 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Albano
Seint Albon þe holyman [was] her of Engelonde
Imartred he was for Godes loue & þoru oure Louerdes sonde
Heþene man he was ferst and of heþene men he com
And suþþe as oure Louerd it wolde he turnde to Cristendom
Imartred he was for Godes loue & þoru oure Louerdes sonde
Heþene man he was ferst and of heþene men he com
And suþþe as oure Louerd it wolde he turnde to Cristendom
Þe luþer prince þat was þo Dioclisian
And þe oþer þat was luþer ek þat het Maximian
Cristen men þat hi miȝte wite hi broȝte alle to gronde
Hi lete hom seche in ech londe ware hi miȝte beo fonde
A Iustice þat wiþ hom was to Engelonde com
To martri alle Cristenemen and destruie Cristendom
And þe oþer þat was luþer ek þat het Maximian
Cristen men þat hi miȝte wite hi broȝte alle to gronde
Hi lete hom seche in ech londe ware hi miȝte beo fonde
A Iustice þat wiþ hom was to Engelonde com
To martri alle Cristenemen and destruie Cristendom
239
A clerk a god Cristene man hurde telle wide
Of tormens þat hi oþer dude he nedorst no lengore abide
And flei to hude him ellesware þat he ymartred nere
To seint Albones house com and bad is in þere
Of tormens þat hi oþer dude he nedorst no lengore abide
And flei to hude him ellesware þat he ymartred nere
To seint Albones house com and bad is in þere
Seint Albon þo he was wiþ him awaited and ysay
Hou he was in orisons boþe niȝt and day
He þoȝte þat he was a fol þat heþene was so longe
He gan to luue on Iesu Crist and Cristendom auonge
Hou he was in orisons boþe niȝt and day
He þoȝte þat he was a fol þat heþene was so longe
He gan to luue on Iesu Crist and Cristendom auonge
Þe Iustice let þane clerk seche so þat it was icud
Hou at seint Albones hous wiþ him he was ihud
Kniȝtes he sende him to vecche ȝif he ifonde were
Hi come and esste seint Albon ware eny such were þere
Hou at seint Albones hous wiþ him he was ihud
Kniȝtes he sende him to vecche ȝif he ifonde were
Hi come and esste seint Albon ware eny such were þere
Ȝe for Gode quaþ þis oþer inelle it noȝt for sake
A such man as ich am misulf inelle ȝou non oþer take
A þuf quaþ þis luþer men ertou icome herto
Wanne þou wolt for þe stronge þeof to deþe þou worst ido
Þis holyman y bonde faste and to þe Iustice him broȝte
And tolde him hou he pulte him uorþ for þe oþer þat hi soȝte
Bel ami quaþ þe Iustice sei wat is þy name
& of wat kunne þou ert icome & þat oure godes dest such ssame
A such man as ich am misulf inelle ȝou non oþer take
A þuf quaþ þis luþer men ertou icome herto
Wanne þou wolt for þe stronge þeof to deþe þou worst ido
Þis holyman y bonde faste and to þe Iustice him broȝte
And tolde him hou he pulte him uorþ for þe oþer þat hi soȝte
Bel ami quaþ þe Iustice sei wat is þy name
& of wat kunne þou ert icome & þat oure godes dest such ssame
To þis lesinge quaþ seint Albon ichelle answerie sone
Of wat cunne ich am icome þou hast lite to done
Albon is my name iwis ich honury also
God þat ssop al þat is and eueremo wol do
Of wat cunne ich am icome þou hast lite to done
Albon is my name iwis ich honury also
God þat ssop al þat is and eueremo wol do
A traitor quaþ þis Iustice erto icome herto
Ich ssel tormenti al þi body fram toppe to þin ho
Hastou ihud atom þane þeof þat doþ us such ssame
And pultest forþ þisulue þou cheitif to deþe inis name
Honure oure godes ich þe rede and do hom sacrefise
Oþer ichelle þe so tormenti þat men ssolleþ of þe agrise
Ich ssel tormenti al þi body fram toppe to þin ho
Hastou ihud atom þane þeof þat doþ us such ssame
And pultest forþ þisulue þou cheitif to deþe inis name
Honure oure godes ich þe rede and do hom sacrefise
Oþer ichelle þe so tormenti þat men ssolleþ of þe agrise
240
For þou spext quaþ seint Albon þer boute þou spillest breþ
Inelle neuere þane del onure of drede of þe deþ
Wroþ was þis Iustice þo þis holyman he nom
Naked he let him faste binde & ȝaf sone is dom
Wiþ scorgen is tormentors leide on him inowe
So faste þat hy were weri and al is bodi todrowe
Þe harde scorgen gonne deope in is harde fleiss wade
Þe more þat hi bete him þe gladdore he him made
Inelle neuere þane del onure of drede of þe deþ
Wroþ was þis Iustice þo þis holyman he nom
Naked he let him faste binde & ȝaf sone is dom
Wiþ scorgen is tormentors leide on him inowe
So faste þat hy were weri and al is bodi todrowe
Þe harde scorgen gonne deope in is harde fleiss wade
Þe more þat hi bete him þe gladdore he him made
Þo þe luþer Iustice isei þat al þat was for noȝt
Þat he nemiȝte fram Iesu Crist for noþing turne is þoȝt
He het him lede wiþoute toun is heued smite of sone
Þe tormentors al ȝare were forto don is bone
Hi harled him wel villiche þat ssame it was to ise
Forte hi come to þulke stude þere he ssolde ymartred be
To an vrnynge brok hi come þere hi moste ouer wade
Þe tormentors wode ouer abrod & no strengþe ne made
Þat he nemiȝte fram Iesu Crist for noþing turne is þoȝt
He het him lede wiþoute toun is heued smite of sone
Þe tormentors al ȝare were forto don is bone
Hi harled him wel villiche þat ssame it was to ise
Forte hi come to þulke stude þere he ssolde ymartred be
To an vrnynge brok hi come þere hi moste ouer wade
Þe tormentors wode ouer abrod & no strengþe ne made
Þo þis holyman þuder com þat water him wiþdrou
And ouer þe brok made a wei drie and clene inou
Þat ouer he wende also drie as it alonde were
Al bihinde him euere þe water smot togadere þere
And com aȝen al as it was er þo he com to londe
Louerd muche is þi miȝte wo so him wolde vnderstonde
Wo so hadde me þincþ such an hine to lede him aboute ilome
He nedorste noȝt care worþ a bene to wuch water he come
And ouer þe brok made a wei drie and clene inou
Þat ouer he wende also drie as it alonde were
Al bihinde him euere þe water smot togadere þere
And com aȝen al as it was er þo he com to londe
Louerd muche is þi miȝte wo so him wolde vnderstonde
Wo so hadde me þincþ such an hine to lede him aboute ilome
He nedorste noȝt care worþ a bene to wuch water he come
Þe maister of þe tormentors wanne he was bitake
Þo he isei þis uaire miracle þane deuel he gan forsake
His swerd þat he bar an honde fram him wel uer caste
He fel to seint Albones fet and cride him mercy vaste
Þat he moste for him deiȝe oþer bote it oþer were
Þat he wiþ him in þe place þane deþ avange þere
Vp an hul he wende an hei as hi were assigned to
Þis holyman seint Albon þe dede to do
Þo he isei þis uaire miracle þane deuel he gan forsake
His swerd þat he bar an honde fram him wel uer caste
He fel to seint Albones fet and cride him mercy vaste
Þat he moste for him deiȝe oþer bote it oþer were
Þat he wiþ him in þe place þane deþ avange þere
241
Þis holyman seint Albon þe dede to do
Seint Albon wilned after water upe þane hul an hey
He bihuld þat þer nemiȝte no water come þer ney
Oure Louerd he bad mid gode heorte þat he sende is grace
Þat som water moste come to him in þulke place
He bihuld þat þer nemiȝte no water come þer ney
Oure Louerd he bad mid gode heorte þat he sende is grace
Þat som water moste come to him in þulke place
Þo he hadde ydon is orison & oure Louerd ibede
Þer sprong out of þe heie hul a welle in þulke stude
Þat beste water þat miȝte be[o] þat ȝute ilast ich wene
Euere was and euere worþ oure Louerdes miȝte isene
Þer sprong out of þe heie hul a welle in þulke stude
Þat beste water þat miȝte be[o] þat ȝute ilast ich wene
Euere was and euere worþ oure Louerdes miȝte isene
Þis gode kniȝt þat biluuede on God for þat he sei er
Wel more he cride þo on him for þulke miracle þer
And wilnede ȝeorne þat he moste wiþ him deie þere
So þat in oure Louerdes name boþe ymartred were
Wel more he cride þo on him for þulke miracle þer
And wilnede ȝeorne þat he moste wiþ him deie þere
So þat in oure Louerdes name boþe ymartred were
Ac þe tormentour þat smot of seint Albones heued
He nedorste noȝt ȝilpe þerof muche him were betere habbe bileued
For þo he smot of is heued riȝt in þulke stonde
Is eiȝne folle out of is heued & þer wiþ he fel to gronde
He nedorste noȝt ȝilpe þerof muche him were betere habbe bileued
For þo he smot of is heued riȝt in þulke stonde
Is eiȝne folle out of is heued & þer wiþ he fel to gronde
Is biȝete was wel lite þer it fel doun al byhinde
He miȝte segge wanne he comþ hom war her comþ þe blynde
Louerd muchel is þe miȝte wo so wolde vnderstonde
As me miȝte bi þin wiþerwine [] þere fonde
He miȝte segge wanne he comþ hom war her comþ þe blynde
Louerd muchel is þe miȝte wo so wolde vnderstonde
As me miȝte bi þin wiþerwine [] þere fonde
Seint Albon ymartred was here in Engelonde
Biside a toun þat Wincestre me clupede ich understonde
Þere is nou a chirche arered and a gret abbeie also
Þat me clupeþ seint Albones as he was to deþe ido
Nou bidde we ȝerne Iesu Crist & seint Albon wel faste
Þat we to þe ioie come mote þat euere ssel ilaste
Biside a toun þat Wincestre me clupede ich understonde
Þere is nou a chirche arered and a gret abbeie also
Þat me clupeþ seint Albones as he was to deþe ido
Nou bidde we ȝerne Iesu Crist & seint Albon wel faste
Þat we to þe ioie come mote þat euere ssel ilaste
| The South English Legendary | |