 | The South English Legendary |  |
De sancto Grigorio
Sein Gregori þe confessour in Cisile was ibore
In holynesse he ladde is lif þat is soule nere ilore
God clerk he was & god prechor in Cisile he let rere
Sixe abbeies of monekes in a vewe ȝere
Þe seueþe he let rere in þe cite of Rome
Þere he and many wiþ him þe abit of monekes nome
In so gret fastinge he was and so lite he wolde ete
Þat al þe wille he hadde forlore of drinke & of mete
For defaute he ssolde raþer deiȝe þanne be[o] ofhongred ene
To fastinge he was so iwoned is lif was so clene
Wel selde for al is feblesse idel he wolde be[o]
Þat me ne ssolde him Godes seruise rede oþer singe yse[o]
Oþer write oþer telle oþer rimes þerof make
Oþer he wolde bidde is beden þe wile he miȝte wake
In holynesse he ladde is lif þat is soule nere ilore
God clerk he was & god prechor in Cisile he let rere
Sixe abbeies of monekes in a vewe ȝere
Þe seueþe he let rere in þe cite of Rome
Þere he and many wiþ him þe abit of monekes nome
In so gret fastinge he was and so lite he wolde ete
Þat al þe wille he hadde forlore of drinke & of mete
For defaute he ssolde raþer deiȝe þanne be[o] ofhongred ene
To fastinge he was so iwoned is lif was so clene
Wel selde for al is feblesse idel he wolde be[o]
Þat me ne ssolde him Godes seruise rede oþer singe yse[o]
Oþer write oþer telle oþer rimes þerof make
Oþer he wolde bidde is beden þe wile he miȝte wake
Þe pope is godnes vnderȝet þei he þerof were stille
At Rome he made him cardinal al aȝen is wille
So holy he was and wis in þoȝt and so riȝtfol in dede
Þat þe conseil of Holy Churche muche was inis rede
At Rome he made him cardinal al aȝen is wille
So holy he was and wis in þoȝt and so riȝtfol in dede
Þat þe conseil of Holy Churche muche was inis rede
Out of is paleis in a day þis holyman gan wende
So þat he vond marchans in Rome wiþ merceri wel hende
To sulle hy ladde ek in hor lond wel swete children þre[o]
Vairore þinges þanne hi were ne dorste nomon ise[o]
Þis holyman faste hom byhuld an stonde he gan astonde
He esste wat þe children were and of wuche londe
Þe marchans sede Engliss hi beoþ & of Engelond inome
Such is þe kunde of alle men þat of þulke londe beoþ icome
So þat he vond marchans in Rome wiþ merceri wel hende
To sulle hy ladde ek in hor lond wel swete children þre[o]
Vairore þinges þanne hi were ne dorste nomon ise[o]
Þis holyman faste hom byhuld an stonde he gan astonde
He esste wat þe children were and of wuche londe
82
Such is þe kunde of alle men þat of þulke londe beoþ icome
Wel aȝte sede þe godeman þat lond be[o] god & riche
Þe men beoþ wel Englisse ycluped for hy beoþ englise iliche
Ȝif þe lond is such as þe men name it haþ by riȝte
Engliss lond it aȝte be[o] and engliss þer on aliȝte
And suche men aȝte in heuene be[o] engliss yuere
Þo esste he wat bileue in Engelond were
Þe men beoþ wel Englisse ycluped for hy beoþ englise iliche
Ȝif þe lond is such as þe men name it haþ by riȝte
Engliss lond it aȝte be[o] and engliss þer on aliȝte
And suche men aȝte in heuene be[o] engliss yuere
Þo esste he wat bileue in Engelond were
Þe marchans sede al Engelond is pur heþenesse
Alas quaþ þis holyman alas þe sorinesse
Þat þe maister of derke helle habbe ssel in poere
A lond fol of so vair folk þat aȝte be[o] engliss vere
He wende aȝen into is paleis wiþ wel dreri chere
And carede þat Engelond to Cristendom ibroȝt nere
Alas quaþ þis holyman alas þe sorinesse
Þat þe maister of derke helle habbe ssel in poere
A lond fol of so vair folk þat aȝte be[o] engliss vere
He wende aȝen into is paleis wiþ wel dreri chere
And carede þat Engelond to Cristendom ibroȝt nere
Atte comun conseil in a day sein Grigori aros sone
Þe pope he bad & þe cardinals to granty him anne bone
Þat hi him sende into Engelond to prechi Cristendom
Þe pope wiþ is cardinals gret conseil þerof nom
Gret danger hy made to granti hit ac euere he bad so uaste
Þat hy nemiȝte weorne no leng ac grantede attelaste
Þe pope he bad & þe cardinals to granty him anne bone
Þat hi him sende into Engelond to prechi Cristendom
Þe pope wiþ is cardinals gret conseil þerof nom
Gret danger hy made to granti hit ac euere he bad so uaste
Þat hy nemiȝte weorne no leng ac grantede attelaste
Glad was þo sein Grigori ne abod he namore
He wende touward Engelond to prechi Godes lore
Anon so he was forþ iwend ymist he was anon
Þat folk to þe pope wende and gradde on him echon
As he to seinte Peteres ministre wende in a daye
Hi sede þou þengst wiþ þy conseil al Rome bitraye
He þat held up þe honur of Rome þou hast him henne isend
Bote þu him lete of sende sone al Rome is issend
He wende touward Engelond to prechi Godes lore
Anon so he was forþ iwend ymist he was anon
Þat folk to þe pope wende and gradde on him echon
As he to seinte Peteres ministre wende in a daye
Hi sede þou þengst wiþ þy conseil al Rome bitraye
He þat held up þe honur of Rome þou hast him henne isend
Bote þu him lete of sende sone al Rome is issend
Þe pope hadde loue eiȝe gret of þat þe folk sede
Sein Grigori he let of sende þoru þe cardinales rede
He nas nower ney atte se ar me him of sende
Wiþ wel dreri chere þis holyman aȝen wende
As God it wolde þer afterward sone it dude byualle
Þat þe pope out of þis worlde wende as we ssolleþ alle
Þe bissop and þe cardinals & al þe conseil of Rome
Forto cheose a nywe pope wel streit conseil nome
Hi hete þat echmon of þe conseil eche day ssolde uaste
And in bedes biniȝt [&] day ȝif oure Louerd attelaste
Eny signe hom wole sende ȝif eny worþe were
In Rome pope forto be[o] Cristen men to lere
Sein Grigori he let of sende þoru þe cardinales rede
He nas nower ney atte se ar me him of sende
Wiþ wel dreri chere þis holyman aȝen wende
83
Þat þe pope out of þis worlde wende as we ssolleþ alle
Þe bissop and þe cardinals & al þe conseil of Rome
Forto cheose a nywe pope wel streit conseil nome
Hi hete þat echmon of þe conseil eche day ssolde uaste
And in bedes biniȝt [&] day ȝif oure Louerd attelaste
Eny signe hom wole sende ȝif eny worþe were
In Rome pope forto be[o] Cristen men to lere
In orisons þo hi hadde ibe[o] þreo dawes & þre[o] niȝt
In an hurne of a chapel hi seie swuþe gret liȝt
Þat stod as it a piler were into heuene upriȝt
Hy ne seie noþing neuer er so cler ne so briȝt
Þo hi þe place come to vnder þe liȝt hy fonde
Þe holyman sein Grigori plat yfalle to gronde
For werinesse of orisons he lay as in a swoddringe
Þat folk bigan to herie God & loude hi gonne singe
In an hurne of a chapel hi seie swuþe gret liȝt
Þat stod as it a piler were into heuene upriȝt
Hy ne seie noþing neuer er so cler ne so briȝt
Þo hi þe place come to vnder þe liȝt hy fonde
Þe holyman sein Grigori plat yfalle to gronde
For werinesse of orisons he lay as in a swoddringe
Þat folk bigan to herie God & loude hi gonne singe
Hy nome þis holyman and made him pope anon
Swete was þat heuene liȝt þat upe him þere sson
Wel he weste Cristendom holy lif he ladde
Of þe misbileue of Engelond gret care & deol he hadde
Seint Austin was þo a monk him & oþer he nom
And sende hom into Engelond to prechi Cristendom
So longe þat þis holymen hore wille hadde atte ende
Þat þe folk alaboute to Cristendom gan wende
Þoru þe lore of sein Grigori þat hider sende is sonde
Þer uore me clupeþ him in holy bok apostel of Engelonde
For he us sende Cristendom we vseþ alonde ȝute
To sette in is day children to lore þe wile hi beoþ lute
Þat hi mote is grace habbe þulke lore to wite
Þat he us sende bi seint Austin & neuere forȝute
Wel aȝte Cristen men him louie þat to riȝte bileue hom broȝte
Moni vair miracle vor is loue oure Louerd an eorþe wroȝte
Muche volk þer was in Rome þat in gode bileue nere
Ne biluuede noȝt þat þe sacringe oure Louerdes licame were
Þer vore sein Grigori þe pope prechede hom a day
And ssewede þer of vair miracle þat ech of hom ysay
Of oure Louerdes fleyss a lite he brak tofore hom als hi stode
Hit bicom a lite childes finger al vrnynge ablode
Þus oure louerd sein Grigori pope was in Rome
And þoru him her in Engelond to Cristendom we come
Bidde we him wiþ gode heorte apostel of Engelonde
Þat he tovore oure Louerd Crist our neode vnderstonde
Swete was þat heuene liȝt þat upe him þere sson
Wel he weste Cristendom holy lif he ladde
Of þe misbileue of Engelond gret care & deol he hadde
Seint Austin was þo a monk him & oþer he nom
And sende hom into Engelond to prechi Cristendom
So longe þat þis holymen hore wille hadde atte ende
Þat þe folk alaboute to Cristendom gan wende
Þoru þe lore of sein Grigori þat hider sende is sonde
Þer uore me clupeþ him in holy bok apostel of Engelonde
For he us sende Cristendom we vseþ alonde ȝute
To sette in is day children to lore þe wile hi beoþ lute
Þat hi mote is grace habbe þulke lore to wite
Þat he us sende bi seint Austin & neuere forȝute
Wel aȝte Cristen men him louie þat to riȝte bileue hom broȝte
Moni vair miracle vor is loue oure Louerd an eorþe wroȝte
Muche volk þer was in Rome þat in gode bileue nere
Ne biluuede noȝt þat þe sacringe oure Louerdes licame were
84
And ssewede þer of vair miracle þat ech of hom ysay
Of oure Louerdes fleyss a lite he brak tofore hom als hi stode
Hit bicom a lite childes finger al vrnynge ablode
Þus oure louerd sein Grigori pope was in Rome
And þoru him her in Engelond to Cristendom we come
Bidde we him wiþ gode heorte apostel of Engelonde
Þat he tovore oure Louerd Crist our neode vnderstonde
| The South English Legendary | |