Altenglische legenden.

I. Aus Ms. Auchinl., fol. 37b (c.).

(Anfang fehlt)

[folio 37b] . . . . . (An an)gel sche sent to him anon. (He) gret þe clerk wiþ milde steuen. (Into) þe chamber when he gan gon, (He w)as briȝter þan ani leuen. (Leuen)no no sonnes bem Line 5 (In so)mers day nas neuer so briȝt, (Þan) þat angel, when he doun kem (Into) þat hous about midniȝt. (He þo)uȝt his hert schuld to-spring, (Þo h)e gan on þat angel sen. Line 10 "(Mi) clerk, drede þe no-þing, (Grace) of god be ous bitven! (Tidan)des now y þe bring (Fram M)arie, our heuen quen; (I þe) telle certain tiding: Line 15 (If þou) wilt hir bodi sen, (If sen) þou wilt þat leuedi briȝt, (Þis p)enaunce þou most chesen: (Þou m)iȝt be siker, þine eiȝe-siȝt (Oþer þ)i liif þou schalt forlesen." Line 20

(Þe cler)k anon gan him biþink: "(Ȝet y) can anoþer croke:

(Wiþ) mi no neiȝe y schal wink, (& wiþ) mi noþer y schal loke; (Mi wa)risoun y schal biswink (Til y) may sen opon a boke, Line 25 (& haue) anowe mete & drink." (Gode) comfort to him he tok. (He tok) to him anon gode hede: "(Iwis, m)i no neiȝe may me seruen (Þer to) do wiþ al mi dede; Line 30 (It is) ynouȝ til y schal steruen."

(Þe cl)erk him fair answerd oȝain: [oȝain st. aȝen.] "(Ich) do me alle in her manay. (Sch)eu now what y schal mene (To) Mari, as y þe say. Line 35 (Hir s)eriaunt ichaue long ben; (Wiþ a)ll loue now ichir pray (Þat) ich mot hir ones sen (Aper)tliche, er þan y day. (Whe)n y dye, sche ȝiue me grace Line 40 (To come) to hir wiþ gode entent, (To sen) hir bodi & hir face." (Þe an)gel oȝain to heuene is went.

Fram heuen into þe clerkes bour, [folio 38] Riȝt doun biforn his beddes fet, Line 45 Þe angel aliȝt wiþ gret honour, & wel fair he gan him gret. "Mari, þat bar our saueour, He seyd, þou schalt sen as sket." Wiþ him þer com a gret odour, Line 50 Nas neuer no smel half so swete. So swete a smel nas neuer non, Of rose no of no spicerie, As com in-to þat leueli won [leueli = loueli.] Befor þat leueliche compeynie. [leueli = loueli.] Line 55

Wiþ angel song & miri play Our leuedi adoun sche liȝt Into þe chaumber þer he lay, & seyd: "clerk, drede þe no-wiȝt!"— Þei a man biþouȝt him ay, Line 60 No schuld he reden apoin (!) ariȝt Hennes vn-to domesday Hou fair sche is, þat maiden briȝt. Hou briȝt sche is, no tong may telle— Yblisced mot hye euer ben! Line 65 Of heuen, of erþe & of helle Sche is emperice & quene.

A mantel our leuedy vnfeld, Briȝter þan sonne þat schineþ schire. "Clerk, drede þe nouȝt, but be nov beld, [Ms. nob beld.] Line 70 For þou schalt haue þi desire; Þer-whiles þou hast þine eiȝen in weld, Avise þe wele of min atire, Apertliche þou me biheld, Bodi & face, brest & swire!" Line 75 Swire & al hir bodi he seiȝe, When sche hadde to him spoken: He loked on hir wiþ his oneiȝe— Þat oþer he held stille yloken.

Oȝain to heuen our leuedi went Line 80 Wel stillelich out of þat clos. Þe clerk held him foulely schent, Amorwe, when þat he aros. His ȝalu here he haþ al to-rent, & in his hert sore him agros; Line 85 Al þus he seyd, & him bi-ment: "Þis niȝt y saued on of mi fos; Mi fo y spard, allas þat while! [Der Feind ist das eine, gerettete Auge.] Sori icham, & wele ich owe: Mineiȝe doþ mi soule gile, Line 90 & often bringeþ it ful lowe."

Riȝt in his chaumber, þer he stode, Him þouȝt his liif was him ful loþ, He wepe sore wiþ dreri mode, & out of his chaumber he goþ. Line 95 "Þat me no deined, ich was wode, To loke wiþ min eiȝen boþe [Ms. deined, vgl. Old Engl. Misc. 228, 168: þat hem deynet not of to ete.] Opon þat leuedi fair & gode; Y wot þerfore þat sche is wroþ. Wroþ sche is, & wele sche may, Line 100 Wiþ me, þat am sinful chaitif, Þat y schuld hir so bitraye, Þat ichaue loued in al mi liif.

Euer me may rewe þat ich while Þat y schuld for ani drede Line 105 Do Marie þat gret gile.

Allas, what schal me to rede? Mi soule y brouȝt in gret periil. A, leuedi, for þi maidenhed Forȝiue me mi sinnes vile, Line 110 & help me in þis muchel nede! In þis nede þou me saue, Þat y no be neuer forlorn; Graunt me þat y þe craue, For his loue þat of þe was born! Line 115

A, leuedi, to me þou liþe, For care min hert wil to-riue; Michel loue ichil þe kiþe & worþschip þine ioies fiue. Lene me grace, anoþer siþe Line 120 To se þi bodi wiþouten striue! Bi so, ichil be bliþe To be blinde in al mi liue. In al mi liue ichil be glad In swiche penaunce forto ben, Line 125 Bi so þou graunt þat y þe bad: Efsones y mot þe sen."

Alday he was in sorwe strong; & after-ward þat com þe niȝt, His white honden hard he wrong, Line 130 He ne may for wo slepe no-wiȝt. He herd þan a miri song Of angels þat were so briȝt; Our leuedi com hem among, & seyd: "clerk, drede (þe) no-wiȝt!"— Line 135 Sche spac þe clerk so fair vntille: [Þe fehlt im Ms.] "Ich forȝiue þe al þi gilt; Þi praier y schal fulfille: [Ms. mi st. þi.] Loke on me, ȝif þat þou wilt!

Þer-whiles þat þou art hayl & quert, Line 140 Biheld me wele euerich a bon! Biþenche in þine owhen hert Þat warisoun no hastow non; Þine axing sore schal þe smert, Ȝif þou be blinde as ani ston; Line 145 Þou most liue in gret pouert, (W)hen þou hast þine eiȝen forgon. When þou forgos þi warldes wele, & loue of frendes, fremed & sibbe, Angwis þou most suffri fele, Line 150 In alle time þat þou schalt libbe."

Þe clerk answerd, & louȝ: "Min hert is ful of gret solas; Icham bliþer þan brid on bouȝ, Þat ich haue seyn þine holy face; Line 155 Of al ioie ichaue anouȝ, Sende me now, leuedi, of þi grace!— To suffren wo mi body is touȝ, Bi so ich mot hauen a place: A place graunt me, Marie, Line 160 Þat mi soule mot wone, Wiþ ioie & wiþ melodye, In heuen bifor þi swet sone!"

Sche seyd: "mi clerk, no wepe þou nouȝt, No make no mornand chere! Line 165 Þi bon, þou hast me bisouȝt, Ich graunt þe in al maner: In-to þat ioie þou schalt be brouȝt, When þou hast laten þi liif here, Þat mi swete sone haþ wrouȝt Line 170 To hem þat ben him leue & dere. Dere þou art to me, ywis. Oȝain to heuen now ich mot wende; & þou schalt com in-to þat blis, When þou hast laten þi liues ende." Line 175

Vp into heuen anon sche steyȝe, Þer sche is quen & leuedi corn. Þe clerk his eiȝen fast he wreiȝe, He wende his siȝt were forlorn. When it was day, ful wele he seiȝe Line 180 Þis warldes pride al him biforn. "Merci, leuedi! he crid on heiȝe, Wele be þe time þat þou were born! Þat þou were born of o wiman, Blisced be euer þe day! Line 185 Þer liueþ nowiȝt þat telle can Þe ioie þat of þe springeþ ay.

Leuedi, flour & frout of Jesse, Þou art maiden, gode & hende, Godes moder, mild & fre; Line 190 Michel þou helpest al man-kende: On þi seruaunt haue pite, & saue ous, lord, fram þe fende & graunt ous, ȝif þi wille be: [Ms. lord st. leuedi.] When we schul of þis warld wende, Line 195 When we schul wend out of þis liue, Here our prayer & our steuen: Bring ous, for þine ioies fiue, Into þe swete blis of heuen. Amen. Explicit. Line 200