haue nouþe guod day, mi leoue fader : aȝen ich mot a-non."
"Ore louerd it wolde," þis monek seide : "þat ich miȝte with þe gon!
bide for me, ȝif it is þi wille : and al-so for holi churche,
And for alle cristine men : þat heo moten cristes wille wurche."
Marie blessede eft þat watur : al druye heo wende a-boue—
Mani fair Miracle ore louerd schewez : for cristine mannes loue!
Line 276
Þane nynþe day of Aueril : þis Miracle was i-do,
Þat Marie and frere Zosime : with wop departeden a-to.
Þis Monek bi-heold after hire : and þo he ne saiȝ hire nonmore,
A-ȝein he wente to is Abbeie : wepinde swiþe sore.
Line 280
Sorest him rev þat he nuste : ȝwat hire name was,
And þat he nadde i-axed hire— : ofte he seide alas.
¶ Longue him þouȝte are þulke ȝer : were icome to ende.
Anon so leinte was icome : a-ȝein he gan i-wende. [folio 121]
Line 284
Þat watur he passede of flum Iordan : into wildernesse wel wide
he ȝeode, þat he ful weri was : for he nadde ȝwaron to ride.
Ne miȝte he nouȝwere þis womman i-seo : a-watere ne a-londe;
he nolde stunte are þat he cam : þare ase he furst hire founde.
Line 288
Ake þo þat he ne fond hire nouȝt þare : he gan to weopen sore,
For he nuste ȝwoderward gon : hire for-to sechen more.
Ase he lokede est-ward : him þouȝte þat he i-seiȝ
Line 291
Ase þei it a briȝt sonne were [MS. it were] : In þe heir houi an heiȝ.
Þuder-ward he ȝeode in grete Ioye : for him þouȝte þar-of wonder.
Þo fond he þis womman ligge ded : In one diche þare-onder,
hire heued i-torned estward. : þe Monek bi-gan to weope sore,
At hire fet he feol a-doun : for he ne miȝte stonde more.
Line 296
SO sore he weop þat he wusch hire fet : with teres of is eie.
And euere houede þis clere lijȝt : ouer hire faire and heiȝe.
Þis Monek nuste ȝwat he miȝte do : with þat holi bodi þere,
And mest him for-þouȝte þat he nuste : ȝwat hire name were.
Line 300
bi-side hire he saiȝ ligge a writ : and he it nam up on is hond.
Þeos wordes, þat ich ou wolle nouþe telle : þaron i-write he fond :
"Frere Zosime, bure þat bodi : of þis wrechche wommane Marie,
And prey to god þat he hire for-ȝiue : hire sunnes and hire folie,
Line 304
Þat deide anon-riȝt after hire hosel : þe nynþe dai after Aueril;
And ȝeld to eorþe þat to hire bi-falle : and þanne heo hath hire wil."
