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

                                
                                  Þis holie man stod and bi-heold : þene deuel he made out wiende;
                                
                                  hire riȝte wit heo hadde a-non : euer-eft to hire liues ende.
                                
                                  Welle, glad was hire fader þo : and elles it were with wouȝ.
                                
                                  he liet fette forth riche cloþus : and gold and seluer inouȝ,
                                  Line 108 
                                
                                  And liet chargi Camailes þare-with : and with riche ȝimstones al-so,
                                
                                  to presenti with þis holie man : þat swuch dede hadde i-do.
                                
                                  Ake þare nas non þat miȝte him finde : þo huy comen with al þis pruyte—
                                
                                  Þare-bi he miȝten onder-stonde : þat he þar-of tolde luyte.
                                  Line 112 
                                
                                  And þo no man ne miȝte him finde : hit of-þouȝte sore þe kyngue.
                                
                                  Ake nathþeles þis holie man : ne for-ȝat him of none þingue.
                                
                                  A niȝt ase he lai in his bed : and on him faste þouȝte,
                                  Line 115 
                                
                                  Þis holie man stod him bi-fore : he nuste ho him þudere brouȝte;
                                
                                  "Sire king," he seide, "ȝwat was þe : to siende me swuch pruyte?
                                
                                  Þov ne paidest me riȝt nouȝt þare-with : for ich tolde þar-of luyte;
                                
                                  Ake þat tresor þat ich of telle : þat is heouene riche,
                                
                                  Þat ne roustez ne a-peirez nouȝt : ake euere worthþ i-liche.
                                  Line 120 
                                
                                  And forto techen eov of godes lawe : hidere ich am i-come,
                                
                                  And makie eov leten eouwer false godes : and lieuen on godes sone; [v. 121-2 al. om.] 
                                
                                  For-to techen eov þulke lawe : hidere ich am i-brouȝt,
                                
                                  And maken eov leten ouwer false godes : þat ne mouwen eov helpe nouȝt.
                                  Line 124 
                                
                                  And ȝif þou nelt nouȝt of þusse þingue : i-lieue þat hit soth beo,
                                
                                  Cum with me to ouwer false god : and þov schalt þe soþe i-seo."
                                
                                  Þe king wende þo forth with him : to hore false god a-non.
                                
                                  heore luþere preostes huy founden þere : bi-fore him mani on
                                  Line 128 
                                
                                  And duden to him heore sacrefise : ase huy weren i-woned to done.
                                
                                  Þe deuel þat wit-inne him was : wel loude he gradde sone,
                                
                                  And seide, "ȝe wrechches, leteth a-non : and ne Anourieth me riȝt nouȝt,
                                
                                  laste ȝe beon in swuch torment : ase ich am inne, i-brouȝt!
                                  Line 132 
                                
                                  For Iesu cristes Aungeles : þat þe giwes to deþe brouȝte,
                                
                                  here beoth faste a-boute me : and bringueth me al-to nouȝte;
                                  Line 134 
                                
                                  with brenninde raketeiȝes : huy habbeth me faste i-bounde,
                                
                                  Þoruȝ power of heore heiȝe louerd : þat þe giwes ȝeuen deþes wounde [folio 159] 
                                
                                  And he þare-aftur þane þridde day : so weilawei þe stounde,

About this Item

Title: The early South-English legendary ; or, Lives of saints. I. Ms. Laud, 108, in the Bodleian library. Edited by Carl Horstmann.
Canvas: Page 370
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society by N. Trübner & co.,; 1887.
Subject terms: Christian saints

Technical Details

Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/aha2708.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/aha2708.0001.001/418:3

Rights and Permissions

The University of Michigan Library provides access to these materials for educational and research purposes. These materials are in the public domain. If you have questions about the collection, please contact [email protected]. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact [email protected].

DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States

IIIF

Manifest: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/api/manifest/cme:aha2708.0001.001

Cite this Item

Full citation: "The early South-English legendary ; or, Lives of saints. I. Ms. Laud, 108, in the Bodleian library. Edited by Carl Horstmann." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/aha2708.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 20, 2025.

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

Annotations Tools

Actions

About this Item

Technical Details

Rights and Permissions

Related Links

IIIF

Cite this Item