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? apostoile & ? e clergie,
? emperoures & her chiualerie,
Token ? at confessoure, 1095
And leiden on a bere ri? th;
ffair & wel hij habbe? hym di? th,
wi? menske & honoure; 1098
To ? e chirche of seint Bonefas,
wi? ? e corps ? ai token ? e pas
wi? outen any soioure; 1101
? e belles alle a? ein hem rungen,
Preostes & clerkes merily sungen
wi? ? at swete floure.
Page 75
1104
(93)
? Noman may telle wi? tunge
? e miracles ? at of hym sprunge
As ? ai ? at body bere; 1107
Deef & doumbe, halte & blynde,
Alle mi? tten bote fynde,
In maladie ? at were; 1110
Men ? at weren in palesye,
Lunatik, oi? er in frenesie,
Bote hadden ? ere. 1113
Swiche presse was ? e poeple among,
? emperoures mi? tten nou? th for ? rong
Beren for? ? e bere.
Page 76
1116
(94)
? ? ai bi? ou? tten hem in ? is wyse,
? at folk was ful of Coueitise,
And tresore onon of sende, 1119
And casten aboute siluer & golde,
Take it vp who ? at wolde,
Largely to spende. 1122
Nou? th for ? an in euery strete
? e presse was swi? e grete,
? ai mi? tten hem nou? th defende; 1125
? ai leten lygge ? at tresoure,
And foloweden ? at confessoure
? at day to ? e ende.
Page 77
1128
(95)
? Ri? th at seint Bonefas chirche,
To seint Alexi ? ai gonne wirche
A riche monument: 1131
Seuene dayes his frendes duelleden ? ere
ffor his body ? at lay on bere,
And si? ens hom ? ai went. 1134
His fader / his moder / & his wijf,
Lyueden after in holy lijf
Trewely wi? gode entent. 1137
And whan ? ai dyeden alle ? re,
? ai wenten wi? solempnite
To god omnipotent.
Page 78
1140
(96)
? ? us ende & orde ? ee han yherd,
Of seint Alexi hou it ferd,
wi? outen any lesyng. 1143
In ? e worschip of god in glorie,
Out of latyn is drawen ? is storie,
? orou? mi? th of heuene kyng. 1146
alle ? at habben yherd his vye,
Page 79
God brynge hem to ? e compaignye
? ere Aungels ben wonyynge; 1149
And sende vs, lorde, ? i mylde mood;
ffor ? orou? ? ee sprynge? al good
wi? outen any endynge. 1152
Amen, Amen, Amen.
Page 20
[MS. Cotton, Titus, A xxvi, lf 145. ]
THE LYFE OF ST. ALEXES.
[A]lle ? at wolle a whyle here dwell,
herkynnythe, and I woll yowe tell
A tale Sone of grete pyte:
Att rome, by-ffell in ? at Cyte,
Page 21
4
There somtyme wonnyd a man,
hys name was callyd eufemyan;
he was ryche in all thyng,
And euery day seruyd as a kyng; 8
he had I-now? e of worlldys well,
And seruantes with hym many and fele,
Thre thowesant to hym were atend|aund,
That weryd gold on here pendaunt.
Page 22
In hys owne hous euery daye, 13
A custyume was that I schall saye:
there boredes that were fayre spred,
There pormen schulde be fede; 16
Of all pormen of ylk a gate,
there was none ? at werned ? e yate.
A wyfe he had, she hyght a gales,
An holey woman withowten lees; 20
She louyd god with all her myght,
And seruyd hym bothe daye and nyght;
She was of gode wyll, and hart Free
To all ? e dedes of charite.
Page 23
24
there she wollde clothe and fede,
and helpe men at here nede.
By twene theym chyllde had ? ey none,
there fore they made mykell mon. 28
theye were allwaye blythe and hende,
In hope that god shollde hem sende
[folio 145b] Some maydyn chyllde, or some man,
That theyre herytages myght hane;
So long theye prayed with good entent, 33
that a man chyllde god hem sent;
Page 24
whan they wyst ? at hit was so,
Chanse theye leuyd bothe twoo, 36
Sythyn ? ey wollde for no need
Com to gedur in Flesschely ded.
Whan thys man chyllde was borne,
Fayne were here frendys therforne;
Theye bare the chylde to chirche A none, 41
And crystenyd hyt in the Font stone.
Page 25
there theye callyd ? e chylde Alexe;
Sone hit throofe, and wele hit wex.
Whan hit was vij yere olde and more,
hys freendys sett hym wnto lore; 46
he was sone Full goode of wytt,
And wnderstode the holy wryte;
he loued god in all his thought, 49
And of thys worllde gaffe he nought;
he sawe thys worllde was butt gylle,
for hit showld laste but a whyle;
Page 26
52
neuerthe les whan he was elde,
lone and felde For to wellde,
hys fader puruyde hym a wyffe, 55
Wit whome he soulde led hys lyffe;
A mayden there was fayre and Fre,
Com of ? e rycheste of that cette. [folio 146a]
In holy chyrche vppon a daye 59
They were spousyde in goddys laue;
Atte here spousyng I wott there stode
Beshoppys felle and prestes goode;
Sythen theye made a mangery
With all the beste of here aleye;
Page 27
64
All that comyn thyder ? at daye
theye were seruyd welle to paye,
Com ? ey erley, com the late,
theye wer neuer wernyd ? e yate; 68
there was nowder man nor knaue,
Byt mete and drynke he myght haue.
Euery man had there plente
Of claret wyne and pymente; 72
There was many a riche wyne,
In sylluer and in golde fyne;
Many a coppe and many a pece,
with wyne wernage & eke of grece;
Page 28
And many A noder ryche vessell
with wyne of gascoyne and of rochell.
whan euyne com ? at elke a gest
was gone to bed to take hys rest, 80
Eufemyan callyd hys sone Anone,
And bad hym ? at he shoulde gone
In to hys chaumbur to hys fere,
And cowmfort her in hys manere.
Page 29
84
Alex was to hym obedyent, [folio 146b]
and ded his faders comawndement;
In to a chaumbur he com full ryght,
And redy there he founde hys bryght,
And toke here in his armys twoo,
And downe they layde bothe twoo;
'dame,' he sayde, 'nou it ys soo,
Of Flessche ar wee allso.
Page 30
92
Noue may we be gladde of ? is lyffe,
For thowe art bothe moder and wyffe;
For allwaye rede ? at hit so be, 95
For nowe muste me wende frome the.
Whylys I was yong I made a vowe,
That I wyll Fullfell hyt nowe,
For to wende a pylgremage,
Noue woll I doo ? at vyage,
Page 31
100
And ? ou schalt lewe here at home,
agayne as goddys wyll I come. '
he yaffe her a gyrdell and a ryng,
all for a tokyng at ? eyre departyng;
And Forthe he went that elke nyght.
To ? e sse he come full ryght;
The shipe was redy, and ouer went,
wynde att wyll god hym sent.
Page 32
108
whan he come Into a Fer contre,
he come into a ryche cytte,
Page 33
110
[folio 147a] Knowyn he wollde in no wyse be
Of no man ? at shoullde hym see.
Page 34
112
In that cyte was an Image,
That was lyke goddes wysage, 114
Many a pylgryme had hit sought,
For hit was neuer with honde wrought.
Alex herd ther of than t[e]lle,
Than thought he there to duell.
A none he yaffe Frome hym awaye
to powre men all hys monaye; 120
And bought hym pore man ys wede,
Page 35
That none of theyme shoullde thak hede,
And axed his met eorly and late,
With poremen att the mynster yate.
All the mete ? at he myght gete,
Bot euery day a melys mete 126
To pore men gaffe A noone ryght,
he lefft hym sylffe none ouer nyght.
there dwellyd he xvij yere, 129
And lede his lyffe in thys manere;
Page 36
his Fader and hys modyr bothe,
Than he was to theyme Fvll lothe;
his fadyr made gret dole and sorowe,
Bothe on euen and on morowe. 134
'Alas! ' he sayde, and wrong his honde,
'Why is my sonne went owte of lond?
I wende haue hade of hym a knyght,
with me to stonde In all my ryght;
nowe ys he wente ? at was my blysse,
Page 37
I west hym neuer do man a mys.
Nowe haue I none of my lynage [folio 147a]
That maye welde myn herytage. '
Than sayde his moder, and wepte full sore, 143
'Noue shall I see my sonne no more;
I was full glade whan he was borne,
nowe ys all my Ioye forlorne.
Page 38
146
I haue hade robbys maney and fayre,
Nowe woll I next me were the ayre,
Tyll I maye some tydynges here
of my sone that was so dere. ' 150
than spake his wyffe, and wepte among.
'My leffe,' she sayde, 'was done wrong,
Page 39
he toke me in my fadyrs bowre,
And brought me hydder with grete honouer. 154
And he has me nowe for-sakyng,
To Iesu cryst I wyll me takyne;
Page 40
156
Sorowe and morenyng may I well make,
As the turtell dothe withowten his make.
Ioyefull schall I neuer bee,
Tyll I maye my leman see. ' 160
hys Fader send bothe fer and vyde
Messengers on euery syde,
To seke his sonne where he was went,
Bothe Fer and nere where he was went.
Sythen affter yt befell soo, 165
Of messengeres there com too,
Ryght to the Ryche Cete, [folio 148a]
There alex lywyd In pourte. 168
As they com In to a strete,
Alex com and shoulde hym mete;
Sone knewe he ? eyme fwll welle,
And ? ey knewe hym neuer a dele.
lowde he spake vnder hys hoode,
Page 41
'For goddes lowe do me som goode;'
Theye gaffe hym of theyre money,
For goddes lowe there in the waye.
whan Alex sawe ? eye knwe hym nought, 177
he thanked god in all hys thought.
'lorde,' he sayde, 'I thank the
the grace ? at thowe hast sent me;
Myne owne men that shoullde bee,
hate gewyn me of theyre cheryte. '
Alex dwellyd styll there
Fully xlij yere and more. 184
To chyrche he went euery daye,
his goode bedeyes there for to saye;
In to that chyrche, with owtyn fayle,
Was an Images of fayre entayele,
Of owre lady ? at is so Free, 189
With here sonne wppon here knee;
Page 42
That Images spake, ? at was so bryght,
to the sexteyene vppon a nyght. 192
[folio 148b] 'Take,' sche sayde, 'my seruante swythe,
he hathe me seruyd all hys lyeffe;
Full offte he wolle to me lowthe,
hit is no ryght ? at he is withowte. '
'lady,' he sayde, 'I knowe hym nought,
Page 43
Nor I wott neuer where he schull be sought. ' 198
She sayde, 'he sitte? e eorly and late
Withowtyn att the mynster yate. '
Anon he owte of his slepe brayde,
And thought what ? e Image sayde.
And forthe went the sextayne, 203
And fownde alexknelyng In ? e Rayne.
Page 44
Fayne was he that he hym founde,
A-non he toke hym vpe be ? e hande.
'A-ryse,' he sayde, 'my leve and dere,
hit ys no ryght ? at thowe sitt here.
Com,' he sayde, 'my lady bade,
And there of mayst ? ou be glade. '
All that hard this tydynges, 211
Theye worshippyd Iesu, hewyn kyng.
Page 45
Whan Alex sawe hit schulde be ryffe,
hys penance and hys holy lyffe, 214
here kepte he to haue mede,
In this worllde for his goode deede;
Bytt stylly he yeede a waye [folio 149a]
In to a-nodr dyuers contre. 218
To ? e se he cam in ? 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 ?