The minor poems of the Vernon ms. ... (with a few from the Digby mss. 2 and 86) ...

[XXXIII.] þe visions of seynt poul wan he was rapt in to paradys. [Ed. before in Engl. Stud. I. p. 295-9. This piece seems intended to supply the place of the last article (Ioyes of heuen & Peynes of helle) of the preceding treatise, cf. p. 235, v. 531-2; it has no special initial or title.]

Lustneþ, lordynges, leof and dere, Ȝe þat wolen of þe sonday here! Þe sonday a day hit is Þat angeles and archaungeles Ioyen, I-wis, Line 4 More in þat ilke day Þen eny oþur, as l þe say. Þen wol we her ate dwelle Ho preyed furst rest for soules in helle. Line 8 Þat is to witen, I sei þe so, Poul and Michel Archaungel bo. ffor god of his grete miht Þe peynes of helle put in heore siht. Line 12 Poul sayh bi-foren helle ȝates Brennynge tres þat neuer slakes;

Mony on for heore synne þonne Weore I-pyned and honged þer-onne: Line 16 Summe bi hondes and bi feet þere, Summe bi þe her, summe bi þe ere, Summe bi þe Armes þat weore longe, And summe þer hengen bi þe tonge. Line 20 He sauȝ a caudren brennynge at enes Of diuerse colours wiþ seue lemes, And þer weore þei for heore synne Diuersliche I-pynet þer-Inne; Line 24 And seuen peynes weoren þer also Þat duden þe soules muche wo: Þe furste of snouȝ, þe secunde of ys, Þe þridde fuir in alle wys, Line 28 Þe ffeorþe blod, as I þe say, Þe ffyfþe Eddres of foul aray, Þe sixte leyt, as mon may þink, Þe seueþe peyne hit was of stynk. Line 32 At þat penaunces were þei in cast, Synful soules, and al for-þrast, Þe wȝuche þat nolden in no chaunce ffor heore synnes do no penaunce; Line 36 Þer weore þei turmented in þo ledes, And vche reseyued aftur his deedes. Summe wepten and ȝelled þenne, Summe gouleden, and summe dude brenne; Line 40 Þei disireden euere to dye— Hit miht not beo, wiþ-outen lyȝe, ffor þe soule, wher-so hit go, Schal neuer dyen, for weole nor wo. Line 44 Þerfore sore hit is to drede Þe places of helle for wikkedhede! In þe wȝuche þer is a whel brennynge, Wiþ muche serwe euer-lastynge; Line 48 Vndur þat wheol is þer þore A þousund grisly peynes sore, ffyue tyme vche day, to telle, Beo turmented wiþ þe Angel of helle, Line 52 In vche of þo fyue tymes Ben a þousund soules turmented in pynes.

Aftur þat sayh he, þer he stod, A wondur orible grisly flod, Line 56 And in þat flod say he þere Mony deueles bestes were: As ffissches þei were in þat flod þo, Todus, Neddres, Snakes, mony mo, Line 60 And þe synful soules in hiȝ Eten and gnowen wiþ-outen merci— Of hem tok I [r. þei] no more kep But as a Lyun doþ of a schep. Line 64 Ouer þat watur he sayȝ ligge A wondur long and an heiȝ brugge, And ouer þat brugge saf goon þen Þe soules of good rihtful men Line 68 Wiþ-outen harm of word or dede, And also wiþ-outen eny drede. Þe soules of synne[r]s, as I þe telle, ffallen doun þer, in pyne to dwelle, Line 72 Þer to take and resseyue so As þei on eorþe deserueden to. Be war of þis, I sei, beo-fore, As God seide in þe gospel þore: Line 76

Ligate per fasciculos ad comburendum:

Byndeþ hem in knucchenus forþi, To brenne, lyk to licchi, Spous-brekers wiþ lechours, Rauisschers wiþ rauisschours, Line 80 Wikked wiþ wikked also, ffor so schul þei to-gedere go. ffor eueri creature go schal Bi þat brugge sum or al, Line 84 And lasse or more schal he be deruet, Er aftur he haþ heer deseruet.

ÞEr sauh þe goode mon poule In þat pyne moni diuerse soule: Line 88 Summe to þe kne, and summe to þe hipes, Summe to þe nauel, summe to þe lippes, And summe he sauȝ bi-suyled as souwes In þat pyne vp to þe brouwes; Line 92

Line 92 And þei weore turmented euerlastyngly, Þei wept and gouled and weore sory. And Poules herte was so sor Þat for serwe he wepte þor. Line 96 And of þat Angel asked he Whi summe were þer in to þe kne. Þe Angel seide to him þen: "Heo ben Bacbyters of men, Line 100 Þat in word and dede, as I þe say, Hyndren heor euencristen þat þei may. And þo þat to þe nauel þou se, Spousbrekers and lechours þei be, Line 104 Þat aftur heore dedes, to vndurstonde, Nolde no penaunce take on honde. And þo þat weren up to þe lippes blake, Stryf and Iangelyng in chirche dude make, Line 108 Vche to oþur Iangled wiþ scorn— To heere godus wordus þei han forborn. And þo þat weren vp to þe briȝes In þat flod aboue þe eiȝes, Line 112 Þulke weore glade of þe mischeef Of heore neihȝebors and of heore greef."

And Poul wepte and seide þo: "Muche wo is hem I-come to Line 116 Þat so mony peynes grymme Ben ordeynt to for heore synne!" Seynt Poul þo bi-tornd his face And sayȝ anoþur derk place, Line 120 Moni Men and wymmen þer amongus Þat for-freten heore owne tonges. And Poul asked of him þere What-maner men þat þei were. Line 124 Þe Aungel seide to him ful sleih: "Þei vsuden Ocur and vsuri; Merciable weore þei nouht, Þerfore hit schal be dere abouht." Line 128

And Poul sauȝ þenne a-noþur plas, Þat moni peynes þer-in was; Þer he sauh dispitous þing: As Blake Maydens in Blac cloþing, Line 132

Line 132 And þei sodun euerichon In wellyng pich and Brumston; Brennyng dragouns and serpentes ifere Hongynge aboute heor nekkes were, Line 136 Gnawyng hem, to don hem schom, To-tere þe fflesch from þe bon. And þer weore foure Angeles to telle Þat weoren of þe hous of helle, Line 140 Brennynge hornes hedde þei on hed; Þei hem turmented and dude hem qued, ffaste þei wente þis pepul a-boute Wiþ moni turmentes grete and stoute, Line 144 Seying to hem, as was heore wone: "Knoweþ ȝe," þei seide, "godus sone, Þe wȝuche þat muche on ȝou þouȝt, Al þe world whon he bouȝt? Line 148 ffor ȝe nolde neuer knowen him Ȝe schullen han here þeos pynes grym."

Poul þis asked feire and wel. And þenne onswered þe Aungel: Line 152 "Þeos serued not chastite Til tyme of heor weddynge schulde be, But lyuede in heore lecherie, And heled heore children and dude hem dye Line 156 And ȝaf hem to swyn or to houndes Or drouned hem In flodes groundes, And schewed hem to þe worldus degre As þei maydens hedden i-be; Line 160 And in þis lyf þei lyueden ȝore And duden no penaunce þerfore." Aftur þis he sayȝ at ene Men and wymmen moni and lene, Line 164 Lene þei weore, wiþ-outen flesche; Þei soffred harde and noþing nessche: Muche lay bi-foren hem of Mete Þat hem deynet not of to ete. Line 168 Þo weore þeose þat weore not trewe And nolde not faste þat hem was duwe, And hedden of mony metes dedeyn, But hit weore likerous, be certeyn. Line 172

Line 172

ÞEn sauȝ poul a serwȝful siht— And he loked þer forþ riht: An Old mon sat þer wepynge Bi-twene four deueles foul ȝellynge. Line 176 Poul asked what he was. And þe Angel seide in plas: "He was Neclygent aȝeynes forbod And kepte not þe lawes of God, Line 180 He nas not chast of bodi i-souȝt Ne of herte ne of his þouȝt, But euer he was Couetous, Proud of herte and contrarius; Line 184 Þerof nolde he him not schriue Ne do no penaunce bi his lyue, Þerfore he schal beo pyned ay Wiþ-outen Noumbre til domus-day." Line 188

POul wepte and bigon to goule. Þe Angel seide: "whi wepustou, poule? Ȝit sayȝ þou not, as I þe telle, Þe strengest peyne þat is in helle." Line 192 Þe Angel him schewed wiþ-outen weoles A put a-scled wiþ seuen seles. He bad him stonde bac, for þat þing, Þat he mihte sustene þat stynk. Line 196 He opened þe Mouþ of þat put: Hit stonk foule wȝon hit was vnschut; Þe stynk þat com out of þat plas Passed al þe peynes and stinkes þer was. Line 200 Þen seide þat Angel, to biginne: "Hose comeþ þis put wiþ-Inne, Bi-fore God and vre ladi Schal neuer of him beo no merci." Line 204

POul askede: "wȝuche ben þo Þat schulen to þis peyne go?" He seide: "hose leeueþ not in wone Þat Iesu crist, Godus sone, Line 208 Tok fflesch and blod of þe virgine Marie And seþþe was boren of hire bodye; And also þulke, I telle hit þe, Þat neuer wollen Baptiȝed be, Line 212

Line 212 Þulke þat resseyue not worþily Þe flesch and blod of godus bodi."

POul loked forþur þen And sauȝ ful mony men and wymmen; Line 216 Wormes and serpentes on hem seeten, Euer as houndes þei on hem freeten. So mony soules þer weore in hold, Vchon on oþur, as schep in fold. Line 220 Hit was also dep to nemene As from þe eorþe vp to heuene. Of heore serwyng was muche wondur, Þei made a noyse as hit weore þundur. Line 224

And þenne poul loked touward heuene, And out of eorþe he herde a steuene; A synful soule he sauȝ comynge Among seue deueles waymentynge; Line 228 Þe wȝuche þat same day forþi Was itaken from þe bodi. Þe Angeles of God, þat ben vr frendes, Criȝeden faste to þe ffendes, Line 232 Seyȝinge allas, makynge heore mon: "What haþ þat wrecched soule i-don?" Þe ffendes seiden: "verreyment, He haþ seȝen his Iuggement; Line 236 He haþ ben muche mys-auyset, Godus Comaundemens he haþ dispyset, In eorþe he lyued in foly And þer dude he no remedi. Line 240 His owne cha[r]tre haþ he rad Þat his synnes were Inne I-sprad, And so forþ, we telle þe, His owne self þen Iugged he." Line 244 Þen tok þe deueles and him bounde, And caste hym in to þe derkeste grounde, Þer as was wepyng wiþ muche vnseeþe, Goulyng and grisbatyng of teþe. Line 248

ÞEn seide to poul þat Aungel: "Leeue þou hit and knowe hit wel: So as Mon doþ in his lyuing So schal he haue aftur his endyng." Line 252

Line 252 Aftur þat þis was forþ so sent, In-wiþ þe space of a moment, Aungeles of heuene saiȝ he come þon, Brouhten þe soule of a Rihtful mon. Line 256 Þer was Ioye wiþ loud steuene, ffor so þei beeren hit in to heuene; Of a þousund Angeles he herde þe vois, Ioynge wiþ a semely noys, Line 260 And seiden: "murie soule, blesset þou be, ffor euer murþe schal beo wiþ þe! Þou art i-blesset of God in trone: Þe wille of Ihesu hastou done." Line 264

ÞEn seide þe Angeles in heore seiȝing: "Ledeþ hym vp to-foren vr kyng! Glad may he ben of alle clerkes Þat schal him-self rede his goode werkes." Line 268 Aftur þat Mihel lede him in hiȝ To paradys to oþur holi. A Ioyful noyse was hem among Of Angeles and Archangeles wiþ song. Line 272

ÞEi þat in peyne bi-neþen lyȝe, Herden þis and al hit seiȝe; Þei ȝelleden wiþ lodly cry: "Poul, Michael, on vs ha merci! Line 276 Prei for vs wiþ good a-cord To vre god and to vre lord!"

ÞEn seide þe Angel to hem þo: "Weputh! poul and I wolen also, Line 280 Þat Almihti God, þat may best, Send ȝow sum refuit and sum rest." And þeose þat in peyne weore Cried on God wiþ delful beere; Line 284 Michael and poul also, And a Legioun of Aungelus mo. Þe soun of hem was herd ful euene Vp in to þe ffeorþe heuene, Line 288 Seiȝinge "haue merci on hem, Þe Sone of God and eke of mon."

And þenne þei þe heuene seih Open a-non ful sodeynly, Line 292

Line 292 Þe Sone of god com doun þo And herde hem preye, mony on mo, Þei preieden alle ful tenderli "Haue merci on vs, sone of Daui!" Line 296

ÞE vois þenne of vre heuene kyng Ouer al þe peynes was herd seying: "What good ha ȝe don herbifore Þat ȝe aske reste so sore? Line 300 I was don on cros for ȝou wiþ dere And smiten wiþ a ful scharp spere, I-nayled also wiþ nayles þree, Eysel and Galle to drynke bode me; Line 304 I ȝaf my-self for ȝou to be, ffor ȝe schulde ouer come wiþ me. Bote ȝe weore þeues, coueytous, Proude and wroþe and envyous, Line 308 Good neuer nolde ȝe do non Ne to schrift nolde ȝe not gon, Ne do penaunce for no þing Wiþ Almusdedes ne wiþ fastyng, Line 312 But ȝe weore lyȝers al ȝor lyf And liueden euere in serwe and strif."

ÞEn kneled Poul and Mihel And a Milioun Angeles wel Line 316 Bi-fore þe sone of God, to pray Þei moste ha reste þe sonenday. Þo weore þeos, as I ow telle Þat weoren in þe pynen of helle. Line 320

ÞEn seide vr lord to hem in spelle: "ffor Poul and also Michaelle And myn oþure Angeles on hiȝe, Þat ben in heuene so goode and triȝe, Line 324 And also of my grete goodnesse, Hem to ese of heore distresse, Þis rest I ȝiue ȝow ful soon ffrom þe seter-day at Non Line 328 Til þe secunde hour beo cum On þe Monenday, al and sum."

Anon þe soules hedden þer rest— He ȝaf hit hem þat mihte best. Line 332

Line 332 Þe soules criȝed euerichon: "Blesset beo þou, lord, sone of mon, Lord and God of Dauid kuynde! Þis rest bi þe haue we in Muynde."— Line 336 Þerfore, whos halweþ wel þe sonenday, He schal ha part of þe reste ay Þat þe Angeles in heuene Han þere wiþ mylde steuene. Line 340 Beo war of þe serwe and drede And of þe peynes þat we her rede, And torne we in alle wyse Vr lord to serue, þat hiȝe Iustise; Line 344 Bi wȝuche seruyse we may come To vre lord god and wiþ him wone.