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at entente,
In to spreusse he wollde haue wente;
Page 46
byt there com A storme of wynde & rayne,*. [[MS. raynde]] 221
And droffe ? e shipe home a gayne,
That In a lytyll stonde they come
Ryght to ? e cyte of rome. 224
Alex sayde ? an with sympyll cher,
'Alas! ' he sayde, 'wat do we here?
Page 47
Myght hitt haue bene affter me,
here wollde I nought haue I-bee;
Butt gode wollde hit myght befall
I myght be in my fadris haull, 230
So that I myght vnknowen be
of hym and of his meyny. '
Page 48
Forthe he vent vpe be a strete,
many a man there gan mete; 234
But there was no man ? at hym knwe,
So was he lene and blake of hewe.
There come his fader hyme agayne,
Page 49
With mayny a knyght and many a swane, 238
Than com with hym on ylke a syde;
Alex stode stelle theyme to a-byde.
'Syr,' he sayde, 'for goddes sake
Wyll yee thys porman In thake?
Page 50
for his lowe ? at dyed on Roode, [folio 149b]
Gywe me clethe and manys foode;
and for his lowe ? at went for the,
God sende ? e grace hym for to see. '
This ryche man with stode ? an, 247
And callyd one of his owne men,
Page 51
And gaffe hym mete an dr[i]nk bothe,
And with pore men hym to clothe.
There dwellyd alex wythem alle,
Sewentene yere in his Faders hall;
There was no man, hye ne llawe,
yongne owlde, ? at hym myght knowe;
Page 52
his owne men for rebaundrye 255
dyd hym manye a welonye.
They hylde water wppon hys hede,
Page 53
And gaff hym ? at was in the dyche levyd;
But euer he hylde hym stylle, 259
And Alle he suffyrde with goode wyll.
Page 54
A-gayne xvij wyntersende,
Whane he schowlde owte of ? is worllde wend,
Page 55
he prayd hym ? at brout hys mete,
Prev[i]ly he shoullde hym gete
A lytyll ynke and perchemyne, 265
And all hys lyffe he wrote there In.
Page 56
whan hit was wretyn, he hit Follde,
[folio 150a] And In his hand he gan hit hollde.
And a none he dyed, I wys,
And dyght his sowlle to hewyn blys. 270
That ylke a daye in tym of masse,
Page 57
whan all fowlke att chirche was,
A woyce cam frome ? e trinite
To the bysshope of that cyte. 274
'Com to me,' he sayde, '? at woll swynke,
And I schall gywe yowe met and drynke;
Page 58
'Sek ye vpe my serwaunte, where ? at he be, 277
That he maye praye for this cete. '
ollde and yonge, lesse and more,
All hard this ? at were there: 280
For hit was no man, lewde ne leryd,
But of this woyce he nas a-Feryd.
Page 59
Goddes seruaunte anon was sought,
but who hit was ? ey knowe hym nought; 284
That voyce sayde on that ylke a daye,
And tolde hym redyly where he laye;
'In eufamyans hous,' he sayde, 'is he, 287
That hathe my Serwaunt long I-be. '
Page 60
the besshope And ? e emperour 289
went in to euffamyans hous;
They axyd hym of syche a man;
he sayde he knwe there of noone.
on of his seruaunttes was thane thore,
Page 61
293
That stode and lokeyd Alex by|fore.
'Syr,' he sayde, 'I trowe hit be
[folio 150b] That poreman ? at yee toke to me,
That long has bene in your hall, 297
he is an holy man with all. '
Page 62
This ryche man went to hym a noone,
And founde Alex ded as ony stone,
But his vysage was allso bryght 301
As the sonne on ? e daye lyght.
Than trowyd well eufemyan
That he was an holey man;
he callyd ? e bysshopes & ? e Empe|rowres
To se ? at cors so presyowse. 306
In theye com a non ryght,
And saue the body ? at was so bryght;
downe on knes theye fell thow, 309
And oder many that were ? ere moo,
And thankyd god In trinite,
That theye myght his seruaunte see.
Page 63
The bysshope, as he stode hym nye,
A perchement leffe in his honde he see, 314
But he hyllde his hand so faste,
That owte he myght hit natt wrast.
'Sonne,' sayde ? e bysshope, 'I praye ? ee 317
that in thye honde ? oue lett me see;
Synfulle all thou? e hit bee,
I haue powre and dyngnytee 320
For to lousse and for to bynde
Thym ? at I in syn Fynde. [folio 151a]
There Fore, sone, let me wetten
what ys in thy bocke wrytyn. '
Page 64
324
The beshope toke ? e boke so hynde,
That Alex hys hond on bynde;
Page 65
the beshope ? at Rolle red A non,
That ? ey yt harde euerychone. 328
There was there in redly tolde
Alle hys lyfe, yong and olde.
Page 66
Whan hys Fader harde of thys,
That he was hys sone I wys, 332
'lorde,' he sayde, 'howe maye ? ys bee?
ys thys my sone ? at I here scee?
Sewentene yere wyt All,
I had fynde hym in myn halle; 336
I myght nat wyt for none Asaye,
What he was, nyght nor daye.
"leffe sone," he sayde, "why ded ? ou soo?
Thowe saw I was For ? e Full woo;
for ? owe were not At my wylle,
Page 67
341
And ewer more ? ou helde ? e styll;
Thyne own saruantes ? at sholde be,
myche harme ded ? ey to ? ee; 344
Theye kest water on thyn hede, [folio 151b]
And gafe ? e ? at was in the dyche leuyde,
And euer ? ou bare ? e meke and lawe,
For ? at no man should ? e there cnawe.
In heuyn ther fore ? ou hast mede:
Sonne, praye fore me, fore I haue nede. "'
Page 68
350
hys moder lyued in In longyng,
whan sche herde of thys tydyng,
She com Forthe with A raply rese,
As A lyon lept oute of A lees; 354
She weppyd And cryde sore,
As thay don ? at arne woo.
'let me,' she sayd, 'my sone see;
I Fed hym on myn owne kee. '
Page 69
358
whan she hym sawe, she Fylle downe,
All was A waye here Resonne.
whan she rose she stoode hym by,
She kyssyde hym, And sayd on hye,
'Sonne,' she sayde, And wept Full sore, 363
'Nowe schall I speke with ? e no more.
Page 70
Thowe hast be sought in meny A londe,
With messengerys, And with sonde,
Page 71
Bot there was no man myght ? e see,
And euer ? ou sat be owre knee. 368
lewe sonne, ? ou praye for mee, [folio 152a]
That I may ? e in bleyss see. '
Page 72
hys wyfe ? at was In chamber stokyn,
Of ? ys tydynges harde sche spokyn;
She com forthe in A sempyll pace,
Sory, I wott, welle ? at che was; 374
She swonnyd at ? e fryst syght,
That on here was blake, ? at rest was wyght.
Than she sayd with mylde chere,
'Where hastowe be, my leman dere?
Full long I myght ? e A-byde,
Page 73
Fore thowe hast soughte pylgermages wyde. 380
Thowe hast beene frome long,
Forsothe I haue done ? e no wrong;
Wyghe ? e speke nowe I ne maye,
Nowe maye I weddowe be for Aye,
I maye be weddow And mayden dde,
And I haue done as ye me bade.
Thowe weddest me to be ? y Free,
O nyght togeder when we were, 388
Bot, good leuan, nowe praye for me
That we to geder in blese maye be. '
Page 74
The folke come fast owte of ? e cete,
that ryche Relyke for to see.
Page 75
392
Sone in a A lytell stonde ? er was
Bothe grete throng And prece.
Page 76
The emperoure, that stode ? er ? oo,
Sawe ? e folke presyd ssoo; 396
Sylvyr in ? e strete ? ey cast,
To lete the folke ? at com so Fast,
Bot of sylver yaffe ? ey no force,
Alle held hem Fast to se ? at corce.
At ? e last with trawayle borne hyt was 401
To ? e chyrche of seynt bonyfface.
whan yt was to ? e chyrche I-brought,
A ryche tombe ? ere was wrought,
Of marbyll And of ryche stonys,
Page 77
Craffetyly, And for ? e nonce,
of sylvyr And of golde coloure,
They layd in ? ys Ryche tresowre.
Sythen cam on to hys tombe 409
Blynde And lame, dethe And dome,
And other man many And felle:
Thorowe grace of god ? ey hadden hell.
Be thys holy man men may ssee,
That god lowyght wele pouerte;
he for soke thys worlde all bedene,
And lowyd god, And yt ys sene
Page 78
he for soke hys Fader, Moder, And wyffe, 417
And lyvyd A pore manys lyfe;
Nowe is he in Ioye ? at last[et]he Aye.
Page 79
God bryng us ? ere ? at best maye.
Praye wee All ? at yt soo bee. 421
Amen, Amen, For cheryte.
explicit sante alex.
Page 20
[Vernon MS. , leaf 44. ]
Sitte? stille with-outen strif,
And i wol tellen ou of a lyf
Of an holy Mon; 3
Alix was his nome.
To seruen god ? hu? te him no schome,
? er-of neuer he ne blon. 6
his fadur was a gret lording,
Of rome a kyngus euenyng,
Page 21
and hihte Eufemian. 9
Pore men to clo? e and fede,
In al rome, ? at riche ? eode,
such nas ? er nan. 12
eueri day were in his halle
I-leid ? reo bordus, forte calle
pore Men to fede. 15
Hem to serue he was wel glad;
he dude as iesu crist him bad;
he hoped ? erfore to haue mede.
Page 22
18
whon he was serued bi and bi,
? enne was he redi
to go to his mete; 21
ffor ? e loue of Godes sone,
wi? Men of Religione
wolde he sitte and ete. 24
? His wyf hi? te dame Agloes,
to sigge so? with-oute les,
? at muche was to preyse.
Page 23
27
But heo dede ? e same manere
as dede hir lord, as ? e may here,
was heo nout at ese. 30
Children bi-twene hem hedde ? ei none,
? er-of to god ? ei maden heor mone
bo? e dai & niht. 33
Iesu crist herde her bone,
& sende hem a ful good sone,
heor herte forte liht.
Page 24
36
[folio 44b] So sone was bore ? at blisful child,
Alix bo? e meke and Mild,
and of maners hende. 39
sone after wi? gret hast,
? ei Auouwede bo? e chast
to heore lyues ende.
Page 25
42
? er-aftur was hit not longe,
Alix cou? e speke and gonge,
and was i-set to lere; 45
sone he was a wel god clerk,
& muche he loued godus werk
forte speke & here.
Page 26
48
As time as he bi-gon to belde,
and was i-come to Monnes elde,
him was chosen a wyf,
Page 27
51
Out of ? e Emperors bour,
a maiden god with gret honour,
to wedden wi? -oute strif.
Page 28
54
? whon heo weren weddet ? e furste ni? t,
in godus lawe as hit was ri? t,
& weren i-brou? t to house, 57
Mekeliche he gon hire teche
to drede god of sunne is leche,
?
at is Maidenes spouse.
Page 29
60
He preched hire with al his miht,
of sunne heo scholde haue no pli? t,
but holden hir Maidenhed. 63
Of Iesu ? at Maiden clene,
in whom was neuere wem i-sene,
heo schulde han hire med.
Page 30
66
? enne tok he his gold ryng,
and ? af hit to ? at Maide ? ing,
and seide to hire ? us: 69
'Tac ? is Ryng and kep hit me,
til ? at godes wille be,
crist beo bi-twene vs. '
Page 31
72
? whon he hedde don as i ou sei,
he tok his leue & went his wei
from ? at Maiden fre. 75
A parti god with him he tok,
& al ? at o? ur he forsok,
and wende him to ? e see.
Page 32
78
He fond schipes redi,
to on he wente priueli,
ouer forte fare. 81
whon he was ouere on ? e sond,
he was in an vnkou? lond,
? er he con neuer are. 84
He went him for? with godus wille,
a feir cite he com tille,
? e nome i schal ou telle. 87
Edissa hette ? e cite,
godus seruaunt forte be,
? erinne forte dwelle.
Page 33
90
? e goodus ? at he wi? him brou? t
of hem wolde he ri? t nou? t,
he ? af hem pore men. 93
His Robe he ? af ? er he sauh nede,
and clo? ed him-self in pore wede,
for no mon scholde him ken. 96
He ede to A chirche hei,
? er pore men seeten in ? e wei,
Almus forte take. 99
AMongus hem he sat a-doun,
and asked wi? deuociun
sum god for Godus sake.
Page 34
102
? at chirche was of vr ladi,
? er-Inne was a gret celli,
an ymage of hire sone, 105
Maked of a wonder werk,
? at nou? ur lewed mon nor clerk
ne mi? t wite hou hit was done; 108
ffor? i was ? ider gret sekyng
of on and o? ur, old and ? yng,
of al ? at Cuntre,
Page 35
111
ffor? i ? e pore ? at ? er ware,
Alle ? e betere mi? te fare
for heore Charite. 114
Alix, of al ? at mi? te he gete,
nedliche bote he moste ete,
he ne held to his bi-houe; 117
To pore men ? at wolde hit take,
he ? af hit for cristes sake,
? at sitte? us alle aboue.
Page 36
120
? Nou is Alix dwelled ? ore:
his fader atom sike? wel sore,
and sei? , Allas! Allas! 123
His Moder wepe? niht and day,
& sei? , Allas! & weila-wey,
? at euere heo i-boren was.
Page 37
126
? His wyf wepe? and make? hir mone,
& sei? ? at heo schal liuen alone
as turtul on ? e treo. 129
Euermore with-outen Make,
Ioye and blisse heo wole forsake
til heo hire spouse i-seo.
Page 38
132
Nou is fader, with dreri chere,
bidde? his Men comen him nere,
as ? ei wolde haue heore mede. 135
He pre? e? hem ? at ? ei ben boun
to wenden & sechen his deore sone,
in eueriche a ? eode; 138
? at ? e ne dwelle for no ? ing,
er ? e han herd sum god ti? ing
wher ? at he be. 141
Go? nou for? , and god ow spede,
? erfore i schal, so God me rede,
? iuen ou gold and ffe.
Page 39
144
? Now wende ? ei for? Alix sekande,
vchone to diuerse lande,
? if ? ei mi? te him winne. 147
Summe of hem ? orwh Godus grace,
comen in-to ? at ilke place
? at Alix was Inne. 150
He sat in pore Mennes rowe,
? erfore ? ei cou? e him not knowe,
? ei ? euen him Charite. 153
He tok hit wi? mylde mod,
and seide, 'Iesus, ? at died on Rod,
lorde, i ? onke ? e.
Page 40
156
Lord, i-? onked be ? ou ay,
? at i haue beden ? at ilke day,
? at i may for ? i sake; 159
Of hem ? at in myn owne lond,
serued me to fot and hond,
her Almus to take. ' 162
Nou ? is Men ? at weren out-sent,
a? ein ham-ward ? ei hem went
to sire Eufemiane. 165
? ei sworen alle bi heuene kyng
of Alix herde heo no? ing,
as wide as ? ei hedden i-gone. 168
In eueri lond [? at] we han ben
we founde no mon ? at him cou? e sen,
? at to him cou? e vs wisse.
Page 41
171
"Nou, allas! ? at i was boren;
bo? e haue i nou forloren
mi Ioye and my blisse. " 174
? In ? is tale wol we non dwelle,
of Alix wol we nou telle,
? at riche pore mon. 177
Alix was pore Monnes fere
fulle seuentene ? ere,
fro ? at he bi-gon, 180
Sittinge in a chirche-? erde,
among pore men an herde,
in a simple wede. 183
An ymage in ? at chirche stoode
of his Modur ? at died on rode,
for ur alre nede.
Page 42
186
? Atte seuentene ? eres ende
spac and seide wordus hende
? at ymage of tre, 189
To ? e wardein of ? e chirche,
& seide, "wardein, if ? ou worche
eny-? ing for me, 192
"ffecche ? ou in mi sones nom,
for seuentene ? er hit is gon
? at he ha? ben ? er-oute. 195
I warne ? e witerli
to dwelle her-in he is wor? i,
? er-of haue ? ou no doute; 198
"He ha? serued heuene bri? t,
? e holi gost in him is liht,
& ? iue? him mi? t and grace,
Page 43
201
? at his pre? ere, with milde steuene,
is swete & god & hei? in heuene
bi-fore mi sone face. " 204
? ? enne seide ?