who he was, wist noman,
Gret was his ?olemodenesse; 705
ffor ?if his moder oi?er his wijf
hadden ywist Alexius lijf,
It had ben her gladnesse.
Page 52
708
(60)
? wi? hym ?ai speken, & hym sei?en
wi? her mou?e & wi? her ei?en,
ffader & moder & wijf; 711
Nou?th for ?an non hym knew,
Noi?
er by hide ne by hew;
Al
chaunged
was his lijf.
714
His fader he sei? often grete,
And his moder teres lete
ffourty si?es & fyue. 717
yuel mi?th hym liken ?at sei? ?is;
his martirdom was strong I-wys,
Of sorou? & paynes ryue. 720
(61)
? Alexius in al wise
Dude to god his seruise
wi? stedfast wille in hert, 723
In fastyng, & in orisouns,
In many manere deuociouns
Of peynes ?at weren smert.
Page 53
726
And al was forto wynne heuene;
To here Aungels wi? mylde steuene,
he suffred ?
