After þat time non erþeliche man.
In to a wildernisse sche went þan.
A stede was þo þer-oȝain —
Line 505
& þider went þe Maudelain —
Þat godes angels hadde ywrouȝt.
In þat stede no grewe riȝt nouȝt,
Gras, water, frout, corn no tre;
Þerbi men miȝt it wite & se
Line 510
Þat Jhesu, þat sche loued so miche,
He fedde hir þere gostliche,
Nouȝt flescheliche, as we ben here.
Sche was to & þritti ȝere, [nach was fehlt þo.]
Þat hir neuer man seiȝe no herd.
Line 515
Listneþ now al hou sche ferd!
Euerich day times seuen
Þer com angels doun fram heuen
& bar hir vp vnto þe sky,
Þe Maudelain Marie, on hy;
Line 520
& when sche was so heiȝe yborn,
Ysett sche was Jhesu biforn;
Alle maner ioie & blis sche seiȝe þer;
Efsones adoun þai hir bere.
Þus was Marie born & fedde
Line 525
& in to heuen blisse yledde
Euerich day riȝt seuen siþe;
Þerfore sche was riȝt glad & bliþe;
To erþelich mete hadde sche no nede:
Wiþ so gret ioie sche com & ȝede.
Line 530
Þer neiȝe-hond þer woned a prest
Þat gode wille hadde in his brest
Holy liue al forto liuen,
As men þat hem to penaunce ȝeuen;
A celle he lete make him þo,
Line 535
Þe Maudelain a litel fro;
& when his celle was ywrouȝt,
Of þe Maudelain no wist he nouȝt.
Bot on a day þurch godes grace,
As he biheld vnto þat place
Line 540
Þer þat þe Maudelain was inne,
Þat whilom was so ful of sinne:
He seiȝe þe angels adoun comen,
& þe angels anon hir vp nomen
& bar hir vp swiþe an heiȝe.
Line 545
When þe prest, þat þer was neiȝe,
It hadde wiþ his eiȝen sen,
& hou þai brouȝten hir doun oȝen,
Þe soþe wald wite ariȝt
Of þat wonderliche siȝt.
Line 550
Forþ he ȝede wiþ holy bede
Towardes þat ich holi stede
Þere þe angels comen adoun
Wiþ ioie & wiþ mirie soun.
Bot a stones cast he nas þerfro
Line 555
Þat he nas þat stede comen to,
Þat he no miȝt stire lim non
O fot forþer for to gon.
Bot when he turned him oȝain,
To go framward þe Maudelain,
Line 560
. . . . .
(Hier fehlen 12 Verse, die mit einem illuminirten Buchstaben der Rückseite ausgeschnitten sind.)
Þat non erþelich man liuing
Was worþi for to se þat þing.
Þo bigan he for to crie:
"In þe name of god & Marie
Y bid þe, in þe name of Crist:
Line 565
Þou þat þere gost & list,
A godes halue ȝif þat þou be,
Þat þou speke now to me,
What þing þou art þat þou me kenne". [Ms. kene st. kenne.]
Þe Maudelain answerd þenne:
Line 570
"Mi leue frende, at wordes fewe,
Com forþ to me, y schal þe schewe
Bitven ous tvay here wel stille!
Þou schalt ywiten alle þi wille".
Toward þe place he ȝede.
Line 575
"Com forþ", sche seyd, "& haue no drede,
& þou schal wele witen & se
So michel so þou wilt on me.
Herdestow euer in spelle yminne
Of a woman þat was in sinne
Line 580
Þat Cristes fet wesche wiþ hir ter
& seþþen wiped hem wiþ hir her?
He forȝaf hir for hir godenisse
Alle hir sinnes more & lesse".
Þe prest wel fair hir answerd:
Line 585
"Oftsiþes ich it haue yherd;
& seþþen þat was, it is now gon
To & þritti ȝere euerichon".
