Scottish alliterative poems in riming stanzas. Edited with introd., appendix, notes, and glossary. [n.p.]Scottish Text Society, 1897.

A.

I.

ÞER was in Babiloine a barne, in þat borw riche, Þat was a Jeuȝ gentel, and Joachim he hiht; He was so lele in his lawe, þer lyued non hym liche, Of alle riches þat renk arayed was riht. His innes and his orchardes were with a deope diche, Line 5 Halles and herbagages, heiȝ vpon hiht; To seche þorw þat citee þer nas non siche, Of erbes and of erberi so auenauntly idiht, Þat day, Wiþinne þe sercle of sees, Line 10 Of erberi and alees, Of alle maner of trees, Soþely to say.

II.

He hed a wyf hiht Susan, was sotil and sage; Heo was Elches douȝter, eldest and eyre, Line 15 Loueliche and lilie whit, out of þat lynage, Of alle fason of fode fresscheliche and feyre. Þei lerned hyr lettrure of þat langage, Þe maundement of Moyses þei marked to þat may, To þe mount of Synay þat went in message, Line 20 Þat þe Trinite bitoke of tables a payre To rede. Þus þei lerne hire þe lawe, Cleer clergi to knawe; To God stod hir gret awe, Line 25 Þat wlonkest in wede.

III.

He hed an orchard newe, þat neiȝed wel nere, Þere Jewes with Joachim priuely gon playe; For he rial and riche of rentes euer þere, Honest and auenaunt, and honorable aye. Line 30 I-wis, þer haunted til his hous, hende, ȝe may here, Two domes of þat lawe, þat dred were þat day, Preostes and presidens preised als peere, Of whom vr souereyn lord sawes gan say, And tolde Line 35 How heore wikkednesse comes Of þe wrongwis domes Þat þei haue ȝyue to gomes, Þis juges of olde.

IV.

Þus þis dredful demers on dayes þider drewe, Line 40 Al for gentrise and joye of þat Jewesse; To go in his gardeyn, þat gayliche grewe, To fonge floures and fruit þouht þei no fresse; And whon þei seiȝ Susan, semeliche of hewe, Þei were so set vpon hir, miht þei not sese. Line 45 Þei wolde enchaunte þat child; hou schul heo eschwe? And þus þise churles vnchaste in chaumbur hire chese, Wiþ chere. Wiþ two maydenes al an, Semeliche Susan, Line 50 On daies in þe merian, Of murthes wolde here.

V.

Whon þeos parlous prestes perceyued hir play, Þo þouht þe wrecches to biwile þat worli in wone; Heore wittes wel weiwordes þei wrechen a-wai, Line 55 And turned fro his teching, þat teelde is in trone. For siht of heore souerayn, soþli to say, Heore hore hedes fro heuen þei hid vpon one; Þei cauht for heore couetise þe cursyng of Kai, For rihtwis jugement recordet þei none, Line 60 Þei two. Eueri day by day In þe pomeri þei play, Whiles þei miht Susan assay, To worchen hire wo. Line 65

Line 65

VI.

In þe seson of somere, with Sibell and Jone, Heo greyþed hir til hir gardyn, þat growed so grene, Þer lyndes and lorers were lent vpon lone, Þe sauyne and sipres, selcouþe to sene, Þe palme and þe poplere, þe perie, þe plone, Line 70 Þe junipere ientel, joyned bitwene; Þe rose ragged on ris, richest on rone, I-þeuwed with þe þorn trinaunt to sene, So tiht. Þere were papeiayes prest, Line 75 Nihtgales vpon nest, Bliþest bryddes of þe best, In blossomes so briht.

VII.

Þe briddes in blossomes þei beeren wel loude, On olyues and on amylliers and al kynde of trees; Line 80 Þe papeiayes perken and pruynen for proude, On peren and pynappel þei ioyken in pees; On croppes of canel keneliche þei croude, On grapes þe goldfinche þei gladen and glees; Þer schene briddes in schawe schewen heore schroude, Line 85 On firres and figers þei fongen heore seetes, In ffay. Þere were growyng so grene Þe date wiþ þe damasene; Turtils trouned on trene Line 90 By sixti I say.

VIII.

Þe fige and þe filbert were fode med so fayre, Þe cherie and þe chesteyn, þat chosen is of hewe, Apples and almaundes, þat honest aren of ayre, Grapes and garnettes gayliche þei grewe; Line 95 Þe costardes comeliche in coypes þei cayre, Þe britouns, þe blaunderers, braunches þei bewe, Fele floures and fruit, fresliche of flayre, With wardouns wynliche and walsenotes newe, Þei waled. Line 100 Ouer heore hedes gan hynge Þe wince and þe wederlynge; Spices speden to springe, In erberes enhaled.

IX.

Þe chyue and þe chollet, þe chibolle þe cheue, Line 105 Þe chouwet, þe cheuerol, þat schaggen out niht; Þe persel, þe passenep, poretes to preue, Þe pyon, þe peere, wel proudliche ipiht; Þe lilye, þe louache, launsyng with leue, Þe sauge, þe solsecle, so semeliche to siht; Line 110 Columbyne and charuwe clottes þei creue, With ruwe and rubarbe, ragget ariht, No lees. Daysye and ditoyne, Ysope and aueroyne, Line 115 Peletre and plauntoyne, Proudest in pres.

X.

Als þis schaply þing ȝede in hire ȝarde, Þat was hire hosbondes and hire, þat holden were hende, "Nou folk ben faren from vs, þar vs not be ferde; Line 120 After myn oynement warliche ȝe wende. Aspieþ nou specialy þe ȝates bene sperde, For we wol wassche vs I-wis bi þis welle strende." For-þi þe wyf werp of hire wedes vnwerde, Vndur a lorere ful lowe þat ladi gan lende, Line 125 So sone. By a wynliche welle Susan cast of hir kelle; Bote fele ferlys hire bifelle Bi mydday or none. Line 130

Line 130

XI.

Nou were þis domesmen derf drawen in derne, Whiles þei seo þat ladi was laft al hire one; For to heilse þat (hende) þei hiȝed ful ȝerne, With wordes þei worsschupe þat worli in wone; "Wolt þou, ladi, for loue on vre lay lerne, Line 135 And vnder þis lorere bene vre lemmone? Ȝe ne þarf wonde for no wiht vr willes to werne, For alle gomis þat schulde greue of gardyn ar gone In feere. Ȝif þou þis neodes deny, Line 140 We schal telle trewely We toke þe wiþ a-voutry Vnder þis lorere."

XII.

Þenne Susan was serwful, and seide in hire þouht: "I am with serwe biset on eueriche side; Line 145 Ȝyf I assent to þis synne, þat þis segges haue souht, I be bretenet and brent in baret to byde; And ȝif I nikke hem with nay, hit helpeþ me nouht; Suche toret and teone takeþ me þis tyde. Are I þat worthliche wrethe, þat al þis world wrouht, Line 150 Bettre is wemles weende of þis world wide." Wiþ þis Þo cast heo a careful cri, Þis loueliche lady; Hyr seruans hedde selli, Line 155 No wondur I-wis.

XIII.

Whon kene men of hyr court comen til hire cri, Heo hedde cast of hire calle and hire keuercheue; In at a priue posterne þei passen in hi, And fyndes þis prestes wel prest here poyntes to preue. Line 160 Þo seide þe loselle aloude to þe ladi: "Þou hast gone with a gome, þi god to greue, And ligge with þi lemmon in a-voutri, Bi þe lord and þe lawe þat we on leeue." Þei swere; Line 165 Alle hire seruauns þei shont And stelen a-way in a stont, Of hire were þei neuer wont Suche wordus to here.

XIV.

Hire kynrede, hire cosyns and al þat hire knewe, Line 170 Wrong hondes, I-wis, and wept wel sore, Sikeden for Susan, so semeliche of hewe, Al onwise of þat wyf wrondred þei were. Þei dud hire in a doungon, þer neuer day dewe, While domesmen were dempt þis dede to clare, Line 175 Marred in manicles þat made were newe, Meteles while þe morwen to mydday and mare, In drede. Þer com hyr fadur to freo, With al hys affinite, Line 180 Þe prestes saun pite, And ful of falshede.

XV.

Þo seide þe justices on benche to Joachym þe Jewe, Þat was of Jacobes kuynde, gentel of dedes: "Let sende after Susan, so semeliche of hewe, Line 185 Þat þou hast weddet to wyf, wlankest in wedes; Heo was in trouþe, as we trowe, tristi and trewe, Hir hert holli on hym þat þe heuene hedes." Þer þei brouht hire to þe barre, hire bales to brewe. Noþer dome ne deþ þat day heo ne dredes Line 190 Als þare. Hyre hed was ȝolow as wyre Of gold fyned wiþ fyre, Hire scholdres schaply and schyre, Þat bureliche was bare. Line 195

Line 195

XVI.

Nou in Susan is sale, sengeliche arayed, In a selken schert, with scholdres wel schene. Þo ros vp with rancour þe renkes reneyed, Þis comeliche accused with wordes wel kene; Homeliche on hire hed heore hondes þei leyed, Line 200 And heo wept for wo, no wonder, I wene. "We schul presenten þis pleint, hou þou euer be paied, And say sadlyche þe soþe, riht as we haue sene, O sake." Þus wiþ cauteles qwaynt, Line 205 Preostes presented þis playnt; Ȝit schal trouþe hem ataynt, I dar vndurtake.

XVII.

"Þorwout þe pomeri we passet vs to play, Of preiere and of penaunce was vre perpose; Line 210 Heo com with two maidens, al richeli þat day, In riche robes arayed, red as þe rose; Wyliche heo wyled hire wenches a-way, And comaunded hem kenely þe ȝates to close. Heo eode to a ȝong mon in a valey; Line 215 Þe semblaunt of Susan wolde non suppose For soþ! Be þis cause þat we say, Heo wyled hire wenches away; Þis word we witnesse for ay, Line 220 Wiþ tonge and wiþ toþ."

XVIII.

"Whon we þat semblaunt seiȝ, we siked wel sore, For sert of hire souereyn and for hire owne sake. Vr copes were comberous, and cundelet vs care, But ȝit we trinet a trot, þat traitour to take. Line 225 He was borliche and bigge, bold as a bare, More mihti mon þen we his maistris to make. To þe ȝate ȝaply þei ȝeoden ful ȝare, And he lyft vp þe lach and leop ouer þe lake, Þat ȝouthe. Line 230 Heo ne schunt for no schame, But bouwed aftur for blame; Heo nolde cuyþe vs hys name, For craft þat we couþe."

XIX.

Nou heo is dampned on deis, with deol þauȝ hir deue, Line 235 And hire domes men vndeuwe do hire be withdrawen. Loueliche heo louted, and lacched hire leue, At kynreden and cosyn þat heo hedde euer iknowen; Heo asked merci with mouþe in þis myscheue. "I am sakles of synne," heo seide in hire sawen; Line 240 "Grete God of his grace ȝor gultus forȝiue, Þat doþ me derflich be ded and don out of dawen Wiþ dere. Wold God þat I myht Speke with Joachym a niht; Line 245 And syþen to deþ me be diht, I charge hit not a pere."

XX.

Heo fel doun flat in þe flore, hire feere whon heo fonde, Carped to hym kyndelich, as heo ful wel couþe: "I-wis I wraþed þe neuer, at my wetand, Line 250 Neþer in word ne in werk, in elde ne in ȝouþe." Heo keuered vpon hire knes, and cussed his hand: "For I am dampned, I ne dar disparage þi mouþe." Was neuer more sorweful segge bi see nor bi sand, Ne neuer a soriore siht bi north ne bi souþe, Line 255 Þo þare. Þei toke þe feteres of hire feete, And euer he cussed þat sweete: "In oþer world schul we mete." Seide he no mare. Line 260

Line 260

XXI.

Þen Susan þe serweful seide vpon hiht, Heef hir hondes on hiȝ, biheld heo to heuene: "Þou maker of myddelert, þat most art of miht, Boþe þe sonne and þe see þou sette vpon seuene; Alle my werkes þou wost, þe wrong and þe riht; Line 265 Hit is nedful nou þi names to nemene. Siþe I am deolfully dampned, and to deþ diht, Lord, hertly take hede, and herken my steuene So ffre! Seþþe þou maiȝt not be sene Line 270 With no flescheliche eyene, Þou wost wel þat I am clene, Haue merci nou on me."

XXII.

Nou þei dresse hire to deþ with outen eny drede, And lede furth þat ladi lufsum of lere. Line 275 Grate God, of his grace, of gultes vngnede, Help with þe holi gost, and herde hire preiere. He directed þis dom and þis deolful dede To Daniel þe prophete, of dedes so dere; Suche ȝiftis God hym ȝaf in his ȝouthe hede, Line 280 Ȝit fayled hit a fourteniht ful of þe ȝere, Nouht layne. Þo cried þat freoly foode: "Whi spille ȝe innocens bloode?" And alle þei stoteyd and stoode, Line 285 Þis ferlys to frayne.

XXIII.

"What signefyes, gode sone, þese sawes þat þou seis?" Þus þese maisterful men mouþes gan mele. "Þei ben fendes al þe frape, I sei hit in feiþ, And in folk of Irael be foles wel fele. Line 290 Vmbeloke [ȝ]ou, lordes, suche lawes ben leiþ, Me þinke ȝor dedes vnduwe such domes to dele; Aȝeyn to þe ȝild-halle, ȝe gomes vngreiþ; I schal be processe apert disproue þis apele, For nede. Line 295 Lat twynne hem in two, For now wakeneþ heore wo; Þei schal graunt, ar þei go, Al heore falshede."

XXIV.

Þei disseuered hem sone, and sette hem sere, Line 300 And sodeynly askede þei brouht in to þe sale. Bifore þis ȝonge prophete þise preost gon apere, And he him apeched sone with chekes wel pale: "Þou hast i-be presedent, þe peple to steere, Þou dotest nou on þin old tos in þe dissemmale. Line 305 Nou schal þi concience be knowen, þat euer was vnclere; Þou hast in Babiloigne on bench brewed muche bale, Wel bolde. Nou schal ȝor synne be sene Of fals domes by-dene; Line 310 For [þ]eose in Babiloigne han bene Jugget of olde."

XXV.

"Þou seidest þou seiȝe Susan synned in þi siht; Tel nou me trewly, vnder what tre?" "Mon, bi þe muche God, þat most is of miht, Line 315 Vndur a cyne, soþly, my self I hire se." "Nou þou lyest in þi hed, bi heuene vppon hiht; An angel with a naked swerd þe neiȝes wel nere, He haþ brandest his brond brennynde so briht, To marke þi medel at a mase in more þen in þre, Line 320 No lese. Þou brak Godes comaundement, To sle such an innocent, Wiþ eny fals juggement, Vnduweliche on dese." Line 325

Line 325

XXVI.

Nou is þis domesmon withdrawen withouten eny drede, And put into prison aȝeyn in to a place, Þei brouhten þat oþer forþ whon þe barne bede, To-fore þe folk and þe faunt frely of face. "Cum forþ, þou cursed caytyf, þou Canaan," he seide; Line 330 "Bi cause of þi couetise þou art in þis case; Þou hast desceyuet þi self with þin oune dede; Of þi wit for a wyf bi-wiled þou wase In wede. Þou sey nou, so mot þou þe, Line 335 Vnder what kynde of tre Semely Susan þou se Do þat derne dede."

XXVII.

"Þou gome of gret elde, þi hed is grei hored, Telle hyt me treuwely, er þou þi lyf tyne." Line 340 Þo þat roþly cherl ruydely rored, And seide bi-fore þe prophete: "þei pleied bi a prine." "Nou þou lyest loude, so helpe me vr lord; For fulþe of þi falshede þou schalt haue vuel pyne; Þou and þi cursed cumpere, ȝe mon not acorde. Line 345 Ȝe schul be drawe to þe deþ þis day ar we dyne, So raþe. An angel is neiȝ honde, Takes þe domes of ȝor honde, Wiþ a brennyng bronde, Line 350 To bite ȝou baþe."

XXVIII.

Þenne þe folk of Israel fel vppon knes, And loued þat louely lord, þat hire þe lyf lent; Alle þe gomes þat hire goode wolde gladen and glees, Þis prophete so pertly proues his entent. Line 355 Þei trompe bifore þis traitours and traylen hem on tres Þorwout þe citee, be comuyn assent. Ho so leeueþ on þat lord, þar hym not lees, Þat þus his seruaunt saued þat schuld ha be schent In sete. Line 360 Þis ferlyes bifel In þe dayes of Daniel, Þe pistel wittenes wel Of þat prophete. God graunt þi grace to play vs pertly in þi place And feiþely þi feire face to se þat is swete.

Amen.

Explicit Epistola Susanne secundum Danielem.