St. Stephen and Herod- Sloane c. 1450 Child A
[I've given three versions of the Sloane Manuscript, the last is from The Oxford Book of Ballads in 1910.]
St. Stephen and Herod; Child 22- Version A (Old English text)
Sloane Manuscript, 2593, fol. 22 b, British Museum.
1. Seynt Steuene was a clerk in kyng Herowdes halle,
And seruyd him of bred and cloþ, as euery kyng befalle.
2. Steuyn out of kechone cam, wyth boris hed on honde;
He saw a sterre was fayr and bryȝt ouer Bedlem stonde.
3. He kyst adoun þe boris hed and went in to þe halle:
'I forsak þe, kyng Herowdes, and þi werkes alle.
4 'I forsak þe, kyng Herowdes, and þi werkes alle;
Þer is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter þan we alle.'
5 'Quat eylyt þe, Steuene? quat is þe befalle?
Lakkyt þe eyþer mete or drynk in kyng Herowdes halle!'
6 'Lakit me neyþer mete ne drynk in kyng Herowdes halle;
Þer is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter þan we alle.'
7 Quat eylyt þe, Steuyn? art þu wod, or þu gynnyst to brede?
Lakkyt þe eyþer gold or fe, or ony ryche wede?'
8 'Lakyt me neyþer gold ne fe, ne non ryche wede;
Þer is a chyld in Bedlem born xal helpyn vs at our nede.'
9 'Þat is al so soþ, Steuyn, al so soþ, iwys,
As þis capoun crowe xal þat lyþ here in myn dysh.'
10 Þat word was not so sone seyd, þat word in þat halle,
Þe capoun crew Cristus natus est! among þe lordes alle.
11 Rysyt vp, myn turmentowres, be to and al be on,
And ledyt Steuyn out of þis town, and stonyt hym wyth ston!'
12 Tokyn he Steuene, and stonyd hym in the way,
And þerfore is his euyn on Crystes owyn day.
_______Same text with more modern letters:
1 Seynt Steuene was a clerk in kyng Herowdes halle,
And seruyd him of bred and cloth, as euery kyng befalle.
2 Steuyn out of kechone cam, wyth boris hed on honde;
He saw a sterre was fayr and bryyt ouer Bedlem stonde.
3 He kyst adoun the boris hed and went in to the halle:
'I forsak the, kyng Herowdes, and thi werkes alle.
4 'I forsak the, kyng Herowdes, and thi werkes alle;
Ther is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter than we alle.'
5 'Quat eylyt the, Steuene? quat is the befalle?
Lakkyt the eyther mete or drynk in kyng Herowdes halle!'
6 'Lakit me neyther mete ne drynk in kyng Herowdes halle;
Ther is a chyld in Bedlem born is beter than we alle.'
7 Quat eylyt the, Steuyn? art thu wod, or thu gynnyst to brede?
Lakkyt the eyther gold or fe, or ony ryche wede?'
8 'Lakyt me neyther gold ne fe, ne non ryche wede;
Ther is a chyld in Bedlem born xal helpyn vs at our nede.'
9 'That is al so soth, Steuyn, al so soth, iwys,
As this capoun crowe xal that lyth here in myn dysh.'
10 That word was not so sone seyd, that word in that halle,
The capoun crew Cristus natus est! among the lordes alle.
11 Rysyt vp, myn turmentowres, be to and al be on,
And ledyt Steuyn out of this town, and stonyt hym wyth ston!'
12 Tokyn he Steuene, and stonyd hym in the way,
And therfore is his euyn on Crystes owyn day.
________________________
From Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910.
98. St. Stephen and King Herod
I. SAINT STEPHEN was a clerk
In King Herod’s hall,
And servéd him of bread and cloth
As every king befall.
II. Stephen out of kitchen came
With boar’s head on hand,
He saw a star was fair and bright
Over Bethlehem stand.
III. He cast adown the boar’s head
And went into the hall:
‘I forsake thee, Herod,
And thy workés all.
IV. ‘I forsake thee, King Herod,
And thy workés all,
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Is better than we all.’—
V. ‘What aileth thee, Stephen?
What is thee befall?
Lacketh thee either meat or drink
In King Herod’s hall?’—
VI. ‘Lacketh me neither meat ne drink
In King Herod’s hall;
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Is better than we all.’—
VII. ‘What aileth thee, Stephen?
Art wode or ’ginnest to brede?
Lacketh thee either gold or fee,
Or any rich weed?’—
VIII. ‘Lacketh me neither gold ne fee
Ne none rich weed;
There is a child in Bethlehem born
Shall helpen us at our need.’—
IX. ‘That is all so sooth, Stephen,
All so sooth, I-wys,
As this capon crowé shall
That li’th here in my dish.’
X. That word was not so soon said,
That word in that hall,
The capon crew Christus natus est
Among the lordés all.
XI. ‘Risit up, my tormentors,
By two and all by one,
And leadit Stephen out of this town,
And stonit him with stone.’
XII. Tooken they Stephen
And stoned him in the way;
And therefore is his even
On Christe’s own day.
GLOSS: leve] dear. wreke] avenged. wode] mad. brede] become (mad). weed] clothing.