20. TO ST. EDMUND.

Here begynneth a praier to Seynt Edmund.

[MS. Bodley Laud Misc. 683, fols. 19–21.]

(1)
Glorious Edmund! kyng of Estynglond,      
Callid of marteris charboncle and Ruby,
Pray for thy servauntis, hold ouer hem thyn hond,
Wich of hooll herte truste in the feithfully,
Be mene to Jesu of grace and of mercy,
His hevenly deuh plentyvously to scheede    
On us echoon, that clepe to hym meekly
Us to refresshe and helpe in our most neede.

4



8

[19]

(2)
Benygne and blissed, o gemme purpurat!      
   With arwes woundyd only for Cristis sake,
With grace endued and goostly fortunat,         
A greet empryse thow dyst vndirtake,
     Lyst rather deie than Crists feith forsake,
For love of Jesu, for whom thow dedist bleede,
Pray to the lord, wheir so we slepe or wake,
Us to releue and helpe in our moost neede.       

12



16

(3)
O gracious kyng! of favour do thy peyne      
 To pray to Jesu, sothfast God and man,
As he gaf mercy to Mary Maudeleyne        
And rewed of pite vp-on the Publican,
   Moost benyngnely halpe the Samarithan,
Of Petris wepyng lyk as he took heede,    
We pray to þe, right as we began,
Be mene to Jesu to helpe in our most neede.

20



24

(4)
Our helpe, our socour, our mediatour most cheff,
As thou art kyng and prynce of this contre,
Pray hym that gaf mercy to the theeff,               
      And nat disdeyned the woman Chananee,¹
Cured hir douhter of mercyful pite,      
Of our requestis helpe that we may speede,  
Sith al our trust and feith abit in the,
Be mene to Jesu to helpe in our most neede.

27




32

(5)
Geyn Lucyfer, fader of pompe and pride,            
Pray Crist to sende us dreed with humylyte;
Geyn fals rancour, envie to sette a syde,              
That we may leue in parfit charite.      
      Geyn flesshly lustys, clennesse & chastite,
Through al þi fraunchise lat vertu spryng and spreede,
That pees be kept in euery Comounte,
As ther cheef patroun diffende hem in þer neede.     

36



40

(6)
Next Crist in erthe thou art our protectour,   
Our bolewerk, our bastyle and dyffence
Geyn fals extorcioun our castel & our tour,   
            Our sheeld, our pavis of most magnyficens,
Support to alle that do reuerence  
To þe and thyne, ageyn al foreyn drede.      
            Among all marters kyng of gret excellence,
Socour all tho that calle þe in ther neede.    

44



48

(7)
Affter þi deth of marteris callid flour,            
      For newe florisshyng ay fro yeer to yeer,—
To me thy legende is cheef & best Auctour:—
Thyn hooly nailles and thy royal heer    
   Greuh be myracle, as seith þe cronycleer,
Kept clos in gold and siluere, as I reede,—    
         Cast doun of mercy on us thyn hevenly cheer
And vp-on alle that calle þe in ther neede.      

52



56

(8)
Which be conserved yit in thyn hooly place, 
With other relyques, ffor a memoryall,
Frute of this marter growyng vp by grace     
         With iij prerogatives, ful solempne and roiall,
  As kyng and marter a crownet virgynall,
Half of lillies and half of rossis reede;          
O laureat marter! stable as a stoon wall,
Pray for all tho that calle the in ther neede.  

60



64

(9)
The reede rosis, with white lillies meynt,      
      Paradys flours, riht fressh and fair to see,
         With bloody dropis whan thou were al be-spreynt,
       These buddis spredde ther levis of beute,
Medeled with lyllyes of virgynyte;    
Of two colours thus parted was þi weede,    
          Kyng, mayde, and marter of mercy & pite,
Pray for alle tho þat calle the in ther neede.  

68



72

(10)
Trust of þi servauntis founde faithful in serteyn,
I mene of them that sette her trust in the,
Expert of old, and preued on kyng Sweyn,      
Maugre the tiraunt in his most cruelte     
         Slain at Geynesboruh, þe cronycle who lyst se,
For extort tribute deth was his fynal mede.      
     Graunte þi seruauntis pees, reste and liberte,
       With grace & support and helpe in þer most neede.

76



80

(11)
And pray for alle that kome on pilgymage     
From euery party of this regioun,
For syk and hool, for old and yong of age,   
                For folk that dwelle here in thyn owne toun,
         Kepe and preserue hem fro tribulacioun
  Ageyn all tho þat wolde hem ou[gh]t mysbede;
        With Cristis helpe be ther proteccyoun,
And to alle tho that calle þe in ther neede.      

84



88

(12)
Thy nyh servauntis, goostly mak hem merie,    
        Pray Crist in spirit for to make hem strong,
Folk of thy toun and of thy monasterye,         
                In riht conserve hem, suffre hem haue no wrong,
        Pees and good love with hem tabyde long,
Brennyng in charite, fervent as the gleede;    
     Aue rex gentis shal ech day be ther song
Callyng to þe for helpe in ther most neede.   

Explicit.     

92



96