuene be[o] ido
| The South English Legendary | |