Altenglische legenden.

I. De s. Andrea apostolo historia [Diese, die Sammlung des Ms. Harl. 4196 beginnende Legende ist in dems. Ms. am Schlusse der Sammlung fol. 197b (hinter Katharina) nochmals wiederholt, zugleich mit Anastasia, fol. 199b, die bereits im ersten Theil des Ms., der Homiliensammlung, voranging, beide von derselben zweiten Hand, die von fol. 165 ab den letzten Theil der Sammlung geschrieben hat; ein am Rande von derselben Hand vermerktes Vacat bezeichnet indessen beide Legenden als dort nicht gültig. Dieser 2^te Text des An|dreas umfasst nur die ersten 258 Verse (das Miraculum fehlt) und weicht im Einzel|nen vielfach ab (er ist kürzer), stimmt dagegen buchstäblich mit dem im Ms. Tiber. E VII fol. 277b hinten, nach Katharina, folgenden Texte dieseI Legende überein, woraus eben dieser 2^te Text des Ms. Harl., wie fast alle Legenden von fol. 165 ab, buchstäblich entnommen ist. Leider ist Ms. Tib., die frühere und bessere Hs., durch Feuer sehr beschädigt, und von je 2 Columnen einer Seite nur eine (auf der Vorderseite die linke, auf der Rückseite die rechte) ganz oder grösstentheils (bis auf die obersten 3—5 Verse) lesbar, von der andern meist nur Anfänge oder Schluss|wörter einzelner Verse. Die Texte des Ms. Tib. haben durchaus den Vorzug; es ist nothwendig, die Lesarten desselben genau zu verzeichnen, wenn auch, bei der theil|weisen Zerstörung dieser Hs., Ms. Harl. der Ausgabe zu Grunde zu legen ist.] ). [Hier folgen die Varianten des 2^ten Textes des Ms. Harl. (=Tib.):]

Saint Andrew, Cristis apostil dere, [Cristes appostell.] Whils he went in þis werld here, [wond.] Ful mekill folk in sere cuntre [ful mani men.] To cristen trouth conuertid he. [faith st. trouth. conuerted.] And at þe last so it byfell, [and fehlt. befell.] In a cete whore he gun dwell: [(hier wird Tib. lesbar) als st. whore. gan dwel.] A domesman in þat cete was, And his name was cald Egeas, [Þat named was þan Cosdroas (! später v. 35 Egeas, Tib. Egeas).] A man þat lifed in maumetry And in fals goddes, ful of enuy. [9—10) fehlen.] Line 10 He gederd togedir both bond & fre, [And he gert call both.] Riche and pouer of ilk cuntre, [Pouer and riche of þat c.] And bad þai suld mak sacrafise [And comand þam opon all wise] Vnto his goddes of mekil prise; [Till his goddes at mak sacrafise.] And who so wold noght ofrand make, [wald noht.] Line 15 Grete uengeance wold he on þam take. [On þam he toke uengance and wrake.]

Þe folk ful fast þan þeder soght And to þo warlaus wirschip wroght. [17—18) fehlen.] And sone when saint Andrew herd tell Of þat foul fare how it bifell, [Of all þis fare.] Line 20 Þedir ful playnli gun he pas [þeder he whent (T. went) with ful gude chere,] And þus he sayd vnto Egeas: [And said to him on þis manere.] "Sen þou couaytes þat folk þe ken Als domesman ouer al oþer men, [all.] Þan suld þou knaw in dede & steuyn Line 25 Þi domesman: þat es god in heuyn, [god fehlt.] Þat sal þe deme efter þi dede — Him forto knaw now war it nede; He es þi god and ouer all mighti, [ouer fehlt. mighty (y häusiger im Auslaut).] And all oþer er fals maumetri; [fals fehlt. maw|metry (T. mawmettri).] Line 30 Him forto honure euermore þe awe [Him suld þou honore als þe aw,] And verraily for þi god him knawe, [And uerrayly (T. verrayli) þou suld him knaw.] And draw þi hert fro deuils oway [þam st. deuils.] Þat ledis to pine þat lastes ay". [ledes. payn.] Egeas þan answerd ogayne: Line 35 "Þir wurdes, he sayd, er all in vayne, [And said þir wordes er.] And no-thing suth þou tels me till [þat þou here towches me untill.] Þat may I proue by propir skill: [þat proue I þe by proper skill.] For, whils ȝowre god, þat ȝe on call, [zowre, ze (von fol. 165 an schreibt Harl. z st. ȝ).] Prechid þe pople in erth ouer-all [preched (T. prechid) þis same in erth.] Line 40 And techid his men þat with him dweld To preche þe same þat þou here teld: [41—2) fehlen.] Omang þe Iews here tane was he And nayled & hanged high on a tre: [and nayled fehlt. opon.] And had he bene god, als þou says, Line 45 It had noght bene so, by no ways. Þarfore I say, þir wurdes er vayne". [I say fehlt. er all in.] Saint Andrew þan answerd ogayne: [saint fehlt.] "And þou kouth klerely knaw and se [if st. and. cowth. said he st. and se.] Þe vertu of þat ilk haly tre [ilk fehlt.] Line 50 Þat named es þe cros in land, [þe fehlt (steht in T.).] Þan wald þou wit and vnderstand How Jhesu Crist, my maystir fre, [þat st. how.] Bi resonable caus of charite [resonabill.] And for pete þat he had in mynde [for fehlt. minde.] Line 55 Of þe grete mescheuys of man-kynde [Vnto þe mescheues. kinde.] Payn of þe cros he putted him till, [umgesetzt.] [put.] Noght maugre his, bot with his will". [umgesetzt.] Egeas þan vnto þis thing Answerd als in grete hething, [with st. in. heting.] Line 60 He sayd: "how may þou say þir sawes, [And sayd. þow. þis saw.] Sen þat þi-self þe suth wele knawes? [wele fehlt. kan knaw.] At þe first time bitrayd was he, [he (!) at þe first bitrayed was he.] And thurgh ane of his awin menȝe, [And ist zu tilgen.] [and fehlt.] And sethin takin with iews kene Line 65 And bunden and led furth þam bitwene To Cayfas hall þe graythest gate, And fro þeþin vnto Sir Pilate; [65—8: þat ful preue with him had bene, & seþin taken with iews kene (= 65) And led a spot of euyl gate (!) Vntill þai come to sir Pilate.] Þore was he demid on cros to hang, [And demid þare on.] Als þe iews ordand þam omang. Line 70 Maugre his þai gun him spill — [mawgre. gan.] How proues þou þan, it was his will?" Saynt Andrew says: "his will it was: [said.] Þat may I proue wele, or I pas: [þat proue I þe wele.] Of his menȝe mi-self was one [ane.] Line 75 In þe same time when he was tone; [In þat ilk t. . tane.] And bifor þe time he was bitrayd, [And or tyme þat he.] Vnto vs all samyn þus he sayd: [vntill.]

How he sŭld for mans syns be sold [þat st. how. sin. salde.] And suffer paynes ful monyfolde [manifalde.] Line 80 And dy on þe cros, right als þou tels, [right fehlt. telles.] For hele of mans sauls, & for n(o)ght els, [man sawl. for fehlt.] And on þe thrid day ful right vprise — [third (T. thrid). ful fehlt.] Þir wurdes he tolde vs on þis wise. [wordes said he on.] Þarfore I tell þe in þis stede Line 85 Þat with his will he sufferd dede". [85—6) fehlen.] Egeas þan thoght grete dispite, [despite.] And to saint Andrew said he tite: [& unto him þus said.] "Þou haues lerid of a symple skole, Þi preching proues þi-self a fole: Line 90 For — whethir it war his will or none — Þou grauntes þat he on cros was done [89—92) fehlen.] And hangid he was, als I said are. And þarfore leue þat lurdans lare [93—94) Bot if þou leue þat lurdans lare, þat hanged was als I said are.] And vnto my goddes offrand make, [ofrand.] Line 95 Or els I sall for þi god sake [I sall alsone for.] Ger hang þe right on swilk a tre Als þou sais suld so honorde be — [honord.] For fouler dede may no-man haue; Þarfore on þe I vouche it saue". [99—100) fehlen.] Line 100 Saint Andrew þan with-outen ire Said: "sertis, þat es my moste desire, [sertes.] I wold be wurthi for his sake [wald. worthi.] Opon a cros my dede to take; [þe st. a. mi ded.] Þarto euer sal I redi be, [And þarto. euer fehlt.] Line 105 For any payn þou may do me". [paynes,] Egeas þan with grete enuy [full of (T. off) enuy.] Sent efter al his turmentry [al fehlt.] And bad þam smertly þam omang [& bad þai suld sone þam o.] Ordan a cros, him forto hang, [ordaine.] Line 110 And fest þarto both hend and fete, [bath.] Þat none of þam with oþer mete; [& þat none suld with.] "Festes him with none nayles, I rede, To ger him hastili be so dede, [so fehlt. ded.] Bot bindes him to with rapes strang, [bandes st. rapes.] Line 115 So þat he may be pyned lang!" To do his biding, war þai bayne: [prest st. bayne.] A cros þai made with al þaire maine, [fehlen.] And handes on him þan fast þai fest — [and fehlt. ful sone st. þan fast.] To do him payne þai war ful prest — [fehlen.] Line 120 Þai led him thurgh þat cete [& st. þai.] To þe stede whore (he) suld hanget be. [till st. to. whare he. hanged.] And al þe folk þat dweld þare obout, [And all þe folk þan þare obout.] Gedird togyder in ful grete rout [gederd togeder. ful fehlt. rowt.] And al þus said þai þam omang: Line 125 "Allas, þis wirking es al wrang. [all.] What has þis rightwis man done ill, Þat ȝe on þis wise will him spill? Þis nobill man þat neuer did mis, [nobil (T. nobill).] Ful sakles suffers he all þis, Line 130 Ful sakles bese done on rode [bese he.] And sakles sall men spill his blode; [sall be spilt.] For he has euer bene blith & glad To mend al men þat mister had". [133—4) fehlen.] Saint Andrew þan þe puple praid [pople.] Line 135 And al þus vnto þam he sayd: [all (T. al).] "Wendis ogayn, all I ȝow pray, [wen|des.] And lettes me noght of ioy þis day: [lettes noght my ioy.] Desturbes noght now mi passioun! [now fehlt. passioune.] For vnto blis it makes me boun". [boune.] Line 140 And sone when saint Andrew bihelde Þe cros bifor him in þe felde, [on st. in.] Vnto god made he his prayere, And vnto þe cros on þis manere [to st. vnto.] He cried and sayd with ful high voice: [On hegh he said with full hegh uoyce.] Line 145

Line 145 "Hayl be þou, haly and blisced croyce! [blissed & haly.] Þat haloud es and euer glorifide [halowd. euer fehlt.] With Cristes membris on ilk a side, [membres.] And honourd es þou with his banes [And blissed es þou with.] Wele better þan with precius stanes. [And honord als with (!).] Line 150 With ioyful hert I cum to þe, [ioyfull.] So þat þou gladli resayue me, Disciple of him with-outen pere, [desiple.] Þat hanged on þe, mi mayster dere. Now es þou redi, me on to hang, Line 155 Þat I in hert haue couayt lang; [co|uait, 158 couayt.] I haue þe lufde with hert and will [lufed.] And couayted euer to cum þe till". [euer fehlt. forto.] Bifor þe cros þan knelid (he) doune [knelid he.] And þus he made his orisoune: [ori|sowne.] Line 160 "A, nobil cros of grete bounte, [nobill. gret.] Fro erthli men resayue now me [þou st. now.] And ȝelde me to my maister gude, [zeld.] So þat he may with mild mode By þe resayue me, þat he wroght, [thurgh st. by.] Line 165 Als he thurgh þe fro bale me boght. [on st. thurgh.] No better bede I haue to byd". His ouermast clothes þan of he did, To þe turmentours he gun þam bede And bad þai suld do furth þaire dede. [167—170) fehlen.] Line 170 Þe turmentours, when þis was sayde, [said.] Toke his bodi with bitter brayde, [Unto sant Andrew bremely braid.] Vnto þe cros þai gun it bend [And up on þe. gun fehlt. him.] And festid ful fast bothe fete & hend, [& band þarto both.] And all his bodi ful fast þai band, [ful fehlt.] Line 175 Als Egeas had þam comand; [Als it was to þam cumand,] When he was bunden so on brede, [Unto þe cros ilk lim (ms. him) on brede.] Þai lete him hing and home þai ȝede. [When þis was done, away þai zede.] Folk gederd ful fast him obout [Bot many folk come him o.] Of al þat cuntre ín grete rout. [all.] Line 180 He held his eghen vp vnto heuin [he lifted. up till þe heuyn.] And þus he sayd with ioyful steuin: "I se mi lord god and al-weldand, [folio 134] [and fehlt. all.] And in his sight now here I stand". [in fehlt.] Opon þe cros þore quik he hang [Quilk (!) on þe cros þare so he hang.] Line 185 Two days, prechand þe puple omang; [tow (st. two) daies precheand.] Þat was ful lang, swilk payn to fele, [slike pain.] Bot with Crist was he confort wele. [Bot Crist him confort wonder wele.] Twenti thousand folk war þore, To here him preche, with hertes sore. [189—190) fehlen.] Line 190 When þe first day till end was went, Al þat puple by one assent [All þe folk. ane.] Til Egeas hows fast þai ryn [Vntill. fast þai fehlt. gan rin.] And said: al quik þai suld him brin, [And said þai suld all quik.] Bot if he tite gert tak him doune [doun.] Line 195 Þat hanged was ogayns resoune: [resoun.] "He es a rightwis man, þai say, And wele has done both night and day; [& wele doand.] A gude techer euer has he bene, [And gude t. ay has bene.] And more suthfast was neuer sene: [And so swthfast.] Line 200 And swilk a man, sir, for sertayne Suld noght suffer so hard payne. [Aw noght to suffer swilk payne.] Þarfore, bot he be tane doun sone, In euil tyme þat dede was done". [Illa haile (!) euer was it done.] Egeas dred þe puple wrake Line 205 And doun he hight him forto take, [& doun he said he suld him take.] And furth he went with þam in hi, [þai hasted þam. hy.] Both he and al hys turmentri; [both fehlt. all his.] Þe folk thrang efter al on a thrum. [& oþer pople all and sum.]

And when saint Andrew saw þam cum, Line 210 Of þaire cumyng he was noght paid, And vnto Egeas þus he sayd: [And till.] "Wharto cums þou vnto me — [cumes (Ms. cum es).] Bot þou wald trow in Jhesu fre [If þow will.] And leue þi maumetes more & les [mawmettes.] Line 215 And pray to Jhesu of forgifnes? [þan of god gettes þou f.] If þou will noght on þis wise do, [And if. sogat st. on þis wise.] Ryn fast, or vengeance cum þe to! [rin, fast fehlt. uengance.] Þou gettes no force ne no fuysoune [For þou. no fehlt vor fuisowne.] To negh my bodi ne tak it doune; [at st. ne. doun.] Line 220 Mi lord will len to me þat lane Þat quik sall I noght doun be tane". [heþin st. doun.] Þan turmenturs with egir mode [turmentoures. eger.] Went to him, als þai war wode, Þai rugget at him with ful grete bir; [And rugged. byr.] Line 225 Bot no-thing might þai of (him) stir: [of him.] Þaire armes and handes sone in hi, [Bot armes.] Als þai war herdes, wex þai dri; [Right als herdes.] Als þai kest vp þaire armes him till, [& als. vp fehlt.] Als dry stykkes þan stode þai still. [dri stikkes. þai stode so still.] Line 230 Saint Andrew þan made his prayere, [Androw.] To mighty god on þis manere [Vnto god.] He said: "lord, if it be þi will, [And said.] In þis stede lat me hing still, [þat I st. lat me.] Þat none haue power me to fell Line 235 Doun of þis cros þat I on dwell, [doun fehlt. fro st. of.] Vnto þat tyme þi-self vouche saue [Untill time þat. vowche.] To þe blis of heuin me forto haue; [Vnto þi blis me.] Bot lat me hing still, als I do, [bot fehlt. here als.] Til-tyme þou tak mi saul þe to!" [Untill. tyme fehlt. my gaste.] Line 240 When þis was said, þar come a light [þare.] Doun fro þe heuyn with bemis bright [þe fehlt.] And vmbilappid his bodi about. [(T. vmbilapped). obout.] Þe folk þarfore had mekil dout, [þarfore þe folk. mekill.] Þai might noght luke for mekil light Line 245 Vnto his bodi: so was it bright. [Vntill.] And als þe light was alþir-maste, [allþer.] To god in heuyn he gaf þe gaste. [Vnto. in heuyn fehlt.] Egeas was ful dredand þan And for ferde fast home he ran. Line 250 Bot in þe way, or he come hame, He sufferd ded with mykel schame: So sudan sorous war to him sent: Als wurthi was, to wo he went. [249—254) fehlen.] Saint Andrew saul with angell steuyn Line 255 And with þat light was lifted to heuyn, [255—6) And with þat light & an|gell steuyn His (saule) was tane to blis of heuyn. Darauf folgen als Schlussverse: Vntill þat ilk blis bring us he, þat boght us dere opon þe tre, Thurgh bisekeing and prayere Of saint Andrew þe appostel dere. —] Whore he lendes in ay lastand blis. Al-weldand god þeder us wis!

Egeas had a wurthli wife, Line 260 Þat lufed saint Andrew in his life; For him scho ordand a monument And berid his bodi with trew entent. And of his graue, als men might se, Sprang vp oyle ful fayre plente, Line 265 Þat medcyn was to more and les Þat þeder soght for sere sekenes. And by þat oyl, als says þe buke, Al þat cuntre ensaumple toke: For, when it sprang on sides sere, Line 270 Þan hopid þai forto haue gude ȝere Of corn and fruyt and oþer thing; And, when þai saw it skarsli spring, Þan hopid þai to haue skant of corn And of fruyt. als I sayd biforn, Line 275 Who so saynt Andrew lufes in lede, He may noght mis forto haue mede; For fro al harmes he haldes þam hale, Als men may here tell by a tale.

Quomodo s. Andreas vicit diabolum.

A nobil bisschop, als we rede, In halines his life gun lede. Line 280 He lufed saint Andrew al his life And euer he vsid þis reson rife: In al þe dedis þat he su(l)d do, Þus said he, when he went þarto: "Þis werk here I bigyn to schew Line 285 In þe name of god and saint Andrew". Þus vsid he euir in all hys dede: So hopid he his werk suld wele spede — In saint Andrew he had swilk trist; And of þat merk no-thing he myst. Line 290 Bot þan þe fende, oure enmy, Vnto þat bisschop had grete enuy; For he to god hys hert had sett, He did his force þat life lett: He assayd him with moni a syn. Line 295 Bot on none wise he might him wyn. Til al þe last he wroght a wile With lusty luf hym to bigyle. To ger hym fall in foul lichery, He schop hym to be like a fayre lady, Line 300 Vnto þe bisschops palays hastid he And said þat he wold schriuen be. Þe bisschoppes menȝe gun him tell How þore was cumen a damysell, Þe fairest þat þai bifore had sene, Line 305 And said scho wold be schreuen clene. When þe bisschop þis tale had herd, Vnto þo men þus he answerd: "Gose, ledes hir to mi penitancere! For of me has he playn powere". Line 310 Bot when þe ladi herd þis tale, Scho sayd: "for suth, I neuer sale Reherce how þat I am gylty Bot to þe bisschoppes awyn body; I haue in hert swilk priuete: Line 315 I will none wit bot god and he". Þus when þe bisschop wist hir will, He bad scho suld be broght him till. Þai broght hir furth þan him bifore. And ful mekely, when scho com þore, Line 320 Doun scho knelid bifor his kne And sayd: "lord, haue mercy on me And here my tales all vntil ende!" He wist noght þat it was þe fende, "Tel on, he sayd, my doghter dere, Line 325 Þi hert all halely vnto me now here! I sall þe here euer-ilka thing And counsayl þe efter my cunyng". "Sir, scho sayd, all-if ȝe now se I am pouer and in pilgrym degre, Line 330 Cumen I am of kyng and quene And in grete bewtes haue I bene And fosterd furth full tendirly — Of tender eld als ȝit am I. Bot neuer-þe-lese in all mi ȝowth Line 335 Ay wirschip Crist ful wele I kouth. And when I past out of barnhede, Þe king, my fader, gun me bede Þat a riche prince suld me wed. And þan I was full sore adred Line 340 Þat my lord Crist suld be euyl payd, And vnto my fader þus I sayd: Þat erthli husband wald I none, For vnto Crist I had me tone, 'Vnto him haue I hertly hight Line 345 To kepe me clene both day & night; Þarfore none oþer may I take, For his lufe sal I neuer forsake'". When mi fader herd me so say, Ful wroth he went fro me oway, Line 350 He said I suld wirk at his will Or els be puted vnto paynes ill. Þan in my hert I toke þis thoght: Þat leuyr me war in bale be broght, In wildernes al-way to wake, Line 355 Þan Crist, my spous, forto forsake. Oway I went þan so priuely, Þat no-man wist bot god and I. Sethin, haly fader, suth it es, I haue herd of youre halines, Line 360 How ȝe er blith, and euir has bene, To confort þam þat kepis þam clene. Þarfore I thoght: and I might wyn Vnder ȝoure ward and wun þarin, Þan suld I liff in rest and ese, Line 365 With gude prayers my god to plese, And so forsake þis werldely liue And lere condicions contemplatiue". When þe bisschop herd þir wordes wise,

Ful gretely gun he him auyse; Line 370 First he meruayled in his minde How scho was cumen of gentil kinde, And how scho was of tender eld, Had so clere wit, at will to welde, [folio 135] And þat scho was namore adred Line 375 In vnkuth stede forto be sted. Ful mekely þan vnto hir he said: "Mi doghter dere, be noght affrayd! Þe spous þat þou has tane þe to, Will gif þe grace ay wele to do; Line 380 Fro erthli folis he will þe fend And gif þe blis with-outen end. And I, als a seruand of his. Grauntes me to wirk als þou will wis! Here sall be no-thing þe to greue — Line 385 Lend, whils þe list — I gif þe leue. And this day sall þou with me ete, More of þis mater forto trete." Þe fende answerd and (said): "sir, nay, Bid me noght ett with þe þis day, Line 390 Lat me ett els whore so þou will, — For drede of sum suspecion of ill With sum might (haue) so bisene, [der Vers ist verderbt; haue ist zu ergänzen?] Wold haue suspecion vs bitwene — And þat war litel force for me, Line 395 Bot þe halines, fader, of yowre pouste". Þan said þe bisschop: "caus es þat none. We sal noght be bi us-self allone, Þar sall be oþer inowe at none". Þan sayd sho: "sir, ȝowre will be done". Line 400 Þan wesch þai sone and went to mete. Bifor him-self was made hir sete. Þe bisschop ay hertly hir bihelde — Him thoght hir faire als floure in felde; So swete him thoght both cheke & chin, Line 405 Þat lust wounded his hert within. Þe fende defigurd him fayre þarfore, To wound his hert ay more & more. So hertly he byheld hir face, Þat he thoght: when he might (haue) space Line 410 To haue þat woman at his will, Þe wretchid werk he wold fulfill. Bot saint Andrew, his faithful frend, Saw he was ouer-sett with þe fend. He putted him in a palmer state, Line 415 And come vnto þe bisschop ȝate, And on þe ȝate fast knokkid he And asked almus par charite, And of þe bisschop gun he craue Þat day in þe hall his mete to haue. Line 420 Sanctus Andreas erat peregrinus. Þe porter told þe lord in his sete How swilk a palmer askid him mete, And askid if he suld him in lat. Þe lady answerd vnto þat, Scho sayd: "sir, if it be ȝoure will, Line 425 I rede we proue him by sum skill. Palmers walkes both fer and nere, Sum questioun we will enquere; And if he answer wele vnto all, Þan es he wurthi to ette in hall". Line 430 Þe bisschop answerd þus þarto: "Damysell, þat can ȝe best do. Says, what ȝe will, to him in hy!" Scho sayd: "Igraunt, sir; graunt mercy!" Þe porter, bad scho, suld be boune Line 435 And ask of þe palmer þis resoune: Of all þis werld in litel space Whore god has scheud most might & grace? Þe porter with þis message went And said þe palmer how he was sent Line 440 Þis questioun forto enquere. And he answerd on þis manere: "Sir, sen þis werld was first bygun, A mans face was neuer ȝit fun Like to a-nother in al making. Line 445 Þarfore I say in so litill thing Has god noght schewd slike might & grace Als he has schewd in a mans face. Þe space es litil forto discryue, And þorein er þe wittes fyue Line 450 Þat rewles all a mans lifing here. Go, tell þi lord on þis manere!" Þe porter went & tald þus all. Þan al þe folk within þat hall Sayd þat þe palme(r) answerd ful wele; Line 455 Bot þe deuyll likid yt no dele. Þe bisschop sayd: "lo, dere damysell, Will ȝe oght els vnto him tell?" Scho sayd: "syr, ȝa; and ȝe vouche saue,

A harder question now sal he haue Line 460 And more maystry, if þat I may: So sall we best his wit assay. [Ms. euyn.] Go, bid hym here vnto vs (n)euyn Whore þe erth es hegher þan þe heuyn?" Þe porter went and told þis tale. Line 465 Þe palmer answerd with wurdes hale: "Go, say þi lord he suld haue mynde How Crist in erth he toke mans kynd. He lightid in a mayden mylde, And fleschly was scho neuer filde; Line 470 Of hyr bodi he wold be born, And of erth was scho made biforn. Seþin Crist vp vnto heuyn ascend With mans kinde, als wele es kend: Mans kinde so made of erth & clay Line 475 In Cristes auwen person wuns al-way. In his persoun so may we neuyn Þe erth es hegher þan any heuyn Go, say þi lord þus in þis manere!" Þe porter went with ful gude chere, Line 480 He rehercyd vnto ȝong and olde Euyn als þe palmer had him tolde. And al þai said, als þai gun fit, Þat þe palmer was parfite in wit And þat he was wurthi to prais. Line 485 Þan þe woman to þe porter says: "Þe thrid thing sal þou bid him do; And if he answer wele þarto, Þou sall haue leue to bring him ner And noman sall oppose him fer. Line 490 Aske him: how fer þe space es set Fro heuyn to erth, by mesure mett? And if he now þe maystri gete, Þan baldly bring him in to mete!" Þe porter went and told ilk dele, Line 495 And sayd: "syr, if þou now say wele, Þi mete for þis sal þou haue And no-man sall more of þe craue No-thing, bot tel þam þis resoun, Þe space fro heuyn till erth here doun". Line 500 Þe palmer said: "þis sall be kend Of þam self þat þe heder send: It es a deuil þat sittes byfore In wedis als it a woman wore; Go, tell vnto him hardily Line 505 He knawes þe space better þan I, For he fel doun fro heuyn to hell — And doun fro heuyn ȝit neuer I fell; Þe space fro heuyn wele may he ges, For he has mett how mekil it es. Line 510 Go, sai him þus with sembland sad!" Þan was þe porter wunder rad; Bot neuer-þe-les ȝit went he in And told þis tale to more & myn. Al war awunderd þat it herd. Line 515 And when þe fende saw how it ferd, He made grete noys omang þam all And bare oway half of þe hall. Þan had þe bisschop mekill wo And sorow, for he assentyd so Line 520 With foul syn his saul to schende Thurgh fals fanding so of þe fende Efter þe palmer ful sone he sent; Bot noman wist whore he was went. Þe bisschop was þan ful wo forþi, Line 525 And sune he gert samyn his clergi, He chargid al folk to fast and pray And do penaunce both night & day, Þat god his grace to sum wold send: So þat þe palmer might be kend Line 530 Þat to þe deuyl had done swilk gref And helpid out of þat mischef. On þe night in vision warnid he was How saint Andrew him helpid has. Þan loued he god with wurdes hend Line 535 And thankid saint Andrew, his frende. And on þe morn he told þis thing Al opynli vnto olde and ȝing. Saynt Andrew wirschiped he euermore More derely þan euer he did bifore, Line 540 And lifed and endid in goddes seruise. God graunt vs to wirk on swilk wise!