Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 [extracts]

(ROYAL MS.)

Her cumseð þe uie of seinte iuliane. ant telleð of [f. 56 r] liflade hire.

IN ure lauerdes luue þe is feader of frumschaft. ant on his deorewurðe sunes nome. ant o þes hali gastes. {that} glideð of ham baðen. alle lewede men. {that} understonden ne mahen latines ledene. [ 5] liðin. & lustnin ane meidenes liflade. {that} is of latin iturnd into englisch. {that} te lif hali lefdi. in heouene luuie us þe mare. ant of þis lihinde lif: leade us wið hire ern [f. 56 v] dunge. þe is icoren of crist in to þe eche of heouene.

Þeos meiden. ant tis martir. wes iuliane inempnet. in nichomedes [ 10] burh. & of heðene cun icumen. ant hire fleschliche feder wes affrican ihaten. of þe heðene mest þeo {that} cristene weren{punctel} derfliche droh ham to deaðe. ah heo as þeo {that} te heouenlich feder luuede. leafde al hire aldrene lahen. & bigon to luuien þene liuiende lauerd þe lufsum godd. {that} wisseð ant weldeð al {that} is on worlde{punctel} & al {that} iwraht is. Þa wes [ 15] biþon time as redegunge telleð. Maximian þe modi keiser ine Rome heinde ant heriende heðene mawmez. wið unmeð muchel hird & unduhti duheðe. & for demde alle þeo{punctel} þe on drihtin bilefden. þes Maximian luuede an heh mon of cunne ant eke riche of rente elewsius wes ihaten. ant weren as feolahes þurh muche freontschipe. [ 20] þis meidenes feder & he. weren swiðe wel to gederes. as he sumchere iseh hire utnume feir. ant freoliche. he felde him iwundet. {that} wið uten

lechnunge of hire libben he ne mahte. Affrican wiste wel {that} he wes freo boren. & {that} him walde bicumen a freo boren burde. ant ȝettede him his dohter. & wes sone [f. 57 r] ihondsald al hire unwilles. ah [ 25] heo truste on him þat ne trukeneð namon{punctel} {that} trusteð treowliche on him. ant euch deis dei eode .to ch'i'rche to leornen godes lare. ȝeornliche to witen hu ha mahte best witen hire unweommet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ah as ha wende hire summes weis to witene{punctel} sende him to seggen. {that} nalde [ 30] ha lihten swa lahe ne nehlechen him for nan liuiende mon. er þen he were under Maximian hehest in rome {that} is hehreue. Sone so he iherde þis. he bi ȝet et te keiser {that} he ȝettede him reue to beonne as {that} he iȝirnd hefde. ant he as me þa luuede. lette leaden him into cure . & te riche riden in. & tuhen him ȝont te tun{punctel} from strete to. strete. [ 35] ant al þe cur wes bitild. {that} he wes in. wið purpre wið pal. & wið [34, 36. ture tur MS.] ciclatun. & deorewurðe claðes. as þe {that} heh þing hefde to heden. ant [37. ciclatur MS.] þa he hefde þis idon{punctel} he sende hire to seggen. {that} he hefde hire wil iwraht. & heo schulde his wurchen.

Iuliane þe edie iesu cristes leouemon of his blisfule luue balde [ 40] hire seoluen. sende him to onswere [f. 57 v] bi an of hire sonden. Elewsius wite þu hit wel ireadi. wraðði so þu wraðði. no lengre nulich hit heolen þe. ȝef þu wult leauen þe lahen {that} tu list in. ant leuen in godd feder. & in his deorewurðe sune. & iþe hali gast. ichulle wel neomen þe. ȝef þu nult no{punctel} þu art wundi of me. & oðer luue sech þe. [ 45] Þa þe reue iherde þis{punctel} he wreððede him swiðe. & hire feder cleopede. ant feng on to tellen him. hu his dohter droh him from deie to deie. ant efter {that} he wende to habben his iwil so ha him þis word sulliche sende. Bi {that} ilke godd quoð hire feder {that} me is lað to gremien beo hit soð {that} tu seist to wraðer heale seide ha hit. ant nu ichulle o great [ 50]

grome al biteachen hire þe. to wurchen þi wil. & al {that} te wel likeð as mit tin ahne. & me cleopede hire forð biuoren hire feder. & he feng feire to fondin his dohter Mi deorewurðe dohter hwer fore uor sakestu þi sẏ. ant ti selhðe. þe weolen ant te wunnen {that} walden awakenin ant waxen of þi wedlac. {that} ich þe to reade. for he is inoh [ 55] lauerd elewsius ine rome. & tu maht beon leafdi dohter ȝef þu wel wult. Iuliane þe eadie onswerede him & seide as þeo þat [f. 58 r] ine godd hire hope hefde. ȝef he wule leuen an god al mihti. þenne mei he speoken þrof & inoh raðe speden. ant ȝef {that} he nule nawt. ne schal wiuen on me. wiue þer his wil is. þa hire feder iherde þis{punctel} [ 60] þa feng he to swerien. Bi mi kinewurðe lauerd apollo. ant bi mi deore leafdi diane. {that} ich muche luuie. ȝef þu haldest her on. ichulle leoten deor to teoren ant to luken þe. & ȝeouen þi flesch{punctel} fuheles of þe lufte. Iuliane him onswerede & softeliche seide. ne wen þu nawiht leoue feder. {that} tu affeare me swa. for iesu crist godes sune [ 65] {that} ich on leue & luuie as lauerd lufsumest on liue. þah ich beo forbernd. & to loken limel. nulich heronont buhen þe nawiht Þa feng eft hire [feder] on wið olhnunge to fondin ȝef he mahte eisweis wenden hire heorte. & seide hire lufsumliche. {that} ne schulde ha nane wunne lihtliche wilnin{punctel} {that} he ne schulde welden. wið {that} ha walde hire þonc wenden [ 70] Nai quoð {that} meiden schuldich don me to him {that} is alle deoulen bitaht. & to eche deð idemet. to furwurðen wið him world abuten ende. for his wedlakes weole oðer for eni wunne. for soð ich hit segge un wurð is hit me. ichulle {that} he hit wite wel. ant tu [f. 58 v] eke mid him {that} ich am iweddet to an {that} ichulle treowliche to halden ant wið uten les [ 75] luuien. þe is unlich him. & alle worldlich men. ne nullich him nowðer leauen. ne lihen for weole ne for wunne. for wa. ne for wunne þet ȝe mahen don me. þa feng hire feder te wreððen swiðe ferlich & swiðe hokerliche freinede. Me hwet is he þes were {that} tu art to iweddet. {that} tu hauest wið uten me þine luue ilene[t] for hwam þu letest lutel of [ 80] [80. ilenet] MS. defective here.]

{that} tu schuldest luuien. ne ich neuer {that} ich wite nes wið him icnawen. For gode quoð þet meiden þin harm is þe mare nawt forþi þet tu nauest ofte iherd of him ȝare. {that} is iesu godes sune. þe forto lesen moncun {that} forloren schulden beon{punctel} lette his deo'r'wurðe lif on rode. ne ich ne seh him neuer {that} me sare for þuncheð. ah ichim luuie ant [ 85] leue as on lauerde. ne schal me firsin him from{punctel} nowðer deouel ne mon. For mi lif quoð hire feder þe schal laðin his luue for þu schalt beon ibeaten. mid besmes swa bittre {that} tu wummon were. schal to wraðer heale iwurðen. Swa muche quoð ha ich iwurðe him þe [89. wraðel MS.] leouere{punctel} So ich derure þing for his luue drehe. {that} ti wil is{punctel} wurch nu. [ 90] & he het hatterliche strupen hire steortnaket. & beten hire swa luðere {that} hire leofliche lich{punctel} liðeri al oblode. & swa ha duden so luðere {that} te blod ȝet adun of þe ȝerden. & heo bigon to ȝeien. Beaten so ȝe beaten ȝe beliales bu [f. 59 r] deles. ne mahe ȝe nowðer mi luue ne min bileaue lutlen toward him mi lufsum leof mi leowinde lauerd ne [ 95] nullich leauen ower read {that} for readeð ow seoluen. ne ower mix mawmex {that} beoð þes feondes fetles heien ne herien. for teone ne for tintreow {that} ȝe mahen timbrin. Na quoð he is hit swa hit schal sutelin [98. schal] salch MS.] sone. for ichulle biteachen mislich þi bodi to elewsium þe riche reue irome ant he schal for swelten ant for reden þe efter es wille wið [ 100] allescunnes pinen. ȝe quoð þis meiden {that} mei crist welden. for ne mahe ȝe nawt don me bute hwet he wule þeauien ow to muchelin mi mede & te murðe {that} lið to meiðhades menske for euer so ȝe mare merrið me her{punctel} so mi crune bið brihtre & fehere. for ichulle bliðeliche drehen euer euch derf for mi deore lauerdes luue. ant softe me [ 105] bið euch derf hwen ich him serui þah þume to elewsium willes biteache{punctel} ne ȝeue ich for inc nowðer. {that} ȝe me mahen harmen. for so ȝe mare me her harmeð. so mare ȝe me helpeð seoueuald to heouene.

& ȝef ȝe me doð to deaðe hit bið me deorewurðe ant ich schal þer þurh bliðe bicumen into endelese blissen ant ȝe schulen wrecches [ 110] áwei ower wurðes {that} ȝe iboren weren sinken to wraðer heale ow to þe bale bitter deope into helle. Hire feder affrican þurh þis bittre teone bitahte hire to elewsium þe luðere [f. 59 v] reue. ant he lette bringen hire biuoren him to his heh seotel as he set in dome as reue of þe burhe . . . [ 115]

[f. 61 r] þa elewsius iseh þis {that} ha þus feng on to festnen hire seoluen þohte {that} he walde anan don hire ut of dahene & bed swiðe bringen hire brune of wallinde breas ant healden on hire heauet {that} hit urne endelong hire leofliche bodi dun to þe helen ant swa me dude sone. ah hire hende healent wiste hire unweommet. elewsius [ 120] warð wod ut of his witte. ant nuste hwet seggen & het swiðe don hire ut of his ehsihðe. & dreihen hire into darc hus & prisunes pine. ant he duden sone. Heo as ha þrinne wes in þeosternesse hire ane feng te cleopien to crist ant bidden þeos bone.

Lauerd godd al mihti. mi murhðe ant mi mede mi sy ant mi [ 125] selhðe þu isist hu icham bistaðet ant bi stonden festne mi bileaue steor me ant streng me. for al mi strencðe is uppon þe. mi fedeR. & mi modeR for ich nulle for saken þe{punctel} habbeð for saken me & al mi nest falde cun me heaneð þet schulden mine freond beon{punctel} beoð me mest feondes ant mine hinen me beoð mest heauen ah habbich þin [ 130] anes help icham wil cweme ne leaf þume neuer liuiende lauerd as þu wistest daniel bimong þe wode leuns ant te þreo chil [f. 61 v] dren

ananie zacharie misael inempnet. bi wistest unweommet from þe ferliche fur of þe furneise swa þu wite ant witen me to witen me from sunne. lauerd þurh þis lease lif{punctel} lead me to lestinde to þe hauene [ 135] of heale as þu leddest israeles folc þurh þe reade sea buten schip druifot ant hare fan senchtest {that} ham efter sohten afal þumine famen ant to drif drihtin þen deouel {that} me derueð. for ne mei na mon wið uten þi strencðe stonden him aȝeines lef me {that} ich mote i seon him ȝet schent{punctel} {that} weneð me to schrenchen ant schunchen of þe [ 140] weie{punctel} {that} leadeð to eche lif. wite me from his lað ant wið his crefti crokes. wite me wið mine unwines {that} tu beo euer iheret ant iheiet in heouene ant in eorðe beo þu áá iblescet as þu were ant art. ant euer schalt beon in eche blisse. amen.