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

P.

I.

THER was in Babyloyn a biern, in þat burgh riche, Þat was a Jewe jentil, and Joachym he highte; He was so lele in his lawe, þer was none hym liche, Of all ricchesses þat renke arayed was right. His ynnes and his orchardes wer wiþ a depe diche, Line 5 Hallis and herbergages, hye vp on highte; To seche þurgh þat Cite þer was non siche, Of arbres and herbes so auenauntly dight, That day, Wiþin þe cercle of the sees, Line 10 Of arborye and aloes, Of all manere of trees, Sothely to say.

II.

He had a wyf hight Susanne, sotil and sage; She was Elchies doghtir, eldest and ayr, Line 15 Lovely and lilys white, of þat lynage, Of all faceon and food freely and fair. . . . . . Þe maundement of Moyses þes markid to þat lair, To þe mount Synay þat went in message, Line 20 Þer þe trinite bytoke of tables a payr To rede. Thus þei lernyd her þe lawe, Clere Clergy to knawe; To God stood her grete awe, Line 25 That wlonkest in wede.

III.

He had an orchard newe to his hous nere, Þere Jewes wiþ Joachym priuyly gan play; For he was rial and riche of rentes euery where Honest and auenaunt, and honourest ay. Line 30 I-wis, þer hauntyd to his hows, hendis, ȝe may here, Too domysmen of þe lawe, þat dred were þat day, Prestes as presidentes, preysid as piere, Of whom our souereyn lord sawes gan sey, And tolde Line 35 How her wykkidnes comys Of þe wrongful domys Þat þei have ȝeve to gomys, Þe gomys so olde.

IV.

Thus þes derf domysmen on dayes þidir drewe, Line 40 For jentry and ioy of þat Jewesse, To go in þo gardyns þat gaylich grewe, Of þe flowres and þe froyt to fong so fresshe; And whane þei sawe Susanne, semely of hewe, Þei were set so on her, myght þei not sese. Line 45 Þei wold enchaunte þat child; how shold she eschewe? And þo þes cherles unchast in chaumbre her chest, Wiþ chere. With two maydenes allone, Semely Susone, Line 50 On dayes menyone, Of mirthes wold here.

V.

Whan þes perlous prestes perceyvid her play, Þo þoght þat wrecches to bygile þat worþi in wone; Her wittys were wayward þei wriþyn away, Line 55 And turnyd fro his techyng, þat told is in trone. For sight of her soueraingne, soþly to say, Her here hedis fro hevyn þei hidyn a-none; Þei caught for her covetyse Cristis curs for ay, For rightwis juggement recordid þei none, Line 60 They two. Every day by day In þe pomery þei play, Whil þei myght Susan a-say, To worchyn her woo. Line 65

Line 65

VI.

In þe sesone of somyr, with Isabell and Jone, She greiþid her to gardyn, noght to be sene; Þer lyndes and lorers were bred vp-on lone, Þe saveyne and cipresse, þe sicamours to sene, The palme and þe popeler, þe perer and the plowine, Line 70 The jwnipre gentill, ioynyng hem bytwene, The rose raggyd on rys, ricchest in sowme, Thewyd with thevethorne thryvyng to sene, So þikke. Þer were popyniayes prest, Line 75 Nightyngales upon nest, Blithe briddis of the best, On blosmes to sytte.

VII.

Ther briddis on blosmes blokkid wel loud, On olyves and amylers, and al kyn trees; Line 80 Þe popiniayes perchyn and prunyn for proud, On piries and pynapples þei prikkyn in prees; On croppis of canel kenely þei crowe, On grapis þe goldfynches gladyn in her glees; Þe shene briddis in shawe shewyn her shroud, Line 85 On ferrers and fygges þei song in her sees, In fay. Ther were growyng so grene Þe date wiþ þe damacene; Turtlis tronyd on trene Line 90 By syxty I say.

VIII.

The fyg and þe filberd were found so fair, The chirie and þe chesteyn, þat chief are of hewe, Apples and almaundis þat honest ar of ayr, Grapes and garnettis þat gaylich þere grewe; Line 95 Costardis comly in kitthes þei kayre, Brytans þe blaundelers braunches þei knewe, Fele floures and froyt, frely and faire, Wiþ wardons wardid and walsshnotes trewe, As y telle. Line 100 Ouere her hedis gan hyng The qwince and þe qwerdlyng; Spicys spedely þei spryng, And in herbere þei felle.

IX.

The cheruyle, þe cholet, þe chesboll þe cheve, Line 105 The chowet, þe chervell, þan chaungyn on nyght; The persile, þe pasnepe, porettis to preve, The pyone, þe pirye, prowdely pyght; The lylye, þe loveache, launcyng ful evene, The sawge and þe solcecle, so semely to sight; Line 110 Colombyne and clarrey, colourid ful clene, Wiþ rewe and rewbarbe, raylid on right, No les. Daysye and dyteyne, Isope and auereyne, Line 115 Peletre and planteyne, Pyght in þat pres.

X.

Al þis aray rapely rest in þat ȝerde, Þat was hers husbondes and hers, þat holdyn were hende. "Now folk be faryn a-fer, þare vs noght be ferde; Line 120 Aftir myn oynement warly ȝe wende. Spyes now specialy if þe ȝatis be sperid, For we wole wasshe vs y-wis by þis wel strond." For why þe wyf warpyd of her wedis unwerd, Undir a lorere on lowe þat lady gan lend, Line 125 So sone. By þat worthy welle Susan caght of her kelle; But fele ferlies by-felle By mydday or none. Line 130

Line 130

XI.

Nowe þes derf domysmen in to þe derk drewyn so derne, Why þei saw þis lady was left al alone; For to halse þat hiend þei hyen ful ȝerne, Syche woordis þei warpyd to þat worthy in wone: "Wilt þou, lady, for love of our lay lerne, Line 135 And undir þis lorere bene our lemman? Þe þar not wond for noght our willis to ȝerne, For all þe gomys þat greve myght out of þe gardyn be gone In fere. If þow þes nedis denye, Line 140 We shul telle trewly We toke þe with avoutry Undir þis lorere."

XII.

Than Susan was sorowful, and seyd in her þoght: "I am wiþ sorow by-set on euerych a side; Line 145 If y assent to þis senne, þat þes segges have soght, I shal be britnyd or brent wiþ baret to byde; And if y nek hem wiþ nay, it helpiþ me noght; Such turment and tene me takiþ þis tyde. But or y hym wraþ, þat al þis world wroght, Line 150 Bettre is wemles to wende þat with her wil wriþe So mysse." Tho kast she a careful crye, This lovely lady; Her seruauntis had ferly, Line 155 No woundre y-wis.

XIII.

Whan kene men her courte come to her crye, She had kast of her kolle and her kerchief; In at a prive posterne þei passyn yn hye, And fynd þes prestes ful prest her poyntes to pres. Line 160 Tho seyd þes losels on lowe to þat lady: "Þow hast gamyd wiþ a gome, þi god for to greve, And lyvid wiþ þi lemman yn avoutrye, By þat lord and þe lawe þat we on leve." They swere; Line 165 All her seruauntes shounte And stale a-wey in a stounte; Of her were þei not wonte Such wordis to here.

XIV.

Her kynrede, her cosyns and al þat her knewe, Line 170 Wronge hondis, y-wis, and wept ful sore, Sighyd for Susan, so semely of hewe, Al unwyse of þat wyf wondrid þei wore. Þei ded her in a donione, þer neuere day drewe, While domysmen were deputid þis dede to declare, Line 175 Marrid in manicles þat made were newe, Metles tul on þe morow mydday and mare, In drede. Ther come her fadir so fre, Wiþ al his affynyte, Line 180 The prestes wiþout pite, And ful of falshede.

XV.

Tho seyd þe justises on benche to Joachym þe Jewe, Þat was of Jacobis kynd, gentil of dedis: "Lete sende aftir Susan, semely of hewe, Line 185 Þat þou hast weddid to wyf, wlonkest on wedis. She was in trouþe, as we trowe, trusty and trewe, Her hert holy on hym þat þe hevyn ledis." Þus þei broght her to þe barre, her balis to brewe. Neiþer dome ne dethe þat day she ne dredis Line 190 As þare. Her here was yolow as wyre Of gold fynyd wiþ fyre, Her shuldris shaply and shyre, Þat þo were bare. Line 195

Line 195

XVI.

Now is Susan in sale, sengeliche arayed, In a silkyn shert, wiþ shuldris ful shene. Tho roos up þes renkes wiþ rancour renayed, Þat comely kiþ acusyd wiþ wordis vnkene(?); Homely on her heed her hondis þei layd, Line 200 And she wept for wo, no wondur, y wene. "We shul presente þis pleynt, how euer þou be payd, And sey sadly þe soþe, right as we have sene, For her sake." Thus wiþ cawtelis qwaynt, Line 205 The prestis presentyn þe playnt; Yet shal trowþe hem ateynt, I dare undirtake.

XVII.

"Thurgh out þe pomery we passyd us to play, Of prayers and penaunces was our purpos; Line 210 She come wiþ too maydenys, deftly þat day, In riche robes arayed, reed as þe rose; Wilily she wylid her wenchis away, And commaundid hem kenely þe yates to close. She ȝode to (a) yong man in a valey; Line 215 The semblaunt of Susanne wold no man suppose, For sothe! By this cause þat we say, She wylid her wenchis away; This word witnessiþ for ay, Line 220 With tung and wiþ toþe."

XVIII.

"Whan we þat semblaunt sawe we sighyd ful sore, For sorow of her souerayn, and for her owne sake. Our copes were cumbrous, and kyndlyd us care, But ȝet we trynyd a trot, þat traytour to take. Line 225 He was full bayne and bygge, bold as a bore, More myghty man þan we his maystries to make. To þe ȝate rapely they ȝedyn ful yare, And he left up þe lacche, and lepe ouere þe lake, Þat youthe. Line 230 She ne shont for no shame, But bowyd aftir for blame; She nold kyþe us his name, For craft þat we couthe."

XIX.

Now is she dampnyd on dees, with dool þey her deve, Line 235 And her domysmen undewe done her wiþdrawyn. Lovely she loutyd, and lacchyd her leve At kynrede and cosyn þat she had euere knawyn; She askyd mercy wiþ mouþe of þis myschef. "I am sakles of þis synne," she seyd in her sawe; Line 240 "Grete God of his grace your gyltis foryeve, Þat do me derfly be dede and done out of dawe Wiþ dere. Wold god þat y myght Speke wiþ Joachym aright; Line 245 And seþ to deþ me to dight, I ȝeve not a pere."

XX.

She fil flat in þe flore, her fere whan she fand, Carpyd to hym kyndly, as she wel couþe: "I wis y wratthid þe neuere, at my wytand, Line 250 Neiþer in woord ne wyrk, yn elde ne in youþe." She keueryd up on knees, and kyssid his hond: "For y am dampnyd, y ne dare disparage þi mouþe." Was neuere sorowfuller segge by see ne by sand, Ne no sorier sight by norþe ne by souþe, Line 255 Tho þare. They toke þe fetris of her feet, And euere she kyssid his hand sweet: "In oþir world shul we meet." Þo seyd she na mare. Line 260

Line 260

XXI.

Than Susan þe sorowful seyd up on hight, Helt up her hondis, byheld to hevyn: "Þou maker of myddil erþe, þat moost art of myght, Boþe þe sonne and þe see þat sit up a sevyn, Al my werkis þou woost, þe wrong and þe right; Line 265 Hit is nedeful now þi names to nevene. Seþ y am dolefully dampnyd, and to deþ dight, Lord, hertly take, and lestyn my stevene So free! Seþ þou may not be sene Line 270 Wiþ no bodily eyene, Þou wost wele y am clene, Have mercy on me."

XXII.

Now þei dresse her to deþe wiþout eny drede, And led forþ þat lady louesome of leyre. Line 275 Grete god, of his grace, of yeftes ungwede, Wiþ help of þe holy goost herd her prayere. He directid þis dome and þis derf dede To Danyell þe prophete of dedis so derne; Such ȝeftis he hym yaf in his yonghede, Line 280 Ȝot faylid hym a fourtenight ful of a yere, Noght to layne. Tho cryed þat ferly fode: "Why spillist þou innocentis blode?" And all þei starid and stode, Line 285 Thes ferlies to freyne.

XXIII.

"What signifies, good sone, þes sawes þat þou sayes?" Thus þes maystreful men wiþ mouþes gan mele. "Ȝe be fendis al þe frappe, I say it in faiþe, And in folk of Israel bene folys wele fele. Line 290 Umbyloke you, lordis, such lawes be laiþe, Me think ȝour dedis undewe such domys to dele; Agayn to þe geldhalle þe gomes ungraiþe; I shal by processe apert dispreue þis appele, For nede. Line 295 Lete disseuere hem too, For now wakiþ her woo; They shul graunte, or þei go, All her falshede."

XXIV.

They disseueryd hem sone and settyn hem sere, Line 300 And sodenly a seneke þei broght in to sale. To-for þis yong profete þe prestis gan apere, And he hem apechyd sone wiþ chekis wel pale: "Thow hast be president, þe peple to stere, Þou dotist in þin olde dayes now in þe dismale. Line 305 Now shal þi concience be knowe, þat euere was unclere, Thow hast in Babyloyne on benche brow mych bale, Wele bolde. Now shal ȝour synnis be sene Of your fals domys bydene; Line 310 For ye in Babyloyne have bene Juggis of olde."

XXV.

"Thow seyst þou sawe Susanne syn in þi sight; Telle me þan trewly, undir what tre?" "Man, by þe mych god, þat moost is of myght, Line 315 Undir a sene, sothely, my self ded y se." "Þow lyest in þi hede, by hevyn upon hight; An aungil wiþ a nakid swerd is ful ny þe, He haþ braundisshid his brond brennyng so bright, To marke þi myddil at a messe in more þan in þre, Line 320 No lesse. Ye brak goddis commaundement, To sle suche an ynnocent, Wiþ ȝour fals juggement, Undewly on desse." Line 325

Line 325

XXVI.

Now is þe domysman wiþdrawe wiþout eny drede, And put in to prison ayen in his place; Þan broght þei þe toþir forþ whan þe barne bede, To-for þe folk and þe faunt frely of face. "Come forþ, caytif of Canaan sede; Line 330 By cause of þis couetise þou art in þis caas; Þou hast deceyvid þi self wiþ þin owne dede; Of þi wyt for a wyf bywylid þou was In wede. Sey now, so mote þou the, Line 335 Undir what kyn tre Semely Susan ded þou se Do þat derf dede."

XXVII.

"Þow gome of grete elde, þin heed is grayherd, Tel þou now trwly, or þou þi lyf tyne." Line 340 Þo þat loþely cherle lothely roryd, And seyd to [þe] prophete: "þei pleyd by a pryne." "Now þow lyest alowd, so help me our lord; Fulfillid of þi falshed þou shalt haue euyl fyne; Þou and þi cursid compier mow not acord. Line 345 Ȝe shul be drawe to þe deþ þis day or we dyne, So rathe. An aungel is nyhond, Takiþ þe dome of ȝour hond, Wiþ a brennyng brond, Line 350 To brittyn ȝow bathe."

XXVIII.

Than þe folk of Israel fell upon knees, And lovyd þat lovely lord, þat her lyf lente; All þe goomes in her game gladid in her glees, This prophete so pertely previþ his entente. Line 355 They trumpe to-for þe traytours and trayle hem on trees Thurgh out þe citee, by comen assente. Who so leviþ on our lord dar hym not lese, Þat þus his seruaunt savyd þat shold have be shent In sete. Line 360 These ferlies byfelle In þe dayes of Danyell, Þe pistil witnessiþ it well Of þe prophete.

Here endith þe storye of Susanne and Danyell.