Des ms. Bodl. 779 jüngere zusatzlegenden zur südlichen legendensammlung / ed. C. Horstmann.

Seint emerinciane þe holy virgine. [Aus der Vita Agnetis (21. Jan.) selbständig entwickelt.] (23. Jan.)

Seint anneys woned in rome: so ich ȝou toldin ere: ȝhe hadde a fostirsostir: þat wit here woned þere, emerencyane: me cleped þat mayde þo. þo anneys was to deþe I-brouȝt,: ic wot þat here was wo! to her toumbe ȝhe wente: & gan here by-mene; [ 5] so moche ȝhe wep for here loue: þat ȝhe wax blek & lene; In so moche sorwe: here lif ȝhe gan to lede þat hit is wel gret reuþe: In bok for to rede. a day as ȝhe sat & wep,: ȝaraȝynus þer come & scornyd swyþe þat mayde: so þey dedin I-lome, [ 10] & seyde, "þe were betere: In þe temple to be, to honoury oure godus: þat beþ of gret poste, þan in þis ilke wise: her al day to sitte & wringe þyne honden: so þou were out of witte. for wel þou wost to soþe: þat anneys is I-chent; [ 15] þerfore of þy weping: nys non amendement." aȝen þe leþer saraȝynus: þat mayde seyde þo: "crist ȝe dede to deþe,: þerfore ȝe worþ wel wo! moche good he ȝow dede: & þe gewis also, ne myȝte ȝe neuer I-finde: þat he hadde ouȝt mysdo: [ 20] wit enuie ȝe him nome: & to deþe brouȝte & for-ȝeten alle þe goodnesse: þat he to ȝou wrouȝte. & þat ne þouȝt ȝoure elderin: nouȝt I-nouȝ to do, ac alle þat on him I-leued: þey þouȝten to slen also, & slouȝ wit here myȝt,: ne leued him nouȝt on. [ 25] þerfore þey wenten to helle,: & so ȝe chollin echon; ffor þis mayde þat ȝe slowȝ: þat nadde noþing mysdo, ȝoure soulus cholle to helle: & soffre þer moche wo, & þer ȝe cholliþ sore abigge: þe dedis of ȝoure wikkid lyue wit pinus & wit sorwe: þat beþ þer ful ryue— [ 30] for alle ȝe beþ chreuen: & euer ȝe habbeþ I-be; for in wel mochil sorwe: ȝe habbeþ I-brouȝt me: for þis ilke mayde: myn herte is wel wo." wit þat ilke word: emerincyane þey tok þo & lad here wel villiche: fort ȝhe com out of toun; [ 35] þey striptin of here cloþis: vppon a fyle diggoun & stanyd here myd stonus: & here to deþe brouȝte. þerfore Ich ot to soþe: þat hy hit dere abouȝte!

For þer com a þonder-dent: fram heuen an hy þo & slowȝ of þe haþen men: four hondrid & mo. [ 40] þey þat lefte on lyue: & ne deyde nouȝt, þey gonne þo for drede: to cristindom torne here þouȝt:

viue þousend þer were I-cristenyd: wit wel blyþe mode, & euermore afterward: þey ladde lif wel gode. ech man may wel ondirstonde: but if he be wode, [ 45] þat emerinciane I-cristened was: in here oune blode; for ȝif þat mayd hadde I-leued: I-cristenyd ȝhe hadde I-be, by þe wordus þat ȝhe spake,: for soþe so þencheþ me.

Of þre maner of cristindom: In bok ic finde I-write, & here ic wole hit segge,: for ȝe hit choldin I-wite: [ 50] þe ferste maner cristindom: al-on In beleue is; þat þer-þorwȝ many iewis: I-saued weren I-wis, for þey leuedin þat goddus sone: scholde I-bore be of þat mayde marye: þat was so hende & fre; & þerfore þey drouin to god: & letin here folye, [ 55] & in here be-leue þey were I-cristenyd,: ich wot þat ich ne lyȝe. Many aman, wel ic woot,: to blisse of heuen com, as þe prophete ieromye,: þorwȝ þe oþer cristindom: þey were aslawe for here treuþe: for þey nolde soffry þo, bote þey hem wit-nome,: noman mysdo; [ 60] þerfore me hem toke: & to þe deþ me hem brouȝte— weteþ þat þey were marteris,: for þey non harm ne þouȝte.

And þe þridde cristindom is: al in þe font-ston, þorwȝ Jhesu cristus oune blood: þat we habbeþ echon; þorwȝ þilke-maner cristindom: I-saued we cholle be, [ 65] ȝif we wolliþ goodnesse doon: & alle wikkednesse fle. þorw þe seconde cristindom,: Ich woot mydeuisse, [67 Ms. my deuisse.] þe maye emerinciane: wente to heuene-blisse. here frendus nom here holy body: þo wit here myȝte [69 Ms. nom þo.] & beried hit be seint anneys—: hem þouȝt it was ryȝte, [ 70] for þey were fostrid: in here lyf boþe I-fere, þat þey choldin in here deþe: ben I-beried in þat manere. [72 Ms. & þat.] þe ȝaraȝynus weren of hem: so sore a-gast þo þat þey ne dorste for noþing: here toumbus mysdo. & þus ended here lif: emerinciane þat mayde, [ 75] & went to heuen ful I-wis: as ich ȝou habbe I-sayde. Bidde we to Jhesu crist: for emerencianus loue, þat he vs grantin þe blis: þat is in heuen aboue.

amen.