The Life of St Osith.(Vie Seinte Osith)(Biography)

Publication: Papers on Language & Literature

Publication Date: 22-JUN-05

Bookmark this article Print this article Link to this article Email this article Digg It! Add to del.icio.us RSS

COPYRIGHT 2005 Southern Illinois University

REVISED AND ANNOTATED BY JOCELYN WOGAN-BROWNE

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TEXT: The text, written in two columns per page, begins, after the opening rubric in red, with an illuminated initial C , five lines high. Within the edited text, a large drop capital indicates a large majuscule letter in the manuscript, written over two line spaces. Scribal abbreviations have been silently expanded, following the scribe's practice for the same word found written in full. Editorial additions of words or letters judged to have been inadvertently omitted by the scribe are enclosed in square brackets; missing lines are indicated by ellipsis marks enclosed within square brackets. Rejected readings and scribal deletions or additions are indicated within the line, inside parentheses, preceded by ms:, e.g. (ms: deivre) 163, (ms: eras.--) 216; editorial interventions may similarly be indicated, e.g. (528-29 interverted by ed.). We have followed modern practice with respect to punctuation, the use of capital letters for proper names, the distinction between u/v, i/j, c/c, the use of the acute accent on tonic final -e. Because of our uncertain knowledge of Anglo-Norman metrics, the trema has not been used, nor is the text emended solely for metrical reasons. The scribal omission of final unaccented -e is noted by the use of an apostrophe, e.g. seint' Osith 103. Foliation and column number is indicated inside square brackets, in the right margin opposite the first line.

ON THE TRANSLATION: The text is translated into prose from the original's verse couplets as closely as is consistent with fluent modern English. The past tense is used, as is conventional in most English narrative, even where the text alternates past and historic present. Line numbers in the original are given in brackets at the end of each paragraph. Manuscript paragraphing has been followed where possible, but extra paragraphs have been introduced as necessary.

Edition and transcription [c] D.W. Russell, University of Waterloo 2005

ICI COMENCE LA VIE SEINTE OSITH, VIRGE ET MARTIRE 4 Ceo nus mustre seinte escripture, Bon fu ki met en Deu sa cure Et aime e creient son creatur Plus ke ne fet autre seigniur; Ki l'aime e creient e bien le sert, Ne ci ne ailliurs ja ne pert; Ki guerpist terre pur son non 8 Ciel li donne de guerdon; Ne change cil pas follement Ke terre lesse e le ciel prent; Ne folement ne change mie 12 Ke lesse mort e receit vie; [Fol. 134vb] Cil change bien, cil change a dreit Ki mort lesse e vie receit; Kar certes del mund la richesse 16 N'est fors dolur e granz tristesce; Honur del mond est trespassable, Et a nus tuz mut poi estable. Ki ne volt creire ne saveir, 20 Bien l'os dire, fols est pur veir. Veum par ceus ke sunt ale, Nos ancestres e trespasse: U sont nos aels e nos peres, 24 U nos uncles, u nos meres, Ke tant furent riches e beaus, Assez orent dras e chivaus? Tuz i sont alez, sachez en fin, 28 Si vous atendunt en chemin; [.......] Quel jur son eire ert aprestez; Pur ceo vous di, si l'entendez, 32 Ki aime Deu bonz fu neez.

HERE BEGINS THE LIFE OF ST OSITH, VIRGIN AND MARTYR.

Holy scriptures show us that he who puts his faith in God and loves and fears his creator more than he does any other lord does well: whoever loves and fears him and serves him well will never lose, either here or elsewhere. Whoever gives up land for his sake will receive heaven as a reward. He who gives up earth and receives heaven does not make a foolish bargain; nor he who gives up death and takes life. He makes a good exchange, he exchanges well who leaves death and receives life. For certainly the wealth of the world is nothing but pain and great sadness: the honor of the world is temporary and very unstable for us all. I can confidently say that whoever doesn't want to believe or know this is truly foolish. We can see by those who have died, our ancestors. Where are our grandfathers and fathers? Where are our uncles and our mothers who were so rich and so beautiful, who had so many robes and horses? They have all gone, you may be quite certain, and they are waiting for you on the way [...] on the day his journey will be ready. (1) For this reason I say to you, if you will listen, that whoever loves God was born fortunate.--

Kar tant cum il Deu amera, Et son servise meintendra, Pur veir vous di, n'estut doter 36 Quel jur deive del siecle aler. A Deu tant bonz fu finement Ke de seinz Deu example prent, Ki gurpirent terre e honur 40 Et tut le mund pur Deu amur, Et soffrirent hunte e esclandre; Pur Deu firent lur sanc espandre; En bon entente e en bon espeir 44 Mort donerent pur vie aveir; De tels a grant plente trovum En seinz escriz ke nus lisum; [Fol. 135ra] Et nient de madles solement, 48 Mes de femmes tuit ensement; Seintes e veraies Deu anceles, Et de [al]quanz tendres puceles, Ke tut le mund unt refuse 52 Pur prendre sei a Dampnede, Et suffrirent pur son non Ou veraie conpunction. 56 De une tele volum parler Ke durement fet a loer, Ke Deu ama e Deu servi, Et tut le mund pur li guerpi; Et pur son verai creatur 60 Guerpi son terrien seigniur. Li reis estoit fort e puissant, Pur Deu l'ad tut refusant, Pur li suffri peine e dolur, 64 Et martyre a chef de tur. La virge dunt voil parler Sovent avez oy nomer, Sa vie n'estut guerres leue,

For I tell you truly, as long as he loves God and keeps in his service, there is no need to fear the day he must depart from the world. (1-36)

Certainly dear to God in this way was one such who took example from God's saints, those who abandoned land and honor and all the world for God's love and suffered shame and slander and allowed their blood to be spilled for God. With good intentions and in good hope they gave their death in order to receive life. We find a great many such in holy writings that we read. And not only men but also women, saints and true handmaidens of God, and many tender girls who have rejected all the world to commit themselves to God and suffered for his name with true compunction. (37-54)

We want to speak about one of these who is greatly to be praised, and who loved and served God and left all the world for him, and abandoned her earthly lord for her true creator. It was a strong and powerful king whom she rejected for God's sake, for whom she suffered pain and sadness and finally martyrdom. You have often heard the name of the virgin about whom I want to speak to you--

68 Ne cum dreit fust partut seue; Ele est par non Osyd nomee, De Engletere nurrie e nee; A Deu voua son pucelage, 72 Et bien le tint tut son age; Sa vie est bele e gloriuse, Seinte e duce e preciuse; En cest romanz purrum oir 76 Aprendre bien e retenir De seinte Osith e de sa vie, Cum Deu la choisi a amie; Cum Deu l'aveit ame e chere [Fol. 135rb] 80 Mustre l'ad en meinte manere; Par miracles e par vertu Ke en plusurs lius sunt avenu, Et bien veu par Engletere, 84 Et en la peis e en la guerre; Ke Deus i ad fet aparer Et nuit e jur e matin e seir; Entendez i communaument, 88 Kar ge le vus di seurement, Meuz vaut oir ci entur Ke de la geste paenur, De Gurcedin e de Saisons, 92 Deu enemis e felons, Et d'autre teus pur verite, U l'em vus ment a grant plente; Ky aime e ot la vanite, 96 Deu li en set mut malgre. Des seinz Deu la veraie estoire Devum aver bien en memoire; Kar quant nus la folur oum, 100 Essample sovent en pernum;

but her life is not much read nor is it known by all as it should be. Her name is Osith, born and bred in England. She vowed her maidenhood to God and kept this vow all her life. (2) Her life is beautiful and glorious, holy, sweet, and precious. In this French story (3) we can hear and learn about St Osith and commemorate her and her life; how God chose her for his lover; how God loved and cherished her and has shown it in many ways, by miracles and marvels that have happened in a number of places, and which have been clearly seen throughout England both in peace and in war, and which God has revealed both night and day, morning and evening. Listen all together, for I tell you certainly that it is better to listen to this than to the deeds of pagans, of Gurredin and the Saxons, (4) enemies of God and evil-doers, (5) and to other such things, where you will be told many lies. Those who love and listen to vanity are not welcome to God. We must hold in our memories the true histories of God's saints because when we listen to folly, we very often take example from it--

Ky sen escute e sen entent Il en amende mut sovent. De saint' Osith ore vous dirum, 104 Si cum en l'escrit le trovum; Certes mut fet a amer, Et a criendre e a duter; Mut par est bien de Deu lasus, 108 Bien le direz kant orez plus; Mut est dutuse a curucer, Kar tantost pense sei venger; N'i ad mester coruz ne plait, 112 Tost se venge ki se mesfait [Fol. 135va] Cum vus avant orez assez; En cest romanz si l'entendez, Ne serrez de fables peu, 116 Mes de miracles e de verteu, Ke Deus en Engletere fist Pur seint' Osith k'a li se prist; Si en crei ke volenters l'orast 120 Ke seint' Osith gre le saverast; Kar ki voudra bien puet aider Ves Dampnedeu e avancier. Ore entendez bien dunc sa vie 124 K'en puissez aver aie, Sucurs e son amendement Vers Dampnedeu omnipotent. La virge Deu tant bonuree 128 Ke seinte Osith est apellee, Gentil estoit de parente, Fillie ert au rei mut renome, En Engletere estoit cil reis, 132 Fredeyold l'apelent Engleis. Seinte Osith out cil rei a pere, Withborc reine fu sa mere Ke estoit fillie Pende le rey,

while he who listens to sensible things and understands them can very often improve himself. (55-102)

Now we will tell you about St Osith, as we have found it written down. She is well worthy of being loved and respected and feared. She is on very good terms with God on high, as you will certainly say when you hear more. It's very dangerous to anger her because she thinks immediately of avenging herself. Nor does she need her anger to develop into a formal offence or a legal action: (6) she readily revenges herself on whoever wrongs her, as you will hear fully farther on. In this French story, (7) if you listen, you will not be fed with fables but with miracles and marvels that God performed in England for St Osith who committed herself to him. (8) And I believe that those of you who listen willingly will know St Osith's gratitude. For anyone who wishes it can certainly help himself to advance towards God. Now listen well to her life so that you can have help, aid, and advancement through her with God the all-powerful. (103-126)

The blessed virgin of God who is named St Osith came from a noble lineage. She was the daughter of a famous king. This king dwelt in England and was called Fredewald by the English. (9) St Osith had this king for father and her mother was Withburga the queen, who was the daughter of Penda, a

136 De grant puissance e de nobley, Et mut out en subjection; Seint Bede en fait grant mention En cele estorie des Engleis, 140 Et dist tut fust cil paens reis Il out enfanz de bone fey, Verais en crestiene ley; Un fiz aveit mut renome, 144 Fillies e neces a grant plente Ki se pristrent a Deu del tut, [Fol. 135vb] Amerent e servirent mut. Le reis Pende dunt ay parle 148 Les cheres enfanz out engendre Ke Dampnedeu a sei choisi; Lur non avez assez oy; L'une est nome Keneburc, 152 Et l'autre ad non Eadburc, Seinte Osith fu del parente, Kar lur niece fu pur verite; Example prist de lur chastete, 156 Pur Dampnedeu servir a gre; Entains en sa primere enfance En fiz Deu out sa fiance; Entente e tut s'amur 160 Aveit en Deu son creatur; Richesce aveit a grant noblei Si cume fillie a riche rei; Plente de beivre (ms: deivre) e de manger, 164 Et quanque l'em ad en mund cher; Mes trestut ce petit preisa, Pur Deu despit e tut lessa, La richesce ne tut le bien 168 K'eu mund veeit ne preise rien; Bien le sachez ke la pucele De face estoit e clere e bele,

king of great power and nobility who ruled over many. St Bede makes prominent mention of him in his history of the English and says that although this king was a pagan, he had children of true faith, Christians true to Christian law. (10) He had a very famous son and many daughters and nieces who all took God as their own and loved and served him greatly. King Penda about whom I have spoken begot some dear children whom God chose for himself. You have heard their names often enough. One was named Kyneburga and another was named Eadburga. (11) St Osith was their relative, for she was their niece. She took example from their chastity to serve God willingly. Already during her early childhood she had chosen the son of God as her betrothed. All her love and desire was fixed on God her creator. Since she was the daughter of a rich king, she had wealth and nobility, plenty to eat and drink, (12) and whatever men hold dear in the world. But she did not value all this. She despised and abandoned everything for God's sake. She saw no value in all the wealth and goods of the world. You should know that this girl had a beautiful, bright face--

De cors bien fete e acemee, 172 Mes plus dedenz fu esmeree; Riches e poveres refusa, Son pucelage a Deu voua, Et cil requist come seigniur 176 Ke violee ne seit nul jur; Et Dampnedeu bien l'en oy, Par sa ducur e par sa merci [Fol. 136ra] Ne perdi sa virginite (ms: virginitee), 180 Pur nul home de mere ne (ms: nee); Unc nul hom de ce ne la conuit, Virge nasqui, virge morut. La vile u seinte Osith fu nee 184 Querendone est apellee; Assez sevent li paisant K'en la cuntre sunt manant, Plusurs [del] luitain autresi, 188 Le liu u seinte Osith nasqui; Enseignie i ad assez apert, Ke puet chescum fere cert, Unkes pus jekes a cest jur 192 Au liu n'out herbe ne verdur; Par son nestre le liu est sacre, Et de tut humein us sequestre; Dementers k'en ceste vie fu, 196 Deu fist pur lui mut grant vertu, Et pus k'est martir mut a fest, Dunt partie orrez si vus plest, Pur vus joir ge dirray 200 Une partie ke apris ay Si cum avant vus disai Kant des parenz Osith tuchai; Seinte Osith out grant parente 204 De grant richesce e de grant seintete, Aels e uncles de grant poeste,

and a well-made and slender body, but she was even more refined within. She refused rich and poor suitors alike. She had vowed her virginity to God and she asked him, as her lord, to make sure that her virginity would never be violated at any time. And God heard her request. Because of his mildness and mercy, she never lost her virginity for any man of woman born. No man ever knew her in this way. She was born a virgin and she died a virgin. (127-182)

The town where Osith was born is named Quarrendon. (13) Plenty of people who live in the area and many also from far away know the place where St Osith was born. It has been clearly revealed, so that anyone who cares to do so can see for himself, that never afterwards to this day has there been either grass or plant in that place. The place was sanctified by her birth and sequestered from all human use. During the time that she was alive, God performed many miracles through her and many more after she was martyred of which you will hear a part if it pleases you. To give you something to profit by, I will tell you some part of what I have learned about them. As I told you before when I touched on Osith's parents, St Osith came from a noble lineage of great wealth and great holiness: grandfathers and uncles of great power,--

Auntes e neces de grant chastete; Li plus d'euz sunt assemble, 208 Au pere Osith sunt conseillie Ke a tel mestre seit Osith baillie[e] K'en nule manere seit afole[e]; A Modwin baillier a plus plout, [Fol. 136rb] 212 A cest consent le conseil finout. Kant la pucele parler saveit, A Modwen l'abesse baillie esteit; A merveillie ama e chere tint, 216 A Rome fu, (ms eras.:--) ou li revint. Ceste Modwen dunt ay dist, Juste Ardene teus musters fist; 220 L'on a Poleswurthe (ms polesuurche) ce dient la gent, L'autre en Straneshale vereiment. Modwen en l'en sujurna, A Edith l'autre otreia;

aunts and nieces of great chastity. A number of them got together and advised Osith's father that he should entrust her to a teacher who could be relied upon not to lead her astray. Most of them thought it a good idea to hand her over to Modwenna, (14) and this was the advice that the council ended by giving. When the girl knew how to talk, she was given to the abbess Modwenna. Modwenna greatly loved and cherished her. She traveled to Rome and back with her. This Modwenna I have spoken about established two churches beside the forest of Arden, one at Polesworth, as people say, and the other at Straneshall. (15) Modwenna lived in one and Edith in the other.--

Al rei Edfrid esteit seur, 224 Modwen ver li out grant amur. Un jur issi aveneit K'en oreisons Modwen loinz aleit; A Edith Osith enveia 228 Ke bien la preist kar mut l'ama; Sa compaigne out lung tens estee Mut fu de lui joius' e lee. Aukes tens ert trepasse, 232 Modwene a muster est repaire. Un livre out trove Edithz, Plein de proverbes e de bonz diz, Examples i trova a grant plente 236 De vertuz e de seintete, Ne vot cel bien sule celer Mes ou Modwen commun[i]er. A volage ne vot baillier 240 Ki l'empeireit de leger, Osith apella par grant ducur: "Plereit," dist ele, "bele seur, A nostre mere Modwen aler, 244 A li cest livre par moi porter? [Fol. 136va] Dirrez ke granz bienz i puet trover, Dunt se memes puet amender, Et par doctrines k'ele trovera, 248 Tuz les sens amender purra." Osith encline, lui otria, Dist ke volenters i (ms: il) irra; Le livre prent, rien ne resta, 252 Mes al aler se presta. Ha, Deu! ke Edith ne seust l'aventure K'avendreit a Osith en cest' ure, Ne la lerreit aler si cum je crei 256 Pur tut l'or Mide le rey.

Edith was sister to king Alfred, (16) and Modwenna loved her greatly. One day it happened that Modwenna went far away to pray and because she loved her very much, sent Osith to Edith to take good care of her. She had been her companion for a long time and she was very pleased and happy about her. After a certain time had passed, Modwenna returned to her minster. Edith had found a book full of proverbs and good sayings. She found many examples there of miracles and holiness. She did not want to hide this good thing for herself alone, but rather to share it with Modwenna, but she did not want to entrust it to a careless person who might easily damage it. She called Osith sweetly: "My sister, would you please go to our mother Modwenna and take her this book for me? Tell her that great good can be found in it by which she can edify herself and that from the teachings she will find in it she can correct all her people." Osith obeyed and said that she would go willingly. She took the book and didn't delay at all, but hurried away. Thank God that Edith did not know the adventure which would befall Osith or she would not have let her go, I am sure, for all the gold of King Midas.--

Si Edith seust ke li avendreit, Ceste eire emprendre ne li suffreit Pur tut l'or ke seit en Espaine, 260 Ne pur l'onur de Lovaine. Si Edith seu[s]t ke Osith est a venir, Cest message ne li freit furnir, Pur ce k'ot (ms eras.:--) Salamon le sage 264 U Alisandre en tut son age. Mes Deu li cela cest conseil, Kar de Osith vot fere grant merveil. Ivern ert [freid, e](ms eras.:--) mut out pleu, 268 Pur ce la pucele n'est remansu; A l'aube del jur en la matinee, Errant se est acheminee; Le livre prist e s'en ala 272 A Modwen u Edith l'enveia. En cest chemin une ewe curreit, U la damisele passer deveit; Le punt fu lung e d'un sul tref, 276 Passer comensa pouruse e suef. La rivere fu large e parfund, [Fol. 136vb] Et ele ert ja en mi le punt; Le vent fu fort e mut bruant, 280 Les pans de son mantel despant, Mes par les taches al col remist, Et par les gerrons a sei le prist Son mantel k'en le livre obli, 284 Ke de ses meins en l'ewe chai; De cele perte fu esbai, Al prendre s'abessa si le suivi; Bien quida son livre aver receu, 288 Mes amdeuz l'ewe ad reteneu. Loinz de cel liu les desaka Et en une krenke les jeta Bien treis arpenz loin del pont,

If Edith had known what would happen to her, she would not have allowed her to undertake this errand for all the gold in Spain nor for all the honor of Louvain. (17) Edith would never have given her that message even for everything that king Solomon the wise possessed, or Alexander in all his life-time, if she had known what was going to happen to Osith. But God hid this knowledge from her because he wanted to perform a miracle through Osith. (183-266)

The winter was cold and it had rained a lot. (18) For this reason the girl did not delay, but set...

Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.