University of Virginia Library

XXIX.—PLACIDAS.

As a gret doctore sais til ws,
lat penance is rycht perolouse;
for ilke man, quha tent wil to,
is oblyst lang penance to do.
for of mankynd thru brukilnes,
quhyle saule is presente in þe flesch,
men cesis seldine for to syne. [OMITTED]
to spedful pennance to begyne,
bot drawis It erare in to lynth,
til of his body falȝeis strinth.
for-þi we se ful mony end
quhen þai na mycht has til [a]mend;
for sum with seknes ar ouretane
þat þar amendis ma mak nan;
& sum deis but repentance
on syndry wyse ma fal perchance.
þar-for gud ware to do
penance til men had space þare-to,
& nocht, quhen he mycht syne nomare,
as quhen for elde he has quhyt hare,
or quhen hym falȝeis heryng,
or perauenture als seyng,
& his tetht waxis ȝalou with-al,
& as a barne of his hewid hare fal,
& his and waxis stinkand,
& his handis als tremland,
for þe thryd fut hym worthis þen
haf a potent hym on to len,
& quhen þat he waxis wery,
quheþir he sit, or gang, or ly.
þare-for happyn man is he
þat, befor he þire taknis se,
penance to do here wil begyne,
& in gud lasare mend his syne.
for it [is] sad in þe decre
at seldine quhene has god pyte
of þame þat synnis Ithandly.
for-[þi] to cese is na foly;
for he þat cesis nocht to syne
til þat it lewis hyme,
sal nothyr haf thang no mede
til lef, quhen he ma do na dede.
[i]n haly wryt I herde neuere rede,
sen I fyrst þare-to tuk hede,
þat man for Ioy to Ioy suld fare
for-oute It þat diseseful ware
as to þis fleschly delyt,
na ȝet þat man mycht haf meryt
for-out examinacione
& wardly tribulacione,
as seknes or disese sere
þat men tholis til þai are here. [OMITTED]
for wondir war [þat] man suld wyne
til hewine þat is chargit in syne,
as to þe treutht treuth of haly kyrk;
bot quhat he wil he ma wirk.
þar-by ensampil wil I tel
þat til a knycht quhil befel,
to quham god ferlifully
kythit his mychtis & his mercy,
be reknyng ewine a hundreth ȝere
fra criste wes born of mary dere.
of Rome emperoure wes ane
þane callyt sir Adryane,
to cristine treutht a fellon fa,
& mony cristine gert he sla.
& a knycht callit placydas
prynce of his knychted was,
þat wes man of gret pousté
of warldis gudis and dingnite,
& þare-with wycht and hardy,
wyse, lele, & rycht wordy;
&, as paianys, mad sacrifice
til ydolis in til syndry wyse;
nocht-þan þe dedis of mercy
he oysit to do Ithandly,
& gud wil had to do gud
til al man þat ned bestud;
& had a wyf of þe sammyne ryt,
þat to do mercy had delyt;
& twa barnis with hyre had he,
þat he gert wele fosteryt be.
& for he mercyful was,
he wane to way of suthfastnes.
& syne tyd a day, he went to hont
þe auld bestis, as he wes wont,
with mony knychttis & squyeris,
& mony hundis & hunteris,
& fand a gret herd of dere,
& presit to nycht þame nere.
þai war red & skalyt wyd,
& þame fast presit til hyd.
& as þe herd brokine was,
quha best mycht rane to þe chas,
& to þar lord heid tuk nan.
bot he fulfast be hyme [al]ane
þane chasit a gret hart,
þat fled fast, for he wes smert,
til a crag wonnyn he had
hye & schore, & þare abad.
& placydas with incre wil
presit fast to cum hym til;
bot he mycht nocht—sa strat þe place
wes quhare þe best bydand wes.
bot he saw betwen his tyndis brycht
a verray croice schenand lycht,
& one þat croice þe liknes
of Ihesu crist saw, mare na les.
þane spak þe hart to placydas,
as to balame quhil dyd his as—
bot sum men sais It is to lak
þat þe hart to þe knycht spak,
bot erar þat men suld treu
þat in hyme spak swet Ihesu—
& sad til hyme: “þu placydas,
quhat mowis þe me to chas?
& I for cause of þe apere
in-to þis best þat þu seis here;
þat I am crist I now þe say,
to quham vnwitynly ay
þou has enplesit, & has wele sene
hou þou has cherytabil bene
til al þame [þat] þu saw haf nede,
& helpyt þame in word & ded.
& þi gud dedis causis me,
as þou [me] huntis, to hont þe.
sa sal þu now wonnyn be,
& pas til hewine & wyn with me.”
quhene placydas [had] þis herd say,
he fel of hors but delay
til erde for abasitnes,
þo he wicht & hardy wes,
& lay stil ane oure nerehand
but steryng of fut ore hand;
& roydly rase syne, & can say:
“quhat þu art, tel me, I pray,
& opynly þi wil tel me,
gyf þu wil I treu in þe!”
quod crist: “I will þu treu
þat I ame crist þat spekis now,
þat mad al, bath hel & hewyn,
as me lykyt, in dais sewine,
& licht & merknes I can ma,
& syne departyt þam in twa,
& mad man of erde & clay,
sa þat he suld serwe me ay.
& quhen man for his gylt
brekand my byding hym-self spilt,
to succoure hyme I be-com man,
& fra ay-lestand ded hyme wan,
& for hyme deyt one þe croyce,
& ȝald þe gest þare with he voice.
syne don in a grawe [I] lay,
& rase one þe thryd day,
& passit in hewine & regnis now
with my fadyr—þis þu treu!”
þane sad he: “lord, wel I treu
þat þu þat spekis with me now,
is he þat mad has althing,
& me ma fra erroure brynge.”
þane sad god: “gyf þu treuis sa,
to þe byschope son þu ga,
& sa hyme, for þe luf of me,
þat in my nam he baptis þe.”
sad placydas: “lord, wil þu
þat my wyf howine be & treu,
& my twa sonnys alswa?”
til hyme þane sad he: “ȝa.
& quhen þu has my byding don,
to me þu cum to-morn but hown,
& I sal here apere þe til,
to lat þe wyt mare of my wil.”
& þane, as sir placydas
til his palace cumyne wes,
þat nycht with his wyf as he lay,
þe tale [al] hale he cane hyre say.
& quhen þat scho herde, scho wes fane,
& blythly sad til hyme agayne:
“trou, lord, þat ȝistir-nycht but were
þe sammyne to me can apere,
& sad to me: ‘I wil þu rath
& þi man & þi barnys bath
cum to me,’ & tald þe place,
quhare ȝe sad ȝe war at chas;
& þare-by treu I treuly now
þat he is verra crist Ihesu.”
þane he & scho & þe barnis twa
priwely to þe bischope of rom can ga,
& bad nocht þe dais lycht
bot priuely about mydnycht.
of þar cumyne þe pape wes blyth,
& baptist þame þane rycht swyth,
& hyme to nam gef eustace þene,
& til his wyf theospyten,
& his sonnis theospitum
to name gef & agypytum.
& one þe morne, in þe mornyng,
sir eustas, as he ware a king,
with gret effere & realte,
passit furth rycht þane in hye
to þe huntis ful mychtely,
with nobil men mony hym by.
& [quhen] he come nere þe place,
quhare crist to hyme schauyt his grace,
to do his thing in priwete
dressit hyme & þa[i]m anely to be,
& skalyt his men here & þare,
fenȝeand he wist þare gammyn ware,
til he belewit al hyme ane.
& to þe place is he gane
in gud deuocione and prayer,
til he com þe place nere,
& sa fel hyme wel to do
þat sic ane erand passit to,
as to spek with þat king
þat althing mad of nathing.
þan com he on to þe place but were,
quhare crist til hym first can apere [OMITTED]
in þe self fourme and fygure
in althing & portratoure,
as he [be]for til hyme had don.
þane fel he to þe erde son,
& a quhile abasit lay;
syne rase & þis can say,
makand to god his oryson
in ful gret deuocione,
& on his brest with oft knokyn,
& of his synnis repentyng,
as man of gud entencione,
with taknis of compuncion:
“lord Ihesu, gyf þi willis be,
þu opynly no[v] schau to me,
as þu me hicht, quhat sal I do!”
þane Ihesu mad ansuere hym to,
& sad til hyme on þis manere:
“fathful son to me & dere,
ful happy art þu now, eustace,
þat in þe watir of myn grace
has gert wesch þe, quhare-thru þou
þe fals feynd has ourcumyn nov,
þat slichtfully begylyt þe,
& is dishonoryt now thru þe,
& ourcumyne al vtrely;
blyth ma þu be for-þi!
& now þi treutht sal wel apere;
for þe feynd sal of sere manere
fand til ourcum þe on al wise,
for at þu lewit has his seruice,
with al his falset & his slycht.
for-þi mon þu, as stalawrt knycht,
to resist hym mak þe bown,
þat þu of Ioy ma wyn þe cron,
& wyne to þat herytag
þat to man I hicht & his lynag.
for-þi first mon þu lawit be
fra þe sicht of al wanyte,
& pryd, & wantones of wil,
sic rewarde to wyne til;
& syne sal þu cum to þe hycht
of gastly gud & hewynis lycht,
& bruk þat herytag but were,
þat we spak of a lytil here,
with gret Ioy & angel gle,
quhare euir-lestand glore sal be,
& eschewine of al payne,
þat men ma of think or sayne;
for inpossible is but dred
aduersite to be in þat sted
or ony kynd of displesance,
bot happy of al gud & habundans.
& se þat þu fal nocht,
na of þi first Ioy haf na thocht,
for þat þe behofis fayndit be
as wes Iob in sum degre,
& sa be þe I sal assay
quheþir þu be stedfast or nay.
bot quhen þu art mekit wele,
I sal cum to þe, drede na dele,
& to þi fyrst stat þe restore.
quheþir þu wil, tel me þarfore,
be fandit now & thole sic strife,
or at þe hending of þi lyf?”
quod eustace: “lord, gyf þat mon be,
in-to my ȝouthed fand þu me,
sa þat þu be my defence,
gyfand vertu of pacience!”
sad crist: “ay stedfast þu be,
for my grace sal wele helpe þe
þat þe feynd sal haf na powere
in ony thing þi sawle to dere.”
& quhen þis wes sad ewin,
god resawit hyme-self in hewin,
& eustas til his house can hald,
& þis tale al til his wyf tald.
þane wes þe feynd wondir wa,
þat placydas lewit hym sa
& ȝet on crist; þare-for he thocht
to reweng hyme, gyf he mocht,
& þar-to dide his payne hale
to bring hym to butlas bale.
& forton, þat wont wes quhile
as teyndir frend on hyme [to] smyle,
turnyt hyr bak one hym wrathly,
& hyme dissawit sudandly.
& with þat come hard pestilence,
quham agane wes na defence,
& al his douchty men sleu done,
quhare-euir þai war, in feld or ton,
bath knycht, squiare, page, & swane,
in lytil tyme clenly ware slane,
sa þat of al his worthi men
with hyme wes left nan lyfand þen,
þat mycht hyme ony seruice ma,
outane his wyf & barnis twa.
bot ȝet þane wes he nocht Irk,
þe fend, oure þis hym wa to wirk,
bot al his bestiale sleu in hy,
wyld hors & tayme, oxine & ky,
assis, mulis, schepe & swyne,
& syndry rulalis syne,
& alkine best quhat-euir it ware
þe feynd strak don in þat sithware.
& ȝet of þis he wes nocht content
Inucht, bot distroyt his rent,
& kist don castellis in hast,
& towne & tilth al mad wast,
sa þat of his wes hale na thing,
outane quhare he wes þe begyn[g].
þane þe feynd be his fals slycht
gert wykit men cum be nycht
& it ourtyrwit tyt & tolȝeit,
& of his tresoure hym dispoilyt,
& lewit hyme nocht of warldis gud
þat hym mycht fynd a day[is] fud.
na wondir wes þo he wes mad,
quhen he saw hym-self sa sted
þat wont wes til haf welful fare!
na wondir wes his hart wes sare!
þar-for with wyf & barnis twa
be nycht he of þe town can ga,
for schame þat þai poure war sen
þat in sa gret welth had bene.
for ded & pouerte seldine quhen
has frend, þat we suld kene.
for-þi he thocht he walde be
of egipe in þe cunctre,
& ydir sone hild þe way.
& quhen þe emperoure herd say
þat placydas wes priuely
went of þe town, & he ne wist quhy,
he wes anoyt, & mad wa,
& al þe hale senat alsa,
for sa gud a knycht as he
þai wist nocht quhare mycht fundyn be.
& al rom sa gret regret mad þane,
fra þai myssit þat worthi man,
þat for þame wes ay scheld & spere,
quhene ony mowit to þaim were,
& quhat-euir þai had to do
þe victory he brocht þame to.
bot eustace of þis had na thocht,
na of hyme-self bot lytil rocht,
bot for schame fast can fle
with wyf & barnis to þe se;
& fand a schipe til saile al ȝare,
& he in went but ony mare.
bot ay þe tyme þai war sayland,
ay wes þe schipmaster gowand
a-pon þe laydy brycht of ble,
& thocht scho suld his leman be.
& quhen þai to þe land ware brocht,
sir eustace þe fraucht had nocht
to pay for hym & his menȝe.
& quhen þe mastir þat can se,
he bad þe laydy suld be lacht,
& haldine with hyme for þe fracht.
bot sir eustace, þat wes wa,
wald nocht consent It suld be sa.
þane þe mastir wes angry,
& beknyt til his men in hy
to swak sir eustace in þe se,
þat he mycht brok þe laydy fre.
þan wes þe knycht wondir wa,
quhen hyme worth do ane of þa,
othyr for to tyne þe lyf
or depart þare fra his wyf.
bot I treu deme cuth nane
quhilk of þai suld erare be tane;
bot I treu he had als lef be ded
as lef his wyf but remed.
for-þi cuth nan tel half þe wa.
nocht-þan, war þaim neuir sa wa,
þe master cane þe laydy ta.
& eustace with drery chere
tuk his barnis þat ware hym dere,
& gretand sar sad: “wais me
þat losit has It þat lyf suld be
& al my solace & my blis!
hou suld I luf, & þat lele mys?”
syne wald he til his barnis sa:
“na war ȝour sak, but delay
I suld my-self here sla but mare,
& neuir a fut ga forthyrmare;
bot þane suld ȝe be tynt al quyt,
& for ȝou I suld ber þe wyt.
for-þi wa tyd is ȝou I-wis
þat ȝoure gud modir now mon mys.”
& ay with þis he held his gat,
of his wikyt werd makand regrat,
til he com til a watir-syd,
þat depe was & wele wyd,
sa þat he mocht ber but ane
of his barnis our þat fame,
for dut þai suld peryst be.
þar-for þe tane of þaim lewit he
on þat half on þe bank sittand,
thinkand to cum agane on hand,
& þe toþir on his bak lacht,
& bar hyme on our stracht,
& on þe farrere land hym set,
til he mycht his bruthir fet.
& þan a-gayn son he wod
rycht to þe mydis of þe flud,
til his vthyre son ay gowand
þat he lewit on þe land,
& saw a wold wolf hym ta,
& to þe forest with hyme ga.
& for he wes al wtrely
disparyt til helpe hym, in hy
he turnyt hym, & rath has sene
a lyon, þat wes bald & kene,
tak þe toþir & held his way.
þan wist he nocht quhat to do or say,
bot oft-tyme wes in to wil
hyme-self in-to þe flud to spil,
& dang his handis on his face,
& his flesch don cane rase,
þat he wes born þat sicht to se,
his barnis bath but helpe tynt be.
bot sa lang witlas stil he stud,
til þat nere he dronyt in þat flud,
gyf ne war god of his grace
sawit hyme in-[to] þat place.
& of þe bankis for þe hicht
of þe barnis he tynt þe sicht,
& wist na thing of þame mare,
bot wane to land with gret care.
thane leid þai hyme in-[to] þe ton
with gret Ioy and processione,
& prince of knich[t]ed hyme mad,
& doublit al at euire he had
in riches, rentis & in fee,
in his estat and dignite;
sa þat mare doublit wes his mycht
þane god befor til hyme had hicht.
þai prayt hyme to tak on hand,
as he was wont, to fend þat land;
& þare request he grantit son
for þe honoure þai had hym don.
& with awisment lukit he
quhat strinth of knychttis he mycht se:
& fand nocht sa fele in land
þat mycht þar fais with-stand.
þar-for send he fare & nere
to cyteis & tonys sere,
to ches men þat to manis sicht
lyk war to be manly & wicht.
& ymang vthyre þis mandment
com quhare his twa sonis lent,
þat of þat ton þai suld ches twa.
þan can þai son to consel ga;
& for þai twa ware lykest
for sic not to be þe best,
& fremmyt folk to þaim with-al,
gyf Il forton to þaim suld fal,
þare-for arayt þai þaim wele
in armis stith, mad of stele,
with al þe lawe þat þare-to lay,
& send þaim furth on þe way.
þane com þai in litil space
quhare þe prince of knychted wes,
þat beheld þame & thocht in hy
þat þai war abil & worthy
of theuys & of honeste;
for-þi knychttis he gert þaim be,
& menskit þaim with worthieste,
& perit þaim ay to þe beste.
syne went he to þe were in hy
with fele men, wicht & hardy.
& be assay men ma wele kene
þat gud chiften makis [gud] men;
for his men sic confor[t] had
þat þai durst do quhat þat he bad.
& quhen he com sa nere þat he
mycht his fais grathly se,
he sped hyme fast & with þaim facht,
& mony sleu & mony lacht,
& þe lawe chasit vtrely,
& reparyt with victory,
til he com til a ton, quhare he
with his oste restit dais thre.
þan hapnyt in þe sammyne toure,
quhare his wif mad surioure.
þane tyd of case þire ȝu[n]gmen twa
þar inys in þat house to ta,
quhare þare modir had gestnyng—
bot of hyr þa ne had knawing—
& sat percase & carpit sammyne,
quhilis of hernyst & quhilis of gammyn,
as ȝung men wil do for solance,
& als to mak þar acquintance.
& first þe eldast tald þe case
þat in ȝouthed hym hapnyt wes,
& sad: “I think wele hou-gat
my fadir, þat wes of gret stat,
& to name had sir placydas,
tuk my modir, þat fare was,
& my bruthir & me alsa,
& priuely of ton cane ga,
& wandryt furth with ws thre,
til he come rycht to þe se,
& a schipe redy fand,
& sailit to þe farrere land,
& my modir belewit þare,
bot of hyr hapny[n]g I wat no mare;
bot my fadir held on his way
with my bruthir & me ay,
til he com til a watir brad,
& oure it he my bruthir had,
& lewit me on þe bank, til he
suld com agan & bere oure me;
bot as he towart me cuth wad,
a gredy wolf hynt me but bad,
& to þe wod with me ran;
bot telemen, þat saw þat þane,
folouyt fast & gert hym fle,
& hynt me vpe & hame had me,
& fosterit me wele alway.”
þane can þe todir ȝung man say:
“to me is [tyd] þe sammyne case:
for my fadyr [wes] sir eustace,
þat my bruthyr, my deme, & me,
þat na man wust, brocht to þe se
& saylyt oure; & þar hyme tynt
his wyf; bot his barnis he hynt
& walkit furth with drery mude,
til he com til a mykil flude,
þat he durst nocht wad with vs bath,
bot my bruthir set don rath,
& bar me oure þe flud, til he
mycht pas agayne & bring hym me,
my bruthyre þat he lewit þare.
& a lyone in þat sythware
oure-set in his mouth hynt me,
& to þe wod fast can fle.
bot hyrdis, þat nere ware by,
hyme folouyt in to gret hy,
& wane me fra þe fel lyone,
& had me with þam in þe ton,
quhar þu seis þai telmen duellis.
of my bruthyr I wat nocht ellis;
bot be þe tale þu tellis me,
lyk war my bruthyr þou suld be.
bot ferly haf I hou It befel
þat we in a ton suld duel
þis lang tym & nan ken vthyre,
as witty man suld do his bruthir.”
þane ran it þaim bath in mynd
thru inclinacion of kynd,
þat þai ware brethyre; & for-þi
þai gret bath richt teyndirly,
& in armis vthyre cane brase,
& kissit oft, & sad: “allace!”
for tynsale of þare fadir wicht
& of þare modir, þe lady brycht.
þar modir þan, þat wes nere by,
& herd al þane opynly,
hou þai recordyt þe case
þat to þare fadir hapnit wes,
scho held stil a quhile, & thocht
quheþir þai hyr barnis war or nocht.
& one þe morn scho went in sped
to þe gret maister of þe knychtede,
& sad: “dere lord, I pray þe
for godis sak þu ger me
be had to rome: for þine com hy
& is brocht here I ne wat quhy.”
& as scho spak þis hyme til,
scho hyme beheld with incre wil,
& be syndry taknis cane se
þat hyre awn housband wes he.
for-þi scho don [fel] til his fet,
& out scho brast son of gret,
& sad: “dere lord, I pray þe
for goddis sak þu tel me
quhat man þu was in þi ȝouthed,
& quhat stat þu can led;
for me think þu art placydas,
þat of knychted maistir was,
& syne at fontstane eftir þat
to þi name eustace gat,
& tholyt syne be godis wil
fayndingis, þat war hard & il,
& lewit hale þi possession,
þi honour & þi renown,
& with þi wyf went priuely
out of þe land. & þat am I,
& syne quhen we com to þe se,
agane þi wil wes tan fra þe;
bot god of his habundand grace
but filth of syne me kepit has.
& þu my husband with me gat
twa sonnis, & ane hat
theospitus, & þe tothyre
agapitus, þat wes his bruthyre.”
quehen eustace herd al þat scho
sad, he beheld hyr to,
& wist wel scho wes his wyf,
þat he lufit richt as his lyf.
he gat hyr son a-bout þe [h]als
& kissit, & for Joy gret als.
& scho hyme in þe sammyn wyse
gretand, kissit a hundir cyse,
of[t] lowand god þat sa cuth wirk
for þame, þat sorow had mad Irk,
& eftyr fanding þat cuth say
brink his seruandis out of way.
& I treu wele nan cuth say
þe encre Ioy [þat] þane had þay;
for þai gud liffaris war, I wene,
& lang tyme had nocht vthyr sene,
& syne to-gyddyr vnwittandly
þame tyd to met sudanly.
I treu, þar be na liffand mane
cane tel þe Ioy [þat] þai had þane!
& þis betyd of ȝeris twa
þat þai had bath Ioy & wa.
þane, be hyr hart wes hesit sa
þat scho mycht ony word furth ta,
scho sad til hyme: “der lord, wit þu
of oure sonnis quhat is tyd now?”
“ȝe,” sad he, “be godis macht
I saw qu[h]are wild bestis þaim lacht,
& to þe wod fast with þaim ran,
forout rescourse of ony man”—
& tald hyr al þe manere hou,
as befor I tald ȝou to.
þane sad scho: “I red [þat] we
ȝeld thank to god of maieste;
for rycht as he has lent ws grace
for to se vþir his face,
sa ma he send [til] ws but wene
our barnis, þat we haf nocht sen
lang tyme.” “Deme, I can þe say
þat wild bestis bare þaim away.”
sad scho: “sir, I pray ȝou, blyne!
for ȝistyrday in myn In
as I set, I herd ȝung men twa
be þame ane forout ma
Ilkane til vthyr planly tel
þe wik[it] forton þame befel,
& hou in þare barnede þai
with wyld bestis war had away.
þane þare fadir can gretly men,
& þar modir oft but wene,
with mony vthyr wordis sere.
þar-by I wat but ony were
þat þai our barnis are. for-þi
gerris þame cum & ask in hy
þe suth, & be þame sal ȝe treu,
þat god has send þaim til ws nov.”
& as scho said, he did but bad;
& be þar taknis grath wit had
þat þai war his twa sonnis dere.
a lord! hou blith þan wes his chere
quhen he saw þaim with his ene,
þat he wend bestis met had bene!
& þame in armis he hynt,
& þar modir, or scho stynt,
& kissit of[t], & gret alsa,
bath for gret Ioy & for wa.
& quhen þe gret ost hard record
al þat tyd wes to þare lord,
& for þe wictory he mad
of þar fais, gret Ioy [þai] had.
thare as þai war suyornand,
in gret hast com tyþand
þat traiane emperour wes ded
& adriane in til his sted
wes chosine, þat was mykil ware
to cristine men þan he, be fere.
bot he þat þan, as custome wes,
went to met sir placydas,
with þame of rom, beuth þe ton,
with honorabil processione,
& hyme resawit Ioyfully,
nocht anerly for þe wictory
of þar fele fais at he wan,
bot for he had recoueryt þane
bath wyf & barnis he tynt had,
& þane fundine ware but bad.
& rom in þis wyse
þai enterit, as I herd dewyse.
ay god! quhat Ioy in rom was,
quhen þai had gottyn sir placydas!
for þame thocht þai had no dout
of fais, war þai neuir sa stout.
for-þi þai sat hale þar cure
til worschipe hyme & til honoure.
þane mycht be sad of hyme rycht
as of Iob, þat to mare hicht
of riches & of honour wan,
þane befor hyme fandit sathan.
sa tyd of eustace; for he,
eftyr fandinge, of mar degre
wes & of mycht & of riches
be fer cyse mar þan first he wes;
for god, þat can do quhat he wil,
þat he had hicht hym can fulfil.
sone eftir [þat] sir adriane
thocht sir placydas ȝet had nocht tane
honour Inuch; for-þi gert he
cal hyme with solempnite
til het with hyme in-[to] his hal,
& wyf & barnis with hym al,
& mad þaim richt wele to fare,
& al þe lawe þat with þaim ware,
& gaf hyme mony gyftis gret,
hyme & his menȝe to rehet.
& eftyr [þat] on þe thrid day
he gert cri but mare delay,
al suld be gadryt gret & smal
in-to þe tempil principal,
til ydolis to sacrify
for honoure of victory,
þat placydas ham brocht had
eftyr þe trawal þat he mad.
& quhen al com, & one þat wyse
til ydolis mad sacrifice,
þe emperoure persauit has
þat þare com nocht sir placydas.
for-þi he send for hyme [al]-son,
& bad hyme cum but ony hon,
& sacrify, as vthire did,
for þe gret honoure hym betyd.
þan come eustace, & sad clere,
& sad: “sir, I sacrify but were
to Ihesu crist, my god werray
& anely god is, I þe say,
þat al þis warld mad of nocht,
Hel & hewine, as hym gud thocht.”
þane wes þe emperoure rycht wa
þat he herd eustace sa say,
& commandit his men ful rath
to tak hym, wyf, and barnis bath,
& bynd þame in a place quhare þai
one na maner mycht chape away,
& lyons loss lat to þaim ga,
þat rathly suld þaim ryf in twa.
& quhen þai don had as he bad,
& þe lyons losit hade,
to þaim suyth in a ras þai rane,
& to þar fet fel done þane,
as for til honoure þaim mekly;
syne held þare way deliuerly.
syne gert þe emperoure be mad
vndir þe ox of bras but bad
a mykil fyr of matir sere.
& quhen it brynnand wes al clere,
he gert þir foure in be don,
in hope þai suld be ded son.
bot þai þare-of na redur had,
but enterit in, & gud chere mad,
commendand þaim to god mychtty,
þat þar saulis þan in hy
resawit, & þame reward mad,
as befor he to þame sad.
þan eftyr [þat] þe thryd day
þe emperour com til assay
In hou smal poudir þai ware mad.
& quhen þai þe ox hopynit had,
þai saw þaim on þar kneis stand,
as þai quyk ware, to god lowand,
for-out weme in hyd or har,
bot fresch as euir þai ware,
outakine þat þai ware al ded.
þane tuk men þaim of þat sted.
& cristine men com þat same nycht
& for þai martiris can dicht
Ful reuerently fare sepulture,
& layd þaim in with gret honour;
& eftyre in process of tyme
mad þar a kirk of stane & lyme,
quhare þai sanctis restis ay,
& sal do to domyse-day,
& þane resawe þe cron of lyf,
þat þai wan here in gret strif,
as is befor sad in þis buk,
gyf ȝe tent þar-to tuk.
for-þi to þaim foure I pray,
agane þe feynd strif I may,
out of þis warld þat I wyne
but schame, det, & dedly syne.