The early South-English legendary ; or, Lives of saints. I. Ms. Laud, 108, in the Bodleian library. Edited by Carl Horstmann.

73 Vita & passio sancti Blasii martyris.

Seynt blase wel clene lyf ladde, wiþoute any hore; [folio 228b] In þe lond of capadoce þis godeman was I-bore. ffor his godnesse cristenemen bisschop him wolde make; Nolde he nat of swich power, ac gan it anon for-sake. Line 4 ffor he it nolde in none manere, he fley out of þe londe In wildernesse to a dep valeye, .ȝ. [ȝ = &.] þer he gan to astonde. Pryueliche he wonede þer, .ȝ. hudde him swiþe longe, And seruede god wel; in penance he duelde swiþe stronge. Line 8 Wilde bestes þat þer were, a-boute him comen þikke, [ȝ] solaseden him, for he was one; his lymes þei wolden likke. Whan any of hem sike were, to him he [= heo, hi] wolden a-non, And arst ar he hem blessede, nane fot fro him nolden gon. Line 12 Ech sik beste sone hol was whan þei hadde his blessinge; Þoru godes grace fro fer to him he comen for þis þingge. [v. 13-14 al. om.] — Þe luþer iustise of þe lond, þat het agrycolas, his men to hunten owt he sente, þer þis gode man was. Line 16 As þei wenden, hem þoute wounder þ^t he so fewe deer founde. he be-hulde into þe depe : þo seye þei on þe grounde Swiþe fele der a-boute aman, þat he [al. om.] sat hem a-mydde A-kne, ȝ be-held to heuene-ward, his beden forto bydde; Line 20 Þese bestes a-louten alle to him-ward. In gret þout þes honten were; he wenten ȝ tolde þe Iustise al þat þei seye þere. he het hem a-ȝen wende ȝ. him [al. om.] seche, ȝif [r. ȝ ȝif] þei him [al. om.] fonde þer gon, Any cristene man, þat hi scholde to-fore him bringge a-non. Line 24 Þo ȝe [= he, heo] comen .ȝ. seint blase founde, he seyden : "þou schalt aryse ȝ. come wiþ ous, ȝ speke anon wiþ þe heye Iustise." "Mine leue sones," seint blase seyde, "ȝe ben to me welcome; ffor now ich wot þat Ihesu crist to me haueþ ȝeme I-nome. Line 28

Line 28 Go we nou forþ in his name, Ich wot he wile vs lede; Ne leueþ nat to don be me al þat he ȝou [al. ȝoure maister] sede." As þei ladde þis holy man toward þe Iustise, Prechinde he turnede many on to oure louerdes seruise; Line 32 Blynde .ȝ. deue .ȝ dombe also .ȝ. þ^t oþer siknesse hadde, Many on to hele he brouȝthe, als me him forþ ladde; Wilde bestes þat sike were, ourne to him also As men him ladde, .ȝ. fette here hele als þei hadde arst i-do.— Line 36 A ȝong child, als he et [MS. het] his mete, a bon schet in his þrote; Al astrangled ȝ ded it lay, þo it was in i-schote. his moder nadde no child bote þat; greth doel ȝe made wiþ-alle, To-fore seint blase ȝe bar þis child .ȝ. as wod gan doun falle, Line 40 ȝ bad he scholde hire sone hele. þis god man his hond vp nom ȝ. blesse[de] it : ȝ þat bon out schet, ȝ þat child hol be-com. "Louerd," seyde þis gode man, "grante me a bone : Þat man in what yuel biddeþ to me, I-here him wel sone Line 44 Ȝif he seye þese wordes to þe : 'louerd cryst, þin ore! [folio 229] ffor loue of seint blase, þi sergeant, help [me] of þis [MS. his] sore!' " In worschipe of godes holy name, who-so him bid þis bone ffor loue of seint blase in good entente, he worþ i-herd wel sone.— Line 48 A pouere wif-man þer was also, þat bote on sowe hadde; a wolf awey to wode it ber. on seint blase loude ȝe gradde Þat he scholde of hire swyne helpe. seint blase low a-non. "Ne dred te noþing of þe wolf, þei he be an yuel swon! Line 52 "A-byd, mayster, ȝ com aȝeyn ȝ bring þis swyn a-now [orig. a-non, corr. to a-now al. nou] To þis pore wifman, þat haþ þerto betere ryȝt þan þou!" Þe wilde beste com aȝen ȝ þat swyn doun a [r. adoun] leyde Al harmles ate wydewe fot, as þe holy man him seyde. Line 56 ffor þer nas no wilde beste þat he nadde to his heste, ffor he hym [r. hem] held, as ȝe habbeþ i-herd, ȝ made wiþ hem gret feste.— Þo he at-fore þe iustise cam, "wel-come, blase," he seyde, "Þou louest oure godes ȝ art here frend; he willen þe wisse ȝ rede." Line 60 "heil be þou, iustise," seint blase seyde, "ȝ alle þat þe i-seþ! Ne clepe nat þes godes so fair a name, for pure deflen he beþ. ffor who þ^t euere [al. hi & hoso] on hem beleueþ, schullen into [al. in] helle pyne Ene ȝ. euere tormentud be, þe lord ȝ ek his hyne." Line 64 Þis iustise for wraþþe anon let hym strepe al nakud, [ȝ] wiþ harde skourges on hym legge; many wounde on him was makud. Euere he seyde, as men hym beet : "ȝe ne turneþ nat my þout; My louerd ihesu is al myn help, .I ne drede ȝou ryȝt nowth." Line 68 Þo he hym hadde longe i-bete þat he wery were,

he him deden in strong prison, to tormenten him þere. Þat wifman þat seint blase hadde þe swyn þe wolf be-nome, Þo þat he in prison was, ȝ þe tidinge to hire icome, Line 72 Ȝe slou þat swyn, ȝ bar to [al. om.] seint blase boþe heued ȝ feet To þe prison, wel [MS. wel wel] y-sode; ȝ þe godeman þar-of eth. "Wifman," he seyde, "for þe kyndenesse þou hast me her I-do, wexe ȝ eche þine bestes schulle, ȝ þin oþer þing also. Line 76 Ȝ euerich [man] her-afteward þat me haueþ in mynde ȝ honoureþ me wiþ any of his orf, al þulke beste kynde prouen it schal þe bet wiþ him, ȝ al þat him comeþ to;" Akne he bad to oure louerd crist þat it moste ben so.— Line 80 Atfore þe iustise an oþer day seint blase was i-brout. Þo he i-say þat he ne myȝtte aȝen god torne his þout, Mid ropes him hengen [al. hi h. him] on a tre. be-neþe þer stode I-nowe Tormentours wiþ oules kene, ȝ al his fless to-drowe; Line 84 as men wiþ combes wolle to-drauþ, his fless þer-wiþ he tere. Euere prechede þis holy man, as þei him noþing nere. Þo he hym ne myȝtten so ouer-come, to prison aȝen him bere— ffor his lymes him nolde bere, so he to-drawe were. Line 88 as me bar þe godeman, he stremede al o-blode. [folio 229b] seue wifmen þat cristene were, be-helde [þis] [om.] as þei stode : Þei ȝeden ȝ gadereden of þe blod, for it was holden relik, Þer-wiþ hem smere ȝ sum to wyte, to smere þerwiþ þe sike. Line 92 Þo þe luþere men þis i-seye, . faste he hem toke, ȝ bad hem honure here godes; .ȝ al þat he for-soke. Þei seyde : "ȝour godes vn-clene beþ, þerfore ȝe vs hem lene, ȝ bring hem to þe faire water, we schullen hem wassche clene, Line 96 ȝ we hem willeþ honure, als ȝe vs willeþ rede." Þis [iustise] was ryȝth glad; his godes to þe water he let lede. Þes wifmen nomen þese maumettes, wan þider ȝe [corr. to he?] were bi-swonke, ȝ casten hem into þe depe water; a-non þe schrewen sonken. Line 100 "Nou we biddeþ ȝou selue helpuþ, [al. Biddeþ hi seide hom sulue helpe] oþer ȝoure [al. hore] myȝtte is schronke. Why nelle he nat comen vp to helpe ȝou? Ich wene he beþ a-dronke." Þes wreches wiþ poles ȝ wiþ hokes here godes a-non soute; wiþ drery chere ȝ vnneþe he hem to londe broutthe. Þis Iustise was for wraþþe wod, loude he gradde ȝ chidde; Line 105 A wel strong fur he let þer make .ȝ caste þes wifmen amydde. welled led ȝe þrewen on hem, vnneþe it þoute hem warm; Þat fur be-gan to quenche a-non; non of hem nadde harm. Line 108 wel wroþ was þis Iustise þo, ȝ wel loude gradde; he hem let honge opon a tre, as he arst seint blase hadde.

wiþ oules he to-drowen here fless, as he be-neþe stode; Non oþer þan whyt mylk out of hem com, in stede of here blode. Line 112 Euere þe more men hem to-drowe, þe gladdere he were; "Sire Iustise, it is for nout, þus [r. þu] ne quellest vs nat to-ȝere. Ȝif þou vs wilt don oþer þing, bringge it sone to ende, Þat we mowe to Ihesu crist; we wilneþ þider wende." Line 116 Þis Iustise het þat me scholde here heuedes of smyte anon. Þese wyfman to-ward here martirdom glade gonne gon. Þat on wifman hadde tweye sones, þat cristene were also; he wepe for here moder deþ, he nuste neuere elles what do; Line 120 Þei hengen on hire, ȝ nolden hire fro nat o fote gon, Ȝe sworen ȝe wolden þan deþ a-fonge wiþ hire þer a-non. Gret doel hadde þe moder of hem, for ȝe of elde nere; Ȝe ne [MS. ne ne] myȝtte it for noþing se þat þei martired were, [al. 2 vv. more.] Line 124 he criede opon þe tormentoures þ^t he hem ne sscholde sle: ȝ he hem let here wey so ȝonge alyue gon aȝe, And nome ȝ smyten þe heuedes of þese wifmen alle seuene. Aungles þere soules alle ladde to þe blisse of heuene. Line 128 Þe children gret dol for here moder maden in alle wyse; Þo me nolde hem asle, he ronne to þe iustise, Ȝ seyde þat ȝe cristene were, ȝ þat his lawe nas nawth, Ȝ þat he scholde myd his godes to pyne of helle ben brouth. Line 132 Þe iustise let þes children nyme, þei ȝe ȝonge were; In depe prison ȝe weren i-cast, to tormenten hem þere. Wel glad were þes ȝunge, þo ȝe were y-nome, [folio 230] ffor he hopeden y-martired be, ȝ to heuene-blisse come. Line 136 Þo let þe Iustise anon after seint blase sende, Ȝ het him [MS. hem] honure here godes, ȝ his þout sone wende. "It is for naut," seint blase seyde, "þou ne schalt it nat make Þat ich wreche stones honure, ȝ Ihesu crist for-sake. Line 140 Do wiþ my body what þou wilt, of whom þou hast power; Of my soule ne hast þou [non], it nis nat in þi power." Þer was a water swyþe depe : þe iustise atte laste, ffor-to adranche þis holy man, amyddes he let him caste. Line 144 Signe of þe crois seint blase made : vp [MS. vp fro] þe water he ȝede dreye, Vp ȝ doun als vpe druye lond, ne myȝte þe water him nuye. "Wreche," he seyde, "her þou myȝt se wich is godes myȝth! Loke ȝif ȝoure godes so hardi be þat þei [al. Beþ ȝe so hardi vp ȝoure godes : þat ȝe] doren here a-lyȝth!" Line 148 ffifue ȝ sixti of proute hynen lupen into þe water a-non, Ȝ treste to meche to here godes, ȝ adreynten euerichon. Þo weren þo þat stode a-rowe, [al. þe oþere þe arwere] ech be oþer as þei stode,

Þer ne dorste non of hem to þem go for depe of þe flode. Line 152 Seint blase ȝede vp ȝ doun, ȝ an aungel to him com Ȝ seyde : "þou take þe blisse of heuene þoru þi martirdom!" Þis godeman þonkede ihesu crist, þ^t his aungel to him sende; Ȝ þo his [fon] [om. al. þe oþer] ne dorste comen hym ney, aȝen to londe he wende. he seyde : "nou ȝe ben agast forto comen to me, I come to ȝou in godes name, for I ȝou nelle fle." Þo schon his face as þe sonne, wiþ leme swiþe bryȝthe; Þer nas [non] þat for bryȝthnesse his face sen [MS. þ^t sen] myȝthe. Line 160 Þer were eyȝtte ȝ twenti men .ȝ sixti men also Þat leueden in god for þe miracle þat þere was I-do. I-nome he were wiþ þis gode man, to-fore þe iustise ben brouth. Þe iustise bad seint blase ȝ hem change here þout. Line 164 Þo he sey þei nolde it do, he het [MS. let] his men a-non to smyten of wiþoute þe toun here hefdes euerichon. Þes twey children in prison were; loude he gonne grede Þat me hem scholde to martyrdom wiþ seint blase lede, Line 168 Ȝ seyden : "wharto wilie [= wil ȝe] vs wyte, wreches, in þis hurne? ffor nawth it is þat ȝe weneþ oure þout fro gode turne." Me nomen þe children ȝ ladden hem forþ wiþ oþere to martirdom. Seint blase him sat doun akne, þo he þider com: Line 172 "Louerd ihesu, ȝif it is þi wille, ane bone bidde I. þe: Ȝif þat any man in his annuy habbe mynde of me, In cas of peryl oþer of yuel, oþer ȝif þer is I-schote Bon oþer stre, oþer oþur þing I-comen [al. into eny] in mannes þrote, Line 176 Ȝ he bidde myn help to þe, be daye oþer be nyȝtte, Graunte me þis bone, swete ihesu, for þin holy miȝtte. Ȝif any man assigneþ aut of his in þe honour of me, [folio 230b] Of corn, of orf, of oþer þing, Louerd, ich bidde þe Line 180 Þat al his þing mote [al. om.] þe betere preue, for þi swete myȝthe." Þer cam fram heuene a bryȝth myst ȝ an-oward him a-lyȝthe; Þer-inne oure louerd lyȝtte adoun, to þis holy man he seyde: "Blase, my leue frend, be glad, of deþ haue þou no drede! Line 184 Al þi bone i þe graunte þat þou hast beden here. heye þe nou, ȝ comeþ wiþ me, þou ȝ þine twey [al. triwe] fere!" he was so glad þat god wiþ him spak ȝ grauntede him his bone, "Doþ," seyde he to þe tormentores, "al þat ȝe habbeþ to done." Line 188 Þe tormentores smyten of his heued, .ȝ alle his feren also, Ȝ þe twey childre, þat glad were he myȝtten come þer-to. Sebast hyȝtte þat cite þer seint blase was i-bore, Ȝ þer his heued was of y-smyte—him schamede nat þerfore. Line 192

Line 192 Þe bone þat he hadde i-bede, cristenemen it vnderstode: In þe honurance of seint blase he parteden of here gode: Þe betere preuede al here [on the margin added oþer] god, .ȝ. ȝeth it doþ al-so, In þe stede wher his ymage is, . þei findeþ it wel y-do. Line 196 Ȝ who is in stable beleue, ȝ wille to sein blase crye, Ȝ ȝifue of his good in honur of hym, god nelle nat for him lye. God leue þat we parti mote of þe heye blisse Þere þat seint blase is Inne i-brout, þat we þer-offe ne mysse. amen