Altenglische legenden.

                                
                                  Leue Jhesu, heuyn kynge;
                                
                                  He ys my lorde, that syttythe in blys.
                                
                                  I kepe none of thy ryches".
                                  Line 170 
                                
                                  Maxent tho wyth grete boste
                                
                                  Made hur to be bownde to a poste,
                                
                                  And let þem wyth ȝerdys kene
                                
                                  Bete hur, tyll sche nye dedde (had) bene.
                                
                                  The turmentours can hur smyte
                                  Line 175 
                                
                                  Wyth scorges on hur body whyte,
                                
                                  That hur body, there sche stode,
                                
                                  Coueryd was wyth redde bloode,
                                
                                  And rane downe on hur lyche
                                
                                  Os watur dothe on the dyche.
                                  Line 180 
                                
                                  Tho sayde Maxent to Kateryne:
                                
                                  "Leue thy god and leue on myne!
                                
                                  Or ellys, sekyr, y telle the,
                                
                                  That thou schalt dedde bee".
                                
                                  Sche seyde: "blessyd be heuyn kynge!
                                  Line 185 
                                
                                  All my sorow & my peynynge
                                
                                  Me thynkyth hyt softer þan ony sylke
                                
                                  And swettur than ony mylke".
                                
                                  To hys turmentours he can grete:
                                
                                  "In-to prysone ye hur lede!
                                  Line 190 
                                
                                  That mete nor drynke haue sche noone,
                                
                                  Tyll thys weke be all goone!"
                                
                                  Sche ne dranke nor sche ne ȝete.
                                
                                  But Jhesu Cryste hur noght for-ȝate:
                                
                                  Hys aungels he sente a-downe,
                                  Line 195 
                                
                                  And soche yoye made in presone,
                                
                                  Bothe be day and be nyghte,
                                
                                  That noman hyt telle myghte.
                                
                                  Of the lyght & of the melody
                                
                                  Full sone harde Parforye.
                                  Line 200 
                                
                                  That he had harde in presone,
                                
                                  To the quene he went sone
                                
                                  And tolde hur ther-of anone.
                                
                                  Preuely thedur can þey gone.
                                
                                  The preson-hows was full lyghte,
                                  Line 205 
                                
                                  And fayre was to see þat syghte;
                                
                                  Aungels song þey harde than —
                                
                                  Ther myȝt neuer on erthe man
                                
                                  Telle the yoye that þere was,
                                
                                  That they harde in that place.
                                  Line 210 
                                
                                  They spokyn in that hows:
                                
                                  "Kateryn, they seyde, speke wyth vs
                                
                                  That be-leuyn on Jhesus
                                
                                  That dyedde for the loue of vs,
                                
                                  And on hys swete pascione!
                                  Line 215 
                                
                                  And we forsake false Mahowne
                                
                                  And Maxent & hys felowe-rede".
                                
                                  "Worschyppyd be Jhesu! þe mayde seyde,
                                
                                  Be in beleue stedfaste,
                                
                                  And be ye not agaste,
                                  Line 220 
                                
                                  And wyth me ye schall martyrde bee
                                
                                  And aftur heuyne ye schall see".
                                
                                  Jhesu Cryste þey thanked moche
                                
                                  And wente ageyne full stylleche.
                                
                                  On morowe the mayde gente
                                  Line 225 
                                
                                  Was broghte before Maxent.
                                
                                  In newe peyne he had hur doo.
                                
                                  The quene seyde Maxent vn-too:
                                
                                  "Thou false, cursyde sarasyne,
                                
                                  Thou schalt haue an euyll synne. [synne st. fyne.] 
                                  Line 230 
                                
                                  Helle hounde, þou fowle wyghte,
                                
                                  Thou peynyste þat mayde wyth onryghte
                                
                                  For sche beleueth on Jhesus
                                
                                  That became man for þe loue of vs.
                                
                                  Mahounde and the y forsake,
                                  Line 235 
                                
                                  And to Jhesu y me be-take
                                
                                  That swett for vs hys swete bloode".
                                
                                  Tho Maxent was nere woode
                                
                                  And bad anon hys turmentours:
                                
                                  "Do hange hur be hur tresourys, [tresourys-tresses.] 
                                  Line 240 
                                
                                  And hur brestys drawe away!
                                
                                  For sche sakyth owre lay. [sakyth st. forsakyth.] 
                                
                                  And when ye haue so seruydde hyr,
                                
                                  Ye schall hur owt of towne bere,
                                
                                  And let no-man hur body berye
                                  Line 245 
                                
                                  But let howndys hur wery!"
                                
                                  Whan Parfory harde that,
                                
                                  Hym thoght hys herte brake.
                                
                                  "Hounde, he seyde, god ys þe schame! [yf=ȝyf, giue, wie 322.] 
                                
                                  Why thretyst thou hur and mee(!)
                                  Line 250 
                                
                                  That we may not in erthe be doo?"
                                
                                  Hys turmentours he clepydde thoo
                                
                                  And badde anone Parforye nyme
                                
                                  And do hym lose lyfe and lyme.
                                
                                  Parfory a schylde and a spere nam
                                  Line 255 
                                
                                  And sone aȝenst them ranne:
                                
                                  Of IIII thousande of hys mene
                                
                                  He lefte alyue neuyr oone.
                                
                                  Maxent quakyd, there he stode,
                                
                                  For drede he wexyd nere wode.
                                  Line 260 
                                
                                  Kateryn can to Parfory grete: [grete st. grede, wie 189.]

About this Item

Title: Altenglische legenden.
Author: Horstmann, Carl, ed. b. 1851.
Canvas: Page 262
Publication: Heilbronn,: Gebr. Henninger,; 1881.
Subject terms: Saints -- Legends; English poetry; Legends

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/afw1383.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/afw1383.0001.001/433:4

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Full citation: "Altenglische legenden." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/afw1383.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 23, 2025.

Altenglische legenden.

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