St. Stephen and Herod
No: 22; variant: 22
- SEYNT Steuene was a clerk in kyng Herowdes halle,
And seruyd him of bred and cloth, as euery kyng befalle.
- Steuyn out of kechone cam, wyth boris hed on honde;
He saw a sterre was fayr and bryyot ouer Bedlem stonde.
- He kyst adoun the boris hed and went in to the halle:
'I forsak the, kyng Herowdes, and thi werkes alle.
- 'I forsak the, kyng Herowdes, and thi werkes alle;
ther is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter than we alle.'
- 'Quat eylyt the, Steuene? quat is the befalle?
Lakkyt the eyther mete or drynk in kyng Herowdes halle!'
- 'Lakit me neyther mete ne drynk in kyng Herowdes halle;
ther is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter than we alle.'
- Quat eylyt the, Steuyn? art thu wod, or thu gynnyst to brede?
Lakkyt the eyther gold or fe, or ony ryche wede?'
- 'Lakyt me neyther gold ne fe, ne non ryche wede;
ther is a chyld in Bedlem born xal helpyn vs at our nede.'
- 'that is al so soth, Steuyn, al so soth, iwys,
As this capoun crowe xal that lyth here in myn dysh.'
- that word was not so sone seyd, that word in that halle,
THe capoun crew Cristus natus est! among the lordes alle.
- Rysyt vp, myn turmentowres, be to and al be on,
And ledyt Steuyn out of this town, and stonyt hym wyth ston!'
- Tokyn he Steuene, and stonyd hym in the way,
And therfore is his euyn on Crystes owyn day.