The Life of St. Margaret

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HEre begynneth of seint margarete

The blissid lif that is so swete

To Ihesu_cryste she is fulle dere

If ye wylle listyne ye shall here

Herkenythe now vnto my spelle

Of hir lyf I wyll you telle

Olde and yonge that here be

Listyn a whyle vnto me

What I shall to you say

How it be_felle vpon a day

Of a virgyn fayre and swete

Whos name was margarete

Hyr fader was a noble clerke

And a man that coude myche werke

Also a prince of hyghe degre

There myght no-where no bettre be

In antioche he had a wyf

Bothe were hethyne all there lyf

He was a man of gret power

And [of] all the land gouernour copytext torn; reading supplied from 1530

Fa[ls he] was of hys lay copytext torn; reading supplied from 1530

Age[ynst] god bothe nyght and day copytext torn; reading supplied from 1530

Theodocius was hys name

A noble man of gret fame

He had vndirstondinge longe beforne

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That he shuld haue a doughtyr borne

As the scripture hadde hym tolde

And whanne that she wexed olde

That she shuld crystined be

And beleue vpon the trinyte

Almyghty god that vs dere bought

And al thys worlde made of nought

Hyr fader comandide longe be_forne

That a_non as she were borne

That to dethe she shulde be brought

In what wyse he ne rought

But hyre modere that hyr bare

Made for hyre ful moche care

And be_thought hyre be_forne

That a_non as she was borne

In-to a[s]ye she it sente asye] arye 1493, Araby 1530, A ####yogh#### y A

The messingere wythe hyre furthe wente

To a norice that dwellyd there

For to putte hyre for to lere

And be_toke wythe hym spendynge

For to kepe that mayden yinge

And she hyre kept there in-dede

And norysshed hyr in that nede

She wexed fayre and comly of chere

And of coloure fayre and clere Leaves [A3]-[A4] wanting in 1493 edition; text supplied from 1530

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All her loued in that countre

Olde and yonge that myght her se

And whan she waxed more in age

Hauyng good wyt and knowelege

She toke her vnto christes lore

And beleued on hym euermore

The father / sone / and holy-goost:

Lord and kynge of myghtes most

That heuen and erth and all wrought

In hym she set all her thought

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The nouryce that her kept fro despayre

Had seuen chyldren that were fayre

And she kept her chyldren seuen

The eyght was chrystes mayde of heuen

Full good tales coulde she tell

Both of heuen / and of hell

And what they shulde haue to mede

As they deserued here in-dede

And howe they suffred marterdome euen

Both saynt Laurence / and saynt Steuen

And many other sayntes mo

How they suffred payne and wo

And marterdome they gan take

And all for Iesus_christes sake

Of many sayntes she tolde the lyfe

Bothe to man chylde and wyfe

And whan she was fyftene yere olde

She was a fayre mayde / and a bolde

Her nouryce set her to kepe

In the felde all her shepe

Her felowes gan her to beholde

Whan she her prayers make wolde

Howe she her prayers began to make

And to Iesu_christ her betake

There was in that countre a kynge

A noble-man of greate connynge

He was a prynce of nobell myght

Olibrius that kynge hyght

All Asaye as I you tell

Was his owne to gyue and sell

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And he serued bothe day and nyght

His fals goddes I you behyght

He serued euer the deuell of hell

And christen men dyde he quell

From Antheoche vnto Asy

Ben myles mo than fyfty

Euer to dystroye christen men

He dyde euer his power then

What with warre and what with stryfe

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He left but fewe people on_lyfe

Than it befell vpon a daye

As he rode by the waye

He sawe that louely mayden clene

Kepynge shepe vpon the grene

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Anone he commaunded a knyght

For to fetche her to hym ryght

The knyght went anone her to

And sayd she must with hym go

The mayde that was so mylde of chere

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Answered hym as ye shall here

And sayd she had nothynge to do

Out of that grounde with hym to go

She prayed hym for his courtesye

To passe his waye and let her be

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And shortly this tale to tell

He went from that damsell

And came to Olibrius the kynge

And tolde hym that ylke thynge

That she wolde nat come hym to

120

For nothynge that he myght do

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But they shuld wyth her make stryfe

And her threte vpon her lyfe

To Iesu_Christ gan she call

That suffred deth for vs all

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That he wolde her defende

That no sarasyn shulde her shende

And besought hym of his grace

Her to socour in euery place

And sayd for thy loue wyll I dye

130

And leue all worldly company

Olibrius speketh

¶Than spake syr Olibrius

And to his men he sayd thus

Of all the men that I haue here

None of them can brynge her nere

135

If I had her to me brought

Full sone shulde I change her thought

She shulde vpon my goddes beleue

Or full sore I shulde her greue

They went agayne vnto the mayd

140

And to her thus they sayd

Thou must come anone with vs

To our kynge syr Olibrius

But if thou come withoute stryfe

We shall bereue the of thy lyfe

145

She went with them meke and styll

Unto the kynge agaynst her wyll

And full fayre she gan hym grete

He askyd her name and she sayd Margarete 1493 edition resumes

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He sayde if thou be borne fre

150

Forsothe my leman shalt thou be

I wolle haue the to my wyf

And leue in ioye al thy lyf

Gold and ryches I wyl the geue

Al the whyle thou may[st]e leue copytext blotted; reading supplied from 1530

155

She sayd to hym a_non than

I wylle haue non erthely man

But for the loue of ihesu a_lone

I wyl be baptiste at the fonte-stone

Forsothe I wyl hym [n]euyr for_sake

160

For non erthely man to take

Then a_non to hyr he seyde

We dyd ihesu_criste to dede

And dyd hym streyne vppon a rode

Tyl he swet bothe watyr and blode

165

And crouned hym wyth a crowne of thorn

If thou beleue on hym thou art forlorn

To hym she seyde anon-ryght

Syr he ys a man of myght

For we shuld haue hym in mynde

170

That dyed on crosse for al mankynde

He rose from deth and to helle went

The fendes power for to shent

And many soules fet oute there

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That lo[nge before i]n paynis were Copytext damaged; reading supplied from 1530

To stryf wythe her he found no boot

175

But dyd her bynde hand and foot

And keste hyr in pryson stronge

For to ouercome hyr wythe wronge

Mayde margaret all that nyght

In prison lay wythe myche vn_ryght

180

On the morowe the sothe to say

He sent for hyr when it was day

They brought hyr be_fore olibrius

And vnto hyr he sayde thus

Margaret beleue vpon my lore

185

Or I shall greue the ful sore

Thy goddys that thow doste on beleue

Shall not saue the from my greue

Trow on me and be my wyf

And leue in ioy all thy lyf

190

All antioche and all a[s]ye asye] arye 1493, Asye 1530, A ####yogh#### ye A

Aftyr my dethe I geue it the

Sylke and golde purpul and palle

And I wyll the wedde in tempyll ryall

Welle-furred wythe ryche ermyne

195

In all thys worlde is none so fyne

And ihesu_criste put oute of thy thought

Nay she sayde that wyll I nought Leaf with small woodcut on recto, otherwise blank, inserted between [A5] and [A6]. There is no break in the text.

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Ihesu wyll I neuer forsake

For all that ys in erthe ymake

200

Olybryus sayde it wyll be sene sone

What thy god wyll for the done god] goddes 1493, 1530; god A

He bad hys sergiantes I vnderst[a]nd vnderstand] vnderstnd 1493

Take and bind hyr foot and hand

They bete hyr bothe man and wyf

205

And faste wythe hyr gan they stryf

Tyll the rede blode felle adoune

To the foot from the croune

Tylle they wend she had bene dede

So faste on hyre they leyde

210

Then seyde olibrius there he stode

Margaret thynkiste thou thys good

Beleue on my lorde and be my wyf lorde] lore 1530, lord A

And I wylle no more wythe the stryf

Haue mercy on thy fayre flesshe

215

And on thy skyn that is so nesshe

To ihesu_cryste she called than

That diede for loue of man

And of a virgyn was I_borne

For mankind shuld not be lorne

220

Thies paynes that I do suffure and swynke

Be fulle swete to me as me-thynke

All the paynes that I here dryue

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Bene sweter to me than any-thynge a_lyue

Olibrius sayde to hys sargiantis tho

225

She g[r]euythe nothynge of al thys wo greuythe] geuythe 1493, greueth 1530, felys A

For al thies paynes that dothe hyre greue that doth hyre greue] we to hyre gyue A

She wy[l] not on oure goddes beleue Copytext illegible.

He bad hys sargiantis euerychone

That they [shu]ld turment hyre anon Copytext illegible.

230

The sargiantys dyd as he them badd

Ful lytyl mercy on hyre they hadde

Wythe theire nayles they gan hyr draw

L[yk]e as houndes had hyr to_gnawe Copytext illegible.

And hyre eyne that were so bryght

235

They putte oute and marryd hyr syght

They dyd hyr myche payne and wo

They rent hyr skyn the flesshe fro

Many of the pepell that was th[o]re thore] there 1493, thore 1530

In ther hartes were ful sor[e] sore] sory 1493, sore 1530

240

And seyde to hyr stondinge there

Whan they se hyre so to_tere so to_tere] þus I_tore A

And seyde fayre mayden margarete

That is so fayre and so swete

Turne to hym and be hys wyf

245

And no more wyt[h hy]m stryf copytext torn

Margaret for the [we hau]e care copytext torn; reading supplied from 1530

And wolde that thou sau[yd ware] copytext torn; reading supplied from 1530The remaining leaves of the 1493 edition are lost; the text is supplied from the 1530 edition.

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After you she sayde I will not do

Go your waye she sayd me fro

250

All that dothe for me repent

And syeth me haue this tourmente

As they thynke bothe good and yll

They shall be quyt after theyr wyll

The Aungell of god came her to

255

As faste as he myght come and go

¶Than be_spake syr Olibrius

With wycked wordes saynge thus

Margarete I haue suche poste

That blynde nowe I haue made the

260

Before this thou haddest thy syght

Nowe hast thou none by my myght

Trowe vpon my god thou mayde

Nay syr forsothe she sayd

For the goddes that thou beleuest one

265

They be dombe as ony stone

My lorde to me is full kynde

He shall neuer [out of] my mynde Copytext illegible; reading supplied from A.

If thou ha[ue power] on my flesshe Copytext illegible. A reads: Iff þe hope wer of my flessche.

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To do thy wyll b[othe h]erde and nesshe Copytext illegible.

270

To ryue the fl[es]she fro the bone flesshe] flseshe 1530

Power of my soule getest thou none

To her anone than he sayd

In depe pryson thou shalt be layde

In pryson shall thy body lye

275

Thy fayre flesshe to destroye

Thou shalte be bounde fote and hande

With many a stronge yron bande

Iesu_Christ she sayd hym tyll

He maye deliuer me whan he wyll

280

Fast in prison they gan her done

The Aungell came to her full sone

By the grace of god almyght

As the sonne shyneth bryght

With parte of the crosse that god was on done

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The aungell brought to her full sone

And sayd to her with mylde steuen

Blessed thou arte in heuen

The father and sone and the holy-goost

Lorde and Kynge of myghtes most

290

This crosse to the hathe sende

Thyne enmyes therwith to defende

She sayd lorde blessed mote thou be

That this gyfte hathe sende to me

All-myghty god I the praye

295

A bone thou graunt me this daye

That I maye with syght them se

What they ben that tourment me

The Aungell bad hyr doubt nought

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For to heuen she shulde be brought

300

There was no tonge that tell myght

The ioy that was made for her that nyght

With all the myrthes that is in heuen

There Margarete for to neuen

And by the grace of god almyght

305

Than anone she had her syght

The holy Aungell passed her fro

Of hym she sawe no more tho

She loked a lytell her besyde

And sawe a fowle dragon by her glyde

310

That was of coloure grasse-grene

With flamynge fyre foule on to sene

Out of his mouthe brenynge bryght

She was a_frayde of that syght

She fell downe to the grounde

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For feere tremblynge in that stonde

He toke her in his mouthe anone

And swalowed her body and bone

And whan that he had so done

Than myght he no ferther gone

320

But to_braste vpon the grounde

The mayde came out hole and sounde

And as it was Christes wyll

With-in hym she had none yll

But vpon the dragon she stode

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With glade harte and mylde moude

And thanked god of his myght

That she had ouercome that foulle wyght

And vnderstoude well that it was

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Throughe vertue of the holy-crosse

330

That foule dragon was slayne there

Through goddes myght and her prayer

A_none she wente the dragon fro

And sawe a fouler come her to

A grysely best forsothe was he

335

So foule a thynge neuer man se

To hym she went I vnderstande

With the holy-crosse in her hande

And smote hym so vpon the fynnes

That he myght not a[b]yde her dynnes abyde] adyde 1530

340

And she stroue with hym so longe

That throughe Christes myght so stronge

Downe to the grounde she hym cast

And with her wemple bounde hym so fast

In his necke she set her fote

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To stryue with her he founde no bote

To hym she sayd I coniure the

What thou arte thou tell me

Thou arte so lothely a thynge

What thou arte I wyll haue wetynge

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For beest sawe I neuer none

So lothely to loke vpon

He sayd for thy lordes sake

Fro my necke thy fote thou take

I haue gone wyde by water and londe

355

Yet was I neuer so sore bounde

My ryght name hyght Bylg[i]s Bylgis] Bylgls 1530, Belgys A

To lye to the no vayle it is

My brother hyght Resson that thou slewe Resson] Geffron A

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In the worlde we dyd sorowe ynowe

360

Brusten and deed is my brother

And I am ouercome I se none other

Whan we were bothe together

We made the sone to [s]le the father sle] fle 1530

And dystroyed the people daye and nyght

365

And dyde all the sorowe that we myght

In dragons lykenes was I sent to the

To spyll thy wyt and make the mad to be

The cruell kynge Olibrius

In this fa[c]cyon hathe sent vs faccyon] faycyon 1530

370

For to destroye thy fayre body

With the crafte of socery socery=sorcery. A reads: With hys craft of nygramansy.

I maye not suffre this very longe

This harde payne that is so stronge

My waye is not in erthe in the wynde I fle

375

For to dystroye all that I se

Where I wyst a woman with chylde

To her I went bothe woode and wylde

And if the chylde vnchrystened were

Legge and arme I made croked there

380

Where ale or wyne were in towne

Thether I made me redy bowne

Thether I wolde make great haste

To tourne it sowre and lese his taste

I wrought moche sorowe and wo

385

I made one neyghbour an-other slo

I went to the felde to the ploughe

And the beestes all to_droughe

Where-euer I wente I dyd moche care

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It was my ioye there-a_boute to fare

390

Whan Salomon the wyse was a_lyue

Into a tonne of brasse he dyd vs dryue

And dyd bury vs vnder an hyll

In the grounde agaynst our wyll

Men of Babylon cam vs to

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And dygged vs out and let vs go

Whan we moued in the grounde

They wende treasure to haue founde

There be of vs in erthe fleynge

Mo than .xv.M. with wynge

400

Some is swyfter than a do

Some is swyfter than a roo

Some be swyfter than a swalowe

And some be swyfter than an arowe

And all that on Christ byleue

405

We do them vexe and sore greue

Bothe in towne and in felde

We deuoured man wyfe and chylde

We destroyed fruytes on erth growynge

And drowned shippes in the see saylynge

410

This was oure laboure and our delyte

For to do christen people dyspyte

Now wotest thou what I am full well

As I haue tolde the euery-dele

Than sayd Margarete to that foule wyght

415

I coniure the through godes myght

And in Chrystes holy name

That thou do neuer no more shame

But synke a_downe in-to hell

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For euermore ther to dwel

420

Synke a_downe thou foule fende

And there to a_byde without end

He sanke a_downe throughe Christes myght

And by the prayer of that mayden bryght

All this trouble had this holy mayde

425

In the castell where she was layde

In a daye [and for] a nyght and for] for and 1530, and in A

All this tro[u]ble had this swete wyght

She thanked god of his grace

That she had ouer_come them in that place

430

The seconde daye at after-none

Olibrius bad fetche her sone

The sergeauntes were to go

And out of pryson fet her tho

Than bespake syr Olibrius

435

And to the mayde he sayd thus

Margarete I praye nowe the

That thou wylte turne vnto me

She sayd cursed may thy goddes be

That on beleue thou woldest haue me

440

For thy goddes that thou beleuest in

They be cursed and full of synne

They be of Sathanas kynde

I wyll neuer haue them in mynde

Whan thou thynkest best on thy lyuynge

445

Unto myschefe they wyll the brynge

Therfore I rede and councell the

Beleue vpon my lorde that is so fre

That made the and me and euery man

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And moost of witte and vertue can

450

Therfore beleue hym vpon

And be baptised at the font-stone

He sayd to her in that stede

With a crowne of golde vpon his hede

My goddes be true and thyne be wrong

455

Therefore I byd the holde thy tonge

He sayd vnto his sergeauntes than

I charge you euery man

That ye poure vpon her hede

Boylynge oyle and boylynge lede

460

Scalde her from the hede to the fote

Tyll she tourne and aske bote

They tourmented her full sore

With oyle and lede euermore

Tyll she swete bothe fleshe and fell

465

As it were water out of a well

Than spake they to this holy mayd

Beleue vpon our goddes they sayd

She sayd from them I me defende

I beleue on Iesu that neuer shall haue ende

470

Cursed be they that on thy goddes thynke

Or of them wryte in paper with ynke

The holy-crosse kepte her well

They had no power her to quell

He commaunded anone tho

475

In a fat of water she sholde be do

Therin he bad her drenche

All her hete for to quenche

Anone as she the water se

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She thought ther-in christened to be

480

And sayd in Christes holy name

Here I take baptisme and defye your blame

Anone the thunder began to brast

The people fled a_waye full fast

The Aungels toke her out of the water than

485

In the syght of euery man

Than turned anone to her beleue

Many a thousande or it were eue

Bothe olde people and well lyke yonge

Turned to her for her saynge

490

To Iesu_Christ they turned blyue

Both man chylde and wyfe

The kynge se a_none-ryght

Harme to her do none he myght

He called to Malcus that wasse

495

His manqueller in euery place

And bad hym that he shulde

Take her fast to his holde

And lede her out of the towne thenne

And in fyre he sholde her brenne

500

And brynge her out of her lyfe

That she nomore with me stryfe

And whan she came to the steed

Where she shulde be done to deed

Moche people folowed her tho

505

Also fast as they myght go

Anone the cloudes wexed blacke

And the thunder began to cracke

The folkes were a_frayde in that stonde

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And for_thy fell to grounde

510

They were all a_frayde tho

That they knewe neyther wele nor wo

Anone our lorde the Aungell sent

To the place there she shulde be brente

And sayd to her with mylde steuen

515

Blessed thou arte this daye in heuen

This daye thou shalte crowned be

In heuen before Christes mageste

Malcus hard the Aungel speke

And thought to her he wolde hym meke See OED s.v. meek, vb. 'abase oneself'

520

He kneled downe vpon the grounde

And cried her marcy in that stounde

Than he sawe in that place

The multitude of Aungels that there was

He layde his swerde downe hym by

525

And asked her than marcy

Than spake that virgyn bryght

And sayd to hym a_none-ryght

Brother if thy wyll is to be

A lyttell whyle abyde thou with me

530

And let me make my prayere

To Iesu_Christ that bought me dere

And a_none in this tyde

A_waye with me thou shalte glyde

The father the sone and the holy-goost

535

Lorde and kynge of myghtes most

That all this worlde made of nought

And mankynde full dere bought

Of a virgyn thou were borne

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For mankynd shoulde not be lorne

540

Iesu_Christ I beseche the

This daye a bone thou graunt me

All that in the name of the

That daye worship and honoure me In A the couplet reads: All þat in þe wyrschype of þe / And in mynde do honore me

Lette them neuer in paynes be bounde

545

Nor in deedly synnes be founde

All that my tourment here or rede

Or in my name do almes-dede

Iesu_Christ gyue them to mede

The blysse of heuen for theyr dede

550

If any woman be with chylde

I praye to our lady meke and mylde

That of her payne she be vnbounde

And delyuered hole and sounde

Iesu_Christ I beseche the

555

Whan she calleth vnto me

That thou wilte her socoure

That the holy-crosse dothe honoure

And all that worship my daye

And honoure me as they maye

560

Or here my memory daye or nyght

Or with good herte gyue candell-lyght

I beseche the for thy glorye

Lette them neuer in synne dye

Where-so-euer theyr bodyes lye

565

Upon theyr soules thou haue mercy

That the fende do them no scathe

Nother late nor yet rathe

That bereth vpon them my lyfe

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Neyther man chylde ne wyfe

570

Our lorde herde her prayer sone

And graunted her all her bone

And than she spake to Malcus

And to hym she sayd thus

She bad hym to fulfyll

575

The commaundement of his lordes wyll

He sayd naye for all this worlde to wyn

For I se the lorde that thou beleuest in

Syr she sayd do as I the bede

Take and smyte of my hede

580

For god hath forgyuen it the

That I byd the do to me

For it is a_gaynst thy wyll

His commaundemente to full_fyll

Into paradyse thou shalte wende

585

And there to be with-outen ende

Malcus harde her saye this sawe

Anone his swerde gan he drawe

And her hede he smote of

As the lawe therto hym drofe

590

Michaell Gabriell and Raphaell in fere

Cherubin and Seraphyn thousandes there were

With ioye and blysse and melodye

They bare her to heuen on hye

Byfore our lorde they gan her bere

595

To hym she is bothe ly[e]fe and dere lyefe] lyfe 1530

Thyopye the greate clerke

Remembred her lyfe and warke

And made her lyfe in memory

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And who her nourysshed in Asaye

600

Into Anthyoce they her brought

With good entente they wrought

They set a chapell in her name

And all that was syke or lame

Theder faste gan they gone

605

Hole and sounde home they come

Thrughe the grace of god almyght

And the prayer of that mayden bryght

Iesu gyue vs grace to lyue so

To come to the blysse that he bought vs to

610

The lyfe of saint Margarete I haue you red

On a tewesday she was bothe quicke and deed

Iesu_Christ that heuen-kynge

Graunt them all his dere blessynge

That this story wyll haue in mynde

615

And forgete nothynge behynde

Throughe the prayer of saynt Margarete

That in heuen we maye mete

Praye we all it maye so be

Amen amen for charite.

¶Enprynted at London wi[th]inwithin] wihtin 1530 Temple_barre in saynt_Dounstones paryshe at the Syne of the George by me Robert_Redman

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