"Nim," he seide, "þeosne Man : wel faste in alle wise
And win of him þat tresor : and make him don sacrefise,
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Oþur bring him in swuch torment : þat oþure of him a-grise."
Þe Iustise nam þene holie Man : and liet him binde faste,
And bi-tok him Ypolite, þe knyȝt : In strong prisone to caste.
he brouȝte [him] in strong prisoun : and bi-lek him faste al-so,
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with þeoues and with luþere Men : þat hadden þe Aumperoure mis-do.—
On heþene man þare was Inne : lucille was is name,
Þat hadde þare-inne so muche i-wope : for seoruwe and for schame,
Þat he weop out boþe is eiȝene : and al blynd was bi-come.
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Seint laurence hadde reuþe : þat is siȝt him was bi-nome :
"bi-lief," he seide, "on Iesu crist : þat for us schedde is blod,
And afong cristinedom : ant þov schalt habbe þi siȝt wel guod."
"Ich bi-lieue," þis oþur seide : "on him with al mi þouȝt,
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And for-sake alle þeos false godes : þat ne mowen me helpe nouȝt."
¶ Seint laurence baptizede him : and a-non-riȝt with þe dede
his siȝt him cam wel cler and guod. : þo bi-gan he a-non to grede :
"I-hered beo swete Iesu crist : þat here hath i·cud is miȝte
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And þoruȝ is seriaunt, seint laurence : me hath i-sent mi siȝte!
For ase ȝe wuten euerechone : mi siȝt me was bi-nome,
And þoruȝ Iesu crist and seint laurence : it is me aȝein i-come."
Þis tyþingue sprong sone wide : so þat oþore i-nowe
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Þat wide a-boute blinde weren : þuder-ward faste huy drowe.
¶ Þo Ypolite þis i-saiȝ : þat ore louerd hadde swuch miȝte
Þat alle þe blinde þat þudere comen : anon hadden heore siȝte,
[folio 148] "Merci!" he criede, "seint laurence" : and to Iesu [MS. Iusu.] crist him nam,
And he, and al is maynie : nomen cristine-dom.
Valerian þare-after-ward sone : ase it cam in is þouȝte,
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Sende to ypolite þe knyȝt : þat he seint laurence him brouȝte.
"Nov, laurence," quath ypolite : "forth ich mot þe lede."
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"Ȝe, go we forth," seide laurence : "ne schal us no-þing drede :
Þe Ioye of heouene is al-ȝare : to us boþe in alle wise."
Þo ladde ypolit laurence forth : bi-fore þe luþere Iustise.
Valerian þe Iustise : bi-heold laurence faste,
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