Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 27, 1916.djvu/321

 Their Bearing on Folklore. 295

(i) We have two proverbial expressions: And kissed him Judas' kiss : and at once slew him there. For lightly men hold ever with the living and the dead are at once still.

(2) Burial : after his (assassination) martyrdom, his body was buried by his murderers : the men of Wareham sought for the corpse far and wide.

On a time as these good men : of Wareham there beside In the country went and sought : this holy body full wide They stood and beheld beside them : then saw they a great light And clear withal about one place : as a pillar stand upright. They thought that there was God's grace : thither they went and

sought And found there this holy body : and out of the earth it brought. With right fair procession : this body forth they bear Into the town of Wareham : and fair they buried it there : In a church yard of our lady : by east of the church a little There they buried that sweet body : with great honour and pride A chapel there is reared : as that holy body lay In the town of Wareham : that stands yet to this day.

(3) Heahng:

The pit where he was first found : a well began to spring there.

Fair and clear that yet lasts : and is oft great benefit

That men call to this day : St. Edward's well

There many miracles have been : as the country doth tell.

(4) St Edward's body was to be translated from Ware- ham to Shaftesbury :

To this holy body they went : and when they thereto came Whole and sound they found it lie : when they that body took up As whole it was without wound : as it ever in life was There was no one that saw it : that was not glad and joyful.

(5) On the road to Shaftesbury:

For two cripples that m their limbs : all crooked were With great hope lay in the way : and awaited the bier.