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a. how þe deuel apperede to seynt Martyn.
(ffor noþing is, . as I. seide are,
þat woundeþ sathanas so sare
As doþ þe tokne . of Meknes,
ffor aȝein fendes . mest hit is.).
þat may ȝe . be seint Martin se. [ 5]
ffor in his lyf . fynde we
þat, as he was . in Orisoune,
þen com þe fend . as kyng wt Croune,
Cloþed in palle . and riche wede,
And seide: Martin, . I. wol þe lede [ 10]
To heuene, . þat is þi longe rest;
ffor wite þou wel . þat I. am crist:
þat maiht þou . beo my feirnes se;
þerfore i wole . þat þou loute to me.
And Martyn . þorwh grace wyst [ 15]
þat he was not . Jhū crist,
And seide to hym . wiþ mylde chere:
I. wol not seo . my lord here,
But in þat blisse . þer he euer is.
And for þis .o. word . of Mekenis [ 20]
þe fend wente away . as reke
And fleih him . for his onswere meke.
b. þat meknesse eschapet þe deueles wyles.
And of seint Antoyne . fynde we
þat so Meke . and . Mylde . was he
þat þorw . Mekenes . mony a tym [ 25]
he fledde fendes . from hym.
And on a tyme . as he stod,
he sauh . al þe eorþe was sprad
wiþ panters . and wiþ grones (!) blake, [29 Sm.: gylders st. grones (groues?).]
þat sathanas . hedde I. leyd . to take [ 30]
ffor Monnes soule, . as a foulere [31 for zu tilgen.]
Takeþ foules . wiþ his pantere.
þen seyde Antony, . þi gode hermyte:
Lord, what þing . schal passe quite
And in þeos snarles . not beo tan? [ 35]
And God onswerde: . Mekenesse alon.
c. þat amon tryste holly in god.
A noþur hermyte . hette Makarie,
To whom þe fend hedde . gret Envye.
And on a day . þe fend him mette.
fful fayn he wolde . his weyes lette, [ 40]
And seide: þou dost . me gret dispyte,
ffor wiþ no synne mai I. þe smyte,
And al þe penaunce . not forþi
þat I. seo þe do, . al do I.:
þou fastes muche, . and I. faste ay, [ 45]
ffor I. ete nouþur . Niht . ne day,
þow wakest muche, . and so I. do,
ffor I. haue nouþur . Reste ne Ro;
Bote wiþ .o. þing . þou passest me,
so þat I. may not . do to þe. [ 50]
what is þat? . quaþ Makari.
Of þi Mekenes, . he seide, speke I.,
ffor wiþ Mekenes . þou passest me;
þat schendeþ me, . whon I. hit se.
ffor so Meke . was Makarye [ 55]
þat of his Mekenes . was ferlye.
In hermitage . longe woned he,
In ffelde, . by syde . a gret Citéé:
Out of þat Citéé . was he fledde,
And as an hermite . such lyf he ledde [ 60]
þat his Mekenes . and his gode lyf
was sone . to al þe Cuntre ryf.
Anoþur hermyte . com him tille
And serued him . al at his wille.
ffel auntur . þat þis Makarye [ 65]
Com to þe Citéé . riuelye,
To sulle þere . his hondewerk.
And so fel auntur . þat a Clerk
spac wiþ a Burgeys douhter so,
þat synful pley . þei pleyed þo. [ 70]
whon child in wombe . schaped was,
ffadur . and . Modur asked þis laas
who hedde i don . wiþ hire folye.
heo seide: þe hermyte Makarie.
fful wroþ weore alle . hire frendes þan [ 75]
wiþ Makarie, . þat holy man.
þei token him . and duden him schame,
As he hedde spilt . þat wommones fame:
A boute þe Market . þev hym ledde
And beoten him . þat his bodi bledde, [ 80]
And made him fynde . borwes þan
To ffede . and . Cloþe . þis womman.
þe toþur hermyte, . þat serued him,
was bi syde . þat ilke tym, [84 Ms. bi seyd st. bi syde.]
And þhouȝte gret schome . of (t)his chaunce, [ 85]
And wepte for his Mayster . penaunce.
Makari preyed him . þat he
schulde in þat cas . his borwh be.
And he bi com . his Borwh þare,
ffor him was wo . for his mis fare. [ 90]
To him self . seide Makari:
A. wyf haue I. now, and forþi
Bi houeþ me worche fastore and Mare,
Boþe niht . and . day, . þen I. dude are:
Elles may I. not . wiþ my dede [ 95]
Mi seluen . and my lemmon fede.
Niht . and . day . wrouhte . Makari
And sente þis wommon . aparti
þat he wiþ his werk . mihte gete.
And þerwiþ . heo bouht hire mete. [ 100]