LOrd god in trinite,

þou boutyst man on rode dere:

þou send hem grace, wel to the,

þat lystyn me w^t mylde chere,

For þ^e loue of Mary fre

þat helpyth vs w^t here preȝere!*. [Ms. praeȝere.]

Ȝyf þat ȝe wyllyn herkyn to me,

A gret solace ȝe may here:

Of hym þat is most of vertu

A fayir tale I wyl ȝou telle,

Ryth of þ^e chyldhod of Jhesu,

Ȝyf þat ȝe wyllyn a stounde duelle.

Qwan Jhesu wa^s of Mary born —

Blyssyd mote þat tyme be! —

Thre kynges komyn hym beforn

And dedyn hym homage & feute.

Heroudes w^t enuye had suorn

Þat Jhesu ded xuld be.

Mary wold not here chyld were lorn:

Out of þat lond she gan fle,

Out of þat lond w^t myth & mayn,*. [Ms. out of þ^t w^t myth lond; lond ist nach þat umzustellen.]

Fro kyth þer men here ne knewe;

She bad a man þat he xuld sayn

þat she kom þer qwan þat he sewe.

Forth went Mary w^t Jhesu,

And Jochep folwyd on a rowe;

Þ^e iewys folwyd after anone,*. [Ms. anon, so öfter; der Strich über n kann hier nur e bezeichnen sollen, wie in don, gon 520 u. ö., fon 258, hom 380 (home 435), mon 506, non 584, son 621, euerychon 260; wol auch in pleyn 359 und dronkyn 100, takyn 545; in anoū 101. 254. 378 u. ö. ist u st. n verschrieben, wie öfter; in anō bezeichnet der Strich n.]

& þan þat corn men shar & mowe.

& þan forþer our lady gan gon

Be vnkout weyis þat she ne knewe:

She sey lyonys, lebbardes, many on,

& þan began here sorwyn newe.

Mary seyd: "þis bestes xullyn vs slon.

Alas, þ^e day waxit so dym!"

Jhesu blyssyd þ^o bestes Ichon:

More & lesse he loutyd to hym.*. [he plur., wie 86. 87 u ö.; he (hee) ist neben þei (they) gleich häufig gebraucht.]

For merthe of lebbardes þat she sey

Mary blyssyd here sone anone,

She dred no best in þ^e wey,

She seyde: here kar was al gon.

Forþermore, I ȝou say,

Our lady went be cuntres wylde.

Barabas wonyd in þat way, Page  102

He was a thef in wode & felde;*. [Ms. athef, a ist meist mit d. Sbst. verschmolzen.]

He askyd our lady be here lay:

"Qwat beryst þou?" she seyd: "a chylde".

Jhesu preyd, þer he lay.

Dysmas preyd hys fader to ben mylde.*. [Ms. h̛ = hys, wie 60. 124. 355. 568; 9 ist sonst Abbrev. für us, doch kommt ausgeschrieben nur hys vor wie 121. 128. 152. 163. 314. 358.]

Barabas seyd: "þat may not be.

Sekerly, w^toutyn nay,

Ȝe xul be robbyd alle III,

Or þat ȝe pace þis Iche way".

He tok Mary al in hey,

He held here stylle be þ^e lappe.

Þan gan Dysmas for to cry:

"My leue fader, let hem schappe!

Me were leuer for to dey

Þan here mystyd euyl happe".

Hys fader let hem gon sekerly,

Þ^e sone hys handes gyn to clappe.

Þan seyd suete Mary:

"My leue sone, qwyt hym þis!"

"Moder, w^t me he xal dey

And kome w^t me in to my blys".

Forþermore our lady went,

Toward Egypt she tok þ^e gate.

Here for to restyn she had talent:

Hete of þ^e sunne mad here to suate.

Joshep in armys he her hent,

For wel he vnderstod here state,

He tok here doun w^t good entent

Of þ^e asse þat she on sate,

Vnder a tre, þat was ful hey,

W^t fayre flourys he made here sete.

Mary seyde: he were ful sly

þat of þis freyt now myth gete.

Qwan Mary had mad here mone,

Hyre sone wyst al here wyl,

Of þ^e froyt wol good wone

He here ȝaf, & þat was scylle:

Jhesu spak to þ^e tre þanne:

"þou loute adoun my moder tyl,

Tyl she & Josep boþ^e han tanne*. [Ms. tane = tane, taken.]

Of þ^e frut ryth al here wyl".

Onto here fot þ^e tre gan folde,

Tyl he hadde takyn þat hem tyth.

Qwan he takyn hadde þat he wolde,

As it was it stod vp ryth.

And þan seyd our suete lady:

"Certes, me thrystyt wonder sore".

"Certes", seyt Josep, "so do I,

And our asse ȝet mekyl more.

Al þis lond it is so dry,

For lak of water is al my kare".

Jhesu spak to þ^e tre on hey

And bad it wyssyn water þare.

Of þ^e tre þer gan spryng

Wellys fele & water at wyl,

Wyn & water it gan fort bryng.

Þerof he dronkyne al here fyl.

Mary blyssyd here sone anone

& thankyd hym þat was so fre.

Jhesu seyd to þ^e tre son:

"In paradys þou xalt be".

In to paradys it was browt

To Elyȝe & Ennok hys fere.

Jhesu, þat al þi^s werd hat wrout,*. [werd = world.]

þat tyme was old but o ȝere.

W^t an old man þei gun mete,

And of þ^e weyȝe askyd resoun.

He seyd: "to Egypt ȝe ha ȝete

XXX dayis jurne to þ^e toun".*. [Ms. Jurue.]

Þan gan Mary to wepe,

For werynesse she sat doun.

"Moder", qwaþ Jhesu, "wylt þou lete?

Lo here þ^e wallys of þ^e toun!"

It is so fayir a rych cete.

Lo how short he made here way.

"Sone", she seyd, "blyssyd þou be,

As lord þat al mythtes may!" Page  103

Qwan Jhesu & hy^s moder fre

In to Egypt weryn browt,

Freudes was lord of þat cete.

Alle hys goddes of gold were wrout;

Þ^e puple fro fer þeder gun te,

Þ^o maumentes for goddes þei sout.

Qwyl Jhesu duellyd in þat kuntre,

Alle hys goddes felle to nowt.

SO it befel vpon a day*. [Vgl. Version b, 149 ff.]

A lytyl beforn þ^e none:

Chyldryn of þ^e cete madyn a play,*. [Der Text ist fehlerhaft, der Tod des Judas ist nicht motivirt; die Worte 139-140 waren im Orig. wohl die Worte Jesu.]

As he were wone to done.

Jhesu here play gan to say,

And here play was endyd sone:

Judas seyd wellaway,

He made a karful mone.

Anone Judas gan to deyȝe,

A lytyl fote myth he not go.

Judas seyd: "þou xalt abyȝe,

Jhesu, for þou dedyst soo".

Chyldre in to þ^e toun ranne

For dred of Judas sake,

Onto sere Lyne, here aldermanne,

Pleynt on Jhesu for to make,

He seyd: Judas ded was þan

For þ^e pleȝyng be þ^e lake.

Alle þ^e Juwys Jhesu gun ban,

On hym þei thout to take warke.*. [Ms. warke = wrake, vgl. sporng 620 st. sprong.]

Alle þ^e Juwys tokyn hem to rede

Qwat det Jhesu xuld endure;

Summe seyde he xuld be stonyd*. [Das Reimwort fehlt, der Schreiber hat das nördl. dede st. dethe eliminirt.]

For hys fals lythyr kure.

Mary & Josep were ful woo

For Jhesu þat was hem dere;

Qwan þ^e Juwys thoutyn hym to slo,

Þan chaungyd al here chere.

To þ^e water Mary gan go:

"Leue sone, qwat dost þou here?"

"Moder, I make dammys II,

To stoppyn water here, myth þou lere".

She seyde: "sone, me lyst not play,

In toune I herde sueche a kry:

But Judas ryse & go hys way,

þou xald deyȝe w^t gret enuy".

"Moder", he seyde, "I do þi wylle,

Judas xal I makyn hol here.

And ȝet hym xal lykynt ful ylle*. [lykynt = lykyn it, wie tellyt 169. 169-172 ge|hören, wie die Reime zeigen, ans Ende der Strophe, sie sind vom Schreiber versetzt.]*. [hym st. ȝou? s. Vers. b, 187.]

þat he of lyue now ne were:

Moder, for soþ^e I tellyt þ^e,

Þis tretour is ful of fellonyȝe,

Onto þ^e Juwys he xal selle me,*. [Ms. stets on to.]

Among my fomen for to deyȝe".

Jhesu ȝede þat body tylle

And tok hym vp be þ^e ere:

"Judas, qwy lyst þou so stylle?

My moder wold þat þou rese were".

Sere Lyne & þ^e maystrys alle

And sere Kayfas, þat was here fere,

On Mary & Josep gun to kalle

And seydyn to hem on þis manere:

"We han thout þat ȝe xal alle

For ȝoure sone þat wyl not lere

Euer in kare & wo to walle—

Betre ȝou were to lyn on bere.

Ȝyf he wold lere, ȝet myth he the,

And wysely to wysdam drawe,

On lytyl tyme he myth be

Prince & kepere of our lawe".

To þ^e scole þei hym ledde.

Cayfas kam hym aȝen,

A bok beforn hym he spredde

& bad he xuld leryn w^t wen,

He bad hym seyn A. b. c.,

For be mowt he wold hym teche. Page  104

"Now", qwaþ Jhesu, "I may wel se

þat þou art wrot & egre of speche.*. [wrot st. wroth.]

Now qwy is a beforn þ^e .b?

Tel me now, I þ^e beseche!

And ellys I xal telle þ^e,

Wreth þ^e not to werke wretche!"

Cayfas þan w^t wordes Ille

Seyd to Jhesu anone ryth:

"Jhesu, þou hast a wonder welle,

I rede þou lere w^t al þin myth;

And but þou wylt holde þ^e stylle,

To hard betyng þou xalt be dyth".

Jhesu seyde: "it were no scylle,

I kam not hyder for to fyth".

"Ȝet", qwaþ Jhesu," of myn askynge

þou me ȝeuyst non answere.

I am ful eld, þow I be ȝyng,

Þerfore I kan þ^e ryth wel lere.

W^t þ^e I sey w^toutyn lecyng:*. [lecyng st. lesyng.]

A is letter w^toutyn pere,

A is III & but o thyng,

III partys he hat knyth in fere.*. [knyth st. knit, wie wyth st. wit 252.]

But a begynnyt þ^e letterrure,

For a is lyk to þ^e trinite:

III partys he hat of o mesure,

And alle III a may wel be.

I wyl þ^e lere, ȝyf þou wylt dure:

A is lyk to þ^e deyte:

Þ^e deyte is, þou myth be sure,

III personys & on in mageste,

Euermore hereafter he xullyn endure

Indepartable alle III.

Now myth þou lere, tak god kure,

A is most of dygnyte".

Cayfas seyd in þat stonde:

"Qwat art þou, letterure for to lere?

Be Moyses lawe we han fou(n)de*. [Vern.: nis not st. we han]

þis clergye þat þou seyst here.

þou seyst in Ilke a grounde

þat þou art eld & ȝyng in fere;

þⁱ sawys sotly be not sounde,

Þerfore þou art to me not dere.

Spek no more, I þ^e say,

But ȝyf þ^e holy to þⁱ lore:*. [statt þi hat Vern. my.]

And þou myth ben al wey

Ryth fully wys for euermore.

And wol ȝong þat wyt is kore,

It is medlyd w^t folye,

And þat me greuyt suythe sore,

It katchys me to felonye.

Of Moyses our lawys we hadde,

And oþer lawys þou wylt vs teche?

Of þⁱ sawe, sone, I am sadde

Of þ^e trinite to make þⁱ speche;

þou greuyst me, I am not glad,

To me þou art a leþer leche:

þou spekyst of god a^s a chyld mad

Wel ferþer þan þⁱ wyth wyl retche".

Jhesu aȝen to hym gan spelle

And wold wetyn of hym anone

Ȝyf he koude ony thyng telle

Of þ^e prophetes þat weryn gon,

þat seydyn Cryst xuld deyȝe

Here in erthe among his fone

And þ^e lawe he xuld felle:—

"þis aute ȝe knowyn euerry-chone.

Cryst is lyth of god almyth,

And of þ^e lyth he is kore.

Isay spak aryth:

þat of a mayde he xuld be bore—

þou myth wel wetyn þat it is ryth,

For to by þat is forlore. Page  105

God is fader, & Cryst is lyth,

Þ^e sone is gotyn wythoutyn ore:

For as þ^e sunne ȝeuyt hys lem,

Ȝyf he w^t cloudes be not let,

So komyt Crist of a sunne-bem

In to erthe, balis to bet;

Ȝyf þou take wel good ȝem

How þ^e sunne-bem is set:

Vndepartyd is þe strem

Of Crist þ^e sonne w^towtyn let.

Now tak here-to good entent:

Þ^e fader lyth in þe sonne xal be,

Þ^e faderes lyth may not be blent,

Al is o lyth in deyte.

Þan ben hee prouyd be argument

Þ^e fader & þ^e sone o lyth ben hee,

Þ^e holygost w^t hem present,

For þat fulfillyt þ^e trinite.

For þ^e trinite, I þ^e seyȝe,

A is letter of alle chyf,

Þerfore a is al weyȝe

Iput beforn. þat is god pref.*. [Ms. god is st. is god.]

Þ^e trinyte xullyn he seyn w^t eye

Alle þ^o men þat ben hym lef;

Þan is man a blysful pere*. [pere ist falsches Reimwort, Vern. liest preiȝe.]

Þat to þ^e trinyte is lef.

Of þ^e trinyte I haue told in heye".*. [Dieser Vers ist unnützer Zusatz.]

Þan seyde þ^e maystrys of þ^e lawe:

Of deuelles þat he had clergyȝe:*. [Ms. deuell [gap: 1] mit dem Zeichen der Abbrev. für er st. es, ys, wie 384 bei hylles (Ms. hyller).]

"A maydyn w^toutyn ony awe

Shuld beryn þ^e kyng of glorie.

Wel we wetyn þat it is knawe:

Old Josep weddyd Marye—

Oþer record kun we non drawe;

He is not Crist be prophessye".

Jhesu spak w^t mylde chere

Onto þ^e Jewys þat gun cry:

"Faryt fayre, frendes dere!

Ȝe fare foule thoru folye.

But o thyng xul ȝet ȝe here,

As seyt þ^e prophete Isaye:

She xal be weddyd, þat hat no pere,

Þ^e myld moder of messy.

Isay seyd a noþer thyng:

Cryst in þ^e lawe xuld be bore—

And þat xuld ben in weddyng,

And ellys Cristes lawe is lore.

Þ^e prophetes spekyn of hys komyng

At Jesse began þ^e more,

For Crist hath no begynnyng,

Al-þow he be man kore,

Thoru myth of heuene kyng.*. [Dieser Vers ist unnützer Zu|satz, wie 293.]

Josep virga floruit fatu Isaye,

Coniux, lex v^t monuit, mater fit messye".*. [319-20) im Ms. in rother Schrift.]

Cayfas & oþer Jewys mo

Of ȝyng Jhesu he haddyn maruayl

How þat he was kome to*. [vor to fehlt hem?]

W^t clergye hym for to asayl;

Of hem had Jhesu many foo,

For here wyt wol sone gan fayl.*. [wol = wel, wie 241. 470.]

Many of hem awey gan go,

Qwan here clergye wold not avayl.*. [193-328) hier gehen die 2 Versionen ganz auseinander, vgl. b, 211-265. Der ganze Abschnitt 193-328 findet sich als eigenes selbständiges Gedicht in Ms. Vernon fol. 300 wieder (gedruckt in d. "Altengl. Legenden", Paderborn 1875, p. 212ff.), wo der zwölfjährige Jesus diese Disputation im Tempel zu Jerusalem mit den "maystres of the lawe" hält, nicht mit Cayphas. Der Dichter der Kindh. Jesu scheint diesen ganzen Theil entlehnt und in sein Gedicht eingefügt zu haben, wie er auch die Strophenform beibehalten hat. Ms. Vernon bietet den besseren Text.]

XII sparwys Jhesu mad þanne

& bad hem flyȝin qwere hem thout.

Alle þ^e Juwys gun hym banne,

For her halyday he halwyd nowt;

Hee banned hym alle þanne,

Beforn þ^e maystrys wa^s he brout.

Alle þei gun Jhesu to banne,

He seydyn: of hem he rout nowt.

Hee kallyn hym þan a qwent syre,

Hee seydyn: he wold dystriyn here lay.

Jhesu seyd: "I tok non heyre,

I made hem not but on my play.

Al-þow I do an oþer kure,

It helpyt ȝou not to seyn nay.

I wel not duellyn, be ȝe sure,

I wel wend & go my way!"*. [329-344) vgl. wieder b, 265-276. Der Text ist verdorben, wie die Wiederholung 331. 333. 335 zeigt.]

AFterward on an oþer day

Euery chyld to oþer gan telle:

"Wend we fort w^t good aray

Onto þ^e water, our pottys to fylle!"

Alle hee lokyddyn, I ȝou say,*. [Ms. lokȳddyn. —]

Qwych of hem was most snelle;

Hee ȝedyn fort in here way,

Ful lytyl qwyle gun þei duelle.

Jhesu fyrst þ^e water hent.

Arka dede Jhesu wrong:

Hys pot to-brak, þ^e water out went.

Jhesu seyde: "suych xalt þou fong".

Þan Jhesu hol hys pot gan make,

Ant to hys frend he seyd anon:

"Wyl we pleyne be þ^e lake?

On þ^e sunne-bem xul our pottes gon".

On þ^e sune-bem þei hem honge:

Crystes heng stylle, here gan don falle,

Alle þei brokyn, he were not stronge.

And Archa weppe sore w^t alle.

"Archa", qwaþ Jhesu, þou were to blame.

Qwy madyst þou my water to shede?

Now hast þou an oþer shame

And after þⁱ gylt þou hast þⁱ mede".

Josep seyde al in þat throwe:

"Jhesu is lord of gret poste,

Wel aut we hys myth to knowe

For þ^e meraclys þat we se

Fro day to day for vs to shewe.

"My pot þat was brokyn on III,

It wold ben hol, & þou wold leue:

Now help, Jhesu, þat art so fre!"

"Josep", qwaþ Jhesu, "for þi sake

Þ^e pottes xullyn ben hole anone".

Gret Joye þ^e chyldryn gun to make,

Synggande to toune he wentyn home.*. [345-380) vgl. b, 325-360; beide Texte weichen von hier ab bedeutend und zuletzt ganz ab.]

Sythen vpon an oþer day

Jhesu w^t chyldere gan to mete.

He seyde: "wyl we go play

Vpon þ^e hylles for to lepe?"

Hee wentyn fort al in hey,

Jhesu & hys felas alle.

Summe thoutyn hym to enuy

W^t herte bytter as ony galle.

Jhesu lep for þ^e maystry,*. [Ms. Jhesu for þe maystry lep; lep ist hinter Jhesu umzustellen.]

And oþer lepyn & hard gun falle,

þat legges & armys sekyrly

And neckes brokyn, þei myth not kalle.

But Josep & an oþer, hys fere,

Sowyn of Jhesu gret meruayl

And seydyn þat þei myth lere:

Jhesu to vyon wold not avayl:

"Jhesu is lord w^toutyn pere,

Noman it geynyt hym to sayl,

He dot hys wyl boþ^e fer & nere

At hys lykyng w^toutyn fayl".

Jhesu seyde: "hens wel I wende

And to my moder wyl I gon

And letyn hem lygyn in þ^e ende,

For now þei arn dede Ichon:

To lytyl wyt he haddyn in mende,

For avyȝen me þei done(?).

Go hom, Josep, my moder frende!

Her owyn dedys ha hem slon".

Jhesu went aforn alone,

Josep kom after w^t hys fere.

Þ^e Jewys komyn after sone anon,

For to sekyn here chyldryn þere,

Hee askyd Josep euerry-chon

Of here chyldryn, qwere þei were.

And Josep seyde: "dede as a ston

Hee lyn in feld, & I am here".

Þ^e Jewys madyn a foul cry,

Hee seydyn: "alas, how may þat be?"

Josep seyde: "sykerly,

Hee deyid throu here nyste:

They wold lepyn & enuy

Suete Jhesu þat is so fre, Page  107

Þerfore dede ben they,

Gamyt hem non oþer gle".

Jewys seydyn on þis manere —

And euer þei seydyn alas —:

"How scapydyst þou & þⁱ fere?"

Josep seyde: "our wyl it nas

For to make Jhesu our pere:

We wyst wel, our mayster he wa^s;

Þerfore we ben here,

Þ^e toþere ly dede vp þ^e gras".*. [Ms. lydede st. ly(n) dede.]

"Alas", seyde þ^e Jewys Ichone,

"An hard hap here is befalle!

We wylyn alle wendyn home

And for our chylder hys moder kalle".

Hee ȝedyn to here ryth anone

And on here madyn a lody cry,

Hee seydyn: here chylder euerry-chon

Jhesu had slawyn throu felony;

"Þerfore þou xalt, or it be nyth,

And old Josep, þat syttyt þ^e by,

Ben to-brent in fyr bryth,

And Jhesu in ȝour kompany!"

Mary seyde: "w^toutyn duellyng

I xal wend, my sone to seche.

For hem ne make ȝe no wepyng,

For, ȝyf he wyl, he may hem leche —

He kan do more wonder thyng

Þan to helyn hem w^t hys speche:

So is hys myth, þou he be ȝyng.

It fallyt not ȝou to take wreche".

Mary fort þan gan she go,

She sey qwere here sone gan pley,

And þer kom ryth anone

Josep to hym in þ^e wey.

Mary seyde: "sone, be our fon

We be dempt for to dey.

My leue sone, þ^e chyldryn Ichon

þou ȝyf hem lyf, I þ^e preyȝe!"

Jhesu seyde anon ryth:

"Moder, þⁱ wyl xal be do".

He bad Josep anon aplyth

Onto þ^e tounys ende go,*. [Ms. toun̛.]

"Byd hem komyn hom be my myth,

Reny(n)g as faste as ony roo,*. [Ms. renyg — 487 — 530 vgl. b, 361—396 (ganz abweichend).]

þat my moder may sen aplyth

þat I am frend aȝen my foo".

Josep þ^e chylder gan to kalle:

Wol suethe hee komyn rennyng.

Here frendes boþ^e in boure & halle

For hem here handes gun wryng:—

A gret joy þer was befalle

Qwan hee sowyn hem leuyng.

Þ^e chylder kome w^t þat in hast

Beforn þ^e grete of þ^e cete;

Of hem hee gun to queryn fast:

"How were dede & leuyn ȝe?"

Hee toldyn anon of þat meruayl,

How Jhesu myth done al hy^s wyl:

"We greuyd hym — it wold not vayl,

Þerfore we fellyn dede ston-styl;

And now we ben w^toutyn fayl

Kome to lyue w^toutyn Il.

Gaynyt not hym to asayle,

For, ȝyf ȝe done, he wyl ȝou spyl".

Of here chylder hee weryn in drede:*. [381—487) vgl. b, 277—324 (bis auf die ersten Verse ganz abweichend).]

In an ouene hee letyn hem do

And madyn a man hem to fede,

þat noman xuld komy(n) hem to,*. [Ms. komy st. komyn.]

And ȝouyn hym ful gret mede

þat hee xuld not komyn hem fro.

And þan kam Jhesu as . . . . .*. [nach as sind etwa 5—6 Buchstaben zerstört, vielleicht I rede.]

W^t hym þer kam no moo,

Jhesu seyde: "felawe myn,

Qwat is þat þou kepyst þare?"

Þ^e man seyde: it were swyn.

"Swyn" qwaþ Jhesu, "motyn hee benȝare"!

& as swyn he grontyn & grone

And alle hee weryn swyn in fere.

Þ^e man made þan wepyng mone

And went to here frendes dere,

He seyde how Jhesu kom alone

& mad hem swyn thour hys powere.

"Alas", he seydyn, "qwat xul we don?

Oure chylder mone ben no-qwere". Page  108

Hee wentyn to þ^e ouene anon:

Swyn þerin gun gruntyn grylle.

Þ^e Jewys gun to seyn anone:

"Þis meruayl vs lykyt Ille.

Prey we help of Marye,

þat our chylder nowt spylle:

Jhesu grantyt sekyrly*. [Ms. grantyd st. grantyt.]

Hys moder preyere at hyr wylle".

Hee told Mary an hap wa^s falle,

And preydyn here of help Ichon,

"And namely for our chyldryn alle,

For wel we wetyn: Jhesu wyl done

Þⁱ wyl boþ^e in boure & halle".

Sone she grantyd w^t hem to gone,

Onto here sone for hem to kalle.

For hem she preyid sone anone

Onto here sone a myld bone.

He grantyd here wyl ful sone:

Þ^e chylder of wo weryn vnbounde.

He thankyd Mary þat had it done

For help þat hee in here founde;

Hee preyidyn here w^t carful mone

þat here chylder myth go sounde.

Jhesu grantyd hem anone.*. [Ms. hem.—531—575 vgl. b, 397—408.—575—630 vgl. b, 545—628.]

A Rych man was in þat cete

þat to Jhesu had envye,

Josep fader, Braudyn hyth he.

Ouer hys sone he made maystrye,

He seyd: "my sone, þou were me dere,

Now þou dost aȝen my wylle

To ben w^t Jhesu, of hym to lere —

þou were wel betre to ben stylle.

For hys loue þou xalt be kept

In a tour of lym & ston,

Hys loue þou xalt abyin, Josep,

Ne geynyt þ^e no betre won.

To þ^e xal noman komyn ne lep,

þer myth þou cry & kalle alon,

þat noman of þ^e xal takyne kep

Ne for onys for to heryn þⁱ bon.

I suere be god Adonay:

Lyth þer þou xalt non haue;

Lud þou þou cry wellaway,

Non helpe geynyt þ^e to craue.

Jhesu, þat hath þ^e þus shent,

Out of presoun xal þ^e not bryng

Be no maner of sharment

þat he kan of rede & syng".

Josep seyde anon ryth:

"Fader, þou myth done þⁱ wyl.

Jhesu is ful of mekyl myth,

He wyl not suffre me to spyl".

Josep left in þat prisoun,

Þ^e dorys weryn lokyn faste.

þer lay Josep al alon,

To hym kam Jhesu ryth in haste.

"Josep, felaw", qwaþ Jhesu,

"For my loue þou lyst here,

þou xalt se more of my vertu,

For so I wyl, my leue fere".

Jhesu fond a lytyl bore

And bad Josep hys fynger take:

Heyl & sond as he was core

He kam out w^toutyn wrake.

Euer w^t Jhesu he wold be,

Nothyng myth hym lette;

Euer was Jhesu hym so fre,

For hys felaw he hym fette.

Þan seyd Jhesu to Marye:

"Off diuers craftes I wyl say,

Of craft þat is of gret maystrye,

I xal done alle men to pay".

Onto a lyster hee komyn sone,

W^t hym komenant for to make:*. [Ms. komenaut.]

Hee weryn acordyd ryth anone,

Þ^e dyere was glad for Jhesu sake.

Jhesu dede hys maystrys wylle,

A better seruant he had neuer none,

For neuer he let thyng spylle,

Al was wel þat he gan don. Page  109

So it befel, as I ȝow say:

Hys mayster had preyere

For to dynyn on a day,

He and hys wyf in fere.

Clothys hadde þei, for soþ^e to say,

To dyȝyn boþ^e fayre & clere —

Fyner cloth to mannys pay

Was non in þat mestere.

And qwan he went, he bad Jhesu

Þ^e clothys fynly dye,

Scharlet, morre, grene & blu,

"Iche cloth after þat I seye".

Jhesu anone a fyr gan make,

And went hym fort for to plye.*. [Ms. plye st. pleye.]

Hys mayster saw hym be þ^e lake,

Jhesu & oþer chyldryn tweye.

Þ^e wyf seyd: "ȝonder hys our wrake,*. [hys=is mit unorgan. h.]

I se hem w^t myn eye,*. [hem st. hym.]

He hat not done þat þou bode hym make.

Ryth it is þat he abye".

Jhesu hem seþ & hom hym dyth:

And alle þ^e clothys were qwyte,

And þ^e fyr brynnyng bryth.

þat mayster began to flyte.

Jhesu toke þ^e clothys Ichon

And in to þ^e led he hem kast.

Þe mayster seyd: "I am vndone!

þou xalt abyin in hast".

A brond he tok vp w^t hys hond,

Jhesu for to smyte,

To throwyn þ^e brond wold he not wond:

Of Jhesu it faylyd lyte.

Þ^e brond bar lef & blosomyd anon

And sporng, þer it gan falle.*. [Ms. sporng st. sprong.]

Þ^e mayster it sey & dred hym sone,

Mercy to hym gan he kalle.

And euerry cloth had hys hu,

Ryth as it xuld haue,

Scarlet, morre, grene & bleu,

No betere myth men kraue.

Jhesu forȝaf hym, I ȝow say,

And fro hym he gan wende.

Carpenterys craft he wol say,

Þerto he gan lende.

Jhesu was boþ^e strong & durable

W^t an ex for to hewe:

At euery werk he was ful stable,

To techyn men to ben trewe.

Þ^e mayster-wryth forsoþ^e þan

Had a gret werk on honde,

For he was most crafty man

Þat was in al þat londe.

To Jhesu he tok a wol fayr tre

And bad hym hewyn faste,

& taute hym qwere it xuld be

Be leyd at þ^e laste.

Jhesu it hew in gret rapyng

To short be IIII fote.*. [fote st. fete.]

Þ^e mayster made gret sorwyng,

For þ^e tre was long & grete,

To Jhesu he seyd ful ȝare

"þou hast don ful Ille —

We a(ute) han gret kare —*. [das 2. Wort ist zerstört, nur a ist sichtbar, zu lesen scheint alle oder aute.]

Þis fayr tre to spylle;

For it is þ^e fayryst tre

þat euer kom in myn hond.

Alas, he seyde, gret kare is me,

For sorwe I may not stond".

Þan qwaþ Jhesu: "let me se,

And o thyng wyl I fond:

Ȝyf it myth lenger be

Throu myth of my hond.

Draw, qwaþ Jhesu, at þ^e toþer hende,*. [hende mit unorg. h.]

For at þis ende I wyl drawe!"

"þou scornyst, me thyngkyt, leue frende,

Of þat þou seyst in þⁱ sawe".

"Set on þin hond", qwaþ Jhesu,

"And drawe on god spede!" Page  110

"þat were a werk of lytyl prow"

Þ^e wryth seyde, "at nede".

"þou art not wys, qwaþ Jhesu,

But þou do now my wylle".

Þ^e carpenter seyde: "qwych Idel dede

I wyl letyn be stylle".

"Þan wylt not þ^e maystrie wynne"

Qwaþ Cryst, "of carpentrye?"

Þ^e mayster seyde: "þou myth begynne,

I wyl þ^e not avyȝe".

Jhesu seyde: "I wyl asay,

Or þat I hens wende".

Þ^e mayster seyde: "þis iche day

It komyt to non ende".

Jhesu drow for he was strong,

Þat many men myth se,

He drow it IIII fote long,

Ryth as it xuld be.

Þ^e mayster seyde: "it were wrong,

Maystyr but þou be;

Mythty þou art, & myld among,

Þⁱ pere is nowt", qwaþ he.

Jhesu went þat same day

Fro hym, as I ȝou telle,

No more craftes wold he asay,

No lenger wold he duelle.

He went fort in hys way,

Þ^e lawe to fulfylle.*. [631—692) vgl. b, 730—753 (ganz abweichend).]

Cryst vs chylde, þat best may,*. [chylde st. shilde.]

Fro þ^e peyne of helle!