Sammlung altenglischer legenden, grösstentheils zum ersten male hrsg. von C. Horstmann.

AT Antioche, as men han sayde, [vgl. L. A.: Virgo quaedam fuit Antiochiae, cujus hystoriam Ambrosius in II libro de virgmibus recitat in haec verba (4 Zus., ebenso 10):] Dwellede sum tyme a mayde Þat was a wommon of god fame — Þe bok telleþ not hire name, But seint Ambrose, hose lust to lok, Line 5 In his secunde bok Þat he made of maydens clene, Þe storie of hire al bidene Telleþ vs on þis manere. Herkneþ now, and ȝe mowe here! Line 10 At Antioche in þat cuntre [An|tiochiae nuper virgo quaedam fuit, fugitans publici visus ostentationem.] Þer was a mayden feir and fre, Þat hire peyned wiþ al hire mihtes To holde hire out of comun sihtes; Fleo heo wolde and huide hire þen, Line 15 Þat heo neore not iseȝen of men. But þe more þat heo hire hud, [Sed quo magis vitabat oculos, incendebat affectus eo amplius impudicos.] Þe more men coueytud Hire feirnes forte se. Þer of hedde heo no deynte, [Puichritudo enim audita et non visa plus desideratur duobus stimulis cupiditatum: amoris et cognitionis, dum et nihil occurrit quod minus placeat, et plus putatur esse quod placeat; quod non index oculus explorat, sed animus amator exoptat (engl. führt freier aus).] Line 20 For feirnes iherd and not seyn Þe more disired is, certeyn, A mon is stured on þat wyse Wiþ twey kene prikkes of couetise: Þe ton is loue wiþoute doyng, Line 25 Þe toþur is knowyng of þat þing, Þat is: whon mon loueþ hotly And ne haþ not his purpos fully, And luytel plesed þauȝ þat beo he, Wel more plesaunce he weneþ þer be; Line 30 Þe eȝe ȝiueþ not þe juggement, Bote wel disireþ to parfourne his talent: So wilful loue weneþ he se Of whom he þenkeþ al þe beute, Al þouh þe eȝe seo hit nouht, Line 35 For þe knowyng þen is in þe þouht; In hope þerfore is heore lykyng Wiþ eȝe to seo þe same þing. Forte cese such hopyng, [Itaque sancta virgo, ne diutius alereturpotiendae spes cupiditatis, integritatem pudoris professa sic restrinxit improborum facies, ut jam non amaretur sed proderetur.] Þis mayden made auouwyng Line 40 Of chastete and clannes And þerto let hire self profes — Þat heo dude men to restreyne Þat hire louede al in veyne, For þei schulde loue hire no more, Line 45 But let hire passe as þing forlore. Nou gode men of deuocion [Ecce persecutio.] Mow here of persecucion.

Þis mayde þat coude not fleo away, [Puella, fugere nescia, aetate pavida ne incideret in insidiatores pudoris, animam ad virtutem paravit, tam religiosa ut mortem non timeret, tam pudica ut mortem ex|spectaret.] In drede liuede day by day Line 50 Leste heo hed fallen among hire fon Þat al wey spyed hire vppon; Heo greiþed hir wil of good clannes To vertuwes and parfytnes; Heo was so religious þat heo ne dredde Line 55 Ne deþ of mon wiþ knyf ne bedde, Heo was also þerto so clene Þat deþ heo bod, wiþouten wene, [Venit enim coronae dies, maxima omnium exspectatio; producitur puella duplex professa certamen, castitatis et religionis (70-1 Zus.).] Atte vche mon aboute al way. [Hier fehlt ein Vers im Ms., etwa: þo þat icomen was þe day.] . . . . . Þat heo schulde for deuocioun Line 60 Of martirdom take þe croun, Tofore hem þat hire loued had Heo was brouht and forþ ilad. Þen bihoued hire, certeyn, Stifly stonde in batayles tweyn: Line 65 Forte kepe wiþ charite Þe religiun, and þe chastite Þat heo hedde ymad a vow to [to statt þo?] Forte kepe euere mo. Heo was þrat forte beo ded, Line 70 But heo wolde do aftur sum red. And whon þei seȝen hire deuociun [Sed ubi viderunt con|stantiam professionis, metam (? der Dichter las metum) pudoris, paratam ad cruciatus, erubescentem ad adspectus, excogitare coeperunt quemadmodum spem castitatis, reli|gionem, tollerent, (ut, cum id abstulissent quod erat amplius, etiam id eriperent quod de|relinqueretur).] And constaunce of perfecciun, And þat heo was schomeful, and not bolde, Þat men hire schulde biholde, Line 75 And for drede to leose hire clannes Was redi wiþ al mekenes Forte suffre al þe wo Þat þei casten to don hire þo; For þei parceyued hire deuociun Line 80 Þat heo hedde, þat hire religiun Wolde kepe hire chastite And make men heore loue to fle: Þei caste alle wiþ felenye Line 85 Hou þat hope þei mihte distruye: [Aut sacrificare virginem aut lupanari prostitui jubetur. (Quomodo colunt Deos suos qui sic vindicant, aut quemadmodum ipsi vivunt qui ita judicant?)] Oþur to make hire do sacrefyse To false goddus on heor wyse, Oþur elles þei casten, as fendes fel, To puyten hire to þe bordel. [Haec puella (non quod de religione ambigeret, sed quod de pudore trepidaret,) ipsa secum inquit: "Quid agimus hodie? aut martir aut virgo, altera nobis invidetur corona.] Line 90 Whon þat heo vndurstod þis, To hire self heo seide iwis: "A lord God, what do we now? For þat i wole kepe my vow, To day martir moste i be, Line 95 Oþur kepe my maidenhod, parde. [Sed nec virginis nomen agnoscitur ubi virginitatis auctor negatur; nam quemadmo|dum virgo, si meretricem colas, quemadmodum virgo, si adulterum diligas, quemad|modum virgo, si amorem petas? (!)] I wot riht wel, þe to coroun I schal take wiþ deuocioun, Bote heo nis not worþi bere maidens name Þat forsakeþ þe lord of þat fame; Hou schulde heo beo mayden holde Line 100 Þat hordom herieþ wiþ herte bolde? Or hou schulde mayden bi holden heer To caste hire loue to avouter? Or hou schulde heo be mayden Þat disireþ loue of men? Line 105 Hit is more betur beo mayden of þouht [Tolerabilius est mentem virginem quam carnem habere; utrumque bonum, si liceat, et si non liceat saltem non homini castae sed Deo simus.] Þen of þe flesch þat serueþ of nouht. Boþe beo goode whose moote From erþly strengþe kepe hire cote; And, ȝif we mou not for such power Line 110 Kepe vr flesch clene her, To vr God þat is so good Kepe vs chast in þouht and mood —

For of þe wil he takeþ hede, Whon he schal quite a monnes mede. Line 115 Þe bible bereþ witnesse [Et Raab meretrix fuit, sed postquam domino credidit, salutem invenit;] Of a wommon of vnclennesse, Þat þat tyme was Raab iclept, But aftur þat heo for hir sunnes wept And in God hedde good bileue, Line 120 And God hele hire sone had ȝeue. And also þe byble witnesseþ hit: Þe noble wommon Judit, [et Judith se, ut adultero placeret, ornavit, quae tamen quia hoc religione, non amore, faciebat, nemo eam adulteram judicabat. (130 Zus.).] Forte plese an auouter, Made hire gay and liht of cher; Line 125 For heo dude þat not for loue Ne for no displesyng of God aboue, Þer wente no mon bi þe wey Þat heo avouteres was wolde sey". And þen heo seide: "beo my hode, Line 130 Nou ben þese ensaumples goode: [Bene successit exemplum, nam, si illa, quae se commisit religioni, et pudorem servavit et patriam, fortassis et nos servando religionem servabimus etiam castitatem;] For, ȝif Judit dude þat for religiun And wiþ good deuociun Kept hir clannes and hire cuntre, In hap hit may falle so by me: Line 135 Ȝif i kepe my religiun wel, I may me kepe chast eueridel. "Ȝit, heo seide, i seo more: [quodsi Judith pudicitiam religioni praeferre voluisset, perdita prima etiam pudicitiam perdidisset".] Ȝif Judit hedde iput bifore Clannes raþer þen religioun, Line 140 Par auntre heo hedde ifallen doun And lost cuntrei and clannes And al þe name of goodnes". Þe wordus in herte heo heold wel Þat crist seide in þe gospel: [Itaque talibus informata exemplis silenter animo tenens verba domini, quibus ait: "Quicunque perdiderit animam suam propter me, inveniet eam", flevit et tacuit, ne eam vel loquentem adulter audiret, nec pudoris elegit injuriam sed Christi recusavit.] Line 145 Who so leoseþ his lyf for me He schal hit fynde aȝein, parde. Whon heo þus hedde iþouht and seid, Wondurliche heo abreyd And wepte sore and heold hire pes, Line 150 Lest eny auouter hed herd hire res; Ne heo chese nouȝt of hire clannes Þe wrong, but refused wiþ mekenes Þe wrong don to Crist of miht, Þat lord is of alle riht. Line 155

SEint Ambrose bit us take nou hed [Ms. non.] [Aestimate utrum adulterare potuerit corpore quae nec voce adulteravit.] Of þis wommon maydenhed: Wheþer hir bodi miht do auoutrie, Ȝif hit weore constreyned be maistrie, Whos vois to lecherie nolde assent, Line 160 Þouh þe bodi schulde beo torent. Sum tyme mi resun aschomed was, [Jamdudum verecundabatur oratio mea et quasi adire gestorum seriem crimino|sam atque explanare formidat. Claudite aures, virgines Dei! ducitur puella Dei ad lupanar; sed aperite aures, virgines Dei! virgo prostitui potest, adulterari non potest; ubicunque dei virgo est, templum Dei est, nec lupanaria infamant castitatem, sed castitas etiam loci abolet infamiam (engl. bezieht loci falsch).] Ambrose seiþ, to here þis cas, Or of þe orible doing To schewe ouht in seying; Line 165 But alle ȝe Godus maidenes clene, Schutteþ ȝor eres al bidene! For þenne þis mayden — þat was del!— Lad heo was to þe bordel. Bot, þauh ȝor eȝen renne on teres, Line 170 Ȝit, maidenes, openeþ ȝor eres And vndurstondeþ: sikerli, A maiden wiþ strengþe may beo leȝe bi, But aȝeines hir wil such vilenye Schal beo told for non avoutrye; Line 175 For wher so euere Godus maiden is, Þer Godus temple is, iwis, Ne þe bordel place, parde,

Defameþ noþing chastite, But chaste place is of god name Line 180 And doþ awey al vuel fame. [Hier hat der engl. Text eine überflüssige Ueberschrift: Quedam virgo inuite in lupanari posita seruauit pudicitiam.]

NOu, ȝe maidens, alle and sum, [(Ingens petulantium concursus fit ad for|nicem). Discite martiris miracula sanctae virginis (!), discite locorum vocabula, clau|ditur intus columba, strepunt accipitres foris, certant singuli quis praedam primus invadat (190—3 Zus.).] Lerneþ þe miracles of martirdom, Lerneþ also wiþ liht faces Þe nomes of such maner places! Line 185 In hous is schut a coluere meke, Þe sparhaukes wiþouten heor preies seke, Vche wiþ oþur striueþ, par fey, Whuch schal furst take þat prey.— [Ms. wey st. prey.] Þus Ambrose seiþ beo þat maiden Line 190 And bi þulke lecherous men Þat lykyng of hire wolden haue had, Aftur to bordel þat heo was lad.— But whon heo was comen in to þat hous, [At illa manibus ad coelum levatis quasi ad domum ora|tionis venisset, non ad libidinis deversorium (engl. anders):] A heef vp hire hondes glorious, [A = heo.] Line 195 As to an hous of good preyere Heo hedde icomen, masse to here— Heo heold hit non hous of lecherie, But raþur a feir diuersorie,— And þenne heo seide wiþ mylde mood: Line 200 "Crist, þat art boþe mon and God, ["Christe, inquit, domuisti virgini (! engl. las virgis) feros leones: potes domare etiam hominum feras mentes; Chaldaeis roravit (!) ignis, Judaeis sese unda suspendit misericordia tua, non natura sua, Susanna ad supplicium genua flexit et de adulteris triumphavit, aruit dextra quae templi tui dona violabat:] Þat hast ichasted lyouns feer Wiþ ȝerdes in eorþe heer, Þou maiȝt chaste at þi willyng Þe woode þouȝtes of men liuing, Line 205 To þe Caldeyes þe fuir aȝein rauht, And to þe Jewes þi merci was hauht, Whon þe watur drouh bihynde, Huld vp also not of his owne kynde; Susanne at hire torment Line 210 kneled to þe wiþ good entent And of hem hed heo maistrie Þat wolde ha wrouht wiþ hire auoutrie; Þe riht hond also, sikerlye, Of him weorned and wox al drie Line 215 Þat hedde defouled wiþ vnþriftes Of þi temple þe feire ȝiftus: [Ms. þi feire.] Nou þat same temple þat is þyne [nunc templum ipsum attrectatur tuum, ne patiaris incestum sacrilegii, qui non passus es furtum (220 erkl. Zus.)! benedicatur et nomen tuum, ut quae ad adulterium virgo veni virgo discedam".] Þei ben aboute to foule and tyne: Þat is my bodi, I vndurstonde. Line 220 Lord, þou take me in to þyn honde, Ne suffre no mon, mest ne leste, Of sacrilege to do inceste Wiþ me, as þou art al weldyng And hast not suffred stelyng! Line 225 Nou, lord, iblessed beo þi nome, And euer more kep me from schome, Þat I to auoutrie am icome, [Das Relat. ist ausgelassen nach J.] Mayde mowe passe hol and sume!" Vnneþe heo hedde an ende ymad [Vix compleverat orationem et ecce miles specie terribilis i1rupit — quemadmodum virgo tremuit, (cui populus tremens cessit)!] Line 230 Of þat preyere þat heo bad, Þer com in to hire wiþ good spede A mon arrayȝed as kniht in wede, A muche mon and a grim. Þis maiden, whon heo lokud on him, Line 235 Heo was aferd sumwhat þon To ben al one wiþ such a mon. Þen com þat lessun to hire mende [Sed illa non immemor lectionis, "Et Daniel, in|quit, supplicium Susannae spectaturus advenerat et quam populus damnaverat unus absolvit: potest et in hoc lupi habitu ovis latere; habet et Christus milites suos, qui etiam legiones habet;] Of Susanne, þat wommon hende, And þenne heo seide softly sum del: Line 240 "Þe innocent child Daniel Com to abyde þe passiun Of Susanne wiþ discreciun,

And, þauh þe peple hire dampned had, He alone wiþ vois ful sad Line 245 Asoiled hire fro þat dampnyng And demed þe juges to dyȝing. Hit may bifalle, heo seide, parde, Þat vndur wolues cloþing a schep þer be. Vr lord Crist haþ his knihtes Line 250 And also legiouns of gret mihtes." And to hir self ȝit heo gon say: "A smiter ȝif þer beo to day, [aut fortasse percussor intravit: ne verearis, anima! et tales solent martires facere".] Me to sle, nou icomen in, Wiþ eny strengþe or elles gin, Line 255 Wiþ staf or ston oþur elles swerd, Mi goode soule, beo not aferd! For suche men for Godus sake Ben wont martires for to make!" Þe feiþ of þis mayden [O virgo, fides tua te salvam fecit (262—3 Zus.)] Line 260 Saued hire from wikked men— As I schal nouþe ȝou tel, Ȝif ȝe wole herken me wel. Þen þe kniht "suster", he seid, [Cui miles: "Quaeso ne paveas, soror! huc veni salvare animam, non per|dere(!); serva me, ut ipsa serveris!] "Beo not aferd ne abreid! Line 265 As a broþur I am come, Mi soule to saue atte day of dome. Kep þou me, and i schal þe, I preye þe for charite! I com hider as avouter: [quasi adulter ingressus, si vis, martir egrediar. Vestimenta mutemus, conveniunt mea tibi et tua mihi, sed utraque Christo; tua vestis me verum militem faciet et mea te virginem;] Line 270 Ȝif þou wolt, i schal go out marter. Chaunge we nou vre cloþing, For hit wole beo wel semyng Þat þi cloþing beo don on me, And also myne vppon þe; Line 275 For, soþ to seye, þis is my list Þat boþe two we seruen Crist. Þi cloþing schal make me verrey kniht, And my cloþing þe maiden briht. Þou schalt be cloþud swiþe wel, [bene tu vestieris, ego melius exuar ut me persecutor agnoscat.] Line 280 But i moste beo spoyled eueridel, Þat he þat pursuweþ so harde þe Mowe riht wel knowe me. [Sume habitum qui abscondat feminam, trade qui consecret martirem! indue chlamydem quae occultet membra virginis et servet pudorem, sume pileum qui tegat crines, abscondat ora: solent erubescere qui lupanar intraverunt.] Tac þou nou my cloþing on Þat wel wol huyde a wommon, Line 285 And tak me þyne anon riht her: Þei mowe me halewe a marter. Do on my mantel þat is so syde, A maidenes membres þat wol hyde; Set myn hat vppon þyn hed, Line 290 To huide þin her and eke þi sched, Hit wole also schadewe þi faas, Whon þou schalt go forþ þi paas: Aschomed, forsoþe, woned þei ben Þat in to bordel entren. Line 295 Wayte wel, whon þou art gon oute, [Sane cum egressa fueris, ne respicias retro, memor uxoris Loth, quae naturam suam, quia impudicos licet castis oculis adspexit, amisit (304—5 Zus.); nec vereare(!), ne quid pereat sacrificio (310—2 Zus.).] Loke not aȝein, for no doute: Of Lothus wyf loke þou haue mynde, Hou þat heo lost hire ownekynde, For heo loked hire bihynde Line 300 On hem þat to God weoren vnkynde; Al þouh hir oune eȝen weren clene, Þat heo biheold, wiþouten wene, Was vnclene — þerfore þat place Distruyȝed was þorwh Godus grace. Line 305 To no mon loke þou verreyed beo Who þat þou art, whom euer þou seo, For hit mihte falle on þat wyse Sumwhat to perissche of vr sacrefyse"— Þat forsoþe to hire seide he Line 310 Þat he for hire wolde martired be; Þerfore to hire he seide: "þou trist, [Ego pro te hostiam Deo meo reddam, tu pro me militem Christo, habens bonam militiam castitatis quae stipendiis militat sempiternis, loricam justitiae quae spirituali munimine corpus in|duat, scutum fidei quo vulnus repellas, galeam salutis.] For þe i schal me offre to Crist.

And loke þerfore boþe day and niht Þat for me þou beo good kniht Line 315 To Crist, þat wiþ good chiualri Clannes þou kepe and beo holi For þat ilke same huyre Þat wiþouten ende schal duyre. Þe habergoun of rihtwysnes Line 320 Loke þou haue wiþ meknes— Ȝif þat hit þi bodi close, Þou schalt not flecche from þi purpose, [Ms. þat st. þou.] But specialiche of þi bodi Hit wol beo keper from vileny. Line 325 Loke þou haue þe scheld of feiþ, For, as þe holy bok seiþ, Sinful woundes þou schalt wiþstonde, And þou hit take wel forþ on honde. Þe helm of helþe also þou take, Line 330 Þat wol þe saue from eueri wrake. Þer vre defence is, iwis, [Ibi enim est praesidium nostrae salutis ubi est Christus, quoniam mulieris caput est vir, virginum Christus".] Þer Jhesu Crist him seluen is: A wommones hed is ay mon, But maidenes hed is Crist al on". [Et inter hae verba chlamyden exuit, suspectus tamen adhuc habitus et per|secutoris et adulteri.] Line 335 Among þeos wordus þis ilke kniht Dude of his mantel in hire siht, But neuerþeles in her eiȝe þer Sumwhat semed of auouter And eke of an enemy, Line 340 Þe cloþing suspecte was, pardi. Hire hed þauh adoun heo bent, [Virgo cervicem, chlamydem coepit miles offerre.] And þe kniht wiþ good entent Wiþ bliþe cher and hiȝing fast His mantel on hire hedde icast. Line 345 Wondur couplyng in such a place [Quae pompa illa, quae gratia, cum in lupanari de martirio certarent. Addantur personae miles et virgo, hae dissimiles inter se natura — sed Dei misericordia consimiles, (ut compleatur oraculum: tunc lupi et agni simul pascentur:) ecce agna et lupus non solum simul pascentur sed etiam immolantur.] Þer was bitwene bost and grace, Whon þei in hous of hordom Striuen so faste of martirdom.

NOu to gedere beo þer tweyn, Line 350 A maiden and a kniht, certeyn; Vnlicchi þouh þei ben of kuynde, Lichchi inouh in þouht and mynde; Nou ben ifed to geder wiþ honour A wolf, a lomb in o pastour, Line 355 And nouȝt onliche to gedere so, Bote to God offred boþe two. Whon heo hed chaunged hire cloþing, [(Quid plura?) Mutato habitu evo|lat puella de laqueo: jam non suis alis, utpote quae spiritualibus ferebatur — et, quod nulla unquam viderunt saecula, egreditur de lupanari virgo Christi.] Forþ heo wente wiþ gret hiȝing, Out of þat hous, as brid fro gren, Line 360 Heo fleih awei and scaped þen: Þorwh Godus grace heo was bore Wiþ spirituel whinges, and nouȝt ilore, And þat was neuer seiȝen but þat day: A maiden from bordel plas gon away; Line 365 But heo was Cristes maiden iwis Þat kepte hire and alle his. Þe rauinoures þat hire abiden [At illi qui videbant oculis et non videbant corde (engl. anders) (ceu raptores ad agnam lupi fremuere ad praedam).] Ne seȝen hire nout; þen in þei slyden, For þei wenden swiþe wel Line 370 Þe maiden ha founden in þe bordel. On entrede faste wiþ gret heiȝe, [Unus, qui erat immodestior, introivit; sed ubi hausit oculis rei textum, "Quid hoc, inquit, est? puella ingressa est, sed vir videtur. Ecce non fabulosum illud: cerva pro virgine, sed quod verum est: miles ex virgine.] Þe moste schrewe of þe cumpaignie. Whon he sauh þer þe kniht sittyng In a maydens cloþing, Line 375 "A ha", he seide, "what is þis gyn? A mayden, forsoþe, wente her in, But now, forsoþe, as i seo con,

Ȝonde sitteþ a verrei mon. Nou is seo soþ as men han sayde: Line 380 Lo heer an herte for a maide, Hit is soþ, as to my siht: Of a mayden we haue a kniht. I haue ofte herd men seye a clatur [At etiam audieram, et non credideram, quod aquas Christus in vina convertit; jam mutare coepit sexum.] Þat in to wyn Crist torned þe watur, Line 385 And nou he leueþ not beohynde For to chaunge monnes kynde. Go we heonne, for ȝit we ben [Recedamus hinc, dum adhuc quod fuimus sumus; numquid et ipse mutatus sum qui aliud cerno quam credo?] As we weren-hit is wel sen. Wheþer i beo chaunged, nou i meue, Line 390 On forte seo, anoþur to leeue? Whon i com to þe bordel sted, [Ad lupanar veni: cerno vadimonium: et tamen dum mutatur(!), egrediar: pudicus exibo qui adulter in|travi. Iudicio rei, quia debebatur tanto corona victori, damnatus est pro virgine qui pro virgine comprehensus est (der engl. Dichter macht auch den Anderen zum Mär|tirer, vgl. 399).] Þer me þinkeþ i seo a wed For þat þing þat was ido, And i my self am chaunged also: Line 395 Out of þis hous chast schal i go, Þat as avouter com in wel þro".

HIt bifel aftur, certeyn, For Godus loue þat mon was slayn. And riht also was þe kniht. Line 400 But þat was a wondur siht [Ita de lupanari non solum virgines sed etiam martires exierunt.] Þat out of þe bordel schulde take þe wey A mayden clene and martires twey. Hit is told þat, whon þis kniht [Fertur puella ad locum supplicii cucurrisse, certasse ambos de nece (408-12 nicht im lat.).] Touward his juwyse was idiht, Line 405 Þe maiden to þat place ron And wiþ him þus striue bigon: "Wenestou, heo seide, þat þou for me Schalt take þe juwyse and ded be, And i so schulde leose my mede Line 410 Þat i schulde haue for martirhede?" Þen þe kniht seide: "certeyn, [Cum ille diceret: "Ego sum jussus occidi, te absolvit sententia, quon|iam me tenuit", at illa clamavit: "Non ego te vadem mortis elegi, sed praesidem pudoris optavi; si pudor quaeritur, manet sexus: si sanguis exponitur, fidejussorem non desi|dero! unde dissolvam habeo, in me lata est sententia quae pro me lata est.] I am sent hider to beo slayn; Þe sentence, mayden, asoyleþ þe, Whon þat hit passeþ on me". Line 415 Þen heo cried and seide: "nay, nay, I ches þe not my wed to lay For my deþ, but i þe ches To beo pris of my clannes; For þauh my clanhed beo isouht, Line 420 Ȝit my kuynde chaungeþ nouht; Ȝif þat men asken my blood, I nul hit not borewen, beo þe rod! For i haue þis ilke day Wher of my self forte pay. Line 425 In me þis sentence is ȝiue, For me hit is þat i not liue. [Certe si pecuniae te fidejussorem dedissem et, absente me, judex tuum censum foeneratori adjudicasset, eadem me sententia convinceres meo patrimonio solvere tuos nexus; si recusarem, quis me indignam morte censeret? quanto major est capitis hujus censura?] Herken hou i schal hit schawe Bi good proces of þe lawe: Ȝif þou heddest for mypreyere Line 430 Mi borwh bicomen for money here And aftur þat for myn absence Þe juge hedde ȝiuen such a sentense Þat þou to him schuldust make þe pay Of whom i borwed þe monay, Line 435 Þe same sentence condempne schuld me To paye to þe þat ilke mone Of myn oune heritage, Ȝif þat i were of ful age; Ȝif i refused þat to pay, Line 440 Who is þat, þat nolde say Þat I nere worþi to beo dede Þat so vnkuyndely quit þi mede? Nou þou maiȝt seo þe same skile In þis doyng, ȝif þat þou wile. Line 445

Line 445 Nou wol I wiþ good entent [Moriar innocens ne moriar nocens; nihil medium est hodie: aut rea ero san|guinis tui aut martir mei.] Raþur dye an innocent Þen liuen a while and lete þe dye And leose so innocencie; To day for me schal go no mene — Line 450 And þat, forsoþe, þou schalt wel sene: Oþur i schal beo gulti of þi blood Oþur martir beo wiþ mylde mood. Ȝif I beo sone comen aȝein hom, [Si cito redii, quis me audeat excludere? si moram feci, quis me audeat absolvere?] Who is so hardi holde me þer from? Line 455 And ȝif þat I haue dwelled to longe, Me to asoyle ho dar vndurfonge? I haue agulted more to þe lauh, [plus legibus debeo, rea non solum fugae meae sed etiam caedis alienae.] For out of prisun þat i flauh, And I am gulti, þow wost, also Line 460 Of þe to þur monnes deþ þerto Þat in to prisun tok þe way And þerfore was slayen þat day. I þe telle wiþ open breþ: Mi membres suffisen to þe deþ, [Sufficiunt membra morti quae non sufficiebant inju|riae; est in virgine vulneri locus qui non erat contumeliae: ego opprobrium declinavi, non martirium; tibi cessi vestem, non professionem mutavi.] Line 465 Þe whuche, forsoþe, nouȝt gon longe, Weore not sufficient to þe wronge. A maiden haþ on hire bodi Place, woundes on to suffri, To whom, leeue wel! hit is non ese Line 470 Ne no good, mon forte disese. Sclaundre þauh þat i fled in þouht, To ȝelde vp martirdom to þe þouȝt i nouht: Þauh I my cloþing leide adoun, I chaunged not my professioun. Line 475 Tofore me to deþ ȝif þou woldest go, [Quodsi mihi praeripis mortem, non redemisti me sed circumvenisti.] Þou hast not bouȝt me from wo, And i may sei in herte þen sone: Þou hast me gyled and vndurgone. Be war, be war, I preye nou þe, [Cave quaeso, ne con|tendas, cave ne contradicere audeas! noli eripere beneficium quod dedisti, (dum mihi hanc sententiam negas, illam restituis superiorem: sententia enim sententia su|periore mutatur, si posterior me non tenet, superior sententia tenet).] Line 480 Aȝeinsei me not, strif not wiþ me! Þat þou me ȝaf, þe benefice, To take hit me fro, be not so nice! We schul make good al vr biheste, [Possumus utrique satisfacere sententiae(!), si me prius patiaris occidi; in te habent aliam quam exerceant poenam, (in virgine obnoxius pudor est).] To god, wiþouten eny cheste, Line 485 Ȝif þou me soffre now in certeyn Furst ar þou forte beo sleyn; Anoþur peyne vppon þe Þei han icast to do, parde. Þe more joyful þou shalt beo, [Itaque gloriosior eris, si videaris de adultera martirem fecisse, quam de martire adulteram reddidisse."] Line 490 Of avouteres ȝif þat þou seo A martir þat þou hast maad, And þou þer aftur þe more sad, Þen þat þou furst a martir were And lafte me aftur to avoutere". Line 495 Whon þat þei þus hed striuen, [(Quid exspectatis?) duo contenderunt et vicerunt: nec divisa est corona sed addita.] As þe dom was iȝiuen Boþe forsoþe weoren do to dede — God þerfore haþ quit heore mede. Þe biginnyng of þis martirdom [Ita|que sancti martires invicem sibi beneficia conferentes, altera principium martirio, dedit alter effectum.] Line 500 Furst of þat mayden com, But þe kniht þe effecte folfuld, For þat he was furst iculd; But, as God wolde for þe nones, Þei toke heor coroune boþe at ones. Line 505