 | Legends of the Saints in the Scottish Dialect of the Fourteenth Century |  |
109
V.—JOHANNES.
To spek of þe thred nov me liste,þat is, of Iohn þe ewangeliste.
for Iohne vndone is goddis grace.
for foure prewilege hym gewyn wes:
ane, fore god luffyt hym mare
þane al þe lafe, þat with hym ware,
and scheu hym mar hamlynes;
and þe to-dyr prewilege wes,
þat criste hym chesit fore to be
but smyt of flesche in chastite;
þe thyrd, þat god gaf hym wittinge
atoure athire of prewe thinge;
and þe ferd prewilege mycht be,
þat quhen criste hangit one þe tre,
his modyr þat he luffit maste,
be-taucht hym, ar he ȝald þe gaste.
thys Iohne, þat had þe happy name,
wes ful brothir to mare sancte Iame.
þare faddir hecht ȝebedee,
and þar modyr wedit he,
mary, cristis aunt, les no mare,
and þe ȝungaste þat anna bare.
and þis Iohne, þat I spak of fyrste,
þat appostil wes & ewangeliste,
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In syndry landis wyd-quhare
eftir þe feste of vitsonday,
In asya Iohne held his way,
and prechit faste þar or he fane,
and fowndyt kirkis mony ane.
for-þi domiciane, [þe] fell
emprioure, quhen he hard tel,
how sancte Iohn þar prechit þane,
and mony to cristis lare wane,
he gert bringe hym til hym sone
and in a mekile towne be done
ful of brynand olȝe. but he
come of It hale but hurt, al fre
In till althinge, rycht as he wes,
for-owt ony hurt of flesche,
and prechit furth ay goddis word,
þat he had plentuisly in hurd.
and quhene þis fel domiciane
saw to preche he na fane,
he banyste hym of þe lande
In till ane Ile, wes nere hand,
quhare he þe ypocolipss mad,
and þat Ile patmos to nam had.
bot domiciane, fel and fere,
for his fellouny wes slane þat ȝere,
and þe senaturis a-gane can call
þe sentence, þat he gefine had all.
þan a-gane wes sancte Iohn brocht in honore,
quhen ded wes þe emprioure,
to þe citte of effesy,
quhare all þe puple in-to hy
sad he wes rycht welcum hame,
þat þar of god com in þe name.
Ande as he entrit in þe towne,
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þat ser men in gret effere
war bownand furth It to enter,
þe quhilk, till sc[h]o wes lifand,
ȝarnyt his hame-com in þe land,
þat hatine wes deme drusiane,
þat lufit hym wel. and mony ane
of hir kine, wiffis and barnys,
folowit hyr, makand harmys,
and sad: “Iohne, lo, here drusiane,
þat ded has of þis lyf tane,
þat quhylum gretly luffit þe,
vith beyre nov to enterrit be,
and to þi biddinge ay wes bowne,
and fed vs al in-to þis tovne,
and ȝarnyt ay þi hame-cumyn[g]e
gretly a-beoufe althinge,
sayand ay: ‘sal I hym se?’
and, þu nov cumyne, ma nocht se þe!”
þane bad he set done in hy
þe bere and louse þe body,
sayand: “myn lord Ihesu criste rase þe!
and gange hame sone, & grath to me
þe fud, as þu wes wont to do!”
þane at his biddinge swyth rase scho,
and did son syne, as þe appostil bad;
wittand na wa, bot as scho had
vaknyt of slepe, quhare scho lay.
þane apone þe todir day
a phylosyphere of gret renowne,
þat cratone hecht, gert al be bon,
to schau þam in quhat-kine wyse
þire warldis guddis ar to dyspice,
and þat na man suld haf likyne
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for-þi twa breþir, þat ȝunge ware,
þare heritage sald rycht þare,
and with þe price bocht costly stanis,
and rycht þare brak þam al atanis,
as cratone þam þe sermon mad.
and sancte Iohne, þat þan erand had
ner by, and her[d] quhat wes done,
cratone he callit for-þi sone,
and scheu hym be skillis thre,
þat his lar suld condampynt be.
þane firste, thocht man sic lar vald luf,
ȝet god of hewine sic lare vald reprof.
þe todir, for sic lewynge
of vice is nocht clengit þe thinge;
þare-for, vane thinge Is It I-wis,
as þe medicine þat takine is,
quhare-thru þe seknes na remed
ma haf, bot hastis to þe dede.
þe thryd, for nedful dispysinge
Is quhene man his propre thynge
for goddis sak gyffis powre men,
as he to [þe] ȝunge man cane kene
In þe ewangel, sayand, þat he
ȝarnyt parfyt man for to be,
þat he suld sell [al] þat he had,
and gyf It pouere men but a-bad.
nocht-þane of riches þe haffynge
Is nocht Ill, bot þe Ill spendinge.
þan cratone sad: “gyf þi god be
suthfaste mayster, as þou sais me,
þat wald þat men mad sic varinge
as for almus to sel þare thinge,
ger þu ȝone gold and stanis be
refourmyt in þar firste degre,
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þat I of men did for þe fame!”
sancte Iohne þan but ony mare
of gold and stanis, þat lay þare,
tuk vpe þe pecis small,
and gerte sovnd to-gyddir all,
[and] be his prayere þar fut-hate
reformyt þam to þe fyrste state.
þane cratone & þe ȝounge men twa
þat gold and stanis vpe can ta,
and sald to gyfe to powre men,
and criste and his law can kene.
Thane twa ȝounge men in þat place
stud, and saw how þis don was,
sald al þe thinge þat þai had,
and gafe þe þrice but ony bad
to pur men, & mad þare dwellinge
with sancte Iohne to here his prechinge.
It hapnyt syne þir ȝunge men twa
vith Iohne, þare master, for to ga,
and saw quhyle men þat had bene
þare ser[v]andis cled in clathis schene,
and skantly had Ilkane of þa
a singill clath, fore-owtine ma.
þane begouth þai soroful to be.
and fra sancte Iohne þat can se,
small stanis of þe sand
he gadderit vpe in-to his hand,
and turnyt þam in gemmys schene
and in gold fyne and clene,
and bad þai twa men to him bringe
sle men of crafte, þat knew þat thynge.
and sa, but mare, on went þai twa,
sik men sekand to and fra
sewine dais but suiornynge.
and crafty men þan can þai brynge,
þat, quhen þai had þe gemmys sene,
and þe gold, þat ves fyne and clene,
sad, þat nane of þame before
had sene þe preciuse tresore
of fyne gold & of stanis dere.
þane sad he to þai twa: “cum here,
and with þis gud by agane all
þat ere ȝe sald, bath gret & small;
for hewynly reward tynt haf ȝe.
bot florysand a quhile ȝe be,
þat ȝe ma eftirwart falow;
and in riches habund ȝe now,
þat ȝe but end beggeris be!”
þane a-gayne riches arguit he,
and sex cause schavit quhy
þat þai men war þan vnhappy,
þat sa set þar appetyte
In Riches to hafe delyte.
and þe fyrste skil to preve It
he tuk vt of haly vryte,
of þat velfull gret gluttone,
þat varldis velth had in fusione,
and of laȝare, þat met grawe
of his medynge, bot nan hym gafe.
þe todir is, þat all þat ware
or In þis varld þat [ar], cumys bare,
and but riches passis away,
quhen ded of þame wil ma his pray.
þe thryd is, þat al creatur
to be commone settis þare cur,
as sone, mone, sternis al smal,
presis þam to serwe til all,
and rane als, and þe self ayr clere,
sa suld men do til þai ar here,
al þat þai haf mak commone thinge
of mysterful in till helpynge.
þe ferd is fortone, þat wil say
þat riche man is thril alway
to twa: þe tane, is riches
þat he gadderis with gredines,
and servis It, bot It nocht sa hym;
and sa is he fendis lyme;
for he þat mony heppis ay,
Is seruand þare-to nycht and day.
þe fyfte is, sa gret besynes
he has for to get riches,
and besy thocht of þe kepynge,
and gret dut of þe tynynge.
þe sexit scath is, for riches ay
are cause of tynsale nycht & day;
fore riches, prowd and fell,
þai rekis nocht of þe saule hele,
na ȝet þe self fend dredis he nocht,
þat one riches settis his thocht,
na duttis nocht þar-thru to tyne
þe Ioy, þat ma neuir haf fyne.
stud, and saw how þis don was,
sald al þe thinge þat þai had,
and gafe þe þrice but ony bad
to pur men, & mad þare dwellinge
with sancte Iohne to here his prechinge.
It hapnyt syne þir ȝunge men twa
vith Iohne, þare master, for to ga,
and saw quhyle men þat had bene
þare ser[v]andis cled in clathis schene,
and skantly had Ilkane of þa
a singill clath, fore-owtine ma.
þane begouth þai soroful to be.
and fra sancte Iohne þat can se,
small stanis of þe sand
he gadderit vpe in-to his hand,
and turnyt þam in gemmys schene
and in gold fyne and clene,
and bad þai twa men to him bringe
sle men of crafte, þat knew þat thynge.
and sa, but mare, on went þai twa,
sik men sekand to and fra
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and crafty men þan can þai brynge,
þat, quhen þai had þe gemmys sene,
and þe gold, þat ves fyne and clene,
sad, þat nane of þame before
had sene þe preciuse tresore
of fyne gold & of stanis dere.
þane sad he to þai twa: “cum here,
and with þis gud by agane all
þat ere ȝe sald, bath gret & small;
for hewynly reward tynt haf ȝe.
bot florysand a quhile ȝe be,
þat ȝe ma eftirwart falow;
and in riches habund ȝe now,
þat ȝe but end beggeris be!”
þane a-gayne riches arguit he,
and sex cause schavit quhy
þat þai men war þan vnhappy,
þat sa set þar appetyte
In Riches to hafe delyte.
and þe fyrste skil to preve It
he tuk vt of haly vryte,
of þat velfull gret gluttone,
þat varldis velth had in fusione,
and of laȝare, þat met grawe
of his medynge, bot nan hym gafe.
þe todir is, þat all þat ware
or In þis varld þat [ar], cumys bare,
and but riches passis away,
quhen ded of þame wil ma his pray.
þe thryd is, þat al creatur
to be commone settis þare cur,
as sone, mone, sternis al smal,
presis þam to serwe til all,
and rane als, and þe self ayr clere,
115
al þat þai haf mak commone thinge
of mysterful in till helpynge.
þe ferd is fortone, þat wil say
þat riche man is thril alway
to twa: þe tane, is riches
þat he gadderis with gredines,
and servis It, bot It nocht sa hym;
and sa is he fendis lyme;
for he þat mony heppis ay,
Is seruand þare-to nycht and day.
þe fyfte is, sa gret besynes
he has for to get riches,
and besy thocht of þe kepynge,
and gret dut of þe tynynge.
þe sexit scath is, for riches ay
are cause of tynsale nycht & day;
fore riches, prowd and fell,
þai rekis nocht of þe saule hele,
na ȝet þe self fend dredis he nocht,
þat one riches settis his thocht,
na duttis nocht þar-thru to tyne
þe Ioy, þat ma neuir haf fyne.
as sancte Iohne disputand wes
one þis maner agane riches,
men brocht þe cors of a ȝounge man
to be grawine, þat before þane
thretty dais had veddit bene;
for-quhy þat vedo can hym mene,
and his modir and frendis sere
for hym gret, and mad Il chere.
and, in entent þare bale to bete,
þai fel dewot to sancte Ionis fet,
and prayt hym, rycht as he
gert drusiane resuscit be,
þat he wald, one þe sammyn manere,
raise [hym], þat lay [ap-]one þat beyre,
In name of god. & þare-with he
gret Increly fore pure pitte,
and sa to god prayt for þat man,
þat he fra ded to lyfe hym wan,
and commawndit, quhen þis wes done,
to þa twa ȝonge men to tel sone,
þat for-thocht be-cause þat þai
had sald þar gud sa clene away,
þocht þai It þane recouerit had,
quhat payne in hel þam a-bad,
and quhatk[i]ne Ioy þat þai had tynte.
and he tald þane, or euir he stynte,
of paradyse þe Ioy parfyt,
and þe gret blyss and þe delyt;
and of paynis hard and fell,
he tald þam, þat he schaw in hell,
and [sad]: “wrechis, mend ȝow ȝeit!
for ȝour gud angel I saw gret,
and þe feyndis rycht blyth & glad,
for ȝe twa vnhappy tynte had
far palacis þat sal leste euirmare,
schenand with gemmys oure-al-quhare,
and full of Ioy and of delyte.”
and syne aucht paynis tald he tyte,
þat grathit ar in hell fore men,
þat In þis lyf wil nocht god kene:
fellone wormys, þat is to say,
and thike myrknes lestand ay,
and scurgis scharpe, & cald to-gyddir,
þat makis wrechis ful chel to diddir,
and broland fyre, quhare þai sal dwel,
and sycht of fendis, fers and fell,
and schame of synnis, þat ma nocht
amendit be, and dole of thocht.
þane he, þat wes resuscit sa,
and þe todir discipulis twa
to Iohnnis fet fel don in hy,
prayand þat þai mycht wyn mercy.
þan þe appostil sad þame to:
“thretty dais ȝe penance do,
prayand god, oure helpe þat is,
þat þis gold and þir preciuse stanis
to þare firste mater ma be brocht!”
and, as he bad, quhen þai had wrocht,
he sad: “tak þir, & with þame ga
to þe place ȝe brocht þam fra!”
and þai went furth in ful gud vyl,
and al his bydynge can fulfill.
and gold and stanis in þat houre
var turnyt in þare ane nature;
and þai twa vane agane but bad
al þe vertu, þat þai fyrst had.
qw[h]ene Iohne had prechit to & fra
one þis maner agane riches,
men brocht þe cors of a ȝounge man
to be grawine, þat before þane
thretty dais had veddit bene;
for-quhy þat vedo can hym mene,
and his modir and frendis sere
for hym gret, and mad Il chere.
and, in entent þare bale to bete,
þai fel dewot to sancte Ionis fet,
and prayt hym, rycht as he
116
þat he wald, one þe sammyn manere,
raise [hym], þat lay [ap-]one þat beyre,
In name of god. & þare-with he
gret Increly fore pure pitte,
and sa to god prayt for þat man,
þat he fra ded to lyfe hym wan,
and commawndit, quhen þis wes done,
to þa twa ȝonge men to tel sone,
þat for-thocht be-cause þat þai
had sald þar gud sa clene away,
þocht þai It þane recouerit had,
quhat payne in hel þam a-bad,
and quhatk[i]ne Ioy þat þai had tynte.
and he tald þane, or euir he stynte,
of paradyse þe Ioy parfyt,
and þe gret blyss and þe delyt;
and of paynis hard and fell,
he tald þam, þat he schaw in hell,
and [sad]: “wrechis, mend ȝow ȝeit!
for ȝour gud angel I saw gret,
and þe feyndis rycht blyth & glad,
for ȝe twa vnhappy tynte had
far palacis þat sal leste euirmare,
schenand with gemmys oure-al-quhare,
and full of Ioy and of delyte.”
and syne aucht paynis tald he tyte,
þat grathit ar in hell fore men,
þat In þis lyf wil nocht god kene:
fellone wormys, þat is to say,
and thike myrknes lestand ay,
and scurgis scharpe, & cald to-gyddir,
þat makis wrechis ful chel to diddir,
and broland fyre, quhare þai sal dwel,
and sycht of fendis, fers and fell,
117
amendit be, and dole of thocht.
þane he, þat wes resuscit sa,
and þe todir discipulis twa
to Iohnnis fet fel don in hy,
prayand þat þai mycht wyn mercy.
þan þe appostil sad þame to:
“thretty dais ȝe penance do,
prayand god, oure helpe þat is,
þat þis gold and þir preciuse stanis
to þare firste mater ma be brocht!”
and, as he bad, quhen þai had wrocht,
he sad: “tak þir, & with þame ga
to þe place ȝe brocht þam fra!”
and þai went furth in ful gud vyl,
and al his bydynge can fulfill.
and gold and stanis in þat houre
var turnyt in þare ane nature;
and þai twa vane agane but bad
al þe vertu, þat þai fyrst had.
In to þe land of asya,
al þa þat mad sacrifice
til mawmentis, as folk vnwyse,
Ine þe puple [raisit] seduccione
a-gane sancte Iohne, but resone,
[and] to þe tempil of dyane
drew hym rudly, ore þai fane,
for to strenȝe hym to sacrify.
bot he amesit þam in hy,
proponand þam þat distinctiue
to lat þame with hym for to stryfe,
þat oþire þai, to dame dyane
prayand, suld cristis kirk onane
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and [he] but mare of his wil fre
til ydolis suld sacrify;
or he þe tempil suld in hy
of dame diane gere Ryve done
of criste thru Invocacione,
þane þai in criste [suld] trew & [in] his lare.
þar-to þe maste part þat wes þare,
consentit, and gert remow all
ovt of þe tempil, gret & smal.
þane sancte Iohne mad his vrisone
to god in gud deuocione,
and sodanly to erd can fall
þe tempil & þe Idolis all,
and of deme dyane þe fygure
ware brokine smal but recowere.
[O]f þar ydolis þe bischope,
aristodemus, þat wes ȝape,
raisit a gret sedicione
In þe puple of þat towne,
sa þat þai drew to partyse þare,
Ilkane vthir til sla al ȝare.
þan sad Iohne til aristodeme:
“sa þu wil þis folk mak quem,
sa me quhat þou wil I do,
and I sal sone consent þar-to.”
he sad: “gyf þou wil I trew
In þi god, I wil þat þu
drinke þe venome I sal þe gyfe;
and [gyf] þat þar-eftir [þu] ma lyf
but hourte or schath in þe,
I sal treu þi god suthfaste be.”
sad sancte Iohne: “þat do wil I.”
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sad: “I wil þu se twa
ded of þe venome þu sal ta,
þat þu þe mare abasit be,
þat þai de þat þou ma se.”
aristodemus went vith þat
to þe proconsul, quhare at he sat,
and twa þat suld hedit be
fore þar trespace, bocht he,
and before al þam of þe towne,
he gert þame drynk dedly poysone,
and þai sone but ony mare
fel ded done in þat place þare.
sancte Iohne ȝet but abaysitnes
þe saymne drink tuk neuir-þe-les,
and croysit It, & drank al oute
but rednes with blith wlte.
þane al þe folk, þat saw þat sycht,
be-gud to lofe god of mycht.
bot aristodeme sad in hy:
“In sum parte ȝet dout haf I;
bot gyf þu ma in-to þis sted
rase þir twa men fra ded,
fore-owte dowt þan sal I trew
In þat god, þou prechis now.”
sancte Iohne tuk of þan his kirtill,
and to þe vntreufull gawe it till.
sad he: “quhat amowis þe
þe kyrtil fore to gyf to me?”
quod he: “to þat entent, þat þu
of þi mystreutht haf scham now.”
þan Aristodemus cane say:
“quhat! venis þu þi kirtil ma
ger me of fors in þi goddis trev?”
þane sad sancte John: “ga furth nov,
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hele ȝone ded men, & þus say:
‘cristis appostil send me now
In his name to resuscit ȝou.’”
and quhen aristodeme had done,
þai rudly sone did Ionys biddinge,
rase; and þe proconsul, þat wes ȝape,
and of þare lawis þe bischope,
trowit in criste, & al þer kyne
Thru baptisme forsuk þar syne,
and In worschipe of sancte Iohn mad
a fare kirke but abad.
for he conuertyt had nerhand
al hale þe puple of þat land.
þan mad he byschoppis ay-quhare,
to strinth and vpehald goddis lare,
and min[i]stris of syndry state,
till enforme þe puple, how-gate
þai suld varly kepe þam fra syn,
and thru gud ded syne hewyn wyne.
AMange al vthir of þat land,
a fare ȝounge man sancte Iohn fand,
þe quhilk, þocht he wes fellone,
he wane to god thru his sermone;
and to a bischope hym betaucht,
to trete hym wele fore all his maucht;
for of depose in to þe name
he lefit hym with hym, to fle blame.
þe bischope tretyt hym for-þi,
as he his son var, tendirly.
bot fra he to rype elde wane
he lefit þe bischope, & vent þan
to sterk thefis, & but abad
þare master man þai sone hym mad.
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hapnyt sancte Iohne to cum on case,
and bad hym þe depose furth bryng,
þat he lefit in his kepynge.
þe [bischope] wes abaysit þane,
as veinand þat þe haly man
had askit hym sum money,
as In depose þat with hym lay.
bot sancte Iohne þat k[n]ew his thocht,
sad: “sik depose ask I þe nocht,
bot þe ȝounge man I ask þe,
þat, as depose, þou tuk fra me.”
þe bischope sad: “faddir dere,
as In sawle he is ded but were,
and with theffis in sik a hyll
as prince is dwelland to do Ill.”
and quhene þe appostil herd hym say
þat þe ȝonge man wes sa away,
he rafe his clathis & befte his face,
and to þe bischope sad: “allace!
I wend til haf wel done þane,
quhen I betaucht þe þat mane!”
a horse þan gat he til hym ȝare,
and he lape one forowtyn mare,
and to þat hyll In gret hy
prekit, & onabasytly.
and quhen þat ȝounge man saw þat he
come prekand in sic degre,
he ves schamyt, & ves schone,
and one his horse gat alsone,
and fled. bot sancte Iohne fo[r]ȝetand elde,
prekyt faste eftyr, & hym behelde,
cryand hey: “swet sone dere,
fle nocht, bot byd, þi faddir here
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þat mon ȝeld resone, wele þou trew,
to criste for þi saule; & ȝet I,
to de for þe, is al redy,
as criste did, al oure myse to mend.
for-þi turne þe, fore god me send
to wyne þe, þat þou be nocht tynte!”
þane he, þat fled fyrste, can stynt,
and þane sa fore-thocht his mysded,
þat he gret sar for his mysded,
and fel done to sancte Iohnnys fete,
and vith his teris can þame vete,
and þam and handis kyssit swa,
In hope þat he suld pardone ta.
sancte Iohne to his reutht tent can tak,
and for hym bath can fast & wak,
and prayt for hym, til he wes
restoryt wele to goddis grace.
As recordis Iohne cassiane,
a ȝounge man quhile a fule had tan,
quhilk we ane partryk cal,
and to sancte Iohne com þare-vith-al,
and gaf It, as in dingnite.
and blithly it resawit he,
and softly vith his handis twa
It handlyt, & þ[a]r-of [play] cane ma.
þe ȝunge man saw þat he plait
vith þat foule, & til vthire sad:
“be-hald ȝone ald, & se how ȝarne
he plais vith ȝone foule, as a barne!”
þat quhen sancte Iohne persavit had,
thru spyryt þat hym þe schauyn mad,
he þat ȝung man askit but mare,
quhat It ves in hand he bare.
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quod he. “quhat sal ȝu vith it do?”
“and þe foulis þare-vith I sla,
and lytil bestis vthir ma.”
sad sancte Johne: “þu lat me se
in quhat maner þat suld be!”
þe ȝunge man þan his bov bent syne,
and vith his hand þare-vith can lyne.
sancte Iohne þan a quhyle ves stil,
þane spake na thinge þe ȝung man til;
and þar-for he [h]is bow vnbent.
þane sad sancte Iohne: “tel þi entent,
quhy þu vnbent þi bow sa sone!”
“bot,” he quod, “I sa had done,
It suld hafe bene son out of pyth
to schot ony takil vith.”
þane sancte Iohne ansuerit þer-til:
“sa do I for þe sammyn skyll;
for manis brokilnes ma nocht
of contemplacion haf thocht
bot sum disport Ithandly,
na It suld be quhile wery,
as of þi bow þou sais me,
gyf þat It bent suld lange tym be;
for þocht þe eyrne fle heyeste,
and þe sone seis clerlyaste,
ȝet mon of fors he cum done
to þe law ȝerd, & þer suiorne,
rycht sa manis deuocione,
þat quhile fra contemplacione
Is drawyne, sal þe scharpar be,
and þe devotare, quhen þat he
eftsonis dresss hym to pray;
for temporale thing lestis nocht ay.”
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þat he mycht nocht hym-selvyne velde,
and duelland ves in effecy,
and for selfe eld ves sa wery,
þat vnhes vith þe helpe of twa
he mycht quhyle to þe kirke ga,
na he but pause mycht no mare say,
bot þire twa wordis he sad ay:
“my sonis, I pray ȝou hartfully,
þat ȝe luf enterchangeabily.”
and þis sa of[t]-tyme he can say,
þat his discipulis one ane day
prayt hym to tel [þam] quhy
he sad þa vordis ythanly.
he answert: “for god sa tacht.
kepe þam, þare-fore, at all [ȝour] macht,
and It sall suffice wel ȝou to,
In þis gyf ȝe his biddynge do.”
and a[l]s tellis elynandus
of sancte Johnnis varkis, sayand þus,
quhene he suld þe ewangel wryte,
quhare-in þat he had gret delyte,
as In to custum he had ay
to gere þe puple faste [&] pray,
þat It suld t[h]ankful to god be,
and helpe to saulis fore his pitte,
a[l]s he prayt fore þat place,
quhare-in to wryt Is custum ves,
þat quhat man þat sat in It
to red or se þat haly wryte,
þat he suld thole þer-in na pane
of noyus vyndis, na of rane.
and ȝete elimentis ay
þat custome kepis to þis day.
of sancte Johnnis varkis, sayand þus,
quhene he suld þe ewangel wryte,
quhare-in þat he had gret delyte,
as In to custum he had ay
to gere þe puple faste [&] pray,
þat It suld t[h]ankful to god be,
and helpe to saulis fore his pitte,
a[l]s he prayt fore þat place,
quhare-in to wryt Is custum ves,
þat quhat man þat sat in It
to red or se þat haly wryte,
þat he suld thole þer-in na pane
of noyus vyndis, na of rane.
and ȝete elimentis ay
þat custome kepis to þis day.
and quhene sancte Iohn had luffit here
fullely fourscore and sextene ȝere,
quhen þat þe traiane ves emperoure,
Ihesu, goddis sone, his saweoure,
til hym, quhare he ves, can appere
vith his discipulis, þat fel vare,
and sad: “myn dere, tym is þat þu
vith me and þi br[e]thire et now
one myn bwrd vith hevine blyse.”
þane Iohne be-guth to ga vith þis,
and god sad: “þou sal stil byd here
til sonday cum þat is nov nere!
þane þat day sal þi terme be
to bruk myn blis & dwel vith me.”
þan eftir, þe nexte sonday,
he gert þe folk cum but delay
to þe kirk, þat þai had mad
In his honore, & þar abad.
fra þat þe cok had cravyn thrise
he taucht þam in syndry vyis
goddis biddinge to fulfil,
and do ay gud, and lewe þe Ill.
and he, prechand þis, gert be mad
a pyte, þat wes bath depe & brad,
be-syd þe alter, and but hone
þe erde gerte of þe kirk be don;
& in þat pyte hym-selfe lad ewyne,
hevand his handis vpe to þe hevyn,
sayand: “myn mayster, lord Ihesu,
a-bufe alth[i]nge I lowe þe now,
of þi discipulis alþire-laste
þat me þis callis to þi feste!
and lo, þar-for vith Io[i]ful will
I cum. þare-for, tak me þe til!”
and, sayand þis vith swet stevyn,
þare come a lycht fra þe hewyn
& schane one hym, quhare he can ly,
sa ferly brycht and sa clerly,
þat þar ves na liffand man þat mycht
se hym for þat mekil lycht.
& þat licht wes dwelland þare
þe space of ane houre & mare.
and quhen þe licht vent avay,
avay he ves, þat þar lay,
& nocht bot manna sene ves þare,
þat spryngis ȝet, rycht as It vare
smal sand in grond of well,
as þai þat saw it, I herd tel,
and spryngis ȝet, & sal do ay,
In mynd of hym to þe last day.
Sanct edmwnde, of Ingland kinge,
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quhen þat þe traiane ves emperoure,
Ihesu, goddis sone, his saweoure,
til hym, quhare he ves, can appere
vith his discipulis, þat fel vare,
and sad: “myn dere, tym is þat þu
vith me and þi br[e]thire et now
one myn bwrd vith hevine blyse.”
þane Iohne be-guth to ga vith þis,
and god sad: “þou sal stil byd here
til sonday cum þat is nov nere!
þane þat day sal þi terme be
to bruk myn blis & dwel vith me.”
þan eftir, þe nexte sonday,
he gert þe folk cum but delay
to þe kirk, þat þai had mad
In his honore, & þar abad.
fra þat þe cok had cravyn thrise
he taucht þam in syndry vyis
goddis biddinge to fulfil,
and do ay gud, and lewe þe Ill.
and he, prechand þis, gert be mad
a pyte, þat wes bath depe & brad,
be-syd þe alter, and but hone
þe erde gerte of þe kirk be don;
& in þat pyte hym-selfe lad ewyne,
hevand his handis vpe to þe hevyn,
sayand: “myn mayster, lord Ihesu,
a-bufe alth[i]nge I lowe þe now,
of þi discipulis alþire-laste
þat me þis callis to þi feste!
and lo, þar-for vith Io[i]ful will
I cum. þare-for, tak me þe til!”
and, sayand þis vith swet stevyn,
þare come a lycht fra þe hewyn
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sa ferly brycht and sa clerly,
þat þar ves na liffand man þat mycht
se hym for þat mekil lycht.
& þat licht wes dwelland þare
þe space of ane houre & mare.
and quhen þe licht vent avay,
avay he ves, þat þar lay,
& nocht bot manna sene ves þare,
þat spryngis ȝet, rycht as It vare
smal sand in grond of well,
as þai þat saw it, I herd tel,
and spryngis ȝet, & sal do ay,
In mynd of hym to þe last day.
lovit sancte Iohn a-beouf althinge,
out-ane our lord and our lady,
and in custum had, for-þi,
þat quha-se-euire vald almus crafe
for luf of sancte Iohne suld hafe.
and sa be-tyd a day of case
þat þe kinge ves in solace,
and a pilgrime to cum by,
þat askit hym rycht pituisly
almus for sancte Iohnnis sak;
and he had nocht quhare-of to tak,
to mak asyth to þat beggar,
for cause þan nan ves hym nere;
bot of his fynger tuk a ringe,
far, and worth mekil thinge,
and to þe pilgram gaf it rath,
þat almus fore sancte Iohnn can craf;
and þe pilgram held [h]is va syth,
þat semyt, þarfore, to be blyth.
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In ded of armys þat ves vycht,
and had bene in landis syndry
for til haf lose of chevalry.
and tyd a tyme, þar-fore, at he
for sic cause passit þe gret se
In to a cunctre far away.
as he rad a-pon a day,
he met a pilgrime in the gat,
þat haliste hyme, & sad þus-gat:
“sir knycht, sene þu is of Ingland,
þat edmwnd kinge has nov in hand,
I pray þe þat þu tak þis rynge
on my be-halfe, & gyf þe king,
& say hym: ‘quham-to þat þu
gafe it umquhil, þe gyffis it nov,
ȝeldand þe thank of þi gud vil,
þat nocht ellis had to gyf hym til
þane, fore þat þu ves þe alane.’”
& he vith þat þe ringe has tane;
& quhen he had his Iorne don,
and in Ingland com ham sone,
he vent to vesy þe kinge,
& tel hym of his travalinge,
as is þe costome fore to do,
& sad to hyme: “myn lord, lo,
þis ringe, þat [I] yu present now,
me gafe a pilgram to gyf ȝow,
þat I, quhar I ves traveland,
mete vith of case in to fere land,
& sad, fra ȝov þat It tuk he,
as In name of cheryte,
one sik a day, in sik a place,
quhare þat nane by ȝov ves,
and bad I suld gyf it ȝov til,
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& quhen þe kinge had sene þe rynge,
he knev It, & be þe taknynge
persavit vele, sancte Iohne It ves,
þat It had tane fore distrase,
aperand in-to pylgrime ved,
þis of his helpe hafand ned.
fore-þi, þat kynge euire fra þat day
ekit his devocione ay
to sancte Iohne, & fore his sak
gef almus to þame vald It tak.
fore-þi, sancte Iohne, þat mychtty Is
vith god, þi cusynge, kinge of blis,
pray for vs, þat ve hyne twyne
but det, schame, ore dedly syne!
| Legends of the Saints in the Scottish Dialect of the Fourteenth Century | |