St. Nikolauslieder im englischen Mittelalter

Das 1. von Godric von Finchale (+21.5. 1170)

Sainte Nicholaes godes druð
tymbre us faire scone hus
At þi burth at þi bare
Sainte nicholaes, bring vs wel þare.
 

Und noch zwei andere:

1.
Make ye merry, as ye may,
And syng with me, I you pray.

In Patras ther born he was,
The holy buschop Seynt Nycholas,
He wyst mekyl of Godes gras,
Throw vertu of the Trinite.

He reysyd thre klerkes fro deth to lyfve
That wern in salt put full swythe,
Betwyxt a bochere and his wyfve,
And was hid in privyte.

He maryid thre maydenys of myld mod;
He yaf hem gold to here fod,
He turnyd hem from ille to good,
Throw vertu of the Trynyte.

Another he dede sykerly:
He savyd a thef that was full sly,
That stal a swyn out of his sty;
His lyf thann savyd he.

God grawnt vs grace here, eld and yyng,
Hym to serve at his plesyng;
To hevene blysse he us bryng,
Throw vertu of the Trinite.

2.

 
Alle maydenis, for Godes grace,
Worchepe зe seynt Nicolas.

Seynt Nicholas was of gret poste
for he worchepid maydenis thre
that wer sent in fer cuntre
Common wommen for to be.

Her fader was man in powre aray
onto his dowteris he gan say,
"Dowteris, зe must away;
Non lenger kepe зou I may!

"Dowteris, myn blyssing I зou зeue
for catel wil not with me þryue;
зe must with зowr body leue,
зour wordis зe must dryue."

þe eldest dowter swor be bred of qwete,
"I haue leuere beggyn myn mete
& getyn me good qwer I may gete
þan ledyn myn lyf in lecheri."

þe medil dowter seyde so mote che the
"I hadde leuere hangyd & drawyd be
with wylde hors to or þre
þan ledin myn lyf in lecheri."

þe зonger lechery gan to spyse
& preyid saynt nicholas as che was wise;
"saynt nicholas as he was wyse
Help vs fro lechri!"

Saynt nicholas at þe townys ende
conseylid þo maydenis hom to wynde
& þrow godis grace he xulde hem synde
husbondis þre good & hind.
 

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