 | The South English Legendary |  |
Miraculum [de milite Emmery]
A kniȝt was wile a richeman þat honurede muche mid alle
Oure Leuedi & al hure festes þat in þe ȝer doþ falle
Gret feste he held up is poer euerich of hure daye
And fondede to honuri oure swete Leuedi and paie
Suþþe it biuel as God it wolde þat is god was binome
Þat he nemiȝte noȝt holde up is honur ac pouere he was bicome
In grete miseise he ladde is lif and ȝute him greuede more
Þat he nemiȝte do as he dude er & ofssamed was so sore
Oure Leuedi & al hure festes þat in þe ȝer doþ falle
Gret feste he held up is poer euerich of hure daye
And fondede to honuri oure swete Leuedi and paie
Suþþe it biuel as God it wolde þat is god was binome
Þat he nemiȝte noȝt holde up is honur ac pouere he was bicome
In grete miseise he ladde is lif and ȝute him greuede more
Þat he nemiȝte do as he dude er & ofssamed was so sore
Wanne it com toward oure Leuedi day þat he ssolde is feste holde
He nemiȝte for ssame among men be[o] so lite of him me tolde
A tyme aȝen oure Leuedi day þat ssolde is feste be[o]
To wode he wende & hudde him þat me nessolde him noȝt ise[o]
Þe deuel com in a mannes forme to him wel sone þere
And esste such man as he was wi he one so were
Nai certes quaþ þis kniȝt my manhede is al forlore
For ssame þat ich wile was man ich hudde me her þeruore
He nemiȝte for ssame among men be[o] so lite of him me tolde
A tyme aȝen oure Leuedi day þat ssolde is feste be[o]
To wode he wende & hudde him þat me nessolde him noȝt ise[o]
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And esste such man as he was wi he one so were
Nai certes quaþ þis kniȝt my manhede is al forlore
For ssame þat ich wile was man ich hudde me her þeruore
Riche man ichelle þe make sone þe deuel aȝen sede
Of worles catel and muri inou & þou do by mine rede
Of worles catel and muri inou & þou do by mine rede
Leue sire quaþ þis seli kniȝt sei wat ich ssel do
To bringe me out of þis miseise & ichelle do also
To bringe me out of þis miseise & ichelle do also
Bote go hom quaþ þis luþer wiȝt & god inou þou sselt finde
Ac com hider to me þulke day & bilef þou noȝt þi wif bihinde
And bring hure & we ssolleþ som forwarde speke
And þou sselt euere riche be[o] bote þou uorwarde breke
Ac com hider to me þulke day & bilef þou noȝt þi wif bihinde
And bring hure & we ssolleþ som forwarde speke
And þou sselt euere riche be[o] bote þou uorwarde breke
Nou was þis wif god womman and louede seinte Marie
Þeruore þe deuel hure wolde habbe for he hadde þerto envie
Þe deuel wende forþ is wei þe kniȝt hamward drou
Þo he com hom in eche hurne he uond god inou
Þeruore þe deuel hure wolde habbe for he hadde þerto envie
Þe deuel wende forþ is wei þe kniȝt hamward drou
Þo he com hom in eche hurne he uond god inou
Ȝeorne he þonkede þe foule wiȝt þat him bihet such cas
He longede to him efsone ac he nuste wat he was
Þo it was atte daie þat bitwene ham nome
His wif he het to greiþe hure þat he[o] wiþ him come
He nolde hure noþing telle wuder he wolde uare
Hy wende boþe toward þe wode þo hi were al ȝare
He longede to him efsone ac he nuste wat he was
Þo it was atte daie þat bitwene ham nome
His wif he het to greiþe hure þat he[o] wiþ him come
He nolde hure noþing telle wuder he wolde uare
Hy wende boþe toward þe wode þo hi were al ȝare
Bi a chapel of oure Leuedi bi þe wei hi come ride
Þe leuedi bad he[o] moste aliȝte & þer inne a stonde abide
To bidde hure beden to oure Leuedi as he was iwond ofte
Þo he[o] to þe chapele com he[o] fel adoun & slep softe
Oure Leuedy swete & milde aliȝte fram heuene to hure þere
Hure forme he[o] nom in euerich pointe hure sulf as þei it were
Þe leuedi bad he[o] moste aliȝte & þer inne a stonde abide
To bidde hure beden to oure Leuedi as he was iwond ofte
Þo he[o] to þe chapele com he[o] fel adoun & slep softe
Oure Leuedy swete & milde aliȝte fram heuene to hure þere
Hure forme he[o] nom in euerich pointe hure sulf as þei it were
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To þe kniȝt as is owe wif he[o] wende & wiþ him rod
Þe kniȝt bigan to chide faste þat he[o] so longe abod
Þe kniȝt bigan to chide faste þat he[o] so longe abod
Sire sire quaþ oure Leuedi we ne beoþ noȝt muche ilet
Vs nessel for mine abode spede bote þe bet
Ich hopie þyn erande ssel be[o] wel ibeet
Forþ hi wende into þe wode as þe stude was iset
Þo hi come toward þe stede þe deuel wel ȝare i seie
Ac þo þe deuel oure Leuedi sei he gan to grede heie
False trichour he sede to þe kniȝt wy bitraistou me so
Ssel ich habbe þis for mi godhede þat ich habbe þe ido
Vs nessel for mine abode spede bote þe bet
Ich hopie þyn erande ssel be[o] wel ibeet
Forþ hi wende into þe wode as þe stude was iset
Þo hi come toward þe stede þe deuel wel ȝare i seie
Ac þo þe deuel oure Leuedi sei he gan to grede heie
False trichour he sede to þe kniȝt wy bitraistou me so
Ssel ich habbe þis for mi godhede þat ich habbe þe ido
Neholde ich forward quaþ þe kniȝt war of destou mene
Þou luxt loude quaþ þe deuel þou brecst forward al clene
Þou bringst mid þe mi meste uo & ssost me þi wif lede
Þis kniȝt houede as witles he nuste hou he it sede
Þou luxt loude quaþ þe deuel þou brecst forward al clene
Þou bringst mid þe mi meste uo & ssost me þi wif lede
Þis kniȝt houede as witles he nuste hou he it sede
Þou luþer þing quaþ oure Leuedi wy wostou so fawe
Þat he þe hadde is wif ibroȝt þou wost it nere noȝt lawe
Ichelle þe segge quaþ þe ssrewe he[o] me is swuþe loþ
For he[o] þe serueþ so wel he[o] makeþ me alday wroþ
And ȝif he[o] hadde hider icome ich hure wolde astrangli anon
Ac þou ert euere mi worste frend among alle myn oþer fon
Þou hure hast nou bynome me þou bringst us al to gronde
Alas þat þou euere were alas þulke stounde
Þat he þe hadde is wif ibroȝt þou wost it nere noȝt lawe
Ichelle þe segge quaþ þe ssrewe he[o] me is swuþe loþ
For he[o] þe serueþ so wel he[o] makeþ me alday wroþ
And ȝif he[o] hadde hider icome ich hure wolde astrangli anon
Ac þou ert euere mi worste frend among alle myn oþer fon
Þou hure hast nou bynome me þou bringst us al to gronde
Alas þat þou euere were alas þulke stounde
Ich hote þe quaþ oure Leuedy þat þou hanne wende
Þat þou nei þis manne come neuere eft him to ssende
And þou sire kniȝt also god þou me hast igremed sore
Be[o] repentant of þi trespas & nedo þou so namore
Al þat þou hast of richesse þoru þe deueles sonde
Del it al for Godes loue pouere men in þe londe
And ȝou sselt ȝute habbe god inou to lede bi þi lif
In my chapele þere þou wost þou sselt finde þi wif
Wiþ þis word he[o] wende forþ þe kniȝt nesei hure namore
He vnderstod wel wo it was he gan to sike sore
Þat þou nei þis manne come neuere eft him to ssende
And þou sire kniȝt also god þou me hast igremed sore
Be[o] repentant of þi trespas & nedo þou so namore
Al þat þou hast of richesse þoru þe deueles sonde
Del it al for Godes loue pouere men in þe londe
And ȝou sselt ȝute habbe god inou to lede bi þi lif
In my chapele þere þou wost þou sselt finde þi wif
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He vnderstod wel wo it was he gan to sike sore
For þe sunne þat he dude þoru þe fendes lore
Oure Leuedi he bad forȝiuenesse & cride hure milce & ore
Hamward he wende in grete þoȝt is wif slepinge he fonde
In þe chapele þer he[o] lay and slep al þulke stonde
Slepinge he[o] hadde al iseie þat of ȝam ido was
Gret ioie hy made ham bitwene as hi tolde of þis cas
Faire hi wende togadere hom & dude oure Leuedi bone
God þat hi hadde þoru þe deuel poueremen he delde sone
Oure Leuedi he bad forȝiuenesse & cride hure milce & ore
Hamward he wende in grete þoȝt is wif slepinge he fonde
In þe chapele þer he[o] lay and slep al þulke stonde
Slepinge he[o] hadde al iseie þat of ȝam ido was
Gret ioie hy made ham bitwene as hi tolde of þis cas
Faire hi wende togadere hom & dude oure Leuedi bone
God þat hi hadde þoru þe deuel poueremen he delde sone
And seruede oure Leuedi wel þat ȝam was milde & hende
And worles god inou hadde to ȝare liues ende
Of oure Leuedy faire miracles we seoþ aldai & grete
Þei we habbe of somme itold ȝute nolle we noȝt lete
And worles god inou hadde to ȝare liues ende
Of oure Leuedy faire miracles we seoþ aldai & grete
Þei we habbe of somme itold ȝute nolle we noȝt lete
| The South English Legendary | |