Ye Olde English

A short update for now, since I have to (gasp) venture out of the house to procure sustenance.

From the South English Legendary, a medieval collection of stories about saints, comes this passage that may or may not (hint - may) prove relevant to Daughter of Eve. (Many, many thanks to Mr. Holden for his services in translating from Middle English to Modern English.)



Ake huy þat heolden sumdel with him : and nouȝt fulliche so faste, 
Out of heouene he drof heom : and In-to þe lofte heom caste,
Al here bi-neþe toward þe eorþe : þare mest tempeste is:
And þare heo schullen in tempest and in pine beo : to þe daye of dome, i-wis;      
And ase hore gult þe more was : heore pine was al-so,
þe worse stude heom i-take : heore penaunce for-to do.
Ake to helle huy ne schullen nouȝt : are domes-day i-wende;
Ak þare huy schullen after-ward : bi-leue with-outen ende.      
Oþure þare weren þat for heom : sumdel in mis-þouȝte weren,
Ake natheles huy heolden betere with god : and vnneþe fur-bere:
þulke wenden out of heouene al-so : and a-boue þe oþure beoth,
An heiȝ onder þe firmament : and godes wille i-seoth,      
And so schullen sumdel in pine beo : a-non to þe worldes ende,
Ake huy schullen at domes-day : a-ȝein to heouene wende.
In eorthþeliche parays : some beoth ȝeot al-so,
And in oþur studes on eorþe : heore penaunce for-to do.
For heore defaute in heouene : þoruȝ ore louerdes grace
Man was formest on eorþe i-wrouȝt : to fulfulle þulke place


But they that hold somewhat with him, but in no way fully so firm,
Out of heaven he drove them: and into the air he cast them,
All downward toward the earth, where most of the tempest is,
And where they should truly be in tempest and in pain until the day of doom.
And the more their sin was, the more their pain was also,
The worst state for them was taken: in order to do their penance.
And to hell they owe nothing of their doomsday recourses;
But there they afterward owe belief without end.
Other tares were there for them – somewhat in error they were.
But they nevertheless held better with God, and they scarcely let alone
Those who also went out of heaven.. And above the others there is,
A high place under the firmament, and they see God’s will;
And so they should be somewhat in pain from now until the world’s end,
But at doomsday they shall go again to heaven.
Some of them are also in parts of the earth
And in other places on earth for to do their penance
For their default in heaven. Through our Lord’s grace
Man was first made on earth to fill this place.

What could it mean??