LEGENDS OF SAINTS IN MS. LAUD 108.
10 Sancta crux [This legend, which is counted as 10th in the MS. 1s preceded by (1) a poem on the Life and Passion of Christ (wanting the beginning and end), ed. by me under the title of 'Leben Iesu, ein Fragment,' Münster, Regensberg, 1873, and (2) by a poem on the Infancy of Christ, ed. in 'Altengl. Legenden,' Paderborn, 1875, pp. 1-61. Eight pieces, therefore, are lost before the legend of the Holy Rood.]
ÞE holie rode i-founde was : ase ich eov nouþe may telle. [folio 23]
Costantyn þe Aumperour : muche heþene folk gan a-quelle,
For huy ore louerd iesu crist : to strongue deþe brouȝte,
And alle þe heþene men þat neiȝ him were : sone he dude to nouȝte.
Eleyne, þat was is moder : to Ierusalem he sende
to sechen after þe holie rode : and heo gladliche forth i-wende.
Þo heo cam þudere, heo liet crie : ase heo hire red hadde i-nome,
Þat alle þe giwes of þe cite : bifore hire scholden come.
Line 8
Þo þe giwes i-somoned were : huy hadden grete fere;
gret conseil huy nomen þare-of : ȝwat þe enchesoun were.
Þo seide on, þat hiet Iudas : "Ich wene þat ich wot
Ȝwat þis somunce a-mounti schal : ȝif þat ich ou telle mot.
Line 12
Ich wene þat þe quene enqueri wole : ase heo hadde i-þouȝt,
Aftur þe rode þat Iesu crist : to deþe was on i-brouȝt.
Þat non of eov ne beo so wod : þat þare-of a-knowe beo!
In conseil ich eov telle wole : þat mi fader tolde me.
Line 16
Þo mi fader symeon : in is deþe vuele lay,
In conseile he was to me a-knowe : þo he þene dez on him i-saiȝ:
" 'Iudas,' he seide, 'leoue sone : ȝif hit bi-tidez so
Þat men enquerieth aftur þe rode : þat Iesus was on ido,
Line 20
Loke þat þov beo a-knowe þare-of : are men þe aquelle!
Þat Zachee, mi fader, tolde : in conseile ich þe telle;
A luyte bifore is deþe he seide me : þat he was atþe dede
to burie þe rode op-on Caluarie hulle : ase huy nomen heom to rede.
