[The first thirty-two lines of the poem are lost. They would have probably called for the attention of the audience and given a brief introduction of St. Patrick and his mission to the pagan Irish.]
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1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And lived in dedeli sinne. Seyn Patrike hadde rewthe Of hir misbileve and untrewthe, That thai weren inne. 2 Oft he proved sarmoun to make, That thai schuld to God take And do after his rede. Thai were fulfild of felonie; Thai no held it bot ribaudie Of nothing that he sede. 3 And al thai seyd commounliche, That non of hem wold sikerliche Do bi his techeing, Bot yif he dede that sum man Into Helle went than, To bring hem tiding 4 Of the pain and of the wo The soulen suffri evermo, Thai that ben therinne; And elles thai seyd, that nolden hye Of her misdede nought repenti, No her folies blinne. 5 When Sein Patrike herd this, Michel he card forsothe, ywis, And sore he gan desmay. Oft he was in afliccioun, In fasting and in orisoun, Jhesu Crist to pray, 6 That He him schuld grace sende, Hou he might rathest wende Out of the fendes bond, And do hem com to amendement And leve on God omnipotent, The folk of Yrlond. 7 And als he was in holy chirche, Godes werkes for to wirche, And made his praier, And bad for that ich thing, Sone he fel on slepeing Toforn his auter. 8 In his chapel he slepe wel swete. Of fele thinges him gan mete That was in Heven blis. As he slepe, forsothe him thought That Jhesu, that ous dere bought, To him com, ywis, 9 And gaf him a bok that nas nought lite: Ther nis no clerk that swiche can write, No never no schal be; It speketh of al maner godspelle, Of Heven and erthe and of Helle, Of Godes priveté. 10 More him thought, that God him gaf In his hond a wel feir staf, In slepe ther he lay; And Godes Staf, ich understond, Men clepeth that staf in Yrlond Yete to this ich day. 11 When God him this gif hadde, Him thought that He him ladde Thennes be the way ful right Into an gret desert; Ther was an hole michel apert, That griseliche was of sight. 12 Rounde it was about and blak; In alle the warld no was his mack, So griselich entring. When that Patrike yseye that sight, Swithe sore he was aflight In his slepeing. 13 Tho God almighten him schewed and seyd, Who that hadde don sinful dede Ogaines Godes lawe, And wold him therof repenti, And take penaunce hastily, And his foliis withdrawe, 14 So schuld in this ich hole A parti of penaunce thole For his misdede; A night and a day be herinne, And al him schuld be forgive his sinne, And the better spede. 15 And yif he ben of gode creaunce, Gode and poure withouten dotaunce, And stedfast of bileve, He no schuld nought be therin ful long, That he ne schal se the paines strong Ac non no schal him greve 16 In wiche the soules ben ydo, That have deserved to com therto, In this world ywis; And also than sen he may That ich joie that lasteth ay, That is in Paradis. 17 When Jhesu had yseyd al out, And yschewed al about With wel milde chere, God, that bought ous dere in Heven, Fram Him he went with milde steven, And Patrike bileft there. 18 When Seyn Patrike o slepe he woke, Gode token he fond and up hem toke Of his swevening. Bok and staf ther he fond, And tok hem up in his hond, And thonked Heven king. 19 He kneld and held up his hond, And thonked Jhesu Cristes sond That He him hadde ysent, Wharthurth he might understond To turn that folk of Yrlond To com to amendement. 20 In that stede withouten lett A fair abbay he lete sett Withouten ani dueling, In the name of Godes glorie, Seyn Peter and Our Levedy, For to rede and sing. 21 Seyn Patrike maked the abbay: That wite wele men of the cuntray, That non is that yliche. Regles is that abbay name; Ther is solas, gle, and game With pover and eke with riche. 22 White chanounes he sett therate To serve God, arliche and late, And holy men to be. That ich boke and that staf, That God Seyn Patrike gaf, Yete ther man may se. 23 In the est ende of the abbay Ther is that hole, forsothe to say, That griseliche is of sight, With gode ston wal al abouten, With locke and keye the gate to louken, Patrike lete it dighte. 24 That ich stede, siker ye be, Is ycleped the right entré Of Patrikes Purgatorie: For in that time that this bifelle, Mani a man went into Helle, As it seyt in the storie, 25 And suffred pein for her trespas, And com ogain thurth Godes gras, And seyd alle and some, That thai hadde sen sikerliche The paines of Helle apertliche, When thai were out ycome. 26 And also thai seyd with heye, Apertliche the joies thai seye Of angels singing To God almighti and to His: That is the joie of Paradys; Jhesu ous thider bring! 27 When alle the folk of Yrlond The joies gan understond, That Seyn Patrike hem sede, To him thai com everichon, And were ycristned in fonston, And leten her misdede. 28 And thus thai bicom, lasse and more, Cristen men thurth Godes lore, Thurth Patrikes preier. Now herknes to mi talking: Ichil thou tel of other thing, Yif ye it wil yhere. 29 Bi Stevenes day, the king ful right, That Inglond stabled and dight Wel wiselich in his time, In Northumberland was a knight, A douhti man and swithe wight, As it seyt in this rime. 30 Oweyn he hight, withouten les, In cuntré ther he born wes, As ye may yhere. Wel michel he couthe of batayle, And swithe sinful he was saunfayle Ogain his Creatour. 31 On a day he him bithought Of the sinne he hadde ywrought, And sore him gan adrede, And thought he wold thurth Godes grace Ben yschrive of his trispas, And leten his misdede. 32 And when he hadde thus gode creaunce, He com, as it bifel a chaunce, To the bischop of Yrlond, Ther he lay in that abbay, Ther was that hole, forsothe to say, Penaunce to take an hond. 33 To the bischop he biknewe his sinne, And prayd him, for Godes winne, That he him schuld schrive, And legge on him penaunce sore. He wold sinne, he seyd, no more, Never eft in his live. 34 The bischop therof was ful blithe, And for his sinne blamed him swithe, That he him hadde ytold, And seyd he most penaunce take, Yif he wald his sinne forsake, Hard and manifold. 35 Than answerd the knight Owayn, "Don ichil," he seyd, "ful feyn, What God me wil sende. Thei thou me wost comandy Into Patrikes Purgatori, Thider ichil wende." 36 The bischop seyd, "Nay, Owain, frende! That ich way schaltow nought wende," And told him of the pine, And bede him lete be that mischaunce, And "Take," he seyd, "sum other penaunce, To amende thee of sinnes thine." 37 For nought the bischop couthe say, The knight nold nought leten his way, His soule to amende. Than ladde he him into holy chirche, Godes werkes for to wirche, And the right lawe him kende. 38 Fiften days in afliccioun, In fasting and in orisoun He was, withouten lesing. Than the priour with processioun, With croice and with gonfanoun, To the hole he gan him bring. 39 The priour seyd, "Knight Oweyn, Her is thi gate to go ful gain, Wende right even forth; And when thou a while ygon hast, Light of day thou al forlast, Ac hold thee even north. 40 "Thus thou schalt under erthe gon; Than thou schalt finde sone anon A wel gret feld aplight, And therin an halle of ston, Swiche in world no wot Y non; Sumdele ther is of light. 41 "Namore lightnesse nis ther yfounde Than the sonne goth to grounde In winter sikerly. Into the halle thou schalt go, And duelle ther tille ther com mo, That schul thee solaci. 42 "Thritten men ther schul come, Godes seriaunce alle and some, As it seyt in the stori; And hye thee schul conseily Hou thou schalt thee conteyni The way thurth Purgatori." 43 Than the priour and his covent Bitaught him God, and forth hy went; The gate thai schet anon. The knight his way hath sone ynome, That into the feld he was ycome Ther was the halle of ston. 44 The halle was ful selly dight, Swiche can make no ertheliche wight; The pilers stode wide. The knight wonderd that he fond Swiche an halle in that lond, And open in ich side. 45 And when he hadde long stond therout, And devised al about, In he went thare. Thritten men ther come, Wisemen thai war of dome, And white abite thai bere, 46 And al her crounes wer newe schorn; Her most maister yede biforn And salud the knight. Adoun he sat, so seyt the boke, And knight Owain to him he toke, And told him resoun right. 47 "Ichil thee conseyl, leve brother, As ichave don mani another That han ywent this way, That thou ben of gode creaunce, Certeyn and poure withouten dotaunce To God thi trewe fay; 48 "For thou schalt se, when we ben ago, A thousend fendes and wele mo, To bring thee into pine. Ac loke wele, bise thee so, And thou anithing bi hem do, Thi soule thou schalt tine. 49 "Have God in thine hert, And thenk opon His woundes smert, That He suffred thee fore. And bot thou do as Y thee telle, Bodi and soule thou gos to Helle, And evermore forlore. 50 "Nempne Godes heighe name, And thai may do thee no schame, For nought that may bifalle," And when thai hadde conseyld the knight, No lenge bileve he no might, Bot went out of the halle. 51 He and alle his fellawered Bitaught him God, and forth thai yede With ful mild chere. Owein bileft ther in drede, To God he gan to clepi and grede, And maked his preier. 52 And sone therafter sikerly He gan to here a reweful cri; He was aferd ful sore: Thei alle the warld falle schold, Fram the firmament to the mold, No might have ben no more. 53 And when of the cri was passed the drede, Ther com in a grete ferrede Of fendes fifti score About the knight into the halle. Lothly thinges thai weren alle, Behinde and eke bifore. 54 And the knight thai yeden abouten, And grenned on him her foule touten, And drof him to hetheing, And seyd he was comen with flesche and fel To fechen him the joie of Helle Withouten ani ending. 55 The most maister fende of alle Adoun on knes he gan to falle, And seyd, "Welcome, Owein! Thou art ycomen to suffri pine To amende thee of sinnes tine, Ac alle gett thee no gain, 56 "For thou schalt have pine anough, Hard, strong, and ful tough, For thi dedli sinne. No haddestow never more meschaunce Than thou schal have in our daunce, When we schul play biginne." 57 "Ac no for than," the fendes sede, "Yif thou wilt do bi our rede, For thou art ous leve and dere, We schul thee bring with fine amour Ther thou com in fram the priour, With our felawes yfere; 58 "And elles we schul thee teche here, That thou has served ous mani yer In pride and lecherie; For we thee have so long yknawe, To thee we schul our hokes thrawe, Alle our compeynie." 59 He seyd he nold withouten feyle: "Ac Y forsake your conseyle; Mi penaunce ichil take." And when the fendes yherd this, Amidward the halle ywis A grete fer thai gun make. 60 Fet and hond thai bounde him hard, And casten him amidward. He cleped to our Dright; Anon the fer oway was weved, Cole no spark ther nas bileved, Thurth grace of God almight. 61 And when the knight yseighe this, Michel the balder he was ywis And wele gan understond, And thought wele in his memorie, It was the fendes trecherie, His hert forto fond. 62 The fendes went out of the halle, The knight thai ladde with hem alle Intil an uncouthe lond. Ther no was no maner wele, Bot hunger, thrust, and chele; No tre no seighe he stond, 63 Bot a cold winde that blewe there, That unnethe ani man might yhere, And perced thurth his side. The fendes han the knight ynome So long that thai ben ycome Into a valay wide. 64 Tho wende the knight he hadde yfounde The deppest pit in Helle grounde. When he com neighe the stede, He loked up sone anon; Strong it was forther to gon, He herd schriche and grede. 65 He seighe ther ligge ful a feld Of men and wimen that wern aqueld, Naked with mani a wounde. Toward the erthe thai lay develing, "Allas! Allas!" was her brocking, With iren bendes ybounde; 66 And gun to scriche and to wayly, And crid, "Allas! Merci, merci! Merci, God almight!" Merci nas ther non, forsothe, Bot sorwe of hert and grinding of tothe: That was a griseli sight. 67 That ich sorwe and that reuthe Is for the foule sinne of slewthe, As it seyt in the stori. Who that is slowe in Godes servise Of that pain hem may agrise, To legge in Purgatori. 68 This was the first pain aplight That thai dede Owain the knight: Thai greved him swithe sore. Alle that pain he hath overschaken; Until another thai han him taken, Ther he seighe sorwe more 69 Of men and wimen that ther lay, That crid, "Allas!" and "Waileway!" For her wicked lore. Thilche soules lay upward, As the other hadde ly donward, That Y told of bifore, 70 And were thurth fet and hond and heved With iren nailes gloweand red To the erthe ynayled that tide. Owain seighe sitt on hem there Lothli dragouns alle o fer, In herd is nought to hide. 71 On sum sete todes blake, Euetes, neddren, and the snake, That frete hem bac and side. This is the pain of glotoni: For Godes love, bewar therbi! It rinneth al to wide. 72 Yete him thought a pain strong Of a cold winde blewe hem among, That com out of the sky; So bitter and so cold it blewe, That alle the soules it overthrewe That lay in Purgatori. 73 The fendes lopen on hem thare, And with her hokes hem al totere, And loude thai gun to crie. Who that is licchoure in this liif, Be it man other be it wiif, That schal ben his bayli. 74 The fendes seyd to the knight, "Thou hast ben strong lichoure aplight, And strong glotoun also: Into this pain thou schalt be dight, Bot thou take the way ful right Ogain ther thou com fro." 75 Owain seyd, "Nay, Satan! Yete forthermar ichil gan, Thurth grace of God almight." The fendes wald him have hent: He cleped to God omnipotent, And thai lorn al her might. 76 Thai ladde him forther into a stede Ther men never gode no dede, Bot schame and vilanie. Herkneth now, and ben in pes! In the ferth feld it wes, Al ful of turmentrie. 77 Sum bi the fet wer honging, With iren hokes al brening, And sum bi the swere, And sum bi wombe and sum bi rigge, Al otherwise than Y can sigge, In divers manere. 78 And sum in forneise wern ydon, With molten ledde and quic brunston Boiland above the fer, And sum bi the tong hing, "Allas!" was ever her brocking, And no nother preiere. 79 And sum on grediris layen there, Al glowand ogains the fer, That Owain wele yknewe, That whilom were of his queyntaunce, That suffred ther her penaunce: Tho chaunged al his hewe! 80 A wilde fer hem thurthout went, Alle that it oftok it brent, Ten thousend soules and mo. Tho that henge bi fet and swere, That were theves and theves fere, And wrought man wel wo. 81 And tho that henge bi the tong, That "Allas!" ever song, And so loude crid, That wer bacbiters in her live: Bewar therbi, man and wive, That lef beth for to chide. 82 Alle the stedes the knight com bi Were the paines of Purgatori For her werkes wrong. Whoso is lef on the halidom swere, Or ani fals witnes bere, Ther ben her peynes strong. 83 Owain anon him biwent And seighe where a whele trent, That griseliche were of sight; Michel it was, about it wond, And brend right as it were a brond; With hokes it was ydight. 84 An hundred thousand soules and mo Opon the whele were honging tho, The fendes thertil ourn. The stori seyt of Owain the knight, That no soule knowe he no might, So fast thai gun it tourn. 85 Out of the erthe com a lighting Of a blo fer al brening, That stank foule withalle, And about the whele it went, And the soules it forbrent To poudre swithe smal. 86 That whele, that renneth in this wise, Is for the sinne of covaitise, That regnes now overal. The coveytous man hath never anough Of gold, of silver, no of plough, Til deth him do doun falle. 87 The fendes seyd to the knight, "Thou hast ben covaitise aplight, To win lond and lede; Opon this whele thou schalt be dight, Bot yif thou take the way ful right Intil thin owhen thede." 88 Her conseyl he hath forsaken. The fendes han the knight forth taken, And bounde him swithe hard Opon the whele that arn about, And so lothly gan to rout, And cast him amidward. 89 Tho the hokes him torent, And the wild fer him tobrent. On Jhesu Crist he thought, Fram that whele an angel him bare, And al the fendes that were thare No might him do right nought. 90 Thai ladde him forther with gret pain, Til thai com to a mounteyn That was as rede as blod, And men and wimen theron stode; Him thought, it nas for non gode, For thai cride as thai were wode. 91 The fendes seyd to the knight than, "Thou hast wonder of thilche man That make so dreri mode: For thai deserved Godes wreche, Hem schal sone com a bevereche That schal nought thenche hem gode." 92 No hadde he no rather that word yseyd, As it is in the stori leyd, Ther com a windes blast, That fende and soule and knight up went Almest into the firmament, And sethen adon him cast 93 Into a stinkand river, That under the mounteyn ran o fer, As quarel of alblast, And cold it was as ani ise The pain may no man devise, That him was wrought in hast. 94 Seyn Owain in the water was dreynt, And wex therin so mad and feynt, That neighe he was forlore; Sone so he on God might thenchen ought, Out of the water he was ybrought, And to the lond ybore. 95 That ich pain, ich understond, Is for bothe nithe and ond, That was so wick liif; Ond was the windes blast That into the stinking water him cast: Ich man bewar therbi! 96 Forth thai ladde him swithe withalle, Til thai com to an halle, He no seighe never er non swiche. Out of the halle com an hete, That the knight bigan to swete, He seighe so foule a smiche. 97 Tho stint he forther for to gon. The fendes it aperceived anon, And were therof ful fawe. "Turn ogain," thai gun to crie, "Or thou schalt wel sone dye, Bot thou be withdrawe." 98 And when he com to the halle dore, He no hadde never sen bifore Halvendel the care. The halle was ful of turmentri: Tho that were in that bayly Of blis thai were ful bare, 99 For al was the halle grounde Ful of pittes that were rounde, And were ful yfilt To the brerdes, gret and smal, Of bras and coper and other metal, And quic bronston ymelt; 100 And men and wimen theron stode, And schrist and crid, as thai wer wode, For her dedeli sinne; Sum to the navel wode, And sum to the brestes yode, And sum to the chin. 101 Ich man after his misgilt In that pein was ypilt, To have that strong hete; And sum bere bagges about her swere Of pens gloweand al of fer, And swiche mete ther thai ete: 102 That were gavelers in her liif. Bewar therbi, bothe man and wiif, Swiche sinne that ye lete. And mani soules ther yede uprightes, With fals misours and fals wightes, That fendes opon sete. 103 The fendes to the knight sede, "Thou most bathi in this lede Ar than thou hennes go; For thine okering and for thi sinne A parti thou most be wasche herinne, O cours or to." 104 Owain drad that turment, And cleped to God omnipotent, And His moder Marie. Yborn he was out of the halle, Fram the paines and the fendes alle, Tho he so loude gan crie. 105 Anon the knight was war ther, Whare sprang out a flaumme o fer, That was stark and store; Out the erthe the fer aros. Tho the knight wel sore agros, As cole and piche it fore. 106 Of seven maner colours the fer out went, The soules therin it forbrent; Sum was yalu and grene, Sum was blac and sum was blo; Tho that were therin hem was ful wo, And sum as nadder on to sene. 107 The fende hath the knight ynome, And to the pit thai weren ycome, And seyd thus in her spelle, "Now, Owain, thou might solas make, For thou schalt with our felawes schake Into the pit of Helle. 108 "This ben our foules in our caghe, And this is our courtelage And our castel tour; Tho that ben herin ybrought, Sir knight, hou trowestow ought, That hem is anithing sour? 109 "Now turn ogain or to late, Ar we thee put in at Helle gate; Out no schaltow never winne, For no noise no for no crie, No for no clepeing to Marie, No for no maner ginne." 110 Her conseil the knight forsoke. The fendes him nom, so seith the boke, And bounde him swithe fast. Into that ich wicke prisoun, Stinckand and derk, fer adoun, Amidward thai him cast. 111 Ever the nether that thai him cast The hatter the fer on him last; Tho him gan sore smert. He cleped to God omnipotent, To help him out of that turment, With gode wille and stedefast hert. 112 Out of the pit he was yborn, And elles he hadde ben forlorn To his ending day. That is the pine, that ich of rede, Is for the foule sinne of prede, That schal lasten ay. 113 Biside the pit he seighe and herd Hou God almighten him had ywerd; His clothes wer al torent. Forther couthe he no way, Ther him thought a divers cuntray; His bodi was al forbrent. 114 Tho chaunged Owain rode and hewe; Fendes he seighe, ac non he no knewe, In that divers lond; Sum sexti eighen bere, That lotheliche and griseliche were, And sum hadde sexti hond. 115 Thai seyd, "Thou schalt nought ben alon, Thou schalt haven ous to mon, To teche thee newe lawes, As thou hast ylernd ere, In the stede ther thou were Amonges our felawes." 116 The fendes han the knight ynome; To a stinkand water thai ben ycome. He no seighe never er non swiche. It stank fouler than ani hounde, And mani mile it was to the grounde, And was as swart as piche. 117 And Owain seighe therover ligge A swithe strong, naru brigge. The fendes seyd tho, "Lo, sir knight, sestow this? This is the brigge of Paradis, Here over thou most go; 118 "And we thee schul with stones throwe, And the winde thee schal over blowe, And wirche thee ful wo. Thou no schalt, for al this midnerd, Bot yif thou falle amidwerd To our felawes mo. 119 "And when thou art adoun yfalle, Than schal com our felawes alle, And with her hokes thee hede. We schul thee teche a newe play Thou hast served ous mani a day And into Helle thee lede." 120 Owain biheld the brigge smert, The water therunder, blac and swert, And sore him gan to drede. For of o thing he tok yeme: Never mot in sonne beme Thicker than the fendes yede. 121 The brigge was as heighe as a tour, And as scharpe as a rasour, And naru it was also; And the water that ther ran under Brend o lighting and of thonder, That thought him michel wo. 122 Ther nis no clerk may write with ynke, No no man no may bithinke, No no maister devine, That is ymade, forsothe ywis, Under the brigge of Paradis, Halvendel the pine. 123 So the dominical ous telle, There is the pure entré of Helle: Sein Poule berth witnesse. Whoso falleth of the brigge adoun, Of him nis no redempcioun, Noither more no lesse. 124 The fendes seyd to the knight tho, "Over this brigge might thou nought go, For noneskines nede. Fle periil, sorwe, and wo, And to that stede, ther thou com fro Wel fair we schul thee lede." 125 Owain anon him gan bithenche Fram hou mani of the fendes wrenche God him saved hadde. He sett his fot opon the brigge, No feld he no scharp egge, No nothing him no drad. 126 When the fendes yseighe tho, That he was more than half ygo, Loude thai gun to crie, "Allas, allas, that he was born! This ich knight we have forlorn Out of our baylie." 127 When he was of the brigge ywent, He thonked God omnipotent, And His moder Marie, That him hadde swiche grace ysent, He was deliverd fro her turment, Intil a better baylie. 128 A cloth of gold him was ybrought, In what maner he nist nought, Tho God him hadde ysent. That cloth he dede on him there, And alle woundes hole were, That er then was forbrent. 129 He thonked God in Trinité, And loked forther and gan yse As it were a ston wal. He biheld about, fer and neighe, Non ende theron he no seighe, O red gold it schon al. 130 Forthermore he gan yse A gate, non fairer might be In this world ywrought; Tre no stel nas theron non, Bot rede gold and precious ston, And al God made of nought: 131 Jaspers, topes, and cristal, Margarites and coral, And riche saferstones, Ribes and salidoines, Onicles and causteloines, And diamaunce for the nones. 132 In tabernacles thai wer ywrought, Richer might it be nought, With pilers gent and small; Arches ybent with charbukelston, Knottes of rede gold theropon, And pinacles of cristal. 133 Bi as miche as our Saveour Is queinter than goldsmithe other paintour, That woneth in ani lond, So fare the gates of Paradis Er richer ywrought, forsothe ywis, As ye may understond. 134 The gates bi hemselve undede. Swiche a smal com out of that stede As it al baume were; And of that ich swetenisse The knight tok so gret strengthe ywis, As ye may fortheward here, 135 That him thought he might wel, More bi a thousand del, Suffri pain and wo, And turn ogain siker aplight, And ogain alle fendes fight, Ther he er com fro. 136 The knight yode the gate ner, And seighe ther com with milde chere Wel mani processioun, With tapers and chaundelers of gold; Non fairer no might ben on mold, And croices and goinfainoun. 137 Popes with gret dignité, And cardinals gret plenté, Kinges and quenes ther were, Knightes, abbotes, and priours, Monkes, chanouns, and Frere Prechours, And bischopes that croices bere; 138 Frere Menours and Jacobins, Frere Carmes and Frere Austines, And nonnes white and blake; Al maner religioun Ther yede in that processioun, That order hadde ytake. 139 The order of wedlake com also, Men and wimen mani mo, And thonked Godes grace That hath the knight swiche grace ysent, He was deliverd from the fendes turment, Quic man into that plas. 140 And when thai hadde made this melody, Tuay com out of her compeynie, Palmes of gold thai bere. To the knight thai ben ycome Bituix hem tuay thai han him nome, And erchebischopes it were. 141 Up and doun thai ladde the knight, And schewed him joies of more might, And miche melodye. Mirie were her carols there, Non foles among hem nere, Bot joie and menstracie. 142 Thai yede on carol al bi line, Her joie may no man devine, Of God thai speke and song; And angels yeden hem to gy, With harpe and fithel and sautry, And belles miri rong 143 No may ther no man caroly inne, Bot that he be clene of sinne, And leten alle foly. Now God, for Thine woundes alle, Graunt ous caroly in that halle, And His moder Marie! 144 This ich joie, as ye may se, Is for love and charité Ogain God and mankinne. Who that lat erthely love be, And loveth God in Trinité, He may caroly therinne. 145 Other joies he seighe anough: Heighe tres with mani a bough, Theron sat foules of heven, And breke her notes with miri gle, Burdoun and mene gret plenté, And hautain with heighe steven. 146 Him thought wele with that foules song He might wele live theramong Til the worldes ende. Ther he seighe that tre of liif Wharthurth that Adam and his wiif To Helle gun wende. 147 Fair were her erbers with floures, Rose and lili, divers colours, Primrol and paruink, Mint, fetherfoy, and eglentere, Colombin and mo ther were Than ani man mai bithenke. 148 It beth erbes of other maner Than ani in erthe groweth here, Tho that is lest of priis. Evermore thai grene springeth, For winter no somer it no clingeth, And swetter than licorice. 149 Ther beth the welles in that stede, The water is swetter than ani mede, Ac on ther is of priis, Swiche that Seynt Owain seighe tho, That foure stremes urn fro Out of Paradis. 150 Pison men clepeth that o strem, That is of swithe bright lem, Gold is therin yfounde. Gihon men clepeth that other ywis, That is of miche more priis Of stones in the grounde. 151 The thridde strem is Eufrates, Forsothe to telle, withouten les, That rinneth swithe right. The ferth strem is Tigris; In the world is make nis Of stones swithe bright. 152 Who loveth to live in clenesse, He schal have that ich blisse, And se that semly sight. And more he ther yseighe Under Godes glorie an heighe: Yblisced be His might! 153 Sum soule he seyghe woni bi selve, And sum bi ten and bi tuelve, And everich com til other; And when thai com togiders ywis, Alle thai made miche blis As soster doth with the brother. 154 Sum he seighe gon in rede scarlet, And sum in pourper wele ysett, And sum in sikelatoun; As the prest ate Masse wereth, Tonicles and aubes on hem thai bereth, And sum gold bete al doun. 155 The knight wele in alle thing Knewe bi her clotheing In what state that thai were, And what dedes thai hadde ydo, Tho that were yclothed so, While thai were mannes fere. 156 Ichil you tel a fair semblaunce, That is a gode acordaunce Bi the sterres clere: Sum ster is brighter on to se Than is bisides other thre, And of more pouwere. 157 In this maner ydelt it is, Bi the joies of Paradis: Thai no have nought al yliche; The soule that hath joie lest, Him thenketh he hath aldermest, And holt him also riche. 158 The bischopes ogain to him come, Bituen hem tuay thai him nome, And ladde him up and doun, And seyd, "Brother, God, herd He be! Fulfild is thi volenté, Now herken our resoun. 159 "Thou hast yse with eighen thine Bothe the joies and the pine: Yherd be Godes grace! We wil thee tel bi our comun dome, What way it was that thou bicome, Er thou hennes pas. 160 "That lond that is so ful of sorwe, Bothe an aven and a morwe, That thou thus com bi (Thou suffredes pain and wo, And other soules mani mo) Men clepeth it Purgatori. 161 "And this lond that is so wide, And so michel and so side, And is ful of blis, That thou hast now in ybe, And mani joies here yse, Paradis is cleped ywis. 162 "Ther mai no man comen here Til that he be spourged there, And ymade al clene. Than cometh thai hider." The bischop sede, "Into the joie we schul hem lede, Sumwhile bi tuelve and tene. 163 "And sum ben so hard ybounde, Thai nite never hou long stounde Thai schul suffri that hete; Bot yif her frendes do godenisse, Yif mete, or do sing Messe, That thai han in erthe ylete, 164 "Other ani other almosdede, Alle the better hem may spede Out of her missays, And com into this Paradis, Ther joie and blis ever is, And libbe here al in pays. 165 "As hye cometh out of Purgatori, So passe we up to Godes glori, That is the heighe riche, That is Paradis celestien; Therin com bot Cristen men: No joie nis that yliche. 166 "When we comen out of the fer Of Purgatori, ar we com her, We no may nought anon right. Til we han her long ybe, We may nought Godes face yse, No in that stede alight. 167 "The child that was yborn tonight, Er the soule be hider ydight, The pain schal overflé. Strong and hevi is it than, Here to com the old man, That long in sinne hath be." 168 Forth thai went til thai seighe A mounteyn that was swithe heighe, Ther was al gamen and gle. So long thai hadde the way ynome, That to the cop thai weren ycome, The joies forto se. 169 Ther was al maner foulen song, Michel joie was hem among, And evermore schal be; Ther is more joie in a foules mouthe, Than here in harp, fithel, or crouthe, Bi lond other bi se. 170 That lond, that is so honestly, Is ycleped Paradis terestri, That is in erthe here; That other is Paradis, Godes riche: Thilke joie hath non yliche, And is above the aire. 171 In that, that is in erthe here, Was Owain, that Y spac of here, Swiche that les Adam; For, hadde Adam yhold him stille, And wrought after Godes wille As he ogain him nam, 172 He no his ofspring nevermo Out of that joie no schuld have go; Bot for he brac it so sone, With pike and spade in diche to delve, To help his wiif and himselve, God made him miche to done. 173 God was with him so wroth, That he no left him no cloth, Bot a lef of a tre, And al naked yede and stode. Loke man, yif hye ner wode, At swiche a conseil to be. 174 Tho com an angel with a swerd o fer, And with a stern loke and chere, And made hem sore aferd; In erthe to ben in sorwe and wo, Therwhile thai lived evermo, He drof hem to midnerd. 175 And when he dyed to Helle he nam, And al that ever of him cam, Til Godes Sone was born, And suffred pain and Passioun, And brought him out of that prisoun, And elles were al forlorn. 176 Hereof speketh David in the Sauter, Of a thing that toucheth here, Of God in Trinité, Opon men, that ben in gret honour, And honoureth nought her Creatour Of so heighe dignité. 177 Alle that ben of Adames kinne, Th[at here in erthe have don sinne,] S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179 Th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In the paine of Purgatori; And bot he have the better chaunce, At Domesday he is in balaunce Ogaines God in glorie. 180 The bischopes the knight hete To tellen hem, that he no lete, Whether Heven were white or biis, Blewe or rede, yalu or grene. The knight seyd, "Withouten wene, Y schal say min aviis. 181 "Me thenketh it is a thousandfold Brighter than ever was ani gold, Bi sight opon to se." "Ya," seyd the bischop to the knight "That ich stede, that is so bright, Nis bot the entré. 182 "And ich day ate gate o sithe Ous cometh a mele to make ous blithe, That is to our biheve: A swete smal of al gode, It is our soule fode. Abide, thou schalt ous leve." 183 Anon the knight was war there, Whare sprong out a flaumbe of fer, Fram Heven gate it fel. The knight thought, al fer and neighe, Ther over al Paradis it fleighe, And gaf so swete a smal. 184 The Holy Gost in fourme o fer Opon the knight light ther, In that ich place; Thurth vertu of that ich light He les ther al his erthelich might, And thonked Godes grace. 185 Thus the bischop to him sede, "God fet ous ich day with His brede, Ac we no have noure neighe So grete likeing of His grace, No swiche a sight opon His face, As tho that ben on heighe. 186 The soules that beth at Godes fest, Thilche joie schal ever lest Withouten ani ende. Now thou most bi our comoun dome, That ich way that thou bicome, Ogain thou most wende. 187 Now kepe thee wele fram dedli sinne, That thou never com therinne, For nonskines nede. When thou art ded, thou schalt wende Into the joie that hath non ende; Angels schul thee lede." 188 Tho wepe Seynt Owain swithe sore, And prayd hem for Godes ore, That he most ther duelle; That he no seighe nevermore, As he hadde do bifore, The strong paines of Helle. 189 Of that praier gat he no gain He nam his leve and went ogain, Thei him were swithe wo. Fendes he seighe ten thousand last, Thay flowe fram him as quarel of alblast, That he er com fro. 190 No nere than a quarel might flé, No fende no might him here no se, For al this warld to winne; And when that he com to the halle, The thritten men he fond alle, Ogaines him therinne. 191 Alle thai held up her hond, And thonked Jhesu Cristes sond A thousaned times and mo, And bad him heighe, that he no wond, That he wer up in Yrlond, As swithe as he might go. 192 And as ich finde in this stori, The priour of the Purgatori Com tokening that night, That Owain hadde overcomen his sorwe, And schuld com up on the morwe, Thurth grace of God almight. 193 Than the priour with processioun, Wih croice and with goinfainoun, To the hole he went ful right, Ther that knight Owain in wende. As a bright fere that brende, Thai seighe a lem of light, 194 And right amiddes that ich light Com up Owain, Godes knight. Tho wist thai wele bi than, That Owain hadde ben in Paradis, And in Purgatori ywis, And that he was holy man. 195 Thai ladde him into holi chirche, Godes werkes forto wirche. His praiers he gan make, And at the ende on the fiften day, The knight anon, forsothe to say, Scrippe and burdoun gan take. 196 That ich holy stede he sought, Ther Jhesus Crist ous dere bought Opon the Rode tre, And ther He ros fram ded to live Thurth vertu of his woundes five: Yblisced mot He be! 197 And Bedlem, ther that God was born Of Mari His moder, as flour of thorn, And ther He stighe to Heven; And sethen into Yrlond he come, And monkes abite undernome, And lived there yeres seven. 198 And when he deyd, he went ywis Into the heighe joie of Paradis, Thurth help of Godes grace. Now God, for Seynt Owain's love, Graunt ous Heven blis above Bifor His swete face! Amen. Explicit |
(see note) deadly St. Patrick; pity their false belief; error; (t-note) they were in attempted sermon should take to God follow; advice full of crime They held it but foolishness; (see note) Everything he said they all said commonly; (see note) none of them would surely Abide by his teaching Unless; caused some man; (t-note) then them tidings souls suffer forever; (see note) They who are therein Otherwise; would not quickly (i.e., soon); (t-note) their sins not repent Nor their follies (i.e., sins) cease Saint Greatly he cared truly, indeed sorely; became dismayed suffering; (t-note) prayer most quickly lead fiend's control cause them to believe (t-note) while work prayed; very thing fell asleep Before; altar slept quite sweetly (i.e., comfortably); (see note) many; began to dream Paradise slept, truly it seemed to him us dearly bought (i.e., redeemed); (see note) came, indeed gave; book; was not little; (see note) is no learned man; such It spoke of all manner [of] gospels secret knowledge; (see note) Further he thought; gave beautiful staff sleep where God's Staff; (see note) call Yet; very had given He thought; led Thence by great open space; (see note) Where; quite open gruesome black world; its match gruesome to enter saw Full sorely; afflicted sleep Then; almighty; explained; said Whoever; deeds Against would; repent sins (follies) withdraw from very [same] hole portion; endure (see note) (t-note) fare if; faith Good; blameless without uncertainty steadfast; belief; (t-note) see But none shall; trouble what [to] the souls is done indeed then see very joy; forever explained showed full gracious manner bought us dearly (i.e., redeemed) sound left of Good signs he found; them took dreaming Book; staff; found took them; hand thanked knelt; hand Jesus Christ's messenger him had sent Through which; (t-note) [How] to place without delay abbey; had built Without any delay Saint; Lady; (see note); (t-note) To chant and sing [praises]; (see note) made; abbey knew; country none; like abbey's; (see note) solace, joy; delight poor; also canons; established there; (see note) early very book; staff gave Still; see east truth to say gruesome good stone walls all around lock had it built same place, sure be you called; very entrance occurred (see note) says; (see note) pain; their trespasses returned again through; grace said every one of them; (see note) seen surely clearly had come out said with haste Clearly; joys; saw; (t-note) (see note) joy; Paradise May Jesus bring us there!; (see note) began to them told they came every one baptized; baptismal font forgiven; sins became, all of them; (see note) Christian; through; teaching prayers listen; (see note) I will If; hear In the time of Stephen; (see note) stabilized; ordered wisely (t-note) doughty; mighty person says; poem (rhyme); (t-note) was named, without lies; (t-note) country where; was hear Very much; understood; battle quite; without doubt Against; Creator One day; thought to himself sins; done sorely; began to dread would through Be shriven; trespass leave; misdeeds good faith came, as it happened bishop; (see note) Where Where; truth to tell To undertake Penance; (see note) revealed salvation should shrive lay; severe would again; life happy rebuked; at once; (see note) must If; would Serious; many kinds I will do; quite eagerly Even if; would command Thither I will go. friend; (see note) shall you not go pain bade; avoid; adversity could would not give up Then led to work true law; teach Fifteen; suffering; (t-note) prayer lying Then; prior; (see note) cross; banner Go directly forward have gone completely lost But; directly earth go soon field assuredly a hall of stone Such; I know of none A little bit No more; is not; found Than when the sun moves low surely remain; until; more Who shall you comfort Thirteen; shall; (see note) servants every one says quickly [they] shall counsel you sustain yourself through convent; (see note) Commended him to; he shut taken [So] that; field; come Where wondrously constructed Such; earthly creature pillars stood far apart found Such on each stood outside examined there; (t-note) Thirteen men judgment habit they wore crowns [of their heads] were newly shorn; (see note) Their chief master went in front greeted Down; says reason true; (see note) I will counsel you, dear brother I have done have gone faith true; uncertainty true source of doctrine are gone fiends; many more pain But look well, ponder you so If; with them lose think; painful for you unless; (t-note) you go; (see note) And [are] lost forever Call out; high disgrace; (t-note) occur counseled No longer remain company Entrusted him to God; went gracious manner left call; cry out prayers certainly began to hear; rueful cry frightened; keenly Though; world earth cry; dread company fiends fifty Loathsome also went about growled; their foul arses pursued; with abuse said they; flesh and skin fetch him [to] master fiend knees suffer pain damnable; (see note) But; get you no profit pain enough deadly Never had you; bad experience But; fiends said If; by; advice to us beloved; precious perfect love; (see note) Where fellows gathered together otherwise; you teach lust; (see note) known Into you; hooks thrust company would not; fail But I; counsel I will had heard In the middle fire; began to make Feet and hands cast; in the midst called; Lord At once; fire away; quenched Coal nor; was not left Through had seen Much more confident; indeed treachery tempt led Into; uncivilized land no kind of comfort Only; thirst; cold tree; saw; stand blew scarcely; hear pierced through taken valley Then thought; found deepest near; place Hard; further to go shrieking; lamentation saw; lay; field; (see note) women; were destroyed sprawling calls of distress iron bands bound began to shriek; wail cried was not teeth gruesome very sorrow; regret sloth; (see note) says sluggish they may dread lie in fact; (see note) did to troubled; very sorely passed by To Where; saw sorrow women cried their; conduct These through feet and hands and head iron nails glowing; (t-note) nailed at that time saw sit; them Loathsome; on fire; (t-note) In public nothing can be hidden; (see note) sat toads black Newts, adders bit them [in the] back gluttony (t-note) runs all too widely And then; (t-note) them knocked over leapt; them there; (t-note) their hooks them tore up began to cry lecher; life wife (i.e., woman) country (dwelling place) lecher indeed; (t-note) glutton placed Unless; right away Back where Still further I will go Through would; seized called lost led; further; place Where men; did shame; villainy Listen; be in peace! fourth field; was; (t-note) torment feet; hanging iron hooks; burning neck belly; back say various ways furnace; placed lead; caustic brimstone Boiling; fire tongue hung calls of distress no other prayer gridirons lay glowing upon; fire recognized at some time; acquaintance Then; color fire them throughout overtook; burned more Those; feet; neck thieves; companions; (see note) caused; woe those; hung sang cried backbiters; lives; (see note) Beware; wife (i.e., woman) Who are eager to scold (complain) places their works willing to; relics swear false witness bear went; (see note) saw; wheel turned gruesome Great; moved burned; brand hooks; fitted out (t-note) wheel; hanging thereto arranged says recognize made it turn came lightning blue (i.e., livid) fire; burning burnt up powder very fine runs in this way covetousness reigns; completely covetous; enough land; (see note) Until death makes him fall down covetous indeed land; nation placed; (t-note) Unless; immediately Unto your own country Their counsel (t-note) very turned hideously; bellow in the midst Then; hooks; tore fire; burned fiercely bore mountain red; blood women; stood He thought; was not cried; crazy these men woeful mood God's vengeance [To] them; drink intend sooner; said told (recorded) Almost afterwards down; (t-note) stinking mountain; of fire missile of a siege engine any ice describe in haste drenched grew; faint nearly; lost As soon as; think at all borne very malice; spite wicked life Fierce led; quickly saw; before; such heat sweat saw; smoke Then stopped; to go realized livid taken out door A half part of; pain torments Those; fortress bare pits filled rims brass; copper caustic brimstone molten shrieked; cried; crazy deadly waded breasts went Each; sin pain; thrust heat bore bags (i.e., pouches); necks; (see note) coins glowing all on fire such meat; ate usurers permit stood upright sinners; creatures; (see note) set upon said bathe; area Before; hence money-lending period of time; washed A cycle or two; (see note) dreaded called mother Borne Then aware flame of fire strong; fierce Then; sorely terrified coal; pitch it spewed (see note) burned up yellow; green black; blue Those as if one saw an adder fiends; taken their spiel solace fellows hurry; (t-note) (t-note) birds; cage; (t-note) garden Those do you believe at all That they are at all agonized back before too late Before shall you calling contrivance counsel took fully wicked Stinking; dark, far Amidst deeper hotter Then; be pained called good carried otherwise; lost pain; tell of pride; (see note) forever saw; heard protected torn could strange country burned badly Then; face and complexion saw, but strange sixty eyes bore; (see note) loathsome; gruesome; (t-note) sixty hands attend to learned before place taken stinking saw; before; such hound black as pitch lay; (see note) very; narrow bridge then do you see must (t-note) inflict misery on you for all the world; (see note) Avoid falling in the middle other fellows; (t-note) fallen behead bridge painful black; dark sorely; dread one; notice motes; sun beams came high; tower sharp; razor narrow Burned of lightning; thunder Which he thought [a] great difficulty (misfortune) is no; ink imagine master figure out One half of; pain (see note); (t-note) entry Saint Paul bears off (from) Neither then For any need at all Flee peril place; (t-note) lead consider wiles; (t-note) felt; edge dreaded saw then gone lost prison gone from their Unto; keep; (t-note) did not know That clothing he put on healed earlier; burned see stone wall far and near Of; shone see; (see note) Wood nor steel was not topaz; crystal; (see note) Pearls sapphires Rubies; celadon; (see note) Onyx; chalcedony; (see note) diamonds indeed; (see note) sanctuaries; (see note) columns beautiful; delicate curved; carbuncle; (see note) (see note) more skillful; or; (t-note) lives far Are opened smell; place balm sweetness truly; (t-note) times firmly assured against Where; earlier; from went; near in gracious manner many [in] procession; (see note); (t-note) candles; candle-holders earth crosses; banners (see note); (t-note) (see note) canons; Friar Preachers (i.e., Dominicans); (see note) Friars Minor (i.e., Franciscans); Dominicans; (see note) Carmelites; Augustinian Friars; (see note) nuns; (see note) religious went religious orders had taken; (see note) wedlock; (see note) more; (t-note) Living Two; company bore Between; two; taken archbishops led power much Merry There were no sins among them minstrelsy went; in a line understand spoke; sang went; guide fiddle; psaltery (i.e., stringed instrument); (see note) merrily rang carol (i.e., sing); (t-note) Unless leave Let us sing very Towards leaves behind earthly love sing birds trilled; merry glee; (see note) Bass; melody; (see note) treble; loud sound birds' life; (see note) Whereby went gardens; (see note) Primrose; periwinkle chrysanthemum; briar rose Columbine imagine There are plants of other kinds; (see note) (t-note) Those that are least of value summer; shrivels sweeter wells sweeter; beverage But one; value; (t-note) Such; then streams flow from Phison; one; (see note); (t-note) gleaming second; (see note); (t-note) value third Truth to tell, without lies quickly forth fourth stream none other pleasing saw on high Blessed; (t-note) saw stay alone twelve to the others together much sister purple; attired silk woven with gold Vestments; albs hammered gold their status; (t-note) Those among mankind; (t-note) I will; comparison; (see note) That accords well stars bright three others dealt (t-note) alike least believes; most of all holds; as back to Between; two; took led God, be He praised desire listen; explanation seen; eyes pain Praised common judgment hence pass evening and morning; (t-note) broad great; spacious called cleansed (t-note) At some time; twelve; ten bound; (see note) do not know; time heat friends If appropriate; have Mass sung arranged for Or; almsdeed hasten misery Where live; peace quickly; (see note) high kingdom celestial; (t-note) only Christian like before right away; (t-note) place stay Before; here placed pass over heavy extremely high playing; glee taken summit all kinds of birds' bird's fiddle; croud (i.e., stringed instrument); (see note) By land or by sea called; terrestrial; (t-note) kingdom; (t-note) That; like (see note) I spoke Which; lost firmly against him took up offspring broke ditch much clothing leaf went; stood Look; if you are not mad counsel Then; sword of fire countenance afraid drove; earth; (t-note) traveled; (see note) (see note) lost Psalter is relevant here kin; (see note) (t-note) Judgment Day With regard to commanded leave out gray Blue; yellow doubt opinion very place entry one time; (see note) To us; meal; glad benefit piece food believe aware flame of fire far and near flew gave; smell form of fire alighted (see note) feeds; bread But; nowhere near Such a great enjoyment those; high feast last judgment Back; must go well; deadly sin For no reason at all lead Then pardon might; remain took his leave; back Though fled; like a missile from a catapult stone; flee hear; see Facing towards help hurry; wander might be quickly [To] the prior; (see note) Came with a premonition cross; banner traveled fire; burned gleam works to do (see note) Pilgrim's bag and staff; (see note) place Cross Bethlehem flower arose (t-note) habit assumed |
