Altenglische legenden.

III. Buch (S. Fremund).

[Die lat. Ueberschr. fehlt.] Incipit vita sancti Fremundi egregii martiris, Edmundi carissimi consanguinei, qui eiusdem martiris interfectores domino iniutante prostrauit graciose; vna cum miraculis Edmundi martiris antedicti, prout in post sequentibus clarius elucescit.

(Prolog.)

WHo kan remembre the myracles merueilous [meraclys.] (W)hich Crist Jhesu list for his seyntes shewe? [seyntys.] Or who kan write the tryumphes gloryous Of his martirs, in noumbre nat a fewe? And I am ferful aboue myn hed to hewe, [my.] Line 5 Lyst froward chippis of presumpcioun [chippes.] Sholde blynde myn eyen in ther fallyng doun. [shulde. eeyen.] Yt is nat holsom to looke ageyn the sonne [it.] For dirked eyen dulled of ther syht; [dullyd.] Men symply lettryd, that but litil konne, [litel.] Line 10 Sholde feerful been in herte of verray ryht [very.] To entermete of thilke eternal lyht, [entirmete.]

Which bryhtest Phebus in ordre sette him-selue [set.] Myd his crowne of the heuenly stones twelue. [stoonys.] The charboncle, of his nature red, [charbouncle. reed.] Line 15 And Cerawnus, lyk the fyry leuene, Wolde oppresse and dirke a dullyd hed Forto beholde ther bemys sent from heuene. [froom.] The cours celestiall of the sterrys seuene To comprehende, ther dyurnal meuyng, Line 20 To bareyn wittis is a ful strange thyng. And yiff the cleernesse of the heuenly sterrys So fer transcende the liht of this parties: [ferre.] Thempire abouen that from vs so ffer ys, [abovyn. ferre.] Wher the nyne ordres in ther thre Jerarchies Line 25 Preisen the lord with ther soote armonies, What mortal man the liht may ther dis|cerne, But grace be guyde to leede him and gouerne? [lede.] God hym-silff in thilke Imperial se Ys souereyn sonne, that paleys tenlumyne, Line 30 Laumpe, lanterne and liht of that Cite, Wher non Eclips may lette his bemys shyne. [Wheer noon.] Tofor whos face and throne, that is deuyne, [tofore. trone. divyne.] Heuenly speritis in his laude and preisyng [spirytis. lawde. preysynge.] Neuer cesse Ossanna for-to syng; [nevir cese. osanna. synge.] Line 35 Wher the felashepe of heuenly Citeseyns, [Ther. felashippe.] Queer of prophetis and patryarkes olde, Twelue appostlis as Juges souereyns, [appostelys.] Which Cristis lawe in erthe tauhte and tolde; [Crystes. taught. toolde.] And ther also men may seen and beholde Line 40 Gret multitude of martirs, clad in red, Steyned in Bosra, to deie they hadde no dreed: [had.] The prothomartir seyn Steuene with his stonys, [folio 71] [stoonys.] The firy gredile ther shewid of Laurence, [grydile. ther fehlt.] And holy Vyncent, his flessh brent to the boonys Line 45 On colis rede by extort violence, [Oon coolys reed.] Denys of Grece, thoruh meek pacience [meeke.] At Mountmartir slayn in his constance, Sent by seyn Clement to conuerte France, [seint. convert.] George, Cristofre, myhty champiouns [Crystoffore.] Line 50 Off Crist Jhesu, suffred for our feith, [suffryd.] Ignacius that tamed the liouns [taamyd.] In his passioun, as the story seith, Blissid Blasy his hed to wedde he leith, [Blyssed.] Was nat ferfull to change this present liff Line 55 With Crist in heuene to be contemplatiff; The holy man ycallid seynt Albon, [I-callyd.] Prothomartyr off this regioun, Suffred deth sythen ful yore agon [yoore agoon.] For Cristes sake, and bittir passioun. Line 60 But now to mynde kometh the champioun [comyth.] Off Estyngland, born of the Saxoun lyne, [Estyngelond. Saxonyes.] Callid seynt Edmund, kyng, martir, and virgyne: [Edmond.] The holy kyng, of his liff most cleene, [This.] This Cristis knyht hardy as lyoun, Line 65 Was for our feith shet with arwes keene— As I to-forn haue maad mencioun: Now purposyng with supportacioun Of al the martirs afforn rehersid heer, [alle. heere.] Induce a story longyng to this mateer: [Indite. mateere.] Line 70 How that a cosyn of this hooly kyng, Callid Fremundus, was manly and notable, Ful merueilously by record of wrytyng [be.] Ordeyned was, this story is no fable, Vpon Hyngwar for to be vengable [Ynguar.] Line 75 And ageyn Vbba, which in ther cruel rage Hadde slayn his vncle, tho thretty yeer of age. [thoo.]

In this mater, toforn as I you tolde, [mateere. yow. toolde.] Because it is vnkouth and wonderfull, [wondirfull.] My speritis feeble and feynt with yeeris olde, [spiritis. oolde.] Line 80 And my corage appallid and maad dull, [and my witt maad dul.] Myn eyen derkid and with the mystes full — [dirkyd.] This to seyne the myst of vnkonnyng Troubleth my wit to wrihte so hih a thyng: [To trouble. witt. wryte.] I resemble vnto Polypheme, Line 85 That hadde oon eye set in his forhed, Nat lik Argus; of liht I kan not deeme: [can.] Which causith me, allas! whan I take heed, That hand and penne quake for verray dreed. Of which palysy, but grace be my leche, [palsy.] Line 90 Me to directe, I not who shal me teche. Who shal speke or telle the grete myht [wwhoo(!). greet.] Of our lord god, or shewe his gret poweer, Al his preisynges reherse as it is ryht, [alle.] Or synge his laudes with nootis fressh and cleer; [nootes.] Line 95 Most merueillous and vnkouth fer and neer [ferre.] Founde in his seyntes, as auctours alle accorde? Fremundis story the trouthe kan recorde. [Fremvndus.] Ful wonderful was his concepcioun, [wondirful.] Shewid by myracle and toknys manyfold: [tooknys.] Line 100 For ageyn kynde, as maad is mencioun, A child, that was but of thre daies old, Thoruh goddis myht hath of his berthe told [byrth. toold.] And ouermor, myn auctour seith the same, [ovirmoor.] Prophesied what sholde be his name: [Prophecyed. shulde.] Line 105 The child, baptisid anoon was affter ded, [baptysed. afftir.] Callydhym Fremund by his mouth toforn. And anoon affter by myracle, who take heed, That no signe besiled were nor lorn, [wer.] Vpon that nyht whan Fremund was born, Line 110 Daies nyne, the story doth us lere, Ouer the paleis a Reynbowe dide appere. [ovir. did.] Whos thre colours, yiff men list to knowe, [to fehlt.] Gaff first a tokne and bar gret witnesse: The wattry greene shewed in the Reyn|bowe [shewyd.] Line 115 Off chastite disclosed his clennesse, The saphir blewh his heuenly stabilnesse, The hardy red apperyng in the skye His martirdam dide signefie. [did.] Noote bi this bowe quatreble of colour, Line 120 Thus ouersprad be many fer contre: [ovir.] That he was born to been a gouernour, [a fehlt.] With sceptre and swerd; by roial dignyte Weryng a crowne; ordeyned for-to be Geyn mescreauntis to his encres of glorye [encrees.] Line 125 Lyk a conquerour, to haue of them victorye. And as myn auctour doth also for him legge, He hadde in thre a prerogatiff: First of the heuene a treble preuylegge: [previlege.] Oon to be maide duryng al his liff, [On to the m.] Line 130 Founde of his doctryne most contemplatiff To teche his sogettis dide upon him take, And affter martyred he was for Cristes sake. [aftir martird.] His ffader, his mooder, lik as the story seith, [fadir. modir.] By myracle he maad hem be baptised [made.] Line 135 And by his techyng he turned hem to our feith. [tournyd.] And affter that, so as it is deuysed, Forsook his kyngdham and afftir hath praktysed [practysed.] With frut and rootis, of verray parfitnesse, [frute. parfightnesse.] Space of seuene yeer to lyue in wildir|nesse — Line 140

Line 140 And al this tyme his clothis wex nat oold; [cloth.] With other tweyne leued as an hermyte, [othir. lyved.] And by his wachchyng and fastyng manyfold [wacchyng.] Be-side a welle lay lik an Anachorite. Whos berthe and lyff fayn I wolde endite [birthe.] Line 145 Compendiously and writen the substance. But a fals serpent, callyd Ignorance, Troubleth my penne, I maynot foorth proceede, [troublyth. forth procede.] But grace shal helpe the wedir forto cleere [weedir.] And these too kynges do fauour in this neede: [thes two.] Line 150 First blissid Edmund, and his cosyn deere [blyssed Edmond.] Callid Fremundus, to conueie this mateere. And vndir support of these seyntes tweyne [thes.] To write this story I shall do my peyne. God by ther praier shal be my sup|portour, [prayeer.] Line 155 Help me forward, yif it be his wille [helpe.] By influence of his myhty socour Into my penne sum licour to distille: [som.] Lycour of grace, my purpos to fulfille, [purpoos.] Vnder whos mercy and helpe that he shal sende [vndir.] Line 160 Off this story to maken a good eende. [make. ende.] Off Burchardus folwe I shall the style, That of seyn Fremund whilom was secretarye; [seint. was whylom.] Which of entent dide his liff compile, Was his Registrer and also his notarye Line 165 And in desert was with him solitarye, With him ay present, remembryng euery thyng Wrot liff and myracles of this holy kyng. [wroot.] To kyng Offa Fremund was sone and hayr, [ayr.] Regnyng in Mershlond, the story berth witnesse; [mersshland. berith.] Line 170 His moodir Botild, riht goodly and riht fayr And a womman of gret parfihtnesse, Longe bareyn, the story doth expresse; And she was suster and lik in many a thyng [sustir.] Vnto seyn Edmund, the holy glorious kyng. [seint Edmond.] Line 175 The kyng, the queen wer ferr ronne in age, [ferre.] And al this while Botild was bareyn; Tryst and heuy lest ther heritage [Ms. left st. lest.] [lyst. erytage.] Wer translatid to som hayr foreyn [ayr.] For lak of yssu. but god be grace hath seyn [Issew.] Line 180 To ther requestis: the maner and the guyse Ceriously the story shal deuyse.

In that prouynce withynne a smal village Ther dwelled a man, which callid was Aldare, [dwellyd.] Which with his wiff in a smal cotage Line 185 Ther houshold heeld, whos lyflode was but bare. [houshoold held. lyfflood.] And as the story in ordre shall declare, She hath conceyued, myn auctour writ the same, Born a sone, and Thoua was his name. [Thova.] The thridde day of his Natyuyte, Line 190 Ageyn nature, the story listnat lye, Be myracle, ffamous in that contre, The said child gan speke and loude crye, [lowde.] And be a maner vnkouth prophecye: How kyng Offa, as the child hem tolde, [hym.] Line 195 Sholde haue a sone in his daies olde; [shulde.] And ouermor in pleyn language he seith: [ovirmoore.] Whan he were born, how he sholde also [wer.] Fader and mooder conuerte vnto our feith [fadir. modir.] By goddis myht and many a merueile do; [doo.] Line 200 "And sike folkys shall lowly come hym to [And fehlt. Syk. too.] To fynde socour of euery maladye, And he be grace shal doon hem remedye:

Cure leeprys, and folkys that be blynde With newe liht he shall hem enlumyne, Line 205 To furious men he shall yive wit and mynde, [witt.] And sturdy hertis to grace he shal enclyne, Tourne mescreantis by his prudent doc|tryne To Crystes lawe, and make creplis goon, Delyuere his kyngdham from al ther mortal foon; [kyndam. ther fehlt.] Line 210 And he shal be kyng, martyr, and vir|gyne. And in tokne that al this thyng is trewe, A Reynbowe shal shewe daies nyne Vpon his paleis with fresh beemys newe, And euer alych of colour and of hewe, [euere.] Line 215 And contynue in oon his glad liht, [con|tynewe. glade.] Whan he is born, and gynne the same nyht"; Tolde openly a-mong the folkes alle, [Toold opynly. thoo folkys.] For a signe to putte al in certeyn, How al the peeple Fremund sholde hym calle, [shulde.] Line 220 That no tokne shewid were in veyn; [wer.] And how his mooder, that was afforn bareyn, [modir.] Sholde ber a child be grace of god sent doun, [shulde bere.] Which sholde enlumyne al this regioun. And whan the child hadde alle these thynges told, Line 225 Beyng of age but only daies thre, He gan requere with cryeng manyfold, As alle folkes myhte heere and se: In the name off the Trenyte Be baptised. in presence off echon Line 230 Afftir his baptym gaff up the speryt anoon. [225—231) fehlen.] The tyme approched and faste upon hath hied: [aprochyd.] The Qween conceyued be grace of goddis myht, Lyk as the child toforn hath prophesied. The Reynbowe affter appered anoon ryht [afftyr apperyd.] Line 235 And daies nyne shewed a-brood his liht, [shewyd.] To signefie: a sonne was sent doun, That sholde enlumyne al this regioun. As newe greyn out off feeldis olde And leues greene growe out off trees gray; [levys. treeys.] Line 240 And as the bawme which in wyntres colde [coolde.] Deepe in the ground, which in the roote lay, [depe.] Vpward ascendeth in Aprylle and in May: [ascendith.] So semblably from Offa and Botyld Be grace off god conceyued was this chyld. [the st. this.] Line 245 Whan Jhesu(!) was born, old was Ely|sabeth, [Ms. Jhesu st. John.] [John st. Jhesu. Eliȝabeth.] And old also was hooly Ȝacharye, The blissid tyme, to-gidre in Naȝareth Whan in the Mountayn she mette with Marie. [mounteyn.] And thus by grace and sperit of prophecie, [spirit.] Line 250 Whan kyng Offa and Botyld were bothe old, [wer.] Off Fremundis birthe tofforn a child hath told. Affter whos berthe, for short con|clusioun, [afftir whoos birthe.] As myn auctour in ordre hath deuysed, Whan he to yeeris kam of discrecioun, [cam.] Line 255 Off bisshoppe Oswy Fremund was baptised And among crystene the feste solemp|nysed, Ech man for Joie syngyng in his degre: "Laude and preisyng be to the Trenyte." [lawde. Trinite.] To teche the peeple Fremund dide excelle [did.] Line 260 And them conuerted from ydolatrye, [And fehlt. convertyd.] Off Cristis baptem fulled hem in the welle, [Crystes. fullyd.] The feith off Jhesu tenhance and magnefie. And his sogetis deuoutly gan hem hye, [sogettys.]

Gret multitude, alle off oon assent, Line 265 Off holy baptem to take the sacrament; The Kyng, the Queen, in ther daies olde Be holy Fremundis informacioun,— Lyk as the child be prophecye tolde How by ther sonys predicacioun Line 270 Off feithful herte and humble affeccioun They shulde receyue in ther Roial estat Baptem be Fremund and be regenerat. [by.] Thus be the grace off our lord Jhesu [by.] Fro day to day, the trouthe was weel seene, [wel sene.] Line 275 Fremund encressed fro vertu to vertu, [encresyd.] As any sonne his fame shon so sheene; [ony. shoon. shene.] Wrouhte myracles, made leprys cleene: [wrout.] The grace off god dide hym so magnefie [did.] That he cured euery malladie. [curyd.] Line 280 His ffadir Offa feeble wex for age [wex feble.] And blissid Botild, his moodir most benygne; As they that gan approchen to the stage Off decrepitus, expert be many a sygne, By prudent counsail cast hem to resygne [caste.] Line 285 Sceptre and crowne with al the Regalie To yonge Fremund, the kyngdham forto guye. [yong. kyndam.] The herte off Fremund to god so strang was knet, [stronge.] In Cryst Jhesu stablisshed his plesance: To serue the lord he thouhte it was weel bet Line 290 In parfitnesse be long contynuance, Than haue in erthe Roial gouernance On the peeple heer in this present lyff: [here.] Sithe he hym caste to be contemplatyff. [sith.] But ther-ageyns ther was so gret in|stance [there.] Line 295 That yonge Fremund sholde be crownyd kyng: [yong. shulde.] As trewe enheritour by goddis ordynance, Doun fro the stok off kynges descendyng [discendyng.] The pe-de-gre by lyneal conueyyng, [Ms. pe de gre.] [pe de gre.] He next in ordre, cronycles who list rede, [cronyclees. reede.] Line 300 Affter his ffader ordeyned to succede. [afftir. fadir.] Off his persone and off his stature Was noon so likly that tyme, doutles. [doutlees.] First considered his Roial engendure, [consydred.] His hooly liff, his vertuous encres; [encrees.] Line 305 Cherysshere off concord, louere off trouthe and pes: All thes thynges peised in his persone, [al thes.] Dempte him most worthy forto regne allone [wourthy.] Vois off ryche and vois off the poraylle, [of the.] And hool the uoise gostly and temporall: [Ms. noise.] [holly.] Line 310 Was noon so hable to haue gouernaylle [able.] As was Fremundus, born off the stok royall. [Royal.] And thus the clamour bothe off oon and all, [al.] By many resoun alle off oon entent, To regne as kyng made Fremund to assent. Line 315 The feeste yholde and the solempnyte [yhoolde.] Off his notable coronacioun, [this.] Nat-withstandyng his Roial dignyte He aduertised off prudence and resoun How that al wordly domynacioun [worldly.] Line 320 Hath in erthe but a short abydyng, Nouther off Pope, Emperour nor Kyng. [nouthir.] On hooly bookys his lust was forto reede, Redressed all wronges, sustened riht|wisnesse, [redressyd alle. sustenyd.] His hand mynystre to almesse-deede, Line 325 Cherysshyng presthod for ther holynesse, [preesthood.] Off maidnes, widwes supportyng the clen|nesse, [maydenys.] Hauyng compassion on euery poore wiht, [whyght.] Ay more enclynyd to mercy than to riht. [enclyned.] And whan he hadde regned but a yeer, [whanne. regnyd.] Line 330

Line 330 By goddis grace feruently enspyred Sauh how ther was no trust in this liff heer; [Sawh.] Off gostly loue his herte was thoruh-fyred, [goostly.] Toward desert so soore he hath desyred, Forsook the world and al his regioun, Line 335 And took his weye toward Carlioun: Thouhte how it was to his gostly auail, Fader and mooder off purpos he forsook; [fadir. modir.] With other tweyne that were off his coun|sail. [othir. wer.] On the se-syde a litil barge he took, [see. litel.] Line 340 And, as it is remembred in the book, [remembryd.] Withoute vitaile or wordly purueiance [vytaylle. worldly purvyaunce.] Commyttith his passage to goddis ordy|nance. [Commytteth.] Entreth the se, parteth fro the stronde; [Entryth. partith.] With wynd ydryue fyue daies two and fro [Idryve. too & froo.] Line 345 Withouten oore or rowyng kam to londe. [withoutyn. cam.] Off auenture that tyme it happid so Vp an yle froward to kome to, [vp in an. come too.] To wikked spiritis a place couenable, [wykkyd. convenable.] Lyk a desert, off ffolk inhabitable. [dissert.] Line 350 Yet in that yle ther were ful fayre mounteynes, [Ms. mounteyns.] [yit. wer. fair.] Rennyng reuers and wellis crystallyne, [ryvers.] Large meedwis and lusty greene pleynes, [pleyns.] [medwys.] Trees ylade with holsom frutys fyne; [Ilade.] And I suppose, by grace, which is dyuyne, [suppoose be.] Line 355 By god ordeyned for Fremund in to dwelle With his too feerys, beside a plesant welle. [two.] And Ilefaye men that yle calle, Off old tyme desolat and sauage— More agreable than was his roiall stalle [moor. Royal.] Line 360 To hooly Fremund, thouh he were yong off age. [wer.] And ther he bilte a litel hermytage Be-side a ryuer, with al his besy peyne, [ryveer.] He and his fellawis, that were in noumbre tweyne; [wer.] A lytil chapel he dide ther edefie, [litel. did there.] Line 365 Day be day to make in his praiere, [by. makyn.] In the reuerence only off Marie And in the worshepe off hir sone deere. [hire.] And the space fully off seuene yeere [in the sp.] Hooly Fremund, lik as it is founde, Line 370 Leued be frut and rootis off the grounde. [lyved by frute.] Off frutis wilde, his story doth us telle, Was his repast, penance for tendure; [repaast.] To stanche his thrust, drank watir off the welle, And eet acornys, to sustene his nature, [Akornys.] Line 375 Kernellis off notis, whan he myhte hem recure; [nootys. myght.] To god alway doyng reuerence, [alwey.] What-euer he sente took it in pacience. The olde serpent hadde at hym enuye, [oold.] By many froward fals suggestioun Line 380 Brouht onto mynde his stat, his regalye [vnto. staat.] Off tyme passid, his domynacioun, And gaff to hym ful many occasioun [for tagrucchyd. of ful hool.] For tagruchchid. but he off hool entent Gaff thank to god off al that euer he sent. [euere.] Line 385 For hunger, thrust, excesse off hoot or cold, [hungir. coold.] Nor for no constreynt off aduersite, Nor for assaut off temptacioun manyfold [assawt. temptaciouns.] In hym was founde no mutabilite; Stable as a wal he stood in his degre; Line 390 Al wordly thyng bothe in herte and thouht [wourldly.] For Cristes sake Fremund sette at nouht. [set.] To Cristes plouh he hadde set to hond [plowh. hand.] Off hih perfeccioun, and list nat looke ageyn, He was nat wery to tourne amyd the lond, [land.] Line 395

Line 395 His gostly trauaile for-to spille in veyn. [travaylle.] Gruchchyng nor feyntise was neuer in Fremund seyn, [grucchyng.] But lyk a champioun in erthe sent from heuene That slouh the serpent with his hedis seuene. [heedys.] His cloth hool conserued by myracle [conservyd.] Line 400 Duryng seuene yeer fressh as the firste day— [first.] What god wil saue ther may be non ob|stacle, Nor geyn his wil ther may no-man sey nay: Thus hooly Fremund parfit at al assay, For in desert lyk Cristes owen knyht, [de|seert. owne.] Line 405 Ay off oon corage perseuereth day and nyht.— [of o. perseueryth.] And whil that he doth in desert soiourne [deseert.] In abstynence and contemplacioun, To kyng Offa my style I wil retourne And of purpos make a digressioun. Line 410 For in that tyme, the book makith men|cioun, Yngwar and Vbba with Danys aryuyng Slouh seynt Edmund, martir, maide, and kyng: [Edmond.] Afforn rehersid his lyff, his passioun, For Cristes feith how he shadde his blood Line 415 By meek suffrance and humble affeccioun, [meeke sufferaunce.] Bounde to a tre meekly whan he stood, [tree.] Shet with arwis off Tirantis fell and wood, [arwes.] With many a wounde, hedid and dis|membryd, [heffdyd.] As in this book is heer-toforn remembryd. Line 420 Hys brother-in-lawe for verray in|potence [brothir. of st. for.] Off crokid age, sorweful in his entent That he was feble to make resistence, Whos lusty yeeris were wastid and yspent: [wer.] His counsail took, his massagerys hath sent [counseyl.] Line 425 To seeke Fremund, bothe nyh and ferre, Ageyn the Danys to make a mortall werre: [ist ausgelassen.] Too and twenty massageris notable [two. ful notable.] Off preuyd men, men off discrecioun, Swich as kyng Offa knew weel that were able [wel. wer.] Line 430 To seke and serche thoruh al this regioun [seche. al his.] And alle strange yles abouten enuyroun [aboutyn.] And smale prouynces enclosed with the se, [enclosyd.] To fynde a place wher Fremund sholde be. [wheer. shulde.] Bvt at the laste, only by goddis grace [but.] Line 435 And off his merciful dyuyne prouydence, They were conueied and brouht vnto the place [wer.] Where as they fond off Fremund the pre|sence; [wheer.] [Wyl was poweer and extorcioun.] In lowly wise dyde hym reuerence, [did.] Vnknowe to hym, but in fulpleyn language Line 440 They meekly tolde theffect off ther mes|sage: [toold. massage.] And benyngnely, ther massage to a|bregge, [benignely.] Afforn declaryd his ffadrys benysoun, And affter that they gan in ordre allegge [aftir. legge.] The Rewmys myscheff, the desolacioun, [Reemys. myscheef.] Line 445 Off paynymes the grete oppressioun, [paynymys.] Crystene lawe lowe put vndir foote; Fremund requeryng to socoure and do boote; With wepyng eyen also they hym tolde [eeyen.] Off Cristis lawe fynal destruccioun, [Crystes.] Line 450 Maidnes rauesshid, men slayn that were olde, [maydenys ravysshed. wer.] Cherchis robbid, dispoiled and bordoun, [despoylled. boore doun.] Menstris desolat, reuersid up so doun, Al religioun and clerkly disciplyne [Schwager Edmund's ist Offa, vgl. v. 174.]

With furye off Danys brouht vnto ruyne, Line 455 Crystene feith brouht to destruccioun, The seuene sacrementis hangyng in Jup|partye, [sacramentis. Jupartye.] Wil was Juge, power extorsioun, And fforce, allas! tornyd to robberye. [tournyd.] Fully concludyng: ther was no remedye Line 460 In al thys myscheff, to saue this woffullond, [myscheef. wooful.] But grace off god and Fremund ley to hond. In this mater merueillous to here [mateere. heere.] Seynt Fremund stood in a perplexite, Gan to change face, look and chere, Line 465 Caste in his herte and peised thynges thre: [Cast.] His ffadres mescheff, the Danys cruelte, [fadrys.] And cheff off alle he dradde for his partie [cheef. dred.] Lyst newe Intrusioun brouhte in ydolatrie; [lest. brought.] Considered also in what pliht that he stood [Consydred.] Line 470 In his professioun forto lyue solitarye, Teschewe werre and shedyng eek off blood — Fro which entent he cast him not to varye, [For. nat varye, ohne to.] And to been armyd he thouhte that it was contrarye [that fehlt.] For an hermyte that hath the world for|sake, Line 475 Deedis off armys for-to vndyrtake. Thus atween tweyne hangyng in ballance, Most specially o thyng he gan to dreede: [to fehlt.] The furious Ire, the vnmerciful vengance Off paynymes swerd cristene blood to sheede. [paynymys.] Line 480 But in this cas for his eternal meede [caas.] He was ay redy off hool affeccioun [ay fehlt.] For Cristes feith to haue suffred passioun. [suffryd.] And forto sette alle thynge in feurte, [al thyng in Reeste(!).] Off conscience the wyndes forto cleere Line 485 (A)nd cloudy mystes off ambiguyte, Hooly Fremund took hym to praiere: [prayeere.] Besouhte the lord off hool herte and enteere [besought. entieere.] That off his power, most mercyfull and benygne, [poweer.] What he shall do to shewen hym som signe. [shal doo. shewyn. sum.] Line 490 The nexte nyht an Angell dyde appere, [next. aungil did appeere.] Whil he slepte, and by auysioun [by a visyoun.] Bad that he sholde been off riht good chere [cheere.] And haste hym hom in-to his regioun; [hoom.] "Be strong in speryt, lik Crystes champioun, [spirit.] Line 495 Mescreantis off Denmark for-to werreye: And Cryst Jhesu shal for the feeld purueye." Wyth two and twenty from his fader sent [froom. fadir.] Off chose personys in this ambassiat, [choose. Embassyat.] Noumbred tho tweyne with Fremund ay present: [nowmbryd XXII^ti.] Line 500 Made foure and twenty, notable off estat — [maade.] And god be grace made hem fortunat, [by.] And ech of them thoruh goddis grete myht [greet.] Sempte a thousend in ther enemyes syht. [thousand. enmyes.] Conueyed be grace, maad in vertu strong — [by.] Line 505 Wher god helpith, ther doth no force faile — [faylle.] Gan haste hem forth, ther passage was nat long, [hym, ther. not.] Took a smal shippe, hadde redy arryuaile, [ship.] Gan haste hem forth toward ther bataile. Fond his fader, wepyng whan he beheeld, [fadir wepyn.] Line 510 With cristene peeple oppressid in the feeld. Bvt whan Ingwar herde off ther komyng, [whan fehlt.] To hooly Fremund an herawde sente doun: [sent.]

Grantyng hym withoute more taryyng In pes and quyete to haue pocessioun Line 515 Vnder his lordshepe off al that regioun, [vndir. lordshippe.] So he wolde Cristes feyth forsake, And so tabyde and to ther lawe hym take. Off whiche sonde Fremund hath despit — [which. despight.] Not for the kyngdham to which he hadde ryht, [kyngdome.] Line 520 But for our feith; withoute more respit He seide: he wolde aquyte him lik a knyht. And in the name off hym that hath most myht, Crist Jhesu, approche he gan toward The paynym party, displaied his standard. Line 525 To-forn alle other first Fremund dide assaile [Init. othir. did assaylle.] (T)he proude Danys, Crist Jhesu was his guyde, Hew assonder ffersly plate and mayle, [hewh a sondir. maylle.] His manly knyhtis ay fyhtyng be his syde; [knyghtes. by.] Afforn ther face no paynym myhte a-byde. [myght.] Line 530 And foure and twenty that day withoute obstacle [XXIIIIti. withoutyn.] Slouh fourty thowsand, only be myracle. [thousand. oonly by.] To Cristis power no thyng is inpossible, [Crystes poweer.] So as him lyst he may the feeld ordeyne: As Moyses remembryth in the bible, Line 535 Leuitici affermyng in certeyne, [affer|myth it in certeyn.] How that an hundryd, to speke in woor|des pleyne, [woordys pleyn.] Sholde off ten thowsand, as put is in memorye, [shulde.] Be goddis grace haue the victorye; [By.] For he allone may his conquest shewe Line 540 Wher as hym lyst off his magnyfycence, [where.] With gret noumbre or ryht with a fewe, Al oon to hym, there is no difference. [ther.] And, to conclude breffly in sentence, Nat fro the erthe by mene off spere or sheeld, [meene.] Line 545 But he be grace yeueth conquest in the feeld. [by. gevith.] Thus this champioun, this knyht most vertuous, Hooly Fremund, dide the feeld re|cure, [did.] (Th)at day on Danys he was victoryous. [Ms. At st. That, durch Nachwirkung der Initiale v. 547; so auch v. 576.] [That.] And afftir that he dide off his armure, Line 550 Kneled doun and dide his besy cure: [knelyd.] Thanked god, by full gret auys, [thankyd.] And off his conquest to hym he gaff the prys. Duryng this werre ther was oon Duc Oswy [duk.] With kyng Offa, a prynce off gret estat, Line 555 A dyssymylere, which ful traitourly [dyssemelere.] Fro Crystes feith was a fals renegat; Afforn with Ingwar sworn and confederat, [Ynguar.] By vndirmynyng, this was his menyng: Affter Fremund he to be crownyd kyng; [aftir.] Line 560 Compassyng that hooly man shal deye And be mordrid by som fals tresoun, [sum.] And therupon to fynde a redy weye His labour was, by som occasioun. And as seyn Fremund knelyd lowly doun [seynt.] Line 565 Thankyng the lord for his gracyous speed [of st. for.] Affter his victory, Oswy smet off his hed. [aftir. victorye. heed.] And sodenly his hooly chast blood [sodeynly. chaast.] Ran lyne ryht in-to the visage Off this tretour, as he be-syde stood, [traytour.] Line 570 Brent hym so sore that he fyl in rage — [in a rage.] Lo heer the guerdoun off his mortal out|rage, [loo here.]

Lo how that god off ryhtful Juggement [Jugement.] Kan punysshe the mordre off folkis Inno|cent! The furye off Oswy was so inportable Line 575 (Th)at, saue the deth, he sawh no remedye. [That saff deth, the fehlt. sauh.] But, off this mordre be-cause he was coupable, Vnto seyn Fremund ful lowde he gan to crye: [seint.] "Mercy, o martir, haue mercy, or I dye!" [deye.] With wepyng terys and with a sobby sown, [teerys. sobby soun.] Line 580 "Off me most wrechchid haue compas|siown! [wrecchyd.] My grete offence to the I am a-knowe, [greet.] My sclandrous gilt, my trespace most horryble, [trespas moost.] Which haue deserued to brenne in helle lowe — [dysservyd.] My transgressioun, allas! is so terryble. [is fehlt.] Line 585 But ageyn mercy no thyng is Inpossible. [Impossible.] O blissyd martyr, rewe on my trespace That kan no refut but fle to the for grace!" [can. reffute.] Ther fil anoon a wondirful myracle, By mercy shewyd vnto this woful wiht, Line 590 At whos request ther was no long obstacle [noon long.] But that his praier was herd anoon ryht: [prayere.] The hed off Fremund by grace off goddis myht, Wher as it lay, dide sodenly abrayde [did sodeynly.] And vnto Oswy euene thus it sayde: [he st. it.] Line 595 "Cristis appostel, which hath off Crist power [Crystes apostyl. poweer.] And grace to grante thy low peticioun, [lowe.] He grante to the off hool herte and enter [entieer.] Off alle thy synnes an absolucioun; And me receyue in his confessioun Line 600 To liff euerlastyng, so that my meek suf|france [meeke.] Accepted be to his deuyn plesance". [acceptyd. dyvyn.] And as it is remembryd in historye [in his storye.] And registred be old antiquyte, [of oold.] Beside Radforde he hadde this victorye [Ratforde. his st. this.] Line 605 On them off Denmark — lord, blissid moot he be [blyssed mut.] Which off his merciful dyuyn mageste [maieste.] Made foure and twenty, but a fewe in noumbre, Fourty thowsand Danys to encoumbre! Off this myracle the fame ran ful wyde, [In st. of.] Line 610 The tryumphe rad with lettres aureat, [lettrys.] The palme up born long ordeyned for tabyde [longe.] Theternal chaplet off branches laureat, [The et. chapelet. braunchys.] Crownyd for ther meryt with capital pur|purat [with st. for. meryte with.] Ordeyned for martirs, with many a riche ston: [of st. for.] Line 615 And a-mong alle Fremund was set for on. [oon.] This blissid martir by myracle up aroos, Afforn predestynat to liff that is eterne, [affore.] Took up his hed with his tweyne handis cloos, — Whos hooly steppis to guye and to gouerne, [to nach and fehlt.] Line 620 As folkis present myhte weel discerne, [might wel.] By supposaile: he goyng forth so ryht, [supposaylle.] He was conueied be grace off Aungellys myht; [he fehlt. by. aungelys.] A-twen Whittone and Harborugh he abood, [Wittone. Harbourgh.] (A)nd ther, I fynde, a while he dide dwelle, [there. did.] Line 625 Took his swerd and euene ther he stood [there.] Toucheth the ground: and ther sprong up a welle: [towchyd. there sprang.]

With cristal watrys the stremys gan up welle; [vp belle(!).] And wessh a-way the blood that was so red, [whyssh awey.] Which doun distillyd from his hooly hed; Line 630 Took off the watir — ffolk sawh that were present — [sauh. wer.] And whan he hadde wasshe cleene his woundis, [whanne.] (T)ournyng his face toward the Orient Be-side the welle where yit the ground is — [wheer.] And passed nat the sylue same boundis, [passyd not. selve.] Line 635 Gaff up the gost, he knelyng in that place, [goost.] Toward the heuene with cheer erect and face. Oswy with othre, rehersid heer-beforn, [othir. heer fehlt.] Took up the body and the holy hed, And to Offcherche Fremund they haue born, [Ost|cherche.] Line 640 With his sherte closyd stronge in led, [strong. leed.] And with deuocioun, dilligence and dreed Withynne an Arche a-twixe two pillerys [Arch atwyx.] They mured him up. where he lay many yerys, [mvryd hem. wheer.] Wrouhte myracles and many sondry signes. [wrought. sundry.] Line 645 His fame sprad in many fer contres. — And in this lond there were thre virgynes, [ther wer.] Which that hadde dyuers Infirmytes: Oon was podagre in handis, leggis, knees, Another mwet, the thrydde, who lyst lere, [anothir mewet.] Line 650 What-euer was seid she myhte no-thyng heere. [myght.] Off these virgynes, the story doth us teche, [Ooff thes.] The firste Elffleda namyd·off these thre, [thes.] Which hadde lost the office off hir speche; [hire.] Thoua the secounde, hadde this infirmyte: [secunde. had.] Line 655 Off hand and foot she fayled liberte, [faylled.] This to seyne: the cely poore wyht [This is to.] Potagre was, myhte not stonde up ryht; [podagre. myght nat.] The thrydde mayde and the laste off alle, The Cronycle recordith in substance, Line 660 Men in that tyme Bryhteba dyde hire calle, [Bryghteva did hir.] And lak off heryng was al hir penance. [hire.] But forto fynde reles off ther greuance, — [relees.] Thouh alle these thre were seueryd fer assonder, [ferre assondir.] Ther dreem was oon, and that was a gret wonder: [wondir.] Line 665 They hadde in charge by reuelacioun, These thre in noumbre: how they sholde hem dresse [shulde.] Toward Offcherche, which is a kouth toun [Ostcherche. couth.] In Warwyk-shire, the story beryth wit|nesse, Ther to fynde reles off ther syknesse; Line 670 A specyal sygne youe to hem by grace Wherby they sholde approche vnto the place: [that place.] Fro the sepulchre off Fremund evene vpryht, [froo. sepulcre. evene fehlt.] As the aungele by myracle dyde hem lere, [aungel. did.] Ther sholde a skye as any sonne bryht [shulde. ony.] Line 675 Dresse up his bemys to the sterrys cleere, Lyk Phebus tressyd in his mydday speere, Neuer dyrken nor noon eclipsyng haue [nevir dirkyn.] Tyl vn-to tyme they kam vnto his graue. Thus conueyed be bryhtnesse off the skye [the st. be.] Line 680 (T)o Offcherche, as maad is mencioun: [Ostcherche, made.] Wher off ther syknesse they fond first remedye. [the seknesse. fonde. wheroff.] And affter that by reuelacioun Off the aungel they hadde instruccioun To take the body and the hooly hed [boody. heed.] Line 685 And karye it with hem out off the cas offled. [carye. them. caas. leed.]

And as the story doth in ordre telle, These thre virgynes retourned been ageyn, [retournyd. been fehlt.] Kam to a ryuer that namyd was Charwelle, [riveer.] And faste-by they fond a ful fayr pleyn. [founde.] Line 690 And for they wolde no thyng were in veyn, For the hooly martir off Alabawstre whit [Allabastre whyte.] They dyde ordeyne a toumbe off gret delit: [did. delighte.] Ther-in was graue the Natyuyte [inne.] Off Crist Jhesu abouten enuyroun, [aboutyn.] Line 695 The riche presentis off the kynges thre, Feste off Candilmesse receyued be Sy|meoun, [The ffeeste. by.] His meek suffrance, his Resureccioun: [meeke.] In which toumbe they haue fully purposid That the body off Fremund shal be closid. Line 700 And on this pleyn passyng-fair to seene Be-side this ryuer, because it drouh to nyht, They took a yerde off salwh with leuys greene, [yeerde of saluh.] Markyng the place and fet it ther vpryht. [there.] And toward morwe whan the day was lyht, Line 705 They kam ageyn, anoon as they aroos, [cam.] To burye the body holdyng ther purpoos. Bvt they fond nouther the body nor the ston, [founde neythir. boody. stoon.] Nor no tokne ther-off koude see: [cowde.] Saue the yerde, left there whan they were gon, [sauff. wer.] Line 710 Was growe that nyht into a large tre. For which the maidnes, that were in noumbre thre, [maydenys. wer.] Gan sore weepe and compleyne for di|stresse, [soore wepe.] For losse only off ther wordly rychesse. [wourthy.] God saw how sore the absence dide hem greue [abscence. did.] Line 715 Off hooly Fremund in ther affeccioun: He off his mercy, ther compleyntis to releue, [compleyntes.] Maad hem to knowe by reuelacioun [made.] How by dyuyn disposicioun He by myracle and gracious auenture Line 720 Prouyded hath for his sepulture; Bad ther-affter they sholde no more enquere, [And st. Bad. afftir. shulde.] (B)ut paciently suffre ther penance, With glad herte and with ryht good cheere Meekly abyde goddis ordynance: Line 725 For thoruh his myhty gracious purueyance [purviaunce.] He shal ordeyne be mysteryes ful pro|founde A tyme prouyded whan he shal be founde. But, wher he lay, the pleyn that was a|loffte Was plenteuous off floures and pasture, [plentevous. flours.] Line 730 The gras, the herbys holsom, smothe and soffte, [soote holsoom & soffte.] And vertu hadde, nat only be nature [not. by.] But be myracle, syk beestis to recure: [by. seek.] Fed with the hay or gras in his grennesse [hey.] They were maad hool of newe or old syknesse. [weer.] Line 735 The place was had in gret reuerence Off alle folkis that dwellyd faste-by, [fast.] Worsheped it with al ther dilligence, [worshipped. it fehlt.] For myracles that fille sodenly. [fyl sodeynly.] And to declare the ground and cause why: Line 740 I doute not, al was doon be grace [by.] Off hym that rested in that hooly place. — [restyd.] Than fil it so: a pilgrym off this Rewm, [it ffil so. Reem.] Callid Edelbertus, the story tellith heere, [Ethelbertus.] Beyng present at Jherusalem, [beeyng. Jerusaleem.] Line 745

Line 745 So as he lay with hool herte and entere [entiere.] At the sepulchre, knelyng in his prayere: Vpon a nyht hadde this auysioun: To haste hym hoom toward his Regioun; Callid by name, the cronycle makith mynde, Line 750 Thre sondry tymes swynge nyht be nyht. [sundry. shewyng st. swynge.] And he dellaied, alwey, as I fynde, Beyng in doute, thouhte in his inward syht "What may this been? I conceyue nat a|ryht"; Prayyng god, deuoutly ther knelyng, Line 755 What was his will, to haue ful know|lechyng. [wyl.] The thrydde tyme, wheras this pilgrym lay, Hadde in precept no lengere for-to dwelle, By goddis aungel, but in al haste that he may [aungil.] Haste hym homward, myn auctour doth thus telle, [vs st. thus.] Line 760 Toward the ryuer that callid is Charwelle: And on that pleyn, to-forn as is maad mynde, He sholde off salwh a large tre ther fynde, [shulde. saluh. ther fehlt.] Vnder which the hooly seynt was graue, [vndir.] Blyssid Fremund, — afforn heer put in mynde; [blyssed. here.] Line 765 Tolde him toknes which that he sholde haue [Toold. toknys. shulde.] At his komyng, the place for-to fynde: [comyng.] And oon ther was, which was nat lefft behynde, Which sholde be shewid to hym the same day [that same.] A-myd the place wher as the martir lay: Line 770 A mylk-whit sowhe cloos vnder the greene, [whyte sowe. vndir.] Entre nor yssu noon shewed on the pleyn, [entree. Issew. shewyd.] With yonge pigges in noumbre ful thret|tene A ful gret pas komyng him ageyn; [paas.] And, for-to putte al thyng in certeyn, Line 775 Withynne a chapel be-side that foil ful blyue [the soyl.] He sholde fynde notable preestis fyue. Alle these toknys rehersyd poynt be poynt To Ethelbertus breffly in sentence, [breeffly.] The angel pullid his ryht arm out off Joynt, [aungil.] Line 780 For crokid bakward, for his diffidence, [ffer st. for. diffence st. diffidence.] And manacid for his necligence Neuer to been hool, til upon the day [nevir.] That he kam thedir wher seyn Fremund lay. [cam. seint.] Gretly affraied with his infirmyte — Line 785 Felte in his arm gret peyne and passioun: [arme.] Took streiht the weie to Rome the cite, To this entent, for short conclusioun: Ther to receyue ful absolucioun [there. resceyve.] Be Cristis vyker, what-so-euer falle, [by Crystes vikeer. evir.] Line 790 Off his offence and his synnes alle. And to procede and telle forth the caas, For good expleit touchyng his iourne, To the pope, as his purpos was, [poope. purpoos.] He goth in haste for mor auctorite, [for the moore.] Line 795 And with a sperit off humylite, [spiryt.] Sette a-side al long dilacioun, Ech thyng commyttyng to his discrecioun [commyttyd.] Off these materes remembryd ceryously, [this mateerys.] Maad to the pope a declaracioun [made.] Line 800 Touchyng these myracles in ordre by and by. Which thyng conceyued, off hih discre|cioun Bad hym resorte hoom to his regioun, [resoorte.] Delyuered hym lettrys notable and special, [lettres.] To speede his purpos, testymonyal. [spede.] Line 805

Line 805 Whan he kam hoom with Bullis auc|torysed, He dilligently made Inquysicioun, [maad.] Fond alle the tooknys trewe afforn deuy|sed [toknys.] Aboute the place off his Inuencioun: Helthe off his arm and restitucioun, Line 810 The sowhe, the piggis, god lyst so pro|uyde, [sowe. pigges.] And preestis fyue dwellyng ther-be|syde. To the Bysshop off the diocyse [of ther.] Made off his bullis presentacioun, Callyd Byrynus: which in goodly wyse Line 815 Assentyd is to his translacioun. [to this.] Took certeyn prelatis off Religioun, And by the Popis ful auctoryte Translatyd hym to Dunstaple, ye may se. To which place the body whan they brouht, Line 820 Be goddis grace and his grete myht [by. greet.] Sondry myracles the hooly martir wrouht: Made folkis lame for-to goon vpryht, [for fehlt.] Cured leeprys, to blynde men gaff syht, [curyd.] And remedye to syke folkys alle [seeke.] Line 825 That for socour vnto his grace calle. — Now, hooly Fremund, martir, mayde, and kyng, Vnto seynt Edmund cosyn most entere, [Edmond. entieer.] Which wrouhtest myracles heer in thy leuyng, [wroughtyst. here. lyvyng.] With Crist now regnyng aboue the sterris clere: [cleer.] Line 830 Socoure thy seruantis by mene off thy praiere [prayeer.] And ouer them hold thy gracious hond, [ovir. holde.] And saue (sixte Herry), his peple and al this lond! [Ms. forthe Edward, von and. Hand über einem and. radirten Namen (sixte Herry)über|schrieben.] [save VI^te Herry(!).] Whilom off Danys thow haddest the victorye, [whiloom. thou haddyst. the fehlt.] By myracle, as maad is mencioun, [made.] Line 835 Now crownyd martir in the heuenly con|sistorye: Geyn gostly enmyes be our proteccioun; [ageyn.] Prey specyally for al this regioun Forto preserue fro damagis this contre: Our feithful trust is in thyn vncle and the! Line 840 For semblably as thow, kyng Fremund, Venquysshedest Danys at Ratforde on the pleyn: [venquysshed.] Riht so thyn vncle, the hooly kyng Ed|mund, To saue this lond fro Trybut in certeyn, [trybute.] At Geynesboruh by myracle slowh kyng Sweyn. [Geynesbourgh. Swayn.] Line 845 The which story, accomplysshed of old date, I am purposid in ynglyssh to translate. [englyssh.]

(Miracula des h. Edmund.)

A Thowsand yeer reknyd and thryttene [threttene.] Folwyng Crystes Incarnacioun, Mortal constreynt, an inportable teene [a mortal.] Line 850 Troubled al the lond off Brutis Albioun, [trowbelyd.] Beyng that tyme kyng off that regioun Etheldredus, which by acountis cleer [Ethelredus.] Was off his kyngdham the fourte and thretty yeer. [kyndam. foure and thrytty.] This newe trouble gan off stryues olde Line 855 By them off Denmark, which off antiquyte Cast with this lond a werre forto holde Off wilful malice and compassid cruelte, [compast.] As in cronycles men may reede and se: Which to contynue with strengthe and myhty hond [contvne. strong st. strengthe.] Line 860

Line 860 Kyng Sweyn off newe is entred in this lond. [entryd in-to this.] Tytle was ther noon but wilful tyrannye: By a maner off newe Intrusioun, Be Sweyn conspired, cleymyng the regalye, Off Danys ryht to haue pocessioun: Line 865 He forto regne cleymyth by successioun. [cleymeth. by fehlt.] Entryng this lond, the story (who) lyst seen, [who fehlt.] [the stoory whoo lyst.] Be extort power gan to brenne and slen, [by.] Spoiled menstres and holy cherches brente, [spoylled mynstrys. cherchis brent.] Robbed cites and euery famous toun, [robbyd citees.] Line 870 And for a tribut thoruh al the lond he sente — [trybute. sent.] He list off pryde make noon excepcioun; His swerd off vengance whet be extor|cioun, [by.] Off hatful yre and off furyous rage Spared nouther old nor yong off age. [sparyd nouthir oold.] Line 875 In Etheldredus ther was no resistence, [Ethelredus.] Force to withstonde his cruel tyrannye; Riht was oppressid by mortal vio|lence: The kyng for feer fled in-to Normandie. Thus, desolat, void off al cheualrye [voyde.] Line 880 Stood al the lond: which gaff gret hardy|nesse To the tirant the peeple for-to oppresse. To hooly places was do no reuerence, [placys. doo.] Men slayn and moordred by vengable cruelte, [mordryd.] Wyues oppressid by sclandrous violence, Line 885 Widwes rauesshid loste ther liberte, [ravysshed. lost.] Maidnes diffouled by force ageyn pite, [maydenys diffoulyd.] Preesthod despised, religyous in disdeyn, Be cruel hatrede off this tirant Sweyn. [by.] Took up-on hym forto be callyd kyng, [folio 100] Line 890 Presumptuously, off force ageyn al ryht. Wil was his guyde, collusion his werkyng, His lawes gouerned be power and be myht — [governyd by poweer. by.] Off rihtwisne(sse) eclipsid was the liht. [Ms. riht wisne.] [rightwysnesse. eclypsed.] Gadryng off tresours, be gold to haue auayl, [gadryd the t.] Line 895 Fraude and falsnesse wer cheff off his counsail. [cheef. his fehlt.] Sette a trybut general on the lond — [trybute.] With couetise he was so set affyre, [coveityse.] So fer off rauyne he strechchid out his hond — [ferre. strecchyd.] The mor he gadred, the mor he doth desire: [moore. gadryd. moore.] Line 900 Sent his collitours into euery shire, [collectours.] Spared nouther, pleynly to deuyse, [sparyd nouthir.] Confermed off seyntes ffredam nor ffran|chise. [con|fermyd.] Gadrid in haste this tribut and tall|iage [trybute. tallage.] Be rauynours and robbours infernal, Line 905 To hyndre the peeple by extort pillage, Delay excludid, mercy was noon attal. [at al.] And for this tribut was so general, [trybute.] To Estyngland strechchid this axyng, [Estyngeland.] Wher seynt Edmund whilom was crownyd kyng. [Edmond. whyloom.] Line 910 The peeple, nat vsed to be Tributarye, [vsyd. Edmond.] Cleymed franchise off Edmund, ther pa|troun; The raueynours, aleggyng in contrarye, [ravynours alleggyng.] Were Inportune in ther exaccioun. The peeple a-geynward for ther protec|cioun Line 915 Knowyng no refut as in this mater [ref|fute. mateere.]

Sauff to the martir to make ther praier: [save. prayeere.] Thus ryche and poore off al that re|gioun Off oon affeccioun with herte, wil and myht With deuout prayer for ther redempcioun [prayeere.] Line 920 Kam on pilgrymage with sondry tapris lyht [cam.] To the hooly corseynt, ther wachchyng day and nyht, [there wacchyng.] Besechyng hym his seruantis to socoure Ageyn the tirant that wolde hem deuoure, Which paciently acountid ful ten yeer, [accountyd.] Line 925 Ingland, hath suffryd this tribut ful ter|ryble, [Ingeland. trybute.] Fond fauour noon, groos nor particuler; Constreynt off rygour was to hem odible: [so odible.] That to contynue they dempte an Inpos|sible, [contvne.] By pouert spoiled which made hem sore smerte, Line 930 Which as they thouhte craumpysshed at here herte. [at ther.] They lay prostraat, knelyng aboute his shryne, [prostrat. the st. his.] Women go barfoot pitously wepyng, With letanyes preestis dede enclyne, [did.] By abstynence the peeple long fastyng, Line 935 Men off religioun be prayer and wakyng: Besouhte the martir ther fredam to renewe [besought.] And off his mercy on ther wo to rewe. [vpon.] Ther requestis were nat maad in veyn: [wer.] For he that was cheeff Cubyculer Line 940 Aboute seynt Edmund and his chaumber|leyn; — [Edmond. chaumbirleyn.] Alle off assent dyde ther deuer [did. deveer.] To praie ther patroun to caste his eyen cleer, [preye.] His heuenly eyen, ther trouble to termyne, With liht off confort ther hertis tenlumyne; Line 945 Fyrst Ayllewyn, that cely creature, Afforn his shryne vpon the pauement lay, [pament.] In his praiere deuoutly dyde endure, [did.] Seelde or neuer parteden nyht nor day. [Selde. neuere. partyd.] For whan so euer his lieges felte affray, [euere. liges felt. Edmond.] Line 950 The peeple in hym hadde so gret beleue: Thoruh his request Edmund sholde hem releue: — The perfeccioun off Ayllewyn was so couth, [Aylwyn. kouth.] So renommed his conuersacioun; [renomyd.] That many a tyme they spak to-gidre mouth be mouth [spake.] Line 955 Touchynge hyh thynges off contem|placioun; [touchyng.] Expert ful offte be reuelacioun [by.] Off heuenly thynges, to speke in woordes fewe, [woordys.] Be gostly secretys which god lyst to hym shewe. — And as he lay slepyng on a nyht: Line 960 Clad in a stole off angelik cleernesse [stoole.] Whittere than snowh, powdryd with ster|rys bryht, [whyhtere. snow.] Off cheer celestiall, surmontyng off fair|nesse, His sterryssh eyen lik Phebus off fressh|nesse, With plesant language the martir gan abraide Line 965 And to his chapleyn euene thus he saide: "Go forth in haste, spille no tyme in veyn, [goo. spil.] And looke thow do trewly my massage! [doo.] And in my name sey thus to kyng Sweyn: [myn.] That off my peeple he axe no truage: [trewage.] Line 970 Ther ffranchise is to stonde in auantage [at st. in.] From al trybut and al exaccioun Vnder the wynges off my proteccioun. [vndir.]

"'Vexe nat my peeple, suffre hem lyue in pees, Trouble nat the kalm off ther tranquyllite! Line 975 In thy requestis be nat so reklees! [so fehlt. rekelees.] To axe hem trybut yt longith nat to the, [trybute.] Ther ffredam stablysshed off antiquyte. Be war therfore, off malys nor off pryde [malice.] Be vsurpacioun thow sette it nat a-syde! [not.] Line 980 Thy wilful errour, in gros to compre|hende, [in gros fehlt.] Ys, for-to trouble me and my franchise, To make hem wrongly ther goodis to dispende. Be war therfore, and werke afftir the wise! Myn enbassiat that thow nat despise! Line 985 For, yiff thow do, pleynly to expresse, God and I ther damagis shal redresse'". Toward morwe whan Ayllewyn awook, He was somdel abasshed in his corage. (T)o Geynesborugh the ryht way he took; [weye.] Line 990 God was his guyde to forthren his viage, And for tacomplysshe fully his massage. Affter the fourme off his Instruccioun [afftir.] He folwed theffect off his auysioun. [folwyd.] He dide his massage openly declare, [did. opynly.] Line 995 To the presence whan he kam off Sweyn, Fro poynt to poynt, list nat oo woord to spare. [a st. oo.] Whom forto heere the tirant hath dysdeyn, Bad hym deuoyde, no mor ther to be seyn. [moore there.] And departyng, thouh that it was late, [that fehlt.] Line 1000 Toward nyht he wente out at the gate. [went.] Destitut he was off herbergage, Sauff ther-be-side a cherche-yerd he took; [chircheyeerd.] Mong graue stones, thouh he was old off age, [stoonys. oold.] He leyde hym doun, and nyh alnyht he wook, [leyd.] Line 1005 And toward heuene ful ofte he caste his look, Prayeng the lord to rewe on his symplesse [praying.] And toward morwe be grace his iourne dresse. And, forto putte this mater in memorye, [mateere.] Retournyng homward, the story berth witnesse, [berith.] Line 1010 At Lyncolne withynne the teritorye With slombre oppressyd, trauayle and heuynesse, [travaylle.] For recreacioun, his labour to redresse: Toward Aurora the martir, maide, and kyng To hym appered, saide, as he lay slepyng: [apperyd.] Line 1015 "What newe trouble hath thy cheer disteynyd, [dysteyned.] With heuynesse consumed and apeyred? [consumyd. appeyred.] Pluk up herte! al that my peeple hath pleynyd [pleyned.] I shal redresse, or thow be hoom repeyred. Off my socour be nat dysespeyred! Line 1020 Or ouht longe bet tydyng god shal sende, By whos support al I shal amende." [suppoort.] Egelwynus resortyng hoom ageyn, At Geynesborugh the silue same nyht In his castell to-for the tirant Sweyn [Castel.] Line 1025 Blissid Edmund, armyd lik a knyht, [umgesetzt. Edmond.] Conueied by an angel, as Phebus cleer off lyht, [umgesetzt. Edmond.] Axed off Sweyn, a sharp spere in his hond: "Wiltow, quod he, haue tribut off my lond?" [trybute.] Off heuenly colour was his cote-armure, [coote armvre.] Line 1030 The feeld aȝour, off gold with crownys thre. [with fehlt.] In tokne he was, by record off scripture, Kyng and martir, his legende who list se; The thrydde crowne tokne off virgynyte. [whoo.] He with a spere, sharp and keene grounde, Line 1035 Gaff the tirant his laste fatal wounde — [last.] Geyn goddis wil may be no reffut. [reffute.] Thus onto hym Edmund gan specefie: [vnto. Edmond.]

"Haue thyn axyng, haue heer thy tribut, [here. trybute.] Guerdoun couenable geyn fals tyrannye!" [covennable ageyn.] Line 1040 Sweyn affraied loude gan to crye, [lowde.] Yald up his gost, I not what weye he took. But with the noyse al the castel wook. — No-man merueile off this vnkouth myracle, That Sweyn was slayn in his chaumbre a|nyht! [chambre.] Line 1045 Geyn goddis power ther is noon obstacle, [poweer.] In heuene, in erthe egal is his myht, As weel in derknesse as in the cleer lyht; [wel. dirknesse.] His victorye with spere, swerd or sheeld [sweerd.] In chaumbre shewed as weel as in the feeld. [shewyd.] Line 1050 To prudent peeple and folkis that be sad Twen ffeeld and chaumbre is no difference; [chaum|bir.] Lyggyng a-bedde his myht is to be drad, For cowardise hath noon experience Wher he list use his myhty violence, Line 1055 In bed, in chaumbir, in castel, or in tour, [chaumbre.] The swerd al oon off his dredful rygour. [sweerd.] Som ffolk, nat wis, to cowardise arette That Sweyn was slayn in his bed a-nyht. The castel cloos, the strong wal nat lette [Casteel.] Line 1060 But that his entre kam al off goddis myht; As thoruh a glas perce the bemys bryht [peerce.] Whan Phebus shyneth, Sweyn in the same wise Slayn be myracle, and by no cowardise.— [by.] And to procede as it komyth to mynde, Line 1065 This Egelwyn herde in his passage A gret rumour off horsmen behynde, Which spak to hym in ful pleyn language: "Art thow nat he that brouhtest the mas|sage From kyng Edmund, thenbassiat not tretable, [Edmond. nat.] Line 1070 Dreedful, sodeyn, hasty and vengable?" As kyng Edmund saued fro tribut [savid trybute.] This lond be myracle, sette the Rewm in pes, [long(!) by. sett. Reem. pees.] Ryht so the Danys off counfort destitut [destitute.] Durste afftir neuer put them-sylff in pres [durst. nevir. prees.] Line 1075 To axe no truage nor gold to ther encres. [trewage. encrees.] Wher god diffendeth, lat us neuer dreede, [diffendith. nevir.] Ageyn whos power no malys shal pro|ceede. [poweer. malice. procede.] Off Sweynys deth thus writeth Marian: [Sweyn is.] How oon Wolmarus, born off gentil blood, Line 1080 Dowmb, deff, podagre, and an Essex man; [dowm and deeff.] The same hour so with hym it stood: Lay a-deyeng and his tyme abood; [deying.] Which neuer spak erst, sodenly abrayde, [nevir. sodeynly.] To his ffreendis euene thus he sayde: Line 1085 "The sharp spere off kyng Edmund, certeyn, [speere. Edmond.] (T)o sette this lond fro tribut in surnesse, Ypershid hath the cruel herte off Sweyn. [I-percyd.] Wherby this lond is brouht in gret glad|nesse." [is fehlt.] These woordis sayd, the man in his sik|nesse [Thes wordys.] Line 1090 Yald up the gost—neuer afftir nor afforn, [nevir.] And spak no mor, sithe tyme that he was born. [moore. sith.] Thus Egelwynus be tooknys ful certeyn, [toknys.] As he homward gan his Journe holde, [hoolde.] Hauyng relacioun off the deth off Sweyn: Line 1095 Withynne hym-sylff his herte gan to bolde [began to boolde.] And euery part this myracle forth he tolde, [toolde.] Thanked god off his gracious refut Which hath this lond delyuered fro tribut. Fro the cronycle yiff I shal nat varye, Line 1100 Kyng Sweyn was slayn, as maad is men|cioun, [made.] The day secounde off frosty Februarye [the secunde day.] A thowsand yeer fro the Incarnacioun

Fourtene ouer by computacioun. [ovir.] The Danys affter, saltyng his careyn, [aftir.] Line 1105 In-to Denmark be sailled hoom ageyn. [saylled.]

And as myn Auctour in ordre doth deuyse, Neuer tirant durste putten assay [nevir. durst puttyn. Edmond.] Off seynt Edmund to breke the franchise, Line 1110 But he were punysshed withoute long delay. [seyntes.] Hard is with seyntis forto make affray: [by. wel.] Be exaumple as I can weel preue [by. shereve.] By Leoffstan. which, whan he was shyr|reue, [Init. Edmond.] To seynt Edmund hadde no deuocioun, [here.] Line 1115 To heere off hym froward by dysdeyn, Off his myracles ful smal affeccioun, To heere hem rad the tyme spent in veyn; [libertees.] His libertes, he was therageyn. To sitte in Jugement he caste a certeyn day Withynne the boundis wher the martir lay. Line 1120 A woman gilty, fferful for hir trespace, [wooman.] For dreed off deth, socour forto fynde Off blyssyd Edmund entred is the place, [blyssed Edmond entryd.] Lowly besechyng: he on hir wo taue mynde. [woo. to haue.] Leoffstan dide hir arreste and bynde [did hire a reeste.] Line 1125 By cachepoll with force and violence, [Cacchepollys.] Vnto the seynt doyng no reuerence. The clerkis present in deuyn seruyse [divin.] Gan in maner to make resistence, Off hooly chirch diffendyng the ffranchise; [chirche.] Line 1130 But al for nouht: ther was such assistence [suych.] By pres off baylyues beyng in presence, With multitude the clerkis to assayle, That to sey nay it wolde nat auayle. The offycerys, rauynous lik houndis, [officers.] Line 1135 With Leoffstan, furious off chier, [cheere.] Off the cherche entred is the boundis. [chirche entryd.] The clerkis prostrat lay in ther praier, [prayeere.] The woman crieth, that alle men myhten hier: [al. here.] "Help, blissid Edmund! help and be my reed! [Heelp.] Line 1140 For, but thow helpe, I shal in haste be ded. [thou. deed.] Keep and conserue thy Jurediccioun Fro this tirant, or this day I shal deye". The clerkis knelyng in ther orysoun: "Keep thy ffredam, o martir!" they gan preye. Line 1145 But Leoffstan lyst nat for to obeye, With al his court is entred, off entent [entryd.] In the cherche to sitte in Jugement. [Into the chirche.] No reuerence doon to the seyntuarye, [seyntwarye.] The tirant was so vnmercyable: Line 1150 Be violence the woman forth they karye; [by. carye.] A quest redy, the Jurours Inportable. [Jorours.] The woman crieth with voys ful lamen|table: [heelp.] "Help, hooly martir! shal I be this wise Dempt in the boundis this day off thy franchise?" Line 1155 The Juge procedeth to execucioun, [procedith.] (T)houhte no ffredam ageyn hym sholde auayle. [shulde.] A ffeend anoon took pocessioun Off this tirant, sore dyde hym trauaile [soore did.] In euery membre and in his entraile; [entraylle.] Line 1160 Amyd his torment yald up his gost in hast — [goost.] I dar nat deeme what way he is past. [not deme. wey.] Thus kan the martir punysshe hem that been rebel; [be st. been. rebeel.] Folk that truste hym, counforte hem and releue, Socoure ther pleyntes, supporte ther quarel, [quareel.] Line 1165 As this myracle openly doth preue; [opynly.]

Who seketh his helpe, shal nat mescheue, [sekith. myscheve.] To his seruantis gracious and benygne.— A tale for them, ageyn hym that maligne. [ageyn hem.]

Knyhtes fyue off malice and rauyne, Line 1170 Ageyn the ffredam off Edmund ful coup|able, [Edmond.] Haberyowned and in platis fyne [habiriownyd.] Entred his court, took hors out off his stable, [entryd.] With swerdis drawe to shewe hem-sylff vengable, Lyst any man wolde make resistence; [ony.] Line 1175 Ladde forth the pray bextort violence. [lad. ther pray.] But sodenly thus with hem it stood: [sodeynly. with them.] Or they passyd the boundis off the gate, Trauayled with furye, and echon wex wood. [echoon.] Repented affter, offred up mayland plate, [repentyd afftir. offryd.] Line 1180 Confessyd, assoiled, — in cronycle set the date; [in the cr.] Euer afftir off hool affeccioun [euere.] Hadde to the martir gret deuocioun. —

Eek oon off Flaundres, that was a fals brybour, [Flaundrys.] Kam vndyr colour off oblacioun, [cam. cololour (!)] Line 1185 Kyssed the shryne, lyk a slyh pilour, [pillour.] And with his teth, the book makith men|cioun, Rauhte off a nowche. but, in conclusioun, [raught.] His teth ftak stylle and on the nowche a|bood, [stake.] By myracle, wher as the pylour stood; [pyllour.] Line 1190 He koude nat remewe fro the place, [cowde. remeve. fro that.] But stylle abood, that alle men myhte se. [myght.] The Couent kam, prayyng the seynt off grace [preying.] Vpon that wrechche forto haue pite: [wrecche. for fehlt.] Loosnyd he was and wente at liberte. Line 1195 Thus kan the martir on rebellis be veng|able; [losnyd.] Whan they repente, benyngne and mercy|able. — [benigne.]

Theuys eyhte, tentre the cherche at nyht, [chirche.] Oon brouhte a laddere, a-nother brouhte a barre, [anothir. brought.] A-nother besy with al his strengthe and myht Line 1200 To vnpyke lokys, a-nother to vnbarre, [vnpykke lokkys.] Oon with a leuour to leffte the doore on harre, Oon with a pykoys, a-nother hadde a spade, [pykoyse.] Oon clamb the wyndowe his fardell forto lade; [fardel.] Oon at the grownsel lowe gan to myne, [growncelle.] Line 1205 A-nother besy to entre, yiff he myhte; [myght.] Compassed afforn tave kome to the shryne, [compassyd. to haue come.] To bern away the gold with stonys bryhte. [stoonys bryght.] But to ther malis the martir hadde a fyhte: [malice. sight.] So sore be vertu he dyde the theuys bynde, [soore. did.] Line 1210 Tyl on the morwe the peeple dyde hem fynde: Stood stylle as ston, sore in them-sylff amasyd, [stoon. soore.] Somme with ther armys crompyd to the bak, With eye up-tournyd aboute they haue gafyd, [gasyd.] Oon with his crampown, a-nother with his sak, Line 1215 Another stood and on the wal he brak; Fro ther werk myhte no remews make, [myght.] Tyl on morwe they were at myscheff take, [on the.] Bounde and fetryd and throwen in prysown. [folio 110]

Tyl the Bysshop off the diocyse Line 1220 Sat upon hem, dide execuciown, [did.] By hasty rygour procedyng to Justise. [Justice.] Hangyd they wern, shortly to deuyse — Loo how the martir the robbours dyde quyte! — [did.] Off this mater what sholde I more endite? [mateere. shulde.] Line 1225 The lawe he thouhte gaff to hym licence To execute hasty Jugement, Be-cause in cherche was do the gret of|fence, Conspired be theuys, alle eyhte off assent; [chirche. doo.] Nat seyn afforn this text bauysement: [by.] "Cesse thow nat, thus thapostel bad, [by avysement.] Line 1230 Them to delyuere that to the deth be lad". [Cece thou. Thapoostyl.] Off whos deth this bysshop Theodrede Hadde al his lyff hertly repentance, For this cruel and this hasty deede Made the peple faste and do penance; [this nach and fehlt.] Line 1235 He sore contrit, tryst off contenance, [doo.] Hadde euer affter for that gret offence Withynne hym-sylff remors off conscience. [evir aftir.]

Whan ffolk off pryde lyst haue no reward Line 1240 To hooly seyntis forto do reuerence, [seyntes.] God punyssheth hem: record on seynt Edward [recoord of.] Whilom at Bury beyng in presence [whyloom.] Whan Osgothus off hatful necligence, A lord off Denmark, lyk a wood man ferde, Line 1245 The myracles off Edmund whan he herde. [Edmond.] Toward the martyr he bar old hatrede, This Osgothus, as it was affter founde, [aftir.] Despysed his myracles whan he herde hem reede. [herd.] Yet he in ordre was callyd the secounde, [yit.] Line 1250 Next to the kyng, with gold and perlys rounde [peerlys.] Rychely beseyn, and statly off array. Aboute the shryne walkyng al the day, Off coryouste and presumpcioun His look he caste toward that hooly kyng, Line 1255 Off fals dysdeyn, voyd off deuocioun [voyde.] Depraued his vertues, his passioun, his lyuyng. [depravid.] And as he stood the martir thus skornyng, With a brood fawchoun hangyng be his syde, Fyl plat to grownde, mawgre al his pryde — [grounde.] Line 1260 God is nat plesid with such fals blas|ffeme [suych a.] Doon to his seyntys off Indignacioun, [seyntes.] Namly to martirs, which, the lord to queme, [na|mely.] Suffred for his sake deth and passioun; [suffryd.] To pleye with seyntys kometh off ambi|cioun, [seyntes comyth.] Line 1265 Which god wil punysshe with vnwar vengaunce; For which this story is put in remem|brance. — This lord off Denmark for al his gret bost, [greet boost.] For al his tresour, his gold and his perre, As a demonyak vexyd with a gost, Line 1270 Ful offte turnynge in his infirmyte. [tournyng.] The noise aroos, oon seith "there lyth he", Tyl the rumour off cryyng heer and there [here.] Kam be report to the kynges ere, [Cam. repoort.] Which thilke tyme in Chapitle was present Line 1275 Off his grace and Royall dignyte [Royal.] With the abbot and hool al the couent, Tencresse ther franchise and ther liberte: [tencrese.] Off his benygne and mercyful bounte [remours.]

Gaff hem the maner off Mildenhale and the toun Line 1280 With eihte hundredis in pocessioun. [hundredys.] Al this tyme Osgothus lay dystreyned In his furye walwyng up and doun Whan hooly Edward knew how he was peyned, Off Royal mercy he hath compassyoun; Line 1285 Heeryng the noyse and the horryble soun, Dredful, terryble, off this wood man, Thus he seyde to Abbot Leoffstan: "Fader Abbot, it longeth to you off ryht [fadir. longith. yow.] With hooly praier and deuout orysoun [prayeer.] Line 1290 With al your couent to gon anoon ryht [goon.] To the holy martir in processioun, [hooly.] The letany song with deuocioun, [letanye songe.] Prayyng the corseynt off his benygnyte On this Osgothus forto han pite". [haue.] Line 1295 This myracle is the more auctorysed [moore.] That seynt Edward was ther-at present; Ouht off resoun to be mor solempnysed. [oughte. moore.] For the holy kyng was so diligent, [dilligent.] Off his grace to go with the couent Line 1300 In processioun, ther knelyng on ther kne, To saue Osgothus off his Infirmyte. And by the counseyl off Ayllewyn, cer|teyn, [counsayl.] To the fertre the syke man was led. [seke. lad.] And a gret space whan he hath ther leyn, Line 1305 Wher he afforn was furyous and mad, He gan abrayde and to wexe sad; Restoryd to helthe, lowly doun knelyng [restooryd.] Gaff thank to god and to the hooly kyng. Tamende his manerys he gan eek blyue, [maners. he began.] Line 1310 Sette a-syde his froward sturdynesse; To the martir duryng al his lyue He was deuout, took to hym meeknesse. [took hym to m.] What uayleth pryde? what uayleth fro|wardnesse?— [vayleth. vaylleth.] Exaumple heeroff ye may seen at the lest [leste.] Line 1315 Be vengance take in Essex on the preest [preeste.] Whych to the martir denyed herbergage Lad by Ayllewyn to Londene the Cite; [Londone.] His place brent, for his froward language Vengance take, men myhte the flawme se. [myght.] Line 1320 But therageyn off grace and off pite At Crepilgate, entryng that royal toun, Dide many myracle, the book maketh mencioun. [did. makith.] Tofforn at Stratfforde, callyd at the Bowe, His litil carre whan it sholde passe, [litel. shulde.] Line 1325 The bregge broke, the deep strem vn|knowe, [streem.] Narwh was the plawnc: ther was no weye but grace: [narwgh. planke. wey.] A-boff the flood o litel wheel gan glace, [above. oon litel.] The tother wheel glod on the boord a|loffte, [tothir. glood.] And Ayllewyn wente afforn ful soffte. [went.] Line 1330 He kam to Londene toward eue late: [cam. Londone.] At whos komyng blynde men kauhte syht. [comyng. kaught.] And whan he was entred Crepylgate, [entryd.] They that were lame be grace they goon upryht, [wer. by.] Thouhtful peeple were maad glad and lyht; [wer.] Line 1335 And ther a woman contrauct al hir lyue, [there. contract.] Cryyng for helpe, was maad hool as blyue.— Thre yeer the martir heeld ther resy|dence. [held.] Tyl Ayllewyn be reuelacioun Took off the Bysshope vpon a day licence Line 1340

Line 1340 To leede kyng Edmund ageyn to Bury toun. [lede. Edmond.] But by a maner symulacioun [maneer symblacioun.] The bysshop granteth, and vnder that gan werche [vndir.] Hym to translate in-to Powlys cherche; Vpon a day took with hym clerkis thre, Line 1345 Entreth the cherche off seyn Gregory, [entryth. chirche. seint.] In purpos fully, yiff it wolde be, [purpoos.] To karye the martir fro thenys preuyly. [Ms. theuys.] [carye. thens.] But whan the bysshop was therto most besy With the body to Poulis forto gon, [Powlys. goon.] Line 1350 Yt stood as fyx as a gret hill off ston. [It. ffix. hyl. stoon.] Multitude ther myhte noon auayle, [myght. avaylle.] Al-be they dyde ther fforce and besy peyne; [did.] For but in ydel they spente ther trauayle. [Idel. spent.] The peple lefte, the bysshop gan dys|deyne: Line 1355 Drauht off corde nor off no myhty cheyne [coorde.] Halp lyte or nouht — this myracle is no fable — [light st. lyte.] For lik a mount it stood ylyche stable. [Ilich.] Wher-upon the bysshop gan meruaylle, Fully diffraudyd off his entencioun. [deffrawdid.] Line 1360 And whan ther power and fforce gan to faylle, [poweer.] Ayllewyn kam neer with humble affec|cioun, [cam.] Meekly knelyng sayde his orysoun: The kyng requeryng lowly for Crystes sake [lowely.] His owyn contre he sholde nat forsake. [owne cuntre. shulde.] Line 1365 Wyth this praier Ayllewyn aroos, [prayeere.] Gan ley to hand: fond no resistence, Took the chest wher the kyng lay cloos, Leffte hym up withoute violence. [lefft. withoute ony.] The bysshop thanne with dreed and reuerence Line 1370 Conueyed hym forth with processioun, Tyl he was passid the subarbis off the toun. [subarbys.] Alle syke ffolk that for helpe souhte [seek.] To the martir, lyggyng in maladye, Were maad hool; myracles euer he wrouhte: [wer. euere.] Line 1375 Who callyd to hym ffond hasty remedye. [whoo.] Wher he passith upon ech partye, Thoruh euery toun and euery smal village, [cam.] The peeple kam to conueye his passage; Broke breggis they gan ageyn renewe, [brooke.] Line 1380 Strowed al the weies with floures fressh and grene, [strowyd. flours.] And with clothes off many dyuers hewe [cloothys.] They heng ther wallis, maad the pament clene, [made.] That noon obstacle was in the weye sene. To Stapylfforde they took the weye ryht, Line 1385 And, as I fynde, he logged ther al nyht, At the cheff maner off that litil toun, [cheef maneer. litel.] Weel receyued with besy attendance. [wel.] And he that hadde the domynacioun Off thilke village, lay in gret penance Line 1390 Thoruh old syknesse: but off al greuance, Wher he so longe afforn lay languysshyng, Was maad al hool be myracle off this kyng; [by.] And whan he was be grace thus recuryd, [by.] Ful deuoutly in al his beste wise Line 1395 Made his auouh and hertly hath assuryd [avowh.] That litil maner hooly to a-mortyse [litel maneer. hool.] With the reuenus, as lawe lyst deuyse, To the cherche, breffly to termyne, [chirche. breeffly.] Wher the martir lith hool now in his shryne. [lyth.] Line 1400 By Essex weye whan he was repeyred [repeyered.]

To Bedrysworthe holdyng his weye ryht: For long absence they that were dyspeyred, [dysespeyred.] At his komyng wer maad glad and lyht. [comyng.] With ther offryng to hym goth euery wyht, Line 1405 Deuoutly prayyng the martir nyht and day [preying.] With hem tabyde and neuer parte away.— [with hym. nevir.] Baldewynus, a monk off seynt Denys, Gretly expert in crafft off medycyne, [greet(!).] Ful prouydent off counsayl and ryht wys, Line 1410 Sad off his port, fructuous off doctryne— [poort.] Affter by grace and influence deuyne [aftir. dyvyne.] Chose off Bury Abbot, as I reede, [Choose.] The thrydde in ordre which dide ther succede; [did.] To seynt Edward he was phesecien, [phesicien.] Line 1415 To many siknesse he dide remedye: [did.] In nyne and twenty wyntir, ye may seen, A newe cherche he dyde edefye, Ston brouht fro Kane out of Normaundye [stoon. Cane.] By the se and set up on the stronde [see. vpon.] Line 1420 At Ratlysdene and caryed forth be londe. By helpe and support off William con|querour [suppoort.] The cherche acomplysshed, with his fun|dacioun Baldewyn dyde his deuout labour Statly to ordeyne for the translacioun Line 1425 Off blyssyd Edmund, yeer from his passioun [blyssed Edmond. froom.] Ful two hundryd twenty and eek fyue, As myn Auctour the dathe doth descryue. [dathe st. date.] [date.] Toward the ende almost off Apprylle [almoost Aprylle.] Certeyn prelatis fro the kyng sent doun Line 1430 This translacioun deuoutly to fulfylle, Off Bed(r)ysworthe they entred ben the toun — [Ms. Bedysworthe.] [Bedrys|worthe. entryd been.] A thowsand yeer fro the Incarnacioun Nynty ouer by accountis cleer [ovir.] With addicioun fully off fyue yeer. Line 1435 The feste kept with al the obseruances [ffeeste.] By custom vsyd off antiquyte — [Be custoom.] I lakke konnyng to telle al circumstances Appertenyng to that solempnyte. The poopis bullys gaff hem auctoryte, Line 1440 The kyng weel wyllyd, ther was noon obstacle, [wel wylled.] By cleer report off many fayr myracle. [be. repoort.] These thynges reknyd ouhte ynowh suffyse [thes. out(!) Inow.] Vertuously this mater for to grounde. [mateere.] And to procede, in most humble wyse, Line 1445 With dreed and reuerence, off ryht as they wer bounde, [drede. were.] Out off a chapel, that callyd was rotounde, [Rotownde.] They took the martir on ther shuldres squar [shuldrys.] And to the shryne deuoutly they it bar, Whych was afforn prouyded for the nonys, [noonys.] Line 1450 With clothis off gold arrayed and perré [cloothis.] And with many ryche precyous stonys, Longyng vn-to his roial dignyte. Which off his grace and merciful bounte To our requestis shal goodly condescende, [condiscende.] Line 1455 Geyn al our enmyes this lond for to dyf|fende. [alle.]

(Schlussgebet.)

O Gloryous martir, which off deuout humblesse [wer. tree.] For Crystes sake were bounde to a tre, With shot off arwes suffredyst gret duresse, Thy blood doun raylyng, that routhe it was to se, [rayllyng. see.] Line 1460 With purpil colour; streyned off cruelte [l. steyned.] [stey|ned (!) of crueltee.]

Was al thy body, Crystis feith tenhance: [Crystes.] O blyssyd kyng, off mercyful pite [blyssed. pitee.] Pray for thenherytour off Ingelond and France! Settyst a-syde al thy royal noblesse Line 1465 For Crystis sake, gemme off vyrgynyte, Lefftyst thy kyndham, thy tresour, thy rychesse; [kyndam.] So feruently brentyst in charyte, That dreed off deth nor duplycyte [nor no.] Myhte make the gruchch in thy mortal greuance: [myght. grucche.] Line 1470 Wherfore, O martir, off mercyful bounte Pray for thenherytour off Inglond and France! [Ingelond.] Be thow our swerd, al foreyn ffoon toppresse, [to o.] Our sheeld, our pauys, castel off surete, [sheld. pavys. suerte.] Our portecolys, boolewerk off stabylnesse, [poortcolys.] Line 1475 Gate off dyffence: so kepyng the entre [keepyng.] That noon enemy may breke our liberte! [enmy.] O gracyous martir, haue alway remem|brance [alwey.] To pray the lord in the celestyal se [in his.] For thenherytour off Inglond and France! [1480 ff.) Yngelond.] Line 1480 Pray that the chirche may stonde in parfytnesse, [parfightnesse.] Pray for prynces, to keepe ther dygnyte Vertuously, withoute doubylnesse, Pray for knyhthod, to lyue lyk ther degre, [knyghthood.] Pray for the lawe, that noon extorsioun be, Line 1485 And off marchauntis hold Justly the ballance, [hoold.] Pray for the plowh, pray for the pouerte, And for thenherytour off Inglond and France! Encresse prelatis in ther holynesse, [encrece.] And folk Religious in ther humylite, Line 1490 Vertuous wydwes in ther stedfastnesse, Wyues in ther trouthe, maydenhod in chastyte, Keep Innocentis from al aduersite, [froom.] Pray for al nedy: god send hem suffisance! [sende.] By a prerogatyff pray to the Trynyte Line 1495 For thenheritour off Ingelond and France! Pray for artiffyceres in ther besynesse [artyficerys.] Trewe to perseuere, deuoyd off sotylte, [devoyde of al sotiltee.] For laboureres teschewen ydylnesse, [labourerys teschewyn ydelnesse.] As they been ordeyned off god in ther degre! [degree.] Line 1500 Saue trewe pilgrymes from al aduersite, And maryners from wyndy disturbance! Pray for pes and for tranquyllite! Pray for thenheritour off Inglond and France! Folk at debat reconcyle and redresse, [debaat. reconsyle.] Line 1505 Refourme dyscordys to pes and vnyte! [dyscoordys. pees.] Folk langwysshyng and bedred for syk|nesse [languysshyng. bedrede.] Sende hasty counfort to ther Infirmyte! [send.] Folk exylyd restore to ther contre, [exiled reestore.] To presounnerys mercyful delyuerance! [prysownerys.] Line 1510 And, blyssyd Edmund, in long prosperyte [blyssed Edmond.] Conserue thenherytour off Inglond and France! Encresse our kyng in knyhtly hih prow|esse, [encrece.] With al his lordys off the spiritualte, [alle. spyrytualte.] Pray god to grante conquest and worthy|nesse [wourthynesse.] Line 1515 By ryhtful tytle to al the temporalte, [be.] And to syxte Herry Joie and felycyte, [and to ffourte Edward.] Off his two Rewmys feith, loue, and obeissance, [Reemys] Longe to perseuere in his victorious se, As iust enheritour off Ingelond and France! Line 1520