Altenglische legenden.

Anhang.

Alexius, aus Ms. Ashmol. 42 und Ms. Cbr. Gg. V, 31.

In der Sammlung der "Evangelia dominicalia" der Mss. Ashm. 42 und Cbr. Gg. V, 31 ist nach dem Abschluss der Evangelien noch ein Nachtrag angefügt, enthaltend 1) zur Feier des Täufers Johannes: Evangelium in vigilia s. Johannis Bapt. (Fuit in diebus Herodis), und In die ejusdem s. Johannis ad missam matutinalem (Dixit Zacharias ad angelum), und als Exemplum oder Narratio hierzu die untenstehende Legende von Alexius. 2) Sermo in festo apostolorum Petri et Pauli (gedruckt p. 77 ff.).— Alexius soll ein Beispiel sein, wie Gott seine Auserwählten schon in ihrer Geburt begnadigt; wie Johannes der Täufer "þurgh grace" empfangen und seine Geburt von Wundern begleitet ist, so auch Isac und Samuel, Maria u. a.: Of all þir was herd tythand Of þair getyng thorow goddys sand. Dessgleichen Alexius: And a gud child thorow prayer Was gettyn in Rome on þis manere. — Von den 2 Hss. verdient offenbar Ms. Ashmol. den Vorzug; doch erscheint es gerathen, beide Hss. abzu|drucken, um zugleich ein Beispiel für das Verhältniss und die Sprache dieser wichtigen Homiliensammlungen zu geben.

Alexius,

a) aus Ms. Ashm. 42. (A gude tale.)

In Rome was anes a riche mane, Þat hight forsothe Eufemyane; And his wife was calld Aglase, A gode wommane forsothe scho was. Riche þai ware of gold and fe, Line 5 And he senatoure of þat cite; He had seruaundes thre thousande, Þat seruid him to fote and hande; In sendelle his menȝe he cledde And daynteli he þaim fedde. Line 10 In honoure liuid Eufemyane And his wife, a gode womane. Þus þis man lange & his wife Wiþ ioye and blisse þai ledde þaire life. So gode and almous gern þai ware Line 15 In all þaire welthe & riche fare, Þat in þaire hall stode aie redie Thre bordes spred full menskfulli: A borde, pilgrimes for-to fede, Anoþer to pouere þat had nede, Line 20 And the thrid to faderles barnes Þat helpe of fadir & modir tharnes.

And þis godeman him-self gon sitte, Als mani men duse ȝitte, Wiþ gode men of halikirk, Line 25 Þat wald goddes werkes wirk, Þat lufid wele myldenes, Religioune & halines. His wife was almous gerne ynoghe And euer-more to gode thewes droghe. Line 30 Of hali life ware þai bathe — Herd neuer man whare þai did scathe. Of werldes blisse þai had gode wane, Þaim wantid nathinge in erthe bot ane: For childe betwene þaim had þai nane; Line 35 For-thi þaim thoȝt þaire blisse all gane, Sorie þai ware & euile paiede, And oft-sithis to god þai praied Þat he wald for his grete mercie Sende þaim som fruite of þaire bodie. Line 40 And sone oure lorde herd þaire praiere & gladid tite þaire heuie chere: He sente betwix þaim a knaue-childe, Þat was bathe gode & meke & mylde. And when þis ilk knaue-childe was borne, Line 45 Þai thankid god bothe euene & morne, And cristnid him wiþ ioye and blisse And namid him þare Alexis — In oure tonge þis ilk name schewes Manne full-fillid of gode thewes. Line 50 Þis childe wex fast & wele thraue, For mikil grace god him gaue. His fadir sette him sone to boke, And wele clergie he vndirtoke; Bot þo bokis lufid he inwardlie Line 55 Þat spak oght of god all-mightie. Mai i noȝt tell all his godenes, His wisdome ne his halines. Bot schortli here i will ȝow schewe Of his life and his gode thewe. — Line 60 When he was commen forthe in elde, His fadir wiþ mensk & wiþ belde Gert him a faire maiden spouse, And broȝt hir home till his house: Scho was of þe emperoure kinde, Line 65 Als we in stories writen finde; Meke and mylde scho was ynoȝe And aie to godenes scho hir droghe. At þair bridale was mikil fare,

And riche gifftis giuen þare: Line 70 Robes riche, siluer and golde, Þat es to riche men full holde; Þare was myrthe & gammen & gle, Mete & drink of wyne clarre, Þer was ynoghe forsothe to all Line 75 Þat was gadird to þat hall; Þai gaue mikil almous for goddes sake To all pore þat wald it take. Ilkman had ioye ynoghe, And siþen ilkon home droghe. Line 80 When þis bridegome suld go to bed, Þat richeli wiþ pall was sprede — Gayli was his chaumbir graithid Wiþ riche clothis, in flore laide: He graithid him on all manere Line 85 Als he suld ligge be his fere. Þe wheþer he ne thoȝt it noȝt: Anoþer þinge was in his thoȝt. When all was oute of chaumber gane Saue he & his wife allane, Line 90 He prechid hir of maidenhede & sithen of þat mikil mede Þat þai sall haue þat ȝemes here Þaire maidenhed on gode manere — Wiþouten ani priue pride, Line 95 Þat fele wymen er wonte to hide In þaire hert for þaire maidenhede: Þat geres þaim laytheli tyne þaire mede: For who so duse gode dede in rose, He tynes all þat euere he duse. — Line 100 When he had saide what he walde, His Jewellis he gaue hir for-to halde And sithen he gaue hir a gold ringe, Bitwene þaim to be takenynge: "To þe tyme, he saide, we first mete — Line 105 Þare sall we speke wordes swete. For i will wende myne erande— Bot wote i neuer into what lande". "And ȝoure will, scho saide, it be, God bringe ȝow sone againe to me!" Line 110 He toke wiþ him siluer and golde And riche clothis to laie in folde, & wente him forthe vnto þe se And passid oute of his contre.

Sone he fand redi schippinge, Line 115 For gold puruaied his farynge. Þai had god winde & forthe þai wente Into ferre contre, verraiment. And sone when he come to lande, Cytees & tounes faire he fande; Line 120 Vnto a citee forsothe he ȝede And chaungid þare his riche wede Wiþ a beggar, & sithen him cledde In pure clethinge, & þan faste fledde — For he wald þat naman it wist Line 125 Þat he wald liue in hongir & thriste. Seuene wintir þare woned he In begger lyue and pouerte; In grete myssese he led his life, And gude praiers was him full rife; Line 130 Wiþ haire and brinye his corse he cledde, And on þe bare erde he made his bedde, Brede and watir was his liue-lade; And he to god his praiers made Þat naman suld witte whate he was Line 135 Or his sawle fra him gon passe. — Þan when Eufemiane his sonne miste And it forsothe witirli wiste, He grette and made full euile chere, And his modir als in-fere. Line 140 Þai gerte him seke on all manere Full wide-whare, bothe fer and nere, To seke þaire dere sonne Alexis, To bringe him hame mawgre his. Þir messangeres þan wente sperand Line 145 Fra toune to toune, fra lande to land, Bote fand þai nane þat couthe þaim wisse To þat childe, Alexis. Twa messangers come þare he was, Into a towne als þai gon passe, Line 150 Sittand in strete ymange pore men; Bote nouþer of þaim couthe him ken, For hard penaunce & honger and nede Had chaungid all his fairehede; Full raggid and riuen wase his clathis Line 155 And full of vermyne, þat mani lathis, And þarefore couthe þai noȝt him knawe, Þare he wiþ beggars satte on rawe.

Þai gaue almous to þaim all And bade, to god þat þai suld call Line 160 Þat of þaire sekinge þai miȝt spede And Alexis wiþ þaim hame lede. Alexis in all his wa, When he þaim sawe before him ga, His awne seruaundes knewe he wele, Line 165 Bot þai knewe him neuer a dele. When he of þaim almous had tane, Þareof he thankid god onane: "Lorde, he saide, i thank the, Þat hie sittis in trinite, Line 170 Þat þou to daie hase giuene me grace Almous to take here in þis place Off þaim þat was wont to be Myne awne menne & seruid me, And i vnknawen vnto þaim! Line 175 Þer-of, lorde, i am full faine". — Graithe ensaunpile here mai i take Þis werldes welthe to forsake, For it behoues vs all-gate fle, Cristis dissipils if we will be; Line 180 For so did saint Alexis, Forthi es he in heuene blisse. — Þir messangeres come hame againe, Þat made Eufemian full vnfaine For þai saide þat þai had ferre soȝt Line 185 To seke Alexis, & fande him noȝt. So sorowfull tithand broȝte þai hame: His fadir sorowed, & his dame. His modir grette & raaue hir hare, And all hir bodi scho made bare Line 190 & did apon hir a sekk clathe, Þat hir was wonte to be full lathe, And saide: "for-sothe, i sall neuer be Blithe, or i mi dere sonne se; Bot if i mi sonne hals & kisse, Line 195 Of sorow mon i neuer misse. A, mi swete, dere, sonne, When i was sori, it was þi wonne Forto stand me full nere And to glade my dreri chere. Line 200 How sall i liue, and þou awaie? I maie singe of wailewaie Þat euer i was of modir borne!

For now es mi ioie all forlorne. Whiles þat þou was beside me, Line 205 Euer-more was I in gammen & gle — Might i neuer sorie be, Apon þe when i mighte se; Now es mi swete sonne awaie, Gone es all my gammen & plaie". Line 210 Sorowfull was his fadir ynoghe And sare sighes fra his herte he droghe; Mikil leuere him had to die Þan swilk sorowe lange to drie. And sa sare grette þat ȝonge spouse Line 215 Þat Alexis had broghte to house, Þat ȝou to tell, it ware to tere, All hir sorowe and hir euile chere. Scho saide þat scho suld neuer-mare Make ioye ne mirthe, bote euer care, Line 220 "And wiþ ȝow aie for-to dwell Till i of mi husband here tell In whate land þat he es lent Or into whate toune he es wente. For clene maiden will i be, Line 225 Till þat i him wiþ eyene se. For oþer man þan Alexis Sal i neuer hals ne kisse, Ne neuer-more in my liue Sall oþer man make me wyue". Line 230 Þus scho sorowid daie and night, Boþe priuelie and in sight. — Torne we now to Alexis Þat lefft for god þis werldes blisse. He liuid in pouerte & in fastinge, Line 235 In prayere and in wakinge. Edissa highte þat ilk cite Þare he liuede in pouerte. Be a kinges ȝate he satte And liued wiþ þe almous he gatte. Line 240 A-pon a daie, als he satte þare, He prayed to god wiþ mylde fare Before ane ymage of oure ladie. And scho him answerde selcouthelie And saide: "Alexis, wele þe be! Line 245 Þi gude praiers full wele paies me". Anoþer tyme aperid scho In þe kirk a man vnto

Þat bothe to þe kirk tent toke And to vestmentes & to boke; Line 250 Scho bad him take in sone onane Þat seli pure goddes manne: "For his penaunce & his praiere To mi sonne he es full dere". Þan faste oute of þe kirk he ranne Line 255 For-to seke þis goddef manne. Full mani pure men he sawe, Bote nane of þaim gon he knawe Of whaim oure ladi to him spak; Forthi he ne wiste whaim in to take. Line 260 He come rynnand againe forthi And praied oure ladi inwardeli: "Ladi, þi seruaunde haue i soȝte, And, for-sothe, I knawe him noȝte: Þerfore, ladie, wisse þou me Line 265 To him, ife þi will be!" Þan þe ymage of oure ladie Answerd him aperteli: "Be þis taken þou sall him kenne Þare he sittis ymange pure menne". Line 270 And he rynnes forthe & findes him riȝte, Als þe ymage had him highte. On knees he fell þan ate his fete, And full faire he gon him grete & saide: "gude man, i praie the, Line 275 Þou come in-to þe kirk wiþ me! For god, þat es ofe maste pouste, To his seruaunde hase chosen þe". When Alexis herd þis sawe, He sighed and held his heued full lawe, Line 280 For his godenes he wald ware hid And lathe him was þat ite ware kidde; Bote noȝte-forthi he wiþ him ȝede, And to þe kirk he gon him lede. Þe folk herd þis myracle swete: Line 285 And knelid before Alexis fete, And in riche sete þai him sette And wiþ faire wordes þai him grette. Alexis of þis was noghte payed And to him-selfe þusgates he sayed: Line 290 "Þou þat made all thinge iwisse,

Wate full wele whate mi will is: Neuer swilk wirschipe forto haue, Ofe man ne wife, maiden ne knaue. Faire ofe þis contre þou bringe me Line 295 And send me plase of priuete! For is nathinge þat i hate mare Þan to be menskid, or wele fare". Sone effter on a mirk nighte Oute ofe þate toune he fled, for sighte, Line 300 And come to þe toune ofe Laodise, Þate es gode toune ofe marchandise. In-to þe se he schippid þare: For in-to Tarsis he thoȝte to fare, To dwell þare in sainte Paule kirk Line 305 In pouerte, & goddef will to wirk. Bote god tornid þe wind belife And gerte þe schippe in Rome ryue. And when Alexis come to land, His fadir he mette fra þe kirk comand. Line 310 And faire he gon his fadir grete And saide to him þir wordes swete: "Lorde, of me þow haue mercie, A pure nedefull man am I; Þou giue me mete par charite Line 315 Of releue þate þou leues before þe! And if þou lufe ani mane Þat in pilgrimage es gane, I sall praie god wiþ mode & maine Þat he sende him sone againe Line 320 And þate he com hale and sounde, Wiþ-outen wemme, wiþ-outen wounde, In foreward þat þou do me gude And helpe me to my lyues fude". Full still þan stode Eufemiane, Line 325 To lithe and listen þis pure mane; On Alexis, his sonne, so he thoȝte, Þat him nerehand to dede had broȝte, Þat in pilgrimage was wente, Bote he ne wiste whare he was lente; Line 330 Forthi for him he sighid sare And wepid for sorowe & for care. And for he thoȝte þan of his sonne, He gerte his sorowe more monne, And he saide: "man, for mi sonne sake Line 335 Into mi house i will þe take, And þare i sall þe clethe & fede And fynde þe all þat þe es nede".

"Now god, he saide, in trinite, Leue sir, forȝelde ite þe!" Line 340 Hame to his howse he him ledde, And in his howse made him a bedde In a chaumbir be him ane, And a keye he gon him tane, To come & ga ate his will; Line 345 And bad his men his will fullfill, And comaunde þaim all wiþ gode mode To giue him his liues fode. Þus liuide he þare wiþ almous In his awne fadir howse Line 350 Oþir wintirs seuentene, And suffrid paynes mani & kene; His penaunce chaungid all his hewe, So þate nane in werld him knewe. Þe fende to him was full wrathe Line 355 And tysid men to do him lathe. For wantonne barnes of þe house, Þat was fedde þare wiþ almouse, Come to him on nightir tale For to do him mikil bale: Line 360 For som him toke be þe berde, For to make him all ferde, Som keste on him dihsse-wehssinge And did him mani oþir hethinge, Som keste atte him stone & clotte, Line 365 Som plaied wiþ him sitti-sotte. And all he tholid wiþ gode will, Goddes biddinge to full-fill, And praied for þaim þat did him scathe— For he forgaue þaim all þaire lathe, Line 370 And praied þat god suld þaim grace sende Þat þai mighte þaire lif amende. — Tholemodenes here maie ȝe lere Þate gladli will þis tale here; Here maie ȝe se þat tholemodenes Line 375 To cristen man so gode thinge es, Þat wrange ne woghe ne werldes scathe Maie do atte him ne make him wrathe; For ite is rute ofe all gudenes, Faire speche and mekenes. — Line 380 Sone effter god sente his sande To Alexis, gude tithande, And bad þate he suld make him ȝare

Oute of þis werld forto fare. He thankid god full inwardli Line 385 Of his grace and his mercie; Þan he callid to him his knaue And bad þate he suld ger him haue Parchemyne and inke bathe: And he ite broȝt to him full rathe. Line 390 Þan his life all þare wrate he, Þat, when he ware dede, þai mighte se, Whase sonne he was, & whate he highte; And all his life he wrate full riȝte: How he had liued in beggarhede Line 395 In mikil missese and in nede Euenli foure & thritti ȝere, In mikil pouerte, in stedes sere, And how he fra his wife wente And in whate toune he was lente, Line 400 And how he gaue his gold ringe To his wife atte his partinge And saide ite suld be takeninge Betwene þaim atte þaire firste metinge. When he had made all þis writte, Line 405 Faste in his hand he loukid ite, And laide him doune on his bedde: Wiþ harde sekenes was he stedde. Þan god of heuene schewid sone Þe mikil gode þate he had done. Line 410 For on þe palme-sonondaie, When folk in kirk began to praie, A voyse was in þe mynstir herde — Þat made all þe folk full ferde; Þe voice saide: "comes all to me Line 415 Þat suffirs pyne and pouerte! And i sall lethe wiþ-outen faile Ȝoure lange tene & ȝoure trauaile And bringe ȝow to heuene blisse, Þer no pyne ne trauaile is". Line 420 Þe folk on knees fell in thrange And kyrieleyson thries þai sange. Þe voise effte-sones spak in hye And bad þaim seke wightlie Goddes seruaunde "þat es full meke, Line 425 For in þis citee lyes he seke". Þe folk wiste neuer whate ite mente, Ne ofe whaim þai had na tente.

Neuer þe latter þai him soghte, Bote Alexis þai fande noȝte, Line 430 Als þe voise to þaim þis talde. His gaste to god Alexis ȝalde: On þe godefridaie atte morne Full godirhaile was he borne. Þe pape of Rome & his clergie Line 435 Þat daie wente to þe kirk arelie, Goddes seruis þare for to saie And to Jesu for to praie; And so did twa emperours, And lawde folk, to here þaire houres. Line 440 & all þai thoȝte apon þate steuene Þat god had sente þaim fra heuene. Þe pape gerte þaim praie all than Þat god suld sende þaim þat man Of whaim þe voise fro heuene had spokene, Line 445 Whare and in whate plase þat he was lokene. Þe folk did his comaundmente And praied god wiþ gode entente, Þai saide: "lorde full of mercie, On þe we call, on þe we crie, Line 450 Þou swete lorde, now vs wisse In whate stede þi seruaund is, Þat we thorghe him mai loue þe When we his swete bodi se!" Þan sone þai herde a voise saie Line 455 Þat in Eufemiane house he laie, "Loke þare, & ȝe sall find redie Þe hali bodie of Alexi". Þe folk þan full faine was ofe þis When þai herd of Alexis — Line 460 For him was mikil wa in Rome For þai ne wiste whare he become. Þe pape ofe Rome & his clergie Thoȝte of þis full grete ferlie, Þai askid sone Eufemyane Line 465 Whi he helid goddes mane. He answerd þaim & saide þaim: "naie, I knawe o nane, be mi laie!" Þe pape made processioune Of lerid and lawde þorghe þe toune, Line 470 And wente to Eufemyane palaise,

For sothe, als þe boke vs saise, Þat hali bodie for-to seke Þat goddes voice ofe gon speke. Eufemiane spirid ate his menȝe, Line 475 In his house if ani mighte be Þate was so wele wiþ Jesue Als þe voise saide, of vertue. And þai answerde & saide, naie, Þat no swilk man knewe þai, Line 480 Nouþer comand ne gangand Ne in his palaise wonande. As Eufemiane stode þus spereand, So come þat ilk knaue rynnand Þat had seruid Alexis, Line 485 Þat þan was wente to heuene blisse. "Sir, he saide, ite mai wele be Þat þat ilk man es he To ȝeme þat ȝe betaghte to me, Þat ȝe gaue mete par charite. Line 490 I haue him sene grete penaunce do And lede his life in mikil vnro: I trowe forsothe þat ite is he, For he was hali, als think me. Full lange hase he sekenes dried Line 495 And to daie ate morne he died". When Eufemiane herd þis tithand, Na langere mighte he þare still stand Bote als a man þat ware wode To Alexis bedde he ȝode, Line 500 And saide: "þou man, par charite, Of þi grase þou tell me — For i hald me noȝte worthi For to touche þi hali bodie — Noȝte-forþi i praie to the Line 505 Þat þou þi gudenes schewe to me: Saie me, for þe lufe of sainte Jame, Wheyne þou come, whate es thi name?" Þus he callid wondir offte Bothe wiþ hye wordis (and) sofft. Line 510 Bote worde ofe him mighte he (gete) nane, For he was dede als a stane. & Eufemiane wele thoȝt Þat Alexis answere wald noȝte: Þan ner he come & did awaie Line 515 Þe pure clathis þate on him laie,

And Alexis þare he fande Still, callde, dede liggande. And swilk a smell als he þare smellid Neuer nane before he fellid — Line 520 For all þe spice þate es in Spaine, And all þe floures in grete Almaine Gaue neuer sauoure halfe so swete Als was ofe him, fra toppe to fete. In haire and brinie was he cledde, Line 525 Ofe smale stanes was his bedde, Vndir his heuede laie a stane — Soffter þinge þan was þare nane. In his hand was a boke, Bote whate ite was, mighte na-man loke. Line 530 Þan ȝode Eufemiane in hye Vnto þe pape & his clergie And talde þe pape als he fand, And of þe boke in his hand. When þe pape herd þis ferlie, Line 535 Wiþ him he toke all his clergie, And come full sone to þate bodie And stode and askid ite mercie: "Lorde, he saide, þou schew me Þe mikil vertue þat es in þe, Line 540 Þat we mai loue god ofe heuene Þat wissid vs to þe þorghe his steuene And schewe vs here þis ilk lettire, Þat we maie all be þe better And to knawe þi halines Line 545 And þe vertue þate in þe es". When he had made his orisoune, Wiþ drede ofe herte he stoupid doune: And toke þe lettire oute of his hande, & grete ferlie þare-in he fande. Line 550 He gaue ite a clerke, þat stode him nere, And bad him rede, þate all miȝt here. Þe clerk began ite for-to rede, And Eufemiane began to wede When he þate lettir vndirstode; Line 555 For sorow all-moste he wex wode, For he beganne to grete & crie & fell apon þate dede bodie. Þe mikil sorow & þe care Þat Eufemiane makid þare Line 560 May naman tell be þe haluendele,

Thofe his tonge ware made ofe stele. When Aglaes, his wife, herde þis Þat he was hir sonne Alexis Þat in bed dede laie þare, Line 565 Scho beganne to roupe & rare, And ofe hir heued scho drewe þe hare, For had scho neuer so mikil care. His wife kome þan wiþ sorowfull late, Wiþ goulinge, & wiþ rewfull grate, Line 570 Als scho wald all to watir writhe — So was scho sarie & vnblithe. Will i of þis na langer spelle, Bote forthe oure storie wil i tell. When þis folk sawe þis ferlie, Line 575 Þai loued god all-mightie. And þe pape and his clergie To þe cors ȝede full dereworthelie And wande ite in full riche folde, Þat brighte schane als duse þe golde. Line 580 To þe kirk þai wald him bere; Bote mighte naman þe corse stere For prees of man þate was so strange, Þat nane mighte stere for mikil thrange: For seke men þat had vnhele Line 585 And dombe men þat miȝte noȝte mele, Deefe men þat miȝte noȝte here And halte men þat miȝte noȝte stere, Blind men þat wantid sight, Mesele men þat had no mighte: Line 590 All ware þai made hale & fere, Als swithe als þai neghid þe bere Þare sainte Alexe corse was loken, For whaim þe steuen before had spoken. For-thi was þare swilk prees & thrange, Line 595 Þat nane mighte gete gate to gange. Þe wise men of Rome þe whiles Vmbe-thoȝte þaim ofe wyles, How þai mighte breke þate grete thrange, To gete þaim gate for to gange: Line 600 Þai strewid penyes in þe strete To ger þe pure luke to þaire fete; Þe riche gatte þaim gate before, Þe whilis þai gadird penyes þore. Bote for all þis vnneþes mighte þai Line 605 Wynne to þe kirk þat ilk daie.

Þe kirk es ofe sainte Bonifase Whare þai layde goddes grase. Seuene daies þan woke þai þare, Wiþ mikil welthe & mikil fare, Line 610 And wroȝt þare a riche schrine And laide Alexis corse þare-ine. Whare euermare, till þis werld standes, Er all sekemen lousid of bandes; Þare wirkis god for Alexis, Line 615 For to him full dere he is. Oure lorde bringe vs to þat blisse And late vs neuer of þat ioye misse, Þare sainte Alexis for his mekenes Full nere god in heuene es. Line 620 Oure lorde, Jhesu Criste, vs spede To do penaunce, & þidir vs lede. Amen.

Now haue i broȝte þis tale till ende, I rede þate we oure life amende And praie god þat he vs mekenes send Line 625 And vs fra pride ofe hertte defende. For all þis lange tale i haue talde To ger ȝow in ȝoure hertes halde Þe mekenes of sainte Alexis, To ger ȝow se whate meknes is. Line 630 For mekenes es þe beste thewe Þat ani man in dede maie schewe. For þis mekenes, ofe whilk i mene, Gerte Marie be modir and qwene: Goddes modir, & qwene of heuene; Line 635 Forthi full blissefull es scho to neuene, Als scho hir-selfe saise in a sange. Full wele es þaim hir lufe mai fange And in mekenes folowe hir trace. For god giues meke men his grace Line 640 And geris þaim come to þat blisse Þat to all mekemen graithid is. Oure lorde of heuene þidir vs bringe, Þare euer es ioye wiþ-outen gretinge, And leue vs so oure liue to lede Line 645 Þat we mai all haue heuene to mede!

Amen.

b) aus Ms. Gg. V, 31.

In Rome was ones a ryche mane, Hys name was haten Eufemyan; Hys wyf was called Aglas, Þat a gud woman was. Riche þai war of gold and fe, Line 5 And he was senetour of þat cete. He had seruandys thre thousand Þat serued hym in þat land. Þai war in sylk & sendell clede; In mekell onour þaire lyf þai lede. Line 10 So gude and almus gerne þai war In all þaire welth and ryche fare, Þat in þaire hall stode ay redy Thre bordys sperde menskfully: On to pylgrymes for to fede, Line 15 An-oþer to pouer þat had nede, Þe thredde tyll faderles barnes Þat helpe of fader & moder tharnes;

Þai war almus-gern ynoghe And ay tyll gud þewes drowhe. Line 20 Of werldes gud had þai gud wane, Bot chylde bytwen þaim had þai nane. Þai prayd god of hys mercy To send þaim chyld of þaire body. God sent þam sone a knaf-chyld, Line 25 Þat was to god meke and mylde. Þai crysten hym wiþ ioy and blys And named hym Alixis. Þis chyld wex and wel thraf, And mekyll grace god hym gaf. Line 30 Hys fader sett hym sone to boke, And wel to clergy he toke, And euer he lofed inwardly Bokes þat spak of god almyghty. — Efter, when he come tyll elde, Line 35 Wiþ mekell mensk and wiþ belde, Hys fader hym gert a wyf spous And broght hyr home vntill hys hous: Sho was of þe Emperour kynde, Als we may in story wreten fynd; Line 40 Meke and mylde scho was ynowhe And ay tyll thewes gude drowhe. At þaire brydale was mekyll fare,

And rych gyftes gyfen thare; Þare was myrth maken(!) and gle, Line 45 Of all ryches grete plente, Þare was almus and ioye ynoghe, And sythen ilk man home drowhe. When þis bryd-gome suld go to bed, Þat rychely wiþ pal was spred — Line 50 Gladly was þe chambre graythett Wiþ ryche cleþes, in flor layd: He graythed hym on all manere Als he suld lyg by hys fere. Þo wheder he ne wald noght: Line 55 Ane oþer thyng was in hys thoght. When all ware owt of chaumer gane Saf he and hys wyf al-ane, He preched hyr of mayden-hede And als-so of þat mekel mede Line 60 Þat þai sall haue þat ȝemes here Þaire maydenhed on gud manere — Wiþ-owt any pryue pryde Þat many women wyll kyde In þaire hert for þaire maydenhede: Line 65 Þat gerrs þam lathly tyne þaire mede: For who so dos gud dede in ros, He tines all þat euer he dos. — When he had sayd þus what he walde, Hys Jeweles he gaf hyr tyll halde Line 70 And sythen he gaf hyr a rynge, Bytwene þaim to be toknynge. He sayd: "wyf, I wyll my erand(!), Bot I wate neuer in-tyll what land". Scho sayd: "syr, at ȝour wyll yt be. Line 75 God bryng ȝow sone agayne to me!" He toke wiþ hym gold plente And went hym forth full priuele.

God puruayd wele hys farynge: And sone he fand redy schyppynge. Line 80 Þai had gud wynd and forth þai went, Tyll far contre was þaire entent. And when he come þare on lande, Cetes and toūnes full fayr he fande. In-tyll a cete sone he ȝede Line 85 And changed all hys rich wed Wiþ a begger, and sythen hym clede In begger wede, and fast he flede — For he wa(l)d þat noman wyste Þat he wald lyf in honger & thryste. Line 90 Seuynten wynter þare woned he In begger lyf and pouerte; In grete myschef he led hys lyfe, And gude bedys were hym full ryfe; Wiþ hayre and breny he hym cled, Line 95 And on þe bare erthe he made hys bede, Brede and water was hys lyflade, And tyll god hys prayers made Þat non sall wit what he was By-fore þe soule fro hym suld passe. — Line 100 And when hys fader hys sonne myste, Þat he was gone wytterly wyste, He gret and made full yuell chere, And hys wyf als sore in-fere. Þai gert hym seke fer and nere Line 105 Full wyde-ware, on all manere, To seke þaire sone Alixis And brying hym home maugre hys. Þis messangers went spyand Fro toune to toun, fro lande to lande, Line 110 Bot fande þai nane þat couth þaim wyse Vntyll þaire maister Alixis. Two messangers come þare he was, In a toun als þai gan pas, Syttand omang pouere men; Line 115 Bot couth þai no-gates hym ken: For hard penance and hunger and nede Was changed al hys fayred; Full ragged and reuen was hys clathes, And full of vermen, þat many lathes: Line 120 For-thy couth þai noght hym knawe, Þare he wiþ beggers sate on rawe.

Þai gaf almus to þam al And bad, til god þat þai suld cal Þat þai suld fare wele in þaire nede Line 125 And of þaire erand þai suld wele spede. Alixis knewe þaim full wele, Bot þai knew him neuer a dele. "Lorde, he sayd, I thank the, Þare þou sittes in thy trinite, Line 130 Þat þow þis day has gyfen me grace Amus to take in þis place Of þam þat wont war to be Myn owen men and serued me." Þire mensangers come home agayne, Line 135 Þat made Eufemyam vn-fayn For þai say: "ser, we haf fer soghte To seke Alixis, bot we herd noghte." Hys fader Eufemiane was ful wa, And so was hys moder al-swa. Line 140

Line 140 Hys wyf sayd: scho suld neuer mare Make ioye, bot euer care, And wiþ Eufemyane dwell Tyll scho herd of hyr husband spell: "For oþere man þen Alixis Line 145 Sal I neuer hals ne kys, For neuer-more in my lyue Sal oþere man mak me wyfe." — Turne we now tyl Alixis Þat left for god þis werldys blys. Line 150 He lyfed in herd fastynge, In prayers and in wakynge. Edissa hyght þat ilk cete Þare he leued in pouerte. At a kynges ȝate he sate Line 155 And lyued wiþ almus þat he gate. Apon a day, als he sate þare, Prayd he god wiþ myld fare Byfore an ymage of oure lady. Þe ymage answerd selcouthly: Line 160 "Well, Alixis, moght þou be! Þi gude prayers payes me." And ane oþer tyme scho apered than In þe kyrk tyl an old man. . . . . . Line 165

Many pouere men he saw, Line 165 Bot nan of þam couth he knawe. He come rymand(!) in for-thy And prayed oure lady inwardly, He sayd: "lady, wys þow me Tyll hym, yf þi wyll be!" Line 170 Þe ymage sayd: "þow sall hym ken" And told hym a taken þen. And he þan forth, and tald ryght Als þe ymage had hym hyght. On knes he fell at hys fete Line 175 And full sore bygan to grete And sayd: "syr, I pray the, Þow come in-tyll þe kyrk wiþ me! For god, þat ys of moste pouste, Tyll hys seruand has chosen þe." Line 180 When Alixis herd þis sawe, He sighed and helde hys heued lawe, For hys gudnes he wald war hyd And lathe hym war yt war kyd. And for-þi wiþ hym he ȝede, Line 185 And tyll þe kyrk he gan hym lede. Þe folk herd of hys wordys swete And fell by-for Alixis fete, In rych cete þai hym sett And wiþ fayr wordys hym gret. Line 190 Alixis þare-of was ill payd And tyll hym-self þus he sayd: "Þou þat made all thyng Iwys,

Þow wayte wele what my wyl ys: Neuer worschyppe for-tyll haue, Line 195 Of man ne wyf, mayden ne knawe. Owt of þis contre, lorde, bryng me And send me grace of priuete! Þare ys no-thyng þat I hate mare Þan to be mensked, or well fare." Line 200 Sone apon a merke nyghte Owt of þat toune he fled, for syghte, And come to þe cete of Leddys, A nobil toun of marchandys. In-to þe se he schyppyd thare: Line 205 For in-tyll Aces he toght to fare, To dwelle in saynt Powell kyrk In pouert, goddys wyll to wyrk. Bot god turned þe wynd by-lyue And in Rome made þaim to ryue. Line 210 And when Alixis come to land, Hys fader he mete to(!) kyrk comand. And fayr he gan hys fader grete And sayd tyll hym wiþ wordys swete: "Lord, of me þou haf mercy, Line 215 A pouer nedfull man am I; Þou gyf me mete pur charite Of relyf þat leues byfor þe! For if þou lofed euer any-ane Þat in pylgrimage ys gane, Line 220 And(!) I sall pray wiþ myght & mayn Þat god sal send hym þe agayne, In forward þat þou do me gude And helpe me tyll my lyues fode." Styll stode Eufemyan, Line 225 To lythe and lyste þe pouer man; On Alixis, hys son, he thoghte, Þat hym nere-hand to ded had broghte. For-þi bygan he to wepe sare And wyped hys eȝen wiþ mekel care. Line 230 He sayd: "man, for my son sake In-to my hows I wyll þe take And euer-more þe clethe and fede And fynd þe all þat þe ys nede."

"Now god, þat ys in trinite, Line 235 Syr, he sayd, forȝelde yt the!" Home wiþ hym he hym lede, And in hys hows made hym a bede In a chambyr by hym ane, Þar-tyll a kaye he gan hym tane, Line 240 To come and gang at hys wyll; And bad hys men hys wyll fulfyll, And comande þam wiþ gude mode Þai suld hym serue of lyfes fode. Þus leued he þare wiþ almus Line 245 In his owen fader hous Oþer wynters seuentene, And sufferd paynes many and kene; Hys penance changed all hys hewe, So þat none in werld hym knewe. Line 250 Þe fend tyll hym was full wrath And tyced men to do hym skath. For wanton barnes of þe hous, Þat þar war fed wiþ almus, Come tyll hym by nyghter tale For to skorne and do hym bale: Line 255 Some wald pul hym by þe berde, For to make hym for þam aferde, Þai kest on hym disch-waschyngs And dyd hym many oþer thyngs, Some kest at hym stone and clotte, Line 260 Some playd wiþ hym sitt-fotte(!). And all tholed he wiþ glad wyll, Goddys wyll & byddyng to fulfyll; He forgaf þaim all þaire lathe And prayd for þaim þat dyd hym skathe. — Line 265 Tholmodnes here may ȝe lere, Þat lykes þis tale forto here; For þat ys rote of all gudnes, Fayr speche and meknes. — Sone þar-efter sente god a sande Line 270 Þat broght Alixis gud tyth(a)nde: A angell bad hym make hym ȝare,

Owt of þis werld suld he fare. He thanked god þan inwardly Of hys grace and hys mercy; Line 275 Þan he called tyll hym hys knawe And sayd: "lef sone, þow ger me haue Parchamyn an ynk bath!" And he broght tyll hym rath. Þan all hys lyf þare wrate he, Line 280 When he war ded, at þai myght se, Whas sone he was, and what he hyght; And all hys lyf he wrate ryght: In grete pouert in stedys sere Had he leued foure and thretty ȝere, Line 285 And how he fro hys wyf went And all þe stede he in lente, And how he gaf hys gold ryng Tyll hys wyf at hys partyng. When he had made all þis wrytt, Line 290 Fast in hys hand he lowked yt. Wiþ hard seknes þan was he stede And layd hym doun apon hys bed. And euen on palme-sononday, When folk in kyrk bygan to pray: Line 295 A voyce was in þe mynster herde Þat made all þe folk full ferde: Þe voyce sayd: "come al to me Þat suffers payne and pouerte! For I sall qwyte wiþ-owt fayle Line 300 Ȝoure lang tene and ȝour trayuayll." Þe fell of knes(!) fell full thrang, And clerkys kyrieleyson sang. Þe voys þan spak eft-sones wiþ cry And bad þam seke wytterly Line 305 Goddys seruand "þat ys full meke, For in þis cete lygges he seke."

Þe folk ran fast abowte and soght, Bot Alixis fand þai noght. Full gud and haly was he born: Line 310 He dyed on gud-fryday at morn. Þe pape of Rome and clergy Þat day went to þe kyrke arely, And so dyd two Emperoures, And lered folk, tyll here þaire oures. Line 315 Þai thoght wele a-pon þat steuen Þat þai on palme-sononday herd euen. Þe pape gert þam pray all þan Þat god suld send þam þat man Of wham þe voys of heuen had spokyn, Line 320 And in what place þat he war lokyn. Þe folk dyd hys comandment And prayd god wiþ gud entent. And als þe folk hertly gan pray, Son þai herd a voys say: Line 325 "In Eufemyan hous he lyes, Þe haly body of Alixis." Þe folk full fayne war of þis When þai herd of Alixis — For hym þai war wa in Rome Line 330 For thay ne wyst wyder he bycome. Þe pape þen asked Eufemyan Why he layned goddys man. He answerd and sayd nay He knew hym, by hys fay. Line 335 Þe pape ȝede wiþ procession Of lerd and lewed ryght þorow þe toun And went tyll Eufemyan palays,

Als þe boke for-soth vs says, Þat holy body for-to seke Line 340 Þat þe voys befor of speke. Eufemyan spered at hys meyne, In hys hous if any myght be Þat was so wele wiþ Jhesu Als þe voys sayd, of vertu. Line 345 And þai answerd and sayd nay, Þat non swylk knew þai, Nowther comand ne gangand Nor in hys palays non wonnand. Als Eufemyan stod sperand, Line 350 So come þat ilke knaw rymand Þat serued Alixis, Þat than was went tyll heuen blys. "Syr, he sayd, þat may wele be Þat þis ilk man ys he Line 355 To ȝeme þat ȝe bytaght me, Þat ȝe gaf mete par charyte. I haf hym sene grete penance (do) And led hys lyf in mykell vn-ro: I trow ryght wele þat yt ys he, Line 360 For he was holy, af thoght me. Full lang has he seknes dryed And þis day at morne he dyed." When Eufemyan had hard þis tythands, Moght he no langer styll stand Line 365 Bot als a man þat war wode Tyll Alixis bed he ȝede, And sayd: "þou man, par charite Of þi grace þou tell me — For I hald me noght worthy Line 370 For-to touch thy body: Say me for luf of saynt Jame Wethen þou come, wat ys þi name?" Þus he called wonder oft Wiþ hegh wordys and wiþ soft. Line 375 Bot worde of hym gatte he nane, For he was ded als a stane. And when Eufemyan well thoght Þat Alixis answerd noght, Nere he come and dyd oway Line 380 Þe pouer cloþes þat on hym lay,

And Alixis fone he fand Cald, ded þare lyggand. And swylk a smell als he þare smeld, Neuer ȝet none he feled — Line 385 Þar was neuer spice so swete Als he smelled, fro top to fete. In hayr was hys body cled, Of small stones was his bede, Vnder hys heued lay a stane — Line 390 Softer thyng was þare nane. In his hand was a boke, Bot what was yt, myght noman luke. Þe pape come sone to þat body And stode and asked yt mercy: Line 395 "Lorde, sayd þe pope, þow schew me Þe mekell vertu þat ys in þe, And schew vs here þis ilk letter Þat we all may be þe better, Þat we may knaw þi halynes Line 400 And þe vertu þat in þe es." When he had made þis oryson, Wiþ gretand chere he stoped doun: And toke þe letter owt of hys hand, And grete ferly þare-on he fand. Line 405 He toke yt a clerk, þat stode hym nere, And bad hym rede, þat þai myght here. Þe clerk bygan for-to rede, And Eufemyan bygan to wede When he þat letter understode; Line 410 For sorow almast wex he wode, For he bygan to grete and cry And fell a-pon þat ded body. Þe mekell sorow and þe care Þat Eufemyan made þare Line 415 May noman tell halfondell,

Ȝof hys tong war made (of) stell. When Aglas, hys wyf, herd þis Þat he was hyr son Alixis Þat in bed ded lay thare, Line 420 Scho bygan to rope and rare. Hys wyf come þan wiþ sory late, Wiþ crying and wiþ sori grate — No ferly ȝof scho war vn-blyth; Scho fore als scho to water wald wryth. Line 425 When þe folk saw þis ferly, Faste þai loued god almyghty. Þe pope wiþ all hys clergy Come tyll þe cors worthyly. Tyll þe kyrk þai wald hym bere: Line 430 Bot myght þai nogh þe cors stere For prese of men þat was so strang, Þat noman myght for oþer gang: For seke men þat had vnhele, For dom men þat myght noght mele, Line 435 For def men þat myght noght here, And alt men þat myght (noght) stere, And blynd men þat had no syght, And mesell men þat wanted myght, All war þai made hall in-fere, Line 440 Als swythe als þai neghed þe bere Þare saynt Alixis cors was loken, For wham þe steuen of god had spokyn. For-thy was þar swylk prese and thrange. Þat nane myght get gate to gange. Line 445 Þai streued penys in þe strete, To ger pouer lok tyll þair fete. And ȝet vnneys myght þai Wyn to þe kyrk for pres þat day.

Þe kirk es ofe sainte Bonifase Whare þai layde goddes grase. Seuene daies þan woke þai þare, Wiþ mikil welthe & mikil fare, Line 610 And wroȝt þare a riche schrine And laide Alexis corse þare-ine. Whare euermare, till þis werld standes, Er all sekemen lousid of bandes; Þare wirkis god for Alexis, Line 615 For to him full dere he is. Oure lorde bringe vs to þat blisse And late vs neuer of þat ioye misse, Þare sainte Alexis for his mekenes Full nere god in heuene es. Line 620 Oure lorde, Jhesu Criste, vs spede To do penaunce, & þidir vs lede. Amen.

Now haue i broȝte þis tale till ende, I rede þate we oure life amende And praie god þat he vs mekenes send Line 625 And vs fra pride ofe hertte defende. For all þis lange tale i haue talde To ger ȝow in ȝoure hertes halde Þe mekenes of sainte Alexis, To ger ȝow se whate meknes is. Line 630 For mekenes es þe beste thewe Þat ani man in dede maie schewe. For þis mekenes, ofe whilk i mene, Gerte Marie be modir and qwene: Goddes modir, & qwene of heuene; Line 635 Forthi full blissefull es scho to neuene, Als scho hir-selfe saise in a sange. Full wele es þaim hir lufe mai fange And in mekenes folowe hir trace. For god giues meke men his grace Line 640 And geris þaim come to þat blisse Þat to all mekemen graithid is. Oure lorde of heuene þidir vs bringe, Þare euer es ioye wiþ-outen gretinge, And leue vs so oure liue to lede Line 645 Þat we mai all haue heuene to mede!

Amen.

Þe kyrk ys of seynt Bonefas Line 450 Þare þay layd hym wiþ goddys grace. Seuen dayes woke þai þare, Wiþ mekell welth and mekel fare, Þai wroght þare a ryche shryne And layd Alixis cors þare-ynne. Line 455 Þar wyrches god meraclys manyfolde And louses of band ȝonge and holde. Now haf I broght þis tale to ende, I rede þat we our lyfes amende And thynk of þe meknes of Alixis: Line 460 Þan may we be sekyr of blys. For meknes ys þe best thew Þat any man in ded may schew. For þis meknes þat I of mene Ger(t) Mary be moder, of heuen qwene, Line 465 Als-so hyr-self says in a sang — Full wele ys þam hyr luf may fang. Þai may be seker of heuen mede — Oure lord vs blys and þeder vs lede.

Aus Barbour's Legendensammlung, St. Machor, al. Moris. Ms. Cbr. Gg. II, 6, fol. 190b. (Schottischer Dialect, Mundart von Aberdeen).

Aus der zweiten nördlichen Legendensammlung, der des schottischen National|dichters Barbour (von ihm noch im hohen Alter, grösstentheils nach der Legenda Aurea gedichtet), theile ich hier vorläufig das wichtigste Stück mit: die Legende von Machor oder Moris, welche, da eine lateinische vita dieses Heiligen bis jetzt nicht aufgefunden ist, selbst die Stelle der Quelle vertritt. Die Zeit dieses Heiligen, der als Kind Mocumba (oder Mocumma) hiess, von seinem Lehrer Colman den Namen Machor empfing (vgl. v. 475), endlich vom Pabst bei seiner Ernenunng zum Bischof von Aberdeen Moris genannt wurde (vgl. v. 1465), sowie seines Lehrers S. Colman und seines Zeitgenossen S. Devenick, des Apostels von Cathnes (seine Be|gegnung mit Machor s. v. 819 ff., sein Tod v. 1339 ff), ist in Dunkel gehüllt). Die einzige Hs., Ms. Cbr. Gg. II, 6, c. 1450, von verschiedenen Händen ge|schrieben, ist überaus schwer lesbar. In Machor fehlt leider ein Blatt nach v. 1014 zu 81 Versen. Bei v. 828 tritt eine andere Hand ein, vielleicht dieselbe welche den Anfang des Ms. geschrieben; die Fortsetzung scheint erst später nachgetragen, nach einer Notiz am Rande: Caret de fine sce Mauchcarii et de sca Katerina. Die Auflösung der zahlreichen Abkürzungen des Ms. ist nach der sonstigen Schreib|weise des Ms. zu regeln. Das sonst er bezeichnende Häkchen … kann durch er und ir yr (ire yre) und r wiedergegeben werden, bezeichnet aber in M…tine, þ… u. q… ar (q… = quar oder quhare), h… ist hir oder hyr hyre. Obengeschriebenes t vertritt sowohl die schottische Schreibung cht in nicht, nocht, als auch th in blyth swyth, endlich auch die Endung it yt in louit 87, sperit 505, 585. Der Strich über den Vokalen, wie in nā, mā, bedeutet me oder ne; … ist ne; oft findet sich … und Strich zusammen: da ist wohl nur durch e aufzu|lösen (vielleicht ist aber so… durch sovne zu geben). able mit Schleife ist abile. p mit durchgezogenem Strich kann par (z. B. in parel = peril), per und por (in temporale) bezeichnen.

For þat oyse is generale [folio 190b] In haly kyrk vniuersale: In worschipe of god & lowing Of halowis to say & syng Þe farleis þat in þame were Line 5 Thru god, til þai ware duelland he(re); Bot befor vthyre I wald fayne, [folio 191] & I had cunnyng, set my mayne Sume thing to say of sancte Moryse, Þat in his tyme was ware & wis Line 10

Line 10 & in þe erd of sic renowne, & als in hewine sa hye patrone Of Aberdene in þe cite Thru haly lif was wont to be. Bot Jhesu Crist in þe ewangele, Line 15 Quhene at he techit, sad sume quhyle: Þat na profet, quhat euir he be, Is accept in his cunctre. & suth is þat prophesy In sanct Morys werraly: Line 20 For quhene are in þis land, at wat His birth, his lif & syne his stat, & hou eftyre gret trawal one chance God mad hyme to rest syne in France, Ine Toroune, til honouryt be, Line 25 Set þare a strangere was he, & fetryt is by sancte Martyne & haldine þare in gret lowing. Bot in þis land we kene hyme nocht, Quhare he wondir werkis wrocht, Line 30 As I sal schortly tel sume thing, Begynnand fyrst at his gettyng & of his byrth, & hou þat he Schupe hyme to god plesand to be.

A king quhyle was in Irland Line 35 To mane & god wel lifand, & had Syaconus to name. & his wyf, of gud fame, Þe quene Synchene mene callit þare: Þat a sone to þe king bare. Line 40 & gert ful mychty mene hyme ta & bere & cal hyme Mocumma, & to fostyre be-tuk hyme þane Til ane, callit Colmane. Þe quhilk had riches at wil, Line 45 For-þi he tuk þe child hyme til & gat a nuryse gud in hy. Þe quylk hyme fostrit tenderly. & he thrawe, þat wele fostrit was. & as he greu, sa godis grace Line 50 Greu in hyme ay, sa þat he With angelis wald oft visyt be. Þane tyd þe kyng a tyme to ryd In þe cunctre nere besyd, Quhare dweland wes þis Colmane; Line 55 Bot knawlag had þe king nane Þat his sovne wes fostryt þare. Bot as he by þe house cane sare, He saw angelis sare & brycht One þe ruf of þat house lycht Line 60 & ost come ydyr out of hewine & entryt syngand with a stewyne. Þe king, þat saw þis, had ferly & speryt at þame, ware hyme by: Quha aucht þe house, he saw þare, Line 65 & quha þare duelt in þat sychware. & sad þai: "sa haf we blyse, Ȝoure sone fostrit þare-ine is." Þe kyng, þat Joyful þane was, Ine-to þe house but mare cane pas Line 70 & til his sone beheld ine hy, Quhare he cane in þe credil ly: & saw þe angelis to & fra Cume ofte & hyme confort ma, About his credil gangand Line 75 With melody & angel sang. Þis quhene þe king had herd & sene, Þe Joy he had, wald na-mane wene! Bot þare na vthyr bot he Þat tholyt was þat sicht to se. Line 80 His handis þane he held one hicht & lowit god at al his mycht Þat sik a sone had til hyme send, & prayt he suld hyme defend Fra alkine Il, & grant þat he Line 85 In his seruice mycht growand be — Bot quhat-kine wyse he god louit Or hou þat he his sone blyssit, It ware ful lang here to say. Nocht-þane, or he ȝed away, Line 90 For god had latine hyme se þat sycht, He gaf of heretabile rycht To godis seruice al þat tone In-to fre possessione, [folio 192] & wend his way blyth & glad Line 95 For It, he sa sene had. & quhene he come hame, to þe quene

Tald al þat he had herd & sene: Þat rycht blyth was of þat thing & ȝauld to god gret lowing. Line 100 & ekyt þare deuocione In almous-ded and oracione, Prayand to god Ithandly Þat he wald for his gret mercy Sa kepe þare child furth, þat he Line 105 A lele seruand til hymc mycht be.

Syne eftyre it tyd of case Þat quhene Sychene deliuer was Of a knaf-child: þat deit rycht þane, Or mene with hyme to baptyme wane. Line 110 Þane was gret dule mad & care Oure al þe cunctre, here & þare. Bot nane sa mykil sorou mad As kyng & quhene, þat mast cause had — For it is mast sorow of ane Line 115 Barne to be fra þe gettare sa tane. Nocht-þane þe king hyme thocht Þat to mak doul it gaynit nocht, & þane, for þe dynt of ded, Agane þe quhilk is na remed. Line 120 Þare-for he bad to þame hyme by To tak þe ded barne, with al hy Sped þaime with It for-to ga Quhare his sone is, Mocumma, & vndir his clathis by hyme lay, Line 125 &, quhat suld word þar-of, assay; & quhene þai, as he bad, has done, Þe barne þai suld agane bring sone — Sa þat he suld na sorow mak, Bot se quhat end it suld tak: Line 130 For be þe sicht, he had sene, Trewly he trewit but ony wene Þat thru þe tweching anerly Of Mocumma þat barne in hy Suld turne to lyf. & but delay, Line 135 As he bad, sa did þai, & tuk þe ded barne þat wes fare & laydit by þe kingis ayre In credil, til his nakit flesch Vndir his clathis, þo it cald was. Line 140 Bot mene gret wondir þane se mocht Of hyme þat ded þare was brocht: Fra he his bruthyre twechit had, Fra ded to lyf he come but bad, & fquelyt gret & raryt ȝarne, Line 145 As kynd gas to sic a barne. Þe gud mane þane þat brocht hyme þare, Þat had mad fyrst dule & care, Quhene þai saw þis gret ferly, Joyful þai ware, & in hy Line 150 Þe ȝong barne tuk & hame had To king & quene. þat Joy mad, Ȝey, mare þane ma nemmyt be, Quhene þai þare barne lifand cane se. Quhat confluens of ȝung & ald Line 155 Þane was þare, ma nocht be tald, Na os þe merwal quhat wondring Na hou to god was mad lowyng — & anerly þat was nocht þare, Bot thru þe kirk wyd-quhare. Line 160 Þe chyld þane to þe kirk þai had & gert it hofine be but bad, & it fostrit tenderly, As his stat wald, delytabli.

Sone eftyre a ferly fel Line 165 Alsa gret, as I hard tel. Eftyre of tyme þe proceß, Quhare Mocumma fostrit was It tyd his noryse sor to be Sitand, & had hyme one hyr kne, Line 170 Be þe fyre, al hyre-alane, For þe lawe þare gat ware gane. & it hapnyt hyre in hy Oute þe house to here gret cry: Þare-of scho gret ferly had; Line 175 & for-to wit quhy it was mad, Scho stert vpe: & þare-with-al Þe barne fra hyre handis cane fal In þe fyre, þat was sa gret Þat nane mycht nicht it for het. Line 180 & scho, þat þe barne saw sa [folio 193] In þe fyre, had sa gret wa & sa abaysit cane stand,

Þat scho had noþir fut na hand To helpe þe barne, bot lud cane cry. Line 185 Ȝet þe barne stil cane ly, Ay kepand it sa godis grace Þat in þe fyre vnbrynt it was. Þane rayrit scho loud & raf hir hare & beft hyre self & mad sic care, Line 190 Þat of hyre wit scho ȝed nere wod For sorow of þat frely fud, Eftyre helpe criand Ithanly. Til al þe last þare come in hy Ful fele, þat herd hir mak sic care, Line 195 & fand þe barne ȝet lyand þare, & hynt It out: & syne It fand As in þe credil it ware lyand; & sume saw angelis ay repare, Þat It kepit elyk fare Line 200 Fra wemmyne of þe fyre sa brath Oþir in body or in clath. Þane gert þai þe bellis ryng & te deum laudamus syng, & lowit god increly Line 205 Þat had kyd sic ferly & schewit þare sa mykil mycht In þat ȝung barne til al þar sycht, Gerrand þat elyment þat he Had gert, obeysand til hyme be. Line 210

Ane vthyr (tyme) als befel Þat þis nuryse, I of tel, Forȝetil of þe mykil wath Þat tyd þe barne for-outyne skath, Ane erand had to do þar-owt. Line 215 Bot for scho of þe barne had dout To lewe It in þe house alane, For al vthire away ware gane: & in a fat þat stud hyre by, Brad & depe, & þane dry, Line 220 Weppit in clathis þe barne cane lay Ful tenderly. & ȝed hyre way, Wenand it mycht þare be stil But parel, til scho come It til. & quhene scho hyre gat ware gane, Line 225 Of þe menȝe in come ane, Vnwitand þe barne wes þare, & fillyt þe fat but ony mare Of watir richt vpe to þe bra, & syne of þe house cane ga. Line 230 Þane eftyr þe nuryse come, Þat had hyre hart out of home For thochtful scho wes of þe barne: & to þe fat sped hyre ȝarne: & fand it fillit to þe bra — Line 235 It wes na were, þane scho wes wa! Þane þe mane callit scho, þe fat cane fil, & speryt quhare put he þe barne til Þat in þe grond of þe fat lay. & he schortly til hyre cane say Line 240 Þat he wist nocht of þat barne, Bot hopyt wele It was forfarne Gyf scho lad It þare: for he, Vnwittand it þare suld be, Fillyt þe fat & held is way. Line 245 Quhene scho hard hyme so-get say, Scho rugyt of hyre hed þe hare & squelit fa(s)t & hie cane rare, & with hyre handis skartyt hir face & al þe lawe þat nakit wes, Line 250 & with hyre newis reft hir brest, Al þat scho mycht wyne to nest, & callit hyre-self ful pytisly Of wrech, þat sa reklesly, Þat in hyre fawt sic a barne Line 255 Þe tothyre tyme ȝet sa forfarne(!), & for þat knawine wes hir gylty To mane & god al-mychty. Þane ruschit mene to spere Þe cause quhy scho mad sic bere. Line 260 & quhene þai þe manere wist, Þe fat þai tyd done but mare fyrst: & fand þe barne hale & fere, As watir neuir had nychd It nere, Bot als dry It was sene Line 265 As in þe credil it had bene. Bot angelis, as þai did before, It kepit þane, myne no mare, Fra wath of watir quhare It lay, As in þe fyre befor did þai. Line 270

Line 270 For he þat quyk sawit Moyses, In þe watir quhene he put wes, Has defendit þis barne here Þat lyk was to be ine gret were. Quhat is þare mare to say, but þane Line 275 Ful ioiful wes mony mane & mykil lowyng wes þane mad To god of hewine, þat sa gret had Merwale in þat barne sa kyd, Quhene it was in þe watir hyd. Line 280 Þane wes þe nuryse for Joy gretand, Quhene scho hyre fostir-sowne fand. Lord Crist, þire werkis are þine, Þat þis gerris þi halowis schyne Be merwalis & vertuise sere, Line 285 Þe quhilkis þai wrocht, til þai were Here lifand! & lowyng to þe be, A god in personis thre!

Of þis barne þis wes begynnyng For-to grew in hewynly thing, Line 290 For ferlys þat fare ware & sere, As ȝe sume part herd has here. & ay ine body as he grew, He grew in vertu fare Inuch. & fra he cuth spek grathly, Line 295 He wes set to þe schole ine hy, & þare ine his begynnyng leyryt, Sic as til ȝung mene afferyt: In gud thowis to haf delyt & in vertuyse to be parfyt. Line 300 & quhene he come to rypare eld, Þat he mycht hyme-self ȝeld, He sat his hart one heare thing: To here & haf vndirstanding; & quhat his hart printyt withine, Line 305 He held wele, & fled ay syne. & be he come to sewine ȝere, He cuth langage spek sere & vndirstand þame rycht wele — God had hyme send sa gret cele! Line 310 & als of þat eld was he Lik to a formulare to be, Of quhame mene suld behald þe ded Þat god honoure wald & dred, & þare-with hou þai suld be Line 315 To þare nytboure in cheryte.

(I)n þe land þat tyme þane was A mane þat schane os halynes & led his lyf but ony blame. For-þi of hyme fere rane þe name, Line 320 Sa fare, þat þe forsad kyng Was wytryt wele of his lyfyng, & þat he come of kingis kyne — Sik as wes Irland withine, & Columbe had to his name, Line 325 A mane þat was but ony blame. Sic request he hyme þane mad Þat he come til hyme but abad. Þe kyng þane with hyme tretit sa Þat he tuk with hyme Mocumba, Line 330 For-til enforme fyrst & lere In vertuse, & in science sere. & he, þat abil was & ȝyng, Folouyt his master in al thing & wald consawe ful sutelly Line 335 Quhat-euire he taucht, in-til hy, & in his hart wele held It — Ay retentywe he had a wyt — & had hyme in sik degre Þat his ourmene be sutelte — Line 340 & les þane he in gret meknes — He wald oure-cume. & neuir-þe-les He kepyt ay his innocens Of al mane but offens, & growand ay furth he wes Line 345 In vertu and in gudnes. & for he doutyt for-to fal, Til abstinens he gef hyme al & held his flesch vndirlout, For dred: it suld worth stout Line 350 Agane þe saul & gere hyme syne & let hyme hewinis blis to wyne; & gef hyme to prayere & to wak, Hyme to god seruand to mak. & god his hart abile ay mad Line 355 To lere þat he wald but bad: Sa that of thre moneth þe space [folio 195] Al warldis wit be godis grace

& seruice als of haly kyrk He leryt al, & wes nocht Irk. Line 360 & here-of suld na-mane ferly, Gyf he consyderit suthfastly Þat, quhare þe haly gast wil be Master, but dyffyculte He ma gere mane consawe althing, Line 365 But bysynes or trawalyng: — As of Salamon we red, Þat wes þe wysest mane but dred: With-in þe space of a nycht Of al þat wit he gat þe slycht Line 370 Thru teching of þe haly gest, Þat is best master, in-til hast — For to god, as we ma se, Nathing may inpossibile be.

Thane, fra sanct Colme had persawing Line 375 Hou clerly godis grace cane schyne In Mocumma, be syndry thingis sere Þat in hyme he saw apere, Til his disciplis sad of hyme: "Ȝone mane, þat schenis as a ȝeme, Line 380 I ame nocht dingne to lere, trewly, Fore angelis of-tyme sene haf I Repare til hyme & kene hyme al Þat he wald lere, gret & smal, & namely, hou he haly wryt Line 385 Sal vndirstand & expond It". Quhene þai herd þis, þai had inwy Agane Mocumma, fellonny & dyspyt, be-cause þat he Wes lowit in þat degre. Line 390 Bot sancte Colme, þat þare enwy Persawit & þare fellonny, Lowit Mocumma fere þe mare & honouryt hyme, þane he did yare, & of with hyme held carpyng Line 395 Of lestand lyf & hevynly thing, & wald hyme schaw al priwete Þat in his thocht consawit he. Nocht-be-þi, þocht Mocumma Wist his master lufit hyme sa, Line 400 As he be sere assay cane fele, Ȝet pridyt he hyme nocht a dele, Bot þe sammyne humylyte, He had befor, ay kepyt he, Ine honest conuersacione Line 405 & stratnes of relygione. Forþi þe grace of god grew ay In hyme, bath nicht & day. Þane rane þe fame of hyme rycht wyd In al Irland in al syd. Line 410 Ful gret Ioy sancte Colme þane mad Þat he sic a discipil gottine had, & Mocumma was rycht glad Þat he sic a master had. & for þare cause, þat sa haly ware, Line 415 Mene come to þame of landis fare, Til haf þare informacione, & alsa for þare benysone; & ȝet come fore-owt ma Þane to sanct Columbe, to sancte Mo|cumma, Line 420 For ferly þai had þat he In sa schort tyme suld haly be; Bryngand hyme gyftis fare & gret, As for his clething & his met. Bot þare-of he wald nocht, Line 425 For he by warldis gud set nocht, & namely for his fadir sak Bot þare-of wald he nocht tak. & for he wald nocht knawyne be With þe mene of his cunctre, Line 430 He determyt in his thocht Þat dwel þare langare wald he nocht Bot passyt in vnchut land but bad Quhare na-mane knawlag of hyme had. & sa to do þat he his wil Line 435 Set, sad his maistere til. Þat of his purpos wes blyth, Fore-þi he sad til hyme alswith: "Der sone in Crist, I lowe god ay Þat þe has leryt þus to say: Line 440 For It, þat þu has sad me til, Of ful parfyt mene is þe wil. & now, dere sone, I sal tel þe Al vtrely myne priwete:

Þat is, þat myne wil has bene ay Line 445 Of myne kith to paß my way, With-þi þat I had þe wil Of þi kyne & myne þare-til. Bot for þi kyne I lettyt mare, Þat, gyf þu sa dide, wald haf care, [folio 196] Line 450 For þu þare fuffrane Ioy is now. Þare-for, wil þu myne consal trew, Þu wyne þare gud luf & lewe — For sa-gat ma we best eschewe — &, þat done, cum agane me til! Line 455 Þane ma we pase quhare-euir we wil". Þe ȝung mane sad: "ser, I haf nane Fadir now bot god alane, Fore quhame fadir & modir bath I wil forsak, þo þaime be lath. Line 460 For þu nixt god is my fadir, & haly kyrk is my modir, For-þi I wil lewe be na wyse Þi cumpany na þi seruice. Fore quhare þu gays, wil I ga, Line 465 Til ded tak ane of ws twa".

His master þane gret ferly had & in his hart gret Ioy he mad, Quhene he þe gret deuocione Of hyme herd & þe perfeccione. Line 470 Þane sad he: "sone, til þu in ȝuthad Was stad, a barnis name þ^u had; Bot for þu ȝuthad has warpyst & is parfyt mane in Cryst, Þu sal be callyt "Machore" Line 475 & lewe þe name þu had before". Sanct Colme gert þane aparel A bat fture with wetale, & sped hyme to þe se but mare, With al þat wald with hyme fare, Line 480 His ferme hope in hyme setand Þat has to stere bath se & land. Þane Machore fyrst in þe bat wane, & reprowyt þe maister-mane Of his tary & his slawnes, Line 485 Þat he to saile sa lethand wes. Þane, helpand god, þai saylyt a quhyle, Til þai come nere þe Ile Of Iy, & þare saile strak, Þane þare thocht land to tak. Line 490 Ane Melluma in þat sychware Come to þe se & saw þame þare, & knew sanct Colme, & wes blyth, & at hyme speryt alswyth Gyf he one land wald be. Line 495 & he sad ȝa. Þane in þe se Þe carle wod to þe bat but bad. & to þe land quhene he þame had, Þane sad sancte Colme: "ar we al here?" Sad Melluma: "ȝa, now, ser". Line 500 Sanct Colme gert þame cume hyme before To se: & myssit sancte Machore, Þat ȝet in his prayere lay. Sanct Colme þane to þe carle cane say: "Ȝet wantis ane, & Is mare Line 505 With god of hewine þane we al are". Þane passit þe carle & sperit gyf he To þe land dry borne wald be. Ȝa, sad he. & but mare Dry to þe land he hyme bare. Line 510 Þane Colme of his cummyne wes blyth, & athyre kyssyt vthyre swyth & recommendyt gretumly Of vertuse lyf & of haly.

Thane sad sanct Colme: "bruþir, blissit be Line 515 Þis place! & pray to god þat he Send his angel to blyse It, Sene we to cume here, is hapnyt". & as he sad quhene þai had done, Oure al þe Ile þai passit sone: Line 520 & fand it rycht profytabile &, to duel in, gud & abile. & out of Irland in a quhyle Mene may wele sayle in þat Ile. & as þai socht had þe place, Line 525 Þai sand quhare a fare sted was, En-hournyt with treis sere & spryngand wellis fare & clere. Þane sad sancte Colme: he wald þare Duel & pas na forthyrmare. Line 530 A mansione þane fyrst þai mad

To sancte Colme, & but bad, & syne a mansione sufficiandly Þai mad to sancte Machore in hy, & til al þe lawe þai wrocht Line 535 Placis, til in dwel, as þai rycht thocht. Sancte Colme duelt þare-in þane As abot, and haly mane.

Syne þai saw ane vthire Ile, Þat þai mocht saile to in a quhile, Line 540 Þat Mule hycht. & þare to preche & cristine folk als to teche, Sancte Colme send his dyscypil here, Sancte Machore, þat wes hyme nere. Þe quhilk, as he come in þat land, [folio 197] Line 545 Sewine myssale vgly he fand: & askyt of hyme sume thing Of cheryte, & his blyssyng. In godis name he bad þame pase To sume watir þat by was, Line 550 & wesch þame. & sa dyd þai: & gat þare hele but delay. & as þai clene ware, with a stewine Machore þai lowyt & god of hewine. — & quhene he þare had bene a quhile Line 555 & prechyt oure-al þe ewangel, He come to þe Ile of Iy Til his master. & wes besy To study in-to haly wryt, & oft-tyme put Ite to wryt. Line 560 & as he a nycht cane wryt A thing quhare-in he had delyt, Before þe end of It mad, Þe lycht hyme falȝet. & þane he had Ferme hope in god of hewine: Line 565 One his fyngyre end blew ewine: Þat as a candil brynnand lycht &, til done he had, gef hyme sycht. & sa hapnyt (in) þat sychware A lytil barne for-til be þare, Line 570 & saw hou þis ferly fel, & to þe commone cuth it tel. Þane had þai fare mare Il-wil Þane befor sancte Machore til, Namely for þai mycht nocht Line 575 Sic merwalis wyrk as he wrocht. Syne as Il mene tuk to rede Nedly for-til haf hyme dede. Bot for þai durst nocht opynly, For his master, do sic foly, Line 580 Þai, to fulfil þare entent, Poysone with ane innocent — Say þai suld þe les It think — Þai send hyme myngyt into drink. Sancte Machore sperit at þe barne Line 585 Quha þe drink send hyme, rycht ȝarne. & he sad hyme þe suth hale. Þane wyst sancte Machore be his tale Þat in þat drynk wes fellone gyle. Ȝet þane he tuk It & cane smyle Line 590 & sad: "þar is brethyre fals & fra cheryte ful fare als, Þat me of þis warld wald bryng Þat neuire myse did þame in ony thing! & now war ful gud to me Line 595 To be vysit & with god sene be — &, as god wil, sa mot It be." With þat þe cop ine hand tuk he & sanyt it dewotly. Þare mycht mene se a gret ferly: Line 600 Hou þe cop he heldit done & al þat was fel poyssone Fel of þe cope, & hou þe lafe Þare-of to þe cop clafe. Syne þat lycure he drank þare Line 605 But felyng of ony sare. Þe chyld syne tald þame þat hyme send As he saw, fra end to end. Þane sancte Machore prayt hartly God to forgyf þaime þat foly. Line 610 & as þai herd sik tything Of þat barne, of þat ferly thyng, Þai ware inflammyt of þe fyre Of inwy þane, and in gret yre To þare maistere but delay Line 615 Come & þusgad cane say: "Machore gerris mene be sorcery Trowis he dowis merakile opynly, & sympil mene in-to þare sycht Dissawis thru þe dewylis mycht, Line 620

Line 620 & is contrare til ws ay. For-þi suthly, ser, we say Þat we wil hale lef þe, & he langere with þe be. For-þi chese, quhethyr þu wil Line 625 Gyf ws oure lewe or hald hyme stil!"

And þare maister herand hou þai Sa specialy þis tale cane say, He was in perplexyte, Seand hou ane behowit to be: Line 630 Oþire to do away in haste His printyce þat he lufyt mast, Ore þaime þat he had fostryt ay Fra ȝouthed to þat day. He prayt þame to hald þaime stil Line 635 & he suld syne ouretak þar wil. Þane he kyst in his thocht In þat case he best do mocht [folio 198] Makand a-syth to þame bath, &, for to kepe Machore of skath, Line 640 Thocht he wald with wilis dele, For sawete of þame & þare hele. Saincte Machore he callyt a day & til hyme þus-gat cane say: "My dere bruthyre, in priwete Line 645 I haf for-to say to þe — & fyrst I pray þe, þu wil Be na way tak (it) ine-til Il. Bruthyre, þu wat þat quhyle Jhesu sad in þe ewangyle: Line 650 "'Quha lufis his saule mare þane me, Ma be na way my serwand be'" & til his printyse cane he say: "'Passis thru þe warld oure way & til al mene þe ewangelis teche Line 655 & to tak baptysme þame preche!'" Hou ma we þane þis word fulfil, Þat in a nuk here lyis stil & bot of oure-self thinkis nocht & of sawle-hele na-thing wrocht Line 660 Of fele folk, þat wyd-quhare In fawt of techyng tynt are — & namely, sene we haf mycht Of body & of science slycht? Ryse we þare-for & dresß ws til Line 665 Godis bydyng to fulfil! & for my eld, as þu ma se, To lyf in quyet accordis me, & for þu ȝongare is þane I, Scharpare of wyt & mare mychtty: Line 670 In godis name þu tak one hand To pas in-to fere land, & preche godis word alquhare To þame at in wane-treucht are, & preß þe bysyly for-to wyne Line 675 Þare sawlis þat lyis in syne!" Sancte Machore sad: "master dere, Gud is I do as ȝe me lere, For ȝoure prayere & ȝoure consele — For þat to me ma mast awale." Line 680 Quaþ he: "with myne oracione, Mad hartly with deuocione, I sal helpe þe but fenȝeyng, & helpe þe in al vthyre thyng; Eftyr my possybilyte, Line 685 Dere sone, I sal helpe þe." Sewine mene þane he taucht hyme til To serwe hyme & to do his wyl, & byschape-staf gef hyme alsa & belt, and of his clathis twa, Line 690 & bukis þat ware necessare To hyme to prech godis lare; & ordenyt hyme a galay, & wytale þare-in gert he lay. & þus to mak quyet & pece Line 695 Of It he wyst fellonny was, Þare-for, as Machore was redy To pas þe se, sancte Colme in hy Gert al his printeyß cume before Hyme, in absence of sancte Machore, Line 700 & sad to þame: "sonnis dere, I haf ȝou fostryt mony ȝere, & wat, gyf ȝe wil one meyne, Þat I al-way has besy bene Til infourme ȝu in cheryte Line 705 & in sawle-hele thochty to be; &, for ȝoure hartis are herd as flynt & ek, I haf myne trawale tynt. For in ȝoure hartis ȝe had Ithandly

Þat ȝone haly mane ay inwy Line 720 & ȝe ware bowne ay to do Il Til hyme, þat neuir mys did ȝu til." Quhene he had þis sad & mare, Þane þai repentyt þame sare It þat þai had done before Line 725 Agane cheryte to sancte Machore, & sad: "fadyre, wele wat we, We haf mysdone in þat degre. Bot now reconsel ws hyme til & now ws get his gud wil!" Line 730 Sancte Colme þane, þat besy was Betwene þame forto mak pece, Callyt Machore & tretyt sa Þat he betwene þayme pes cane ma. Sancte Machore þane his lewe tuk rath Line 735 At master & þat brethyre bath, Þat with hyme to þe se cane pas, Repentand þame of þare trespas; & of now lewe has tane & kyssyt þame euire-ilkane. Line 740 His maister þane & he mad wa Þat þame worthyt part in-twa, & kyssyt oft þat þare partyng With regrat & with gretyng, & Ilkane cane vthyre blyse [folio 199] Line 745 With wordis of gret teyndernes.

Thane to þe galay went Machore, & sancte Colme quhare he wes before. &, helpand god, saylyt þe se But distrowbylance in dais thre Line 750 & ewine north in Scotland Arywyt. quhare þai fand dwelland A cristine mane þat Farcare hycht, Þat ryches had & mykil mycht: Þat prayt þame for-to say Line 755 Quhene þai come & quhat ware þai. & þai sad hyme þe suth alswith. Þane wes þis Farcare ferly blyth, Quhene he sene had sancte Machor— For he hard spek of hyme befor. Line 760 & because of his renowne Þis Farcare had hyme til his towne, & al þat nedful til hyme was Gert get til hyme, mare & les; Thankand god abeowe þe lawe Line 765 Þat he wes worthy sik gest til haf: For he in scort tyme gert hyme be Parfyt in double cheryte, Þat is to say: with god & mane. & þare-with his luf he wane, Line 770 Þat he sad til hyme: "fadir dere, Lo al þis landis are myne here & h(i)s my herytag al. For-þi þus place tak þu sal To mak quhare-euire þu wil a place. Line 775 & gyf ony of myne ospryng percase Gane-sais It, waryt mot he (be), Til he thole þe brukyt fre." Sancte Machore þane thankfully His gyft tuk, & al þe place by Line 780 Socht to & fra, til he fand A sted, til hyme wes gannand, Besyd a watyr bank, þat rane Ine-to þe se, & lyk was þane As It a byschopis staf had bene. Line 785 & fra sancte Machore had It sene, Til his dysciplis cane say: "Lo here myne dwelling-place for ay! For my master to me cane tel Þat I in sik place suld dwel." Line 790 Þane gert he bygyne þare be mad Til hyme, as he mystere had, & syne til al þe lawe gert he Bygyng mak in þare degre. & eftyr þat he gert wyrk Line 795 Be craftly mene a costlyk kyrk— & þat mene callyt ȝet Of sancte Machore þe seg ore set.

Sere warkmene syne on a day Þat had gret thryst, cane til hyme sa: Line 800 "Dere fadir, wit ȝe, quhene we swink Þat we haf gret fawt of drynk. Help vs þare-for, gyf ȝe may!" Þane sancte Machore but delay Gat gud vatere in fusione— Line 805 & seruis ȝet til al þe towne & springis ȝet, as It did þane

At prayere of þat haly mane. & fele þat of þat watir drank Gat hele, & hartly god cane thank. Line 810 Þat was þe fyrst merwal þat he Wrocht þat Quhene þat mene mycht se, Þat now þe name has Scotland, Bot Pychtis þane in It ware duelland. Þane come til hyme of placis sere Line 815 Mony printeise, þat redy were Til vndir-ly his dyscypline & fore-to tak of hyme teching.— Þane duelt a mane nere-by Relygiouse & rycht hali, Line 820 Þat to name had Dewynik, Þat godis ȝok bare one his nek: & to sancte Machore come a day & til hyme þis he cane say: "Gud ser, behald, & þu ma se Line 825 Hou fele folk in þis cunctre Are ȝet habandonyt mony wise To mak till mawmentis seruice; And þar are ner-hand nane to schav Goddis word or ger mene knaw Line 830 Þe nerrest get till hēwynis blis. Forþi, master, my consall is Þat þu in þis cunctre duel still, Goddis wangel forto preche till Þus Poictis, at are lath to trew. [folio 200] Line 835 And I with goddis helpe will now To þame of Catnes but mare gang, Þat cristine treucht is miskennand lang, Amang þaime goddis vord to schaw, To ger þaime god parfitly knaw." Line 840 Sanct Machor sad: "þat quheþir na we, Sal ilkane vthire eftire se?" & he sad: "ȝhis, ȝeit forow Criste Ve sal eft met in his bewiste & bruk vith hyme ay-lestand bliß. Line 845 Bot, dere fadir, I pray þe þus, For ded nerhand abidis me To tak: fra I be gane fra þe, Þat þu wald, eftir I be dede, Ger bring my body to þis stede Line 850 & ger It grawine be, quhar I Had mad my duelling Ithandly." And he heicht hyme he suld do swa. Atheris þar lewe with þat cane ta. And Dewinick cane to Catnes paß, Line 855 To folk þat þane wntreuchtfull waß, And sped sa weile in schort tyme þare Þat þaime parfit in godis lare He mad. bot ȝet þane sanct Machor Furth prechit, as he did befor, Line 860 The Poyictis, & swa sped þat he Gert mast part of þaime cristinit be, & namely he gert master-mene Trew, þat wntreuchfull war to þane; Bath thru þe lare he cane þaime lere Line 865 And thru schauyng of merwalis sere. & þar templis distroyt wyd-quhare, And ydolis þat in-to þaime ware. & þusgat lang tyme trawalyt he Of goddis corne wynnare to be. Line 870

Syne tyd oñe a tyme to gang Apone þe feild his corne ymange: And saw a bare mekill & gret Defoull þe corne with feit & ete, & do gret skath. & þane sad he: Line 875 "In goddis name I commawnd þe Þat þu in þat sted stand still." & onoñe sanct Machor come hyme till And strak hyme with his staif oñane: And he sowne turnyt till a stane, Line 880 And in þat schape sa standis he, A ȝard-stane, as mene ȝeit ma se.— Syne Machor come in a place And saw a mane þat mykill vas & in þat cuntre duelling mad, Line 885 & to his richt name Dinone had, & was payene & rycht crafty In sendis warkis & sorcery: And he wald oftymys ger mene vene Þat sewine hedis one hyme had bene. Line 890 And quhene sanct Machor sene hyme had,

He ferlyt first, & syne but bad A psalme he sad begynnand þus Of scriptur: Exurgat deus. & or he of þat psalme mad end, Line 895 Thru goddis mycht It wes well kend Þat he na hedis had but ane. For-þi þat tyrand, or he fane, Of sanct Machor fell to þe fet & for his sonnis sare cane gret, Line 900 Prayand hyme for goddis sak Þat he wald cristine mane hyme mak. & he sad hyme: with-þi þat he Wald lewe his sorcery & be Gud cristine mane & cristine fay Line 905 Fra-þine furth treuli kep alvay: Anentis god he suld hyme wyne Forgiffnes of his mykill syne. & he hicht þat with full gud will All haill his byding till fulfill. Line 910 & sanct Machor gert hyme nocht-þane Resawe baptyme & swa hyme wane, & tacht hyme weill in cristine fay, & leit hyme syne pas hyne his vay.

Ane vthir tyme sanct Machor ȝed Line 915 Prechand & sawand godis sed, Mene brocht a mane þat was blind-borne, & seit hyme sanct Machor beforne & prayt hyme ful fare þat he Thru his prayere wald gere hyme se. Line 920 & he, þat reucht ay in hert had, Tuk wattir & blissit it but bad & þare-with-all ennoyntit richt þane Oure-corce þe eyne of þat blind mane & sad till hyme: "luk vpe and se!" Line 925 & as he bad, richt swa did he: & saw als clerly all-kine thinge As he of sicht had neuir merring, & he, þat na tyme saw befor, Saw þane, & lowyt sanct Machor, Line 930 Quhame thru þe sicht god swa hyme gefe. & one þe same did þe laiffe Þat saw or herd þis gret ferly, Ȝauld thank to god full increly. Ane vthir tyme, as he cane stand Line 935 Goddis word to folk prechand Þat stud a-bout hyme in-virroune, Mene brocht a dede cors ovt of tovne & lad It done befor his feite, With lamentacione and greite, Line 940 & Synchenus to name he had. Sanct Machor þane speryt but bad Quhene þat he was, or of quhat kine. & þai per ordir tald till hyme, & als, þat he of kine was nere Line 945 To gud sanct Colme, to god sa dere. & fra sanct Machor þat herd tell, Apone his kneis sone he fell & prayt till god oñe sic a wyse Þat at ded mane lof & cane ryse. Line 950 & swa with prooff of mychtfull dede He strinthit alvay godis sede, & ferleis wrocht he þane sa feile Þat he mad mony payene leile, For he to þaime was sic myrroure Line 955 Þat he gert þaime leif þare erroure. God grant ws grace þat we do swa, Out of þis lyff or þat we ga!

Off þis sanct Machor þe fame rane Thru sere land till full mony mane, Line 960 Of ferleis þat thru hyme god wrocht. For þat of syndry landis mene hyme socht, For-to purches his benysone [folio 202] And haf of hyme instruccione. Amang vthire twa of Irland Line 965 Þat herd tell of hyme tythand, & ȝung, sume-dele lettryt ware, Till hyme sa besely cane spere And socht sa lang, til þai hyme fand Quhare I sad are, in-to Scotlond, Line 970 Ȝarnand till haf instruccione Of hyme and informacione, & how þai suld haly wryt Wndirstand and vndo It. & he resawit þamme full weile Line 975 & all þare ȝarnyng ilke dele He tyd þame & full sobirly

Enformyt þaime, full parfytly, Of cristine treucht, of lyf & sall Ay laste, & of sawle-heile with-all, Line 980 & mony vthir spedfull thing. Bot he in þame tint his techig: For, fra þat þai þare leif had tane, Þai na tyme for to scorne hyme fane, & his lare and amonesting Line 985 Þai sad was richt nocht but hethig, & þare-with callit hyme ypocriyt. Bot þane reuengit was full tyt: For nocht fere þine in-till a sted Suddanly þai ware all deide Line 990 & schot in-till (a) gong stinkand, Quhar nane of freyndis þaime sand.

I(t) hapnyt a tyme in-to Ware, Quhill sanct Machor was du(e)lland þare, Þat he for faut of weile-tyd land Line 995 Gert teile a mekill feild of land &, þocht It was leyne and dry, He socht to saw þare bare & ry, In goddis larges, assouerand, Þat it suld grow weile in þat land. Line 1000 Nocht-þane his seruandis had ferly Þat he gert teile ald land & dry, & namely, for þai west but dred To saw þat land he had no sede. Þane he sad to þaime þat swa thocht: Line 1005 "God is mychty to helpe — dred nocht — Quhar mane na liklines ma se." To twa of his prenteis sad he: "Hald ȝoure gat to my lord Ternane, Sa hyme: for sede haf I nane Line 1010 Quhar-with my feilde þat I saw may, Hyme in-to sic distres I pray At he at þis tyme wald help me Of his seide with sic quantite." Line 1014 . . . . . Þat a gret bane of it rycht tyt In-till his thrort clewit sa faste, Þat he to de was sare agaste, For he mycht swely it for na slicht Na out till put it had na mycht. Line 1200 Þane was þat wrecche wondir wa, Persawand weile he was sted swa: For he tholit in-till þat houre Lyk to þe dede mony herd schure. & alswa had he schame to tell Line 1205 Quhy he þat fische, to þe tend fell, For his delit had etene þane, Þat acht was to þat haly mane. Ȝeit þane with quaquand voice sad he To þaime þat vare is maste priwe: Line 1210 "To me, þat sted is in þis wath, Yhone goddis mane ȝe bring me rath! For I will grant hyme but delay Þe thing quharfor he cane me pray." His mengȝe þane foroutine more Line 1215 Passit and brocht hyme sanct Machor. Fra quhame he askit forgewine, & he had nytit hyme his askine; & þar-for mekly prayt he Þat he wald (help) of his pitte; Line 1220 & þat erth þat he askit hade He gaf hyme þare but langer bade. Sanct Machor blissit hyme one-ane: Out of his hals þane lape þe bane, & he mad haile als smertly was Line 1225 As mane þat neuir weste of seknes. Sanct Machor þane mesuryt þe place, Þat lang & brad & richt plane was, And in a litill tyme gert wirk Of treis fare a cumly kirk. — Line 1230 & quha-sa reddis þus, ma see How besy þat gudmene suld be For-till obeis in althing Of haly mene to þe bidding, & namely and one alkine wise Line 1235 Quhar it twechis godis seruice. For, lo, he þat litill before Mad rud answare to sanct Machor Thru priyd & awaris gnedy, And goddis mane dispituisly Line 1240 Fra his presens chasit away, Is now ful fayne hyme forto pray

& spek ful reuerendly hyme till & als to grant hyme all his will. — Þis is litill of It we rede Line 1245 Of sant Machor his mykill dede & of þe merwalis þat he wrocht, To Pectis land fra þat he socht: For I cane nocht þe teynd part tell Of gret ferleis þat thru hyme fell. Line 1250 Bot gyf þat I say suthfastly, It was nocht thru hyme anerly, Bot god was þe mychty makare & sanct Machor þe furth schewere.

Sanct Machor þane set all his wit Line 1255 To cune parfitly haly writ, Þocht þat he þar parfit was Thru plentwis gyft of goddis grace. In-till his study sait a day, Quhene ane come & cane till hyme say Line 1260 "Syre, sanct Ternane, þe bischope nere, Is cumyne to spek with ȝou here, & of his clerkis gret party." Sanct Machor þane with gret hy Left þe study & þe buk, Line 1265 & of his clerkis with hyme tuk, And met sanct Ternane reuerendly And halist hyme & his cumpany; & he hailsit hyme aganes his, Þane cane athir wthire kis. Line 1270 & sanct Machor till his herbry Sanct Ternane leid full reuerendly, & firste in kirk entrit þai bath & to þare vrisone went rath, & syne þai blissit athir wthire, Line 1275 Þe bischope first & syne þe tothire; Syne eftire all þe cumpany Has kissit entrechangeably. & he þane þame resawit had, A schort sermone full wisly mad Line 1280 Of paciens & cherite, Recommendand humilite. Syne eftire, as þe custume was, He led hyme quhar he suld tak ese, & mad hyme mery forto fare, Line 1285 & als þame all þat with hyme ware. [folio 203] Sanct Machor þane full gret Joy made Þat he sa dere worthy gaste hade, & þe bischope full fane þat wane Þe knawlage of sa haly mane. Line 1290 Þane held þai wele lang sermonyng Of haly lyf & hewinlik thing; & till þat þai sait at þe burd, Amang þaime wes nane vthire word Bot fed þaime self with gastly fud Line 1295 & gaynand drink þare-to & gud. Þane come to þaime gret company Of deuot mene, þat encrely Requiryt þaime with awisment: Þat þai with goddis Jugment Line 1300 Þe priwete mare opynly Wald expone þaime & expresly. Þe bischope þane wondrit was Of þare wnwit & simpilnes, Sad to þame: "my childere dere, Line 1305 Þis demand þat ȝe askis ws here Is a demawnd with-out profyt. For quhat mane is he sa parfyt Þat cane tell godis priuete, Þat be na way ma witine be? Line 1310 Na manis wit ma strek þartill To consawe it thru kindly skill Þat he in-till his forseyng Reseruit till his awne witting. & þarefor rycht gret foly is Line 1315 To ȝou to spere or tret of þis." Sanct Machor als þat þaime cane smyll, Sayand: "a wismane sad wmquhill: Sek na heyere thing þane yhe Na stallowart, be na degre! Line 1320 For quha is, goddis wit ma knaw Or ȝit his consall hey or law? For godis priue dome ma nocht Na all his gattis ȝet be socht. Forþi full gret foly it is Line 1325 To spere þat manis wit excedis, Or for-till haf of It k(n)awine Þat he ma cume to for na thing. & þarfor lewe forthir to spere Þe thing þat ȝe ma neuir nicht nere! Line 1330 For sperer of his maieste

Fra his Joy sall doune thrungine be." & all þa þat þis demaund mad Stud þane stane-still & gret schame had. Sone eftir þis þai ras ilkane Line 1335 & lewid, to þare awne ar gane, & with euire commone blissing Þat þai mad þat haly departing.

Nocht lang eftire apone a day (To) sanct Machor a mane cane say: Line 1340 Þat sanct Dewynnik In-to Catnes Thru gret eilde falȝeit & ded was; "& quhene he oñe his dedstra lay, To þaime þat nest war he cane say: " "Sene þat ȝe se ded sall me tak, Line 1345 I coniure ȝou for godis sak Þat yhe for na trawall be Irke To bere my body to sume kirk, Quharfor sanct Machor has keping, & pray hyme for þe hewynnis king Line 1350 Þat he meyne one & thochtfull be Of his hicht þat he mad to me Of his gud will at our partyng.'" With þis of spek he mad ending & ȝaulde þe gast but mare abad. Line 1355 & þai þat þis commawndment had, To tak his body war nocht Irk & one a bere brocht till a kirk Þat was bot litill fra þat place Þat befor to þaime lentyne was." Line 1360 & quhene þat sanct Machor þis tale Has herd as I haf tald ȝ^u hale, He mad regrat & had disese. Bot, for he durst nocht god disples, Þat nycht but slepe all haile he lay Line 1365 In his prayere, till it wes day: & in þat kirk with fleschely eyne Full feile brycht angelis he has sene Fle vpe & doune, makand þaire play, Quhar at þe cors of Dewynnik lay. Line 1370 Þane was sanct Machor blyth & glad For þis fare sicht þat he sene had. & one þe morne quhene it was day, Till his discipulis þis cane say: "Lowe we all god, my broþir dere, Line 1375 Þat has ws send a gud gestenere! [folio 204] Þarfor mak we ws redy tyt Hyme, as a spe afferis, to visidte & ȝeld till hyme forout delay Þat office þat ws acht to say Line 1380 For worthi mene, quhene þai ded are!" With þat þai passit furthmare To þe kirk quhar at sanct Machor Þe angelis play had sene befor. Bot þai þat þe cors brocht þiddire, Line 1385 with It had gane þar way to-giddir Ner-by of Creskane to þe hill, & þar abad, to reste in will. Bot sanct Machor foroutyne firste Folouit & fand þaime þar tak reste. Line 1390 & he & his þar with þame abad, Till þai þe seruice all had mad Þat to sic deide mene suld parteyne, Ar ony wink come in þar eyne. & syne bare þe cors deuotely Line 1395 Till a place callit Banchory. & þare solempni with honoure Þai grathit for it a sepulture, & one hyme þare þai mad a kirk. Quhar god ȝeit cesis nocht to wirk Line 1400 Thru his prayere ferleis full fele, To sek and sar folk gyfand heile. Mene callis þat place quar he lay Banchory Dewynnik till þis day.

Syne eftir þis tyme It befell Line 1405 Þat fra sanct Colme quar he cane duell, In Scotland come, because þat he As pilgerame thocht at Rome to be. & fra sanct Machor had witting In-to þe land of his cumyng, Line 1410 He fane nocht quhill he with hyme met. & athire of þame for Ioy gret: Þai war sa fane þat þai met were. Sanct Machor þane at hyme cane spere, In pilgrimag gif he wald pas Line 1415 To Rome, as till hyme tald was. & he sad ȝa. & sanct Machor

Þane blithar (was) þen euir befor, & sad: "with ȝour leif, faddire dere, Ȝe sall nocht pas & lewe me here. Line 1420 For-þi, sire, graunt me ȝour gud will!" & he consentit sone hyme till. Þane but abad þai mad þaime ȝare, & all thing þat was necessare For þare passing, þai mad redy, Line 1425 & held þare gat in cumpany. Bot It ware langsume for-to say The wondir þat god in þe way Wrocht for þame, or þai come to Rome, For þai exced all manis dowme. Line 1430 Bot at þe last with swink & swet Hiddir þai come, & trawall gret, & wisit first Petir & Paule, Quhare pardone is & heile of saule, & socht syne wthir placis sere Line 1435 Quhar feile was to god full dere. Of haly kirk þe cure had tane A paipe of Rome, a master-mane, Gregor, þat was of gret renovne & of haly opunyone. Line 1440 Þe quhilk quhene he had herd þat þai War cumyne þar, but mare delay He send for þaime full reuerendly & gert þaime cume till hyme in hy. & þame resawit as his dere Line 1445 Richt tenderly & with gud chere, & syne full mykill sperit he Þe cause quhy & of sa fere cuntre Þat þai come þar. & þai alsone With schort spek has þe cause vndone, Line 1450 Sayand: "þe cause of þis trawall Þat we haf tane one hand, but fale Is for-to wyne lestand remede Till our sawlis eftire our dede. Ane wthir cause als haf we eke: Line 1455 Petire & Paule here for-to seke & mony wthir in þis stede, For godis sak þat tholit dede; & for-till haf ȝoure benysone & ȝoure gud informacione". Line 1460 The pape sanct Machor þane cane call Till hyme & of þe Pectis all Mad bischope for his tyme to be. & þare-with his name changit he And callit hyme Morise, þat befor Line 1465 Llang tyme to name had Machor — [folio 205] & swa as he had namys thre: Mocumna first in his cunctre, & syne Machor, in-to þe land Of Pectis quhill he was duelland. Line 1470 Þe pape sanct Gregor þar-with-all A-pone a day till hyme cane call & informyt hyme sowne & weile In all þe office ilke deile Þat suld parteyne to bischapis stat, Line 1475 & mekly sad hyme syne þis-gat: "Lo, bruthir & in Criste sone dere, Thru wescheyng of our handis here, Þe haly gast als callit þe, Of bischape to þe dignite Line 1480 Þat is schosine & to þe hicht: Trawale þat for all thi mycht In goddis wyne-ȝarde forto vyne Feile folk þat bundine ar with syne! Þe wark of wangeliste þu do Line 1485 & þe office, þat is þe to Committit, fulfill ilke day, & vnreprofit kepe þe ay, & gaynand & vnchangeabili, As þu se ned is, þu chasty, Line 1490 In pacience argw, and pray & in doctrine be besy ay!" & quhene þe pape one þis-kine wise Had weile informyt sanct Morise & blissit hyme & sanct Colme bath, Line 1495 Þai tuk þare leif & sped þaime rath Towart þar cunctre for-to gang. & one þar way trawalit sa lang & ythandly, or þai wald fyne, Till þai, quhar sanct Martyne Line 1500 Lyis, war cumyne apone chaunce, To Torone, to þe tovne of France. & þare þe bischope of þat stede Vith his clergy met þaime & leide In-to þe cite ful reuerendly, Line 1505

Line 1505 & purwayt for þaime gud herbry & gert fynd þaime, till þai war þare, All þat to þaime was necessare. For god has schauyt hyme þat þai War thankfull seruandis till hyme ay. Line 1510 For-þi þe tyme þat þai duelt þare He did þame honor fer þe mare, & did his mycht with full gud will To gere þame bath duell with hyme still. Bot sanct Colme, þat wald na-wa be Line 1515 For na requeste fra his cunctre, His wayag hamewart tuk in hy: Þane of þe cite þe clergy Full increly mad hyme requeste: Sene þat he duell nocht wald, at þe leste Line 1520 Þat he wald thole ane of his þare Duell, for-to preche goddis lare.

Thane was sanct Colme full gretumly Abaisit, & his cumpany, &, haffand ferly, held þame still. Line 1525 Bot sanct Morise of goddis will Sad till his master: "fadire dere, Quhat-euire it be þat in þis were Þat quhemfull be to ȝou to do, As god hyme-selfe has sad ws to Line 1530 It sall be done, I sa be me, How paynefull or how hard It be". "& þ^u, quaþ he to sanct Morise, Blissit be ay, & now blissit is: For-þi with Martyne & with me Line 1535 Sall hewynlik are & falow be In hewynnis blisß, quhene þ^u art dede. Bot ȝet sall þu duell in þis stede Thre ȝere, in godis corne to wirk & strenth and comfort haly kirk. Line 1540 Þarefor strywe furth ay stalouartly For-to confund oure ennymy, & with preching & techyne wyne Fra hyme þat he hankis in syne, & in gud wark þi curß fulfill, Line 1545 Quhill god in hewine þe tak hyme till & of richtwisnes þi full far crowne Þe giff in hewine to þi werdoune". & quhene he þus had sad & mare, But bad he buskit hyme to fare. Line 1550 Bot sanct Morise, þat was ful wa For-to depart his mastere fra: To ger hyme duell a wile, cane lay His hand one hyme & þusgat say: "My dere fadire, quhat, thinkis þ^u Line 1555 As alyene to leff me now Ymang vnknawine mene & swa [folio 206] Þi way in-to þi cunctre ga, Or but lewe and þe benysone Of sanct Martyne pas of towne? Line 1560 It was nocht spedfull be na way". Þane cane his maister till hyme say: "Dere sone, suppos þat I hame fare, Forsuth þe lewe sall I neuir-mare. Bot god þis place has grathit þe Line 1565 Ȝet all thire thre ȝere in to be, & eftir of þat curs þe stryff To hafe reward & lestand lyffe. Bot ȝet, þi ȝarnyng till fulfill, We will ga now þe bischope till Line 1570 & ask of new his benysone & leife, þat I ma paß of towne". Þe bischope rase þane & hyme met & tuk hyme & by hym set, & fandit giff he ger hyme mocht Line 1575 Leif his purpos & chang his thocht; Bot he mycht nocht for na-kyne thing Ger hyme leif purpos na etling. With þat þe nycht come: & þat auld, Þat for na prayere þane duell wald, Line 1580 Tuk leif & haile þe benysone Of þe bischope, & mad hyme bowne In sanct Martynis kirk to walk & fulfill clergy for his sak. & all þe nycht in prayer lay Line 1585 Befor þe fertire to þe day. &, as mene sais, þat nycht but were To sanct Colme walkand cane apere Sanct Martyne suthfully & bad Llang tyme and spekyne with hyme mad, Line 1590 & þar þe buk of þe wangele Þat in þe grawe was lad sume-quhyle

Besyd hyme, quhar he grawine was, He gef hyme frely in þat place: Þe quhilk all his lyftyme held he Line 1595 As a relik in gret daynte & left It, quhene he cane dissesß, In-till his kirk, as resone was.

Thane one þe morne, quhene it was day, He buskit hyme to gang his way Line 1600 But langar howne till his land, To Martyne hyme recommendand. Þane folouyt hyme out of þe towne A fer way with processione Sanct Morise, with gret cumpany Line 1605 Of lawide mene and of clergy; & sa partyt, þocht þai war lath, With oft blissing & regrat bath — For it is a full noyus thing Of dere frendis þe departynge. Line 1610 Quhene day was gane & It was nycht, Þe bischope of þe place hyme dycht To slepe: & sanct Martyne but were Till hyme slepand þar cane apere & sad till hyme: "lof god in hicht Line 1615 & blissis hyme with all ȝour mycht & he is name of alkine wyse, & trew: his seruand sanct Morise Has visit ȝou and throu his grace Benefice has ekit to þe place. Line 1620 For-þi of Twrane þe cite May mak Ioy als & blith be, Þat sanct Morise yhone patrone Has gottine, & me, to helpe ȝone llone. For he till god sa thankfull is, Line 1625 Þat in-till hewine with prophettis And patriarkis he sall be Rewardit in-to lyk degre: For þai till hyme war as samplar To lewe his kyne þat mychty war, Line 1630 & þis gret pilgrimag to tak, As did Abrahame for goddis sak, & lewe all warldis welth & keyne Reward in lestand lyf to wyne". Þe bischope þane waknyt of slepe Line 1635 & to þis visione tuk gud kepe, & his clergy cane till hyme call & word for word he tald þaime all As I befor here tald till ȝow. & þai, þat richt weile cane hyme trev, Line 1640 Hewyt vpe þar handis to þe hewyne & lowit god all with a stewine. Þane all þe folk of þat cyte, Ewire-ilke mane in his degre, With contryt will & ane assent Line 1645 To sanct Morise but mare ar went & hyme as fadire & saule-hyrd Resauit sone, as þame weile byrde. & als þe bischape of þe place, Þat with þe puple pute was, Line 1650 Of all his bischoprik þe cure Betaucht till hyme, of gret honour, Of sprituale & of temporale thing, All to demayne at his lykine, Swa þat to his dowme gret & small Line 1655 Þat suld be downe, partenyt all. & fra þat he sic charge tuk, He trawalyt besyly & wok Till his discipulis for-to preche & als þe puple besyly teche, Line 1660 & þe bidding of þe postill Full ythandly he tacht þaime till, & of gud lyf & honeste Gud ensamplar to þaime first was he: For he hyme-self in word & deide Line 1665 But ony (repre)ff ay cane leyde. Þe clergy þane full gret Ioy mad Þat þai sa worthy faddire had, & þe puple, as þaime weile byrd, Was fayne þat gottine had sic ane hird. Line 1670 Sanct Morise wes duelland þare, Þe kirk sa weile ay gouernand Þat þar fell nocht in-to þe lande Pestilence of beste na mane; Line 1675 & þar-to weddire had þai þane Þat þai wane froyt of land & se Thru his prayere in gret pleynte. &, till it hapnyt hyme of chaunce

So lang tyme for-to duel in Fraunce, Line 1680 Mony merwale god for hyme wrocht: Þat I in-to þis buk wryt nocht, For bath it war langsume to do & I cane tak na tyme þarto; Bot sped me schortly for-to tell Line 1685 Of his ending how it befell.

Tharefor, quhene þat he duelt had þare Thre ȝere haile & half but mare, He fell in-till a lytill fewire, Þat quhile for cald will ger mene cheuire. Line 1690 & þat seknes sa fast hyme socht Þat hyme full nere till end It brocht. Sex days þane with sic herd stryfe Befor þat he passit þis lyfe, He gert his clerkis mak his grawe Line 1695 & in-till his orator hyme haf & his discipulis till hyme call. He gret & sad þis till þaime all: "My sonnys der, now ame I feit Of alkine flesche to ȝeld þe deit, Line 1700 & sall be mad sowne, as yhe see, Of fleschlyk presone quyt & fre. Lowit be þat me has gewine Grace, my stryf I haf weile strifine! For-thi gud thing It is to me Line 1705 To be lousit & with hyme be. For it nedis me nocht, I trev, In flesche to duell langer for ȝou, For ȝe ar parfyt in althing, Of grace haffand na-kyne wanting. Line 1710 Þarfor, dere sonnis, beis nocht Irk With gud werkis to strynth þe kirk, & with gud dedis feit ȝour will Godis byding ay till fulfill! Alkyne wicis ȝe put away, Line 1715 & luk ȝe cristine treucht hald ay, And ferme in pece & cheryte & nithbour lof luk ay ȝe be!" Quhene þat he þis had sad & mare, Þai war dissessit & gret full sare, Line 1720 & sad: "der faddire, quhy, will þu All dissolat ws leif ws now?" & he sad to þame: "sonnis dere, I leif ȝou nocht dissolat here, I sall euer-mar with ȝou be Line 1725 Bath quyk & deide in all degre, Anent god ay intercessoure For ȝoure weilfar & ȝour honour". Þe houß þane gert he deuod all Of þaime þat þar war, gret & small; Line 1730 Outane þe bischopis, þat come þar To wisit hyme in þat sichwar, & sic wthir religiouse, He gert duell still in-till þe house, & prayt þaime for godis sak Line 1735 Þe takine of þe cors to mak [folio 208] One þar froynttis, þat þai mocht se & here þe thing þat þane saw he. & as he bad, sa haf þa downe: & þai bath herd & saw alsone Line 1740 & by his heid þane saw þai stand Jhesus his postulis XII ymang, & sanct Colme & sanct Martyng Be-syd his bed þai saw stand syne; Þane spak swet Jhesu, god of hewine, Line 1745 To sanct Moryse with full myld stewine: "Sanct Morise, cum & with me wone In-to my fadir rik but hone!" & with þat wordis he ras full rath & gat apone his kneis bath Line 1750 & sad, as hale & fere war he: "In manus tuas, domine, My saule I gyf". & sayand swa He ȝauld þe gast. & It cane ta Feile angelis & bar in hewyne, Line 1755 With mekill sang & full swet stewine. Þe bischope þane & his clergy A costly kirk gert mak in hy Of siluir, weile gilt, for þe nanys, & ennornyt with costlyk stanys, Line 1760 & mad sanct Moryse þare to ly, Enbawmyt weile & richly, & his sepultur mad þai syne Ewine syd be syd to sanct Martyne. Quhar god throw his gud prayer ay Line 1765 Cesis neuir ȝeit nicht na day Ferly werkis for-to wirk,

To fereme our treucht & strinth of kirk, In lofyng of hyme þat of nocht Þis warld & þe lawe has wrocht. Line 1770 For þar is wrocht euire-ilke day Sa gret wondir, þat Ine tell may, Of sanct Morise throw þe prayere To folk bundine with seknes sere; Þat I dar nocht record all now, Line 1775 For sume perchaunce suld me mistrew. For deiff mene þar gettis heryng, & blynd mene als parfyt seyng, & halt mene als þar gettis bute Þat seknes has in schank or fut, Line 1780 & dume mene als þar gettis speke Þat mekly will sanct Morise sek, & full feille mene of parlesy Gettis þar heile þar parfytly; & sume, throu ydropesy sa gret Line 1785 Swolne, þat þai ma ete no mete, & mad swampe, þar thru þe prayere Of sanct Morise (are) haile & fere; & sume þat brawne wod of þar wyt War mad & wterly tynt It, Line 1790 & helpe has socht at sanct Morise, Recouerit wit & war mad wise; & sume þat payne had of þe stane, Or seknes in-to flesch or bane, Or quhatkine vthir Infirmyte Line 1795 Þat mane or womane had, gyf he Or scho sanct Morise socht increly, At hyme þar heile þai gat in hy, Throw mycht of giffar of all grace, To quhome he ay trew seruand was. Line 1800 & swa gif god þat I ma be His seruand in-to sic degre, Out of þis lyf þat I ma twyne But schame or deit or dedly syne!

Explicit wita sci Macharij.

Notes

• Þe wheder = tamen.
• And st. at?
• st. seuene ist seuentene zu lesen; vgl. 351.
• Ms. ford st. for.
• l. ȝe st. i?
• tere difficult.
• Das Zeichen wird nicht genannt.
• Ms. faire st. fer?
• Ms. men st. man.
• Der Vers scheint fehlerhaft.
• and fehlt im Ms.
• gete fehlt im Ms.
• Ms. pape st. cors.
• Ms. man st. men.
• myrth a. R. nebengeschr.
• þo st. þe.
• Ms. chāmer.
• Ms. pryue pryue.
• Ms. w^t = wit.
• Ms. amus st. almus.
• Nach 164 fehlen deutlich einige Verse.
• Ms. man st. nan.
• Ms. rymand, wie 351.
• Ms. þan st. ran?
• Ms. war st. was.
• Ms. And st. Noȝt.
• Ms. hys st. Þis.
• And ist zu tilgen.
• Ms. sitt fotte; Ms. Ashm. hat die richtige Lesart.
• Ms. Þe fell of knes st. þe folk on knes.
• gud and haly aus goddirhaile (to goder haile) verdorben.
• im Ms. fehlt noght.
• Ms. rymand.
• do fehlt.
• Ms. al st as.
• Ms. tythands st. tythande.
• Ms. wer st. wex.
• of fehlt.
• Ms. sow od. saw?
• noght fehlt.
• Die schott. Annalisten setzen den Tod Dewenicks um 887, in die Regierung des Soluathius (Selvach); aber die Könige dieses Stammes lebten im 8. Jahrh. Wahrscheinlich gehören diese Heiligen ins 6. Jahrh.; vgl. A Dictionary of christian biography, litterature, sects and doctrines ed. by Will. Smith and Henry Wace, London 1877, vol. I A — D (s. v. Devenick), wo als Hülfs|mittel aufgeführt sind: Forbes Kalend. of Scott. Saints, Boethius Scott. Hist. B. IX, Dempster Hist. Eccles. Gent. Scot. I, Camerarius De Scot. Fort., King Calendar.; ausserdem Breviarium Aberdon.
• oyse = use.
• till = quhill.
• Ms. he st. here.
• quhene quhone = few. at = þat.
• Ms. syne one, syne ist zu tilgen.
• zum Reim vgl. 1743.
• bere zur Taufe tragen.
• Ms. colmā
• im Ms, fehlt was?
• Ms. scheinbar alman.
• Ms. doul od. duil.
• word = fieri.
• laydit = layd it.
• l. mene?
• lawe laif = reliquum.
• night = nigh.
• Ms. gert st. hert.
• Ms. bell.
• tyme fehlt im Ms.
• Ms. fat od. far?
• Ms. nest od. rest?
• of = oft.
• tyd - pulled, v. ags. teón, theg Troy. B. 7628.
• Ms. wath?
• Ms. woful st. ioiful.
• Ms. ȝeld st. weld?
• wes fehlt?
• Ms. vndirstāand.
• cele = zele.
• Ms. weld st. wele.
• Ms. theching. Ms. gest = gast.
• Ms. of = oft.
• þare st. yare od are.
• Ms. of = oft.
• Ms. þane st. rane.
• l. pass.
• nach set fehlt hat?
• suffrane = sovereign.
• Ms. to st. þo.
• Ms. bofore.
• Ms. bast st. bat.
• Ms. iy od. ry? Ile of Iy wol das jetzige Iona.
• Ms. en hournyt = enournyt.
• Ms. iy od. ry? Ile of Iy wol das jetzige Islay.
• Ms. þe st. he.
• in fehlt im Ms.
• say = sa.
• umzusetzen.
• umzusetzen.
• 607—8 umzusetzen.
• 609—10) umzusetzen.
• Ms. þusgad st. þusgat.
• l. trow? dowis = dois.
• Ms. spāly,
• Ms. proplexite.
• Ms. mak and.
• it fehlt.
• oure = ȝoure.
• Ms. sōnis.
• ek (ak?) = oak.
• þat = at, wie 736 u. ö.
• Ms. of = oft.
• Ms. hed.
• Ms. hs.
• þus st. þis.
• be fehlt im Ms.
• brukyt = bruk yt.
• l. callis.
• sa = say.
• ?= quhene; Ms. quhe.
• (Hier beginnt andere Hand.)
• Hier beginnt andere Hand; a. R. steht: Caret de fine sce Mauchcarii et de sca Katerina.
• Ms. þus st. þare.
• Ms. her st. ger.
• Ms. scheinbar pontis, 861 poyntis.
• Ms. oñe = onne?
• sonnes = sinnis.
• Ms. styme.
• Ms. Syncheng?
• Ms. prooff?
• Ms. tyd st. cyd?
• Ms. tint od. ruit? scheint runt.
• gong latrina, lacuna.
• Ms. dulland.
• l. sand? Ms. land.
• Hier fehlt 1 Blatt im Ms. . . . . . [folio 202]
• Ms. & = if.
• help fehlt.
• Ms. pns = presens od. provins?
• Ms. þar st. þarin.
• with st. of?
• with st. of?
• Ms. deme.
• Ms. kawine.
• nicht = nigh.
• Ms. Of st. To.
• Ms. lentynd.
• Ms. þaime.
• firste = friste.
• Diese Kirche, Banchory-Dewynnik, liegt nahe bei Aberdeen.
• Ms. fra sanct Colme st. sanct Colme fra.
• Ms. pilgerame mit überschrieb. e.
• Ms. þane st. was.
• Ms. Till þai come quhar.
• Ms. fer od. for?
• Ms. are = heir.
• Ms. ho st. to.
• walk = wak; lk st. k ist Eigenthümlichkeit schott. Mss.
• walk = wak; lk st. k ist Eigenthümlichkeit schott. Mss.
• Ms. but langar but.
• he erhöhen.
• Ms. llone (= lane Flecken) od. bone (= boun ready)? [od. ȝoue bone? --Corrigenda]
• Ms. keyne st. kyne.
• Ms. undeutlich, l. repreff?
• Nach 1671 fehlt ein Vers.
• . . . . .
• Ms. twre.
• of fehlt.
• Martyng st. Martyne, wie öfter in schott. Mss. in Endungen yng st. yne u. yne st. yng im Part. (vgl. im Reim V. 27).