Altenglische legenden ...

A. Barlaam & Josaphat
aus Ms. Vernon f. 100.

A Good mon þer was . and a clene A clerk men callen . Jon Damascene Compiled þe stori in good faaþ Of Barlaam . and kyng Josafaph. Hou Barlaam . torned him to þe ffey Line 5 To bi leeue . in God verrey. Inde sum tyme . as men tellen [Ms. Jude.] Was ful of Monkes . and cristen men A. kyng þer ros . wiþ gret yr þat men called . Aduenyr. Line 10 þat porsuwed . Mest . and. Lest. Of Cristen Men . but Monkes mest. Hit bi fel . as þe Bok seis þat a gret Maister . of þe kynges paleis þat was þe kynges . grete frende Line 15 þorwh grace . þat god him þenne sende fforsok þe Real dwellyng And tok on Monkes cloþing. Whon þe kyng herde þat . he was wroþ He let him seche . wiþ outen oþ Line 20 In desertes . þat ilke stounde And vnneþe . men him þo founde. Whon he was brouht . to fore þe kyng He hedde of him . gret wondryng. ffor he hedde on . so feble cloþing Line 25 And lene was waxen . to his seoyng. þat was wont . to beo ful gay. In his cloþinge . and oþur aray. And among oþure more . and lesse Muche he hedde . of gret Richesse. Line 30 þe kyng þen him . gon vb breide A. wood of witte . and fol he seide Whi hast þou torned . þin honour In to disese . and such tristour. To eueri child . þat goþ bi þe wey Line 35 þou art his scorn . and his pley. þe Monk him onswered . riht sone þere Of þis ȝif þou wolt haue . onswere þyn Enemys alle þou voyde a wey And þenne my skile . i schal þe sey Line 40 þe kyng asked him . þen þries. Whuche weren . his Enemys. And he him tolde . wiþ outen offense þat wraþþe hit was . and concupiscence þeose letten . in certeyn Line 45 þat soþnesse . may not beo seyn. Tak þerfore . to þyn audience Equite . and eke prudence As þou seist . so mot hit beo Qwaþ þe kyng . and þenne seide he Line 50 Vnwyse men . dispisen here þinges þat ben . as þei nouȝt were

And þinges þat ben not . in certeyne As þouh þei were . to take hem þei peyne He þat naþ not tasted . wiþ meke|nesse Line 55 Of þinges þat ben . þe swetnesse. Of þinges þat ben not . wiþ outen les. He may not lerne . þe soþnes. þe Monk him tolde eke . wiþ deuocioun Muchel of þe feiþ . of þe Incarnacioun Line 60 þenne þe kyng hedde . þis seying Nedde I. beo hoten þe . at þe biginning I schulde don out . of my counsayl. Wraþþhe : i sey wiþ outen fayl. To fuir þi bodi . schulde beo sent. Line 65 Boþe flesch and bon . þer to beo brent ffleo faste þerfore . out of my siht Lest i þe spille . nou a non riht. fful serewful . he went his way. þat he nas not . i Martred þat day. Line 70 þe kyng . child hedde non But sone aftur . his wyf hedde on. A. knaue child . þat wel was kept And Josafaph . his nome was clept. þe kyng let sende . at þat tyde. Line 75 To calle þe peple . on vche syde ffor þat þei schulden . on heore gyse To heore goddus . do sacrifyse And offre . for þat ilke burþe Of his sone . wiþ muchel murþe Line 80 And ffifti . vppon a cumpaignye He gedered . of clerkes . of astronomye And asked hem . swiþe faste wiþ alle Of þat child . what schulde bi falle þei onswerd . wel nyh euerichon. Line 85 þat he schulde beo . A mihti mon. Boþe of Richesse . and of miht In þis world . boþe day . and niht. But on þer was. wysore parde. þat seide: þis child þas is boren to þe Line 90 In þi kyngdom . schal he not be But in a wel bettre . so mot i þe ffor as i trouwe . at þe laste. Of þe cristene feiþ . þat þ^u pursuwest faste. He schal beo . a worschipere Line 95 And þer of . a gret lernere He seide not þus . of him self al on. But of godus . Inspiracion. Whon þe kyng . þis wordus hed herd. fforsoþe he wox . ful sore a ferd Line 100 Doun in þat Cite . he let buylde A wel feir paleis . for þat childe. þat was maad . of wel queynte gin And putte þe child . to dwelle þer in. And wiþ him . ȝong folk . ful feir. Line 105 Wiþ him to beo . at his repeir And bad þei schulde him lete . wite ne se Of deeþ . ne . Elde . ne pouerte Ne no þing elles . þat euer was maad þat miht his chere make vn glad. Line 110 But þat þei schulde him. euer schewe Of alle Murþhus . olde . and newe þat his þouȝt were . ful of lykyng And þenke noþing . of tyme comyng. ȝif eny wox seek . þat him were about Line 115 He bad . þei schulde him . a non caste out And a noþur . hol man. Put in to his offys þan And þat for no þing . as he hem trist þei schulde to him speke . nouȝt of crist Line 120 þat same tyme dwelled . wiþ þe kyng A good cristene mon in liuyng. But þer of . no wiht . þer wust And among alle þe princes . he was mest. On a tyme . wiþ outen lesyng. Line 125 As he wente wiþ þe kyng . an huntyng He sauh a pore mon . god hit wot Ligge : a best hedde i hurt his foot. He him preyed . for godus sake þat he wolde him . to him take. Line 130

Line 130 And seide . þauh i speke nou but luyte In sum þing . I may þe prophite þe kniht seide . sire parde Gladliche schal i take þe . to me But what profyt . in þe schal i fynde Line 135 Haue i nou . noþing in mynde. þe pore seide .I. am a Leche Of wordus : ȝif eny beo hurt . wiþ speche I. con riht wel a fyn Don couenable Medicyn Line 140 þe kniht of his speche . non hede toke. But for godus loue . he dude to him loke ffor þis kniht hedde . grace to þe kyng Oþur hedden envye . to his doyng þei accused him . to þe kyng þan Line 145 þat he was bi comen . a cristen man And þat al his . disyring. Was a boute . to bi kyng. And þat he drouh þe peple þerfore Wel neih to him . boþe lasse . and more Line 150 þei seiden . kyng wiþ outen wyre þe soþe to wite . ȝif þou desyre To him in priuite . mak Mende Hou þat þis world . schal taken an ende And þou wolt forsake . worldus blis Line 155 And Monkes Abyte . take i wis Whuche þou hast . vnkunnyngliche Pursuwed herto fore . bisyliche And þenne schalt þou riht se On what manere . onswere wol he Line 160 þe kyng dude . as þei him bad But þe kniht on gyle . no þouȝt had But was so glad . of his seyinge þe teres doun gunne . faste to flynge And worschuped him . for his purpose Line 165 And spisede þe wo(r)ld . wiþ outen glose He counseiled him eke . swiþe faste þat : to folfulle . he schulde in haste Whon he þe kyng . þus hadde told þe kyng was þe woodur . a þousund fold Line 170 And leeued wel . þe mennes tellyng But ȝit to him . seide he no þing.

ÞE kniht parceiued . þouh þat tym þat for his wordus . he wraþþed him Sumwhat a ferd . a wei he wende Line 175 And of þe leche of wordus he hedde mynde To him he wente . a non riht And tolde him al to gedere . a pliht þe leche of wordus : seide . wite þou þe kyng haþ suspeciun . to þe nou Line 180 þat þou seidest so . and ȝaf þat dom Is to haue . his kyngdom. Let schaue þerfore . þi berd anon. And do awey þi cloþus . euerichon And aftur þat . do on an heire Line 185 þen to þe kyng . loke þou repeyre To Morwe erly . and whon þou comest in. Whon þe kyng askeþ þe . of þin engyn þou schalt onswere . sire lo her me. Al redi . forte suwe þe. Line 190 Al þauh þe wey . beo sumwhat hard. þat þou coueytest . and nost whodurward Al þe while .I. am wiþ þe To me . me þinkeþ hit mai liht be As I. haue ben wiþ ow . in prosperite Line 195 Riht so schal I. in aduersite Lo me her . al redi Whi tariest þou . tel me verreyli. þe kniht dude . as þe leche him bad þe kyng him herde . and was riht glad Line 200 And blamed þe false men . þat tym. þat hedde acused . þe kniht to him And dude him worschipe . euermore More þen euere . he dude bi fore.

JOsaphaþ . þe kynges sone Line 205 þat in þe paleis . was put to wone

Waxen was . of ffourtene ȝer of age And wel i tauht . and wonder sage Gret wondur hedde . in his purpose Whi his fadur . heold him . so close Line 210 he called a seruaunt . in priuete And asked him . whi þat mihte be And seide he was . in heuinesse . so grete þat he nedde talent . to drinke . ne mete ffor þat he mihte not . passe þer oute Line 215 To walke . and take þe Eir . a boute. Whon his ffadur . herde of þis þerfore he was . sori i wis. And sende . horses fro his stable þat weren feire . and couenable Line 220 And folk to fore him . forte pleye And for bad . þat no foul þing in þe weye Schulde him mete . for no þing To lette his murþe . and his lykyng.

HIt bifel . vppon a day. Line 225 þe child him wente . forte play Riht as hit hedde ben . for þe nones A. Blynd Mon . and a Mesel . him mette at ones. Whon he hem saih . al in gret fere He asked a non . what þei were Line 230 And what hem eiled . to fare so His seruauns . onswered him þo þeos ben seknesses . þat fallen on men And Josafaht . asked hem þen. Wheþer to alle men . so bi fel. Line 235 Such passions . bi on skil. þei seiden nay . and þen asked he Wheþur such men . þat suffred so be Wusten to fore . of heore wo To fore hond . ar hit were so. Line 240 Ouþur elles . þat sodeynliche Such passions fallen . so wonderliche And þei onswerd . hol and some Who may wite þinges . þat ben to come þe child bi gon . to waxe sori Line 245 ffor þat he hedde herd . sikerli

A Noþur tyme . bi fel þis cas An old Mon he saiȝ . w^t ariueled fas. þat croked backed . was also And longe teþ . hedde þerto Line 250 þat wlasschede also . wiþ his speche þe child wox a ferd . and bad men him teche whi þat þulke mon . ferde so þei seiden . elde him hedde ouer go He asked . what his ende schulde be Line 255 And þei seiden deþ . wiþ oute pite He asked wheþur summe schulde die or alle And þei onswerd . boþe grete and smalle He asked hem . in hou mony ȝeres þan Suche þinges wolde . bi falle on man. Line 260 þei onswerd . in þe fourscorþe ȝer. Or elles . in an hundred in feer A Mon schulde falle . in to elde And for ȝete . Maners of welde And þenne biginneþ . to schorte his breþ Line 265 And sone aftur . suweþ deþ Whon Josafaht . hedde herd al þis His herte was . desolat iwis And muche disiret . of þis to lere But to his fadur . he made good chere. Line 270

A Monk of ffame . and lyf parfyte þat God to serue . hedde gret dilyte Dwelled in desert.þat fewe neren war Of þe lond . þat men callen. sennar Men called him . Barlaam Line 275 He was holy . and of good ffaam. Beo spirit he wuste alle . þing. þ^t was don a boute Josafath . þ^e sone of þe kyng. He cloþud him . in Marchaundes wyse And to þat Cite went . beo asise Line 280 Whon he to þe houshold . com.

þe kynges sone Mayster . he fond at hom. Sire he seide . for as muchel as . I. Am a Marchaunt sikerly. I. telle þe sire . for þe none Line 285 þat I. haue . a precious stone fforte selle . þat wole ȝiue liht To Men þat han . lost heore eȝe siht And þe ston wole . also eke Make doumbe men . forte speke. Line 290 And also in to hem . þat haue no wit Gret wisdom . holde wol hit Led me nou . to þe kynges sone. And him . hit take . ischal a none.

ÞE childes Mayster seide . wiþ reuerence Line 295 þou semest a mon . of sobre prudence But what so euer beo . in þi þouht. þi wordus wiþ prudence . acordeþ nouht. Neuerþeles of stones .I. haue knowyng. Schewh forþ þi ston . to my seoyng. Line 300 And ȝif hit beo prooued such . as þ^u seist nou Of þe kynges sone . worschipe haue schaltou

BArlaam . caste on him . his vuwe And seiþ my ston . haþ such vertuwe þat ȝif a Mon may not . riht wel se Line 305 And also beo not . in Chastite Bi holde þat ston . he mihte verreylye Leose al þe siht . of his eiȝe. And I my self . seo riht nou here þat þin eȝen . ben not riht clere Line 310 But i haue herd . and ofte i cast þat þe kynges sone is chast. And hole eiȝen haþ . and feir Such mon bi semeþ . þo ben an heir. ȝif þat beo soþ sire . quaþ þe Mon Line 315 I preye þe . schewh me not þe ston ffor myn eiȝen . beo not al hole And of sunnes .I. haue a mole. þat he tolde . þe kyng sone And brouht him in . to hym anone Line 320 whon þat he was . in i lad And þ^e kyng reuerentliche. him receyued had. Barlaam seide . to þe kyng. hit is to a louwe . ȝor doyng ffor þat þou toke non hede Line 325 To þat . þat was wiþ outen luytel hede þerbi . in þyn oune sale I. schal þe telle . aluytel tale

A Gret kyng . þat muchel was drad In a Guildene Cart . was lad Line 330 Oþur while . he mette wiþ Men þat flebliche were cloþed . and of face len þen wolde he lepe doun . of his Cart And falle a doun . at heor fet ful smart And worschipe hem . as men of blisse Line 335 Aftur þat . arys vp . and þenne hem kisse His grete lordus . enerichon þer of hedden . Indignacion. þei dorste not speke . to him ful wel But to his broþur . þei tolden eueridel Line 340 hou þat he schende . his worþinesse wiþ to muchel . Mekenesse þe kynges broþur . wiþ outen more A non blamed . þe kyng þerfore þe kyng hedde . such a Maner custum. Line 345 þat whon a Mon . schulde dye be dom. þe kyng wolde sende . to his ȝate A. Crior . to stonde þer ate. Wiþ a Trompe . for to blowe þat alle men mihte hit . wel i knowe Line 350 At Euensonge . sone in a þrowe He sende a Mon. þe Trompe to blowe At his oune broþur ȝate þerfore he wox . anon almate.

þat niht slept he nouȝt. verreyment Line 355 But mad redi . his Testament. Vppon þe morewen . wiþ outen lac He and his wyf . i cloþud in blac And his children alle . also. To þe kynges paleis . comen þo Line 360 Wiþ a sori cher .I. wen. But þe kyng . let bringe hem In. And seide a : fol . siþen þou wustest wel þat þou hast trespast . neuer adel To þi broþeres . oune Criour. Line 365 þ^t þou dreddest him . so sore þat our Whi . schulde not I. drede . w^t wil and word. þe fore goeres of my lord. To whom i chaue . singed so grete þat wiþ sounyng trompe . me doþ þrete. Line 370 þat signifyeþ . þat i schal dye. And dredful Jugement . seo wiþ eiȝe. ffour schrines . þe kyng let make of Mold And tweyne he keuered . al wiþ gold. And fulled hem . al for þe nones Line 375 fful of dede mennes . bones. þe toþur tweyne . he let en oynte Wiþ pich wiþ outen . at eueri poynte. And putte wiþ Inne hem . for þe nones Gemmes . and moni precious stones. Line 380 þen calle his lordus . alle he bad þat to his broþur . on him pleyned had. To fore hem he sette . þe schrines foure And asked at hem . in þat houre Whuche þe more precious . þei holde. Line 385 þei seiden . þulke þat weren heled wiþ golde. þe kyng hem let vndon . þat stounde And þei stonken . as an hounde þe kyng to hem . seide þen þeos schrines ben lyk . to suche men Line 390 þat ben i cloþed . preciousliche And w^t Inne for sinne . stynken fouliche. þenne þe kyng bad . in certeyn Men schulde vndon . þe toþur tweyn Out of hem sprong . a sauour Line 395 Swettur . þen eny Rose flour. þe kyng seide þen . þeose ben liche To þe pore men . soþliche þat i haue worschiped . her bi foren Whon ȝe þer of . hedden scorn. Line 400 ffor þauh þei were . but feble cloþe And to riche men . ben loþe wiþ Inne þei ben . þouȝ þei nouȝt schewe fful of sauour . of gode vertuwe But ȝe taken . onliche . hede to þinge Line 405 þat is wiþ outen . to ȝour seoinge But aftur þ^t quaþ Barlaam . to þe kyng parde þou wrouhtest whon þ^u receyuedest me.

ÞEn Barlaam tolde . hou þ^e world mad was And of Adames . furste trespas. Line 410 And of þe swete . Incarnacione Of Jhu Crist . Godus oune sone Of his passiun . and Resurecciun he made þo . a long sarmun. And eke of þe day . of dome. Line 415 Wher gode . and vuele . schul bi come he blamed muchel . in his seyȝing Of Maumetes . honouryng. And of suche Mennes folye þis saumple he tolde . certeynlye. Line 420 An Archer enes . went him to pleye A luytel Brid . he tok bi þe weye þat was boþe . gentil . and smal. Men callen hit . a nihtingal. Whon þat he wolde . hit haue sleyn Line 425 þe Brid seide . to him a ȝeyn. What schal hit mon . profyte þe. þauh þat þou . sle nou me. Wiþ me þou maiȝt not . þi wombe fille.

þerfore ȝif þ^u woldust . wiþ god wille Line 430 Lete me go nou . forte lyue þreo wisdames . ischulde þe ȝiue. And ȝif þou kepe hem . wiþ þi wit þou schalt fynde . in hem profit. he was a ferd . of þat speche Line 435 But ȝif þat Brid . him wolde so teche he be hihte hire . riht þo To lete hire fleo . for euer mo. þe Brid seide . beo not aboute to cacche þing þat þou . maiȝt not lacche Line 440 Ne for þing . þat is ilore Ne mai be founde . serwe nouȝt þerfore. A. word þat is . nouȝt to by leeue Credence þerto . loke þou ne ȝeue Kep þeos þreo þinges . eueridel Line 445 And euermore . þe schal be wel. þe Archer þenne . as he be hiht Let þe Brid . haue hire fliht. þe Nihtingale fleyh . a boute faste And to þe Archer seide atte laste Line 450 Wo is þe . Mon : ȝif þou hit wost Vuel counseil . haþ mad þe lost A gret tresur . sikerly. ffor þer is . in my body. A Margeri ston . in god fey Line 455 Grettor þen . an Ostriches eiȝ. Whon þat þe mon . herde þis Sori i nouh . he was i wis. þat he hedde leten . hire go so And hire to take . he peyned him þo Line 460 Brid he seide . loke þou ne lete Cum to myn hous . and fet þe mete And þer schaltou haue . riȝt inouh And ben lete go . wiþ outen wouh. þen seide to him . þe Nihtingal. Line 465 Ich wot þou art . a fool at al ffor of al þat euere . i þe tauht I. seo hit profyteþ . þe riht nauht. Nou for me . þat þou hast lost þou art sori . wel þou wost. Line 470 And þou art aboute . to chacche me And wost riht wel . hit nil not be. þou wenest also . in good feyȝ þat a Margeri ston . as an Ostriches eyȝ Wiþ inne my bodi beo iset Line 475 Whon al my bodi . nis not so gret. fforsoþe riht so . beoþ þis foles þat bi leeuen . in false ydoles þei worchipe . hem Whos Makers . þei ben Line 480 And hem þat þei kepen heore kepers . þei clepen.

ÞEn he dispised . wiþ al his wit Aȝein þis worldes . diseyuable dilyt. And a ȝeynes . þe vanyte Line 485 Mony ensaumples . þenne tolde he And þenne he seide . on þis maneer. þei þat disiren . bodilich delyces heer. And leten heore soulus for hungur dye þei ben lyk . sikerlye Line 490 To a Mon i seye . wiþ outen scorn þat flowen wolde for an vnicorn ffor þat he schulde.him nouht deuoure And hiȝed so faste . in þat vre þat al aȝeyn his owne wil Line 495 In to a gret put he fil. But riht in his fallyng Bi a luytel bosk . he tok his hondlyng And set his feet . on a slidri bas þat neih him . þat tyme was. Line 500 he loked a boute . and tok his auys. þen was he war . of twei Mys. þat on . was whit . þat oþur blac . as a Boote But boþe þei gnowen . vppon þe Roote Of þat luttul Busk . þat he heold wiþ mein Line 505 þat hit was . al most a tweyn. In þe ground of þat put . he say. Wher spittyng fuir . a Dragoun lay. Wiþ open Mouþ . a Mon to swolwe Al redi was . and gon to walwe Line 510 Vndur þat Bas . þat his feet stod on þreo Eddres hedes . he saih a non. He loked vp . wiþ his eȝen two And on þe Bowes of þe Bosk . sauh he þo

A gobet of hony . as him þhouȝt. Line 515 þat made him forȝete . þat he ne rouht Of þat peril . þat he hedde sein þat swetnesse to take . he gan him pein. Beo þis vnicorn . wiþ outen wer Deþ . is vndurstonden heer Line 520 þat pursuweþ . Mon ful faste And coueyteþ to take him . atte laste. þe put is . þe world i wis. fful of al maner . of wikkednis þe luytel Bosk . is Monnes lyf ful riht Line 525 þat bi þe vres of þe day . and þe niht As bi a blac Mous . and a whit Is euere a boute . doun to bi kit. þe Baas . wiþ foure Eddres hedes . kene Is Monnes bodi wiþ outen wene Line 530 þat of þe four Elemens . is mad þe whuche . whon þei ben vuel lad þe bond . a non . is vnbounde. Beo we neuer . so strong on grounde. þe ferful Dragun . is þe Mouþ of helle Line 535 þat coueyteþ . men to deuoure . and quelle þe swetnes of þat Bosk . also Is deceyuable delyt . of þis world . vr fo. Beo þe whuche . a mon is blent. To knowe perels . þat men han schent. Line 540

ÞEn Barlaam . in þat same sale Tolde þe kyng . a noþur tale Sir kyng he seide . wite wel . ȝe þat þe louers of þis world . lyk beo To a Mon þat hedde . frendes þreo. Line 545 And on of hem . more þen him self . louede he. þe secounde . as him self . i wis. þe þridde . lasse þen him self. þat is As hos seiþ . þat was riht nouht. he him louede . in dede or þouht Line 550 þis Mon ful . in gret peril. þe kyng let him somne . bi skil. A non to his furste frende He ran faste . and forþ gan wende And tolde him hou he was bi stadde. Line 555 And hou muche . he him loued hadde. þe toþur onswerde . ne wot not I. Who þat þou art . sikerly. Oþur frendes . I haue in fay. Wiþ whuche .I. moste me glade to day. Line 560 þe whuche . fro þis tyme forþ Schul beo my frendes euere . worþ Neuerþeles . haue þou nou here Twei luttel schurtus . y mad of here Wiþ þe whuche . þou maiȝt sikerly Line 565 Keuere sumwhat . þi bodi Confus a wei . þen gon he wende Til he com to . his secunde frende. [Hier fehlt im Ms. ein Blatt, mit 480 Versen, da jede Seite drei Columnen zu je 80 Versen enthält.] . . . . . I. schal lete set vp . verreyliche An ymage of gold . al to þe liche Line 570 þat men mowen offren . alle þerto As we to vre goddus . ben wont to do. To þe kyng . he seide þen ffrom þi sone . remuwe alle men And feire wymmen . of god arraye Line 575 Loke þou sende in . him forte paye. þat þei al wey . mowe beo wiþ him him to serue . boþe tyde and tym. And of my spirites . I schal sende hym on. þat him schal so hete . bodi and bon Line 580 þat he schal haue . lykyng and wille Wiþ wommon . his lyking . to folfille.

A ȝong mon . ne mai noþing . so sone bi gyle. [Ms. me st. ne.] As wommons face . whon heo doþ smyle.

FOr sum tyme . þer was a kyng Line 585 þat hedde a sone . þat was ȝyng. Wyse leches seiden . sir kyng wite ȝe þat þi sone . schal blynd be ȝif he seo liht . of sonne or mone Til ten ȝer . beo ouer gone. Line 590 þe kyng let make . a deop holet In a Roche of ston . and him þer set. Til þat ten ȝer . weore ouer gon þat sonne . ne mone . sauh he non. þen þe kyng lette . to fore him bringe Line 595 Sumwhat . of al maner þinge. Of alle þe þinges . he asked þe name And þei him tolden . wiþ outen blame. þe child asked ek . wiþ dreri chere. What name . þat wymmen beere. Line 600 A seruaunt onswerd . in murþe þat while Deueles þei ben . Men to be gyle. þe kyng asked . his sone also What þing . him lyked best . of alle þo What schuld i loue ffader . seide he þen Line 605 But þe deueles . þat bi gylen men. In no þing elles . of þeose so sone Mi wille is chaufed . but on hem one. Whon he þis tale . to þe kyng hedde told. Wite wel sire he seide . and beo bold. Line 610 þou schalt not chaunge . þi sones cher But onliche . on þis maner.

ÞE kyng dude aftur . his teching. And ordeynd feir wimmen . wiþ clene cloþing. To serue his sone . al him aboute Line 615 And putte alle men . from him oute. þe wymmen duden . al heore wil parde ffor to attame . his chastite he nedde nouȝt . on to bi holde Ne to speke wiþ . but hem so bolde. Line 620 þis clerk þan . his craft bi gan. A wikked spirit set . in Josafath þan þat in his herte . a fuir hedde tent. þe maidens siht . wiþ outen him brent. Whon he sauȝ . þat he was so bi stad. Line 625 I. troubled he was . and mournyng mad. And to god he dude . him self comende þat cumfort . and counseil . him sone sende. þat dilyuered . him anon ffrom þat foul . temptacion. Line 630 Aftur þat . to him was sent A kynges feir douhtur . verreyment. þat was in þis world . fadur les þen he hir preched . of godnes. And heo onswerde . wiþ outen Ire Line 635 ȝif þat þou haue . gret disyre To torne me fro . ydoles worschiping Joyne me to þe . wiþ weddyng. ffor cristen men vsen . such doyng. And preysen such maner . of lyuyng. Line 640 Patriarkes . and prophetes also And peter þe apostel . hedde wyf þer to Josafath seide . to hire a ȝeyn. þis þou me tellest . al in veyn. hit is soffred . to cristen men . wedded to be. Line 645 But not to hem . þat han auouwed chastite heo onswerde . to him þo As þou wolt . beo hit so. ȝif þou disyre . my soule to saue Graunte me . þat i schal . of þe haue Line 650

Line 650 Ligge bi me . þis ilke niht. And cristene me . to morwe ful riht. ffor seþþhe ȝe seyn . þat muchel ioye and blis Is to Angeles . of sunfol mon . þat turned is And doþ penaunce . for his misdede Line 655 Me þinkeþ . þ^t þe auctour þer of is worþi mede Assente ones . to þat i seye to þe And riht so maiht þou . saue me. þis Mayden made . assautes foule To þe tour . of þis Monnes soule Line 660 þe fend þen . to his felawes forsoþ Seide . seo ȝe not . hou þis wommon doþ. heo haþ sumwhat . squached his tour þat we mihte not meue . wiþ no stour Now is tyme . for þe nones Line 665 ffalle we vppon him . alle at ones.

JOsafath saih wel in his þouht þat in to mischef . he was brouht ffor Couetyse . stured him fast. And þe soule hele of þ^e Maiden . mad him a gast Line 670 he was harde i meued . þerfore he preyed to god . and wepte ful sore þus as he preyed . he fel a slepyng þen sauh he . in his metyng þat he was lad . In to a Medewe Line 675 fful of alle floures . white . Bleu & . ȝelwe þer herde he leues of tren . wonderliche. Sounen . as voyses . Muriliche. Softe wynde . þe leues to meue Wondur swete sauour . þ^t place dude ȝeue Line 680 þe feireste fruit . to monnes siht And of sauour . desirable a riht þer weren seetes . mony on. Of Seluer . and Gold . and precious ston Beddes a rayed . of riche aray Line 685 Schyninde as gold . boþe niht and day. Clere watres . Rennynde be syde Murie þhouȝt him . þer þat tyde þey ladde him þenne . in to a Citéé þe walles seemed . of gold to be Line 690 þat schyneden . wondur brihtly Spirites . he herde murily Such maner of song . synge þere þat non eorþly mon . herde wiþ Ere. A vois to him . seide þen. Line 695 þis is þe place . of blessed Men. þei wolde him haue lad . forþ ful snelle he preyed þat he moste . stille þer dwelle þei onswerden . and seiden þo Wiþ muche trauayl . þ^u schalt cum hider vs to. Line 700 Aftur þat . þei him led. To a foul . derk sted. fful of alle wrecchednesse Of fulþe . and of wikkednesse þei to him þenne . seide hit was Line 705 þis is . þe vnrihtwisnesses plas. Whon he a wok . of his slepyng. þe feirnes of þat damysel . and hire cloþing Semed to him . at o worde ffoulore þenne . þen eny torde Line 710 Whon þe wikked spirites . aftur þis cas Weoren gon a ȝeyn . to Theodas he hem blamed . hitterly [Ms. hitterly st. bitterly.] And þei onswerden . schortly. And seiden alle . wiþ o vois Line 715 Or he hedde i mad . þe signe of þe crois Strongliche . we on him fille Alle at ones . him to spille. But whon he . þe signe i mad hadde he pursuwed us . and we weren madde Line 720

Line 720 þen Theodas . wiþ þat chylde Went in to þe kyng . so wylde Wiþ his craft . al and some He wende him . to haue oucrcome But Josafath . þat same tym Line 725 Wiþ his techynge . ouercom hym And cristendom . (he) tok þerfore [he fehlt.] And liued good lyf . aftur . euermore.

ÞE kyng bi counseil . of his frendes euerichon ȝaf his sone half his kyndom . anon. Line 730 þauh his wille weore . to desert to go Neuerþeles þ^t part of þe kyndom . tok he þo þe cristene feiþ . to multiplye And bulde chirches . and crosses monye And tornede . muche folk to crist Line 735 Cristen to beo . on him to trist Atte last . þoruh prechyng of his sone þe kyng . cristendom . hedde y nome And bi tok him þe kyndom . hol to dispence And ȝaf him self . al to penytence Line 740 Whon God . aftur him dude sende he dyede . and made a feir ende

JOsafath aftur . a non wiþ hiȝe Wolde ha flowen a wey . lik kyng Barachye. [Ms. lik kyng; ist likkyng zu lesen? Barachias ist Nachfolger des Josaphat. Doch heisst so auch der v. 125 genannte "prince" im Mhd. Gedicht.] þe peple him toke . ofte aȝeyn Line 745 And atte laste he dude so . in certeyn In to desert wente . aftur his lykyng And ȝaf þer to apore mon . his kynges cloþing. And wiþ þe pore monnes . cloþus he cloþud him self . wiþ outen oþus. Line 750 þe deuel to him hedde . gret Envye And made to him . assautes manye Oþurwhile . wiþ a naked swerd He manaced him . to beo a ferd. Oþurwhile . in forme of wylde beestes Line 755 Grennynge on him . wiþ mony chestes. But his orisoun . was þenne al way þis vers . þat i schal ȝow sayȝ. Vr lord is myn help . and my spede What mon schal to me do . schal i not drede Line 760 Two ȝer he dwelled . in desert. he fond not Barlaam . in priuete ne apert Atte laste . an holet he fonde And to fore . he gan stille stonde And seide fadur . wiþ outen misse Line 765 Blesse me nou . gode fader Blesse Whon Barlaam herde . his voys so Out þen to him . he ran ful þro þer was cluppyng . and cussyng. And muche Joye . at heore metyng. Line 770

JOsafath tolde Barlaam þat day Al þat him bi ful . syn he him last say Barlaam þonked god . deuoutliche þat hedde him kept . so witerliche Josafath dwelled þere . ȝeres mony on Line 775 In Abstinence . and deuocioun. And Barlam . as god wolde. Dyed . his bodi was put in molde In þe.XXV.^ti þe ȝer . noþur more ne sum Josafath forsoþe . forsok his kyndom Line 780 And aftur þat . fyue and þritti ȝer. hermytes lyf . he ladde wiþ good cher. And aftur þat in vertuwes . on good maner. he dyed . as godus wille was þer And wiþ þe bodi . of Barlaam Line 785 Men hem buried . boþe in saam Whon kyng Barachye . þer of herde. Wiþ a gret host . þider he ferde And brouhte þe bodies . in to þe Citéé. Wiþ muche Reuerence . and noblete. Line 790 And at heore toumbe . mony on Miracle is wrouht . þorwh Godus loon.