The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester :: :: University of Virginia Library

As afore is sayd / whan Penda the kynge
By saynt Oswy kynge / at Leedes was slayne
And Vulfer his sone / the fourth yere folowynge
Was baptysed and crowned / By bysshop Fynane,
A solempne voue he made / faythfull and certayne,
All temples of ydolles / in his realme to destroy
And chaunge them to chyrches / and newe edyfy.

125

The same he promysed / as he was true knyght
Whan that he maryed / blessed Ermenylde,
Dredynge sore the iustyce / of god almyght
For his fathers demerytes / vnreconsyled
On hym to fall sodeynly / and so be begyled;
Promysynge a-mendes / at his conuersyon
Vnto holy chyrche / with humble deuocyon.

126

Whiche kynge Vulfer / as was the more pyte,
By the wycked counseyll / of a fals knyght
Called Werbode / ranne soone in apostasy,
For a lytell whyle / wantynge perfyte lyght;
The bryghtnes of the day / was tourned to nyght
Whan he gaue credence / that creature vnto,
Prolongynge the actes / he promysed to do.

127

Vnder kynge Vulfer / chefe stewarde of his hall
Was this false Werbode / ruler of euery porte.
Whome the lady Venus / brought vnto thrall,
Persed and wounded / so greuously his harte
Enflammed with loue / and with her fyry darte,
Plonget with sorowe / syghynge day and nyght:
The beaute of Werburge / moeued so his syght.

128

The blynde goddes Cupyde / vexed so sore his mynde
With interyor loue / and sensuall desyre
Of worldely affeccyon / that reste coude he none fynde;
His spyryte was troubled / he brenned as dothe the fyre.
Vpon this holy vyrgyn / his loue was so entyre,
To haue her in maryage / was all his intent,
That euery houre was a moneth / after his iudgement.

129

Prouyded in his mynde / how that he well myght
Enforce hym wysely / with boldynesse and polycye
To shewe his full entent / in maner good and ryght,
No dyspleasure taken / vpon his lordes partye:
By this ymagynacyon / he fell vpon his knee
Afore his lorde and kynge / desyrynge a petycyon:
His mynde to declare / with fully grace of pardon.

130

‘Excellent prynce,’ he sayd / ‘and moost worthy kynge,
That reygnes now within the realme of Englande,
Flourynge in chyualry / in honour encreasynge,
Transcendynge other prynces / of this forsayd lande!
My full intencyon / now ye shall vnderstande,
Requyrynge your grace / in this poore cyrcumstaunce
At my petycyon / to take no greuaunce.

131

‘My synguler good lorde / hertfully I you pray
With instaunte request / and humble supplycacyon:
Graunte me your doughter Werburge / as ye maye,
To haue her in maryage / auoydynge all treason.
If your grace deny / this present petycyon,
Dethe me behoues / full soone and hastely:
My loue is so feruent / there is no remedy.’

132

‘Stande vp, Werbode’ / kynge Vulfer than sayd,
‘Our chyfe champyon / in all our chyualry!
your humble desyre / shall not be denayd

Of Werburge, our doughter / now consent wyll we,
If ye may optayne / her wyll and mynde, truele,
Her mothers also / vnder that condycyon
We graunt her to you / at your meke suggestyon.’

133

Of this gracyous answere / a gladde man he was;
Reioysynge in his herte / began to conspyre,
Castynge in his mynde / craftely by compas
How he myght optayne / to the hye empyre
And reygne after Vulfer / at his owne desyre.
But, ‘tho man prepose / god dysposed all’;
‘Who clymbeth to hye / often hath a fall.’