 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Fabiano
Sein Fabian bi olde dauwe god man was inou
At Rome he ladde holy lif and to alle godnesse drou
So þat as oure Louerd it wolde þe pope of Rome was ded
Hy byspeke to cheose anoþer as þe comun nom hor red
Hy cride on oure Louerd niȝt and day þat he sende hom in þe place
Som toknynge wo it miȝte be[o] for his holy grace
Þo com þer out of heuene a wiȝt coluer fle[o] adoun
And aliȝte uppon sein Fabian anouwarde þe croun
Þo þis toknynge was icome glad hy were echon
Hy nome him up as oure Louerd it wolde & made him pope anon
Þo he was pope þis holyman he huld up mid al is miȝte
Þe riȝte byleue of Cristendom and Holy Churches riȝte
At Rome he ladde holy lif and to alle godnesse drou
So þat as oure Louerd it wolde þe pope of Rome was ded
Hy byspeke to cheose anoþer as þe comun nom hor red
Hy cride on oure Louerd niȝt and day þat he sende hom in þe place
16
Þo com þer out of heuene a wiȝt coluer fle[o] adoun
And aliȝte uppon sein Fabian anouwarde þe croun
Þo þis toknynge was icome glad hy were echon
Hy nome him up as oure Louerd it wolde & made him pope anon
Þo he was pope þis holyman he huld up mid al is miȝte
Þe riȝte byleue of Cristendom and Holy Churches riȝte
So þat þe luþer Decyous þat emperor was þo
Isey þe folk to Cristendom þoru þis holyman go
He þoȝte anon & swor is oþ þat þare ne ssolde namo
He let nyme þis holiman and dude hym pine and wo
And suþþe he let smite of is heued after al is oþer pine
And þus sein Fabian þe pope broȝte is lif to fine
Þis was þe þritteþe ȝer þat he hadde pope ybe[o]
And to hondred ȝer it was ek and vifty and þre[o]
After þat oure swete Louerd an eorþe for us com
Þat sein Fabian þis holyman þolede martirdom
And wende to þe ioie of heuene þat last wiþoute ende
Nou God for þe loue of him us alle þuder sende
Isey þe folk to Cristendom þoru þis holyman go
He þoȝte anon & swor is oþ þat þare ne ssolde namo
He let nyme þis holiman and dude hym pine and wo
And suþþe he let smite of is heued after al is oþer pine
And þus sein Fabian þe pope broȝte is lif to fine
Þis was þe þritteþe ȝer þat he hadde pope ybe[o]
And to hondred ȝer it was ek and vifty and þre[o]
After þat oure swete Louerd an eorþe for us com
Þat sein Fabian þis holyman þolede martirdom
And wende to þe ioie of heuene þat last wiþoute ende
Nou God for þe loue of him us alle þuder sende
| The South English Legendary | |