Die evangelien-geschichten der homiliensammlung desms. Vernon / ed. Carl Horstmann.

33) þe story off Theofle

A Busschop woned . in a Cuntre þat hihte Cisyli . bi ȝonde þe séé. [2 Ms. Eisyli.] he hedde a clerk . þat Theophil hiht And serued hym . trewly . and riht: so qweynte he was . and so wys, [ 5] þat alle hym louede . for his seruis. þe Bisschop hym ȝaf . in his pouste Lond and leode, . gold . and ffe. To alle his goodes . tok he tent And spendet . wisly al his rent. [ 10] Theofle, . of whom I. telle þis tale, was þis Bisschopes . Officiale, And bar hym feire . and Corteysly, And gat him frend . in his Bayly; Chast he was . of his Bodi, [ 15] ffor he louede . no lecheri; he was boþe . Corteis and hende, And alle goode men . weren his frende; was non holde . so wys in werk As Theophele, . þe Bisschopes clerk. [ 20] þe pore folk . þat hedde neode Louede him . for his Almus dede: þo þat weore naked . he hem cled, þo þat weore hungri . heo hem fed. [24 Ms. heo st. he.]

Alle him louede . for his godnes, [ 25] Olde . and ȝonge, . more and les. ffel aunter . þat þe Bisschop dyed, ffor muchel seknesse . þat he dried. sone so þe Bisschop . was ded, Lered and lewed . toke to Red [ 30] what Mon . þat was wysest, þat mihte ben . heore Bisschop best. Lered folk . and lewed baþe To Bisschop ches . Theophele raþe, On Theophele . was al her hope, [ 35] þerfore þei ches him . to Bisschope. But þe fend . þorwh onde . and nyþe Bi gon on him . his Maistrie kiþe, And his herte made . hard and stiþe, þat wolde he not . þe folk liþe [ 40] Ne graunten hem . heore askyng, Ne be Bisschop . for no þyng. "I. am not worþi . forte be Mon of so gret . a dignite; Geteþ ow þerfore . a noþer mon [ 45] þat ow beter . lere con; sikerly, . dar ȝe not hope þat I. wol beo . ȝoure Bisschope." þe folk was . ful vuel payed And Theophele . ful ȝerne prayed [ 50] þat he schulde ben . heore prelate. Bot he nolde graunte hem . no gate. And þei seide . he dude ille þat stod a ȝeyn . godus wille. But herwiþ . wolde þei leue nouht: [ 55] Aȝein his wille . þe folk him brouht Bi fore þe Erche Bisschop . sone, To make him graunte . hem heore bone. whon he com þer, . sore dude he grete, And fel to þe Bisschopes feete, [ 60] And preyed him . sor godes sake þat he schulde not . him Bisschop make. I. am, quaþ he, . a synful Mon And to luytel good . I. con ffor to haue . such dignite: [ 65] þerfore, sir Bisschop, . I. preye þe At þis tyme . þou me spare And mak anoþur Bisschop ȝare. þe Bisschop ȝaf him . dayes þre, To loke . hou hit mihte best be, [ 70] And bad him come . þe þridde day To him his wille . forte say. But euere his herte was in o state, ffor wolde he not . be prelate. whon þe Bisschop . sauh his wille, [ 75] wolde he no lengore . speke him tille, But made a noþur . Bisschop sone And set him deorely in trone. þat oþur Bisschop . T. heold In his seruise . wiþ muchel beld. [ 80]

Now schul ȝe here. (wiþ) what queyn∣tise þe fend gilede . T. þe wyse. he made men sone . uppon him lye And T. to his lord . beo wrye. þe Bisschop leuede . þat he herde say, [ 85] And pult him out . of his offys a way. And T. þhouhte gret ferly, ffor he nuste . wherfore ne whi þat he was don . from his Baily; And þerfore was he . ful sori. [ 90] In his owne hous . not forþi Liuede he feire . and Corteisli, he clepte gistes . to his hous, And fedde þe pore . wiþ almus. But sathanas, his fo, . wiþ his wiles [ 95] Gederede a ȝeyn him . queynte giles And made him þenke . on his Maistrie, On his lordhed . and his Bailye, what he hedde ben . and what he was. And sone he seide: . allas allas, [ 100] þat euere I. was . Qweinte and wys And hedde men . in my seruis þat were i wont . dai . and niht To serue me . wiþ al heore miht! Now ȝiue men . of me no tale [ 105] Ne recche wheþer i be . sek or hale, Nou seo I. wel . in vche place Me is fallen . luitel grace, ffor no mon deþ . me honoure, Nouþer in halle . ne in boure. [ 110] Now is T, . þat lord was, so foule i cast . in þe plas, þat no mon wolle . him lord calle, Nouþer in Boure . ne in halle. Allas, quaþ he, . þat I. was born! [ 115] schomely . is my Joye . forlorn. so muchel care . fel in his herte, As þe ffend of helle . gerte, þat leuere him were . to be dede þen such lyf . for to lede; [ 120] ffor him þhouhte . þat he wolde fayn Ben . in his Baylie . a ȝein, þat neuer rouhte he . what to do To couenaunt, . þat he come þer to. þe ffend mad him . to þenke in hast, [ 125] þorwh miht . of þe holigost, hou he mihte geten . his Bayli aȝein þat he wolde . han so fayn. he bi þouhte him . ful hastely þat he mihte come . to his Bayli [ 130] þorwh wicche craft . and sorcerye, þat Clerkes clepen . Nigramauncie.

In þat Citéé . woned a Jewh þat hedde idon muchel . a ȝein Ihū: soules hedde he . raft him fro [ 135] And made hem . to helle go, he was bi come . þe deueles man, And in his seruyse . liuede he þan wiþ wicche Craft . and sorcerye To lede his lyf . ful priuelye. [ 140] Theophele herte . was euere in flouht, And on þis Jew . ful wel he þouht. so fer forþ . þe Jewh (!) him ladde And mad him . so wood . and Madde, þat he eode . vppon a niht [ 145] To þe Jewes hous . ful riht, And knokked . faste . atte ȝate, And preied ȝerne . him in late, And he nolde his knokkyng blyn, Til þe Jew . let him come In. [ 150] þe Jew sauh . his druri chere, And what hym eiled . wolde he here, And asked him . what was his wille And for what nedes . he com him tille. T. tolde . þe Jew his tale [ 155] hou he hedde ben . Officiale And was don out . of his Baily, But he wuste neuere . wherfore ne whi; "ȝif þou miht . me socoure And bringe me . to myn honoure, [ 160] þi trauayle . I wolde þe ȝelde I. wis wiþ ȝiftus . and wiþ gret Riches; ffor leuere me were . to be dede þen þus schomeliche . my lyf lede, wiþ oute welþe . and or praunce [ 165] þat I. haue lost . wiþ ferli chaunce; þerfore, my frend, . I. preye þe þat, ȝif þou may, . þou helpe me." þe Jewh bad him . leue his care, And seide . þat wel schulde he fare, [ 170] And bad him come . þat ilke tym On þe morwe . to speke wiþ him. whon þat T. herde þis, his herte was ful . of Joye and blis, And sone he eode . hom aȝeyn, [ 175] ffor he was neuer er . so fayn. And com vppon . þat oþur niht To þe Jewh, . as he hedde hiht. þe Jewh ladde him . on an hulle, þer folk were wont . to pleie heore fulle, [ 180] And bad he schulde not . ben aferd ffor noþing þat he sauh . or herd. ȝif þou, he seide, . wolt haue þy wille, Loke þat þou . holde þe stille, Loke þat þou . make not on þe [ 185] þe tokne . of þe Rode tre, Ne þenk on crist . ne on Marie, But cum wiþ me . ful boldelye, I. schal þe lede . to my kyng, þat schal folfulle . þi longyng. [ 190] whon þat T. herde al þis, he was no þing . a ferd I. wis, But seide: lord, . fayn wol i. do Al þat euere . þou seist me to. whon T. com . to þis hille, [ 195] he was siker . to han his wille. Muche folk . þen sauh he þare ffeire atired . and riche fare, And a middes þe gaderyng sauh he sitte . a Modi kyng. [ 200] þe Jewh him ladde . in to þe plas þer al þe folk . I gedered was, And on knes . boþe hem sette And þe kyng . feire þey grette.

ÞE prince bigon . wroþ to be, [ 205] And seide: Jewh, . hit is wonder of þe, whi hastou brouht . þis mon to me? Lord, quaþ he, . I. schal telle þe: þis Mon þat I. haue . I. brouht here haþ beo mon . of gret pouwere: [ 210] he was þe Bisschopes . Officiale, But he is brouht now . in such bale þat his Bisschop . haþ mad him quite Of his Baily . wiþ outen wite, And he not . wherfore . ne whi [ 215] he is don out . of his Baily; þerfore, lord, . he is sori And comeþ to asken ow merci. I. prey ow, lord, . of ȝor gras þat ȝe help him . in þis cas; [ 220] To do þi wille, . he is redi, And bi come þi mon . gladly.

ÞE deuel onswerde . and seide þan To þat ilke . vncely man: ȝif he wol ben . of my meyne [ 225] And be riht trewe . and torne to me, Grettor lord . schal he be þen euer ȝit . in world . was he, And more . beo þe haluendele hauen . of þis worldes wele [ 230] þen euer ȝit . hedde he aare, And muchel better . schal he fare; But, or I. him . in seruyse take, I. wol þat he . Ihū forsake And Marie, . his Moder, baþe: [ 235] ffor þei make me . ofte wraþe: Aȝeyn me . beo þei ful þro, ffor my seruauns . þei take me fro;

þerfore, ȝif he . hem forsake And aftur Omage . to me make, [ 240] þen wol I. make . him mi kniht And socoure him . wiþ al mi miht. And þat schal he . to Morwe se, And for his lord . holde me, ffor to Morwe, . or hit beo Non, [ 245] he schal ben . in his Bayli don. whon þat T. herde þis, him þhouhte he hedde . muche blis. And þonked þe fend . of his bi hete, And fel on knes . and custe his feete, [ 250] And seide: I. wol by come þi mon, wiþ al þe wit . þat I. now con, ffor Crist . and Marie . I. forsake And to þe, lord, . I. me take. At þat word . les he godus gras, [ 255] And in to him eode . sathanas. ÞE ffend of helle . bad him tyte Comferme þe couenaunt . wiþ a scrite. Theophele . on þe eorþe . gan sit', And wiþ his hond . wrot a writ, [ 260] And selede hit . wiþ his Ryng, And aftur he tok hit . to his kyng. And tok his leue . at þe ffende And to þe Cite . gon he wende, T. eode . in to his hous, [ 265] A Glad mon . and a Joyous. þe Bisschop . on þat ilke niht þouhte he hedde . don vn riht, þo he dude out . of seruise Theophele, . þat was queynte and wise. [ 270] And þerfore . vppon þe morn he made T. cum him bi forn, And seide: T., I. was vn wys whon I. dude þe . from my seruys: I. haue I. do . my seluen scaþe; [ 275] But I. þe preye . beo not wraþe! ffor I. wot . þat þi counsayle May to me . muchel a vayle, þerfore, T., now I. þe pray þat þow take . þin Offys to day. [ 280] T. onswerde . and seide him tille þat gladly wolde he . don bis wille, But, he seide, . him þhouhte gret ferly whi he was don . from his Bayly; And, sire, he seide . not forþi [ 285] To do ȝor wille . I. am redi. þo tok he . his Offys a ȝeyn: was he neuer er . so fayn.

Now is T. lord and sire, And . Lered . and . lewed . at his atyre, [ 290] Olde . and ȝonge . of al þat lond Alle þei dude bowen . to his hond, Dorste no mon don . aȝeyn his wille. But alle weore fayn . hit to folfille: In Juggement . was he qweynte. [ 295] Riht he dude . in eueri pleynte. And neuer . beo þe haluendele In his Bayli . was he so wele. þe Jewh, . þat hedde I. holpen hym, Com to him . mony a tym, [ 300] And spac to hym . ful priuely, And bad him þenke . witerly, þorwh whom . he com to his Bay, To þonken his kyng . derworþly. And seide: me þinkeþ . þou ouhtest riht [ 305] To worschipe him . wiþ al þi miht þat al þis wele . haþ ȝiue þe; To him þou ouhtest . trewe to be, And worschipe him . as for þi kyng, And loue him . ouer alle þing. [ 310] T. herde gladly . his Counsayle And þonked muche . his trauayle. wel worþ þe kyng, . he seide, and þe, ffor treweliche haue ȝe . holpen me! T. hedde longe . his pouste [ 315] In Pruide of herte . and Jolyfte, And serued þe fend . wiþ al his miht To whom he hedde . his seruice hiht. But God, . þat alle craftes con, wolde not suffre . þat synfol mon [ 320] To leosen . al þat grete mede Of þe Muchele . almus dede þat he hedde . bi fore done, But hedde of him . Merci sone; Ihū Crist . of his pite [ 325] Made him . in his herte se what he hedde don, . and hou he was ffallen in þe Deueles . cas, And how þe fend . bitter and felle hedde mad his careful seete . in helle, [ 330] þer he schulde be . wiþ outen ende And taken þe seruise . of þe fende whos seruaunt . he was bi come, And to what lord . he hedde him nome, And hou he hedde . his lord forsake [ 335] And to þe fend . hedde him take; Now hedde he lost . þe muchel blis þat to goode men . I. ordeynd is. And sore bi gon he . forte wepe And gret deol . and serwe leete. [ 340]

Allas, quaþ T., . þat I. was born, ffor foule I haue . my self I. lorn!

whom may I. now . aske merci? I. haue forsake crist . and Mari And I. take me . to my foule fo; [ 345] wo is me, . go wher I. go! A. Ihū, Ihū, . wo is me! wot I. neuere . whodur to fle: ffor Marie haue I. left, and þe, And to þe ffend . I. take me: [ 350] ȝif I. euere . gete Merci, Alle cristene folk . may haue ferli. But, lord Ihū, . not forþi seint Dauid seiþ . þat þi Merci Is a boue . alle þi werkes, [ 355] And þerto graunteþ . alle grete clerkes; And siþþe þi werkes . þat þou made Ben in hem self so long and brade And þi Merci is . more þen alle, ȝit wol I. fonde . on þe to calle. [ 360] T. seide þis . and more, wiþ Careful herte . and sikyng sore. ffor nou to longe hit . ware To telle þat . he seide þare, Of þis tale . I. leue þe lengþe [ 365] And telle not . but þe strengþe hou T. gat . þe Maystri þorwh þe help . of vre ladi. I. blesset be . þe Maide Mari, ffor euere in neode . heo is redi [ 370] To gete vs of hire sone . Merci; And ȝeorne we ouhte . on hire to cri, ffor, do we neuere . so synful dede, Euere heo helpeþ vs . in nede; wel is him . þat niht . and day [ 375] Mai hire honoure . and serue to pay. T. In al his wo . and Care þouhte on Marie, . þat Ihū bare, he þouhte . þat heo was wel wone ffor synful mon . to preye hire sone. [ 380] To hire Chapele . sone he ron, As hit were . a wood Mon, And kneled bi fore . hire autere wiþ careful herte . and druri chere, And seide: Modur, . ladi Mari, [ 385] Of me caytyf . þou haue Merci! Lady, . prey þi sone for me þat for me dyed . on þe tre, Ladi, let him . not me tyne þat þolede for me . harde pyne! [ 390] Lauedi, . schewe here þi miht And reue þe fend of helle . his kniht! Ladi, let hit . nou beo sene þat þou of heuene . art mihti Qwene! Ladi, . fond his wraþþe . to slake [ 395] þat wolde þe . Qwene of heuene make: ffor I. my self . am not worþi To aske wiþ mouþe . þi sone Merci. But ȝif I. haue now . help of þe, wiþ outen ende . in helle i be; [ 400] þerfore haue reuþe . of me Caytif And mak crist graunte me . lyme . and lyf, þat alle cristene men . may se þi miht and þi Merci . on me! suche wordes . T. seide, [ 405] þat he in orisun . was leyde. ffourti dayes . was he þare In gret trauayle, . pyne and care, In gret serwe . and wepyng, In muche fastyng . and wakyng. [ 410] so longe was T. In destaunce, In gret trauayle . and penaunce, þat atte laste . vre ladi hedde pite of him . and merci— ffor what synne . þat mon may do, [ 415] Euere in neode . helpeþ ho To alle þat wole aske . hire Merci. Blessed beo heo, . as vre ladi!— whon þe fourti dayes . were gon, heo com . to þat sely Mon [ 420] þer he was . falle on slepe ffor gret serwe . and for wepe.

Vre ladi asked him . what he walde, And whi . so faste . on hire he calde. þou hast, quaþ heo, maad me vn Ro [ 425] And maad me come . hider þe to; vndurstond . what þou hast done, ȝif þou beo worþi . han þi bone. I. haue wel herd . þi preyere, But I. not . on what manere [ 430] þat I. may preye . my sone for þe, ffor þou forsoke . mi sone . and me. hou dar I. stonde . bi fore his trone To make him graunte . þe þy bone? ffor þu hast vs . boþe forsake [ 435] And to vr fo . þou hast þe take. þat þou hast don . a ȝeyn me, holliche . I. forȝiue hit now þe; But whon me doþ . my sone wrong, wite þow wel . me þinkeþ strong: [ 440] þeih my sone beo . ful of Merci And loueþ monkynde . as wel as I., Notforþi . his Rihtwisnis so muchel . in him seluen is, þat him bi houeþ . euere do riht [ 445] And deme þe Mon . aftur his pliht. þerfore me þinkeþ . gret ferly. þat þow askest . of me Merci, whon þou hast don . so strong outrage, þat þou hast don . þe fend Omage. [ 450] whon þat T. þis herde; In his herte . he was a ferde;

But he sauh . him bi houed nede To onswere . for his owne dede. And sone he spac . to vre ladi [ 455] And seide: ladi, . wel wot I þat my mouþ . nis not worþi fforte aske . of þe Merci, ffor wiþ þe ffend of helle . I. spake And my Cristendom schomely brake; [ 460] But, swete ladi, . notforþi I. wot wel . þat kyng Daui was muchel beter mon . þen I., And ȝit he fel . in gret foly And made sle . þe kniht vrri [ 465] And to cheues . tok his leuedi; wiþ monslauht . and spousbruche he deseruet . greefly . wreche; And, leoue ladi, . notforþi Of him dude god . ful good Merci. [ 470] A noþer þing . makeþ me fayn: whon I þenke . on þe Maudelayn þat ladde hire lyf . in gret folye, In Jolyte . and lecherye, And not forþi . þi sone Ihc̄, [ 475] þat died on þe Rode . for vs, Made hire . of synne so clene, þat no synne . was on hire sene. þerfore, my ladi, . I. hope wele þat þin help may . my serwe kele. [ 480] wel I. wot . þi sone bouhte me Also dere . as he dude þe; ȝif synne ne were, . þu neddest beo quene, Ne Godes Modur . in heuene bene. þerfore me þinkeþ . I. may wel fonde [ 485] To preie þat þou . bere myn ernde To þi sone . for mi misdede, þat tok for vs . in þe Monhede. whon . T. hedde . þus I. spoken, þer he was . In Chirche I. loken: [ 490]

Vre ladi, . Moder of Merci, Onswerde him . ful swetely: I. loue, quaþ heo, . Monkynde so weel, þat I. wol fonde . þi care to kel, And . to my sone . nou gon wol I., [ 495] fforte aske . for þe Merci. But, or I. do . þis grace to þe, I. wole þat þou . siker be þat þou schalt wel . þi lyf amende And from þe fend . þe defende. [ 500] And for þou hast ben . his seruaunt, I. wol þat þou . wiþ mouþ graunt: þat he is wrecche . and vnworþi, And my sone is . god almihti, þat of me tok . flesch and blode, [ 505] And for Monkynde . dyed on Rode, And bi nom þe fend of helle . his prai, And ros from deþ to liue . þe þridde day. And steih to heuene . as mihti kyng, And mad of nouht . alle þyng, [ 510] And schal deeme . boþe goode and ille, And al þe prophecye . fulfille; ȝif þ^u leeue þis . studefastly, To do þin erende . fonde wol I. . T. herde þis . and was fayn, [ 515] And seide . to vr ladi a ȝeyn: Ladi, al þis . leeue I. so wel, þat þer of doute I. neuer a del, And graunte wiþ mouþe . openly Al þat þou hast seid, . Ladi. [ 520] At þis word . heo wente him fro. And he fel on slepe . riht so, And Ros vp . wiþ Joyful mode, And kneled þere . vr ladi stode, And made to hire . his Orisoun [ 525] wiþ ful good . deuocioun. þere he knelede . dayes þre, Neiþer ete ne drinke . wolde he. vr ladi, . on þe þridde niht, Com to hym . wiþ leomes liht, [ 530] And seide heo hedde . i gete him graunt þat he mihte beo . hire sone ser∣uaunt; Mi sone, quaþ heo, . haþ grauntet me þat þi synnes . for ȝiue be. But her aftur . kep þe wel, [ 535] þat þow falle . In non vncel. T. Onswerde hire . and seide, þer he In Orisun . was leyde:

Swete ladi, . wel is me! I. blessed euere . mote þou be! [ 540] Now þou hast, ladi, . wel I. done, I. preye þe graunte . me my bone: swete ladi, . Mak me haue þat vnsely . Cirograue þat þe fend . made me write, [ 545] ffor elles of him . am I. not quyte; May I. neuer . siker be, Til þat scrit . beo brouht to me þat I made . wiþ þe fende. To ben his seruaunt . and his frende; [ 550] Ladi, mak me haue . þat scryte, ffor þer of is . al my wite. whon þis was seid, . heo wente him fro. But of þat stude . nolde he go, But þer in Orisun . he lay, [ 555] sore wepinge . niht . and day.

On slepe he fel . þe þridde niht, ffor gret trauayle . lusten him miht. And as he lay . faste slepynge, þulke scrit Marie gon bringe, [ 560] On . T. breste heo leyde þe scrite, And wente a wei . from him tyte. whon þat T. was wakande, þe scrit on his breste . he fonde. þe Joye . þat he made þon [ 565] wiþ tonge telle . may no mon; þe Joye . þat he hedde in herte Made him for Joye . lepe and sterte. vppon þe Morwe . sonday was: To Chirche ede þe folk, . to here heor Mas [ 570] And, forte make . heore preyere, Godes seruise . forte here. þe Bisschop com . to þe Chirche, Godes seruise . forto worche. þider com T. faste rennande [ 575] And brouhte þe scrit . in his hande. Aftur þe Offring . of þe Mes þe Bisschop, . as þe custom is, ffrom þe auter . he com doun, To sigge þe ffolk . a sarmoun. [ 580] Theophele gon . þe Bisschop mete, And sone he fel . to his feete, And sore by gon he . forte wepe, And spac to him . wiþ wordes swete And tolde . al to gedere . his cas: [ 585] whos mon bi comen . he was, And hou a Jewh . wiþ sorcerye hed mad him falle . in gret folye, And how þe Blisfol Qwen . Marie Gat him forȝiuenes . and Mercye. [ 590] whon þat T. þis tale hedde told, þe Bisschopes herte . wox ful cold, so muche ferli . him þouht þat wel speke . mihte he nouht. T. spak . on such Manere, [ 595] þat lered . and lewed . mihte him here, And to comferme . al his sawe, þe scrit he made rede . and schawe. whon þe folk . herde þis, Gret ferli . hem þhouhte i wis. [ 600] þe Bisschop mad rede . þe scrite, And aftur preche hit . in pulpite, And bad þe folk . ensaumple take To do penaunce . for sinne and sake: here, quaþ he, . may ȝe lere [ 605] how . schrifte, . penaunce, . and preyere Makeþ for ȝiue . Monnes syn, ffalle he neuere . so depe þer In; þat may ȝe see . ful witerly In þis clerk . þat gat Mercy [ 610] wiþ preyere . and penaunce worþi, And þorwh help . of vre Ladi. wel is him . þat niht . and day May serue . þat mihtful Qwen to pay! In wonhope . þar no mon falle [ 615] þat on þe mylde Qwen . wol calle, And do Riht penaunce . for his syn, And aftur no more . falle þer in. ffor T., þat ȝe seon here, sunged . in so strong manere, [ 620] þat al þe world . may þinke ferli hou euere he mihte . gete Merci; þerfore he þouhte . queynteli, whon he preyede . vre ladi, ffor to ben . his atorne, [ 625] To stonde bi fore þe Trinite And gete him þere . forȝiuenes Of his synne . More and les.

Ladi, bliþe . may þei be þat han in heuene . such aturne, [ 630] þat fayleþ neuer more . in nede, haue mon do neuere . so synful dede. wel ouhte we . boþe . day . and niht honoure hire . wiþ al vr miht.— whon he hed seid þis . and mare, [ 635] he let brenne þe scrit . þare þat . T. made . of couenaunt, whon he bi com . þe deueles ser∣uaunt. whon þe folk hedde herd . and sene Al þat þe Bisschop . wolde mene, [ 640] ffor Joye . þei beo gonne to crie And þonked god . and vre ladie. þe Bisschop . to þe auter ȝode, And song his Masse . w^t Joyful mode, And ȝaf . T. þe fflesch and blode [ 645] þat Ihc̄ schedde . on þe Roode. And sone, . whon he hoseled was, As briht þo . schon his fas As doþ sonne . In someres tyde. And al þe folk . þat stod beo syde, [ 650] ffor Joye of herte . to þe erþe þei flawe, whon þat þei . þis Miracle sawe: ffor non of hem . þat þer was Miht loke . for brihtnes of his fas. whon þis Miracle . was done, [ 655] T. tok his leue sone And ȝeld vp . al his bailye, his Offys . and his grete Maistrie, And ȝeode . in to his owne hous And ȝaf his goodes . in almous, [ 660] Al his gold . and his tresore, Al his lond . and his store, Al he ȝaf, . and lefte him nouht, ffor his loue . þat on Rode him bouht;

To him he torned . al his þouht [ 665] And no þing . of him selue rouht. whon he hedde ȝiuen . al his catel And left him self . neuer a del, In to þat stude . a non he ȝode þer vr ladi . bi fore him stode. [ 670] And riht þere . þ^t he sauh hire stande, In þat stude he . was euere dwellande, Til þat god . him seknes sent, wherfore . out of þis wold . he went. ffor in þat stude . sek he lay [ 675] Euer til þe þridde . day Vre lord dude . of him his wille And clepte him to heuene him tille. T. gon harde pyne drie And wel he wuste . whon he schulde die; [ 680] he was in gret deuociun, And clepte men . of Religiun; And whon he hedde . icust hem alle, his eȝe lides . let he falle. And so to heuene blisse . he eode, [ 685] And for his trauayle . to take mede.

u. s. w.