Which may me helpe and graunte my axing
Thorugh his merytes and devout prayeer?"
"Woman, quod he, be off good coun|ffort,
Line 105
Truste hool in god afftyr my doctryne!
This day is halwyd — taak heede to my repoort —
In his worshepe that is a pure virgine,
The blyssed martir kyng Edmond in his shryne."
And with that woord the woman fyl plat doun
Line 110
On bothe hire knees, bowed hed and chyne,
With devout herte seide this orysoun:
"O lord, that hast of poore folk no despight
Nor of synfful, which calle the in ther nede;
Blyssed Jhesu, that hast also delight
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To fforthere alle thoo that love the and drede:
For Edmondys sake that did ffor the blede
Percyd with arwes ffyleed sharp and keen,
Jhesu, graunte my request ffor-to spede:
My litel chyld that I may oonys seen.
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And whyl I lyve, I halwe shal the day [Ms. thy st. the.]
Off thy martir, kyng of Estyngelond,
With devout herte, as I best can or may,
In hoope I shal seen vpon the strond
My litel chyld brought quyk or ded to lond."
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Down to the watir as she gan hyre hye,
Sauh hire sone which held vp his hond
Out of a boot and lowde gan to crye:
"Wher is my moodir, myn owne moodir dere? [folio 90]
Moodir, moodir!" alwey the chyld gan crye.
Line 130
Heryng that voys with sobre pitous chere,
Doun to Tempse ffaste she gan hire hye;
Off hir sorwen a-dawen gan the skye
Vpon hire chyld whan she cast hire look,
Fond hym al hool, hurt in no partye,
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Myd of a boot. and vp hire chyld she took,
Gaff thank to god with humble affec|cioun
For this myracle knelyng on hire kne —
Doon at London, day of the passyoun
Off seint Edmond — and this a-vowh maad she:
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Duryng hire lyff that solempnyte
To halwe and kepe in al hire best entent
The sayde ffeeste. hire husbonde ek parde
To doo the same also was of assent.
This myracle must oonly been ascryved
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To god alloone, and to no mannys myght,
And that the chyld in savete was aryved
Cheef thank to god mvt be yove of ryght
Which hath poweer to magneffye his knyght,
By this myracle, no-man may sey nay,
Line 150
Which that befel, whoo-so looke aryght,
The kalendeer of kyng Edmondys day.
Name of our lord to exalte and reyse
We ar comaundid be scrypture & wryting:
In the sawteer, of herte and wyl to preyse,
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By hym that was choose prophete and kyng:
First by prayer and devout knelyng —
Last of his psalmys Dauid biddith soo —
For myracles and merveyllous werkyng
Calle to his seyntes in what we haue doo.
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Thorugh whoos suppoort gret wondrys þei ha wrought,
Yove to our lord lawde of ther myracles;
For ther merytes he forgat hem nought,
To ther requestys maade noon o(b)stacles.
Bryght as berylle, clerere than spectacles,
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Grace excellith euery precious stoon.
To seyntes, shryned or set in tabernacles,
God hath mervaylles wrought many moo than oon.
Palpable exaumple in stoory men may se:
Mawgre Pharao and al his greet myght
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Moyses passyd thorugh the Rede see;
A bussh vnbrent with ffyr was maad bryght;
A saphir skye ladde Israel be day-light
Toward the lond of promyssyoun,
A ffyry pileer afforn hem brente a-nyght,
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Them to conveye by grace of god sent doun.
For hem he wroughte myracles moo than oon:
Bittir watir tournyd to swetnesse,
Maade a riveer renne out of a stoon,
To staunche the thrust geyn drought of wyldirnesse;
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Ful ffourty yeer, the bible berith witnesse,
Ther cloothys ffressh, nat brooke nor to|torn.
Which exaumplys yive ffeith and sekir|nesse
For his seyntes what god hath wrought to-fforn,
First in ftooryes of antiquite,
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Which shulde alwey remembryd been of ryght.
In myddil age the laste also parde
Whan the hooly goost to Marye doun alight;
Ek whan a dowe with snowych ffetherys whight
Cam doun to Cryst in the ffloom Jordan;
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A greet myracle ageyn naturys ryght
