Seynt Katerine

Publication Statement:

This file is part of the facsimile-edition of the Auchinleck Manuscript was co-edited by Professor David Burnley and Dr Alison Wiggins. The HTML versions of the resource are freely available at http://www.nls.uk/auchinleck/

Notes:

This manuscript file was originally supplied as katerine.html and the header file was located in heads/katerine_head.html both of which were converted to TEI XML by Dr James Cummings of the Oxford Text Archive. The notes below were taken from the header file and each HTML paragraph placed in a separate note.

Scribe 1

The poem is versified in monorhymed, long-lined quatrains but this edition follows the layout of the manuscript, which resembles 8-line stanzas. 330 long lines including a lacuna of 12 short lines on f.21vb. Ends imperfect, lacking about 130 short lines.

Unique copy. However, it is closely related to the version in Caius Cambridge MS 175, a revised text of this version from the 15th century. Caius 175 also has King Richard and Beues of Hamtoun in common with Auchinleck.

Edition:
C. Horstmann, 'St. Katerine', Altenglische Legenden, Neue Folge (Heilbronn: Henninger, 1881): 243-258.

Other editions and studies:
I. C. Yim, 'Seynt Katerine: A Critical Edition', unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Southwestern Louisiana (1997).
W. B. D. D. Turnbull, Legendae Catholicae (Edinburgh: Edinburgh Printing Company, 1840): 167-209.

Manual II, 440; 600. Index 1159.

Source:

The Auchinleck Manuscript (NLS Adv MS 19.2.1) is one of the National Library of Scotland’s greatest treasures. Produced in London in the 1330s, it provides a unique insight into the English language and literature that Chaucer and his generation grew up with and were influenced by. It acquired its name from its first known owner, Lord Auchinleck, who discovered the manuscript in 1740 and donated it to the precursor of the National Library in 1744.

Seynt Katerine


He þat made heuen & erþe [f.21rb] [Image]
& sonne & mone for to schine,
Bring ous into his riche
& scheld ous fram helle pine.
Herken, & y ȝou wil telle
Þe liif of an holy virgine
Þat treuli trowed in Jhesu Crist.
hir name was hoten Katerine.
Whilom it bitid so:[5]
in Grece jt was an emperour;
He was king of mani palays,
castels gret & mani a tour.
Þe riche men of þat lond
serued him wiþ gret honour.
Maxens was his riȝt name,
man he was of gret fauour.
Mahoun he held for his god,
he trowed in þat fals lay.
On Jhesu Crist no leued he nouȝt,[10]
Þat lord is & God verray.
Sarraȝin he was ful strong,
wiþ Cristendom he seyd nay,
For alle þat leued on Jhesu Crist
he stroyd hem boþe niȝt & day.
When he hadde. xxxv. & þritti ȝer
[ben] emperour & born þe croun,
Ouer alle þe lond he sent his sond
wiþ messangers fram toun to toun.
To þe borwe of Alisander[15]
he bad þe folk schuld be boun,
Riche & pouer, heiȝe & lowe,
wiþ her offrend to seke Mahoun.
He bad þat riche men schuld bring
schepe & nete to her offrinde,
Þe pouer men he bad come
wiþ quic foules on her honde,
& as þai wald her liues haue,
for no þing no schuld þai wond.
It was þe kinges comandment[20]
Þat he hadde comand in þat lond.
Þe folk com alle on þis maner — [ þis: s is superscript.]
to wretþe þe king þai were fordred.
Bifor his godes him seluen he stode,
in riche cloþes was he cled.
Glewemen were þer fele & gode, [f.21va] [Image]
he bad hem be bliþe & glad.
Noise þai made swiþe miche,
so þemperour hem badde.
Anoþer king was in þat lond.[25]
Costus his name was told.
A douhter he had & no mo,
XV. winter was sche old.
Katerine was hir riȝt name.
of witt & wisdome was sche bold,
Jhesu sche loued aldermest —
for his loue was hir liif sold.
As sche stode in hir fader court,
glewemen herd sche miri sing,
Wiþ pipes & wiþ trompes boþe,[30]
belles herd sche fast ring.
Sche axed at hir fader men
what was þat noise & þat pipeing. [ & is superscript.]
Þai told hir of þat riche offring
Þat Maxens dede his men to bring.
Sche heue vp hir holy hond
& blisced hir ful witterly,
First hir brest & seþþen hir tonge —
so seyt þe boke of hir stori.
Sche seyd sche wald þider wende[35]
for to se þat melodye.
Wiþouten fere ȝede sche nouȝt
Þai ȝede hir wiþ þat stode hir bi.
When sche com to þat palays,
miche sche seyȝe of gamen & gle.
& al þat trowed on Jhesu Crist,
wel sori men sche seiȝe hem be:
Or þai schuld make sacrifise
to his maumet, was maked of tre
& of ston & of bras,[40]
oþer elles schuld þai marterd be.
Sche com bifor þat emperour,
Þer he made his sacrifise,
& gret him on þis maner —
wordes had sche bold & wise —
‘Jhesus Crist be wiþ þe,
riȝtwise king & heye justise,
Þat þoled ded opon þe tre
& seþþen hadde pouwer forto rise.
Y speke of Jhesu, Marie sone, [f.21vb] [Image] [45]
of alle kinges he is flour,
Þat suffred deþ for al man kin;
he is our alder creatour.
Y hold þe ful wise of witt,
sir Maxens, our emperour,
ȝif þou makest alle þis folk
him to seche wiþ swiche honour.
Bot now me þenke þou dost nouȝt so
Þou werchest on a wers wise.
Þe folk þat þou hast hider brouȝt[50]
Þou dost hem do þe fende seruise.
ȝif þai do more after þe,
forsoþe it is a cowardise;
For þat þou hast ymaked here,
fikel it is & al feyntise.’
Þis emperour forwonderd was
of þat maidens fair vise,
& of hir bold wordes also.
‘Maiden’ he seyd ‘þou art vnwise.
Whi mispraises þou our god[55]
& holdest hem of so litel prise?
So no sestow ous nouȝt do,
Þat wereþ boþe fowe & grise.
ȝif þou were lered on our lore
& to our scole entendaunt,
Þou wost say we dede ful wel,
& wiþ þi tonge þou wost it graunt;
Jhesus Crist þou wost forsake
Þat þou drawest to þi waraunt,
& our godes wostow seke,[60]
boþe Mahoun & Teruagaunt.
Bot for we han bigonne here
.... .... ....
.... .... ....
.... .... ....
.... .... ....
.... .... ....
.... {11 lines lacking}
.... .... ....
.... .... .... ....[65]
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Þise ben quic deuelen alle [f.22ra] [Image]
Þat þis folk han here ysouȝt;
It is no God bot on, ywis,
Þat me & te & alle haþ wrouȝt.’
Þis emperour ful wiley was
& ȝete he couþe anoþer croke.
Letters dede he swiþe make[70]
priueli, so seyt þe boke,
How þat a maiden was þer com
Þat our godes al forsoke.
He seld it wiþ his owen ring
Þat he of his finger tok.
He toke þe messanger þe letter
Þat seled was wiþ his ring,
To þe wisest men of þat lond
he bad hem go wiþouten duelleing.
He hiȝt to don hem gret anour,[75]
as he was trewe kniȝt & king,
ȝif þai miȝt wiþ her wisdom
ouercom þat may þat was so ȝing.
Þe maiden was in prisoun don,
son þe messangers were went.
An angel com to hir ful sone
Þat Jhesu Crist hir hadde ysent.
He seyd ‘mi lord greteþ þe wele
Þat witt & wisdom haþ þe lent,
& biddes þe be of hert strong[80]
& trow on him wiþ gode entent.
Maxens haþ now sent þis sond
oueral into þis cuntre
After men þat ben ful wise,
wiþ þe to striue, astow schalt se.
Bot bi þai han þi wordes herd
as Jhesus Crist schal wisse þe,
Her trouþe worþ in God ful gode,
& for his loue þai schal marterd be.’
Ouer al þe lond, þat was so wide,[85]
his messangers went ful ȝare.
Fifti men wiþ hem þai brouȝt, [ hem altered fron him; þai altered from he, with i superscript.]
grete clerkes & wise of lare.
Of al þe wisdom of þe lond
men seyd þat þai redi ware
Forto despute wiþ Katerine,
Þat Maxens hadde in prisoun þare.
Among hem was þe maiden brouȝt. [f.22rb] [Image]
wroþly þai gun to hir bere,
Her resouns þai seyden on & on,[90]
euerich on his best maner.
Þis mayden þat ich of told,
stode euer wiþ simple chere
& herd her resouns euerichon —
Godes angel was hir fere.
When þai hadde her ressouns seyd,
euerichon more & lesse,
Sche answerd hem at eueri point
wiþ ful michel mildenis,
& seþþen seyd hir aviis[95]
of God þat louerd was & euer isse, [ louerd: MS reads loured with superscript r.]
Þat euer was & ay schal be;
Þe godspelle sche tok to witnisse.
Sche schewed hem wiþ holy writ
of Jhesus incarnacioun,
Hou he was of a maiden born,
& hou he suffred passioun,
& hou he sent his apostles wide
for our alder sauacioun.
& alle þe bileue of Cristen man[100]
sche schewed hem wiþ gode resoun.
When þe maiden hadde seyd
hir resouns, þat wer gode,
Ful redi were þe maisters alle
for to chaungen her mode.
Bot þer Maxens himseluen sat,
for wretþe he wax wel ney wode,
& asked ȝif þai couþe ouȝt sain
oȝain þe maiden þer sche stode.
Þan spac a maister sone —[105]
of heiȝe kin he was born —
‘Sir’ he seyd ‘we han gon mis,
sche haþ aresoun ous biforn.
We wil trowe on Jhesu Crist,
Þat bar þe croun was made of þorn,
& do so Katerine haþ ous told;
loþ ous is to be forlorn.’
Sone anon he axed hem
ȝif þai wald her mode amend.
Þai seyd ‘we trowe on Jhesu Crist,[110]
so Katerine ous haþ kende.’
He bad make a gre[te] fer [f.22va] [Image]
& bind hem fot & hende,
& swore amidward þe borwe
ich a fot schuld þai be brende.
When men kest hem in fer,
fair miracle men miȝt se:
Her flesche, her cloþes & her here
of wem were quite & fre.
For him þai suffred passioun[115]
Þat for hem dyed on tre;
To heuen were her soules born,
in Godes frari to be.
Þan bad þemperour his men
bring forþ þat fair may.
& when sche was biforn him com,
he seyd ‘welcom, par ma fay.
Hastow ȝete þi conseyl take
for to trowe opon mi lay?
Haue merci on þi feirhed.[120]
y schal þe worþschip ich day.
Þou schalt be worþschiped as þe quen,
boþe in bour & halle,
& in þi name schal be wrouȝt
an ymage fair wiþalle,
& in þis borwe it schal be sett,
heiȝe & lowe to louten alle.
Of alle þe nedes of þis lond
to þe we schal conseyl calle.
Heiȝe & lowe worþschipe þe.[125]
Katerine, do as y þe bede.
& ȝete we schal þe more do,
ȝif þou wilt wirche after mi red: [ ȝif: MS reads þif.]
A temple in þi worþschip make
of marble ston when þou art ded.
Among our godes þou schalt be sett
in siluer & in gold rede.’
‘Be stille, fole. Whi seystow so?
Þou redest me to do gret sinne.
What man wald ydampned be[130]
for ani maner warldes winne?
Ich haue me taken to Jhesus Crist,
him to serue & trowen inne.
Ich hope to com to his riche
Þer ioie & blis schal neuer blinne.
Min hope is in him aldermost, [f.22vb] [Image]
lord abouen in trinite.
He is mi loue, he is mi spouse,
to swiche a leman take y me.
& ȝif it were ani bot,[135]
at þat conseyl wald y be
Þine maumettes to breke & brenne —
Þou made hem, & þai nouȝt þe.’
When þat Katerine hadde yseyd,
him þouȝt he schuld brest in fiue:
Wiþ ire & wreþe he bad his men
‘do as y ȝou bid swiþe.
Wiþ schourges swiþe gret & scharp
beteþ hir al out oliue,
& doþ hir seþþen in prisoun strong;[140]
wat bote is it al day to striue?’
Þai made hir body blo & blac,
Þat er was white so alpes bon.
Seþþen seyd he to his men
‘Prisouns hir swiþe anon.
Honger schal sche han ynouȝ,
mete no drink ȝif hir non,
Litel no miche — þat loke wel
til þis tvelue days be comen & gon.
Y mot fare out of þis lond,[145]
bot y no schal nouȝt long duelle.
To heiȝe men & wise boþe
of þis auentour y schal hem telle;
Conseyl y schal haue ful gode
hou y schal þat maiden quelle.
Bot ȝiue sche take anoþer rede
sche mai be siker & wo to welle.’ [Line 296: copied at the end of the column, its correct position marked a-b and crosses.]
When þis emperour was went,
Þe quen hir seyd to a kniȝt —
Of alle kniȝtes he was chef,[150]
Porfir seyt þe bok he hiȝt —
‘Þou do me speke wiþ Katerine
& if þou may þis ich niȝt. [ þou: u is superscript.]
Longing haue y swiþe miche
to speke wiþ hir ȝif þat y miȝt.’
Wiþin niȝt forȝat he nouȝt
to do þe quenes comandment;
Vnto þe prisoun, as he hir hiȝt,
priueliche he wiþ hir went.
Þai seiȝe þerin so michel liȝt, [f.23ra] [Image] [155]
& God his angels þider sent,
Þat sete about þat swete wiȝt
& anoint hir wiþ oinement.
Þei seiȝen angels anoin[t]en hir cors,
ich wem & ich a wounde,
& þurth þe miȝt of Jhesu Crist
Þan þai were boþe hole & sounde.
No hadde þai stonden at þe prisoun
bot a litel wiȝt(i) ne stounde,
Of þat liȝt þai weren adrad;[160]
aswon þai fel adoun to grounde.
þe ma[i]den aros & com to hem
& spac to hem wiþ mild mode,
‘Ariseþ vp in Godes name,
& loke ȝe ben of confort gode.’
Sche bad hem leue on Jhesu Crist,
Þat for mankin schadde his blod.
& when þai herd þat maiden speke,
vp þai risen & bi hir stode.
Þan seyd þe quen ful sone,[165]
‘A, Keterine, wele is þe.
Miche þou miȝt do wiþ Jhesu Crist.
we han sen of þi priuete.
Þan sche seyd ‘ȝe, trowe on him
Þat is lord of swiche pouste.
His seriaunce no forȝet he nouȝt
Þat him serue wiþ hert fre.
Certes, dame, y rede þe wel,
forsake Maxens & al his miȝt
For þat ich kinges loue[170]
Þat made þe day & eke þe niȝt,
Heuen & erþe, man & best,
sonne & mone to schine briȝt.
Þe ioie of heuen schaltow haue.
& also y say to þe, sir kniȝt.’
Þan spak þe kniȝt to Katerine,
‘what maner ioie may þis be?’
Katerine seyd also sone,
‘Porfir, y wil telle þe.
Þat is þe ioie wiþouten enden[175]
Þat ere no may here, no eiȝe se,
No tong speke, no hert þink.
lord it sende ȝou & me.
Þer nis non in þat riche [f.23rb] [Image]
Þat honger haþ, cold no þrest.
Þer is liif wiþouten ende,
Þer is stede of ro & rest.
Þurth þe wordes þat sche spac,
er midniȝt þai weren al prest
To suffre deþ for Godes loue;[180]
her hope was in his merci best.
Sche bitauȝt hem Jhesu Crist,
& seþþen went boþe oway.
To hundred kniȝtes serued hir,
sche told hem þat oþer day
Hou Godes angels sat abouten hir
in þe prisoun þer sche lay.
Þai trowed on God as sche hem radde
& forsoken al her fals lay.
Þe maiden no most haue mete no drink[185]
Þourth comandment of þat king;
Tvelue days þurth & þurth
sche no most haue mete no dring.
Angels com fram heuen to erþe
ich day to þat swete þing,
Mete & drink ynouȝ plente
Þai brouȝten, of alle gode tiding.
& when þe tvelue dayes were gon,
Þan com Jhesu heuen-king,
Wiþ angels & maidens boþe,[190]
for to speke wiþ his derling.
He seyd ‘þou hast ben for me ladde
in miche striif & gret fonding. [ fonding: MS reads fonging.]
Loke þou hert þe ful wele.
y ȝiue þe, douhter, mi bliscing.
Oft ichaue þi praiers herd,
when þat þou me bisouȝt,
Þerfore schal y þe nouȝt fayl
when þou art to iugement brouȝt.
Loke þou be stedefast & trewe.[195]
of al hir paines ȝiue þou nouȝt.
Of þe blis þou miȝt be siker
Þat ichaue to min hondewerk wrouȝt.’
& when he hadde þis wordes seyd,
out of prisoun he gan glide
To heuen-blis þer he com fro
& angels on ich a side.
When Maxens hadde his wil do, [f.23va] [Image]
hom he com wiþ michel prede,
Wiþ erles & wiþ kniȝtes fele,[200]
& knaues ernand bi her side.
Opon þat oþer day ful sone
he asked after þe maidens astat,
ȝif sche be oliue ȝete.
‘sche is ful feble, wele y wat.
Fet hir forþ, mi jaioler.
for hunger & þrost sche is wel mate.’
He ȝede anon & brouȝt hir forþ
bifor þe king þer he sat.
When sche was biforn him come,[205]
he seyd ‘welcom, damisele.
Þou hast ben strongliche ygreued,
in iren bounden & in stiel.
Bot ȝete me þenkeþ þou miȝt liue,
& þat likeþ me ful wel.
Jhesu, þat þou of speke,
him forsake þou euerichadel.
For y nold nouȝt þi liif spille,
to prisoun y dede þe do.
Bot certes þou most now nede[210]
chesen on of þis þinges tvo:
Oþer trowe opon mi godes
& Cristendom þou do þe fro,
Oþer we schal ous biþenke
wiþ strong paines þe to slo.’
Þan spac þe maiden þer sche stode
among þe Sarraȝins so blake —
Jhesus Crist hir haþ ytauȝt,
hir wordes were wiþouten lake —
‘Þei I ne may liue, wite þou wel[215]
God schal y neuer forsake
For his loue am y ful prest
wiþ wille mi deþ for to take.
Þei þat ȝe alle biþenke ȝou
of pines hard & sore,
Þerto icham now ful prest,
hem to suffre icham al ȝare.
Neuermore, while y liue,
mi flesche no blod wil y spare
To spende for mi lordes loue.[220]
for me he suffred wele mare.
Bleþeliche wil y martird be [f.23vb] [Image]
wiþ gret pines & wiþ smale.
He haþ me to his frari cald,
Þat schal be bot of mi bale.’
Sche stode euer wiþ mild mode
bifor Maxens, to telle hir tale.
Bot þer he sete opon his des,
for tene he grent & wex al pale.
As he sat & couped hir,[225]
Þer com a Sarraȝin gon —
Cursates, seyt þe boke, he hiȝt —
‘king’ he seyd ‘icham þi man.
ȝete y can a turment make.
swiche no herdestow neuer nan.
Bi þan it be wrouȝt & sche it se,
anoþer þouȝt sche schal þenke on.
Four wheles schal y make.
Þe to schal turn oȝain to,
Ful þicke þai schal be driuen,[230]
wiþ wiþerhokes mo & mo.
Among þe four sche schal be don,
hir bodi forto wirche wo.
To smale peces sche schal be rent,
on erþe schal sche neuer go.
Þan bad Maxens his iayoler
Þat he schuld þat maiden take
Into prisoun for to lede,
Þerwhile he schul þe wheles make.
& er þe þridde day at ende[235]
Þai were wrouȝt for hir sake.
So grisely were þai on to se,
mani a man þai maden quake.
When þo wheles weren prest,
amid þe borwe þai were sett
Wiþ Sarraȝins bifor þe king —
hard was þe maiden þrett.
Þan bad þemperour his men
Þat sche were out of prisoun fett.
Wele he wend wiþouten faile[240]
Þat his tene schuld be bett.
Þai ladden hir to þat stede
Þer sche schuld on hem be don.
Mani a moder child þer was,
for to loke þe maiden opon. [Catchword: sche sett hir doun.]
Sche sett hir doun opon hir knes, [f.24ra] [Image]
to God of heuen sche bad a bon.
Bot herkneþ now wat bitid.
Godes help þer com ful sone.
Þe wheles for to brese & breke[245]
our louerd bad an angel gon.
Of þe wicked Sarraȝins
veniaunce he tok anon.
Among þe folk þai gun driue.
four þousend þer wer slawe
Of heþen men þat þider wer come,
bot iuel had þat maiden non.
Cristemen þat þer weren
for þis miracle were wel glad.
Þe king no wist wat he dede:[250]
so sori he was & so madde.
Þe Sarraȝins þat miȝt aschape
wel sori þai were & adrad.
For þe periil þat þai seyȝen
of sorwe were þai neuer [so] sad.
When þat alle þis folk was slawe,
to him seyd his wiif, þe quen,
‘Waileway, þou wreche man,
wherof makestow þe so kene?
He kiþes wele þat he is king,[255]
Þat born was of þe maiden schene.
Y forsake þe today
& þine werkes al bidene.
Oȝein þe lord þat ous schope
no helpeþ þe nouȝt to chide;
Þat Cristen men leueþ on,
his miȝtes haþ he ful wide.
Do cri him merci of þi gilt
ȝif þou wilt long abide.
On of þis days when þou art dede[260]
helle pine schal þe bitide.’
He wex swiþe wroþ & wode.
to þe quen he seyd anon,
‘Now y wot, þou art desceyued
Þurth wichecraft of þat woman.
Y þe swere bi min godes
& bi al þat y swere can,
Bot þou raþer wende þi mode,
to wicked ded þou schalt be don.
Bot þou forsake Jhesu Crist, [f.24rb] [Image] [265]
Þis schal be þi iugement:
First þine pappes of þi brest
wiþ iren hokes schal be rent;
Biheueded schaltow þan be,
Þi bodi on þe feld ysent,
Wiþ houndes & wiþ foules todrawe.
& þis schal be mi comandment.’
When þis emperour was war
Þat sche nold wenden hir þouȝt,
Þan bad he on þis maner[270]
Þat sche were out of toun ybrouȝt.
Sche loked opon Katerine,
& mildeliche sche hir bisouȝt
Þat sche schuld hir hir erande bere
to Jhesu Crist þat ous haþ bouȝt.
Þan spac þe maiden þer sche stode,
‘forsoþe, dame, y telle it þe,
Of þe ioie wiþouten ende
trust & siker may þou be.
In his name þou take þe ded[275]
Þat sprad his bodi on þe tre,
As his swete wille was, [ swete: te is superscript.]
for to maken ous alle fre.’
Men drouȝ hir tates of hir brest
& heueded hir, as y ȝou told.
& seþþen hete þat emperour
Þat noman schuld be so bold
Hir bodi to hilen in erþe:
houndes schuld han it in wold.
Þe soule com bifor Jhesu,[280]
er þe bodi were cold.
After þat he hadde hir slawe
wiþ þis strong passioun,
Þan com Porfir, þe gode kniȝt,
Þer sche lay, wiþ wel gode deuocioun [ wel is on an erasure.]
& brouȝt hir to Cristen biriel,
Þer sche lay wiþouten þe toun,
Oȝain þe kinges comandment —
to suffre deþ he was al boun.
Sone opon þat oþer day[285]
men told þemperour ful ȝare
Þat sche was to erþe brouȝt.
Þan spac he wordes wraþe,
‘Enquere now who haþ þis don [f.24va] [Image]
of min men þat y fede & cloþe.’
Mani man wiþouten gilt
Þerfore was slawe & prisound boþe
Bifor þis crowel emperour
ful baldelich com sir Porfir
& seyd to him, þer he sete[290]
ful of felonie & ire,
‘Icham Godes comfessour,
& ich haue birid þat martir;
Y wil wele þat þou it wite,
seþþen þou hast so gret desir.
Þou were ful wode & out of witt,
& litel þouȝtes of þi dede,
When þat þou haddest hir slawe,
Þe erþe when þou hir forbede.
In helle pine beþ þi play[295]
wiþouten ende wiþ þe quede.
Y take me to Jhesu Crist
& do þe al out of mi rede.’
Þan he gan forto crie
& cleped him selue caitif,
As þei he hadde wounded be
wiþ swerd, wiþ spere oþer kniif.
‘Now haþ Porfir me forsake,
Þat was wardain of al mi liif.’
Oft he seyd, allas, allas,[300]
Þat euer was he born o wiif.
He haþ so michel care & diole,
men þouȝt þat he wald wede.
He seyd ‘now ichaue forelorn
Þe best kniȝt of al mi þede.
He was min help & mi rede,
ouer al at al mi nede.
Þe wiche schal it abigge de[re]
Þurth whom he haþ don þis dede.’
Þe king tok his kniȝtes anon,[305]
to asken hem in priuete
Þurth whom it was & was conseyl
Þat he wald cristned be.
Þai said sone at a voice,
‘þurth Godes miȝt, & so be we.
We take ous to Cristendom,
for drede of deþ wil we nouȝt fle.’
Oft he was wroþ & wode, [f.24vb] [Image]
bot neuer ȝete as he was þo.
Her heuedes he dede of smite —[310]
Þerof ȝaf he nouȝt a slo.
Þe bodis on þe feld wer cast,
wiþ houndes & wiþ bestes also.
Her soules come sone þider
Þer ioie & blis is euer & oo.
Þerafter on þat oþer day
Þe king was sett in his chayer;
Þe Sarraȝins þat wiþ him held
on ich half þai sete him ner.
Katerine he hete forþ bring.[315]
to fechen hir went his iayoler.
Bifor him come sche swiþe sone
wiþ bliþe mode & glad chere.
Ful sternliche loked he hir on
& spac to hir wiþ gret envie,
‘Miche wo þou hast ous wrouȝt,
Þou wiche ful of felonie,
Þou hast me don mi folk forlese.
Þat þou schalt ful dere abie.
No schaltow neuer, ȝif y may,[320]
bitray ous wiþ þi sorcerye.
Bot þou trowe on mi godes,
Þat al þis warld schal wake & wel[d],
& to hem make sacrifise,
fram wicked deþ þou miȝt þe schil[de];
Oþer men schal þine heued of smit[e]
wiþouten toun in þe feld
Þis ich day, ar euen com;
so men schal þi seruise ȝeld.’
Þis maiden no forbar him nouȝt,[325]
sche said ‘þou tirant, nay.
Schalt þou neuer þe day abide
Þat y schal leue opon þi lay.
Graced be þe king of heuen,
Þat me haþ lent so stable fay.
Bliþelich wil y for his loue
Þoly deþ þis ich day.
Do now forþ, þou fendes lim.
of þe no am y nouȝt agast.
For al þat þou canst biþinke,[330]
y wil suffre al in hast.
{Auchinleck text ends incomplete. One folio lost.}
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