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

Melchiades þe holy pope. [vgl. Anastasius Lib. Pont.] (10 Dec., al. 9. u. 11. Jan., 2. Juli)

Melchiades þe pope: in Affer I-bore was, of swyþe good cristin kende: so god ȝaf þe cas. pope he was þre ȝer: & .vij. monþus also In þe borwȝ of rome,: & .vij. dayus þer-to. .vij. prestus he made: þat goodmen weren echon, .v. dekenys & .xij. bysschopis,: goddus seruise to don, & sent hem in to contres: aboute for to preche, [7 Ms. henn.] of Jhesu cristus lawe: þe peple for to teche.

on a tyme hit be-fil: þat he het of-sende þe clergye & oþer men,: þat gonne to him wende. [ 10] of many þingus þey speke: þo þey were I-come. þo þat þey gonne of fasting-dayis: speken alle & some, þo gan þis holy pope: þat heet melchiades speke to-forn hem alle—: þe oþer weren in pes:

"Lordingus," he seyde,: "telle ich ȝou may [ 15] [15 ff. Diese Rede ist offenbar selbständig entwickelt.] þat god haþ for man-kende: I-makid þe soneday many a wondir werke.: for þe sone-day I-wis erþe he maked & heuene: þat is so ful of blis; also vppon þe soneday: he made sacrefyse, [19 he st. hy.] boþe caym & abel,: ac nouȝt in one wyse— [ 20] ffor þat on was good: þat oþer nas nouȝt so. & ȝut vppon þe soneday: more þer was I-do: þe grete flood on erþe com: to drenche alle þing, & also vppon þe soneday: (þe) chip tok resting þat nowe & his ferin: þer-in weren I-do— [ 25] [25 l. noe.] of alle þat were in erþe: alyue nere namo.

Abraham þe soneday: his sone haþ I-take & wolde him habbe I-slawe: sacrefise to make: God þorwȝ his myȝt: þer-to tok good kepe & in stede of þe child: anon sente a chepe, [ 30] he het þat he ne cholde nouȝt: isaak mysdo; In stede of þe ȝonge child: þe chep he slouȝ þo. ȝut vppon a soneday,: as þe bok telleþ me, Moyses brouȝte þe iewis: ouer þe rede see; he tok moyses þe lawe: vppon a soneday, [ 35] & let rine bred & flesch: fram heuen, tellin ich may.

And þe soneday, wel ic wot,: Ihesu crist was bore, to biggin vs out of helle: & men þat were for-lore. & ek vppon þe soneday: he tornyd water to win— þey þat þer-of dronke: þey founde hit good & fyn. [ 40] & he arerid to lyue ek: vppon þe soneday laȝare, þat foure dayis: In his pit ded lay. also þe soneday: to Jerusalem he rood— þe honour þat me him ded: þe peple wot al abrood.

Fram deþ to lyue he aros: þe soneday wel ryȝte, [ 45] & sente þe holy gost to his desiplis: & on hem alle alyȝte. In somme bokus me findeþ: who-so takeþ ȝeme, þat god chal þe soneday: al þe world deme; oure (lord) brouȝt his modir: in to heuen-blisse, & seint Jhon þe vangelist,: ich woot wel myd-I-wisse. [ 50] þerfore ic hote þat noman: non ertheliche werk wirche, bot goddus seruise don: & go to holy cherche; ne vppon þe soneday: fasting non chal be, for hit were aȝen þe lawe,: also þencheþ me, þat man were in penaunce: & ek in fastinge [ 55] þilke day (þat) god vs brouȝt: al in gladinge. þe þoresday also: god made his maunde among his desiplis,: as þe bok telleþ me:

he hem fedde in body: & ek in soule also, [59 Ms. in body In body.] for his flesch & his blode to hem he ȝaf & made þo— [ 60] of bred, of win & of water: he made þis wondir þing: among his desiplis he made: þo his gestenyng. oure flesch an holiþorsday: he ber to heuen an hy & set him in his trone: to his fadir wel ny. þerfore ich hote þe þorisday: men take glading, [ 65] & þat me ne asingne þat day: to no fasting, but hit falle by cours: þorwȝ chaunging of þe ȝere þat eny vigil ben by cas: newe I-founde þere: [f. 235] þan þat me faste wel: so ich soffre may, [69 Ms. ich þe. ich = ech.] for þe loue of þe seint,: nouȝt for skylle of þe day." [ 70] alle þat þer weren: habbeþ I-granted þis. for þoresday & soneday: heþen men fastiþ I-wis; & for þey nolde hem be I-lych: in þat ilke þinge, þerfore he haþ forbode: þat ilkedayis fastinge.

A iustise was on þilke tyme: þat me cleped rufin: [ 75] he let neme melchiades: & dede him wel moche pyn; þe verþe Ide of decembre: he leet him sle also, & ich ne finde nouȝt to soþe hou: he was to deþe I-do. þo rome was wit-oute pope: dayis twenty & .vij., after þat melchiades: was I-went to heuene. [ 80] for euer me haþ gret enuye: to men þat beþ gode, as me hadde to Jhesu crist: þat deyde for vs on rode; for euer þe wikkid fend: eggeþ man to don mysse, whan þey ben in good lyue,: þer-of hem bringin to wisse. [81-84 ungehörig.] now bidde we god almyȝty king: þat after oure ending [ 85]

amen.