 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Ceddo
Sein Chadde þe godeman was of Engelonde
Bissop he was of Leccesfeld as ich vnderstonde
He was sone after þulke tyme þat seint Austin com
And prechede verst in Engelonde & broȝte Cristendom
Aboute sixe hondred ȝer and sixty and tene
After þat oure Louerd Crist an eorþe aliȝte ich wene
Bissop he was of Leccesfeld as ich vnderstonde
He was sone after þulke tyme þat seint Austin com
And prechede verst in Engelonde & broȝte Cristendom
Aboute sixe hondred ȝer and sixty and tene
After þat oure Louerd Crist an eorþe aliȝte ich wene
Sein Chadde in Norþ Homber lond here by norþe was
Þe erche bissop of Euerwik deide þo by cas
Þe king Oswy was þo king of Norþ Homber lond
In sein Chadde þis godeman ech godnesse he vond
Erche bissop of Euerwik he ches him to be[o] þere
And sende him touward Kanterburi þat he ysacred were
He ne com noȝt to Kanterburi he ne hiede noȝt so bliue
Þat þe erchebissop of Kanterburi nas er of þis lyue
Þo wende he toward þe Marche to þe bissop Wyne
Þat was þo bissop of þe March to bringe þis to fine
Þe erche bissop of Euerwik deide þo by cas
Þe king Oswy was þo king of Norþ Homber lond
In sein Chadde þis godeman ech godnesse he vond
Erche bissop of Euerwik he ches him to be[o] þere
And sende him touward Kanterburi þat he ysacred were
He ne com noȝt to Kanterburi he ne hiede noȝt so bliue
Þat þe erchebissop of Kanterburi nas er of þis lyue
Þo wende he toward þe Marche to þe bissop Wyne
Þat was þo bissop of þe March to bringe þis to fine
So þat of þe bissop Wine ysacred he was þo
He wende him toward Euerwyk þo þis dede was ido
He vondede vaste niȝt & day þo he þuder com
To wardi wel Holy Churche and to holde up Cristendom
He ȝeode into al is bissopriche and prechede wel vaste
Muche of þat folk þoru is word to God hore herte caste
Al auote he wende aboute ne kepte he nanne prute
Riche man þei he were imad he tolde þerof lute
He wende him toward Euerwyk þo þis dede was ido
He vondede vaste niȝt & day þo he þuder com
To wardi wel Holy Churche and to holde up Cristendom
He ȝeode into al is bissopriche and prechede wel vaste
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Al auote he wende aboute ne kepte he nanne prute
Riche man þei he were imad he tolde þerof lute
Þe erche bissop of Euerwik ne kepte noȝt nou go
To prechi aboute inis vet ne anoþer noþemo
Hi rideþ up hore palfrei leste hi sperne hore to
Bote richesse & worles prute [] deþ Holi Churche wo
To prechi aboute inis vet ne anoþer noþemo
Hi rideþ up hore palfrei leste hi sperne hore to
Bote richesse & worles prute [] deþ Holi Churche wo
Suþþe þe bissop of þe March as God wolde was ded
Þe king Wolfri of þe March þer of nom is red
And into Norþ Homberlond is messageris he hadde
To þe king Oswy of þe lond þat he grante him sein Chadde
To be[o] bissop of Lichfeld and of al þe March also
So þat as oure Louerd it wolde þis dede was ido
Þe se was þo of bissops at Lecchfeld iwis
Þat þoru conseil of þe lond at Chestre nouþe is
Þe king Wolfri of þe March þer of nom is red
And into Norþ Homberlond is messageris he hadde
To þe king Oswy of þe lond þat he grante him sein Chadde
To be[o] bissop of Lichfeld and of al þe March also
So þat as oure Louerd it wolde þis dede was ido
Þe se was þo of bissops at Lecchfeld iwis
Þat þoru conseil of þe lond at Chestre nouþe is
Þis holy man aforcede him as he dude er byuore
To prechi þat folk of Iesu Crist þat þe soulen nere ilore
In is bare vet as he dude er aboute he wende þere
Þe men for is bocsomnesse þe bet byluued were
So þat monk þis holyman as God wolde bicom
And wiþ seue oþer freres þe abit of monk nom
A lite biside Lichfelde þere as was is ce
He let him makie a lite celle al in priuete
And wanne he hadde aboute igo & ipreched also
In þulke celle he wolde beo is ordre forto do
To prechi þat folk of Iesu Crist þat þe soulen nere ilore
In is bare vet as he dude er aboute he wende þere
Þe men for is bocsomnesse þe bet byluued were
So þat monk þis holyman as God wolde bicom
And wiþ seue oþer freres þe abit of monk nom
A lite biside Lichfelde þere as was is ce
He let him makie a lite celle al in priuete
And wanne he hadde aboute igo & ipreched also
In þulke celle he wolde beo is ordre forto do
Wanne þis holyman iseie þat þe weder were ouercast
Inabbe ihurd of noman þat so sore were agast
Wanne it þondred oþer liȝte he nuste ware be[o]
Ac as a man to seche help to chirche he wolde vle[o]
And ar he were atte weued he ne dorst nower bileue
And þare he wolde crie on God forte þe weder at ȝeue
Such drede he hadde at ech time of liȝting & þonder
Alle þat him wonede ney were þer of in wonder
So þat some men a day esste wi it were
And wy more þane oþer men he were in such fere
Inabbe ihurd of noman þat so sore were agast
Wanne it þondred oþer liȝte he nuste ware be[o]
Ac as a man to seche help to chirche he wolde vle[o]
And ar he were atte weued he ne dorst nower bileue
And þare he wolde crie on God forte þe weder at ȝeue
Such drede he hadde at ech time of liȝting & þonder
Alle þat him wonede ney were þer of in wonder
So þat some men a day esste wi it were
And wy more þane oþer men he were in such fere
Ȝe foles quaþ þis holiman lite wit ȝe sseweþ her
Ne rede ȝe noȝt þat sein Dauiþ seiþ inis sauter
Þat oure Louerd [send] þondre fram heuene & he þat hext is
Ȝaf is vois and sende is arwene aboute also iwis
Þe þondre is al oure Louerdes beome & as is dunt also
Þanne he þreteþ forto smite ac we nuteþ wanne he wol do
Liȝtinge beoþ is arwene þat fleoþ aboute wide
Þat wonder it is wanne hi vleoþ þat man der awer abide
He sent is oste forto smite and forto þretny ofte
To ssewy men wanne he smit þat is dunt nis noȝt softe
And þat men habbe in hore munde þe stronge day of dome
For is dunt worþ þanne strong inou as we aȝte þenche lome
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Þat oure Louerd [send] þondre fram heuene & he þat hext is
Ȝaf is vois and sende is arwene aboute also iwis
Þe þondre is al oure Louerdes beome & as is dunt also
Þanne he þreteþ forto smite ac we nuteþ wanne he wol do
Liȝtinge beoþ is arwene þat fleoþ aboute wide
Þat wonder it is wanne hi vleoþ þat man der awer abide
He sent is oste forto smite and forto þretny ofte
To ssewy men wanne he smit þat is dunt nis noȝt softe
And þat men habbe in hore munde þe stronge day of dome
For is dunt worþ þanne strong inou as we aȝte þenche lome
Wel aȝte we sunfol men of suche weder drede
Wanne þis holyman dude þat was of so holy dede
Wanne þis holyman dude þat was of so holy dede
Sein Chadde nadde bote to ȝer & an half vnneþe
Ibe[o] bissop at Lechfeld ar he drou toward deþe
A day he & frere Owyn a monk sete al one
In is celle and þe monkes at cherche were echone
Þo hurde hi þat swettost song þat euere was ifonde
In heuene hom þoȝte it bigan [] & com toward þe gronde
Al softe donward it com so þat it com so ney
Þat it aliȝte upe þe celle uppon þe coppe an hey
And half a tide it bileuede riȝt upe þe on celle
Of so murie melodie ne may no tonge telle
And suþþe toward heuene aȝen þat way it nom
Wyþ as murie melodie as it þuder ward com
Wel weste þo þis holyman hou it ssolde wiþ him gon
After al is monekes to churche he sende anon
He prechede hom to be[o] studeuast in oure Louerdes seruise
And louye & holde hore rule wel & hore ordre in alle wise
Forte it was oure Louerdes wille [] after him to sende
And fram hom þe seueþe day to heuene he moste wende
Ibe[o] bissop at Lechfeld ar he drou toward deþe
A day he & frere Owyn a monk sete al one
In is celle and þe monkes at cherche were echone
Þo hurde hi þat swettost song þat euere was ifonde
In heuene hom þoȝte it bigan [] & com toward þe gronde
Al softe donward it com so þat it com so ney
Þat it aliȝte upe þe celle uppon þe coppe an hey
And half a tide it bileuede riȝt upe þe on celle
Of so murie melodie ne may no tonge telle
And suþþe toward heuene aȝen þat way it nom
Wyþ as murie melodie as it þuder ward com
Wel weste þo þis holyman hou it ssolde wiþ him gon
After al is monekes to churche he sende anon
He prechede hom to be[o] studeuast in oure Louerdes seruise
And louye & holde hore rule wel & hore ordre in alle wise
Forte it was oure Louerdes wille [] after him to sende
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For angles him hadde þer byuore ibroȝt suche tiþinge
Forto veche him þe seueþe day & to þe ioie of heuene bringe
Þer after anon þis holyman in gret siknesse lay
And deide as he hadde ised riȝt þe seueþe day
& wiþ angles to heuene wende as he broȝte her tiþinge
Nou God for þe loue of him to þulke ioye us bringe
Forto veche him þe seueþe day & to þe ioie of heuene bringe
Þer after anon þis holyman in gret siknesse lay
And deide as he hadde ised riȝt þe seueþe day
& wiþ angles to heuene wende as he broȝte her tiþinge
Nou God for þe loue of him to þulke ioye us bringe
| The South English Legendary | |