98. St. Stephen and King Herod. Quiller-Couch, Arthur, ed. 1910. The Oxford Book of Ballads

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Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. (1863–1944). The Oxford Book of Ballads. 1910.

98. St. Stephen and King Herod

SAINT STEPHEN was a clerk

In King Herod’s hall,

And servéd him of bread and cloth

As every king befall.

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.

‘I forsake thee, King Herod,

And thy workés all,

There is a child in Bethlehem born

Is better than we all.’—

‘What aileth thee, Stephen?

What is thee befall?

Lacketh thee either meat or drink

In King Herod’s hall?’—

‘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.’—

‘That is all so sooth, Stephen,

All so sooth, I-wys,

As this capon crowé shall

That li’th here in my dish.’

That word was not so soon said,

That word in that hall,

The capon crew Christus natus est

Among the lordés all.

‘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.

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