Altenglische legenden.

                                
                                  And till his mercy I me bytake
                                
                                  Þat dyed for vs appone a tree —
                                
                                  Louede & wirchipid mot he bee!"
                                  Line 545 
                                
                                  His false goddis he smate þame alle
                                
                                  In-sondir with ane Iryne malle;
                                
                                  Cristofere cristenede hym on-ane
                                
                                  And namede hym Sebastyane.
                                
                                  Than wente þay forthe bothe in-fere,
                                  Line 550 
                                
                                  Thorghe alle þat lande, ferre & nere.
                                
                                  Whare cristene mene & prisoners ware
                                
                                  In turmentes & in prisouns saree,
                                
                                  Bothe þay broghte þaym mete & drynke,
                                
                                  And concelde þame on Criste to thynke
                                  Line 555 
                                
                                  And for to take with hertly will
                                
                                  Alle paynnes, bothe lowde & styll,
                                
                                  Also þaire dede þat þay solde take
                                
                                  With glade chere for Cristis sake,
                                
                                  And after þaire paynnes þat þay sold wende
                                  Line 560 
                                
                                  To Joye & blysse withowttene ende. —
                                
                                  Whene þe kynge of þis herde telle,
                                
                                  Þat was a sowdane fers & felle,
                                
                                  Þat þer was comene ouer þe flode
                                
                                  Þe maste mane þat euer on erthe ȝode,
                                  Line 565 
                                
                                  With a lang staffe in his hande,
                                
                                  And ȝode prechande thorow his lande,
                                
                                  And had turnede to cristyne laye
                                
                                  Heghte thowsande saraȝens appone a daye,
                                
                                  And also his dere frende Joas,
                                  Line 570 
                                
                                  Þat kepare of his goddis was:
                                
                                  Þe kynge stirte, whare he stode,
                                
                                  & fure als he ware welland wode;
                                
                                  He brandeschet hym & bate his berde. —
                                
                                  Þase þat hym saghe, þay were full ferde.
                                  Line 575 
                                
                                  "Allas, he sayde, whate sall I doo?
                                
                                  Slyke tythandes come neuer are me too!"
                                
                                  Lowde he gane bothe rowte & rare,
                                
                                  "Allas, he sayde, for sorowe and care;
                                
                                  Be Mahowne þat made the mone, [folio 127] 
                                  Line 580 
                                
                                  Of hym sall I be vengede sone."
                                
                                  Belyfe he garte be armede wele
                                
                                  A howndrethe mene in Iryne & stele;
                                
                                  "Belyfe, he sayde, þat ȝe be bowne
                                
                                  And sekes þat harlotte fro towne to towne!
                                  Line 585 
                                
                                  Whene ȝe hafe foun hym at þe laste, [l. fonn?] 
                                
                                  Brynges hym byfore me bowndene faste!
                                
                                  I sall hym chasty on swylke manere
                                
                                  Þat euer-ylke mane bothe ferre & nere
                                
                                  Ensampill by hym sall þay take
                                  Line 590 
                                
                                  Oure myghty goddis to forsake."
                                
                                  Thorowte þat lande þat was so wyde
                                
                                  Þose knyghttes hym soghte on ylke a syde;
                                
                                  And at þe laste þay hym fande,
                                
                                  Appone his knees to Criste prayande.
                                  Line 595 
                                
                                  And als he turnede to þame his face,
                                
                                  God hym gaffe so mekill grace
                                
                                  And slyke a meracle for hyme schewed þane,
                                
                                  Þat alle thase bycome cristyne mene.
                                
                                  And with þe water of a welle
                                  Line 600 
                                
                                  He baptiȝede þame, als I ȝow telle,
                                
                                  In þe name of þe Trynyte,
                                
                                  Þat es one gode & persones three;
                                
                                  He taughte þame how þat þay sold wyrke
                                
                                  To trowe in gode & haly kyrke,
                                  Line 605 
                                
                                  And alle þaire false goddis defye
                                
                                  That ware no better þane sorcerye.
                                
                                  And whene þir tythandes were comene to towne,
                                
                                  Þe kyng felle of his chayere downe —
                                
                                  His hede he brake agayne a walle;
                                  Line 610 
                                
                                  & faste one Mahowne gane he calle,
                                
                                  And said: "als þou erte lorde of myghte,
                                
                                  Þou helpe me nowe to fende my ryghte,
                                
                                  Þat alle thies folke may knawe & trowe
                                
                                  Þat þare es no god bot thou."
                                  Line 615 
                                
                                  Twa hundrethe knyghtes sent he þane,
                                
                                  Armede wele, of hardy mene;
                                
                                  He comande þame one lyfe and lyme
                                
                                  Þat þay solde brynge Cristofer to hym.
                                
                                  Thay went forthe at þe kynges bone,
                                  Line 620 
                                
                                  And whare he was þay fande hym sone.
                                
                                  And whene þat þay his vesage saghe,
                                
                                  Full faste for ferde awaye þay flaghe.
                                
                                  Cristofer faste on þame gune calle
                                
                                  And þus he sayde vnto þame alle:
                                  Line 625 
                                
                                  "I praye ȝow, sirris, with herte meke,
                                
                                  Ȝe will me saye what þat ȝe seke."
                                
                                  A knyghte hym ansuerde son onone —
                                
                                  For ferde he tremlide ylka bone:

About this Item

Title: Altenglische legenden.
Author: Horstmann, Carl, ed. b. 1851.
Canvas: Page 461
Publication: Heilbronn,: Gebr. Henninger,; 1881.
Subject terms: Saints -- Legends; English poetry; Legends

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/afw1383.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/afw1383.0001.001/633:4

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Full citation: "Altenglische legenden." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/afw1383.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 21, 2025.

Altenglische legenden.

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