(BUCH III.]
AI,BON UXÜ AMPHABEL.
I8l
1120 To forsake your goddes | whiche may
do you nogoode,
By my counsell be bathed inthisflode!
The streme therof shall glad your
citie,
And race a-way the rust of olde
outrages,
And with a flowe of all prosperite
1125 Renewe both your herte and your
corages,
And you preserue from infernall
damages.
Ye Stande free, cheseth nowe of
tweyne:
Eternall lyfe | or euerlastyng peyne!“
After these notable exhortations,
"30 Grounded on fayth and perfyte cha
ryte,
The paynyms, lyke tygrys or lyons,
In theyr hasty furyous cruelte
Fyllen vpon the martyr, bounde to a
tree,
On eche syde assayled hym at ones
"35 With rounde kalyons and with
sharpe stones.
A great myracle 1 god lyst that day
to shewe.
And this martyr, lyke goddes cham-
pyon,
Beset all aboute with paynyms not
a fewe
Stode aye vpryght, | no partye downe,
"■t° Stable in prayer and in orison,
Erecte to god, | not turnyng north
ne southe,
The worde of god neuer out of his
mouthe —
Saue the word of god 1 & his grace,
was impossible
To abyde that bronte, where he had
force or might;
"45 In soule and spirite stondyng inui(n)-
sible,
The eien vp lyfte of his inwardesyght
Towarde heuen — Phebus was neuer
so bryght
1139 1. bowing downe. 1166 his st. this.
At mydsomer in his myd day spere
As he sawe Jesu in the heuen appere
"50 On the ryght syde of his father
dere —
Fyne of his tryumphe | and of his
turmentry —
Herde of angels with sugred notes clere
Celestial! songe | whiche in theyr
melody
Gan prayse the lorde; | and there he
gan espy
’155 His blessed Albon, clad in purple
wede —
Token, of Christ he lyst his blode
to blede.
To that martyr amonge martyrs all,
Of trust assured whylom betwene
them twayne,
Amphibalus for helpe began to call:
"60 „O blessed Albon, that sufferdist
great payne
For Christis sake, of mercy not dis-
deyne
To pray Jesu that lyst for vs to dye
To sende his angels my iournay to
conueye,
That cruel Sathan trouble not my
passage
"Ö5 Nor that his malyce may clayme in
me no ryght!“
By the martyr rehersed his langage,
Come two angels from heuen with
great lyght;
This voyce eke herde in all the
peoples syght —
There as he stode bounden to a stake
1170 Vpon the poynt to dye for goddes
sake:
„O Amphibalus, after thy deuise,
With thy disciple, glorious prince
Albon,
Thou shalte this day be in paradyse;
Ryght in erthe as ye were both on<i,
"75 With your triumphe ye shall to
gether gone,
wyce. 1x19) matier small. 1121) beth. 1123I rase. 1127) now fehlt. 113°) grounde. 1132) hastyff.
"33) on. bounden. 1134) hym fehlt. 1135) kaliouns. 1139) no partie bowynge d. 1143) Saue the grace of
god« exempt and Impossible. 1147) not st. neuer. 1155) purpull. 1159) gan. 1160) suffredest. 1161) nought.
1x62) forto xi66) this st, his. 1167) Cam. 1169) l-bounden. 1172) the glorious. 1173) ben. n78)there
