 | The South English Legendary |  |
Miraculum [de Milite]
A kniȝt þer was bi olde dawe liþer mon inou
Strong robbare & monquellare to alle ssrewehede drou
Bi an hei wei he hadde a castel fer fram eche toune
Al þat folk þat þeruorþ come sone he broȝte þere doune
For is men he hadde in eche side to robbi and to reue
Alle þulke þat þere uorþ come noȝt on hi nolde bileue
So þat tweie freres come þer uorþ & þo hi were inome
Irobbed hi were of ȝare gode for hi were eþ to ouercome
Strong robbare & monquellare to alle ssrewehede drou
Bi an hei wei he hadde a castel fer fram eche toune
Al þat folk þat þeruorþ come sone he broȝte þere doune
For is men he hadde in eche side to robbi and to reue
Alle þulke þat þere uorþ come noȝt on hi nolde bileue
So þat tweie freres come þer uorþ & þo hi were inome
Irobbed hi were of ȝare gode for hi were eþ to ouercome
Þe freres cride and bede uaire þat hi ham robbi nessolde
And lede ham harmles biuore hore louerd & lete him do wat he wolde
Þe luþere [men] grantede hare bone faste hi gonne ham holde
And ladde to hare louerd as prisons & al þat cas him tolde
He het as me robbedde oþere þat me dude bi ȝam also
And þe freres so ȝeorne cride þat me nessolde him non harm do
And lede ham harmles biuore hore louerd & lete him do wat he wolde
Þe luþere [men] grantede hare bone faste hi gonne ham holde
And ladde to hare louerd as prisons & al þat cas him tolde
He het as me robbedde oþere þat me dude bi ȝam also
And þe freres so ȝeorne cride þat me nessolde him non harm do
230
Þe freres him bede ȝeorne þo hi deliuered were
Þat ȝare on biuore him & is men preche moste þere
And þat he & al is men þe prechinge herde sone
Þe kniȝt as God ȝaf þe grace grantede al is bone
Þat ȝare on biuore him & is men preche moste þere
And þat he & al is men þe prechinge herde sone
Þe kniȝt as God ȝaf þe grace grantede al is bone
He het is men þat hi were at is prechinge echone
Þo hi were al adoun isete and þe frere amidde alone
Þo hi were al adoun isete and þe frere amidde alone
Ich biseche ȝou quaþ þis frere þat ȝe þat soþe ise[o]
Ware ȝe be[o] al clanlich here oþer eny hanne be[o]
Þo lokede hi alle faste & sede þat hy were echon
Nay parde quaþ þe frere ȝute þere faileþ on
Hi lokede & fonde defaute anon wel wide him soȝte
Hi fonde him and wiþ strengþe no[m]e & to prechinge him broȝte
Anon so he þuder com he ssok & quakede for drede
Mid strengþe hi made him sitte þat him gan þuder lede
Ich hote þe belamy þat ich þere ise[o]
In mi Louerdes name of heuene þat þou segge wat þou be[o]
Ware ȝe be[o] al clanlich here oþer eny hanne be[o]
Þo lokede hi alle faste & sede þat hy were echon
Nay parde quaþ þe frere ȝute þere faileþ on
Hi lokede & fonde defaute anon wel wide him soȝte
Hi fonde him and wiþ strengþe no[m]e & to prechinge him broȝte
Anon so he þuder com he ssok & quakede for drede
Mid strengþe hi made him sitte þat him gan þuder lede
Ich hote þe belamy þat ich þere ise[o]
In mi Louerdes name of heuene þat þou segge wat þou be[o]
Þo gan he quakie & ssake more & þo non oþer red nas
Quakynge touore al þat folk he tolde wat he was
Icham he sede þe deuel of helle & mid al mine lore
Þis kniȝt ich habbe iserued her fortene ȝer & more
Is louerd ich am & he is myn oure eiþer mid oþer is
Al þis fortene ȝer ich habbe ifonded to astrangli him iwis
Quakynge touore al þat folk he tolde wat he was
Icham he sede þe deuel of helle & mid al mine lore
Þis kniȝt ich habbe iserued her fortene ȝer & more
Is louerd ich am & he is myn oure eiþer mid oþer is
Al þis fortene ȝer ich habbe ifonded to astrangli him iwis
Ac i nemiȝte neuere wiþinne him come to do þulke dede
For euerich day wiþ Aue Marie to Marie he sede
In þe [o]norance of þe vif ioies þat he[o] hadde of hure sone
Þis ssolde be[o] is feorste dede ech day bi wone
Hadde he bileued eni day ych him hadde astrangled anon
Ac for he it sede ich nemiȝte neuere of him habbe won
Þat was is mede of is aues for alle he hadde here
Ac were he ded to helle he ssolde noþing nessolde him skere
For euerich day wiþ Aue Marie to Marie he sede
In þe [o]norance of þe vif ioies þat he[o] hadde of hure sone
Þis ssolde be[o] is feorste dede ech day bi wone
Hadde he bileued eni day ych him hadde astrangled anon
231
Þat was is mede of is aues for alle he hadde here
Ac were he ded to helle he ssolde noþing nessolde him skere
Nou beu freres ȝe mowe ise[o] quaþ þis holy frere
[Wam] ȝe habbeþ iserued ȝare & wo haþ be[o] ȝoure uere
Þe deuel wende awei anon me nuste war he bicom
Þe kniȝt him let ssriue sone & repentance to him nom
And is men ek echone þat so luþer were biuore
And bicome alle godemen þo hi hadde ȝare felawe ilore
Ȝe ne be[o] a mon noȝt so sunfol her me may ise[o]
Ȝif he deþ oure Leuedi eni seruise vnȝoulde nessel it noȝt be[o]
And her by me may ise[o] ek þat þe deuel nemay
No ssennesse do a man þat hure greteþ aday
Ou Marie þat is muche þi swete milce and ore
So muri it is to telle of þe þat ȝute me mote more
[Wam] ȝe habbeþ iserued ȝare & wo haþ be[o] ȝoure uere
Þe deuel wende awei anon me nuste war he bicom
Þe kniȝt him let ssriue sone & repentance to him nom
And is men ek echone þat so luþer were biuore
And bicome alle godemen þo hi hadde ȝare felawe ilore
Ȝe ne be[o] a mon noȝt so sunfol her me may ise[o]
Ȝif he deþ oure Leuedi eni seruise vnȝoulde nessel it noȝt be[o]
And her by me may ise[o] ek þat þe deuel nemay
No ssennesse do a man þat hure greteþ aday
Ou Marie þat is muche þi swete milce and ore
So muri it is to telle of þe þat ȝute me mote more
| The South English Legendary | |