THE LEGEND OR LIFE OF ST. ALEXIUS.
FROM SIX MANUSCRIPTS.
FROM SIX MANUSCRIPTS.
[Laud MS. 622, leaf 21, back.]
(1)
ALle þat willen here in ryme
Hou gode Men in olde tyme
Loueden god almiȝth,
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þat weren riche of grete valoure,
Kynges sones and Emperoure,
Of bodies stronge & liȝth:
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ȝee habbeþ yherd ofte in geste
Of holy men maken feste
Boþe daye & niȝth,
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fforto haue þe ioye in heuene
wiþ Aungels song & mery steuene,
þere blis is brode & briȝth.
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(2)
¶ To ȝou alle, heiȝe & lowe,
þe riȝth soþe to biknowe
ȝoure soules forto saue,
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þe self waye þat god ȝede
To folowe hym I wolde ȝou rede,
heuene forto craue;
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And so duden þapostles alle,
þat to Iesu wolden calle,
ffor nouȝth þai nolde bilaue,
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And to penaunce þai hem took,
werldes wele þai al forsook
Oure lordes loue to haue
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(3)
¶ þise oþere holy seintz & gode,
Martirs, virgines mylde of mode,
And þise confessoures,
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Religious þat her lijf willen diȝth,
fforto seruen god almiȝth
By tides & by houres;
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ȝee haue yherd saide wel ofte
Man may nouȝth lede lijf to softe,
And wonen in heuene boures.
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þe godspel seiþ we moten lete
werldes lijf, þat þinkeþ vs swete,
And suffren hard shoures,
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(4)
¶ ffader & moder & werldes goode,
And folowe hym þat dyed on rode
ffor oure synnes sake;
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And þan shullen we haue his loue,
And ioye & blis wiþ hym a-boue
þat he for vs gan make.
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I shal ȝou now telle wiþ mouþe
Of on þat is name couþe
þat suffred woo & wrake.
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his holy lijf & his godenesse
I may tellen more & lesse,
In woo hou he gan wake.
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