University of Virginia Library

XXXII.—IUSTIN.

The takyne of þe verray croice
ws by[r]d to luf in hart & voice,
quhare-on Ihesu criste cane hynge
of fre wil, for oure ransomnynge,
& thru þat croice mad vndirloute
þe feynd, þat almen aw to dout,
sa þat, quhare-[sa]-euire he
þe takyne of þe croice ma see,
he man fle nedway magre his;
for þat takine sa red he is.
nocht anerly be cristine men
þat he is red þare-for, we kene,
bot be þe Iow forout nay,
þat in feld chapel lay
ourtane be merknes of nycht,
& of sa feyle fendis hade sicht,
þat for rednes he wes nere wod;
bot þane, for þe takine of þe rud
he mad on hyme, as he had sene
cristine men, þat rud had bene,
& thocht he vntrewful was,
ȝet wes he sawit nocht-þe-les.
& a[l]s It may be brocht to mynd
of ysachiel in þe nynd
chapiter, quhare-in men may
þe vertu of þe croice werray.
bot, [þo] þat it be gud to here,
It is lang & I ame suere.
& als þare-[of] is mad mencione
in þe lewint distinccion
of þe decre for-out were
in þe sext chapitere.
& als of þat takine ma we
In þe fynding of it-self see,
hou constantyne had ourcumyne
of þat takine be þe schewynge.
þe quhilk to wryt here lef I,
for it is a wele lang story.
& in þe exaltacione
of þe croice is mad mencione
hou eraclius þe emperoure
of þe croice thru þe fygure
þe son of cosdre slew in ficht,
nocht-gandstandine his gret mycht,
& cosdre hyme-selfe syn slew he;
& syne eftir þe croice wane he.
bot þocht to here it ware delyte,
þis story ware lang to wryt.
crystofer & theodera
to þis a verra prowe ma may,
þat þar is na defence sa gude
as is þe takine of þe rude.
as I sal here by a tale tel
of a maydine hou it befel
þat sere feyndis chasit hir fra,
& þe self master-fend alsa,
þat to fande hir did þer mycht,
bot of þat takine be þe sycht.
[c]ypriane lewit nocht þare-with-all,
bot ane vthir feynd can call;
þe quhilk, quhen he com hyme til,
sad: “frend, I kene hale þi wil
& þe vnmycht of my compere,
þat to spede had na powere;
bot I sal al his fawt supple,
& to þi purpos weile bryng þe:
for I sal wond hyr hart rycht sare
throw lust of lichery but mare,
& scho sal cum to þe þis nycht
to do þi wil; þat I þe hicht.”
& þar-with went he on his way
& come to Iustine but delay,
& mad hyr persuacione
of hyre saule [to] þe confusione,
sa fere as scho wes in wil
vnlesum lust [for] to fulfil.
bot thru helpe of þe haly geste
scho vm[be]thocht hyre in [til] haste,
þat It a foule fandyng was
to gere hyre grant to fyle hir flesch;
þar-for on hyre scho can lay
þe takyne of þe croice verray,
commendant [hir] to criste Ihesu,
& þare-with dispytuisly blew
on þe flatrand fend, þat na mycht
had, fra he had sene þat sicht,
bot as a reke away he wat,
& to cypriane come fut hat,
þat sad til hyme: “quhy has þou nocht,
as þu sad, þe maydine brocht?”
sad he: “at hyre haf I bene,
& one hyre sic a takine sene
þat me has mad nere out of wit,
sen I on hyre fyrste saw It;
for my crafte mycht nocht awale,
bot tynt has al hale myn trawele.”
hou of[t] þat þai hir fandyng made,
for scho hyre croysit but abade,
& þan ware þai fullely schent,
& fore rednes fra hyre went,
& come to cypriane alsone,
& tald hyme al how þa had don,
bot nocht, to do as þai had mynt,
bot vtrely þare trawale tynt;
for a takine scho on hyre made,
þat þaim discomfyt but abade;
na til hyre durste þai cum nomare;
for þat takine so red þai ware.
bot scho, of þis þat wiste nocht
bot one god set al hyre thocht,
gef lowyng to hevinis king,
þat kepyt hyre in sic fanding.
bot cypriane ȝet þan but were
in his foly cane perseuere,
& in his thocht trawalit & het;
for he mycht nocht his wil get.
bot thinkand ȝet he wald prowe
þe sufferande helpe for his be[h]owe,
þe principale of dewilis al,
selfe satan, cane he cal,
þat but bad come hyme til,
& sad: “now, quhat is þi wil?”
quod he: “quhare is al ȝoure vertu?
for I ne helpe can fynde in ȝow,
bot granttis al [þat] þai ma nocht
gere my desyre til ende be brocht,
bot are discumfit schamefully
thru a ȝung maydine anerly,
& be a takine þat þai se
apone hir, as þai sa [to] me.
þare-for me think I haf Il set
my tyme on ȝou, þat ma nocht get
sa smal a thing as þis to me,
þat seruis ȝou in al degre
sen I firste cuth spek ore ga.”
þe maister dewil can ansuere ma,
& sad: “frend, disese þe nocht!
for þi ȝarnynge sal be wrocht,
& þai þat failyt, sal haf schame,
til helpe þe, & mekil blame.
þare-for my-self on wil fare
& with feile feuir wond hire sare,
& als gere hir as fire bryne;
sic lustful het sal be hir in,
& eftyr hyr stirke sal I
nere wodnes & frenesy,
& fantyse als ferly sere
til hyre als I sal gere apere,
til scho, for al hir mekil slycht,
sal to þe cum þis ilke nycht.”
þene þe feynd þe forme tuk
of a maydine, as sais þe buke,
& to hyre come but delay,
& sat done, & syne þis can say:
“[g]wde cystire, I ame cumyne here,
of þi gudnes for I here
in sere placis be spokine ay,
& had ȝarnyng til assay,
quhethire it sa be ore nocht;
þar-for to þe here I hafe socht,
in mykill wil to duell with þe,
as þu dois, in chastyte.
fore be gud resone I cane feile
þat maistry is to kep it wele;
for manis kynd it mon excede
here lifand to kepe madynehede,
bot, quha-sa here ma luf chaste
thru steryng of þe haly gaste,
is fare lykare for to be
angelis þane manis kynd, parde.
& gyf percase ony mocht
kepe maydine in ded & thocht,
þan wald I wit quhat rewarde
he suld haf þarfor eftirwarde?”
quod Iustine: “rycht grete is þe mede,
& þe trawale smal but drede
in regarde of þat lestand blis,
þat nane cane tel hou gret [it] is,
þat god sal gyf til his dere,
þat thankful seruice makis hym here.”
quod þe feynd: “þu tel me It.
þat oft is rede in haly wryt,
hou god, quhen adame wes made,
of a bane of his syd but bade
eve he mad, quhen he slepand lay,
to be his mak, & syne can say
‘beis sammyne, & grew, & multyply,
& with þe froyt of ȝoure body
fillis þe erde, & it wyne,
& bruk al thing þat is þare-in!’
be his spek lyk is þane
þat man to fere suld haf woman,
& woman in þe sammyne degre
suld man haf hyre make to be,
for þe sawyng of þare sede,
þat þare o[f]spryng mycht grew in brede.
for gyf sic mellyng suld nocht be
for kepynge of verginite,
al kynd of man but ony were
suld falȝe in a hundre ȝere,
& sa wes tynt godis makyne,
& alsa brokine ware his bydinge.
& ȝet wil men se neuir-þe-les
in þe law god gef moyses,
waryit ar þai callit þare
þat had na barne bot barane ware.
þa[r]for I trew, quha precis maste
til þai life to be chaste,
sal godis byding brak, & sa
be demyt til hel & yddir ga.
þar-for, gud cystir, I drede me,
gyf we kepe virginite,
goddis bydynge sal we brak,
þat one oure saulis sal it wrak.
sa quhare we trew mede to take,
sal [we] vndirly godis wrake.”
þe feynd sic perswacione
to Iustine mad, as [wes] resone,
þat he gert hyr haf thochtis thra
hyr chastite to fal fra.
in lychory sa hyre thocht
enflammyt þat nere wantit nocht
na redy scho wes to ga
with þe feynd, þat hir fandit sa,
& in-to purpose to fulfil
It þat scho wes entysit til.
bot god þane schawit his grace
til hyr, þat sa-gat fandit was;
quhare-throw scho cane persawe wele
þat þe entysare wes þe dewil,
þat spak til hyre sa slichtfully
for to dissawe hyr cowartly.
& þan þe croice on hyre scho made;
& [he], as he reke bene hade,
ful sodenely wanyste away;
& scho of seknes but delay,
þat in hyr before cane apere,
rycht þane wes mad hale & fere.
the feynde, þat saw he mycht nocht þan
eschewe, þe schape of a ȝung man
tuk, & come but [mare] delay
in þe chawmir quhare Iustine lay,
& in hys armys sone hyre hynt,
for to kyse hyr he nocht stynt,
& syne becuth vnschamefully
to diffule hyre thru lychery.
bot scho, þat þersawinge hade
It wes a feynd sic mastry made,
foret, briste, and hyr body
with þe croice scho taknyt in hy;
& he sonnere but delay
meltit þane wax in fyre away.
þane, tholand god, hyre he can saile
with felone feuere & gret trawale,
þat mad hyre sa falow & fade
þat nerhand dede wes scho made.
& til eke hyre perplexite,
he mad sic a mortalyte
in antioche of beste & man,
þat mycht nocht be estymyt þane,
& gert wod men oft rare & cry,
bot þat Iustine in til hy
gef hyr consent to wedit be,
sone peryst sal be þe cyte.
þane þai, þat saw þis pestilence,
& trewit scho mycht mak defence,
Come til hyre fadir house in hy,
& one hyme fast can gret & cry,
prayand hyme for þare saufte
þat Iustine son suld wedit be,
or ellis suld þat fellon clade
confonde þe cyte but abade.
bot scho ne wald consent þertil,
fore fayre na lath, gud na Il.
þarfor gudmen of þe towne,
doutande sa harde confusione,
in yre come til hire fadir in,
in entent it al to bryne,
bot gyf, to bryng þaim out of care,
his douchtir sonnare wedit ware.
þane prayt scho god þare increly;
& he hyr herd sodendely,
& gert cese þat mortalyte
bath in land & in cyte.
þe feynde, seande he ne mocht
oure-cum Iustine, as hym thocht,
thocht to fyle hyre gud name,
& sclandir hyr, & gere thol scham.
& for to dissawe cypriane,
þe fourme of hyre has he tane,
sa þat he in al degre
wes lyke Iustine for to be,
& come rynnande to cypriane
& hyme a-bout þe hals has tane.
& he, wenand it sa ware,
sad: “wel-cum, my hart dere,
fayreste woman & but blame!”
& as þe feynde herde hir name,
he had na langare mycht to byde
bot fled as reke & can hym hyde.
þane cypriane persawit wele
þat he wes scornyt ilke dele,
& in hart [he] had gret care,
& lufit Iustine fere þe mare.
fore-þi he wald sere fourmys ta,
quhare thru he mycht hir nerreste ga;
quhile foule, quhile woman, of þe slicht
of his falshed, & of þe nycht
walk fore hyr sak; bot quhene he
pressit at hyre Inis for to be,
his feyndis fourme wes son [un]hyde,
& he fore cypriane wes kyde.
þe feynd, þat wist þane þat he
wes oure-cumyne in al degre,
with gret schame his way is gane,
& aperit til cypryane,
& sad til hyme son: “hou now?
me think ourecumyne is þu!
wrechis, quhare is ȝoure mycht,
quhare is ȝoure poware & ȝoure slicht,
þat ȝe cane nocht a maydine ȝyng,
as ȝe haf hicht, on me to bryng?
tel me þare-fore, I pray þe þis,
quhare-in hyre mekil uertu is.”
þane sad þe feynde: “sa þat þu
to me wil suere ane ath now,
þat þu sal neuir fra me depart
thru gyle na thru ony arte,
I sal tel þe opynely
þe vertu of al hyre victory.”
þane sad til hyme cypriane:
“hou I sal suere, þu tel one ane!”
“suere be my vertuise, þat gret are,
þat þu sal neuir fra me fare,
& I sal hale discouer to þe
quhare-in scho ourecumis me.”
þane cypriane bad na langere,
bot þat sammyne ath cane til hym suere
þat he askit. & þe feynd þane
wend he traste wes of þe man,
sad hyme: “þat maydine mycht had nan
for til resiste agayne sathane,
outane a takine scho on hir ay
makis þat me fleis away.”
“þe takine now þu tel to me,
for of me þu art traste, parde;
for in sum parte ma assith me
of þe lang seruice I haf mad þe;
protestand ay þu haf na doute
of me þat is þine vndirloute;
for quhat thing sa euir It be,
þat þu sal now discouer to me.”
“it is of þe tre þe taknynge
quhare-one þe Iowis criste can hing
at myn entysing fore inwy,
& but cause can hyme crucyfy.”
sad cypriane: “quhow ma þat be,
þat for þe takine of a tre
ȝe fle sa & dare nocht byde,
bot fast forcis away to hyde?”
“certis,” quod sathane, “gyf þu be
sa lele as þu sais to me,
I sal say forout mare
quhy for þat takine we red are.”
quod cypryane: “I þe pray
þe suth now to me þu say!”
þane sad til hyme sathane:
“quhene I had first dissauit man,
sa þat be myne entysynge
he wes tynt & his o[f]sprynge,
ware nocht god, þat hyme made,
of his pyte reutht of hym hade,
& for his sawete becom man—
bot þare wes I dissawit þan,
for he wes borne of a vergine
a-ganis þe kynd of manis lyne.
of man þe myse fore to remede,
of verra man he tholyt dede—
bot had I wist but ony wene
þat he god & man had bene,
I had nocht tholit sekyrly
þe Iowis sla hym for inwy.
bot, for I wend he had bot man
bene, I gert sla hyme þane.
þane, as is manhed wes dede,
manis myse [for] to remede,
he come til hel [al] anerly,
& at our ȝettis cane cry,
& ymang ws he enteryt þare,
& al þat in oure pressonnis ware,
þat lykit hyme, he tuk away,
sene first he mad adame of clay,
& with his croice ws fleyt sa
þat of ws durst defence nan ma.
sene syne þe takine of þe tre
ful awful is to myne & me,
bath in þe payne þat I thole ay
& in þe tynsale of my pray;
for al mankynd þat lyf can lede,
þat deit before criste wes dede,
ware send me as my propyre thinge,
& in my presone mad duellynge;
& I, of þis warld prince but dout,
thru þat tre is quyt put out,
na ȝet ma I na liffand wyne
bot hyme þat wil nocht lef his syne.
& sa, to mak conclusione,
þat tre wes my confusione.
now haf I sad þe suth to þe
quhy þat takine confundis me.”
quod cypryane: “I se wele now
þe crucyfit is mare þan þu.”
& þe feynd þat granttit til,
þo it war aganis his wil,
& sad: “ȝa, is he fere mare
þane are lifand ore lyf bare,
& we ar til hyme vndirloute
at his byding ay but doute,
& he has put ws in-[to] hel,
[þar] þai þat we dissawe, sal duel;
for quha in oure seruice mais ende,
euirmare with ws sal wende.”
sad cypriane: “þan I þat man
wil serwe þat crucyfit wes þan.”
þe feynd sad: “sa ware þu lorne
gyf þu ware fals & mansuorne;
for þu has suorne of my oste be þe mycht,
þat þu sal nothire fore strinth na slicht
depart fra me til ony mane.”
cypryane sad til hyme þane:
“þe & þi wikit feyndis al,
þat seruis þe, gret & smal,
here I forsak, & takis me
til hyme þat hangit on þe tre,
& his takine one me I lay
be-twene me & þe now for ay.”
& as he þis sone sad hade,
þe feynd þan fled but abade.
& cypriane gret Ioy can ma
þat he þe feynd eschapit sa.
for-þi he socht but ony bade
þe bischope til he fundyn hade.
ande as þe bischope hym has sen,
he wes amovit, & can wene
þat he come nocht as fore honor
bot to bryng cristine in erroure.
þarfor sad he angrely:
“cypriane, gang hyne in hy,
with othire entremet [þu] þe,
& fande na cristine man na me!
for þi strinth sal nocht wyrke
agane þe treutht of haly kirke.”
sad cypriane: “sic is my sele
þat al þat tale I trew veile.
bot sene þu þe kirk is in
as oure-man saulis to wyne,
I cum to þe in godis stede,
my mysdede to remede;
for me forthinkis þaim ful sare,
& is in wil to syne ne mare.”
with þat befor þe bischape rath
he set done one [his] kneis bath,
& mad schryfte of al þat he
had mysdone in ony degre;
& hou his freyndis had hym gefyne
to þe feynd, he als has schrifyne,
& of þe tyme þat he had tynt
he schrafe alsa, ore he stynt.
þe byschope þan Ioyful wes,
& hyme resavit alsone to grace,
& baptyst [hyme] & mad hyme þane
as to cryst a now-borne mane,
& [þe] reule of cristine fay
he tacht hyme wele but delay.
& he had richt abile wite,
& in schort tyme consavit It.
& þe haly gaste al thinge
ma gere man cone but trawalinge;
lyk as [of] salamone we rede,
þat wes [þe] wiseste man but drede,
& in þe space of a nycht
of al wysdome he wan þe sicht
thru teching of þe haly geste,
þat beste maistere is in haste;
for to god, as we ma se,
ma na thing inpossible be.
for-þi sa wele sped cypriane,
fra he þe cristine treutht had tane,
þat in science he wox parfyt
& leid his lyf for-outyne wit;
& he þat first wes in erroure,
be-come þane a gret doctoure,
& sic a prechoure he become
þat to god he wan mony one;
& ay his dedis bettir ware
þane wes oþir his word ore lare.
syne wes he bischope agane his wil,
þo he wes lath to grant þare-til.
þat god send cypriane sic sele,
fra þat Iustine wiste it wele,
scho wes blith, & lowit gode þan
þat he wes sa gud cristine man,
& þat scho eschapit with honoure
his crafte til he wes in erroure.
þe bischope gert þan a nunry make,
& feffit for Iustinis sake
for þame þat suld duel in þat place—
& þat of his patrimoyn wes—
& of madynis a cowent
he gadderit þar, of ane assent
to serwe god in verginite;
& eftir Iustine sene sende he
& blissit hyr as priores,
& gef hir þaim in keping nocht-þe-les;
for he had prowit be assay
scho stedfaste wes & madyn ay.
& scho þe charge tuk hyr til,
to serwe god in gud wil.
þane cuth scho faste, wak, & pray,
& hyr gud dedis ekyt ay,
And be ensampil of hyre lyfe
to god wane mony, man & wyfe.
þane cypriane, as he mycht here
þat ony man in presone were
or in paynis ony-way
for cristis sak ore cristine fay,
lettris wald he to þame sende
to confort þame & to amende;
sayand, al payne [þat] mycht be wrocht
to man here, is lytil ore nocht
In regard of þe mykil bliss,
þat gode has grathit for al his,
& þe mare ay þai thole here
þe mare þare Ioy is but were.
& quhare he wiste ony wes
In seknes ore in distrese,
þat of spendyng had nede,
he cane releif þaim gud spede.
of hym þe gud nam spred sa wyd
þat men mocht nocht it hyde
hou þat [he thocht] bath nycht and day
til eke & fostyre cristine fay.
ane erle þan, þat wes fellon fa
þe cristine fast to gere sla,
send þane, ore he wald fyne,
for cypriane and Iustyne.
& til his presens as cumyne ware þai,
til þame sone cane he say:
“tellis me sone, gyf ȝe wil
mak sacrifice oure godis til,
& bruk ȝoure lyf & richit be
with mony landis & with fe,
or [gyf] ȝe wil as w[i]thyre-wyne
resiste & ȝoure lyfis tyne?”
sad þai: “we wil þat þu
wit we in-to cryst trew,
na It sal we nocht fal fra
for wa[r]ldly thing, na wele na va;
& namely to mak sacrifice
til ydolis we [w]are onwyse;
for þai [þat] ȝe ȝoure godis cal,
in ydolis are but feyndis al,
& dissawis wykitly
al þat in þame wil affy.
& sal fore þare seruice gere duell
with þame in þe pyte of hell.
þane þu ma se be kyndly skil
þat na man suld gyf treutht þaim til
þat in þame ony helpe suld be.
þo þai haf eyne, þai ma nocht see,
& þo þai eris haf, but were,
ȝet are þai defe & ma nocht here,
& þo þai mouth haf, þa ne ma speke,
na handis na fet ma þai reke;
for ferly ware þai mycht do ocht
þat are with manis handis wrocht.
þane is he fule in al degre
þat trewis it his god suld be
or helpe hyme, quhen he myster hade,
þat is of stok ore stane made.
þare-fore resone wald nocht [þat] we
suld sacrify to sic menȝe.
for-þi, gyf þu has set þi wil
for sic cause to do ws Ill,
but bad do furth, & wele þu trew
þat we wil neuir to þe bow.”
& quhen hale he wist þare entent,
he thocht to put þaim to torment;
& a gret pane [gert] brocht be sowne
befor hyme, & þare-in be done
blak pic & gert brynstane bla,
& vndir it a fyre gert ma,
til þat mater wes moltyne thyne,
& gert put þaim bath [þar]-in.
bot It disesit þame na-thinge,
bot as baume [gef] gud refreschynge.
þane þe erle gret ferly hade
hou of payne þai quyt ware made
þat he wend had bene rycht fel;
fore Ire þare-fore cane he ȝel
one his godis, vengeance to ta
but abad of þai wichis twa.
þe prest of þe cyte sad þane
to þe erle as a maister-man:
“gudman, wil þu me commawnde
befor þe caldron [for] to stande,
I sal sone gere distroyt be
al þare vertu, þat þu sal se.”
þe erle sad: “do furth þat dede,
& haf gret thank, gyf þu can spede!”
þane but bad he mad hym bon,
& stud anente þe caldrone,
& for to cry cane faste prese,
sayand: “mykil god hercules
& Iubiter, on ȝow I cal,
þat ar faderis of godis al,
cum now, & þat men ma se
quhat helpe ȝe wil do for me!”
& þere wordis ware sad vnese,
quhen of þe caldrone com a blese
of fellon fyre, þat hyme al
brynt in askis ferly smal.
& þane Iustine & cypriane
of þe caldrone son wes tane
als hale & fere, but schath & schorne,
as þai ware of þare modir borne.
þe fellon erle þane wes wa
þat his prest brynt wes sa,
& gef sentence agayn þaim bath,
þat þai suld tyne þe hedis rath.
fele seruandis ware redy þane
to do þe wil of þat il man,
& þare nekis strak in twa,
& marteris of þame can ma,
& gert þe bodyis be left þare
þe space of sex days ore mare
til hundis fel dispituisly
& vthyr bestis fellonly.
bot wes na best tuth wald set
one þaim, a morcel for til ete,
bot lay vn[s]kathyt sa þare-oute.
þan men com, of god had doute,
& stal þame away be þe nycht,
& with baume þare corsis dicht;
& syne to rome can þame bere,
ful reuerently hafand, til entere.
& of tyme syne in processs,
as Ihesu cristis willis wes,
of placence to þe fare cyte
ware translatyt bath scho & he,
quhare þare poudre sal lest ay
of Iugment to þe last day,
quhen þai in saule & in body
sal ryse to-gyddir suthfastly,
& of þe Iuge tak sic mede
as þai seruit for þare gud dede.
þat is þe blis þat neuir sal ende,
quhare god of his grace ws sende.
with a wil þir twa rycht sobre
þe sext kaland of octobre
for godis sak felly ware slane,
& wan hewine for a lytil payne,
vndir fel dioclisyane,
þat cristine men slew mony ane;
IIC VIIIxx of ȝeris ewyne
eftyr criste þai ware send til hewine.