 | [Poems from the Vernon MS] |  |
IV. [hou a Iew putte his sone in a brennyngge ouene, for he was communed wit oþur cristene children on þe pask-day.]
Lord, Makere of alle þing,
Almihti God in Maieste,
Þat euer was wiþ-oute biginning
And art and euermore schal be:
Almihti God in Maieste,
Þat euer was wiþ-oute biginning
And art and euermore schal be:
Graunte vs boþe miht and space
So to serue þe to pay,
Þat we mowe þorw þi grace
Wone wiþ þe for euere and ay!
So to serue þe to pay,
Þat we mowe þorw þi grace
Wone wiþ þe for euere and ay!
Of þe Miracles of vre ladi
We ouhten wel to hauen in Muynde,
Þat writen beþ in soþ stori,
Hou helplich heo is euere to Monkynde.
We ouhten wel to hauen in Muynde,
Þat writen beþ in soþ stori,
Hou helplich heo is euere to Monkynde.
150
Sum-tyme fel in on Cite—
Herkneþ wel, and ȝe may here—
As Iewes weren I-wont to be
Among þe cristen and wone I-fere:
Herkneþ wel, and ȝe may here—
As Iewes weren I-wont to be
Among þe cristen and wone I-fere:
Þe Cristene woneden in On halue
Of þat Cite, as I þe hete,
And alle þe Iewes bi hem-selue
Were stihlet to wone in a strete.
Of þat Cite, as I þe hete,
And alle þe Iewes bi hem-selue
Were stihlet to wone in a strete.
Þe Cristene children in a Crofte
I-mad hem hedden a wel feir plas.
Þer-Inne a Iewes child ful ofte
Wiþ hem to pleyen I-wont he was.
I-mad hem hedden a wel feir plas.
Þer-Inne a Iewes child ful ofte
Wiþ hem to pleyen I-wont he was.
Þe childes ffader nom non hede,
Ne to his child he sette non eiȝe,
Þerfore þe child boþe com and eode
As ofte as euere hem luste to pleye.
Ne to his child he sette non eiȝe,
Þerfore þe child boþe com and eode
As ofte as euere hem luste to pleye.
So ofte to pleyen hem fel i-fere
Þe Iewes sone on heore pleyes coude,
Þat riht as on of hem he were;
Wiþ loue þerfore þei him alouwede.
Þe Iewes sone on heore pleyes coude,
Þat riht as on of hem he were;
Wiþ loue þerfore þei him alouwede.
At an Aster tyme bi-tidde,
Whon cristen made solempnite—
A Menskful Munstre was mad amidde,
As semed best, in þat Citéé:
Whon cristen made solempnite—
A Menskful Munstre was mad amidde,
As semed best, in þat Citéé:
Þerto þe cristene peple can drawe,
To here boþe Mateyns and eke Masse,
As falleþ bi þe Cristene lawe
Boþe to more and eke to lasse;
To here boþe Mateyns and eke Masse,
As falleþ bi þe Cristene lawe
Boþe to more and eke to lasse;
Eueri mon in his array,
Boþe housbonde and wyf also,
As falleþ wel for asterday
And al as cristene men schul do.
Boþe housbonde and wyf also,
As falleþ wel for asterday
And al as cristene men schul do.
Þe children foleweden heore fadres in-fere,
As þei weore euere I-wont to do.
Þe Iewes child wiþ wel good chere
Wiþ hem wel fayn was for to go.
As þei weore euere I-wont to do.
Þe Iewes child wiþ wel good chere
Wiþ hem wel fayn was for to go.
Wiþ-Inne þe chirche whon he was Riht,
Him þouhte he nas neuer er so glad
As he was of þat semeli siht,
Such on bi-fore neuer seȝe he had:
Him þouhte he nas neuer er so glad
As he was of þat semeli siht,
Such on bi-fore neuer seȝe he had:
151
Boþe laumpes & tapers, brenninde briht,
And Auters curiousliche de-peynt,
IMages ful deinteousliche i-diht,
And guld of moni a good corseynt.
And Auters curiousliche de-peynt,
IMages ful deinteousliche i-diht,
And guld of moni a good corseynt.
A comeli qween in O Chayer
fful semeli sat, al greiþed in golde,
A blisful Babe on Arm heo beer,
fful kyngly Corouned, as he scholde.
fful semeli sat, al greiþed in golde,
A blisful Babe on Arm heo beer,
fful kyngly Corouned, as he scholde.
Of þat ladi þe child tok hede,
And of þat blisful Babe also,
Hou folk bi-foren heore bedes bede,
As cristen Men beþ wont to do.
And of þat blisful Babe also,
Hou folk bi-foren heore bedes bede,
As cristen Men beþ wont to do.
Þe Iewes child euere tok such ȝeme
To alle sihtes þat he þer seiȝ,
Him þhouȝte hem alle so swete to seme
ffor Ioye him þouȝte I-Rauessched neih.
To alle sihtes þat he þer seiȝ,
Him þhouȝte hem alle so swete to seme
ffor Ioye him þouȝte I-Rauessched neih.
Whon heiȝ-Masse of þat day was do,
Þe Prest bad alle men knelen a-doun:
Wiþ Confiteor, as falleþ þer-to,
He ȝiueþ hem Absolucioun;
He biddeþ hem More and lasse also,
To vengen heor sauiour busken hem boun.
Þe Iewes child tok tente þer-to,
Among þe cristene he dude him doun.
Þe Prest bad alle men knelen a-doun:
Wiþ Confiteor, as falleþ þer-to,
He ȝiueþ hem Absolucioun;
He biddeþ hem More and lasse also,
To vengen heor sauiour busken hem boun.
Þe Iewes child tok tente þer-to,
Among þe cristene he dude him doun.
AMong þe pres þauh he were poselet,
He spared no-þing for no drede
AMong þe cristene til he were hoselet;
Of such a child me tok non hede.
He spared no-þing for no drede
AMong þe cristene til he were hoselet;
Of such a child me tok non hede.
To ende whon alle þing was brouht
And eueri cristene drouh him hom,
Þe Ieuh þorw toune his child haþ souht,
And saih wher he from chirche com.
And eueri cristene drouh him hom,
Þe Ieuh þorw toune his child haþ souht,
And saih wher he from chirche com.
He asked his sone wher he hedde ben,
Whil he hedde souht him al þat day.
Al riht as he hedde i-don and seon,
Þe child him rikenet al þe a-Ray.
Whil he hedde souht him al þat day.
Al riht as he hedde i-don and seon,
Þe child him rikenet al þe a-Ray.
His ffader þerfore wox wood-wroþ,
And seide anon: “þou getest þi mede!”
And to his houene al hot he goþ,
Þat glemede as glowyng as a glede.
And seide anon: “þou getest þi mede!”
And to his houene al hot he goþ,
Þat glemede as glowyng as a glede.
152
In to þe houene þe child he caste:
To askes he þouȝte þe child to brenne;
And wiþ þe Mouþ-ston he stekeþ him faste,
And þouhte þat neuer couþ scholde him kenne.
To askes he þouȝte þe child to brenne;
And wiþ þe Mouþ-ston he stekeþ him faste,
And þouhte þat neuer couþ scholde him kenne.
Þerof whon his moder herde,
In a stude þer as heo stood,
As ffrayed in ffrenesye heo ferde,
ffor wo heo wente as waxen wood,
In a stude þer as heo stood,
As ffrayed in ffrenesye heo ferde,
ffor wo heo wente as waxen wood,
Euer hotyng out, heo tar hire her,
In eueri stret of þat Citee,
Nou In, Nou out, so eueriwher;
Men wondret on hire and hedde pite.
In eueri stret of þat Citee,
Nou In, Nou out, so eueriwher;
Men wondret on hire and hedde pite.
Boþe Meir and Bailifs of þe toun,
Whon þei herden of þat cri,
Þei aresten hire bi Resoun,
A[nd] maden chalange enchesun whi
Whon þei herden of þat cri,
Þei aresten hire bi Resoun,
A[nd] maden chalange enchesun whi
Heo criede so in þat Cite
And putte þe Peple in such affray,
To serwen in such solempnite,
And nomeliche on heore Aster-day.
And putte þe Peple in such affray,
To serwen in such solempnite,
And nomeliche on heore Aster-day.
As sone as heo mihte sece of wepe,
Þis was þe seyinge of hire sawe:
“Sires, ȝe han þis Citéé to kepe,
As lordus han to lede þe lawe:
Þis was þe seyinge of hire sawe:
“Sires, ȝe han þis Citéé to kepe,
As lordus han to lede þe lawe:
Allas, Allas, I am i-schent,
And help of ow me mot bi-houen,
I prey ow of Iust Iuggement,
Mi cause I schal bi-fore ȝou prouen:
Mi hosebonde haþ my child ibrent,
I-stopped him in a glouwyng houen;
Goth seoþ, sires, bi on assent,
And I schal ȝiue ow gold to glouen.”
And help of ow me mot bi-houen,
I prey ow of Iust Iuggement,
Mi cause I schal bi-fore ȝou prouen:
Mi hosebonde haþ my child ibrent,
I-stopped him in a glouwyng houen;
Goth seoþ, sires, bi on assent,
And I schal ȝiue ow gold to glouen.”
Boþe Meir and Baylifs wiþ folk i-fere
To þe Iewes houene ben gon.
As sone as þei þider come were,
Þe Meir Comaundet: “doþ doun þe ston.”
To þe Iewes houene ben gon.
As sone as þei þider come were,
Þe Meir Comaundet: “doþ doun þe ston.”
Þer eueri Mon wel mihte i-seo
Þe houene-Roof, þat was so round,
Hou hit was Blasyng al of bleo
As glouwyng glos, from Roof to grount.
Þe houene-Roof, þat was so round,
Hou hit was Blasyng al of bleo
As glouwyng glos, from Roof to grount.
153
Þe child sat þere boþe hol and sound,
Ne nouht I-harmet, hond ny her,
A-Midde þe gledes of þe ground,
As he seete in Cool Erber.
Ne nouht I-harmet, hond ny her,
A-Midde þe gledes of þe ground,
As he seete in Cool Erber.
Þe childes Moder, whon heo þat seih,
Hire þouhte heo nas neuer er so glad;
In to þe houene heo sturte him neih,
Þus sone wiþ hire him out heo had.
Hire þouhte heo nas neuer er so glad;
In to þe houene heo sturte him neih,
Þus sone wiþ hire him out heo had.
And al þe peple þere present
Wondred on þat selly siht,
And heried god wiþ good entent,
ffor Miracle is more þen Monnes miht.
Hou he haþ non harmes hent
Among þe brondes þat brenneþ so briht,
Þei asken of him bi on assent.
Þe child onswered a-non-riht:
Wondred on þat selly siht,
And heried god wiþ good entent,
ffor Miracle is more þen Monnes miht.
Hou he haþ non harmes hent
Among þe brondes þat brenneþ so briht,
Þei asken of him bi on assent.
Þe child onswered a-non-riht:
“Of alle þe Murþes þat I haue had
In al my lyf ȝit hider-to
Ne was I neuere of gleo so glad
As aftur I was In þe houene I-do!
In al my lyf ȝit hider-to
Ne was I neuere of gleo so glad
As aftur I was In þe houene I-do!
Boþe Brondes and Gledes, trustily,
Þat weren bi-neþen vndur my fote,
As feire floures, feiþfully,
As special spices me þhouȝte hem swote;
Þat weren bi-neþen vndur my fote,
As feire floures, feiþfully,
As special spices me þhouȝte hem swote;
Þe Blisful Qwen, þat Maiden Milde,
Þat sitteþ in Chirche in hih Chayer
Wiþ þat comely kyng, hire childe,
Þat Blisful Babe, on Barm heo ber,
ffrom alle þe schydes þei cunne me schilde,
ffrom gledes and brondes þat brende so cler,
ffrom alle þe flaumes þat flowen so wilde,
Þat neuer non mihte neihȝe me ner.”
Þat sitteþ in Chirche in hih Chayer
Wiþ þat comely kyng, hire childe,
Þat Blisful Babe, on Barm heo ber,
ffrom alle þe schydes þei cunne me schilde,
ffrom gledes and brondes þat brende so cler,
ffrom alle þe flaumes þat flowen so wilde,
Þat neuer non mihte neihȝe me ner.”
Boþe Men and wymmen, al þat þer wore,
Þei herieden God hertily,
Boþe luytel and muche, lasse and more,
Of þis Miracle, witerly.
Þei herieden God hertily,
Boþe luytel and muche, lasse and more,
Of þis Miracle, witerly.
Þe Iewesse þorw hire sones sawe
Was conuertet to crist a-non;
Þe Child tok hym to cristes lawe,
And alle þe Iewes euerichon.
Was conuertet to crist a-non;
Þe Child tok hym to cristes lawe,
And alle þe Iewes euerichon.
154
Þe Meir sat on þe Ieuh him-selue,
fforte beo Iuge of his trespas;
To siggen þe soþe i-sworen were twelue,
To ȝiuen heore verdyt in þat caas.
fforte beo Iuge of his trespas;
To siggen þe soþe i-sworen were twelue,
To ȝiuen heore verdyt in þat caas.
Þei counseiled i-vere vppon þat caas,
And comen aȝeyn bi on assent;
Þe wordes of þat verdyt was:
“In þat same houene he schulde be brent.”
And comen aȝeyn bi on assent;
Þe wordes of þat verdyt was:
“In þat same houene he schulde be brent.”
Þus is endet þis stori
Of þe Miracle
I-writen a-boue.
God graunt vs Ioy
In heuene an hih,
Ihesu, for þi Moder loue.
Of þe Miracle
I-writen a-boue.
God graunt vs Ioy
In heuene an hih,
Ihesu, for þi Moder loue.
Amen.
| [Poems from the Vernon MS] | |