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 Advance-sheets 
 
 from the edition Speculum Gt de Warewyke 
 
 at press for the Early English Text Society. 
 
Ill 
 
 Study of the poem Speculum Oy de Warewyke was begun on 
 the twelfth of March 1894 under the kind and gracious guidance of 
 the late Professor Dr. Julius Zupitza. An edition was prepared in 
 German as well as in English, and the text passed to press in May 
 1896. All investigation connected with the poem was completed by 
 that date. 
 
 The work in its later stages has been subject to the able direction 
 of Professor Dr. Schick, and through his courtesy and the kindness 
 of Dr. Furnivall the accompanying pages offer selections from the 
 edition about to be given to the public by the Early English Text 
 Society. That volume includes criticism of the text, explanation of 
 the arrangement of the material, various chapters devoted to the 
 examination of the language and metre of the poet, to the genesis of 
 the narrative, to its literary history, its chronology, and its author- 
 ship. It may be added, that continued ill-health and pressing 
 academic duties have retarded somewhat this issue. 
 
II Cornell University 
 B Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013116813 
 
INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECULUM. 
 
 "sothe stories ben stoken vp and straught out of mynde 
 and swolowet into swym by swiftenes of yeres. 
 
 . . . olde stories of stithe, fat astate helde, 
 
 may be solas to sum 
 
 fat suet after, 
 
 to ken all the orafte, how }>e case felle, 
 
 by lokying of letturs, fat lefte were of olde." 1 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 TITLE AND LITERARY NOTICES OF THE POEM. 
 
 § 1. Study of the Title of the Poem. 
 
 1. Title of the poem of the present edition, Speculum Gy de Ware- 
 wyke, is extant in the MS. 525 of the Harleian collection (fol. 53a). 
 That Speculum Gy de Warewyke designated the text at the period of 
 its authorship, or even that the poet ascribed title to his composition, 
 the MSS. do not determine. Four MSS. add nothing in proof 
 (AjAjDHj), three being incomplete (cf. Chap. II. 1, 3, 4, 5). The 
 MS. Bibl. Beg. 17. B. XVII. confirms preference for the element 
 Speculum (cf. Chap. 2). 
 
 Speculum Gy de Warewyke incorporates in archaic orthography 
 the grammatical form of the manuscript, yet the colophon may 
 be interpreted to read in conformity to the narrative : Speculum 
 Gy[donis] de Wareioyke, 2 heremite, 3 secundum Algvinum (cf. Chap. 
 II. 6). That this modification is not necessary, is indicated if the 
 insertion of punctuation be permitted in the seemingly inaccurate 
 combination designating this volume. Speculum : Gy de Warewyke 
 presents a mediaeval aspect of the Guy doctrine ; for was it not a 
 received tradition, that the stalwart conqueror of Colbrond was 
 "England's mirror and all the world's wonder"? Was it not his 
 
 1 From the Destruction of Troy, verses 11, 12, and 21 ff. 
 
 2 The significance of the bracket (]) uniting Warewyke and heremite (cf. 
 Chap. II. 6) seems to be purely connective, and not indicative of couplet 
 formation. 
 
 3 Mediaeval genitive equivalent to heremiioe. 
 
vi Chapter I. — Study of the Title of the Poem. 
 
 high destiny, " to hold, as 'twere, the mirror 1 up to nature to show 
 to virtue her own feature " ? The exact reading of the scribe admits 
 of varied interpretation, subject to individual speculation, whether 
 it be rendered Mirror to Guy or Mirror of Guy, glorious " myrour " 
 in whom to senal his socour (v. 706), or uphold, for emulation a 
 national hero as a mirror reflecting ideal line of conduct, refracting 
 English glory, or mirroring the knight himself in his exalted religious 
 consecration. In idealized glorification, no longer mortal, to him it 
 could have been said, Speculum sine macula : 
 
 "Thou mirror, 
 In whom, as in the splendour of the sun, 
 All shapes look glorious, which thou gazeet on ! " 
 
 That the poet availed himself of mediaeval licence, departed from the 
 rigid application of verses 505, 506, and portrayed his warrior as 
 example to all the world, A cheef mirour of al tlie feste (Ch., Tlie 
 Book of the Duchesse, v. 974), An exemplarie, fy mirrour (Lyd., 
 Temple of Glas, v. 294), Mirrour of wit, ground of gouernaunce (T. 
 of GL, v. 754), the MS. ilself assumes through the orthography of 
 its copyist, in literal application. Similar appearance 2 repeats itself 
 in the person of the English Sidney, " glorious star " of Penshurst, 
 in intellectual and moral characteristics also " lively pattern . . . 
 
 lovely joy born into the world to show our age a sample of 
 
 ancient virtue " in chivalric soldiership and princely gentlemanliness. 
 The poetical Mirror 3 is explained again through the language of 
 Langland, v. 175 (CXIX) ; Spenser, Shepheardes Calendar for 
 October, v. 93 ; Henry V. ii. Chor. 6 ; Gorboduc, Act I. sc. 3, v. 798. 
 The excellence of the appellation in any of its interpretations 
 is evident. In that it embodied characteristic features of the poem 
 whose hero is Guy of Warwick, and in that it is in harmony with a 
 popular mediaeval phase of intellectual activity, Speculum Gy de 
 Warewyke places the associated text in its natural environment. The 
 interest of the episode centres in the valiant knight Guy of Warwick, 
 and Speculum gives to the homily romance with which the poem is 
 clothed, it is not to be denied, a mediaeval charm. In literary worth 
 Guy's sweet English " sarmoun " gains by association with the greater 
 romance. It gains in historical and philological interest through the 
 
 1 Hamlet, III. ii. 20. 
 
 2 Pico della Mirandola was likewise Phoenix to his age among his con- 
 temporaries. 
 
 3 See Temple of Glas 974, with note to 294 (p. 92), and Chaucer Against 
 Women Inconstant, v. 8 : EiM as a mirour nothing may impresse. 
 
Chapter I. — Study of the Title of the Poem. vii 
 
 factor Speculum, since through this designation it links itself with 
 the period of its composition. The term Speculum was in the 
 estimate of Lorentz 1 (cf. Alcuins Leben, p. 199) applicable to the 
 Liber (Alcuin's De Virtutibus et Vitiis Liber). Lorentz maintains, 
 that the Liber was devised as a mirror, and that to the mind of 
 Alcuin it existed as a Speculum to enable Count Guido to determine, 
 was er zu thun und was er zu lassen habe 2 (Leben, p. 199), thus para- 
 phrasing liberally the passage, Caput V, line 5 f. (cf. Froben, Vol. II, 
 Part I, p. 129), underlying verses 505, 506 united with 71 — 74 of 
 the present text. Paulin (Histoire Litter aire de la France, 1866, 
 p. 315) refers to the Liber : qu'il lui servit de miroir, ou il verroit 
 d'un coup d'ceil ce qu'il auroit d /aire et ce qu'il auroit d eviter. Yet 
 nowhere is the Liber formally termed Speculum. The argument of 
 Lorentz had been anticipated by some hundreds of years, and had 
 been practically applied to the version addressed to Guy of Warwick. 
 Speculum is amply supported by the subject-matter of the poem, and 
 Speculum could not have been without worth in the sympathies of a 
 mediaeval poet. 
 
 2. In its brief literary connection the tenth poem of the Auchin- 
 leck folio has attained recognition as Epistola Alcuini. Kblbing, 
 Englische Studien, vol. vii, p. 183, Morley, English Writers, vol. iii, 
 p. 281, and Zupitza in private correspondence, have given sanction 
 to that title. The eminent authority of so illustrious a triumvirate 
 in letters, and the prestige of literary and printed notice, would 
 at momentary glance seem to make additional search for the 
 lost heading of the Auchinleck poem unnecessary. But Epistola 
 Alcuini names Alcuin's Liber (De Virtutibus et Vitiis Liber) and 
 other treatises ascribed to Alcuin. Obliterating the claims of an 
 English poem to the nomenclature Epistola through the paramount 
 right of priority of co-ordinate grouping are the following classical 
 MSS., each an Epistola Alcuini. E Musaeo 214 (formerly numbered 
 68) fol. 51 b— fol. 68 b, and Bodl. 3558.5 (cf. Catalogue Bernardi) 
 of the Bodleian Library ; Cotton Vesp. A. XIV. Epistola Alcuini 
 Levitce, i. e. Diaconi, qui illie in quibusdam epistolis nuncupiatur 
 
 1 Lorentz (professor of history at the university of Halle), author of Alcuins 
 Leben, ein Beitrag zur Staats-Kirchen- und Culturgeschichte der Karoling. Ztit 
 (Halle, 1829), translated by Jane Mary Slee, The Life of Alcuin, and published 
 in 1837. 
 
 2 The exact passage, Liber V, 2 ff. is translated as follows : Here lies the 
 knowledge of true blessedness ; for therein as in a mirror man may consider 
 himself, what he is and whither he goeth, applied by West in Alcuin and tlie 
 Rise of Christian Schools (1893), pp. 115 f. 
 
viii Chapter I, — Study of the Title of the Poem. 
 
 Albinus cum versibus in fine of the Museum collection ; Bibl. Reg. 
 5.~E. IV. and Bibl. Eeg, 6. A. XI. (cf. Book Index), and the 
 Epistola ad Eulalian, etc. Aside from primary grounds for discard- 
 ing Epistola Alcuini, the co-existence of numerous distinct works 
 having legitimate claim upon that title, the form itself is not exact. 
 In immediate application it could be employed only at cost of 
 testimony of the poem concerning its contemporary history. Morley's 
 title correctly applied should read Epistola Alquini (Alquyni). His- 
 torically and on basis of the MS. Alquyn is the orthography demanded 
 by a work of the period of the Speculum; cf. ten Br., Oh. p. 67, 68 ; 
 Siev. § 208; Sweet, N.E. Gr. p. 254 (O.E. Alhwine, Ealhwine; 
 Latin period Alcuinus ; M.E. Alquin or Alquyn)} The poet writes 
 of the author Alquin {Alquyn in MSS. A^HjHgK): Alquin was 
 his rihte name, v. 39. Moreover even Latin MSS. of the fourteenth 
 and fifteenth centuries do not hesitate in adopting the orthography 
 Alquin, Alquyn (the distinction i, y having no philological weight, 
 cf. ten Br. § 9 and § 22 ; Morsb. § 112) in transcripts of the works 
 of Alcuinus (Albinus Flaccus), cf. Epistola Alquini, MS. Bibl. Eeg. 
 5. E. iv.; MS. Bibl. Eeg. 6. A. xi.; Lambeth MS. 378, where in 
 liirnim alquini, Pro dlquino, etc. occur. 
 
 Apart from the misconception liable to result through confliction 
 among texts bearing the same title, the English poem, distinct and 
 individual in character, a new creation, merits distinctive recognition, 
 a specific place in literature. Its value rests neither in its connection 
 with Alcuinus, nor in his theological views. It does not incorporate 
 the philosophy of the schools of Charlemagne. Its interest centres 
 rather in that very vivid personality, that illustrious knight Gy de 
 "Warewyke, for whom this discourse was prepared. Speculum Gy de 
 WarewyJce belongs to the field of literary history, not to theology. 
 It is a member of that greater Eomance cycle, whose brilliant hero is 
 Sir Gy. 
 
 3. "Warton's title ranks the discourse among poems of the ballad 
 order. Guy and Alquine (cf. Warton, § 2 of this chapter) has the 
 merit of granting its poem environment in the English Guy legend, 
 classifying it, through analogy, with Guy and Colronde (cf. Percy's 
 Folio MS. vol. ii. p. 509 ff.), Guy and Phelis, Guy and Amarant 
 (cf. Percy's Reliques? Part II, pp. 329 ff., 331 ff.). Warton was 
 
 1 Over forma of Alcuin's name compare Schonefelder in his monograph, 
 Aleuvn et Charlemagne, p. 4 (and Pertz, Monum. Germ.. Script., I p 75) ■ 
 ?7!SJ ts s^ficM"*. see Hamelin, Essai sur la vie et Ins ouvrages d'Almin 
 (1873), p. 10. 2 Edition of Walford, 1880. 
 
Chapter I. — Study of the Title of the Poem. ix 
 
 probably indebted to some MSS. Catalogue for the suggestion, per- 
 haps in connection with the heading of the Catalogue of the Arundel 
 MSS., vol. ii, edition of 1832, naming the poem Gy Earl of War- 
 loyke and Dekene Alquyne. 1 Warton's title is without authority- 
 historical or manuscript. Equally ungrounded is Scott's (also Laing's) 
 title. As " A Moralization upon certain Latin Texts," apparently an 
 invention of Scott (or of Leyden, cf. § 2) to characterize the subject- 
 matter of the selection, it figures in Sir Tristrem (also in A Penni 
 worth of Witte, etc.). 
 
 4. The puissant merit accredited to the Speculum in mediaeval 
 literary history is testified to with eloquent voice through its popu- 
 larity. Hundreds of varieties of the general type are locked up in 
 MS. collections throughout the world. Speculum Stultorum (ed. 
 Wright, 1872) depicted in satire English foibles of the 12th century 
 through Mgel Wireker, and the 14th century is resplendent with a 
 glittering array of Specula. The position of the Speculum in that 
 century is in the technique of theology. 2 In testimony the following 
 list of theological Specula from MS. works has been collected, but 
 the various Christian attributes associated with the Speculum are too 
 numerous for immediate specification. The Speculum links with 
 itself humance salvationis in a large vast family of virtues. It is 
 Speculum Confessionis, Christianorum, Mundi, Philosophice, Meligi- 
 onum, Speculatorum, Innocentice, Devotorum, Contemplationis (a 
 Ladder of Perfection), Peecatoris. It is a Christian Mirror, a Mirror 
 for May dens, Of Penance, Of Sinners, Of Lewd Men and Women, 
 Of Chastite, s Of the Sacrament, Of Penance, Le Mirouer des Dames, 
 Le Miroir du Monde, Die Sprighel der sonden . . . van Jan iof 
 Weeri, a heterogeneous collection 4 indeed, elaborate attributes of a 
 unique type of literature. They include all the tenets of Christian 
 doctrine, and embrace all aspects of life inspiring to the 14th century 
 mind. The spiritual history of the 15th century is enriched by the 
 exquisite seriousness of a Speculum of 7 gyftus of the holi gost (MS. 
 Ff. iv, 9, Camb. Univ.), of a Myrow to deuot peple (MS. Gg. I. 6), and 
 by a Speculum etatis hominis (MS. Gg. IV. 32), whose mirror is de- 
 
 1 Also description of The Index to the Arundel and Burney MSS. in the 
 British Museum. 
 
 2 This distinction applicable to the generic Speculum is irrespective of the 
 subject-matter of the individual text. 
 
 3 The Mirrour of Chaastitee, MSS. Harl. 2322, 2325. 
 
 4 For MS. Specula compare MSS. Harl. 113, 116, 953, 1255, 1706, 1713, 
 2339, 2388, 6581, etc. ; Add. MSS. 17,539, 22,283, 25,089, 29,951 ; Royal MSS. 
 16 E v.; 8FX.; 5 B IX., etc. 
 
x Chapter I.— Study of the Title of the Poem. 
 
 pieted twelve times in twelve distinct circles to reflect the twelve ages 
 of man. Bonaventure's " boke that is clepid " Myrour of the blissid 
 Lif of Jem Crist has disseminated its truths through manifold trans- 
 lations, 1 and was printed by Caxton. In MS. Arundel 112 (see also 
 MS. Arundel 120) the text is embalmed in a paper 4to. of the 
 15th century entitled : " The myrour of the blessed lyfe of owe Lorde 
 Ihesu Criste, translated from the Latin of Bonaventura with some 
 additions by the translator, and a Treatise at the end on the Body 
 of Christ against the Lollards." A Bodleian MS. is an Apology for 
 a looking-glass by Apuleius against iEmilian, in English verse. 
 Harley MS. 3277 contributes a paper book, A Looking glasse for 
 Looveres, "wherein are conteyned two sortes of amorous passions, 
 the one expressing the trevve estate and perturbations of hym that 
 is overgon with love; the other a flatt defyance to love and his 
 lawes," containing "78 passions or chapters of prose verse." In 
 1509 the Ship of Fooles decreed the dimming of the fair radiance of 
 the chaste theological Speculum by the profane Mirour of good 
 Manners. So late as the 17th century is still to be found the 
 ubiquitous Speculum, a spectrum for laymen in the Mirror for 
 Martyrs (1601), from the hand of one Weever. In Speculum 
 Crape-Gownorum, of the Advocates' Library, are " Observations and 
 Beflections upon the late sermons of some that would be thought 
 Goliahs for the Church of England." London, 1682. Berjeau pub- 
 lished, 1861, reproduit, en Facsimile, Le plus ancien Monument' de 
 la xylographie et de la typographie reuni, Speculum Humance 
 Salvationis. 
 
 The various Mirrors belong to a later period. These descendants 
 of the Speculum have imbued new life into earlier saintly themes, 
 and Speculum no longer suggests dedly synnes, confessiones and bands 
 clericorum (Arund. 452) for the religious life of the soul, a Speculum 
 Conscientice, 2 but names worldly activity and profane subjects in its 
 rank and file of Princely Deedes (1598), Constant Penelopes (cf. 
 Percy's Reliques), and Mirrors of Knighthood, not to forget Gower's 
 Speculum of "Virtues and Vices" (i. e. Meditantis) and that most 
 "dolefully dreary 8 " Mirror for Magistrates (London, 1563), Gas- 
 coigne's The Steel Glas (1576), his Glass of Government, and the 
 looking-glass of Thomas Lodge and Eobert Green: A Looking 
 
 1 Cf. Add. MSS. 11,565, 19,901, 21,106, 22,558, 30,031; Sloane MS. 1785; 
 Cot. Tib. 6, VII. ; Harl. 435, 2241, etc. 
 
 2 Cf. MSS. Harl. 5398 ; Sloane 3551. 
 
 3 Cf. Lowell, The Old English Dramatists, "Marlowe," p. 30. 
 
Chapter 1. — Literary History of the MSS. xi 
 
 Glasse for London and England. Here could be numbered from 
 all ages all those Specula, in whose " immortal flowers of poesy,'' 
 
 . . . " As in a mirror, we perceive 
 
 The highest reaches of a human wit."— Tamburlaine. 
 
 § 2. Literary History of the Manuscripts. 
 
 Specific mention of the Speculum is to be found in a brief and 
 inexact characterization of its Auchinleck text, 1 published by Sir 
 Walter Scott 2 in 1804, through the "Introduction" 3 to Sir Tristrem* 
 Appendix IV., pp. cxii. f., and reprinted in various subsequent 
 editions, 6 in 1811 and 1819 under the same numbering of the page, 
 in 1806, 6 p. cviii., in 1833, pp. 112 f. After 1811 Sir Tristrem was 
 included with its Introduction in the collective editions of Scott's 
 Poetical Works, often with the pagination 112. Compare the 
 edition of 1868, mentioned by Kb'lbing (Engl. Stud. vii.). 
 
 In 1857 David Laing, in his "preface" to A Penni worth of 
 Witte, Florice and Blauncheflour, 7 etc., incorporated Scott's Intro- 
 
 1 This description plays a minor part as a single detail in a general sketch 
 of the various texts comprising the Auchinleck folio. Scott's summary is 
 still offered in the MSS. Catalogue of the Advocates' Library, classifying the 
 Auch. MS. 
 
 2 Reference to the life of Sir Walter Scott, as employed in this edition, is 
 afforded by Memoirs of tlie Life of Sir Walter Scott, Bart, by John Gibson 
 Lockhart, the Riverside Press, 1881 ; and by Richard H. Hutton's Sir Walter 
 Scott (in Morley's English Men of Letters), 1878. 
 
 3 Material for this ' ' Introduction " seems to have been collected by John 
 Leyden (d. 1811 in India), the eminent Oriental scholar (cf. Hatton, pp. 65, 66), 
 and the faithful ally of Scott in the transcriptions of Sir Tristrem (cf. Lockhart, 
 vol. ii., p. 54). Leyden aided Scott in the preparation of the Border Minstrelsy 
 (see Lockhart, vol. ii., p. 46), and it was Leyden who prepared the bulky 
 transcript of King Arthour, a fragment of seven thousand lines (Life of Scott, 
 pp. 60, 61), used by Ellis in his Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances. 
 Leyden published, on his own responsibility, The Oomplaynt of Scotland (written 
 1648) in 1802. 
 
 4 Sir Tristrem; a Metrical Romance of the Thirteenth Century ; by Thomas 
 of Ercildoune, called the Rhymer. Edited from the Auchinleck MS. by "Walter 
 Scott, Esq., Advocate, Edinburgh. This work was published the second of 
 May, 1804. 
 
 6 The edition of 1804 comprised but one hundred and fifty copies, to be sold 
 at two guineas a volume. These are now broadly scattered, and are difficult of 
 access. Indebtedness is due to the British Museum for the copy used in the 
 preparation of this edition. 
 
 ° Seven hundred and fifty copies of the subsequent edition in 1806 were 
 necessary to satisfy the public demand. These editions heralded that ill-fated 
 connection with Ballantyne, the Aldiborontiphoscophornio of Scott. 
 
 7 A Penni worth of Witte : Florice and Blauncheflour : and other Pieces of 
 Ancient English Poetry, "Selected from The Auchinleck Manuscript. Printed 
 at Edinburgh, For the Abbotsford Club." 1857. Laing's edition is also with 
 difficulty accessible. The Speculum is indebted to the copy in the library of the 
 British Museum. 
 
xii Chapter I. — Literary History of the MSS. 
 
 duction without attributing it immediately to its direct source. 
 Notice of this poem (Auch. MS.) stands on p. xiv., numbered 10 (see 
 § 3, 1), and called "A Moralization upon certain Latin texts," thus 
 retaining Scott's title, and failing to correct the defective enumeration 
 of Sir Tristrem. Tor recognition of later date the Speculum is 
 indebted to Eugen Kolbing in Englische Studien, vol. vii., pp. 178 ff., 
 in his exhaustive study of the Komance selections preserved in the 
 Auchinleck MS. Here, p. 183, designated " Epistola Alcuini," occurs 
 the only entirely reliable account of the Speculum. Kolbing prints 
 the first ten verses of the poem and the remaining portions of the 
 twenty-five (11. 1007—1031) imperfect lines (cf. § 3, 1). The 
 Auchinleck text also received casual notice by Warton and by 
 Morley. In Warton' s History of English Poetry (edited by Hazlitt, 
 vol. iL,'p. 29), the Speculum is classified as "Guy and Alquine" in 
 a list that purports to include the " principal pieces " of the Auchin- 
 leck MS. Morley gives a table of the contents of the folio, naming 
 the Speculum " Epistola Alcuini " (Morley, English Writers, voL iii., 
 p. 281). 
 
 But the earliest known reference to the poem, apart from rarely 
 meagre statistics, is furnished by Eitson, 1 two years earlier than the 
 appearance of Sir Tristrem. In Ancient Engleish Metrical Ro- 
 maneses 2 (London, 1802), vol. i., pp. xcii. and xciii. (pp. 50 f. of the 
 reprint), Eitson connects with Canticum Colbrandi (Geste, Guy and 
 Colbronde, Percy, Reliqu.es, vol. iii., Part 4, page 26 ; see also pp. 145, 
 152, and Percy's Polio MS., vol. ii., pp. 509 ff.), furnishing "the 
 cream" of the Guy romance (Scott, see Lockhart, II., p. 63), an "old 
 Engleish poem" of the Harley MS. 525, Speculum Gy de Waretoyke 
 per Alquinum heremitam (according to Eitson). Thirty-five lines be- 
 ginning this MS. were printed in Germania, vol. xxi., p. 366, in an 
 
 1 The attitude of his contemporaries toward Eitson, "the ill-conditioned 
 antiquary of vegetarian principles," is well known. He was tolerated only by 
 Scott. Leyden's stanzas, characteristic of Eitson, may he recalled : 
 
 " That dwarf, he is so fell of mode, 
 Tho ye shold drynk his hert blode, 
 Gode wold Je never finde." 
 
 "That dwarf, he ben beardless and bare, 
 And weaselblowen ben al his hair, 
 
 Like an ympe or elfe ; 
 And in this world beth al and hale, 
 Ben nothynge that he loveth an dele 
 
 Safe his owen selfe." 
 
 2 Of this first edition, the Kbnigliche Bibliothek, Berlin, has preserved the 
 copy referred to in this issue. 
 
Chapter I. — Literary History of the MSS. xiii 
 
 article by Prof. Ktilbing. Here Kblbing, calling attention to the 
 importance of the Auchinleck text in the Guy of Warwick question, 
 enumerates the other British Museum MSS., the Arundel MS. 140, 
 and the Harleian MS. 1731, but does not mention MS. Dd 11 and 
 MS. Bibl. Eeg. 17 B, xvii. Ward, Catalogue of Romances in the 
 Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum, gives conspicuous 
 attention to the Harleian copies of this poem: 
 
 Of the various MSS. of the Speculum the Harley MS. 525 has 
 represented its text to the general public. It is this MS. that has 
 received the weight of attention in print, and apparently from Harley 
 525 interest has developed in other MSS. of the same text. The 
 salient 'feature of the title, the introduction of the name Guy of 
 Warwick, and, indeed, the fact of the existence of a title 1 in connec- 
 tion with what is apparently a complete poem, 2 having introduction, 
 conclusion, and colophon in a well-preserved and beautifully written 
 parchment, explain the popularity of MS. Harley 525. Interest in 
 the Auch. MS. was awakened through its association with important 
 Romance texts of the same MS. volume. MSS. Harley 1731 and 
 Arund. 140 have received scanty notice, and no printed mention of 
 MSS. Dd 11, 89, and MS. Eeg. 17 B. xvii., has been discovered 
 outside of MSS. Catalogues. There is likewise no account to be 
 found of Worseley 67 of this group of texts. 
 
 Notices of a hitherto imprinted poem form naturally no imposing 
 list, yet for nearly a century the Speculum has been before the 
 public. Its history is nearly contemporaneous with the printed 
 record of the Auchinleck MS. itself. That MS. finds mention first 
 in Percy's Reliques of Ancient Poetry (cf. Engl. Stud., vii.). It is 
 described as a whole, or in application to some individual work, with 
 greater or less regard for detail and accuracy, in the various editions 
 of the Auchinleck texts. Kolbing's valuable publications, Sir Beues, 
 Arthour and Merlin, Amis and Amiloun, Tristrem, etc., Zupitza's Guy 
 of Warwick (see also edition 1875-76), Mall's The Harrowing of 
 Hell, the shorter poems through medium of the Englische Studien, 
 the editions of Laing, Ritson, and Turnbull, edited privately and for 
 the Maitland Club or the Abbotsford Club, may be consulted, 3 as 
 well as Ellis in Early English Pronunciation, vol. ii., p. 428. So 
 
 1 Other MSS. have no marked individuality in MS. relationship, and could 
 be mistaken in each instance for a continuation of a preceding text, except in 
 case of MS. D. 
 
 2 The most conspicuous MSS. are not otherwise complete (cf. § 3). 
 
 3 This list is by no means complete. 
 
xiv Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. A v 
 
 early as the date of Eitson's arrangement of its table of contents 
 (v. ante), in 1792 the youthful Scott, 1 with a "great meikle nowt- 
 horn to rout on" (cf. Shortreed through Lockhart, I. 230), was 
 scouring the Highlands for ancient lays, and searching for "auld 
 Thomas o' Twizzlehope," and for the information that would culmi- 
 nate later in the interchange of enthusiastic letters between the 
 hard of the Border Minstrelsy and George Ellis over the identity 
 of Thomas of Erceldoune. Possibly to that year (1792) might be 
 ascribed Scott's earliest study of the Auchinleck texts. 
 
 If the date of the publication of the greater romances become the 
 standard, then the Speculum, overshadowed by the broader popularity 
 of the greater Guy history, has not attained with slowness to the 
 dignity of a distinct edition. Sir Gij (E. E. T. Soc, Extra Series, 
 xlii., xlix., lix.) arrived at completion only in 1891, and Sir Beues 
 (E. E. T. Soc, Extra Series, xlvi., xlviii., lxv.) first in 1894. Biblio- 
 graphy of the poem in its connection with the Guy of Warwick 
 tradition would follow . each century of the history of printing in 
 England, beginning with Copland's fragmentary edition, placed in 
 1550 (Zupitza, Guy, 1875, p. xi.), and ending only with the present 
 decade. 
 
 § 3. Description of the Manuscripts. 
 
 The Speculum Gy de Warewyke has been preserved in the follow- 
 ing Manuscripts, of which to this date there have been no prints : 
 
 Auchinleck 10. 
 
 1. A r MS. Auchinleck 10, Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. A 
 parchment folio of the early fourteenth century (c. 1327 — 1340). 
 Concerning the contents of this valuable Eomance 2 MS. Kolbing 
 
 1 The correspondence between Scott and Ellis began March 27 in 1801, but 
 Scott's search for Thomas the Rhymer was under way earlier. In June 1795, 
 Scott, through zeal in literary affairs, had been appointed one of the curators 
 of the Advocates' Library, colleague of David Hume (Lockhart, I., p. 271). 
 
 2 Romance in application to contents. The Auchinleck MS., it will be re- 
 called, is a repository for a vast treasure of M. E. romance. It contains the first 
 English version of the Guy of Warwick legend (Sir Gij of Warwicke, Auch., 
 "Sos. 22, 23, ed. Zupitza), as well as transcripts of Sir Beues (ed. Kolbing), Sir 
 Tristrem (ed. Scott and Kolbing), Florice and Blancheflour (ed. Hausknecht, 
 Floris and Blancheflour ; cf. also FUres Saga ok Blankifiur, Icelandic version 
 edited by Kolbing), King Horn (ed. Wissmann), Arthour and Merlin (ed. 
 Kolbing), Amis and Amiloun (ed. Kolbing), The Legend of Gregory, named one 
 of the "pearls of M.E. literature" (cf. Schulz, Die englische Gregorlegende naeh 
 dein Auchinleck MS. ; Holtermann, Ueber Sprache . . . der . . Gregoriuslegende, 
 and Neussell, Ueber . . . mitteUngl. Bearbeitung der Saga von Gregorius), and 
 thirty-six other selections, chiefly Romance poems, whose popularity in the 
 thirteenth and fourteenth centuries is undisputed. They are the " romances of 
 
Chapter I. — Description of the Manuscripts. MS. A v xv 
 
 has treated in detail in Englische Studien, vol. vii., pp. 178 ff., with 
 reference to the tenth selection, p. 183 (cf. § 2). The handwriting, 
 distinct and beautiful, is larger than that of other scribes represented 
 in the Auchinleck MS. and is not to he found elsewhere in the folio 
 (c£ also Scott, Sir Tristrem, 1 p. cxiii). The present text is written in 
 carefully outlined double columns, so cramped in space, that some- 
 times the last word, syllable, or letter of the poetical verse is placed 
 above or below the metrical line: cf. lines 66, 113, 267, 277, etc. 
 In its original condition the poem occupied fol. 39a — fol. 486. There 
 is no title. Folio headings and fol. 486 with concluding lines (11. 
 1032 — 1034) are lost through mutilation 2 of the MS. for illumina- 
 tions. On fol. 48a parts of twenty-five lines (11. 1007 — 1031) have 
 been cut unevenly from the parchment. Subdivision into chapter or 
 section is not indicated. Capitals are used, but they occur without 
 uniformity. Lines 1, 137, 161, and 277 are marked off by large 
 brilliantly coloured introductory letters. Latin texts are in red ink. 
 The letter beginning each line is ornamented with red. On the 
 margin to the left, recurring frequently at unequal intervals, and 
 without reference to subject-matter, is the character ' 1T ' in red : 
 cf. 11. 9, 17, 23, 27, etc. Each leaf contains at the top the lower 
 portion of a Eoman numeral, ' xv,' in blue ink. 
 
 Lines 179, 180, 421, 422, 551, 552, 645, 646, 925, 926 are 
 omitted. The last word of line 232 was not written; pylt is supplied 
 in this edition from MS. A 2 . There are a few erasures : lines 33, 
 178, 197, 202, 249, etc. 268 occurs a second time, apparently in 
 
 prys" named in Chaucer's often quoted lines, Sir Tkopas (ed. Skeat), 2087 — 
 2089, etc., and a portion of them denounced by Ascham a century later in the 
 Scholemaster, pp. 79, 80 (reprint of Arber) — and again by Nash in Greene's 
 Menaphon. The " pleasure " of the "booke" "in two speciall poyntes, in open 
 mans slaughter, & bold bawdrye," killing men "without any quarel," such 
 baseness as "the single head of an Englishman is not hable to invent," becomes 
 through Nash the work of "bable booke-mungers, " who "endevor but to 
 repaire the ruinous wals of Venus court," "to imitate a fresh the fantasticall 
 dreames of those exiled Abbie lubbers from whose idle pens proceeded those 
 worne out impressions of the feigned no where acts of Arthur of the rounde 
 table, Arthur of little Brittaine, Sir Tristram," etc. He does not "forbeare 
 laughing" in "reding Bevis of Hampton" at "the scambling shyft he makes 
 to end his verses a like " ; cf. also Jusserand, The English Novel in the Time of 
 Shakespeare, pp. 307, 308. 
 
 1 Compare the preceding section for the corresponding pagination of this 
 citation in the various editions of Sir Tristrem, and in Laing's A Penni worth 
 of Witte, etc. "It (the tenth selection) is written in a different and larger 
 hand than the preceding and following articles," says Scott. 
 
 2 Cf. Legend.ce Catholicce, "A Lytle Boke of Seyntlie Gestes, Imprinted at 
 Edinburgh in .the Year of the Incarnation, MDCCCXL.," p. vi, where the 
 editor wishes that the "Vandal "of these " Hagiologies " had been "qualified 
 to chant shrill treble within the choir of the Sistine chapel." 
 
xvi Chapter I.— Description of the MSS. MS. A v 
 
 order to give to her a final -e (here), but the second reading is not 
 retained, the line being crossed out. A word, syllable, or letter is 
 occasionally written above the line within the verse: lines 47, 71, 
 101, 164, 178, etc. A 1 has some orthographical and dialectical 
 peculiarities. To be noted is a redundant final -h: Tpeih; cf. 11. 25, 
 80, 104, 170, 184, etc.; nowh 348.— d in the function of J> : wid 84, 
 93, 181, 334, 370, 372, etc.; \erwid 147; widinne 252, 258, etc.; 
 and widoutein) 111, 278, 302, etc. — z represents voiceless s in plural 
 forms, and at the end and in the middle of a word : uertuz (plur.) 71, 
 79, 325, etc.; in the middle of a word: lezczoun 58, 138; murszere 
 284 ; at the end of the word : trespaz : solaz 686 ; voiz 446. An 
 abbreviated form occurs : fint 785, tit 807 ; cf. also Strein\e 305 with 
 vocalization of O.E. g. The 4e of mieknesse 85, although illustrated 
 also in N.E. thief, is still not the usual orthography of this word in 
 M.E. (cf. Stratmann, M.E. Did.). A x has a predilection for the 
 grammatical form wole, often where MS. D has sal(l) : cf. wole (wolt) 
 3, 5, 11, 16, 19, 27, 28, etc. Grammatical mannerisms peculiar to 
 Aj are : ou 2, 816, 824, 848, etc. ; hey\ere 952 ; \eih and hij are em- 
 ployed side by side ; \eih 192, 271, 272, 295, 297, 298, etc.; hij 186, 
 267, 277, 279, 280, 281, etc. ; mait occurs in rime with caiht 882. 
 A dialectical peculiarity is the use of seide (saide in E) replacing sede 
 .of the original, lines 140, 168, etc. ; cf. Ipotis seyde : (dede) 153, 
 461. Various instances occur, where the copyist marked his dialect 
 through the representation of O.E. y, $, umlaut of u, H : puite : luite 
 924 ; ipult : gilt 888 ; muche : -liche 386, 672, etc. In some details 
 the vocabulary of Aj is interesting, ac (Aj) is almost uniformly 
 translated in MSS. of the Speculum; cf. 4, 13, 102, etc. heinen is 
 found 627. emcristene 9, 334, etc.; \istemesse 114, 306, 731, etc.; 
 \>olemod 574, 666, etc., are specially the individual property of A v 
 although existing in isolated examples in the other MSS. 
 
 A portion of a Roman numeral xv at the top of each folio 
 indicates the number of the Speculum in the early arrangement of 
 the Auchinleck transcripts. The Speculum classified as 10 presup- 
 poses the loss of five poems of the original collection before the first 
 of the present MS. If T]ie Legend of Pope Gregory, bearing the 
 original number VI., be regarded as No. 1, the Speculum becomes in 
 direct sequence the tenth selection (No. 10). The numbering 11 
 (Scott and Laing, cf. § 2), designating this poem, is due to the unex- 
 plained omission of No. 6 in the enumeration of the Auch. texts 
 forming "Appendix IV." of the "Introduction" to Sir Tristrem. 
 
Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. B. xvii 
 
 No. 5 immediately precedes No. 7, and no No. 6 is to be discovered 
 or accounted for in Scott's list. The original numbers follow each 
 other in natural order without interruption. 
 
 Although not free from error, yet MS. A v the oldest MS. and 
 approximately complete, has transmitted relatively the most correct 
 text. For these reasons it will become the basis of the following 
 edition. Concerning its arrangement as determining the nature of 
 this volume, see chapter iv, § 3. 
 
 Bibl. Reg. 17 B. XVII. 
 
 2. R. MS. Bibl. Eeg. 17 B. XVII., Library of the British 
 Museum, London. On vellum, a small quarto; c. 1370 — 1400. 
 The Speculum is found fol. 19a — fol. 36a. It is without heading. A 
 concluding note runs : Explicit hie speculum vtile istius muudi. The 
 text is written in single columns, and there is irregularity in the 
 introduction of capitals. Coloured initial letters designate important 
 passages of the poem. The Latin texts are, prima manu Mr. Herbert 
 affirms, in black ink on the margin to the right of the body of the 
 text. They are sometimes inclosed with red lines. The poem is 
 complete without breaks of any kind. Lines 45, 46 are omitted ; 
 571 and 572 are transposed; lines 272 and 548 introduce a new 
 reading. 
 
 Among pala?ographical characteristics it will be noted, that, in 
 addition to its customary function, o becomes often a purely graphical 
 representative of e of other MSS. That o in this development 
 representing a normal M.E. e, may preserve an essential integral 
 principle of the language of the poem is suggested by horn and 
 hore (O.E. heom, heora) : horn 25, 100, 106, 150, etc. ; hore (poss.) 
 103, 169, 188, 265, 298, 308, 434, etc., but also here 268, etc.; 
 horn selue 443, 485, etc. An interesting dialectical feature of MS. R 
 is the introduction, in unaccentuated forms, of -is (-es), -id, -us, -ud : 
 disciplis 570, but londvs, (plur.) 163; 5ms 663; faris 673; metis 
 549; lastis 746; wasshis 820; sittes 255; saies 567; lyes 713 are 
 found. To be added also are : ^arlcid 300 ; shewid 361 ; martrid 
 610 ; honourid 632 ; foulid 832 ; tholyd {-id) 590, 594, 605, etc. ; 
 deud (3 sing, past.) 528, 531 ; wratthus 806. The inflectional 
 syllable is not expressed: (pou) dos 103; (hit) dos 112; bes (he) 
 128; Gos (imp.) 448; shon : won 106, etc.; vertuz is preserved by 
 E (cf. § 3, 1) 79, 325. A Northern til replaces (in)to 271 ; hethen : 
 henne 296. Note also the couplet reide : saiede 494. MS. R adds 
 
xviii Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. H x . 
 
 to the vocabulary of the poem a translation of fisternesse in the form 
 merlcenes 114, 306, 731, etc. 
 
 The Speculum stands third in a collection of works, many of 
 ■which are attributed to the authorship of Eichard Rolle, the Hermit 
 of Hampole. The last of these is based upon selections from The 
 Pricke of Conscience. Mr. Herbert of the Museum called attention 
 to the numbering of the Speculum in the Old Catalogue published in 
 1734. The first three poems, numbered 1, practically 1, 2, and 3, 
 are regarded as a single work. Thus the Speculum is not recognized 
 as an individual poem. Number 2 of the Catalogue is virtually 
 number 4, fol. 366 — fol. 49a, and begins : Alle mighty god, etc. 
 
 Harleian 1731. 
 
 3. H r MS. Harleian 1731, Library of the British Museum. A 
 paper MS., quarto; c. 1440 — 1460. This text is contained on fol. 
 134a — fol. I486. It opens without title, and ends abruptly on 1. 
 910, fol. 1486, it is to be conjectured, through the loss of two leaves, 
 that contained the remaining verses of the poem. It is written in 
 single columns. The majuscule beginning each line is in black ink, 
 ornamented with red. Large initials showily coloured in red begin 
 lines 1 and 137. The texts are in red. A significant hand in black, 
 partly outlined in red on the margin, points out 1. 109, " pride wrap 
 and enuye." Other references to pride, 11. 635 — 638, fol. 1446, 1 — 
 4, are emphasized by means of red interlineations. 
 
 Lines 7, 8 and 641, 642 are omitted. Entirely original readings 
 are conveyed by lines 133, 136, 205, 206, 403, 404, 442, 447, 448, 
 479, 507, 508, 514, 591, 592, and 606 ; 409 is slightly changed. B 1 
 shows much diversity in text, and often alters the original apparently 
 on its own responsibility. 
 
 The Speculum comprises with the " Pryke of concyence, composed 
 by E., the Hermit of Hampole " (cf. Catalogue of the Harleian MSS.), 
 an " old English book." A half-effaced note on the fly-leaf has been 
 with difficulty deciphered to read as follows : 
 
 .Memorandum gaiod quinto diejulij Anno Dovaini M 1 " cccc m ° Lxxiij" 
 Richard Reder de petyrsfeld deliberavit commissario generali diocesis 
 Wintoniensis iij libros. 
 
 A brief description of these three books follows in the customary 
 method of the medieval period. A specification is given in each 
 instance of the words beginning the second line of the second folio 
 of the volume. The record for the third book is as follows : Tercij 
 
Chapter I. — description of the MSS. MS. A 2 . xix 
 
 libri 2° iolio, "And Also hov me?-ciful." Turning to the second 
 folio of Harleian MS. 1731, the second line stands : " And al so how 
 me? - cyful god ys at al assay," confirming the characterization of Hj as 
 the third of the three books delivered to the Commissary-General 
 of the Diocese of Winchester. Richard Ryder was suspected of 
 Lollardism (cf. Catalogue of MSS. in the Harleian Collection). 
 
 Arundel 140. 
 
 4. A 2 . MS. Arundel 140, Library of the British Museum. On 
 paper, folio; c. 1420 — 1430. The handwriting is small, and is 
 throughout profusely enriched with flourishes. In general character- 
 istics it might belong to a text written soon after the middle of the 
 fourteenth century, but water-marks of the paper determine other- 
 wise, and on the authority of careful palaeographers place its tran- 
 cript in the fifteenth 1 century. The Speculum, written in double 
 columns, extends from fol. 147a to fol. I5ld. The MS. does not 
 record title, and concludes abruptly 1. 892, fol. 15 Id, probably on 
 account of a missing leaf that contained the end of the poem. 
 Capitals occur without conformity to rule. A 2 begins with a large 
 red letter; and Latin texts are in red. 
 
 Aside from the missing conclusion, 11. 893 — 1034, lines as 
 follows are omitted: 55, 56, 140, 181, 182, 261, 262, 648—653, 
 678, 679, 840—845. LI. 141 and 142 are interpolated between 11. 82 
 and 83, but appear again in normal sequence preceded a second 
 time by 1. 82, in place of the omitted line 140 (vide supra). Lines 
 465, 466 omitted after 464 are interpolated between lines 470, 471. 
 Lines 75, 76 are transposed. Lines 251 and 834 introduce new 
 readings. 
 
 Although MS. A 2 does not record title, the poem 2 is described as 
 Gy Earl of Werioyke and Delcne Alquyne in Index to Arundel and 
 Burney MSS. and Catalogue of the Arundel MSS. in the British 
 Museum, vol. i., 1834. It is preceded by The Priclte of Conscience. 
 A 2 is much worn. The leaves are ragged and uneven. The ink is 
 often faded In some instances individual words are almost illegible. 
 Sometimes a correction in very black ink distinguishes letter or mono- 
 syllable. At the top of folio 148^ a character representing the word 
 Iesu is written. At the bottom of the same folio is transcribed the 
 
 1 Difference of opinion exists regarding the period of A 2 . Some authorities 
 place the text 1450—1480. 
 
 2 A 3 is further classified as "a religious tale in verse." 
 
xx Chapter I.— Description of the MSS. MS. D. 
 
 line ■beginning fol. 149a. In orthographical peculiarities preference 
 for -i (-y) in place of -e in inflectional endings is to be recorded. 
 
 Dd 11. 89. 
 
 5. D. MS. Dd 11. 89. University Library, Cambridge. Parch- 
 ment, quarto, -written in single columns; 1440 — 1450. This is the 
 first notice in print of Dd 11. The present text, the fourth in the 
 collection, extends from fol. 162& to fol. 1796. It is without title. 
 There is a comprehensive gap, 11. 407 — 475. A capital is occasion- 
 ally found at the beginning of a line. Capitals lines 1 and 137 are 
 illuminated. Latin texts are in red. Opposite each, on the margin 
 near the edge of the leaf, suggesting irregularity on the part of the 
 copyist, is the key-word or introductory letter in red. 
 
 Apart from the break at the middle of the text (vide ante), the 
 following lines are omitted: 342, 534, 535, 679, 738. Lines 376, 
 790, and 925, 926 differ from the versions of other MSS. Lines 
 167, 168, 201, 202, 303, 304 are transposed, and the Latin text 
 following line 338 is interpolated between 345 and 346. 
 
 Dd 11 is immediately preceded by "Jie prykke of conciense." 
 On fol. 162a, near the bottom of the page, is to be read: "Here 
 endefe J>e sermon fat a clerk made fat was cleput Alquyn To Gwy 
 of Warwyk," showing impress of the preceding statement : " Here 
 endejje ]>e tretys pat ys cald ]>e prykke off conciense." MS. D betrays 
 carelessness in transcription. At times the scribe might have been 
 without intelligent appreciation of his prototype. 
 
 Noteworthy graphically is the service of the same character, 
 apparently J> not only for ]> and y, but for 3 of other MSS. Varn- 
 hagen, Anglia, vol. iv., p. 183, has written of a similar tendency in 
 Cambridge University MS. Gg. 1,11. Dialectical peculiarities of D 
 are interesting. In orthography, the tendency to drop or to add an 
 initial h is common in D. A redundant h is prefixed : Habraham 
 (also in H 2 ) 347 ; hdbyde 676 ; lieye (O.E. eage) 827 ; her\e (eor\e 
 in Aj) 296, 375 ; halmisdede 934. — h is omitted : is (for his) 227. — 
 wh is employed for h : where (for loere) 59. — w for wh : ivyehe 80, 
 140, 287.— D uses / for v (u in A x ) : lofe 697 ; Ze/eJ> 733.— ^ repre- 
 sents eh of A x : eage 903 ; Imowlage 509 ; knowlaging 725. — An 
 inorganic 3 is inserted in the curious form mayty 1020, 1021, possibly 
 through analogy with may$t 863, 864. Compare also mayt (mait) 
 344, 881, 882.— loole of A, is replaced by sail (sal) 27, 28, 77, 79, 
 101, 119, 167, 283, 285, 324, 328 (sul 265), etc. D introduces forms 
 
Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. H 2 . xxi 
 
 like gud (O.E. g6d) 29, 40, 57, etc.; gede (O.E. god, but cf. ged dede, 
 Anec. Lit, 96) 494 ; dude 895 ; pute : lute 914 ; god hyd 379 ; boys 
 (i. e. Lush) 359, 368. Conspicuous grammatical properties are illus- 
 trated in this connection: hyd 178; \ouht 32; wassh 831; es 3,4, 
 146, 193, etc.; chastyn (inf.) 181; wemmyd (pp.) 366; Z>e tokenes 
 (3. sing.) 363 ; bedes (1. plur.) 504 ; Mit (for Jfife) 291. Z) retains 
 sufixand 587, 597. The vocabulary of D often paraphrases readings 
 of other texts, (1) with words of the same general significance : 
 cheyse (shed A x ) 217; creatures (shaftes Aj) 781; pole \>i mode 
 (polemod A x ) 574. (2) Through words of diverging significance: 
 vnnepe (anuied A x ) 124 ; bodyly (marines A^ 388 ; mekenesse (sopnes 
 Aj) 664. Study of the dialectical peculiarities of this transcript 
 results in the conclusion that MS. D was written by a Northern 
 scribe. 
 
 Harleian 525. 
 
 6. H 2 . MS. Harleian 525. Library of the British Museum. See 
 KSlbing, Germania, vol. xxi., pp. 366, 367. Parchment; quarto of 
 the latter years 1 of the first half of the fifteenth century (c. 1440 — 
 1450). H 2 is written in single columns. The handwriting, uni- 
 formly distinct and beautiful, recalls the Auchinleck transcript. 
 Near the conclusion it varies in size, but there is no indication 
 of a second copyist. Beginning fol. 44a and ending fol. 53a is the 
 poem of the present issue. Fol. 44a is without title. "Written in 
 two lines on fol. 53a is the colophon : Explicit Speculum Gy (not the 
 expected Gydonis) de Warewyke (the final -e very faint and almost 
 illegible) heremite secundum (expanded by Eitson to read per; by 
 Kolbing, 2 et) Alquiuvxn (A. E. M. Romancees, i. xcii., and Germania, 
 xxi. 367). heremite is written immediately below Warewyke. The 
 two words are united by a bracket ( ] ). Every verse begins with a 
 capital letter. Instead of the customary introductory illuminated 
 majuscule, large four-cornered blank spaces were left at lines 1, 161, 
 and 283, apparently for illuminations. In the space line 1 a small 
 capital has been inserted, and a small minuscule in each of the other 
 spaces, probably for the instruction of the illuminator. Latin texts 
 are in black. 
 
 The concluding twelve lines of the poem (829 — 840) contain an 
 
 1 1480 — 1500 is the limit ascribed to H 2 by some authorities. The period is 
 with difficulty exactly defined. 
 
 2 It should be recalled, that Kolbiug's note dates an early period in his 
 work, 1874 ; Ritson's, 1802. 
 
xxii Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. H v 
 
 apostrophe to the Virgin (11. 833—840). An extensive gap (11. 
 459—814) and the omission of lines 841—1034 characterize MS. 
 H 2 . Numerous illustrations of the omission of characteristic readings 
 are as follows: Lines 11, 12, 197, 198, 251, 252, 295—300, 305, 
 306, 309, 310, 357, 358, 435—444, 451, 452, 823—826. Lines 
 108, 133, 283, 323, 328, 342, 378 (328 in H 2 and 790 in A x ), 
 and 447, 448 have adopted original readings. Lines 111, 112 are 
 transposed. Lines 819, 820, omitted in the normal sequence of 
 the poem, are interpolated between 828, 829. Two lines are inter- 
 polated after 160 and 454 respectively, one after 138, one after 322, 
 and three after 4. It may be noted that MSS. D and H 2 often 
 coincide in readings so far as 1. 407. Although copyist's errors are 
 few, yet in the transmission of the text, H 2 is in some degree a 
 revision of the original. With the idea possibly of giving an 
 intensive meaning to the sentiment of the poem, H 2 deviates through 
 paraphrase of the true text, through use of synonyms of terms offered 
 by other MSS., and it alters the poem by means of omission, amplifi- 
 cation, and circumlocution. Illustration occurs as follows : loaryd 
 gostys 447 are condemned to suffer, not hote (Aj), but helle fyre 
 282, in the pytte (stronge A x , stynkynge Hj fyre) of helle 449, con- 
 demned with angry eye 446, at the daye of (Jieie Aj) dome 415. 
 In plea for charity Guy is appealed to as generous friend : ffrende so 
 free 323. Compare also formeste {forme A x ) 223 ; lethei-e (Joule A x ) 
 72 ; to thys goodnesse (hem Aj) 100 ; Vucerteynnesse (Jpisternesse Aj) 
 114; maye he be (ivorp lie AJ 128. See variants 133, 138, 160, 
 343, 454, etc. 
 
 The inflectional system is governed by uniform laws illustrated in 
 terminations transmitting y for the normal -e in unaccented syllables 
 as follows: godys (gen.) 38, 81, 139, etc.; slewthys 121; fadyrys 
 254, 255 ; Londys (plu.), rentys 152, 163; metys 155 ; synnys 91 ; 
 thewys 97; thewys : shrewis 102; Savyd 128; wyichyd 116, 122; 
 fallyn (inf.) 170 ; betyn 175; suffyr 176, 184; ekyn\88; Herhenythe 
 (imp. plu.) 1, 137 ; Wasshyfhe 816 ; bryngyfe (3. sing.) 114; mdky\e 
 124. Redundant h begins a word : Habraham (cf. D) 347. — Initial 
 h is omitted : ys (for 7m) 227.— f occurs for u (v) of A 1 : leffe 424. — 
 Metathesis exists in tharlle 238. H 2 belonged earlier to the Cotton 
 collection. It was in possession of Robert Cotton, and bears his 
 autograph. 
 
 Besides the MSS. already enumerated, some have been traced 
 that, in description at least, belong in this chapter. MSS. "W and B 
 
Chapter I. — Descrijrtion of the MSS. MS. W. xxiii 
 
 may be regarded with some certainty as giving information regarding 
 the poem. 
 
 Worseley 67. 
 
 1. W. "Worseley 67. See Edward Bernard in Catalogi Libro- 
 rum Manuscriptorum Ant/lice et Hibernice in unum collecti, 1697. 
 Under Librwum Manuscriptorum viri nobilis quo maxime merilo 
 speramus, Henrici Worseley de Hospitio Lincolensi apud Londinum 
 Catalogue, p. 213, is to be found Number 67 (cf. 6915). Its con- 
 tents are: Alquin's Advice to Gkoy Earl of Warioyk, following a 
 "treatise 1 in English verse," the Prykke of conscyence. The second 
 selection is incomplete. 
 
 This heading, Alquin's Advice to Gwy, in English (M.E.), the 
 form Alquin in this specific connection, and particularly the attend- 
 ance of that Achates of the poem of this volume (cf. § 3, 3 — 5), the 
 faithful "Prykke of conscyence," serve tangibly to link W with 
 MSS. of the Speculum, but the associated text has not been hitherto 
 discovered. 
 
 The search 2 for the MSS. of the Worseley collection, as well as 
 the actual investigation of a large number of the fifty MSS. 3 (cf. 
 Biilbring, On Twenty-five MSS. of Richard Eolle's " Pricke of 
 Conscience,'' etc., p. 1) of The Priclce of Conscience * has been 
 without practical result in the discovery of the Worseley MSS. 
 collectively, or of the " book " numbered 67. The libraries of 
 
 1 Clue to the history of MS. "W and MS. B has not been contributed by the 
 Catalogue of the Library at Abbotsford (Edinburgh, 1838), A Catalogue of the 
 Library of the Faculty of Advocates (Edinburgh, 1838), Laing's Catalogue of 
 Manuscripts of the Society of the Writers to S. M. Signet in Scotland, Hiekes' 
 Thesaurus or Antiquoe Literaturce Septentrionalis Libri duo, nor from the List 
 of Manuscript Books in the Collection of David Laing, nor in any of Laing's 
 numerous editions of M.E. poetry ; see, for example, Select Remains of the 
 Ancient popular Poetry of Scotland (Edinburgh, 1822), Early Popular Scottish 
 Poetry re-edited by W. Carew Hazlitt (London, 1895), nor in Stenhouse's Lyric 
 Poetry (1853), HaUiwell's various editions (cf. Reliquiae Antiquoe, 1841), nor in 
 the editions of Ellis, Robson, Ritson, or Weber. 
 
 2 Search, direct and indirect, for possible MSS. of the Speculum in libraries 
 of England, Scotland, Germany and France, has been exhaustive and pains- 
 taking. Vast labour, and untiring industry and patience, have not been 
 rewarded in the discovery of MSS. beyond the record of the accompanying 
 pages. The undoubted popularity of the poem in the fourteenth and fifteenth 
 centuries suggested the possibility of many transcripts of the original. 
 
 3 Professor Biilbring's list does not include the transcript of MS. Dd 11, 
 89, of the University Library, Cambridge, nor the Lambeth MSS. Stimulus 
 Conscientice or the prykke of Conscience, Nos. 260 (4) and 491 (6), see p. 2. 
 
 4 On Twenty -five MSS. of Richard Rolle's "Pricke of Conscience," "Eighteen 
 of them in the British Museum, four in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, 
 the Corser MS., and two in Lichfield Cathedral Library," by Karl D. Biilbring, 
 M.A., Ph.D., published for the Philological Society, London, 1889-90. 
 
xxiv Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. B. 
 
 Lincoln's Inn, of Lincoln Cathedral (both suggested by the element 
 de Hospitio Lincolensi, the language of p. 213, vide ante), of Lam- 
 beth Palace, the Bodleian Library, the collections of the British 
 Museum, seem none of them to have been the depository of 
 Worseley's library. That in the disposal of the MSS. by auction, 
 Worseley 67 could have passed into the Harleian collection of MSS., 
 could have been numbered anew in that union and have become 
 public in Catalogue and history as Harley 1731, might be conjectured 
 through some coincidences in the description of the two MSS. (cf. 
 § 3, 3). In that condition MS. W. has already been described, and 
 has been introduced into this work as H r 
 
 With less reasonableness may be discussed in this connection 
 another MS., Bodley 1731. 
 
 Bodley 1731. 
 
 2. B. Bodley 1731. Disputatio inter pvimem aliquem fy spiri- 
 tum Guidonis. See Eitson, A. E. Metrical Romancees, I., pp. xcii, 
 xciii., edition of 1802, p. 50 of the reprint. A title of this character, 
 introduced in connection with a description (cf. Eitson) of MS. Harl. 
 525, suggested at once a MS. of the Speculum, but thus far MS. B 
 has proved to be " an empty name," a title existing only on Eitson's 
 page. 
 
 Granting the existence of a corresponding text, coincidence in 
 numbering recalls a second time the Harley MS. 1731, and it is to 
 be conceded that Eitson may simply have referred to the MS. H r 
 Some confusion in the heading might be assumed to have arisen on 
 ground of erratic orthography, 1 for which Eitson was famed, or 
 through his proverbial inaccuracy. 2 aliquem could be reconciled as 
 a typographical error. 
 
 On the other hand, Eitson's description may be accounted for 
 on the hypothesis of a manuscript of a different type, but fulfilling 
 quite rationally the conditions of the title. Although the conclusive 
 
 1 "Ballantyne," says Scott, "groans in spirit over the peculiarities of his 
 (Ritson's) orthography, which hath seldom been equalled since the days of 
 Elphinstone, the ingenious author of the mode of spelling according to the 
 pronunciation," etc.. (Lockhart, II., p. 81). 
 
 2 To Ritson's notable inaccuracy Scott refers writing of "many curious facts 
 and quotations, which the poor defunct (i. e. Ritson) had the power of assembling 
 to an astonishing degree, without being able to combine anything like a narra- 
 tive, or even to deduce one useful inference" (Lockhart, II., p. 122), and Schick 
 adds a word (Temple of Glas, p. cxlviii.), asserting that Ritson copied " without 
 understanding from headings of MSS. and entries in Catalogues," and mingled 
 them in new combinations, could probably be added. 
 
Chapter I. — Description of the MSS. MS. B. xxv 
 
 MS. has not come to light, yet the theory is strengthened through 
 analogy with MS. Bodley 3903, named also by Eitson in the 
 A. E. Metrical Romancees, I., p. xcii. Bodley 3903 bears now the 
 signature Fairfax 23. Here is another Guido, the hero of a mediaeval 
 vision literature, in which the disembodied spirit of Guido of Alet 
 holds communion with a certain friar. Its hero has nothing in 
 common with Guy of Warwick but the name Guy. The Jahrbuch 
 fur Niederdeutsclie Sprachforschung, vol. xiii. (1887), p. 81 fL, in an 
 article entitled Guido von. Alet and And Buschmans Mirahel von 
 W. Seelman herausgeg., Jahrbuch VI., 32 ff., treats of literature of 
 this character. Wright discussed the question forty years earlier in 
 St. Patrick's Purgatory, " an Essay on the Legends of Purgatory, 
 Hell, and Paradise, current during the Middle Ages '' (cf. pp. 45-47). 
 The purpose of this dialogue is to enforce the doctrine of transub- 
 stantiation. Another branch of the legend 1 is illustrated in Dr. 
 Anne Leonard's Zurich dissertation, Zwei Mittelenglische Geschichten 
 aus der Holle (Zurich, 1891). The cycle of purgatorial literature is 
 enriched by The Revelation to the Monk of Evesham (Arber reprint) 
 with its list of Gesta Purgatoris, p. 14. Albrecht Wagner 2 in 
 Tundale, "das mittelenglische Gedicht uber die Vision des Tunda- 
 lus" ("auf Grund von vier Handschriften "), pp. iii. ff., cites argu- 
 ments basing the source of this comprehensive mediaeval type in the 
 Divine Comedy. He supports his theory on works of Labitte (La 
 divine comedie avant Dante in Etudes litteraires, I., pp. 193 — 263) 
 and Ozanam, Dante et la philosopliie catholique au treizieme sihcle. 
 
 MSS. of the Guido controversy are abundant. Many copies of the 
 original Latin MS. exist, and an English metrical version 8 is extant 
 in MS. Tiberius E vii. (1350-60). A prose text exists in the 
 Vemon MS. The opening lines of Fairfax 23 are : 
 
 " Incipit disputalio inter quendam priorem et spiritum gwidonis. 
 Augustinusin libro de fide ad petrurn dicit : miraculum est, quicquam 
 arduum uel insolitum super facultatem hominis." 
 
 Compare with this passage the opening sentence of the Berlin 
 
 1 See Furnivall, Pol, Relig. and Love Poems (E. E. Text Society, 1866), pp. 
 93 ff. ; Horstmann, Altengl. Legenden, Neue Folge, pp. 367 ff. ; Halliwell, 
 Thornton Bomances, p. xxv. ; and Halliwell, Dictionary. 
 
 2 Wagner claims for Tundale, eine wahre Sturmflut von lateinischen Hand- 
 schriften und alten Driicken uber Oesterreich, Italien, die Sckweiz, Frankreich, 
 ' Belgien, England, und Irland ; cf. Visio Tungdali (lateinisch u. altdeutsch, 
 Erlangen, 1882), pp. x. ff. He finds also Spanish, Provencal, Swedish, and 
 Icelandic versions, discussed by Mussafia in Sulla Visione di Tundalo (Wiener 
 Sitzungsberichte, philos. -hist. CI., Bd. 67, pp. 157 ff.). 
 
 3 Cf. De Spiritu Gwidonis, Vesp. E 1., Vesp. A VI., and Add. MSS. 22,283. 
 
xxvi Chapter L— Description of the MSS. MS. B. 
 
 MS., Kbnigliche Bibliothek, MS. germ. Quart, 404, Bl. 85a— 111& of 
 the fifteenth, century : 
 
 " Also al.se sunte Augustinus seghet in derm bolte van deme yeloven 
 te sunte Peter: Eyn wunder is dat geheiten dat icunderliken sehut 
 boven de naturliken krefften und boven mendike wunder," etc. 
 
 The corresponding passage is furnished by the Vernon MS., fol. 
 
 363. It begins : " For as muche as seint Austin sety to Peter in \e 
 
 Booc of be leeue," etc. The metrical version of the same passage, 
 
 MS. Tiber. E. vii., 11. 2 ft, reads : 
 
 1 ' and saint Austin, \e doctur dere, 
 and dper maistevs mare & myn, 
 sais, \at man grete mede may wyn," etc. 
 
 This Guido leaves no doubt about himself, v. Bl. 99a : " bin ich 
 
 Goioido verlost van der pine des vegevurs veir jar dan sieh borde." 
 
 The tradition is followed with fidelity in English versions. MS. 
 
 Vernon reads : " ich am J>e spirit of Gy $ his soule, paif nou late was 
 
 ded"; and MS. Tiber. E. vii. : 
 
 " "pe voice answerd to him in hy 
 and, said : ' I am spirit of Gy, 
 ps whilk $e wate was newly dede," etc. 
 
 It is quite as probable that the Guy of MS. B belongs to this family,' 
 
 as that his prior be identified with Alquin of the Speculum. The 
 
 inference that MSS. Bodley 3903 and Fairfax 23 are the same, is not' 
 
 ungrounded, but their identity has not been proved, and the use of 
 
 the term Bodley in both connections cannot be indicated to be other 
 
 than accidental. 
 
 From the prolific literature of the tradition (see again the 
 
 Sprachforsclmng) originates another theory. It is possible to explain 
 
 Bodley 1731 (Fairfax 23) as a composite title representing several 
 
 MSS., but not belonging necessarily 1 to any of them, a title without 
 
 an individual text, one of that "jumble" 2 described by Schick 
 
 (Temple of Glas, p. cxlviii. ff.), and Lockhart (II., p. 122). It might 
 
 result not merely from " splitting up one work into several" (Schick, 
 
 p. cli.), but from the uniting of the titles of the " split portions " of 
 
 several works into a single heading without definite MS. For 
 
 1 Harl. 2379 is a Liber de Spiritu Guidonis Narratio Legendaria de con- 
 fabulatione habita inter Animam praidicti Guidonis civis do Alestij (qui distat 
 ab Avenon 21 miliarjs), and states Guido obijt 1323. Cotton Vesp. E 1. ends : 
 explicit . . . disputatio mirabilis inter priorem . . . et inter spiritum . . . 
 Guydonis. 
 
 2 Scott writes of Ritson's Essay on Iiomance and Minstrelsy (of. Lockhart, 
 II., p. 122), that it reminds one of "a heap of rubbish, which had either turned 
 out unfit for the architect's purpose or beyond his skill to make use of." 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 xxvn 
 
 Ritson, the " dogmatical little word-catcher," nothing would he easier 
 than to invent such a phantasmagoria. The material is richly pro- 
 vided through a multitude of the paradise-purgatory texts. MS. 
 Cotton Yespasian E. I., Bl. 219 ft, is a "disputatio mirabilis inter 
 priorem . . . et inter spiritum, whose hero is Guy do." Number 16, 
 Bibliothek des Gymnasiums Carolinum, Osnabruck ; Papierhs. 
 D, 76, is a veritable "Disputatio inter prior em et spiritum Gieidonis." 
 A Kiel MS., " Universitatsbibliothek, Miscellan.," hs. 38, Bl. 175 
 ff., is " spiritus Gwidonis . . . et . . . priorem quendavi " (Bitson's 
 aliquem 1). 
 
 Whether Eitson's Bodley 1731 be actual or imaginary, whether 
 it be but Harl. 1731, or Worseley 67 classified as Harl. 1731 or not, 
 or that the three be but descriptions of the same MS., and that 
 recognized as MS. Harl. 1731, there is at present no absolute proof. 
 MS. B cannot be traced farther. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 GENEALOGICAL HISTORY OF THE TEXTS. 
 
 I. Gkoup Y. 
 
 § 1. MSS. H 2 and D in Distinction from MSS. A^A^R, 
 Resemblances between MSS. D and H 2 . 
 
 Op approximately the same age, but differing in dialectical 
 characteristics, D and H 2 are undeniably connected in MS. develop- 
 ment. Noteworthy is the conspicuous lacuna occurring simultane- 
 ously in MSS. D and H 2 . Lines 459 — 471 are wanting in both 
 texts, marking practically the conclusion of MS. H 2 . Of the fifty 
 lines, 407 — -459, wanting in MS. D, twelve are also deficient in MS. 
 H 2 . Otherwise coincidences marking the relationship of D and H 2 
 are chiefly mutilations characterizing the individual word. In the 
 investigation of DH 2 , it must be recalled that the comparison repre- 
 sents but 400 lines, the last reading to be ascribed to the texts in 
 common being line 399. 
 
 Among the more conspicuous resemblances 1 is that of line 180, 
 where inversion of the adverbial phrase is common to both D and 
 
 1 It will be assumed as understood, that in this discussion only the more 
 conspicuous instances of the mutilation of the archetype are to be regarded as 
 affording conclusive evidence, determinative of the main results of the argument. 
 Naturally nothing else could be possible. 
 
xxviii Chapter II.— Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 H 2 : \e better for he (pey H 2 ) sail (shulde H 2 ) hym knowe, in distinc- 
 tion from For \ai schold hym J)e better Imawe; cf. MSS. AgHj, 
 line 381, reads cler and dene, in distinction from dene and cler of 
 the fundamental text. Line 393 describes the sonn as feminine, 
 preserving the older Germanic (O.E., O.H.G.) usage instead of his of 
 A^R. Line 186 replaces ham with suffri (suffyr H^), 195 blisse 
 with wele, and 266 turment with tournement. Identical in dialectical 
 features is the reproduction of his by is (ys), line 227, in D and 
 H 2 , and uouh by wowe, line 302, in opposition to all the other MSS. 
 Other alterations in individual words are as follows : 
 
 MSS. DH 2 : 1 to] vnto. 32 J>e] Jris. 141 it] I. 172 And] He. 
 182 fat] J>e. 186 haue] suffri. 195 blisse] wele. 257 on] at. 266 
 turment] tournement. 283 noupe] now. 318 ouer] in. Unim- 
 portant as decisive evidence is the fact that lines 167 and 280 
 translate Ac of A x and, and interpret here 308 as \aire. 
 
 MSS. D and H 2 agree through various omissions from the funda- 
 mental text. Conspicuous is the loss of Nay, line 398, and of so 
 important a word as sinful in line 149. MSS. A X A 2 D contribute 
 the following readings lost to MSS. D and H 2 : 
 
 MSS. DH 2 : 8 >u] om. DH 2 (1 om. H). 23 For] om. 31 Hou] 
 om. 40 he was] om. 41 he] om. 149 sinful] om. 183 and] om. 
 308 al] om. 327 wite] om. 398 fay] om. 
 
 On the other hand, D and H 2 preserve at the same time interpret- 
 ations unfamiliar to other texts. Compare conclusions as follows : 
 MSS. DH 2 : 134 his mihte] all his myjt DH 2 . 135 abouten] all 
 abouten. 207 shalt] salt man. 224 syngin] frst synne. 308 Al] 
 Tor. 321 J)e] For (so). 373 and. 391 telle] tell itt. 399 proned] 
 prouede wele. 
 
 138 introduces a redundant fe. 195 marks a struggle after an 
 original, common to D and H 2 in belinne, not distinctly written in 
 MS. D. Line 341 unites in he \e for the he of A r 
 
 "With these combinations must be considered all conditions in 
 which D and H 2 harmonize in connection with other MSS. (cf. § 2), 
 particularly in readings that unite peculiarities of MS. A 2 . Minor 
 points of agreement confirm results classified in the preceding 
 paragraphs, pointing to the combination DH 2 . 
 
 § 2. Differences between MSS. D and H 2 . 
 
 MSS. D and H 2 preserving common errors that might be derived 
 from a single source, deviate in important particulars, suggesting 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, xxix 
 
 that neither text is dependent on the other. MS. H 2 is often 
 corrupt to a degree not shared by MS. D. 
 
 That MS. D does not have its origin in MS. H 2> is evident from 
 lines interpolated in H 2 , that are not to be found in D, e. g. between 
 4 and 5, 138, 139, 160, 161, 322, 323 ; no transpositions of H 2 
 alone, 111, 112 ; in the omissions not shared by D, lines 11, 12, 197, 
 198, 295—300, 309, 310, and in revised readings, lines 108, 133, 
 232, 283, 323, 328, 378. These two MSS. differed so in the 
 following instances, where MS. D has preserved often the correct 
 reading : 
 
 D not derived from H 2 : god ouer] wele god abovyn H 2 . 18 
 In] In to H 2 . 19 wole] shall. 21 Ne for] For noo. 22 Jje] his. 
 25 feih don god] lesu criste. 26 bouhte] abou3te. 27 while] 
 stounde. 30 Gy] Sire Gy. 31 On] Vppe on. 35 And] He. 37 
 in] be. 45 was wel] sone was full. 46 Jjerfore] And alle. 49 On] 
 Vpon. 52 wel] om. 54 us] ouyr vs. 57 Make me] Doo me make. 
 59 my delit] grete delyte. 61 foule] false. 62 lad] be lyed. While] 
 A while. 63 wole] wolde. 64 f>e world] hym. 66 And] And 
 swythe. 72 foule] lethere. 73 don] mynn. 75 now] nowe hem. 
 84 fe] me. 87 ful] and fulle. 90 vse] doo welle. 96 ]yf] lyffe 
 also. 98 Whar furw] Where with, reche] A reche. 99 so] thus. 
 101 wittes] other. 125 Offte] Welofte. 127 turne] flee. 137 
 sarmoun] lessoune. 138 tell] rede, in my lesczoune] be resounne. 
 142 reche] Areche. 152 As] om. 157 Hell] Helthe. 158 And] 
 om. of] also of. 160 worf] wylle. 162 muche] ry3t mochill. 
 166 halt] haue. 173 For] om. 174 synn] A synne. 178 kudde] 
 shewythe. 181 He wole] om. 187 seknesse] stronge syknysse. 
 188 And] om. 189 leuest] be leue. 192 wo] sorowe. 195 fe] fys. 
 204 is] ther ys. 209 had] ne hadde. 212 jif] gaffe. 213 made] 
 shope. ewen] om. 217 of] om. 225 wite] wyte ry3te. 229 And] 
 om. 258 wid oute nay] for sofe to saye. 259 fat] fat afore. 261 
 Jjer] Hedyr. adonn] downe. 262 a] ony. 263 nele] fan wyll. 
 264 man] men. 265 He shal] They shulle fan. fonge] take. 267 
 onne] fan on. 273 beleuen] be leuyn. 275 Austin] austyn he. 
 281 dure] fen endure. 292 tellen] telle 30W halffe ne. 314 owen] 
 om. 329 Hit is loue] Loue welle. 332 fing] om. most] mvste 
 nedys. 335 god] om. 337 If] For yffe. ful] om. 338 wolt] mvste 
 nedys. uides] tu vides. 375 Bodiliche] Godlyche. 379 a fing] ys. 
 390 grete] moche. 392 lef fu] be leue. 396 bodilich] boldelyche. 
 eije] om. him] om. 397 on] in. 401 fis] yt. 402 i se] here se. 
 
xxx Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 The list might be increased from the myriads of individual 
 mutilations, for which H 2 alone bears the responsibility. 
 
 B. On the other hand, MS. H did not have its origin in MS. D. 
 This is indicated by the interpolations of H 2 , of which D bears no 
 trace, by a divergent reading in MS. D, line 376, and in transposition 
 of lines 167 and 168, 201, 202, 303, 304. H 2 has the following 
 individual faults, not shared with D : 
 
 H 2 not derived from D: 2 And] om. D. 10 do] do soo. 24 
 and] fen. 27 and. 28 wole] sal (?). 35 his] eke hys. 40 gode] 
 ri^t gude. 48 kepen] wyten. qued] dede. 53 And] anon. 58 
 lesczoun] a lessoun. 63 jjer of] per for. 70 sepere] Erie, wole] 
 schall. 71 for to] to pe. 80 whiche] J>e wyche. 82 by my] I pe. 
 89 ere] lore. 91 sinne] synne haue. 94 wyll be pi] with dede. 
 95 charyte] chaste. 101 Wole] sal. 113 pis] om. 119 wole] sail. 
 124 man] men. anuied] po vnnepe. 130 purw] om. 140 pat] om. 
 144 rode] pe rode. 149 It es] Thys ys a. 152 As] As in. 154 
 faire and bold] and faire bold. 156 litel] lope. 160 after] om. 
 168 hem] whom. 176 Or] Oper. 178 hym] man. 182 hem] hym. 
 183 And many] A man. hem] hym. 188 all it is] all. here] paire 
 ioy and. 192 liuede] libbepe. 193 pou] es. 194 maitow] pou 
 myjt ful. 200 wyll] sal. 206 Jjre] And pre. 212 gaffe] pi pe. 
 214 of] heje. 215 jaf] 3if. 217 yuel] of euel. for] chayse. 218 
 pe] pat. 222 wole] wollin to. 226 yt] he. 230 him] om. 232 
 pylt] put. 236 sippon] aftyr. 238 in] to. 241 don] idon. 242 
 his] hym. 244 he] hem. 250 Tyll it] For to. 254 into] to. 
 fadyrys ryche] awne fader. 278 point] apoynt. 284 i wole jou] om. 
 289 hadde] haue. 309 mid] mende. 310 Fulle] Ful of. fulle] ful 
 of. 312 pow] it. 320 bi] om. 321 the] se. 335 Man] pan. 
 346 wel] om. 355 hym] now. 356 of] al of. 359 on] of. 362 
 And] In. 377 witen] I wyte. 383 brenne] heme. 384 here] paire 
 387 Sitte] Schyne. 388 euere] euereche. mannes] bodily. 
 
 Numerous divergences so distinct in character are sufficient to 
 show that MSS. D and H 2 are not to be ascribed either to the other 
 for ultimate origin, but that rather they both descend from a common 
 original represented by DH 2 . 
 
 § 2. MSS. A 2 (DH 2 ). 
 
 Headings pointing to a common original for MSS. A 2 DH 2 aside 
 from suggestive instances of the preceding section are as follows for 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, xxxi 
 
 lines 1 — 407, 814 — 828, the portion of the poem marking the 
 parallel texts. 
 
 MSS. A 2 DH 2 , v. 45 : Off him] fare of. 105 is hit] it is. 
 167 Ac] And. 168 erere] are (eere H 2 ). 820 do}>] J>e. Compare 
 also line 190, where individuality in grouping is marked by common 
 divergence, suggesting defect of prototype and an attempted inter- 
 pretation by the individual scribes of Y. Z, on the other hand, 
 preserves one reading, mild. 
 
 Group Y is further distinguished by readings in which deviation 
 occurs in a slight modification of the basis of division through the 
 individuality of the rendering on the part of a single MS. Eecalling 
 the tendency of the copyist of the Speculum to leave personal impress 
 on his MS., inserting emendations originating with himself, par- 
 ticularly in the instance of MS. H 2 , it will be recognized that the 
 integrity of the grouping Y is not necessarily to be regarded as 
 interrupted by divergency on the part of a single member. Such 
 instances are as follows, AjHjR (group Z) on the opposing side : 
 
 v. 51 Alquin] Sire Alquyn A 2 D, ffrere alquyne H. 217 shed] 
 for A 2 H 2 , cheyse D. 321 )>e] J>e more A 2 H 2 , For so D. 393 sunne 
 his] sonn here DH 2 , sonnes A 2 . Perhaps in verse 100 : wolt hem 
 to, wJtere A 2 reads wylt heuen to D, wylt pese to, and H 2 wylte 
 to thys. 
 
 To these readings can be added all those instances, in which 
 
 group A, on one side, is united in internal relationship in opposition 
 
 to group Z, intact on the others, AjHjR, A 2 DH 2 ; cf. § 5. The 
 
 relationship is confirmed by coincidences between the members of the 
 
 single combining pairs of MSS. comprising group Y. The peculiarly 
 
 noteworthy combination, D and H 2 , was studied in the preceding 
 
 section. Coincidence, less striking, is to be ascribed to MSS. A 2 
 
 and H 2 . 
 
 § 3. Coincidences in MSS. A 2 H 2 . 
 
 Eesemblance between A 2 and H 2 occurs in the reading, line 154, 
 where H 2 and A 2 offer /aire and bold instead of the correct form, 
 faire bold. A 2 H 2 substitute helle for hote, line 232. And add eke 
 811, not found in AjA^R. A 2 and H 1( line 815, euene for ene of 
 A,H r Other marked points of resemblance are as follows : 
 
 A 2 H 2 , v. 40 And] om. 46 ferfore] And. 68 His] i. 73 don] 
 om. 114 man] a man. 174 a] om. 176 pine] paynes. 257 Jjider] 
 Hedere. 274 men] man. 331 euere] om. 372 imeind] I menned. 
 393 pat] om. 456 him] om. 
 
xxxii Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 Abundant proof contradicts any supposition of origin A 2 in H 2 , 
 or H 2 in A 2 . A 2 could not have been transcribed from H 2 , the 
 younger MS., H 2 preserving verses of which A 2 presents no know- 
 ledge, and omitting passages preserved in A 2 , cannot be conceived as 
 having passed directly to the hands of the scribe of H 2 . Compare 
 the following minor instances of discrepancy, where H 2 has often the 
 correct version : 
 
 MS. H 2 not derived immediately from MS. A 2 : v. 24 foule] fals 
 A 2 . 38 al] wele. 53 And] I. 74 on] o J>ynge. 85 hope] om. 
 94 wyll be }>i] to. 97 J>ewes] vertues. 108 telle] schewe. 128 he] 
 pei. 131 Jmrw] for. 133 behouythe] I rede. 138 rede] say. 264 
 fat] om. 272 jjeih] om. 275 austyn he] poul. 308 For] aL 312 
 But] For. 353 grette] sawe. 
 
 The list might be increased with additional illustration^ marking 
 the distinctive character of MSS. A 2 and H 2 . 
 
 § 4. Relationship between A 2 and D. 
 a. Coincidences in AJD. 
 
 MSS. A 2 D form also a connecting link in the relationship 
 developing the group T. Line 5 1 reads for both Sire Alquin instead 
 of Alquin of group Z. chirche replacing clerk, 1. 667, is a marked 
 characteristic of resemblance linking the two MSS. A 2 and D com- 
 bine in the version mynde for mid of AjHj. In addition to the 
 common omission of line 679, other omissions occur as follows : 
 
 A 2 D : 6 to god] of god. 13 Ac] And. 45 war] Iwar. 53 And] 
 I. 66 he] om. 101 J)e] om. 127 man] a man. 160 ibouht] 
 abought (aboute). 168 erere] are. 226 bouht] aboujt. 241 Ac] 
 And. 299 J?e] om. 306 fisternesse] dirkeness. 315 Ac] And. 
 321 inwardlichere] inwordelich. 336 wher] whethere. 350 and as] 
 and. 383 on] om. (407 — 475 mark, the comprehensive break in D.) 
 480 out] om. 507 hit wolen] willen it. 538 Or] Oufer. 624 And] 
 om. 625 wole] nyll. 628 in none] in no. 635 And] For. 675 a] 
 om. 684 hit] fat. 689 mid] mynde. 725 gon] agone. 729 riht] 
 ariht. 731 fisternesse] derkenes. 790 me] to me. 804 wole] nyl. 
 811 is] is fe. 812 man] men. 834 he shal] schall he. 870 and] 
 or. 880 many] man. 
 
 Intimate resemblance is marked in line 791 in distinction from 
 group Z : siime wrouht] foule simie Iwrouht. 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, xxxiii 
 
 (3. Differences between A 2 and D. 
 ■ That A 2 preserviug the oldest MS. of group Y cannot, for this 
 reason, have originated in MS. D nor MSS. DH 2 singly or combined, 
 is obvious. Nor is it necessary to give detailed proof that either 
 of the younger MS. versions can be the source of the other. The 
 independent character of MS. H 2 is clear from § 1 of this chapter. 
 The same section shows also the indebtedness of DH 2 to some 
 common source. That that original is not A x is evident in the 
 omission in A^ of lines 55, 56, 181, 182, preserved in the DH 2 , and 
 in the omission of the following lines, 648—653, 678, 679, 840— 
 845 of the original, for which MS. D is authority (H 2 is practically 
 at an end here). The transposition of lines 75, 76 in A 2 is not 
 recorded in DH and the altered readings 140, 141, 142, relatively to 
 82 with interpositions caused DH 2 no difference. Instances occur, 
 where A 2 preserves individual readings, when D and H 2 retain the 
 correct versions. Some of these numerous instances are indicated in 
 the sections to follow : 
 
 D not derived from A 2 : 18 ]iurw his] at a A 2 . 24 foule] fals. 
 59 my ioye] ioy. 74 on] o fynge. 85 hope] om. Many similar 
 instances of irregularity make it evident that none of the MSS. of 
 this group was antecedent for any other. It is fair to attribute them 
 to a common source (A 2 DH 2 ). 
 
 The existence of a group of MSS. Y involves the explanation of 
 a corresponding group Z, to become the subject of the investigation 
 of the section to follow. 
 
 II. GROUP Z. 
 § 5. Two Groups of Manuscripts. 
 
 These six existing texts enumerated in the foregoing paragraphs 
 may be considered as subdivided into two groups, a group Z embrac- 
 ing MSS. AjHjE, and a group Y embracing MSS. A 2 DH 2 . Deter- 
 minative in this classification are the following coincidences, AjHjE. 
 on one side, and A 2 DH 2 on the other : 
 
 v. 40 a] om., A A 2 DH 2 Y. 45 Off him] fare of Y. 182 pat] J>e 
 Y. 200 And] om., And Y. 222 man] he Y. 240 foreuere] euer 
 Y. 299 Jje] om. Y. 303 keintise] qweyntise Y. 381 clene] cler 
 Y. (From line 407 the continued omission of one MS. of group Y 
 must be recalled, Z being intact. Otherwise the classification remains 
 uninterrupted). 454 whij] om. Y. 480 out] om. Y. 624 And] 
 om. Y. 667 clerk] chirche Y. 675 a] om. Y. 684 hit] fat Y. 
 
xxxiv Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 725 gon] agone Y. 729 riht] ariht Y. 791 sinne] foule synne Y. 
 804 wole] nyl Y. 812 man] men Y. 820 do];] J>e Y. 870 and] 
 or Y. 880 many] om. Y. 
 
 Moreover, in support of this grouping occurs the transposition of 
 lines 673, 674 in each of the three members of group Z, omitted in 
 the grouping Y. Line 679 is also omitted entirely in group Y. 
 
 These readings, offsetting each other, and in each instance 
 characteristic of a distinct grouping, seem proof that neither group 
 is derived directly from the other. It may be assumed that both 
 groupings are to be referred to a common source AjHjKAgDB^ = X, 
 which was perhaps the original text. 
 
 § 6. MSS. A^R. 
 
 Group Z is further distinguished by readings in which group Y 
 diverges (cf. § 2) through the slight alteration of the principle of 
 the division. 
 
 Z is an integral group in the following instances, agreeing on the 
 reading introduced below : 
 
 v. 51 Alquin. 217 shed. 393 sunne his. 100 wolt hem to. 
 Group Z deviates slightly, 1. 105, in the omission of hit in E, where 
 otherwise the two groups are intact. In 167, group Y are unanimous 
 in the use of And, while H 2 E translate Ac of A 1( rendering a 
 characteristic of HjR (cf. § 6) not inharmonious to the group Z. 
 Similarly 188, deviating in Y, omits it, the value of group Z being 
 uninfluenced. 250 has difficulty with an added to in Y, causing 
 trouble to D, which reads For to come instead of the Tyll it came to 
 of -A 2 H 2 , in opposition to group Z Til hit com. 
 
 The integral character of group Z is preserved in additional 
 readings : 
 
 79 i wole] but I wyll {with added word) A 2 H 2 , 1 sal D. 94 shal 
 be }>i] altered A 2 DH 2 . 297 parten] altered A 2 DH 2 . 321 fe] altered 
 A 2 DH 2 . as on] altered A 2 DH 2 . 381 cler] altered A 2 DH 2 . 399 
 preued] altered A 2 DH 2 . 449 fyr] altered AH, D om. 550 to fe] 
 divergence Y. 559 in pouht] diverg. Y. 602 vilte] wyte A, vilanie ? 
 D. 858 Jje] is fe A 2 , \>i D. 872 or] and A 2 , ojjer D. 
 
 To these may be added other passages, which though divergent 
 in some detail, yet do not detract from the general trend of the 
 argument: lines 168, 188, 297, 353, 559, etc. 
 
 To these coincidences are to be brought those presenting intimate 
 connection within the limits of its immediate group. 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, xxxv 
 
 § 7. MSS. H t and R in Opposition to MSS. A X A^BH V 
 
 a. Coincidences in MSS. J^ and R. 
 
 It is obvious that intimate relationship must characterize R and 
 J5Tj in common. Although separated by an interval of seventy-five 
 years at the smallest estimate, and diverging in important details, 
 opening to each MS. variations introduced on its own responsibility, 
 yet it must be admitted that the transcripts E and H x in noteworthy 
 instances unite in combinations not accounted for in remaining texts. 
 Omission of lines 737 — 740 is common to the MS. , and absolutely 
 in opposition to MSS. AjAjDHj, are coincidences in the version of 
 entire lines often broadly different from the same lines in other 
 texts. E and Hj for instance, omit the line 792, In word, in dede, 
 and in )>ouht, and substitute in its place line 838 of the original 
 text, Lo]ily (Lodely E) and fele (foule E) many oon. The line 342, 
 omitted in MS. D, inserts with eghen in HjE, of which MSS. 
 AjA 2 H 2 retain no trace ; cf. as follows : 
 
 342 : fat pou may alday with eghen se. (E) 
 
 whom pou maiste see eche day wip yeje. (Hj) 
 
 The indisputable relationship of E and Hj is attested to by line 488, 
 where the original text has been omitted, and in its place a different 
 version supplied : 
 
 488 : Whil that thou may go & se. (E) 
 Whilest thou maiste go and se. (H) 
 Loke pat pu bise A X A 2 D (om. in HjE). 
 
 A similar variation exists in line 790, where A 1 and A 2 , the two 
 most reliable texts, are answerable for a good reading : Herken and 
 i wole telle pe. R and H 1 have preserved* Herhen and I wit telle 
 pe. A modification occurs, line 808, for the insertion of fire orenne 
 (Jyre burne E^). 831 alters wasshe (AjA 2 D) to to wasshe hem. 
 716 contributes the unique version : I wil yrw (pe E) telle whi fy 
 wharfore. Often of minor importance as conclusive proof, yet offer- 
 ing convincing evidence of coincidence in individual words, are 
 illustrations as follows : 
 
 (a) R and H x agree in introducing a word differing from other 
 texts; AjAgDHj : 4 and 736 swipe] ful HjE. 791 (I)wrou3t] don 
 H X E. 242 3af] had. 366 ene] bene. 466 rede] spede. 168 erere] 
 bifore. Of the same general significance are: 178 kudde] kypep. 
 190 J?u sek] seek, miht] maist. 198 lihtliche] lyjtly. 293 also] 
 as. 309 mid] with. 330 in] & in. 414 Jje] A. 496 pat] pis. 
 
xxxvi Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 497 fe] J>is. 530 Off] on. 617 \>i] om. 725 knowelache] knowing. 
 909 leten and flen] leeue and fle E, leue and flye H r But translates 
 Ac of MS. Aj in the following notable instances, where MSS. 
 A 2 DH 2 read invariably and or for. But (HjE) 13, 167, 280, 463, 
 467, 471, 615, 623, 660, 893. Hj and E share the translation with 
 A 2 , where that MS. seems to have found the same interpretation: 
 583, 619, 830, 835, 849. But also belongs to HjE shared with 
 H 2 :' 241,293, 315,347,434. 
 
 (6) A word is added that is wanting entirely in MSS. AjA 2 : 
 394 om.] sijie HjE. 452 om.] haue. 702 childe] om. AjAgD. 
 553, 689 om.] here. 671 bere he] he bere. 678 om.] al. 907 om.] 
 then. Less important in the argument are the following instances : 
 106 om.] for. 378 om.] and. 678 om.] al. 801 om.] for. 830 
 om.] haue. 
 
 (c) MSS. A X A 2 DH 2 contain a word not recorded in H x and R : 
 190 sek] Jju sek A^DH,,. 242 had] ? af his. 339 For Men] Men. 
 394 swich] om., swich A 1 A 2 D. 410 mo] om. 524 7] nu i. .582 
 ne] om. 617 J>i] om. 812 pat] on. 840 ne om.] ne. eke om.] eke. 
 
 To these coincidences may be added all those readings of a trifling 
 character, which though differing slightly, yet may be ascribed to a 
 common source : lie is replaced by \ei~h 833, 834 ; miht by may 859, 
 864 ; Nas }at by that was 214 ; noht by wil no$ H a> toil not K. 
 
 /3. Differences between R and H v 
 Incontrovertible points of coincidence between MSS. E and H x 
 are counterbalanced by instances of deviation of importance, suggest- 
 ing that R and H y may be ascribed to a common source rather than 
 to a relationship one from the other. 
 
 MS. H^ not the source of MS. R. E, the older of the two MSS., 
 beyond doubt, cannot be the source of MS. H r Moreover, MS. E 
 preserves individual defects not shared by MS. Hj. Compare lines 
 6, 9, 15, 34, 84, 107, 129, etc. MS. E contains also verses omitted 
 in MS. H x , omits interpolated passages, and makes frequent altera- 
 tions of the original as follows : lines 204—206, 403, 404, 447, 448, 
 507, 508, 591—593, etc. Omissions in MS. H x , where MS. E re- 
 tains the correct reading, are : 7, 8, 133, 136, 272, 479, 571, 572, 
 etc. ; cf . § 3, 3. 
 
 2. MS. R not the source of MS. H v Equally impossible is it 
 that MS. Hj find source in MS. E. Lines 45, 46 (transcribed by 
 H x ) are omitted in MS. E. Line 272 in E alters the original read- 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, xxxvii 
 
 ing. A multitude of minor examples confirm the testimony of these 
 diverging verses. That E^ is not derived from E, is shown by the 
 accompanying instances, where Hj has in general preserved the 
 correct reading, although at times- both MSS. deviate from the 
 original. 
 
 V. 12 to om.] to E. 20 Ne shaltw] pow shalt not. 22 weye] 
 
 lawe. ful om.] ful. 31 on] in. 38 liuede] leued wel al. 44 and 
 
 om.] and. 51 pe] fat. 58 don hit write] write it. 74 On] bothe 
 
 one. 84 pey] pese pre. 102 bep nohtgode] are swithe. 114 men] 
 
 mony. to] vnto. derkenes] merkenes. 116 and 121 sleupes] 
 
 slownes. 117 we] ful. 124 anuied] fro mynde. 136 je wil] pai 
 
 wil. 160 shal be] mot he. 161 falle] bi falle. 277 je here] pow 
 
 here now. (louer)ede] (I) rede. 182 hem] hem to. 185 and om.] 
 
 and. 193 if] if pow. 194 wel] po better. 198 abouten] hit thorow. 
 
 199 Now I wil here of] Here I wil a while. 201 man] more. 220 
 
 3ifte] might. 226 ha]i] was ful. 232 he was] was he. 235 for] fer 
 
 pat. 237 bimonie him] fro hym tane. 241 purw] for. 244 man] 
 
 monkynde. 248 And pus] om. deiede] with harde deth. 263 nele] 
 
 wil. 265 He] J)ai. 271 go] wende. into] til. 278 point] ende. 
 
 285 sum what] now forthe. 288 eke see] al so sene. 291 jit myjt 
 
 it] hit might. 297 pat om.] pat. 306 ony derknes] merkenes. 315 
 
 lat hit noht come] tow pow wel. 316 any] non. 317 he pat] who 
 
 so. 327 be] may be. 338 his] pat is hisse. 340 myne] my hyve. 
 
 387 litte] is sett. 389 here] hit. 399 pat] and pat. 410 ifiled] 
 
 fyled right. 412 J)e] and pe. 415 heie] grete. 423 Comep] Comes 
 
 now. 434 al] pat. 435 turne] hym turne. 440 his fet] fete did 
 
 horn to seke. 452 je] for je han. 456 Off] On. dop] wolde. 495 
 
 Sein] For seynt. 470 He] jit. shal] shalt pow. 471 sopfast] sted- 
 
 fast. haue] haue pow. 493 in drede] I pe reide. 500 lescrouu] gods 
 
 lessone. 502 goddede blissed dede. 530 wolde] wolde hym. 535 
 
 misdop] haue misdone to. 536 hit] so hit. 553 Wym] Take mon. 
 
 590 polede] for mon he tholyd. 591 was perto] pere was. 597 
 
 eurei] ilk a. 599 a] ony. 612 may ben] is. 616 pe] om. 617 
 
 manhede] mon. 618 wreche of wrongful dede] vengaunce a non. 
 
 623 art so stout] so proude art. 624 and herte] stoute of hert. 643 
 
 And so] So. 643 and some] men. 644 inome] taken. 645 J)en be] 
 
 Now be. 648 Or] Or ellis. 649 founde] tane. 665 muche] neuer 
 
 so mikel. ,668 pat] his. 677 humilite] verray humylite. 678 
 
 Awey] Alle. 682 wel] ful. 683 of him] om. 638 comfort] comfort 
 
 in hye. mid] per with. 693 man] a mon. 
 
xxxviii Chapter II.— Genealogical History of the Texts. 
 
 § 8. Agreement of A X R within the Group Z. 
 
 Common readings pointing to a relationship AjB are as follows : 
 
 MSS. AjE, v. 8 ; ))w om.] J?w. 26 hem] om. 70 Alpere] Alles. 
 411 saijie] seide. 507 willen it] hit wolen. 518 J>e] om. 563 wele] 
 it. 625 nyll] wole. 635 For (But)] And. 695 sinne] his sinne. 
 700 nyl] wole. 715 for lore] ilore. 759 I wrought] wrouht. 768 
 I schryue] shriue. 773 ifounde] founde. 813 euene (bidene)] ene. 
 876 J>w] fat ]w. Here may be included the large number of coin- 
 cidences, in which the only representative of group Y is the MS. D : 
 915, 916, 919—921, 924, 931—933, 937—939, 945—948, 951, 
 952, 954—956, 964, 969, 970, 973, 974, 977, 980, 983, 987, 993, 
 995, 999, 1000, 1001, 1004, 1005, 1011, 1024, 1031. 
 
 A 1 is naturally not copied from R, the younger MS. Neither is 
 R a copy of A v shown as follows : 
 
 R not from A-^ : 22 weye] lawe E. 102 bej> noht rede] are 
 swiche. 116 sleufe] slownes. 124 anuied] fremynde. 237 binomen 
 hym] fro hyn tane, additional instances to the end of the poem. 
 
 None of these three MSS. comprising Group 2 is directly or in- 
 directly the antecedent of another. A x because the oldest text cannot 
 have been derived from R or H v nor can R have been derived from 
 the yonnger text H v Moreover were this not the case, numerous 
 instances of error in A 1 or in Hj occur, where the third MS. con- 
 tributes the original reading. Equally impossible is it that R or ZTj 
 have origin in A x (cf. § 5). Instances exist, when H x or R conveys 
 the correct reading lost in the other MSS. respectively. Since none 
 of the three MS. texts is derived* from any other of the same group, 
 then it must be assumed that they return to a common original 
 A^E. 
 
 Two groups of MSS. have thus been discovered, each in internal 
 connection closely connected through its representative MSS. Some 
 additional coincidences indicate other relationships, suggesting that 
 some scribe had access to more than one MS., and that he modelled 
 his transcript according to the readings of the two texts, with refer- 
 ence at times to one MS., at times to the other. Eelationship seems 
 to be indicated between H 2 and R. 
 
 § 9. Coincidences in H 2 R. 
 In addition to conditions thus indicated, MSS. H 2 E give evi- 
 dence of common relationship. Both H 2 and R add to the text of the 
 other MSS. grete, verses 246 and 280, ry# 171, yt 208, J?e 229, ]>ane 
 
Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, xxxix 
 
 361. Both read \ou noht for^ete, instead of nis nolit for^ete, line 
 193. Both read in 265, They shulle take here, replacing He shal 
 fonge his. H 2 and R supply chastyse hem, line 181, for chasten of 
 Aj. Minor resemblances corroborate these results : 
 
 H 2 R: v. 74 Bote] But jyffe. 80 on] on a. 134 bi with. 159 
 Jiis] ytte. 161 falle] be falL 162 fat] om. 171 halt fer mide 
 noht] holte fere with m%i. 175 mot] mvste. 194 invite] wete. 
 208 do] yt doo. 263 nele] wyU. 293 Ac] But. 304 And] om. 
 318 Haj)] He hathe. 355 him sauh] sawe him. 360 ibrent] brente. 
 385 wel] wel om. 389 Inwardliche] Inwardly. 432 fat] je. 817 
 Kindeliche] Kendely. 
 
 The greater age of E removes it from the question of source. 
 The numberless independent readings vouched for by H 2 make it 
 evident that H 2 is not copied immediately from MS. B. It seems 
 possible that the scribe of the transcript used by H 2 may have had 
 knowledge of that employed by the scribe of R, particularly since 
 MS. D ascribed with H 2 to a common source marks also an indirect 
 connection with MS. B. 
 
 § 10. The MS. D. 
 
 The MS. D having connection with MS. H 2 preserves traces of 
 influence binding it to MS. R, as the accompanying illustrations will 
 indicate. Both D and R supply bene for the original text breme, 
 line 383. Both introduce the reading, line 893, es for no loue ne for 
 no instead of nis for loue ne for (acord). D and E read sittes for is, 
 line 908. Other associated forms are to the same effect : 
 
 DR.- v. 33 anon he] J>er he. 58 in] in a. 65 fe] om. 68 i 
 wole] he wold. 84 bi leue] leue. 165 low] ful lowe. ful] om. 
 174 do] ido. 179 here holde] nolde here. 508 fonge] fonde. 
 
 Lines 107, 133, 145, 149, 274, 289, 344, 354, 549, 723, 757, 
 771, 785, 857, 866, 885, 886, 900 confirm these conclusions. That, 
 however, MS. D has no very intimate connection with MS. E, the 
 number and quality of the readings preserved with A 2 in opposition 
 to the large number of differences from D in comparison with the 
 small number of harmonizing combinations indicate; cf. preceding 
 section, and also lines 944, 963, 967, 978, 987, 990, 996, 1000, 
 1004, 1020, 1021. 
 
 § 11. The Relationship H.-JI V 
 A relationship HjHg is to be traced in these two texts, confirm- 
 ing the supposition that scribe DH 2 had also access to a MS. HjE 
 
xl Chapter II. — Genealogical History of the Texts, 
 
 in use in the grouping Z. Hj and H 2 preserve the common line 175, 
 he motte (?nyste) pe betyn. Other verses add testimony. A single 
 word is added in H-JEL^ in a number of instances where it is omitted 
 elsewhere : 
 
 MSS. HjH 2 : v. 180 wel. 204 per is. 263 and. 402 here. 
 280 j>e. 290 maner. 423 fere] infere. 
 
 A word is altered in opposition to the readings of AjA 2 DE : 
 23 it] per. 55 par] for. 112 ful] moche. 160 eft] after. 372 J>e] 
 his. 178 hen] hyn. 214 heihe] his. 236 sippen] after. 243 eke] 
 also. 407 nw] wel. 817 ofte] oftentyme. 
 
 The comparison suggests a connection HjH 2 between the two 
 pairs of closely related MSS. HjK and DH 2 , not to be explained 
 on the ground that either member of the two groupings is the origin 
 direct or indirect of the other, nor has a single MS. of the four 
 offered source for any other. 
 
 The imposing breaks in MSS. group H 2 D preclude from this 
 group possibility of origin for the two opposing elements HjE. 
 The individual errors of the single MS. gives proof as follows : 
 
 H x not derived from MS. R: 18 wende] to wende. 13 pis] on. 
 19 Al] on. 22 weye] la we. 26 hem] ful. 114 Vncerteynnesse] 
 merkenes. 137 lessoune] sarmoun. 
 
 A common grouping is not to be supposed directly for the four 
 MSS., whereby all return to a common original, as will be recognized 
 by the few and unimportant relationships shared by these in common, 
 as well as by the character of the divergence. 
 
 MSS. DHJIJ3,. 
 
 MSS. DH^K: v. 18 and] om. 69 nu] om. 146 Nis] Es. 
 214 nas] was. 327 hu] what. 399 ishewed] schewed. 
 
 Here the common relationship DH^R ends. It does not 
 seem to be sufficiently marked to justify inference of common 
 ancestry, through direct descent for the four MSS. that it comprises. 
 
 Collecting the results obtained through each of these separate 
 arguments, the genealogy of the texts of the six MSS. as developed' 
 in the course of this investigation formulates itself into the follow- 
 ing genealogical table. It will not be attempted to prove that one or 
 two texts stood between any two of the combining MSS. It is to be 
 believed that MS. H 2 had in its development the combined results of 
 the association of MSS. representing two distinct groups of texts. 
 
gm flgnwp* p* sermmt 
 
 pat a cktk mate pat ta clept Slqnp 
 
 €0 ^fcg of TOarbfik 
 
Guy of Warwick, in deep remorse, would expiate his 
 offences against God. He told his wish to Alquin, Dean 
 of a religious brotherhood, and asked counsel for the 
 welfare of his soid. The holy friar prepared a sermon, 
 in which he instructed Guy how to discriminate between 
 virtue and vice. The discourse unfolds principles of 
 spiritual growth through a twofold medium, the renun- 
 ciation of evil and the achievement of good. Alquin 
 concludes with an appeal for benevolence, which is en- 
 forced by an account of the incident of the widow of 
 Zarephath. 
 
tytmlnm <% to Wm*f0£fc c < 
 
 ^■»" erkneb alle to my speche, 
 ^^^^ Awd hele of soule i may ou teclie. 
 ■ ■ pat i wole speke, it is no fable, 
 
 ^B^ r Ac hit is swibe profitable. 
 * ""* Man, if Jm wolt heuene winne, 
 
 purw loue to god J)u most bigiwne. 
 
 pus shal ben pi biginniwg : 
 
 J)u loue god oust alle ping 
 IT And fin emcristene loue also, 
 
 Eiht as })i-self[e] pu most do. ' 
 
 If pu wolt pus bigi«ne a»d ende, 
 
 pu miht be seker to heuene wemle - r 
 
 Ac, if pu louest more worldes god 
 
 pan god hinj-self[e] in pi mod, 
 
 pu shalt hit finde an yuel plawe : 
 
 To dej) of soule it wole pe drawe, 
 IT For, whan pe world pe hap ikauht 
 
 In 1 his pauwter purw his drauht, 
 
 30 a Hearken ! 
 
 I teach of the 
 soul's health. 
 
 To win 
 heaven, 
 love God and 
 
 thy fellow- 
 Christian. 
 
 12 
 
 16 
 
 Flee the 
 world. 
 
 To denth 
 the world's 
 
 net drag 
 the soul 
 
 For the title, see the Introduction. The numbering of the folio follows the 
 AuchinlecJc MS. The character IT reproduces the paragraphing of the Auchin- 
 leck text. 1 to] vnto DH 2 . 2 A»dJ om. D. may] wyll A 2 DHjH 2 R. 3 no] 
 not R. 4 Ac] Bot DH 2 R, For H x . swij>e] ful B^R, very gode & H 2 . Be- 
 tween i and 5 the following three lines are interpolated in H 2 : 
 For the sowlys saluacyowne 
 Who soo that herythe his sermoune 
 Inicium sapiencie timor domini (Op. H 2 in I. 138.) 
 6 purw loue] To loue H x . to god] of god A 2 D, god H 1( om. H 2 . 7 and 8 are 
 omitted in H r 7 pus] Jis A 2 H 2 R. shal ben J>i] ys the fyrste H 2 . 8 pu] To 
 A 2 , om. DH 2 . god ouer] wele god abovyn H 2 . 9 emcristene] euen crystyn 
 A 2 DHjH 2 R. loue] om. A 2 H 2 , Jrau loue H lt 10 do] do so D. 11 and 12 are 
 omitted in H 2 . 11 If] And if R. 12 miht be] may R. wercde] to wende R. 
 13 Ac if] And jef A 2 D, But and H^ Iffe H 2 , But if R. worldes] ]>e worldes 
 A 2 , worldly Hi, >is worldis H 2 , worldlis R. 15 an] for an Hj. plawe] lawe 
 ( The word was originally plawe. p can be traced in the erasure. ) D. 17 ikauht] 
 caught A 2 DH 2 R. 18 In] In to H 2 . burw his] at a A 2 . 
 
 1 MSS. A-, and A„ have amd in. 
 
1 A Tale of Guy of Warwick 
 
 Al at his wille he wole pe lede. 
 
 and thou N e shaltu spare for no drede, 
 
 Ne for loue to god, ne for his eije, 
 
 sbait suffer. To gon out of ])e rihte weye ; 
 
 % For swiche [per] hej>, pat louep more 
 Jje world and his f oule lore, 
 Jjan peih don god, pat hem wrouhte 
 And on pe rode [hem] dere bouhte. 
 IT Her-of i wole a while dwelle, 
 And a tale i wole 30U telle 
 Off an eorl of gode fame — 
 Gy of Warwyk was his name — 
 Hou on a time he stod in pouht : 
 Jje worldes hlisse hi?w pouhte noht. 
 J?e world anon he per 1 forsok 
 And to Iesu Crist him tok, 
 And louede god amd his lore 
 And in his seruise was euere more. 
 If A god man per was in pilke dawe, 
 )3at liuede al in godes lawe ; 
 Alquin was his rihte name, 
 And man he was of gode fame ; 
 Dekne he was, and pe ordre he hadde ; 
 
 lived then, In holinesse his 2 lyf he ladde ; 
 
 Wit of clergie he hadde inouh, 
 perfore to godnesse euere he drouh. 
 
 of whom % Off hi??j pe eorl was wel war, 
 
 Guy perfore his wille to hi??i [he] bar, 
 
 I wish to tell 
 of an earl, 
 
 Guy of War- 
 wick, 
 
 how he for- 
 sook the 
 world, 
 
 and chose 
 God. 
 
 A devout 
 man, 
 
 Alquin, 
 
 20 
 
 24 
 
 28 
 
 32 
 
 36 
 
 40 
 
 44 
 
 19 Al at] At R. wole] shall H 2 . 20 Ne shaltu] ]>ou shalt not B. 21 
 Ne for] For noo H 2 . to god] of god AjDHj, om. H 2 . eije] awe R. 22 J>e] 
 his H 2 . weye] lawe R. 23 For] om. DH 2 . >er] it A^R, hei A 2 . 24 and] 
 fen D. foule] fals A 2 . 25 Jeih don god] Iesu criste H 2 . 26 hem dere] dere 
 Aj, dere hem AgHj, ful dere R. (D has heu dere. ) bouhte] aboujte H 2 . 27 
 Her-of] Here R. wole] sail D. while] stounde H 2 . 28 wole] sal D. 30 Gy] 
 Sire Gy H 2 . 31 Hou on] On D, Yppe on Hg, how in R. 32 pe] fis DH 2 . 
 33 he >er] he A^H,,, >er he DR. 34 him] he hym DH X . tok] bi toke Hj. 
 35 And] He H 2 . his] all his A 2 R, eke hys D (and and in H 2 ). 36 in his 
 seruise was] serued hym after R. 37 in] be H 2 . Jjilke] ]>at A 2 H 2 R. 38 
 liuede] leued R. al] wele A 2 , wel alle R. in] om. R. 40 And] A A 2> And a 
 D, A noble H 2 . man he was] man DH 2 . gode] rijt gude D. 41 and] om. R. 
 ]>e] om. H^. he] om. DH 2 . 44 J>erfore] and Jerfore R. 45 Off him] Jiarc 
 of A 2 DH 2 . was wel] sone was full H 2 . war] I war A 2 D. 45 and 46 are 
 omitted in R. 46 perfore] And (jarfore A 2 , And alle H 2 . he] om. AjA 2 . 
 
 1 her is on erasure in MS. A x . 
 
 2 MS. E 1 has his his. 
 
And of Alquin. 
 
 And of him 1 he tok his red, , asked advice, 
 
 IT To kepen his soule fro?» pe qwed. 48 
 
 IT On a day, i vnderstonde, sac 
 
 Sire Gy pe eorl sente his sonde 
 
 To pe holi man Alquin 
 
 And seide : ' [I] 2 grete pe wel, fader myn, 52 and 
 
 And preie pe for godes loue, 
 
 pat us alle sit aboue, 
 
 pat pu wole, par charite 
 
 And in amendeme«t of me, 56 
 
 II Make me a god sarmoun 
 
 And don hit write in lesczoun : 
 
 pat were my ioye and my delit 
 
 And to my soule a gret p?-ofyt ; 60 
 
 For pe world purw his foule gile 
 
 Hap me lad to longe while. 
 
 per-of i wole corasail take, 
 
 Hu i mihte J>e world forsake.' 64 
 
 IT Alquin pe eorl po answerede, 
 
 And Iesu Crist ful 3erne he heriede, 
 
 pat swich a wit was comere him to 
 
 And seide : ' His preie i wole do.' 68 
 
 ' A«d, [sethen] i shal be pi leche, 
 
 Aller furst i wole pe teche, 
 
 Faire uertuz for to 3 take 
 
 And foule pewes to forsake. 
 U pat maitou noht don, leue broper, 
 
 Bote pu knowe on and oper, 
 
 48 kepen] wyten D. quei] dede D. 49 On] Vpon H 2 . 51 Je] >at R. 
 Alquin] sire alquyn A 2 D, ffrere Alquyne H 2 . 52 wel} om. H 2 . 53 And] I A 2 , 
 anon I D. 54 us] ouyr vs H 2 . 55 and 56 are omitted in A 2 . 55 par] for 
 HiHj. 57 Make me] Doo me make H 2 . 58 don hit write] write hit R. 
 lesczoun] a lessoura DR. 59 were] where D. my ioye] ioy A 2 . my delit] 
 grete delyte H 2 . 61 foule] false H 2 . 62 lad] lette Hj, be lyed H 2 . while] 
 A while H 2 . 63 per-of] \er for D. wole] wolde H 2 . 64 Je world] hym H 2 . 
 65 Alquin] pen Alquyne R. fe eorl Jjo] J>en to J>e erle D, sere Gy sone H 2 , 
 )>o erle R. 66 And] And swythe H 2 . ful Jerne] ful werure D, om. H 2 . he] 
 om. A 2 D. 68 His] J>i A 2 H 2 . i wole] he wold DR. 69 And sethen] arad 
 whara Aj, Sythe that H 2 , & sithen ]>at R. be] nu ben AjA^ ]>i] his Hj. 70 
 Aller] Afyere A^H,,, Erie D. furst] ferest H x . wole] schal D. 71 for to] 
 to be D. 72 foule] lethere H 2 . 73 pat] Jris H x , pus R. don] om. A 2 , niynra 
 H 2 . 74 Bote] But Jyffe H 2 R. on] o }>ynge A 2 , jiat on D, bothe one R. ofer] 
 fat o]>er D (ofe in HJ. 
 
 1 him is above the line in MS. A v MS. D has hys. 
 1 MS. A\ omits I. * to is above the line in MS. A v 
 
 to free his 
 soul from the 
 world's guile. 
 
 Alquin 
 with joy 
 
 'ranted 
 *uy's prayer. 
 
 and preached 
 of fair virtues 
 72 and ugly 
 
Alquin's List of Virtues 
 
 First, 
 
 to win grace 
 
 he taught 
 the virtues 
 in order. 
 
 Wisdom 
 
 shall be thine, 
 
 also faith, 
 love, 
 
 hope, meek- 
 ness, peace, 
 mercy, for- 
 giveness, 
 patience, 
 humility. 
 
 Repent! 
 
 In penitence 
 
 confess. 
 
 Give in cha- 
 rity to thy 
 life's end. 
 
 I shal pe now she we boJ>e, 
 
 Whiehe bep gode and whiche bep lope ; 
 U And at pe beste i wole bigiwne, 
 
 pe betre grace for to winne. 
 
 pe uertuz i wole first shewe, 
 
 Whiche peih be]), alle on re we.' 
 ' Wisdom in godes drede 
 
 Vse wel, fat be my rede ; 
 
 Trewe bileue and charite — 
 
 pise sholen bileue wid pe — 
 
 Stedefast hope and mieknesse, 
 
 Pes, raerci, and forjifnes, 
 IT Lone of herte, ful of pite, 
 
 pat is verray humilite. 
 
 And pu wort haue godes ore, 
 
 Jit pu most vse more, 
 
 For pi sinne repentaurece, 
 
 And redi perf ore to don penaumce 
 
 Wid sorwe at pin herte rote, 
 
 And shrifte of moupe shal be pi bote. 
 
 In almes dede and charite 
 
 pi lyf shal euere more be. 
 IT pise bep pe pewes, pat i pe teche, 
 
 Whar-purw pu miht to heuene reche, 
 
 And so pu miht pe world forsake, 
 
 If pu wolt hem to pe take.' 
 
 39 a 76 
 
 80 
 
 84 
 
 92 
 
 96 
 
 100 
 
 75 and 76 are transposed in A 2 . 75 he now shewe] shewe to he now H I( 
 the shewe nowe hem H 2 . 77 And at] And A a At Hj. wole] sal D. 79 i 
 wole] fat I wyll A 2 , I sal D, fyrste I wylle H 2 . first] Jow H 2 . shewe] chewe 
 (Before chewe space is left for an s.) D. 80 Whiche] pe wyche D. alle on] 
 now o D, al in H B vppon A H 2 , on a R. 82 be my] I >e T>, is my R. Between 
 
 82 and 83 are the following two lines in A 2 (Cp. A 2 in 11. 140, 141, and 142.) : 
 
 Twey hynggys it wyll ]>e tech 
 Whare Jorou} Jou myjt to heuen rech 
 
 83 bileue] lone R. 84 pise] >ey Hj, J>ese thre R. bileue] leue D, leeue R. 
 ]>e] me H 2 . 85 hope] oro. A 2 , bo}> H,. 87 ful] and fulle H 2 . 89 And] And 
 jef A 2 DH,H 2 R. haue] om. R. ore] lore D. 90 vse] doo welle H 2 . 91 sinne] 
 synne haue D. 92 herfore] fare A 2 . 94 And] WiJ> H x . mouje] mow?t D. 
 shal be hi] to A 2 , witft dede D, wyll be >i H 2 . 95 charite] chaste D, in 
 charyte H 2 . 96 lyf] lyife also H 2 . 97 hewes] vertues A 2 . i] I wil R. 98 
 Whar-burw] Where witA H 2 . reche] Areche H 2 . 99 so] thus H 2 . Jm] horow 
 Hj. miht] mayste H 2 R. 100 wolt hem to] hem wolt to A,, wylt heuen to 
 A 2 , wylt ]>ese to D, wylte to thys goodnesse H 2 . 
 
And of Vices. 
 
 Base vices 
 
 1 04 lead to pain, 
 
 therefore 
 shun 
 
 108 
 
 112 
 
 pride, wrath, 
 envy, 
 injustice, 
 faithlessness, 
 false witness- 
 ing. 
 
 Avoid 
 
 worldliness. 
 It induces 
 
 avarice, glut- 
 tony, 
 H6 sloth, 
 lechery. 
 
 IT ' Nu i wole nempne 1 f e wicke fewes, 
 
 Jjat bef noht gode, ac muche shrewes, 
 
 For, if f u dost bi here red[e], 
 
 To strowg[e] pine Jjeih wolen f e led[e] ; 
 1T panne is hit god, fat fu shone 
 
 To drawe hem i?ito f i wone. 
 
 Herkne nouf e to me, 
 
 And i hem wole nempne f e : 
 
 Pride, wraf f e, and enuie, 
 
 Fals iugeniewt and tricherie ; 
 
 Pals witnesse is on of f o — 
 
 Many a soule itt 2 dof ful wo. 
 
 Loue noht to muche Jus worldes blisse : 
 
 Hit bringef mare to f isternesse, 3 
 IT Auarice and glotonye, 
 
 Wicke sleufe arad leccherie.' 
 ' Aceedie is a wel foul sinne 
 
 To man, fat he may come widirene, 
 
 And, what it is, i wole f e wisse, 
 
 Vnderstomd, fat fu ne misse : 
 U Aceedie is (as) sleuf es brof er, 
 
 Wicke on and wicke of er ; 
 
 Hit is a derne mourni[n]g in mod 
 
 And makef man anuied to do god. 
 
 Offte furw swiche mourniwg[e] 
 
 Wanhope begiwnef for to spring[e], 
 
 101 wole] sail D. nempne] neuen A 2 D (D has new, hit the e is hardly 
 distinguishable from o. There is a break in the parchment before wykyd. ) 
 H x , telle H 2 , >e nemera R. Je wicke] wykyd A 2 D, bis worldly Hj, Je others 
 H 2 . 102 bej noht gode] are swithe R. ac] hot A 2 DHiH 2 , om. R. 103 here] 
 there H 2 . 105 is hit] it is A 2 DH 2 , is R. 105 reads in Hj : perfor loke ]>ou 
 hem shoone. 106 To] For to l^R. irato] in, H 2 . 107 nouje] now AjDHjEyR. 
 to] wele vnto D, bisily to Hj, Awhyle to H 2 , vnto R. 108 i] om. R. hem 
 wole] wyll hem D, hom I wil R. nempne] schewe A 2 , neuen vnto D, neuera 
 to Hj. 108 reads in H 2 : And I wylle telle Jow wheche )>ei hee. 109 enuie] 
 enueny D. Ill and 112 are transposed in H 2 . 112 ful] myche H 1; full moche 
 H 2 . 113 Jis] om. D. 114 Hit] For it DHj. bringe>] ledih Hj. maw] a man 
 A 2 H 2 , men DHj, mony R. to] vnto R. Jisternesse] theftnese A 2 , dyrkenes 
 DHi, Vneerteyranesse H 2 , merkenes R. 116 slen)>e] slownes R. 117 wel] ful 
 R. 119 what] om. A 2 . wole] sail D. 120 Vnderstorad] vndirstond wel Hj, 
 Vndyrstonde yt welle H 2 . ne] not R. 121 as] om. AjjHjHjR. sleujes] slow- 
 nes R. 122 on] is on A 2 R. 123 a] as a AjD. 124 And] Hytt H 2 . man] 
 men D. anuied] vnneje D, fro mynde R. 125 Offte] "Welofte H 2 . swiche] 
 swiche wicke A 2 A 2 R. 
 
 1 The final e is above the line in MS. A v 
 
 120 
 
 [Acedia], 
 the brother 
 of sloth, 
 
 124 
 
 attends 
 despair of the 
 mercy of God, 
 
 2 MS. A-i has itc. 
 
 Bead Jnsternisse. 
 
The Sermon to G%y 
 
 through 
 which Judas 
 was lost. 
 
 Hasten ! 
 Flee that sin. 
 
 pat, bote man turne awey f erfro, 
 
 Sauued worf lie neuere mo. 
 % Wrof er hele was Iudas born, 
 
 For Jrarw fat sinne he was lorn ; 
 
 Merci he les Jrarw fat sinne, 
 
 Wher-furw he ne mihte no ioye winne. 
 1T Vch man birede him in his sihte 
 
 To flen fat sinne bi his mihte 
 
 And alle of ere fat i haue nempt, 
 
 If he wole to ioye be dempt.' 
 
 40 6 
 
 128 
 
 132 
 
 136 
 
 Hearken to 
 my sermon ! 
 
 points two 
 ways to 
 heaven : 
 
 nee sin 
 good. 
 
 do 
 
 The rewarda 
 are mercy 
 and peace. 
 
 B 
 
 erkne now to my sarmoun, 
 
 What i wole telle in my lesczoun. 
 Wisdom in godes drede, 
 Of£ which fat i erere seide, 1 
 1T Tweie finges it wole fe teche, 
 Whar-f urw f u miht to heuene reche : 
 pat is, lat fi sinne and do god 
 For his loue, fat deiede on rod ; 
 1T Ac to late f i sirane al onliche 
 Nis noht inouh, sikerliche. 
 pu most don god forf f erwid, 2 
 If f u wolt haue merci and grif . 
 
 140 
 
 144 
 
 148 
 
 DeSa- 
 pientia. 
 
 127 pat bote] Bot A^R, Butt yffe H 2 . man] a man A 2 D, men Hj. 
 turne] flee H 2 . 128 worb he] worth >ei A 2l shul he be H lf maye he be H 2 , 
 bes he R. 129 Wrofer hele] In a earful tyme H u With wrobe hele H 2 . 130 
 ]>urw] om. D. lorn] for lorne AsDHjHgR. 131 ]>urw] for & 2 . 132 ne] om. 
 HjH 2 R. no ioye] heuen A 2 . 133 birede] I rede A 2 , be rede D, be redy R. 
 him] om. R. 133 reads in Hi and in H 2 : 
 
 I courasel yche man with al his myjte Hj. 
 Euyry man behouythe in hys sy3te H 2 . 
 134 flen] flye H x . bi] om. T3. v with H 2 R. his mihte] all his myjt DH 2 R, 
 bo> day arid nyjte H 2 . 135 ojiere] >e oper DH 2 . haue] here Hj. nempt] 
 neuen Hj. 136 he wole] ]>ai wil R. be dempt] idempt D, be demened R. 136 
 reads in H x : If ?e wil come to fe blisse of heuen. 137 sarmoun] lessoumne 
 H 2 . 138 wole] shall A 2 . telle] say A 2 , fe tell D, rede fe H 2 . in my lesczoun] 
 be resouwne H 2 . After 138 one line is interpolated in H 2 : Inicium sapiencie 
 iirrwr dommi. {Cp. H 2 after I. 4 and A x AJ)Sx after I. 882.) 140 which] 
 suche Hj. fat] om. D. erere] here D, eere of H 2 , bifore R. 140 reads in 
 A 2 : Vse wele fat be my rede. (I. 82. Cp. A 2 in variants.) 141 it] I DH 2 . 
 142 reche] Areche H 2 . 143 pat] And bat A 2 . lat] leue A^H-jR. bi] om. 
 DR. 144 rod] >e rode D. 145 Ac] And A 2 T>H lt om. H 2 , But for R. late] 
 leue A-jHjH,,, loue R. pi] om. DR. simne] om. R. al] om. AaHjILj. (sekerlich 
 has been crossed out before onliche in A 2 .) onliche] onely R. 146 Nis] Es 
 DHiHaR. sikerliche] sikerly R. 148 and] or H x . grij>] greyfe D. 
 
 Read sede. 
 
 Read ferwij). 
 
Teaches of Wisdom, 
 
 f pis wonder of many sinful men, 
 
 pat finkej) it were muche 1 for he??z 
 
 To haue gret worldes honour 
 
 As londes, rentes, halle, and bour, 152 
 
 Eiche vessel of siluer and gold 
 
 And grete tresor and faire bold, 
 U Kiche mete and ricbe drink[e], 
 
 And litel perfore for to swink[e], 156 
 
 Hele of bodi in bon and huide, «o c 
 
 And gret los of pompe and pride. 
 
 A murie lyf bem binkeb Jris were, 
 
 But eft bit worjj iboubt [ful] 2 dere, 160 
 
 dguta ntf)tl 3 tn=felictus, quam feltcttas 
 peccatortg. 
 
 mabeles hit may falle wel, 
 pat, bouh maw haue muche katel 
 As londes, rentes, and ojier god, 
 Jit 4 he may be pore of 5 mod 164 
 
 And low of herte, ful iwis, 
 And halt berof ful litel prys. 
 IT Ac nu i wole speke and rede 
 
 Of hem, fat i erere seide, 6 168 
 
 value worldly 
 
 And fleeting 
 glory, but 
 
 earth's joy is 
 bought dear. 
 
 Sucli sinful 
 ones 
 
 149 pis] pis is A 2 , It es D, Thys ys a H 2 . of many] is of mony R. sin- 
 ful] om. DH 2 , a synful R. men] man DR. 150 it were] om. A 2 . 152 As] 
 As in D, om. H 2 . 154 grete] oyer Hi. and faire bold] faire and bold A 2 H 2 , 
 manyfolde Hi. 155 2d riche] goode Hj. 156 litel] lebe D. 157 Hele] 
 Helthe H 2 . in] om. A 2 , and R. huide] hede H x . 158 And] om. H 2 . of] 
 also of H 2 . 159 Jris] ytte H 2 R. 160 eft] om. D, after HiH 2 . worb] shal be 
 Hj, wylle be H 2 , mot be R. ibouht] abought A 2 D, bo3te HjH 2 R. After 160 
 are the following two lines in H 2 : 
 
 Where be thoo Jat thynkyfe J>ere vpon 
 I cane nott telle be seynte John 
 
 Latin : The Latin text is inserted between 158 and 159 in R.' Quia nihil] Qui 
 R. in-felicius] infecelius A 2 , felicius R. felicitas] fecilitas A 2 , vita R. 161 
 Najeles] Never Je lese A 2 H 2 , but no J>o lesse R. falle] be fall H 2 , bifalle R. 
 162 pat] om. H 2 R. (Sjiace is left for one word in H 2 .) man] a man A 2 DR, 
 mew Hj, suOTman H 2 . muche] ryjt mochill H 2 . 163 As londes] Londes 
 londes {The second londes is marked for erasure.) D. 165 low] ful lowe DR. 
 ful] om. DR, fully Hi, and fulle H 2 . iwis] wyse H 2 . 166 halt] haue H 2 . 
 ful] om. A 2 H 2 R. (lytyll is over erasure in H 2 .) 167 and 168 are transposed 
 in D. 167 Ac] And also A^ and DH 2 , But HiR. nu i wole] now I sal D, 
 I wil now Hi. and rede] om. A 2 . 168 hem] whum D. erere] are A 2 D, bifore 
 HiR, eere of H 2 . 
 
 1 muchel is in MS. Ax. 2 MS. A x has wel. 
 
 3 The MSS. have nichil. 4 ?it is on the margin before he in MS. A v 
 
 5 of is above the line in MS. A\. G Bead sede. 
 
10 
 
 And Reveals 
 
 pat burw here pride and here wil 
 are in peril, peih fallen ofte in gret peril. 
 
 Seint Austin halt ber-mide noht 
 
 And seib, it shal ben dere bouht, 172 
 
 And skilfulliche it mot be so, 
 
 For, whan a man hab sinne do, 
 
 Ober he mot hit beten here 
 
 Or suffre pine elles where. 176 
 
 IT Wole ^e here, what louerede 
 
 God kudde to 1 hem pat wole 2 him drede 1 
 
 [He wyll hem here hold[e] lowe, 
 
 For bei schold hym be better knawe 3 ;] 180 
 
 He wole hem chasten wid smale pinireg 
 
 And maken hem lese fat hote brewnirag ; 
 
 And many anguisse he wole hem jiue 
 
 To suffre here, whiles beih liue, wa 184 
 
 IT As hunger and burst arad trauail strowg ; 
 
 Hij sholen haue euere amoreg 
 
 Lore of catel awd seknesse, 4 
 
 Amd al is to echen here blisse. 188 
 
 Man, if Jra (ne) leuest noht me, 
 
 and tliey 
 must atone. 
 
 The gracious 
 love of God 
 
 grants chas- 
 
 tenings, 
 
 anguish, 
 
 hunger, 
 thirst, 
 
 earthly 
 
 These in- 
 crease hea- 
 ven's joys, 
 
 169 here] hyje H v wil] yll (There is an erasure before y.) D. 170 peih] 
 om. R. 171 halt per-mide] fare with holdeth (Two letters have been crossed 
 out before holdeth.) A 2 , halde \er witA DHj, holte fere -with ryjt H 2 R. 172 
 And] He DH 2 . bouht] aboujht A 2 . 173 And] For H 2 . skilfulliche] wilful- 
 lyche Hi. mot] moste HiH 2 R. 174 For] om. H 2 . a man] man AjH 2 . sinne 
 do] synra ido DR, mysdo Hi, A synne doo H 2 . 175 mot hit beten] mot beten 
 D, he motte be beten (One letter has been erased before h.) Hi, he myste be 
 betyn H 2 . 176 Or] OJ>er D, Or ellis R. pine] paynes A 2 H 2 . 177 Je here] 
 J>ou here now R. louerede] I rede R. 178 kudde] kyjie> HiR, shewythe H 2 . 
 to] om. R. hem] man D, him HiH 2 . wole him] wold hyme A 2 , hym wyll 
 H 2 . 179 and 180 are omitted in Ai. 179 hem] om. R. here holde] holde 
 here D, hold meke & Hi, holdyn here full H 2 , holde torn here R. 180 ]>e] 
 om. Hi. 180 has the following readings in D and in H 2 : 
 
 pe better for he sull hym knowe D. 
 The bettyr for J>ey shulde hym knowe H 2 . 
 
 181 and 182 are omitted in A 2 . 181 He wole] om. H 2 . hem.] hym DHj, om. 
 H 2 R. chasten] kast H a , Chastyse hem H 2 R. 182 hem] hym D, horn to R. 
 ]>at] >e DH 2 . 183 And many] A mare D, Many an H 2 . hem] hym D. 185 
 As] om. DHiH 2 , and R. (And is crossed out before As in A 2 .) 186 Hij] pei 
 AijHjHjR, he D. haue] suffri DH 2 . 187 Lore] Losse AaHjHjR. seknesse] 
 stronge syknysse H 2 . 188 Amd] om. H 2 . al is] all it is A 2 H 2 , all D. here] 
 faire ioy and D, feire Hj. 189 ne] om. AaDHjHjEt. leuest] be leue H 2 . 
 
 1 to is above the line in MS. A\. 
 2 Before w one letter has been erased in M&. A v 
 4 Read sekuisse. 
 
 3 Read knowe. 
 
A Creed, for Guy. 
 
 11 
 
 192 
 
 for the 
 world's bliss 
 196 is naught. 
 
 200 Believe in 
 
 204 one God, 
 
 a God in 
 unity and in 
 trinity, 
 
 208 
 
 J)u sek aboute, and pu miht so 
 
 Jjise holi mew alle bidene, 
 
 How J)eih liuede in wo and tene. 
 
 And, if my tale nis noht for-jete, 1 
 
 panne maitou wel iwite, 
 
 pat fie worldes blisse is noht, 
 
 Whan f>u bast abouten souht ; 
 H For, jif 2 a man hap ber his wille, 
 
 Wel libtliche he may spille. 
 
 Her i wole noupe blinne. 
 
 '•• Anoper ping i wole biginne 
 
 To speke, man, of pi bileue, 
 
 For hit is god, it 3 wole noht greue. 
 
 Man, pi bileue shal be so : 
 
 pat o god is and no mo, 
 
 pat o god is in vnite, 
 
 pre persones in trinite. 
 IT pu shalt, [man], bileue also 
 
 And treuliehe in pin herte do, 
 
 pat god had neuere bigireniwg 
 
 Ne neuere (ne) shal haue endirag, 
 If And shappere 4 is of alle shaftes, 
 
 And 3euep wit in alle craftes, 
 
 190 J>u sek] Seek H 2 R. ]m miht se] by fe se A 2 , bi se D, Jou maist see 
 HjR, }e besye H 2 . 192 liuede] lybbefe D. wo] sorowe H 2 . 193 if) if fou R. 
 nis] es DHj, J>ou H 2 , om. R. 194 paime] Now Hj. maitou] Jura my^t ful D. 
 wel] ]>o better R. iwite] >erof I wyte Hj, wete H 2 , witt R. 195 fe] J>ys H 2 . 
 blisse] wele DH 2 . is] nys A 2 . 196 abouten] all abouten DH 2 , hit thorou R. 
 souht] I sojte Hi. 197" and 198 are omitted in H 2 . 197 his] all hys D. 198 
 Wel] Ful DHjR. lihtliche] lyjtly HjR. spille] hys saule spyll D, hymself 
 spylle Hi. 199 Her i wole nouje] Here I wyll not A 2 , Now I wil here of Hi, 
 Of thys now I wolle H 2 , Here I wil a while R. blinne] be kenne ( The k is 
 imperfectly formed.) D, belynne H 2 . 200 Anofer] And ojjere A 2 , And anoper 
 D, And of othyre H 2 . wole] sal D. 201 and 202 are transposed in D. 201 
 man] more R. 202 it] and DHiR. wole] nyl Hi. 204 is] ther ys H 2 . 
 —206 read «H,: 
 
 pat iper is oo god & no moo 
 
 pe whiche is in pereones free 
 
 And oo god in trinitee 
 206 pre] And J>re D. 207 man] om. A^R, al so Hi. also] here to Hi. 
 treuliehe] trewly A 2 HiH 2 R. do] Jenk so Hi, yt doo H 2 R. 209 had] ne 
 hadde H 2 . 210 Ne] Nor A 2 . ne] om. A^HjHjR. haue] haue noon, H X H 2 . 
 211 shaftes] shappes A a . (schaftes is over erasure in D.) 212 Jeuef] jif be 
 D, 3ifere of Hi, gaffe H 2 . 
 
 1 Bead for3ite. 2 One letter has been erased before } in MS. A v 
 
 3 One letter is erased after it in MS. A x . 
 
 4 re is above the line in MS. A\. 
 
 without be- 
 ginning, 
 without end- 
 ing. 
 Creator of all. 
 
 212 
 
 204 
 
 208 
 
12 
 
 The First Sin and 
 
 God bestowed 
 freedom of 
 will, but 
 
 He is not at 
 fault if man 
 choose the 
 wrong. 
 Adam 
 
 bought sill 
 dear. 
 
 For disobe- 
 dience he was 
 thrust from 
 paradise, but 
 
 And made man after his owen face — 
 Nas pat gret loue of heih[e] grace 1 
 And jaf to man fre power 
 To chese, bope fer and ner, 
 OS god and yuel shed to make, 
 pe euel to late and god to take. 
 Wheiper he wole chese, he ha]? power 
 Jjurw jifte of god, while he is her ; 
 pawne is hit noht on god ilong, 
 If man wole chese to don wrorcg. 
 
 IT Adam was pe forme man, 
 pat euere singyn bigan, 
 And pat was god to wite noht, 
 perfore hit hap ben dere bouht. 
 God jaf hi?» wit as his owen, 
 God and yuel for to knowen, 
 Ac Jmrw eging of pe ferad and Eue 
 He dede a sinne pat gan him greue. 
 
 IT Vnboxomnesse was his gilt, 
 
 perfore out of paradys he was [pylt]. 1 
 Boxomere he was to his wif , 
 pan to god fat jaf him lyf ; 
 And, for he dede after hire lore, 
 He bouhte hit sippen swipe sore. 
 
 IT His fredom was binomen him al 
 And put in sej-uage as a pfal, 
 
 216 
 
 220 
 
 224 
 
 228 
 
 232 
 
 236 
 
 213 made man] man made AjA 2 R, shope man H 2 . owen] om. H 2 . 214 ITas 
 fat] Was ]>er D, bat was HiE, Was bat not a H 2 . gret] for R. of heihe] and 
 he3e D, of his holy Hi, of hys H 2 . 215 Jaf] jif D. 216 To chese] Of thise A 2 , 
 to these R. 217 Off] And of D, om. H 2 . yuel] of euel D. shed] for A 2 H 2 , 
 cheyse D. 218 pe] pat D. late] leue A 2 DHiR. and] be A 2 DR. 219 Whei- 
 ]>er] Whiche H 1( Too whether H 2 . 220 Jifte] might R. 221 is hit] it is A 2 R. 
 on] in A 2 Hi. ilong] a longe A 2 H 2 , longe DHiR. 222 man] ne A 2 DH 2 . 
 wole] wollen to D, om. H x . 223 forme] first A 2 HiR, formeste H 2 . 224 pat] 
 In wham Hi. singyn] first synne DH 2 , ony synne R. 225 wite] wyte ry3te 
 H 2 . 226 hit] he D. haj>] was fnl R. ben] om. DR. bonht] a boujt A 2 D. 
 227 his] is DH 2 . 228 yuel] wicke R. 229 Ac] And A 2 DHiR, om. H 2 . burw] 
 Thorowe be H 2 R. Eue] of eue D. 230 a] om. Hi. gan him] was ful D, dide 
 hym HjHjjR. 232 he was] was he R. pylt] om. Ai, put D. 233 Boxomere] 
 Buxom more D, Moore boxum Hi. 235 for] for pat R. hire] ]>eyve Hj. 236 
 bouhte hit] aboujte D. sibben] aftcrworde Hi, aftyr H 2 . swibe] ful Hj. 
 237 binomera him] bimonie hym Hi, fro hym tane R. 238 in] to D. 
 
 _ 1 pylt is supplied from MS. A v was is the last word of the line in MS. A v 
 gilt seems a deeper black than what precedes, suggesting that it may have been 
 added later. 
 
Its Pardon through, Pity. 
 
 13 
 
 IT Noht one he, bute alle bo 
 pat of him comera for euere mo. 
 Ac for hit was bnrw gile don, 
 God jaf his pite ber-vpon, 
 And eke for loue pat he hade 
 To man, bat he himselue made, 
 To sauue man, mare he bica??;, 
 And pine for hem to hi?w he nam, 
 And 3af for hem his herte blod, 
 And deiede for hem on )>e rod. 
 
 IT Ibiried he was, in 1 toumbe he lay, 
 Til hit com be bridde day ; 
 Vp he ros be bridde day 
 From dej) to liue wid-oute nay ; 
 To heuene he steih burw his mihte, 
 Eiht in-to his faderes sihte, 
 And sit on his faderes riht[e] side, 
 pe grete dom for to abide. 
 Jjider he wole come on domesday, 
 Cruwel and sterne wid-oute nay, 
 
 IT He fat was woned to be 
 Meke as a lomb, ful of pite : 
 feeder he wole lihten adoun 
 Wrabfful and sterne as a lioun. 
 Merci nele he shewe non, 
 
 240 
 
 244 
 
 God's pity 
 and love 
 saved man- 
 kind. 
 
 God became 
 
 and shed Hia 
 heart's blood 
 248 on the cross, 
 died, was 
 buried, 
 
 252 
 
 rose the third 
 day, 
 
 ascended into 
 heaven. 
 
 sits at His 
 Father's 
 250 right hand. 
 
 On Dooms- 
 day, 
 
 260 
 
 He will come 
 to earth to 
 judge with- 
 out mercy. 
 
 239 one] only A 2 DH 2 R, oonlyche Hi. alle] also al H v 240 for eue?-e] euer 
 A 2 DH 2 . 241 Ac] And A 2 D, But HiH 2 R. furw] for R. don] idon D. 242 
 God jaf] Almyjty god had H^ God had E. his] hym D, om. H 2 R. 243 eke] 
 also HjH 2 . for] for ]>e A 2 H 2 . 244 man] monkynde R. lie] hem D. him- 
 selue] om. R. 245 To sauue man] To saue hym fan Hi, Man to saue H 2 . 
 mare he] he man H 2 . 246 pine] peyne & passion H 1; grete peyne H 2 , pyne 
 grete R. hem] man AgHg, hym R. to him] om. A 2 HiH 2 R. 247 And] He 
 Hj. hem] man H 2 , hym R. 248 And] And fres H u om. R. deiede] wit/4 
 harde deth R. for hem] om. HjR, for man H 2 . on] opon A 2 DHiH 2 R. 249 
 Ibiried] Biryed HiH 2 R. 250 Til hit com] Tyll it came to A 2 H 2 , Forto com D. 
 251 and 252 are omitted in H 2 . 251 reads in A 2 : And rose for sotli als I 30W 
 say. 254 Riht] Ful ryjt H 1( om. H 2 . in-to] to D. faderes] awne fader D, 
 ffadyrys ryche H 2 . 255 And sit] fere he sittif H^ 256 for] om. R. 257 
 pider] Hedere A 2 , And hedyr H 2 , om. R. he wole] shall H 2 . on] at DH 2 , 
 sithen on R. 258 wid-oute nay] for sofe too saye H 2 . 259 fat] fat afore H 2 . 
 woned] woned merciful H. 260 a] om. HjHjR. 261 and 262 are omitted 
 in A 2 . 261 peder] fer DHi, Hedyr H 2 , (jere fen R. lihten] fane lyjte H 2 . 
 adoun] downe H 2 . 262 and] om. R. a] ony H 2 . 263 nele] fan wyll Ha, 
 wUR. 
 
 1 There is an erasure after ire ire MS. A v 
 
14 
 
 The Terrors of Hell. 
 
 Those who 
 forsook God 
 
 shall be 
 driven 
 
 The wicked 
 in hell 
 
 shall suffer 
 death without 
 dying, 
 
 divers ago- 
 nies, 
 
 sharp pain 
 of fire: 
 
 f Ac, riht after pat man hap don, 
 He shal fonge his iugemewt 
 To ioye or to strong turnierat. 
 
 1T Alias ! -what sholen hij onne take, 
 }5at wolden [here] her god forsake 1 
 Jjurw sinne of fles[c]h[ly] 2 likirag, 
 And wolde hit bete wid no pinimg ? 
 jjer-fore beih sholen i»-to helle, 
 Wheiber beih wolen, or beih nelle, 
 And bere bileue[n] euere mo, 
 In [as] strong pine as mew may do. 
 Seint Austin spekeb of alle swiche 
 And seib wordes [ful] reuliche : 
 
 patent mortem sine morte 
 et finem mortis sine fine. 
 
 IT '*f|Aij sholen haue deb wid-oute deiing 
 ll*J And point of deb wid-outen ending ; ' 
 Here dej) hij sholen wilnen euere, 
 Ac to ende of deb comen hij neuere ; 
 Hij sholen euere more duire 
 In stronge pine of hote fire. 
 Her i wole noube dwelle, 
 And of mwr[y]ere 8 binge [i wole] jou telle. 
 
 264 
 
 268 
 
 272 
 
 276 
 
 280 
 
 284 
 
 264 Ac] Bot AijHjHsR, And D. fat] om. A 2 . man ha]>] men haue H 2 . 
 265 He shal] They simile >an H 2 , pai shal R. fonge] a fonge D, take H 2 R. 
 his] om. A 2 , here H 2 R. iugemerat] verament (MS. indistinct) A 2 . 266 or to] 
 or els Hj. turmemt] tournement DH 2 . 267 what] how A 2 DHiH 2 R. hij] 
 J>oi A 2 DHiH 2 R. onne] fan on H 2 . 268 here her god] her god AiA 2 DR, here 
 god here Hj, here here lorde H 2 . 269 of] of here H x . 271 sholen] shulle go 
 Hi, shul wende R. i»to] til R. 272 or Jeih] or A 2 . 272 is omitted in R. 
 In its place is the following line : nyl pai wil J>ai j>ere to dwelle. 273 bileuen] 
 be leuyn H 2 . euere] for euer HiH 2 R. 274 as] also AiA 2 , om. DR, als Hi. 
 strowg] strounger Hi. as] om. R. mem] man A 2 H 2 , fend Hi, om. R. may 
 do] & eke in woo R. 275 Austin] poul A 2 , austyn he H 2 . 276 ful reuliche] 
 reuliche h^D, rewefullich A 2 . Latin : Through defacement of the page 'fine ' 
 is wanting in A 2 . et] om. D. fine] morte Hi. 277 Hij] Jei A 2 DHiH 2 R. 
 278 point] apoynt D, ende R. 279 Here] >are A 2 Hi. hij] Jei A-aDH^R. 
 wilnen] wyll A 2 H 2 R, welny D, feel Hi. 280 Ac] For &» And DH 2 , But HjR. 
 ende] ]>e ende H^. hij] Jei A 2 DHiH 2 R. 281 Hij] J>ei A 2 DHiH 2 R. duire] 
 >ere endure H 2 . 282 In] In Tpe H 2 . hote] hell A 2 H 2 . 283 Her] Herof H x . 
 i wole] sal I D. noufe] a whill A 2 (before I wil) R, now D. 283 reads in H 2 : 
 [N]ow of bis tale I wylle dwelle. (A blank space has been left for a large N.) 
 284 nmryere] a myrrier R. i wole Jou] 5011 AiR, om. D, I wil Hj. 
 
 268 is written twice in MS. A\. 
 2 MS. A x has fleshes. 
 
 The second time it is crossed out. 
 3 MS. A\ murszere. 
 
The Blisses of Heaven 15 
 
 IT Tellen i wole ful iwis 
 
 Off J>e ioyes of paradys, 
 
 "Whiche godes children, fat gode be, but God's 
 
 Stolen hauearatfise; 288 MWm 
 
 Ac, f ouh i hadde ire my bayli[e] 
 
 )3e wit of alle clergy [e], 
 11 Mihte hit neue?-e so bifalle, « a 
 
 Jjat i mihte telle[n] alle. 292 
 
 Ac, also god 3if me grace, 
 
 I shal 30U shewe ire bis place, 
 
 What ioie Jeih sholen han ifere, 
 
 Jjat seruen god on eorbe here. 296 
 
 Whan peih sholen partem herene, 
 
 Ful wel peih sholen here weie kenne siiaii know 
 
 Biht to pe blisse of paradys, to paradise, 
 
 pat god hajj parked to alle his. 300 
 
 IT pere is euere ioye inouh tiiere to dwell 
 
 And euere riht widouten wouh, justice, 
 
 Wit and kureniwg and kointise, 
 
 And trewe loue widouft] 1 feintise, 304 love, 
 
 Streinbe inouh and fairnesse, beauty, 
 
 And liht wid-oute bisternesse. and light. 
 
 pere sholen beih noht ben agilt, 
 
 [For] al here wille shal ben fulfilt : 308 
 
 Hij sholen haue, mid iwisse, 
 
 285 Tellen] Telle Jow H 2 . wole] sal D. ful] ryjt now A 2) om. D, su[m]- 
 what H lf sone H 2 , now forthe R. 287 Whiche] po whiche R. 288 haue] 
 fat joye haue H 2 . ise] eke see Hi, ytt see H 2 , al so sene R. 289 Ac] For A 2r 
 And DR, But HiH 2 . >ouh] and Hi, of R. hadde] haue D. 290 alle] al mancr 
 HjHjj. 291 Mihte hit] jit myjt it Hi, Ne my3t ytt H 2 , hit might R. neuere] 
 not Hi. 292 tellen] telle Jow halffe ne H 2 , thorouly telle hom R. 293 Ac] 
 And A 2 , om. D, But jit H 1( Butt H 2 R. also] as HjR. Jif] wol ?yf DHjR. 
 294 shal] wylle H 2 . 295—300 are omitted in H 2 . 295 ifere] in fereJDHiR. 
 296 on] in A 2 Hi. 297 Whan] When fat R. partera] departen A 2 , perty D. 
 herane] hethen R. 298 here] fair D. 299 to >e] in to A 2 , to D. 300 pat] 
 Whiche H x . jarked] made A^Hi. 301 eucr-e ioye] joye euere H 2 . 302 wouh] 
 vow (possibly for wowe of DH 2 ) Hi. 303 and 304 are transposed in D. 303 
 kointise] qweyntise A 2 DH 2 . 304 And] om. H 2 , A R. 305 and 306 are omitted 
 in H 2 . 305 Streinfe] fere is strenkbe Hi. 306 ]>isternesse] dirkenese A 2 D, 
 ony derknes Hi, merkenes R. 307 noht ben] fynde no A 2 , haue no R. 
 agilt] gylt A 2 R, I guilde D. 308 For al] al A l3 For DH 2 . here] J>aire DH 2 . 
 309 and 310 are omitted in H 2 . 309 Hij] Jei A 2 DHiR. mid] mende D, with 
 a Hi, yer with R. iwisse] Wisshe Hi. 
 
 1 MS. A x ou. 
 
16 
 
 In Eternity and the Joy 
 
 There poor 
 and rich to- 
 gether, 
 
 each hath his 
 dwelling, 
 after his own 
 deserving. 
 
 The least in 
 God's king- 
 dom hatli 
 perfect joy. 
 
 Love 
 
 is well pleas- 
 ing to God. 
 
 Then love 
 God well. 
 
 love thy 
 fellow-man, 
 
 Fulle ioye and fulle blisse, i 
 
 IT Bope pe pore and pe riche, 
 Ac, wete pu wel, noht alle iliche. 
 Euerich shal haue his wonijpjng 
 Biht after his owen deseruiwg ; 
 Ac lat hit noht come ire pi pouht, 
 pat any of hem shal wantera ouht, 
 For he pat hap lest ire fat woniing 1 
 Hap fulle ioye oner alle ping. 
 
 11 perfore, man, in al pi miht, 
 pu loue wel god bi day ared niht : 
 
 11 pe inwardlichere pu louest him her, 
 pe more shal ben pi ioye per. 
 
 Herkne nu alle to me, 
 For i wole speken of charite. 
 Off alle uertuz hit is hext, 
 And godes wille hit is next. 
 3if pu wolt wite [what] hit be, 
 Herkne, and i wole telle pe : 
 Hit is, loue god ouer alle piwg, 
 In pouht, in dede, and in spekireg. 
 And, if pu wolt euere come perto, 
 An-oper ping pu most do : 
 pu most loue, hu-so hit be, 
 pin emcristene forp wid pe. 
 
 IT Man, woltou make a god prouiwg, 
 
 312 
 
 316 
 
 42 a 320 
 
 324 Deuera 
 Caritate. 
 
 328 
 
 332 
 
 310 Fulle] Ful of D, Al maner Hi. fulle] ful of D, al maner Hi. 811 Bope 
 he] Bope A 2 . pe] eke A 2 , eke the H 2 . 312 Ac] For A 2) and DHi, But H 2 E. 
 pu] it D, pou it Hi. wel noht] wel and naujt T>, wil noj Hi, wil not E. 
 alle] om. A 2 . iliehe] elich A 2 , in lyche H 2 . 313 Euerich] Euere he A 2 , For 
 eueryche H 2 , Tlkone R. 314 owen] om. H 2 . 315 Ae] And A 2 D, But HiH 2 R. 
 lat hit noht come] trow pou wel R. 316 any] nom R. 317 he ]>at] who so R. 
 318 Hah] He hathe H 2 R. ouer] of AJHiR, in DH 2 . 319 in] with A 2 H 2 R. 
 320 pu] om. DHiH 2 . wel god] god wel R. bi] om. D. 321 pe] he more A 2 , 
 For so D, For the more pat H 2 . inwardlichere] inwordelieh A 2 D, om. H 2 . 
 Between 322 and 323 is interpolated in H 2 : Deleccio es proximi. 323 alle] 
 om. A 2 . 323 reads in H 2 : Herken now my ffrende so free. 324 wole] sal 
 now D. of] om. D. 325 hext] )>o hext R. 328 godes wille] at goddys wyll 
 pane (The page is worn, so that the line is nearly erased.) A 2 . 327 wite] om. 
 DH 2 . what] hu AiA 2 . be] may be R. 328 Herken & I wil telle >e HjR. 
 wole] sail D. 328 reads in H 2 : Sytte nowe stylle & herken me. 329 Hit is 
 loue] Loue welle H 2 . 330 in dede] & dede H X R. and] om. A 2 D. 331 euere] 
 om. A 2 H 2 . 332 Anoper] Ane oper D. ping] om. H 2 . pu] pe R. most] mvste 
 nedys H 2 . 334 emcristene] euene crystenn A 2 H a R, enemy H!. forp] ryjt 
 euen Hi. 335 Man] pan D. god] om. H 2 . 
 
 1 wonjjng in MS. A\. 
 
Of Trua Love. 17 
 
 Wlier fu loue be lieuene kireg? 336 
 
 If bu louest god ful iwis, 
 
 pu [wolt] louen alle his. so that 
 
 Jjt nan titltgts proitmum tuum, 
 quern uitoes, toeum quern nan 
 utie», quomoio potes fciltgere? 1 
 
 For men seij) so)), bi wit[te] myne : 
 
 ' Whoso loueb me, he loueb myne.' 340 thonmayst 
 
 -r> r To see God. 
 
 ' But fu loue [byn emj 2 cnstene fat bi be be, 
 
 pat alday [bou] 3 mait hem ise, 
 
 Hou maitou loue god, i ne can deuise, 
 
 Whom fu miht sen on none wyse ! ' 344 
 
 1T pis seib sein Powel and bereb witnesse, 
 
 As he may wel in so])[e]nesse. 42 & 
 
 Abraham him sauh, ac J>u [nost] noht hou ! Abraham saw 
 
 Herkne, i wole pe telle nowh : 348 
 
 If pe fourme of bre children he mette, in the person 
 
 ii i i/\ i/i\ of three 
 
 pre he saun, and (as) on he (hem) grette ; angels, 
 
 In tokne it was, i telle be, betokening 
 
 „ * ' the Holy 
 
 Off be holi trinite. 352 Trinity. 
 
 336 Wher] Whebere A 2 D, If HiH 2 R. J>e] om. A 2 . 337 If] For yffe H 2 . 
 fal] filly H a , om. H 2 , wel R. 338 wolt] most Ai, mvste jiedys H 2 . Ms] bat 
 is hisse R. Latin: The passage is omitted here and is inserted between 345 
 and 346 in D. diligis] deliges A 2 H 2 . uides] tu vides H 2 . demn\ om. H 2 . 
 ' quern non vides ' is inserted after ' deligere ' in H 2 . qiwmodo] commodo A lt 
 guoniam A 2 DH a H 2 . potes diligere\ diligere potes D, potes dilegere A 2 Hi. 339 
 For men] Man H^ Mera R. sob] and sob D, sob for H x . 339 reads in H 2 : 
 In tie gospelle I seye Jow be ryme. 340 Whoso] He fat H 2 . myne] alle 
 myne Hj, my hyne R. 341 But] But yffe H a . em eristene] eristene A^ 
 euene crysten A^HjR, nejtbore Hi. fat bi J>e be] 'pat by be pe D, J>at dewllib 
 J>e by Hi, be be H 2 , bat is by he R. 342 is omitted in D. 342 alday] om. 
 R. j>ou] om. AjR. mait] mast A 2 . hem] al day with eghen R. ise] se A 2 R. 
 
 342 has the following readings in Hi and in H 2 : 
 
 Whom >ou maiste see eche day wib yeje Hi. 
 That aldaye wythe hem mayste speke & see H 2 . 
 
 343 maitou] mast bou A 2 , gchuldest D, myxte poxx Hi, bou R. ne can] can 
 noujt AjHjHjjR. 344 Whom] That Hj. miht] may not A 2 HiHa, mait DR. 
 on] in AjDHjHj. 345 pis] Thus H 2 . seib sein Powel] saint poul saib H^ 
 seybe poule H 2 R. 346 As] Also Aj, Soo H 2 . wel] om. D. in] in pe boke 
 of H 2 . 347 him] om. R. ac] for A 2 , om. D, but HiH 2 R. >u] he R. nost] 
 om. Ai, ne wost A 2) woste H 2 , not wist R. noht] om. A 2 DHiR. 348 i wole] 
 I sal D, and I wil HiH 2 R. he telle] tell be A 2 DHiH 2 R. 349 pe] In A 2 . 
 bre] om. R. 350 and as] and A 2 D, but Hi. he] om. R. hem] om. A 2 DHi. 
 351 tokne] tokenyng A 2 H 2 R. telle] telle it D. 352 he holi] god >at is in A 2 , 
 be sobfast holy Hi, alle the hole H 2 , Jo heghe holi R. 
 
 1 MS. A-l has dilegere. 2 MS. A x has pe. 3 MS. A x omits paw. 
 
 SPEC. WAR. C 
 
18 
 
 Visions of the Godhead, 
 
 MoseB saw 
 God 
 
 in the bush, 
 burning but 
 not con- 
 Bumecl, 
 
 symbol of the 
 pure maiden- 
 hood of Mary. 
 
 Others have 
 seen God, 
 
 but no man 
 hath seen 
 Him in His 
 Divinity 
 
 IT Holliche as 1 on he grette hem fere 
 
 In tokne of 2 o god, bat hij were. 
 Hu Moyses him sauh, woltou here, 
 
 In fourme of a bush al on fire, 3 356 
 
 At be mouwt of Synay bi olde dawe, 
 
 )3ar god him 3af be firste lawe 1 
 IT Al on fire be bush was, 
 
 And ibrerat nobimg it nas : 360 
 
 Jjere shewede god his grete miht 
 
 And himself in fat ilke sihte. 
 f Jjat bush bitokneb vre leuedi, 
 
 Hire clene maiden-hed witerli ; 364 
 
 For hit was euere iliche clene, 
 
 [Ne] 4 mihtte hit noht be wemmed ene. 
 
 Hete of flesh ne mihte hire wemme, 
 
 No more fan J>e bush mihte brewne. 368 
 
 And many anober him iseih 
 
 And wid [him] spak, fat was him neih, 
 If But noht alone in his godhede, 
 
 Ac i-meind wid be manhede ; 372 
 
 Tor, sikerliche i telle be, 
 
 Man ne sauh neue?-e his deite 
 
 353 as on] om. A 2 , as D, all oon H 2 . grette] sawe A 2 . hem] hym D, om. 
 H 2 . 354 tokne] tokenyng A 2 H 2 R. o] om. A 2 . hij] bei A 2 DHiH 2 R. 355 
 him sauh] says now D, sawe hym H 2 R. here] now lere R. 356 of] al of D. 
 on] of D, on a R. 357 and 358 are omitted m H 2 . 357 At] And in Hi. 
 358 him Jaf] jaf hym A 2) 3af Hi. 359 on] of D. was] ytt was H 2 . 360 
 And] but R. ibrewt] ebrynde A 2 , brente H 2 R. it nas] nas D, for sofe yt 
 nas H 2 , ho buske nas R. 361 grete] meche H 2 . 362 And] In D. >at ilke] 
 bulke D, bat HiH 2 R. 363 pat] J>e A 2 H 2 R. bush] boys D. bitoknej] be 
 tokenes of D, bi tokened Hi, tokend R. vre] one R. 364 Hire clene] In 
 here H 2 , with hir clene R. witerli] sykerly DR. 365 euer-e iliche clene] 
 ilyche clene euere H 2 . 366 hit] 'per Hi. noht] om. A 2 . be wemmed ene] 
 ony wemme bene Hi, be wemmyd neuere H 2 , I nemed bene R (wemedene in 
 Aj). 367 Hete of] he D. ne] om. R. hire] yt H 2 , hir not R. wemme] 
 warme Hi. 368 No] Ne D. ban] might R. mihte] did Hj, om. R. brenne] 
 burne Hj. 369 anobe?-] ofer Hj. him] that hym H 2 . iseih] saijje A 2 , say 
 DH 2 , did sey H p seghe R. 370 wid him spak] wid spak Ai, spake with hym 
 A 2 , spake hym with R. >at] and D. 371 But noht] and D. alone] al on 
 Hj, onely R. 372 Ac] Bot AjDH^B. i-meind] I menged A 2 H 2 , imed D, 
 it was mayned Hi, mynged R. be] his HjHj. 373 For sikerliche] Sekyrly 
 as H 2 . telle] tell it D, now telle ytt H 2 . 374 Man ne sauh] Man sawe DH 2 
 R, bou mayst se H x . 
 
 1 liche a is over erasure in MS. A v z ne o is over erasure in MS. A x . 
 3 Bead fere. 4 MS. A\ omits Ne. 
 
And of the Glory of God, 19 
 
 11 Bodiliche on eorbe her, 42 „ hm on carth 
 
 He niihte noht, it is so cler. 375 
 
 And, if Jm wolt witen hou, 
 
 Herkne, i wole be telle now ; 
 
 For so heih a bing is be god-hede, 
 
 Jjer-of to speke it is drede. 380 
 
 God is so clene and so cler a bireg, 
 
 jjat heuene and erbe he 1 jeueb shinirag, 
 
 And surane and mone and sterrera breme, 
 
 Off him Jjeih han al here leme. 384 
 
 IT Jju sext, man, wel aperteliche, 
 
 Jjat be sunne hab brihtnesse muche, 2 
 
 Ared, bouh he sitte so wonder heie, 
 
 Hit greueb euere maraies eije, 388 We may not 
 
 Inwardliche on hire to se fun? °" u,e 
 
 For hire grete clerte. 
 
 !Nu, for-sobe i telle be — 
 
 And sikerliche lef Jm me — 392 
 
 Jjat god, Jjat 3af be sunne his liht, God, its 
 
 Is swich an huwdred [sibe] so briht. liundred-foid 
 
 m n/r -i i i -j. . -i its brilliancy. 
 
 II Man, minte nit euere banne be, can human 
 
 Jjat bodilich eije mihte him se 396 behold that 
 
 Here on eorjje, — fe godhede 1 
 
 glory ? 
 
 375 Bodiliche] With bodily eyje H„ Godlyche H 2 , Bodily R. on] in R. 
 
 eorje] herth D. 376 He mihte noht] Whiles! feu art on lyue Hj, men might 
 
 not B. 376 reads in D : No may noman haue 'pat power. 377 witen] I 
 
 wyte D. hou] now R. 378 Herkne] Herken and HiR. wole] sal D. he 
 
 telle] telle J>e Hi, telle Jow R. now] om. R. 378 reads in H 2 : Sytte nowe 
 
 stylle & herkenyhe nowe. 379 For] And D, om. Hi. a J>ing] ys H^ J>ing R. 
 
 J>e] his A 2 . 380 per-of to speke] pat to speke ber of D. drede] no drede Hi, 
 
 grete drede H 2 R. 381 olene arad so] om. A 2 , cler an& D, clere and so H 2 . 
 
 cler] clene DH 2 . 382 he] it D, om. H 2 . 383 And] om. H 2 . breme] beme 
 
 DR. 384 here] faire D. 385 man wel] wele man D, man here Hi, man H 2 
 
 R. 387 A»d] om. A 2 . Jouh] om. R. he] it A^H^ sitte] schyne D, is sett R. 
 
 so] neuer so A 2) om. DHi. 388 Hit] jit it A 2 . euere] om. A 2 R, euereche 
 
 D, euere a Hi. marenes] bodyly D. 389 Inwardliche] Inwardly H 2 R. 
 
 on] vppe to H 2 . hire] om. A 2 , hit R. 390 hire] his R. grete] moehe H 2 . 
 
 clerte] charite R. 391 telle] tell it BH 2 . 392 sikerliche] sekyrly H 2 R. 
 
 lef pu] bou mayste leue Hi, be leue H 2 . 393 pat] om. A 2 H 2 . Jaf] om. A 2 . 
 
 sunne his] sonnes A 2 , son» here DH 2 . 394 swich an] seche a D, an HiR. 
 
 hundred] hundreth A 2 H,. sife] om. AjA 2 D, tyme H 2 . 395 Man] Man how 
 
 D, >erfor man Hi, how Jien R. euere Jianne] euer so A 2 , euer DHiR, fane 
 
 euere H 2 . 396 bodilich] bodelich with A 2 , boldelyche H 2 , bodily R. eije] 
 
 om. H 2 . him] euer D, hym, euer Hj, om. H 2 . 397 on] in H 2 . be] in his Hi. 
 
 1 One letter has been erased after he in MS. A v 2 Bead miche. 
 
20 
 
 To the Redeemed, 
 
 Yes, yes, 
 
 the undefiled 
 
 shall see the 
 infinite God 
 of Heaven 
 
 and shall 
 hearken to 
 the joyous 
 summons,— 
 
 Nay, noman niihte don fat dede : 
 
 Jjat is preued and ishewed 
 
 Bope to lered and to lewed. 400 
 
 Jjanne maitou penke : ' Hu mai pis be ? 
 
 Ne shal no man god ise % ' 
 IT 3us, jus, bi my leaute ! 
 
 Herkne, and i wole telle pe : 404 
 
 Jif pu wolt sen in pi siht 
 
 God of heuene, pat is so briht, — *2 a 
 
 f Vnderstond nu what i mene — 
 
 ' J)u most ben of herte clene,' 408 
 
 In word, in dede, and in Jjouht, 
 
 Jjat pu ne be ifiled noht ; 
 
 For god self seide ira sop[e]nesse — 
 
 J)e godspel perof berej? 1 witnesse :> 412 
 
 53eatt muniio 2 cortie, quontam tpst ieum 
 utieiunt. 
 
 Jjis is to seie, i telle J>e : 
 ' Jje clene of herte, blessed peih be ; ' 
 For, at pe heie dom sikerhche 
 ' Jjeih sholen se god ' aperteliche, 416 
 
 In his godhede and ira his blisse, 
 Off which peih sholen neuer& misse. 
 f Jjanne sholen peih here, herkne noupe, 
 
 A blisful word of godes moupe, 420 
 
 398 Nay] om. DH 2 . 399 pat] and bat B. preued] I proued A 2 , proued 
 wele DH 2 . ishewed] schewed DH 2 R, wel shewede Hj. 400 lered and] lerned 
 and eke Hi. 401 panne] How D. (How is crossed out before bane in A 2 . 
 fane is above the line. ) maitou] maste boue A 2 , myjte bou H 2 . hu] om. DHj. 
 mai his] sal his D, his may not Hi, maye yt H 2 . 402 Ne shal no man] fat 
 noman sal D, hat any man here shul euer Hi, Shalle ther noman H 2 , ne may 
 no mon R. ise] see A 2 HiR, here se H 2 . 403 and 404 read in Hi : . 
 
 jis for so J) wib outen ney 
 Herken & here what I wil say 
 
 404 wole] sal D. 407—475 are omitted in D. 407 nu] wel HiH 2 . 408 pu] 
 For >ou Hj. of] in H,. 409 reads in Hj : Of worde of dede & of >03te. 
 410 pat] So bat Hi. ne] om. HjR. ifiled] fyled A 2 Hi, fyled right R. 411 
 self] hym A 2 , him self HiH 2 (following sayed) R. seide] saibe A 2 HiH 2 . 412 
 pe] and be R, 413 pis] pat A 2 H 2 R. telle] telle yt H 2 . 414 pe] Al HiR. 
 beih] om. H 2 . 415 heie] daye of H 2 , grete R. sikerliche] sekyrly H 2 . 416 
 aperteliche] apertely H 2 . 418 Off] po R. 419 panne sholen )>eih] That 
 shulle Je H 2 . here] om. A 2 . herkne nouhe] wib here ere Hj, hat bene couthe 
 R. 420 godes moube] god fere Hj. 
 
 1 MS. A 1 lias bereb berof. 
 
 MS. A 1 mondo. 
 
And to the Condemned, 
 
 21 
 
 [Which shal not be to hem vncowpe, 
 For god shal sey it vrith his niowjie : 
 
 VtnxU, fienetitctt 1 patrts met.] 
 
 ' Come}>, mine hlessede fere, 
 Jjat my fader be}) leue and dere ! 
 In-to my blisse $e sholen wende, 
 Jjat laste}) euere wid-outen ende, 
 And euere more \ier to wone 
 Wid fe fader, and wid be sone, 
 And wid be holi gost in vnite, 
 Jjat is be holi trinite.' 
 
 1T ' And ke], 2 cursede gostes, gof anon, 
 Jjat sholen ben dampned euerichon ! ' 
 Jjere hij sholen him sen also, 
 Ac al shal ben for here wo ; 
 For toward hem he wole turne 
 
 IT Bofe wrabful and eke sterne, 
 And namlich to fat cumpaignye 
 Jjat slowen him burw enuie, 
 And kene nailes driuen ek 
 Jjurw his honden and his fet, 
 
 1T And bere beih sholen se sobliche, 
 His grisli wou?eden openliche, 
 Jjat beih deden hemselue make. 
 For drede hij sholen banne quake ; 
 Jjanne wole god to hem seie 
 Wid sterne voiz and wid heie : 
 
 424 
 
 440 
 
 'Come, be- 
 loved, 
 dear to my 
 Father ! 
 In my bliss 
 dwell ever- 
 more.' 
 
 428 
 
 432 
 
 436 
 
 The doomed 
 souls, 
 
 who slew 
 
 Him with 
 
 cruel nails 
 
 through 
 
 hands and 
 
 feet, 
 
 shall see the 
 
 ghastly 
 
 wounds they 
 
 made. 
 
 444 
 
 His angry 
 voice will 
 command : 
 
 421 and 422 are omitted in AiAjHjE. The Latin is omitted in AjAjELjR. 
 423 ComeJ)] Coines now E. fere] children in fere Hi, alle in ffere H 2 , in fere 
 R. 424 pat] pat to HiH 2 E. leue amd] ful Hi. 426 lastej euere] euir shalle 
 laste H 2 . 428 and wid] and H 2 . 429 And] cm. H r 430 pat] whiehe Hi. 
 431 And] om. H 2 . go>] fere H lf om. H 2 . 432 pat] pei A 2 , om. Hj, Je H 2 R. 
 433 hij] pei A^H^R. him sen] se hym E. 434 Ac] For A 2 , But H^E. 
 al] yt H 2 , fat E. for] to A 2) al for E. ' 435 turne] hym turne R. 435—444 
 are omitted in H 2 . 438 >urw] forouj here A,^. 439 driuen] fey dryuera 
 Hi. 440 and] and forow Hi. his fet] fete did horn to seke (f>ai is on the 
 margin.) E. 441 And] om. A 2 . soJ>liche] opuralyehe Hj, sothly R. 442 
 openliche] opuwly E. 442 reads in H x : Al his woundis sicurliche. 443 
 hemselue] hym self A 2 . 444 hij] J>ei A 2 H!E. (shul J>ai follow fen in R.) 
 445 god] he H 2 . 446 and wid heie] ovtvd with eye A 2 , wit7i.oute neye Hi, 
 and angry eye H 2 , & grete aie E. 
 
 1 MS. benedicte. 
 
 2 MS. Ai has }e. 
 
22 
 
 * Accursed 
 spirits, go! 
 Depart into 
 the tortures 
 ofheU! 
 
 Burn eter- 
 nally ! 
 
 For evermore 
 
 thou art 
 judged!' 
 
 Hope in God; 
 do good. 
 
 448 
 
 452 
 
 456 
 
 460 
 
 464 
 
 Of Unwavering Hope, 
 
 ' Corsede gostes, je bejj me lobe ! 
 
 GoJ> anon, gob nu, 1 gobe 
 11 In-to be strowge fyr of helle, 
 
 Euere more ber to dwelle, 
 
 And brenne per in bote fyr ! 2 
 
 3e seruede non ober her : 
 
 Merci is al fro 3011 gon, 
 
 For whij on me hadde $e non ! ' 
 
 He fat nele no merci haue 
 
 Off him pat do)) him merci crane, 
 
 He shal ben iuged, witerli, 
 
 Eihtfulliche wid-oute merci. 
 IT Sein Daui seij), if J)u wolt loke 
 
 In a vers of be 3 sauter boke : 
 
 J&peta in fcointno, et fac fconttatem 
 
 ' Hope to god and do god,' 
 Eiht so i hit vnderstod ; 
 Ac ydel hope ma?i mai habbe — 
 I sey fe sop wid-outen gabbe — 
 For alone to hope, widoute goddede, 
 1T Is ydel hope, so god me rede. 
 
 Ac i ne seie noht f orbi, 13 & 
 
 447 and 448 have tlie following readings in Hi and in H 2 : 
 
 ;e cursyd goatis fro me go> 
 
 For to my fadire & me 3e be)> ful lo> Hi. 
 
 "Waryed gostys Je are me lothe 
 
 Gothe in to sorowe & care bothe H 2 . 
 449 In-to }>e] In to A 2 R, And evene in to H 2 . strowge] stynkynge H u om. 
 H 2 . fyr] payne A 2 , pytte H 2 . 450 Euere more] And euere more AjHi, 
 WitAowtyn ende H 2 , for euer more R. >er] ]>eire In A 2) fere for to Hj. 451 
 and 452 are omitted in H 2 . 452 Je] for Je han R. seruede] hane a seruid 
 Hi. her] hyere A 2 Hi. 453 al fro 3011] now alle H 2 . gon] I gowne H 2 . 454 
 whij on] on A 2 H 2 . hadde je] ne hadde je D, Je haden R. Between 454 and 
 455 are the following two lines in H 2 : 
 
 Whan Jowre power was full welle 
 I sente I nowe of euyry dele 
 455 nele] wil HiH 2 R. no] om. A 2 . 456 Off] On R. him fat] hem Hi. do> 
 him] do> A 2 H 2 , wolde hym R. 457 witerli] vttawly H a . 458 Rihtfulliche] 
 Skylffulliche H 2 . 459 Sein] For seynt R. 459— 814 and the Latin text fol- 
 lowing are omitted in H 2 . 462 hit] om. R. 463 Ac] For A 2 , But HiR. mau] 
 a mom R. 464 >e] om. Hi. wid-outen] and not Hj. 465 and 466 are in- 
 serted between 470 and 471 in A 2 . 465 alone to] all on to A 2 , om. Hi, al onely 
 R. goddede] ony good dede H a . 466 rede] spede HiR. 467 Ac i ne] For I 
 A 2 , But jit I Hi, But I ne R. 
 
 1 nu is above the line in MS. A v 
 2 Bead fer. 3 be is above the line in MS. A x . 
 
Mirrored to the Pure Heart 
 
 23 
 
 Jjouh man be charged, sikerli 
 f Wid grete sinnes heuie and 1 sore, 
 
 He ne shal despeire neuere pe more, 
 
 Ac sopfast hope haue, to winne 
 
 Godes me?-ci of his sinne 
 
 purw shi-ifte of moupe and reperatauwee, 
 
 And redi perfore to don penaurice. 
 f Jif pu dost pus, hi day and niht, 
 
 Put al 2 pin hope in god almiht, 
 
 And tristi hope to him pu haue, 
 
 Jjat he pe wole helpe and saue. 
 Herkne, what i wole seie noupe, 
 
 For hit com out of godes moupe : 
 
 Vbi te in=bettto, tin 3 te tuirtcatiu. 
 
 ' Man, riht pere as i pe finde, 
 Eiht pere i wole pe iuge and binde.' 
 Alias, what sholen hij panne do, 
 Jjat bep ifourede in sorwe and wo, 
 J3at wolde noht hemselue shriue, 4 
 While peih mihte in here Hue ! 
 Jjerfore, man, i warne pe : 
 Loke, pat pu pe bise, 
 J)at pu be euere redi ared 3 are 
 Out of pis world for to fare ; 
 For siker noman wite ne may, 
 Wharene shal ben his endiwg day. 
 1T Jjerfore penk ofte in drede 
 
 468 Though 
 
 grievous the 
 burden, 
 
 be not in 
 
 despair. 
 
 Be steadfast. 
 
 472 
 
 Daily in con- 
 . fession and 
 476 tears, 
 
 hope for 
 mercy. 
 
 480 
 
 Delay not to 
 do good. 
 
 484 
 
 488 
 
 Be ready. 
 
 492 
 
 468 pouh man] bou may E. 470 He] jit R. ne] om. A 2 DR, shal] shalt 
 J>ou R. 471 Ac] And A 2 , But HiR. sobfast] stedfast R. haue] om. A 2 , 
 haue >ou R. 472 Godes] And ery god Hi. his] Jii R. The MS. continues 
 with 476 ire D. 476 ire] to D. almiht] of might R. 478 pat] And H^ helpe] 
 bob helpe Hi. 479 what] bat D. wole] sal D. seie] say be D, om. R. 
 noube] nowe D. 479 reads in Hi : Loke pis be not to 30W vnkowje. (Op. 
 I. 421. ) 480 out] om. A 2 D. Latin : iudicabo] iudico A 2 R. 482 fere] so D 
 Hi. wole] sal D. 483 what] how A 2 . hij] bei A 2 DHiR. 484 ifourede] I 
 bounde A 2 , fon D, corefouredid H v foureden R. sorwe] synne D. 485 woldej 
 nold D. hemselue] hem A 2 . 486 While] pe whyle D. ire here] in beire A 2 , 
 and were on H x . 488 bise] by be se A z , be se D. 488 reads in Hi and R : 
 "Whilest bou maiste goo & see. bou] bat bou R. 489 pat] Loke Hi. euere] 
 om. R. 490 bis] om. D. for] forbe D. 491 siker] sikurliche H 1( sikernes R. 
 ne] om. HiR. 493 benk] haue it H v ire drede] I pe reide R. 
 
 1 and is above the line in MS. A v 2 al is above the line in MS. A\. 
 
 3 One letter has been erased oefore ibi ire MS. A\. 
 
 4 484 and 485 are over erasure in MS. A\. 
 
24 
 
 In Christfs Gospel. 
 
 God said : 
 ' Where I 
 find, I bind/ 
 
 Remember ! 
 
 Pray often. 
 Bead. 
 
 In reading, 
 God speaks 
 with us ; 
 
 in prayer, 
 
 we speak 
 with God. 
 Holy Writ 
 is our mirror, 
 where is re- 
 vealed 
 
 knowledge of 
 God. 
 
 Seek peace. 
 
 God hath 
 proclaimed a 
 blessing to 
 the peace- 
 maker. 
 
 43 o 
 
 Off Jis word, 1 pat god seide : 2 
 
 ' Jjere i pe finde, i wole pe binde : ' 
 
 Lat ofte fat word ben in pi mynde ! 
 IT Man, if pu wolt pe world forsake, 
 
 And Iesu Crist to pe take, 
 
 ]ju most ben ofte in orisoun 
 
 And in reding of lesczoun. 
 
 Wid us god spekep, whan we rede 
 
 Off hi?) i and of his goddede, 
 
 And we wid him, ful iwis, 
 
 Whan we him bisekep pat riht is. 
 IT Holi writ is oure myrour, 
 
 In whom we sen al vre socour, 
 
 And, if we hit wolen vnderstowde, 
 
 ])er we muwen sen and fonge, 
 
 To haue of god pe knowelache, 3 
 
 Bope in pouht[e] and in speche. 
 IT And, if pu wolt haue fe loue 
 
 Off god, fat is in heuera aboue, 
 
 J3u most ben euere in god acord, 
 
 In pes and loue, and hate descord, 
 
 And ben aboute wid al pi miht, 
 
 To make pes bi day and niht ; 
 1T For Iesu Crist hit seip ful wel, 
 
 As we hit finden in godspel : 
 
 3Seatt pactftct, quontam ftltt Bet uo= 
 caimntur. 
 
 496 
 
 500 VeScripturi 
 rum Lectitme 
 
 504 
 
 508 
 
 512 
 
 Be PrmcepU* 
 Piteia. 
 
 516 
 
 494 Off >is] fe H r word] world D. seide] bi fore saide Hi. 495 wole] 
 sal D. 496 fat] J>is HiR. 497 wolt fe] wylt ben J>e (J>en blurred) A 2 , om. D, 
 wilt J>is H!R. 498 And] And to DHi. to J>e] holy >e D, fe Hi. take] bi 
 take H v 500 And] And eke Hj. lesczoun] gods lessone R. 501 god spekej] 
 to speke D. 502 goddede] godliede A 2 Hi, blissed dede R. 503 we wid him 
 ful] he with vs spekij Hj, we with hym R. 504 we] he D. him, bisekef] 
 him bysech A 2 , hym bedes D, bi seche him HiR. riht] rijtful H z . 506 sen] 
 seken Hi. 507 hit wolen] willen it A 2 D. 507 and 508 read in Hi : 
 
 If we vndirstond it welle 
 
 pere may we se euery delle. 
 508 we muwen] may we R. fonge] fonde D, vnderfonde R. 509 knowelache] 
 knowleching R. 510 speche] speking R. 512 god] Iesu R. is ire heuere] ire 
 heuen sittes R. 513 acord] wille Hi. 514 and loue] loue D. 514 reads in 
 H z : to hate synree bo> loude & stille. 516 bi] boh Hi. 5\8 hit finden] fynde 
 D. ire] in fe A^DHj. Latin : The text is inserted between 522 and 523 in Hi. 
 
 1 word is corrected from world in MS. A\. 
 3 Bead knoweleche. 
 
 2 Bead sede. 
 
Miseri' 
 ordia. 
 
 Of Peace and Mercy. 
 
 A sop word hit is and no les : 
 
 'Messed be pat make]) pes :' 520 
 
 Hij ouhten to ben honured alle, 
 
 For ' godes children mew shal hem calle.' 
 1T Man, if pu wolt to me herkny, 
 
 Nu i wole speken of merci. 524 
 
 IT So]>[e]liche, wid-oute fable, « a 
 
 Man, }ju most ben merciable. 
 
 On Iesu Crist penk witerli, 
 
 Hou be deiede for merci, 
 IT And al for be wolde merci haue 
 
 Off hem pat wolde merci craue ; 
 
 For, ar he deiede in flesh &nd bon, 
 
 Merci was per neue? - e non. 532 
 
 IT Bi pis ensaumple je muwen se, 
 
 Merciable for to be. 
 
 3if pi neiheboure misdop pe, 
 
 More or lasse wheiper hit be, 536 
 
 Or in dede, or in vbbreid, 
 
 Or wid word pe hap misseid, 
 
 And he per-after of-pinkep sore 
 
 And per-of criep merci and ore, 540 
 
 Por-jif hit him for godes loue, 
 
 Jjat us alle sit aboue I 
 IT Awd, if pu wolt no merci haue 
 Off him pat dop pe merci craue, 544 
 
 Merci getestu neuere non 
 Off trespas, pat pu bast idora ; 
 
 25 
 
 Be merciful. 
 
 528 Christ hath 
 died 
 
 for our sake, 
 example of 
 mercy. 
 
 Misdeeds 
 against thee, 
 
 forgive for 
 God's love. 
 
 519 hit is] is it Hi. no] not R. 520 Iblessed] Blessed HjE. be] be fei 
 A 2 R, be he Hi. 521 Hij] J>ei A 2 DHi, horn R. ouhten to ben] owte be D, 
 shul be Hi, oow to be R. 523 to me] come A 2 (transposed after herken in R). 
 524 Nil] om. HiR. wole] sal D. speken] speke su[m]what H 1P merci] mercie 
 to J>e R. 525 fable] ony fable Hi. 527 witerli] entereli Hi. 528 for] oonly 
 for Hj. 529 al for] for D. 530 Off] On HiR. wolde merci] wyl it mekelyche 
 D, wolde hym mercy R. 533 Je muwen] fiou mast A 2 . 534 and 535 are 
 omitted in D. 534 Merciable] Ful merciable Hi. 535 J>i] ony H^ misdo>] 
 haue misdone to R. 536 lasse] lesse lasse Hi. hit] so hit R. 537 Or] Oufer 
 A 2 DHiR. or] ouper D. in] -with Hi, om. R. vbbreid] vnbroid D. 538 Or 
 wid] OuJ>er with A 2 , Ofer in D, Or els with Hi. ]>e] fat he Hi (after has in 
 R). misseid] sayde Hj. 539 of-finkeb] for >ynkki}> A 2 , a jenke it D, 
 afynkef Hi, forthinkra hit R. 540 crie]>] J>e cry D. 541 For-jif] Forjeued 
 D. hit] om. A 2 H X . 543 if] om. R. wolt] nylt D. no] not A 2 . 544 Off] 
 OnHjE. him] horn R. 545 getestu] gestow DHi. 546 Off] Of fe A 2 . J>u] 
 Jd selfe Hi. idon] done A 2 DHiR. 
 
26 
 
 Of Forgiveness. 
 
 Pray : 'Sweet 
 God, forgive 
 my guilt, 
 
 For god it seip in his godspel — 
 Jjere men may finde it ful wel — 548 
 
 f ' Alswich met as pu metest me, 
 Alswioh i wole mete to pe.' 
 
 [For-jeue, pou man, for )>e loue of me, 
 And I wyll for ])e loue of pe.] 552 
 
 Nym god 3eme, maw. Jju sist 
 In }>i paternoster, what pu hist : 
 
 3St itmtttf noBts oeluta nostra, stcut 
 tt nos tit. 
 
 Jju seist : ' Swete lord, forjiue pu me, a a 
 
 Jjat i haue gilt a3eines pe, 556 
 
 as i forgive.' Riht as i do alle Jo, 
 
 Jjat me hauen ouht misdo.' 
 
 To the cmei ^[ And pu, fat art so cruwel in pouht 
 
 And wolt to merci herkne noht, 560 
 
 What wole hit [pe] helpe in eny stede 
 Jje holi paternoster bede ? 
 Noht, if i dar it seie, 
 
 For ajein ])iself[e] pu dost preie, 564 
 
 IT And pe holi bok of sop[e]nesse 
 Jjer-of berep god witnesse 
 And seip : ' He pat wole no merci haue, 
 On ydel dop he merci craue.' 568 
 
 De Indul- 
 gentia. 
 
 the pater- 
 noBter avail 
 eth nothing. 
 
 547 For] om. D. it seif] sei> it D. his] >e D. 548 men] om. Hi, mony 
 mon R. ful] om. R. The following text is introduced in R : ' Eadem menswra 
 qua messi fueritis remetietur vobis.' 549 Alswich] Also soch A 2 , Sweche DR. 
 met] mesure H^ me] to me D. 550 Alswich] Also soch A 2 , Soche Hi, right 
 siche R. wole] sal D. to )>e] he A 2 , vnto he D, a?en to >e Hj. 551 and 552 
 are omitted in Ai. 551 hou man] om. D, man HiR. 552 wyll] sal D. for he] 
 for D, for jif for Hi. 553 Nym] Take A 2 Hi, Take mon R. god Jeme] now 
 gome D, gode hede Hi. man] h«r R. ]>u sist] hat hou sest A 2 , fere l>ou 
 sittest Hi, hou saiest Rl 554 hi] ho R. what] hare A 2 , whan Hj. bist] 
 bedest A 2 , biddest Hj, prayest R. Latin: etc.] dimittimus etc. A 2 , di- 
 mittimus debitoribus nostris DHiR. 555 >u] om. R. 556 gilt] trespased 
 Hi, mysdone R. >e] om. A 2 . 557 as] als D. do] do to DHiR. 558 me] to 
 me R. ouht] ony hinge Hi. 559 And] D. fat] om. A 2 . in houht] in hy 
 houjt A 2 , and toujt D. 560 wolt] nylt D. 561 >e helpe] helpe Ai, helpe ]>e 
 A 2 Hi, stonde R. stede] way Hi. 562 pe] hi D. bede] for to say Hi, >of >ou 
 hit bidde R. 563 Noht if] Noujt A 2 , Ryjt nojt Hi. dar it] dare wele A 2 Hi, 
 doist {for dorst) D. seie] say and nay A a , say for sooh H^ 564 ajein] 
 ajenste Hi. dost preie] preyst wih moo> Hi. 565 And] As A 2 . 566 god] 
 om. A 2 R. 567 wole no] nelt D. 568 On] In D, ful R. do> he] he doth A 2 , 
 may he R. 
 
Of Patience. 
 
 In pattentta 1 besstra nossttoeittts 2 
 antmas beatras. 
 
 Houre swete lord in his speche 
 
 Hise deciples began to teclie 
 tientia. And bad hem ben of god suffrawzce 
 
 In alle manere destourbauwce. 572 
 
 1T 3if pu art sek in flesh and blod, 
 
 Jju most ben meke and polemod 
 
 And penk[e] pat god it pe sende, 
 
 Jji seli soule to amewde. 576 
 
 f 3if pu hast lore of pi catel, 
 
 Bipenk pe panne swipe wel, 
 
 Jjat of pi-self[e] haddestu noht, 
 
 But as hit was purw god iwrouht ; 3 580 
 
 Arad, if god it wole from pe take, 
 
 Jju ne shalt pe?-fore no gruchirag make, 
 IT Ac suffre al godes wille 
 
 Bope lude and eke stille. u & 584 
 
 IT And, yd pe fallep trauail on honde, 
 
 Or pine of bodi, or shame in londe, 
 
 Off al pis pu most suffrauwt be, 
 
 Jjouh pe pinke, hit greue pe. 588 
 
 Jjenk hou Iesu iw-to erpe cam, 
 
 And polede pine and shame for maw, 
 
 And foule was perto misseid, 
 
 27 
 
 Our sweet 
 Lord taught 
 his discipleB 
 patience. 
 
 In sickness, 
 be meek and 
 content. 
 
 Know that it 
 is to help thy 
 poor soul. 
 
 Mourn not 
 loss of pos- 
 sessions. 
 
 Of thyself 
 hadst thou 
 nothing : 
 all is God's 
 gift. 
 
 What God 
 hath ordered, 
 must be right. 
 
 33 e not re- 
 gretful. 
 God's will is 
 best. 
 
 In distress, 
 pain, dis- 
 grace, 
 
 be Bt ill. 
 
 Remember 
 
 the agony, 
 
 the vile 
 words. 
 
 570 began to] he gan to A 2 , he con R. 571 and 572 are transposed in R. 
 571 And] he R. bad] om. D. 572 alle] euery D. destourbaimce] of disturb- 
 aurece D, dissese or chaimce Hi. 573 and] or D. 574 most] salt D. and] 
 om. R. bolemod] "pole mod A 2 , >ole hi mode D, and lowe of mode Hi, in al 
 }i mode R. 575 it be] >e it A 2 . 576 to] for to H lm 577 lore] lose A 2 HiR, 
 hire D. bi] om. A 2 . 578 Bibenk] Loke & vmthink R. banne] man H x , om. R. 
 579 haddestu] hast bou (or Last in Ag) A 2 D, pou haddest hit R. 580 iwrouht] 
 ibou^t D, wroght R. 581 it wole from be] wyll it fro be A 2 R, wil fro pe it Hi. 
 582 ne] om. 'H 1 R. >erfore] it ]>er of D. 583 Ac] Bot A 2 H 1 R, Aud D. 584 
 Bobe] What euer he do bo> H a . eke] om. H v 587 Off al pis pu most] Of 
 ]>is bou most D, bou muste in al Jris Hi. suffrauwt] suffrand A 2 DH! (before 
 most) R. 588 pouh >e] je >oJ pou H x , bof >ou R. 589 Iesu] Iesu Oiste D. 
 590 jiolede] suffrerd Hj, for mon he tholyd R. for man] om. R. 591 was 
 berto] >ere was R. 591 and 592 are omitted in Hi. In their place are the 
 following two lines : 
 
 And many a fowle worde sufferd he pere 
 Bob scornywg^ and lesinngis on hyra bey bere 
 
 1 MS. A\ reads paciena. 2 bitis is written below the line in MS. A lt 
 
 3 The line is -punctuated here with a -period in MS. A\. 
 
28 
 
 Concerning Martyrdom 
 
 the scorn laid 
 on Christ. 
 He was silent. 
 
 wrong thee, 
 be' not sad. 
 
 For love of 
 Christ feel 
 not ill will.' 
 
 He may be 
 martyr with- 
 out sword or 
 flame, who is 
 patient for 
 the love of 
 
 God Al- 
 mighty. 
 The fight is 
 hard, contra- 
 ry to nature. 
 
 And many a skorn on him leid, 592 
 
 Wid-oute gruching he held him stille, 
 
 And Jwlede hit al wid milde wille, 
 II And al 1 he dede for vre sake, 
 
 For we sholde ensaumple take 596 
 
 To be suffraurat in eueri stede, 
 
 Eiht as vre lord himselue dede. 
 
 And, 3if a maw Jmrw his power 
 
 Dob J>e wroBg on eorjje her, 600 
 
 Jjenk in fin herte, i preie be, 
 
 Off be wrong and }>e vilte, 
 
 J)at men to Iesu Crist dede 
 
 Here on eorbe in many stede, 604 
 
 IT And hou he bolede hit mildeliche, 
 
 Al ffor J)i loue, sikerHche. 
 
 On ensaumple of him bu nim, 
 
 To suffre wroreg for Tp& loue of him ; 608 
 
 For, i dar seie sob[e]liche, 
 
 He may be martyr, treweliche, 
 
 Wid-oute shedmg of maranes blod, 
 
 J)at may ben here bolemod, 612 
 
 IT To suffre wrowg and vnriht 
 
 For he loue of god almiht : 
 
 Ac swich a fiht is vnmeb, He 
 
 For ajein be kirade hit geb. 616 
 
 592 on him] vpon R. leid] was leid {nearly erased) A a , Ileide D. 593 
 he] obi. R. held him] was ful H x . 594 jolede] suffered Hj. hit al] it A 2 . 
 milde] good H^ 595 al he dede] died D. 596 ensaumple] ensample of him 
 Hj, at him ensaumpel R. 597 suffraunt] suffrande A 2 DR, sufferynge Hj. 
 eueri] ilk a R. 598 vre lord] criste Hj. himselue] hym D, for vs Hi. 599 
 a] ony R. 600 be] ony Hj. 601 in] bus in D. Jin] om. D. 602 Off be] And 
 of \>e A 2 , How myehe Hi. and J>e] and of >e A 2 R, and H v vilte] wyte Aj, 
 vilante (perhaps for vilanie) D. 603 pat men] Mankynde Hi. 604 on] in 
 DHjR. many] many a DHiR. 605 folede hit]it boled Aj, Joled D, sufferid 
 mekelych and Hi. mildeliche] mykelich A 2 , stille Hi, myldely R. 606 
 sikerliche] sikerly R. 606 reads in Hi : For luf of man with good wille. 
 607 On ensaumple] onsample D. fu] now bou D. nim] take Hi. 608 J>e] 
 om. DH X . loue of him] goddis sake H 1# 609 dar] dar wel Hi. soheliche] 
 sothly R. 610 He] pat a man H x . martyr treweliche] martrid treuly R. 
 611 of maraies] of his D, here of his Hi. 612 may ben] wele may here D, 
 is R. folemod] hole (verb) mode (substantive) D, of meke mode Hi, of thole 
 mode R. 615 Ac] For A 2 , And D, But H X R. vnme>] vnneje A 2 , wele vnne> 
 D, vn e> Hj. 615 reads in R : But vnneth siche a faithe is >ere. 616 be] 
 om. R. ge)>] sej>e D, were R. 
 
 1 1 is above the line in MS. A\. 
 
In crown of 
 
 martyrdom 
 have meed. 
 
 624 God honoreth 
 lowliness. 
 
 Sumi- 
 ale. 
 
 And Humble Conceit of One's Self, 29 
 
 1T Whij ? for f e kinde of f i manhede 
 
 Wolde haue wreche of wrongful dede ; 
 
 Ac of Iesu tak f i minde, 
 
 And fiht ajein fin owen kinde, 620 
 
 And f u shalt haue for f i goddede 
 
 Off martyrdom ]>e heie mede. 
 
 Ac Jm, fersse man, fat art so stout, 
 
 And heih of mod, and herte proud * — 
 
 He wole bowe for noJ>i«g 
 
 To man, ne to heuene king — 
 f And he fat wole him heine?j here, The high He 
 
 Jjat nele be meke in none manere, 628 
 
 In Utel while he shal hit knowe 
 
 And f alle f erf ore swif e lowe. draweth low : 
 
 <©ut se eialtat, fjumtliabttur, tt qui 
 se Sumtltat, eialtafittur. 
 
 )3e milde f urw [her] 2 humilite the low He 
 
 Ful heie honoured f eih sholew be ; 632 
 
 For feih 3 sholen be draw en on heih 
 And wonye 4 god swife neih. 
 IT And pride, it is so foul a last, 
 Jjat out of heuene he was cast. 
 Jju shalt wel wite, fat i ne lije, 
 For Lucifer [with] his cumpaignye, 
 [Out of heuew, fat was so bryjte, 
 In-to helle for pride he toke his fly^te.] 640 
 
 617 Whij] om. Hi. J>e] >i D. hi] J>e D, om. HjR. manhede] mon R. 
 618 wreche of wrongful dede] vengaunee a non R. of] for A 2 . 619 Ac] Bot 
 A 2 HiR, And D. Iesu] Iesu criste D. tak] take Jou Hj. 623 Ac] For A 2> 
 But HiE. >u fersse] he ferje {or ferye) D, hou H 2 . art so stout] so proude 
 art R. 624 And] om. A 2 D. heih of] of hyje H,. and herte] of herte A 2 D, & 
 stoute of hert R. proud] om. R. 625 He wole] He nyll A 2 D, >ou nylt Hi, 
 he wil not R. 626 To] Nehere to H x . 627 he bat] hat D. wole] wold A 2 . 
 him heinen.] hym hye AgHj, hey hym D, heghe hym R. 628 J>at nele] 
 And wil Hi, and wol not R. be meke] bowe R. in none] in no A 2 D, on 
 noo HjR. 630 Jerfore swife] bo> fowle and Hi. Latin ; exattat kumiliabitur] 
 humiliat exaltabitur A 2 R. e(] om. A 2 R. humiliat exaltabitur] exaltat ku- 
 miliabitur A 2 R. 632 heie] "Wele A 2 , lely R. heih sholew] shall he A 2 HiR, 
 he sal D. 633 heih] he DH 2 R. 634 wonye] woroine with Hi. 635 And] 
 For A 2 D, But Hi. it is] is DH V a] at A 2 , bo> firste and Hi. 636 pat] om. 
 D. heuene] paradys A 2 . 637 ne] not R. 638 with] arad AjAaDR. his] al 
 his Hj. 639 and 640 are omitted in AiA 2 DR. 
 
 1 Read prout. 2 MSS. his. 
 
 3 i in feih is in red ink above the line in MS. A\. 
 
 4 e is above the line in MS. A\. 
 
 lifteth high. 
 
 The fairest 
 angel was 
 636 hurled from 
 heaven 
 
30 
 
 Fleeing Vain Pride, 
 
 through 
 pride. 
 
 Beware, 
 proud man ! 
 
 Pride drags 
 to heli. 
 
 Jpurw be pride bat hem gan folewe, 
 
 Jje pine of helle hem gan to swolewe, 
 IT And so he wole don alle and some, 
 
 Jjat in pride be inome. 644 
 
 [Nowe be bou were, ])ou proude gome, 
 
 Jjat fou ne be in pryde enome :] 
 
 Cast hit awey, i wole be rede, « d 
 
 Er of strong pine be may drede ; 648 
 
 IT For, siker, and Jra be nomew berinne, 
 
 Heuene maitou neuere wiime, 
 
 And ober weye is j>er non, 
 
 Bute to heuene or to helle gon. 652 
 
 Jjanne do bi eonsail &nd bi red, 1 
 
 And onercome fe foule qued, 
 
 Jjat fondeb be on vch a side, 
 
 Jje to holde in bi pride. 656 
 
 IT Ac, if pu coubest knowe and se 
 
 Jje uertu of humilite, 
 
 For nojnwg bu noldest shone, 
 
 Ac hit sholde euere wid fie wone : 660 
 
 Off alle ueriuz it is hext, 
 
 And godes wille it is next. 
 
 Sein Gregory berof bereb witnes, 
 
 Jjat muchel spekeb of sob[e]nes : 664 
 
 <EJui situ fjumtlitate uittutts ceteras 
 congregat, est quasi, qui tit bento 
 pulumm pottat. 
 
 641 and 642 are omitted in Hi. 641 gan] dyde D, con R. 642 pine] pytt 
 D. hem] >eyme A 2 . to] on. A 2 R. 643 And so] So R. he] J>ei A 2 , om. Hj. 
 wole don] shalle do boh Hi. and some] men R. 644 inome] taken R. 645 
 and 646 are omitted in kj). 645 Nowe be fou] >en be H^ Now be R. gome] 
 grome R. 646 ne be] be not H^ om. R. enome] I nome Hj, be not nome R. 
 647 wole] sal D, om. Hi. 648 — 653 are omitted in A 2 . 648 Er of strong] Or 
 of stronger Hi, Or ellis of strong R. }>e] J>ou DH a R. 649 siker] sikerly R. 
 nome«] foimde Hi, tane R. 650 maitou] myyt Jou D. 651 her] \>er neuer Hi. 
 652 to helle] helle >ou must Hi, helle R. 653 panne] Man D. bi] be my D. 
 a?id bi] and be my D. 654 he] hat A 2 . 655 on] in A 2 . vch] ilk R. a side] 
 syde DHj. 656 pe to holde] For to holdene A 2> Tho holde >e D, For to hold 
 ]>e HjR. hi] om. R. 657 Ac] For A 2 , And T>K lt But R. coujiest] kowdest Hj. 
 and] or R. 659 >u noldest] noldest hou A 2 , hou nost it T>, woltest it H 2 , ]>ou 
 woldist hit R. 660 Ac] For A 2 , And D, But HiR. 661 hext] >o hext R. 
 662 And] And at A 2 . 663 herof bereh] bereh herof A x , bere> D. 664 sohenes] 
 mekenesse D. Latin : est] et D, om. HiR. qui] om. A 2 R, quern D. in vento 
 puluerem] puluerem in vento R. 
 
 1 MS. A x bired. 
 
 Have con- 
 tempt for 
 vanities. 
 
 Without hu- 
 mility holy 
 works are 
 
Jomputic- 
 i? cordis. 
 
 Admonitions to 
 
 Man, pou[h] pu do muchel god, 
 
 But Jjou be meke and, folemod, 
 
 Sein Gregory seip, pat holi clerk, 
 
 Jjat muchel on ydel is J>at werk. 
 
 Hit fareji bi swicbe, as we finde, 
 
 As who-so berep poudre in grete wirade ; 
 
 For, bere he neuere so muche, 1 
 
 Hit fle]j awey ful lihtliche. 
 
 Off man hit fare]) riht so, 
 
 For, gode dedes pouh he do, 
 
 Many and fele in vch a side, 
 
 Jjer may non wid him abide : 
 
 Bute he haue humilite, 
 
 Awey peih wolen fro him fle. 
 1T A god fing is humilite : 
 
 Off him comej) verray charite, 
 
 And penauwce, and eke shrift — 
 
 jjis is of god a wel fair 31ft — 
 
 And of him forjiffejnesse of sinne. 
 
 Wel is him pat hit may wiwne ! 
 1T Who-so is aferd of his trespaz, 
 
 He shal haue comfort and solaz 
 
 Off pe holi gost, witerli, 
 
 Jjat wole {his] soule comforti, 
 
 And make men haue, mid iwisse, 
 
 Tristi hope to heuene blisse. 
 
 Sein Daui per-of spak and seide 2 
 
 31 
 
 668 
 
 like dust in 
 wind. 
 
 672 
 
 676 
 
 Away they 
 
 fly. 
 
 680 From humili- 
 ty springeth 
 penitence, of 
 which 
 
 forgiveness 
 is won. 
 
 684 
 
 688 the soul's 
 comfort, 
 
 and everlast- 
 ing delights. 
 
 665 do] om. D. muchel] fill meche D, neuer so mikel R. 666 meke and] 
 lowe & meke of Hi. J>olemod] ]>ole (verb) mod (substantive) D, mode Hi, of 
 thole mode R. 667 J>at] >e A 2 . clerk] chirche A 2 D. 668 on] in A 2 I)R. 
 ]>at] Ji Hi, his R. 670 who-so] he fat H^ grete] }>e Hi. 671 bere he] >oj 
 he bere Hj, of he bere R. 672 fief] fallefe D, nyef H X R. ful] om. A 2 . 673 
 and 674 are transposed in A v Hj, and R. 673 Off] Ryjt be D. riht so] also 
 A 2 . 674 Jouh] of R. 675 and] ane D. in] on HiR. a side] syde A 2 D. 676 
 him] ofer R. 677 Bute] But if H 2 . humilite] v«rray humylite R. 678 and 
 679 are omitted in A 2 . 678 Awey] Alle R. }>eih wolen fro him] fro hym fay 
 wyl D, }>ei wil al fro him H x . fle] flye Hi. 679 is omitted in D. 680 him] 
 him J>at H r 681 And] In D. 682 pis] pat D. wel] om. A 2 , ful R. 683 of 
 him] of hem D, om. R. sinne] hys synne A 2 . 684 hit may] fat may A 2 D, 
 may it Hi. 685 "Who-so] For who so A 2 , He fat Hi. aferd] affred D. 687 
 witerli] vtterly Hi. 688 his] fi A 2 R, man H v comforti] comfort in hye R. 
 689 men] here D, men to R. mid] mynde A 2 D, J>er myd Hi, fcj- with R. 
 ' iwisse] wysse D. 690 Tristi] Of tresty D. 691 fer-of] om. D. 
 
 1 Read miche. 
 
 2 Read sede. 
 
32 Compunction of Heart, 
 
 In pe 1 sauter, as men rede : 692 
 
 Secundum multttufciium tiolorum metis 
 turn in cottie meo, tonsolattones tu« 
 Itettftcauetunt 2 antmam ttuam. 
 
 Fear sin! ' [)je] 3 more man doutep here simne, 
 
 Jje more ioye he shal wirane ; ' 
 
 For, who-so hap of sinne 4 drede 
 
 And nel noht don pat 5 foule dede, 696 
 
 Hit semep, pat he hap trewe loue 
 
 To Iesu Crist, pat is aboue. 
 IT ping is comem in my pou[h]t, 
 
 To shewe hit wole i spare noht : 700 
 
 f Jif any pat is ire holy lyf , « ' 
 
 Man, maiden, oper wif , 
 
 In any time, purw any cas, 
 
 Dop a litel trespas, 704 
 
 Jjat be ajein godes wille, 
 
 Oper loud[e] oper stille, 
 
 He wole haue more sorwe and drede 
 
 For pat litel sinful dede, 708 
 
 )jan many on wole in eny stourede, 
 
 )3at lyp in dedli sirane boimde. 
 
 3if $e wolen wite herof pe skile, 
 
 Herkne, and i 30a telle wole : 6 712 
 
 J)at man pat lyp in dedli sinne, 
 
 And to singy wole noht bliwne| 
 
 The godly 
 
 for a little 
 trespass 
 
 grieveth 
 more 
 
 than doth for 
 his sin 
 
 the man 
 lying in guilt. 
 
 692 as men] boke men may D. rede] do rede Hi. Latin : meorum] om. 
 E. meo] om. D. consolationes tuae] om. R. 693 man] a mon R. here] his 
 AjHjE, here of D. 694 he shal] shal he Hi. 695 sinne] his sinne A X R. 696 
 And] He D. nel] wil HjE. noht] no more E. >at foule dede] >e fende reed 
 Hj, tit in dede R. 698 is] sittihe A 2 HiR. 699 come™] comyn now D. in] 
 to E. 700 hit wole] it nyl A 2 Hi, nil D, hit I wil R. i] om. E. 701 fat is] 
 man be Hi, is R. 702 Man maiden] Man or childe made Hi. oJ>er] or AgH u 
 wydow oyer D, childe or R. 703 any] one R. >urw] for D. any] a R. 
 704 Do>] and dos R. a litel] gret or smale Hi. 705 be] is HjR. 706 Ofer] 
 Erly or late Hj, be hit R. ofer] or H x , be hit E. 708 litel] on Hi. 709 on] 
 om. DHi. 710 ly>] es D. bourade] I bounde A^R, iboude D. 711 Je 
 wolen wite] >ou wylt A 2 E, hou wolt nyt D, Je wil Hi. >e skile] skyll D, ony 
 Jinge wite Hi. 712 i 3011 telle] I ]>e telle A 2 E, tell he I D, I wil tel Jow Hi. 
 wole] Jitte Hi. 713 fat] J>e A 2 DR. 714 And to singy] Fro day to day and 
 Hi, and ho synne he E. wole] wyll he A 2 , nele DHj. 
 
 1 >e is above the line in MS. A v 2 MS. tue letificaueront. 
 
 3 MS. A-l has so. * MS. A 1 has his sinne. 
 
 5 One letter has been erased after yat in MS. A v 6 Mead wille. 
 
Against Spiritual Blindness, 
 
 33 
 
 He hath lost 
 
 716 
 
 discernment 
 
 720 
 
 724 
 
 and, 
 
 728 
 
 IT Gostli wit he hap ilore. 
 
 Whi, i wole telle, [and] wharfore ; 
 
 For gostli siht, witerliche, 
 
 Man, is pi resoun, sikerliche, 
 
 Wher-Jmr[w] pu miht in pi mod 
 
 Knowe bope yuel and god, 
 
 And shed to make in eue?i dede 
 
 Bitwene sopnesse and falshede. 
 f And, whara mannes soule, ful iwis, 
 
 Jjurw dedli sinne ifiled is, 
 
 His knowelachiwg is al gon ; 
 
 For wit ne siht hap [he] 1 non, 
 
 Wherfore pe sinful man 
 
 Noper he ne may ne he ne can 
 
 His owen stat [a]riht ise, 
 IT Ne knowe in what lyf he be 
 
 For pisternesse, pat he is i«ne 45 
 
 Jjurw pe filpe of dedli sinne. 
 IT Ac he pat liuep in holy lyf, 
 
 Man, may den, oper wyf, 
 
 And seruep god on eorpe her, 
 
 His gostli siht is swipe cler ; 
 For perwid he may knowe and se — 
 In what lyf [e] pat he be — 
 God and yuel, lasse and more, 
 
 715 wit] syjt D. ilore] for lore AjDHj. 716 wole] sal D. telle] ]>e tell 
 A 2 . and] om. AjAj, how and D. 716 reads in H] and R : I wil jow telle 
 whi & wharfore. jow] pe R. 717 gostli] pi gostly D. siht] witte Hj. 
 witerliche] sikerlyche D, vtterlyehe Hj. 718 Man is pi resoun] Is pi reson 
 man Hi. sikerliche] sopelyche D. 719 Wher-purw] wheire A,E. 720 bope] 
 om. A 2 , bope pe DE, per bi Hi. and] and eke pe D, and Jjo B. 721 shed] 
 partye Hi. to] om. DH X . earn] alle pi R. dede] stede A 2 Hi. 722 Bitwene] 
 Hyt wene D, bytwyx R. 723 And whare] When A 2 . m&nnes soule] man is 
 A 2 . ful iwis] foule es D, fylid is Hi, I wis R. 724 J>urw dedli] And porouj 
 A 2 , porow ]ie fende and Hi. ifiled is] fouled es D, I wisse Hi, fyled is R. 
 725 His knowelachiwg] Here knawlagyng D, gostly knowynge Hi, his know- 
 ing R. al gon] agone A 2 , al agone D. 726 nej nor A 2 . 727 Wherfore )>e] 
 perfor pe sori Hi. 728 ne may] maye H X E. ne he ne] noupere he ne A 2 , ne 
 noper he H^ ne he R. 729 ariht] riht AiR, ryjt wel Hi. ise] see A 2 R. 730 
 he] pat he R. 731 pisternesse] derkenes A 2 , pe derknesse D, pe sternesse Hi, 
 merkenes R. 732 filpe] fylyng R. 733 Ac] Bot A^R, And D. he] poo 
 E. 734 o>er] childe or R. 734 reads in Hi : Be he man mayde or wyfe. 
 735 seme])] serued D. on eorfe] euer A 2 , in erpe Hi. 736 is] om. D. swi]>e] 
 ful H 2 R. 737—740 are omitted in Hi and R. 737 se] sene D. 738 is 
 omitted in D. 739 and] oyer D. and] o]>er D. 
 
 cannot see 
 
 732 the filth of 
 deadly sin ; 
 but the holy 
 hath 
 
 736 spiritual 
 sight. 
 
 SPEC. WAR. 
 
34 
 
 With Confession for Vanities. 
 
 The Al- 
 mighty 
 guideth him 
 
 to fear the 
 day of 
 eternity. 
 
 Needful is 
 desire after 
 righteous- 
 ness, 
 therefore 
 
 proceed to 
 confess. 
 
 Al he knowef f urw godes lore ; 
 
 IT For widirane him is god almiht 
 And 3eueJ> him grace of gostly siht 
 To sen and knowe in his mod 
 Jje longe lyff, fat is so god, 
 
 - And f e drede of domes-day, 
 And J>e pine fat lastef ay, 
 Wher-Jrarw hij sholen J>e more drede 
 And flen sinne ira al here dede. 
 
 IT Here je muwen se f e wrorag 
 
 And knowe, wher-on [hit] 1 is lowg, 
 Jjat sinful man may noht se 
 Hise giltes, fou[h] feih 2 grete he. 
 
 IT Listnef noufe to my speche, 
 And of nedful fing i wole 30U teohe. 
 Off holi churche it is f e lore, 
 Jjat spekej) to alle, lasse and more, 
 And seif : ' Man, while fu miht Hue, 
 Loke fat ]ju be oft shriue.' 
 
 IT Anon, so f u hast sinne wrouht, 
 While it is newe in J>i 3 fount, 
 Anon to shrifte fat fu garage, 4 
 Ee dwelle f u noht f erwid to longe ; 
 For, if f u dost, f u miht wel wite, 
 J)at sumwhat shal be fo^ete, 5 
 "Wher-furw f u miht be blamed, 
 And at f e dom sore ashamed. 
 
 IT Jjerfore, man, while fu miht liue, 
 
 740 
 
 744 
 
 748 
 
 752 
 
 756 
 
 D8 Cov 
 fession 
 
 760 
 
 764 
 
 742 And Jeuej hira] >at ia E. 743 sen and knowe] know ande to se D. 
 747 hij sholen] ]>ei scholen A 2 R, he sal D, J>ei haue Hj. 748 And] to R. 
 flen] flye Hi. ira] and A 2 , hi Hi. here] his (nede has been crossed out after 
 his.) D, manerHi. dede] rede Hi. 749 Je muwen se] we mow sene D. fe] 
 boh ryjt and H x . 750 knowe] se R. lomg] alange A 2 . 751 pat] And D, >e 
 Hi. may] om. D. 753 noufe] now H X R. 754 of nedful] mede Hi, nedeful 
 R. wole jou] sal ]>e D, wil ]>e R. 755 churche] clerge D. 756 lasse] bo> 
 lasse Hj. 757 miht] may DR. 758 oft] clene R. shriue] Iscryue A 2 Hi. 759 
 Anon so] als sone as R. wrouht] I wrought A 2 DHi. 760 While] J>e whyle 
 D. 761 Anon] On on D. fat] loke Tpat Hi. 762 }>u] om. A 2 . noht Jerwid] 
 ]>erwith naujt D. 763 miht] maist A 2 , may DR. 764 sumwhat] som gylt D. 
 shal be] J>u myjte Hj. forjete] for Jete of hit R. 765 miht] maiste DR. 766 
 sore] berof D, ful sore R. 767 miht] mayjt DR. 
 
 1 MS. Ai has his. 2 MS. D has fay fay. 3 MS. Ai reads >i *i. 
 4 Bead gonge. s Mead forjite. 
 
Devout Exhortations to 
 
 35 
 
 Loke, bat fu be [clene] 1 shriue, 
 Wid sorwe of herte and reperetauraee. 
 And of be prest tak bi penauwce. 
 Jjis is a riche medicine, 
 Hit shildej) man fro helle pine. 
 A betre bing was neuere fouwde, — 
 For hit may hele dedli wourcde — 
 And, wbo-so euere wole hit craue, 
 "Wid-outen cost he may hit haue. 
 IT Man, ne lat hit foi no shame, 
 Last J>u falle berfore in blame. 
 If J>u nilt for shame [shewe] hit her, 
 Hit shal ben shewed elle[s]wher 2 
 To alle be shaftes bat euere were, 
 And alle beih sholen sen and here. 
 
 Ntljtl ai0coni(ttum ) s ^uoir 
 nee occultum, quotr non 
 
 And ber-of bu shalt haue shame 
 And ber-to wel muche blame. 
 
 Tweye manere shame mew lint ire boke, 
 Who-so wole perafter loke : 
 Jjat on go]) to dampnacioun ; 
 J)at ober, to sauuacioun. 
 f Jif 30 wole wite hou hit be, 
 Sitteb stille, and herkneb me : 
 
 768 
 
 Penance from 
 the priest is 
 healing 
 
 772 
 
 for deadly- 
 wound. 
 
 776 
 
 In Bhame 
 delay confes- 
 sion, 
 
 780 
 
 non scietur, 
 rcueletur, 4 
 
 784 
 
 788 
 
 and all the 
 creatures 
 that ever 
 were sliall 
 see and hear. 
 
 768 shriue] I sehryue A 2 DHi. 769 of] at )>yne A 2 . 770 Je] J>y A 2 . 771 
 riche] aryjt D, a good & ryche Hi, rightful R. 772 mis] Je right wys mas 
 D. helle] om. D. 773 was] nas A 2 . foumde] ifourade A 2 DHi. 774 may hele] 
 makes holle E. 775 who-so] he >at H x . 777 ne] no D. lat] late Jou A 2 , 
 leue H,. hit] J>ou E. 778 falle Jerfore] Jerfore falle E. blame] gret blame 
 D. 779 nilt] lette Hi, wilt not E. shewe] om. Ai, to shew Hi. hit] hem 
 HiE. 780 Hit] J>ei H^. elles] als Hi. 781 shaftes] creatines D, folke Hi, 
 men E. 782 And] om. D. sen] horn se E. and here] it ]>er D. Latin: 
 absconditum] occultum D, optatum Hi. scietur] reueletur HiR. occultum] 
 absconditv/m H v reueletur] sciatur HiR. 783 >er-of ] Jeire A 2 , \eroi )>en E. 
 784] wel] ful E. 785 manere] maner of DE. 787 J>at on] pe tone D. 788 
 J>at ofer] pe toper D. to] vnto D, go> to H^ 789 Je wole wite] he wytt D, 
 ]ju wilt wite H,R. hou] what Hi. hit] >is may E. 790 me] to me A 2 . 
 790 has the following readings in D and in HiE (1. 328) : 
 
 HarkeneJ alle now to me D. 
 
 Herken & I wil telle ]>e HjE. (1. 328) 
 
 1 MS. A 1 has ofte. 
 3 MS. A-l Nichil abscmiditum. 
 
 MS. A-i eller wher. 
 
 4 MS. A 1 releuetow. 
 
36 
 
 Be earnestly Penitent, 
 
 True shame, 
 
 in regret and 
 sorrow. 
 
 craves par- 
 don. 
 
 ForgivenesB 
 wins 
 
 eternal 
 heaven. 
 False shame 
 
 fears to show 
 guilt. 
 
 This wicked 
 shame brings 
 death. 
 
 IT Man, Jiouh J>u haue sinne wrouht 
 In word, ira dede, nud in fount, 
 If pu art piself perof ashamed, 
 And at fin herte sore agramed, 
 
 IT And ne sparest for shame ne for eije, 
 J)at pu hit nilt in shrifte seie, 
 Off god pu miht wel liht[e]liche 
 For3ifnesse haue, sikerliche. 
 Jjis ilke shame, be my eroun, 
 ■Drawep al to sauuacioun. 
 
 f }?at ofer shame so is pis : 
 Jif a man hap don amis 
 And foule sinnefs] 1 hap iwrouht, 
 And wole for shame shewe hem noht 
 In his shrifte to pe prestj 
 He wrappep sore Iesu Crist. 
 For^ifnes, iwis, ne tit him neuere, 
 But in helle to brewnen euere. 
 
 IT Whi artu more ashamed to speke 
 A word, pan godes heste to breke 1 
 J)is is foule, wicked shame, 
 )jat bringep sinful man in blame. 
 
 )je lore pat eomep out of godes moup, 
 To alle men hit sholde be coup : 
 
 ILauamtnt, et munfct estote. 
 
 Iesu spak and seide ene : 
 
 792 
 
 796 1 
 
 800 
 
 804 
 
 808 
 
 812 
 
 De Poni- 
 tentia. 
 
 791 houh] Jef A 2 DR. sinne] foule synne A 2 D. wrouht] Iwroujt A 2 D, don 
 HjK. 792 and] oufere A 2 , or D. 792 reads in Hi and R : Lo)ily & fele many- 
 oon. fele] foule R. {Gp. I. 838 in Ai. ) 793 Jriself ferof] fyself A 2 , ferof Hj. 
 794 at] in D. sore] >erof D. 795 ne] om. R. for] ne for D, not for R. shame 
 ne for eije] loue ne ay R. 796 J>at] But )>at Hj. hit nilt] nylt it A 2 D, wilt 
 Hi, hom wilt R. 797 J>u] >ett H^ om. R. miht] may D, J>en may Jjou R. wel 
 lihteliche] lightly R. 798 sikerliche] wele sykerlyche A 2 , sikerly R. 800 al] 
 Jie R. 801 J>at] >e D. so is Jis] soch it is A 2 , for soj is >is Hj, for sothe hit is 
 R. 802 Jif ] }if fat D. 803 foule] many fowle Hi. iwrouht] wrojt DHiR. 
 804 wole] nyl A 2 D. he?/i] it D. 807 iwis] om. D. ne tit Mm] tydef hym 
 A 2 R, ne tydde D, tidde hym Hi. 808 to breranen] to brynne for A 2 , to wou 
 D, fyre burne for H^ fire brenne R. 809 more] nere D. to speke] a word 
 to speke A 2 . 810 A word fan] J>ane bou art A 2 . to] for to D. 811 is] is >e 
 A 2 D, ilke HjR. 812 fat] om. HjR. sinful] a sywful Hi. man] men AjD. 
 in] in gret D, to Hi, in mikel R. 813 out] om. Aj. The manuscript con- 
 tinues with the Latin following 814 in H 2 . 815 Iesu] Iesu Criste D, Thus 
 Iesu H 2 . and seide] to hem al DHi. ene] euene A 2 H 2 , bidene DHi. 
 
 1 MS. A 1 sinne>. 
 
To Repent and 37 
 
 ' Wasshep ou, and bep clene.' 816 washuiere- 
 
 Kindeliche ofte mew sep, 10m- ' 
 
 Wid water men wasshep, pat foule bej), 
 1T And 1 hot water, be pu bold, 
 
 Make]) clannere pan dop cold. 820 
 
 Al pis i seie sikerliche, 46 s 
 
 For to speken openliche, 
 IT What hit is for to mene : 
 
 ' Wasshep ou, said bep clene.' 824 
 
 Sumnie wasshep, ac noht ariht, 
 
 For pe clannere bep hij no wiht. 
 
 )3e hote teres of marines ei3e 2 Weep, and 
 
 Makep clannere pan any lije. 828 
 
 Many on wepep for his misdede, 
 
 Ac to do sinne noht hij ne drede : leave sin. 
 
 IT He wenep, wasshe him wid pat water, 
 
 And he is foul neuere pe later. 832 
 
 816 be>] be Je made Hi. 817 Kindeliche] Kendely H 2 R. ofte me?i] often- 
 tyme mere Hi, mewne ofte tyme H 2 , of men R. 818 wasshe>] wasshe hem 
 Hi. 819 and 820 are inserted between 828 and 829 in H 2 . 819 And] For H 2 . 
 820 Makef] wasshis R. dof] ]>e A 2 DH 2 , dos ]>o R. 821 Al] And al H x . J>is 
 i] I hyte H 2 . sikerliche] sekerlye H 2 . 822 speken] schevv D. openliche] 
 openlye H 2 . 823 — 826 are omitted in H 2 . 823 hit is] is hit R. 824 be)>] 
 be> made Hi. 825 wasshe};] wasshen horn R. ac] bot A^R, and D. 826 
 For] Neuere A 2 . hij] >ei A-jD^R. no] ne A^ naujt DR. wiht] white A 2 , 
 ryjt D, whijt Hi, dight R. 827 mannes] a maraies D. 828 Makef] f>ay 
 make]) D, washe> Hj. 829— 840 read on fol. 53 a in H 2 : 
 
 Sorowe of herte and repentawnce (Op. I. 769 in A x . ) 
 
 And for Jowre synnys doo penawnce (Op. I. 474 in Ai. ) 
 
 Shalle graunte Jowe myghte & space 
 832 Iesu cryste too sene hys fface 4 
 
 Lady crownyd . heuene qwene 
 
 Preye for vs alle be dene 
 
 To thy sone . kynge of heuene 
 836 For hys holy namys seuene 8 
 
 That he vs graurete . hys ryche blysse 
 
 That we therof nott ne mysse 
 
 And that hit soo mote bee 
 840 Amen . Amen for seynte chary te 12 
 
 Explicit Speculum Gy de Warbwykb"] 
 ^Secundum Alquinum Heremite J 
 
 841 — 1034 are omitted in H 2 . The manuscript ends with 840. For colophon, 
 see the Introduction. 829 Many on] Many A 2 R, And noman D. his] here 
 A 2 R. 830 Ac] Bot AjjHjR, And D. noht] om. A 2 HiR, he nyl noujt D. hij 
 ne] Jei no A 2 , om. D, he hav no H lf f>ai han no R. 831 He wene>] JJei wene 
 HiR. wasshe him] Jay wassh hy»i D, to wasshe hem HjR. 832 he is] es D, 
 Jit >ei bejj Hi, J>ai ben R. foule] foulid R. 
 
 1 In MS. A\, d is in red ink above the line. 2 Mead ije. 
 
38 To do Holy Works, 
 
 Why ? For 3ft wole he noht simne fie : 
 
 Iwis, vnclene he shal be. 
 Ac anof er manere wasshiwg 
 
 Makef clene of alle f ing : 
 
 Man, pouh f ou haue sinne don, 
 
 Lodlich and foule many on, 
 IT 3if f u hast wille to leue f i sinne, 
 
 ]jat fu no more ne come ferinne, 
 
 Of fin ei3en f e hote teres, 
 
 }jat gof adoun bi fine leres, 
 
 Hij wolen make god acoid 
 
 Bitwene f i soule and oure lord 
 
 And make f e clene of fi sirene, 
 
 Wher-furw fu miht heuene wiwne. 
 1T Nu 3e muwe witen, what it is to mene : 
 
 ' Wasshef ou and bef clene ; ' 
 
 Ac he fat wole clene be, 
 
 Certes [synne] he mot fie. 
 1i Wole je here jit eft sone 
 
 Off ping fat nedf ul is to done ; is o 
 
 Hit is godes owen lore, 
 
 Jjat spekef to alle, lasse and more : 
 
 amiiulate, tium lucem i>aleti$, ne 
 tenefitEe bos 1 compufKn&ant. 
 
 Haste, lest ' Go, man, while fat f u hast libit, 
 
 night sur- Lest f e of-take f e derke niht.' 
 
 LifTi's doy: V 1 ty f , man > is cle P ed liht > 
 
 ^ l f,t. i8 And f i def f e derke niht. 
 
 Hot tears of 
 repentance 
 
 make har- 
 mony 
 
 between thy 
 soul and God. 
 They cleanse 
 from sin. 
 
 836 
 
 840 
 
 844 
 
 848 
 
 852 
 
 De non Tar- 
 dando Con- 
 verti ad Do- 
 
 minum, , 
 
 856 
 
 833 Whij] om. R. Jit wole he] pf he nyl D, }>ei wil Hi, if )>ai wil R. fie] 
 and fle A 2 , flye Hi. 834 he shal] sail he D, >ei shulle HiR. 834 reads in 
 A 2 : He was vnclene so schall he be. 835 Ac] Bot A 2 HiR, And eke D. 836 
 Makef] Clense D. 837 bouh] if R. don] idons D. 838 Lodlich] Dedelyche 
 (Cp. I. 792 in H^.) D, lodely R. ( The last word of line 838 is lost through a 
 hole in the parchment in D. ) 839 leue] lete D. 840— 845 are omitted in A 2 . 
 840 no more] more D. ne] om. H^R. come] falle R. 843 Hij] J>ay DH 2 R. 
 god] a good Hi. 846 miht] salt D. 847 Je muwe] may foil R. it is] is R. 
 848 bef] be Je made Hi. 849 Ac] Bot AjHjR, And D. he] Je R. 850 
 synne] sum what AiA 2 R, deedly sy?me Hi. he] Je R. mot] moste A 2 HiR. 
 fle] flye Hi. 851 eft] efter R. 852 Off] One R. nedful] medeful D. to] to 
 be Hi. 853 godes owen] Iesu Criste D. 854 J>at] om. D. alle] al men Hi. 
 855 >at] om. A 2 HiR. 856 of-take] ouere take Aa^R. 857 is cleped] I clepe 
 ]>i D, is cald Ji R. 858 ]>e] is ]>e A 2 , ]>i D. 
 
 1 MS. A 1 te tenebre nos. 
 
Craving God's Favor, 
 
 39 
 
 "While pu art on liue, pu miht worche 
 Godes werkes of holi churche, 1 
 And, certes, whan fat Jra art ded, 
 Jjanne maitou don noper god ne qaed. 
 
 1T )3erfore, man, i warne pe, 
 While pu miht gon and se, 
 In gode weyes sped pe faste ! 
 Lef, fe niht pe wole agaste, 
 And sikerliche widoute nay, 
 At pi dei[i]ng 2 shal ben pi domesday, 
 For fere shal ben irekened al 
 }3at euere distu, gret and smal. 
 Jjere Jm shalt knowe and se 
 God or yuel, wheiper it be, 3 
 And panne, par aunter, wo[lde]stu fain 
 Biginne to worche and twrae ajein ; 
 
 % Ac, certes, pu ne shalt noht go, 
 Ac riht after pu 4 hast do, 
 )3u shalt fonge verreeniewt 
 Jjare pi rihte iugemewt. 
 
 23 1 tieo amfiulatc, iium 
 lucem fiafictts. 
 
 Dep is gilour swipe strorcg 
 
 And gilep many on euere amoreg, 
 
 Jjerfore worch, while pu mait, 
 
 While it is 
 
 860 do works of 
 love. 
 
 864 
 
 Speed fast. 
 
 The dark 
 night brings 
 
 868 
 
 Then shall be 
 counted all 
 thy deeds. 
 
 872 
 
 876 As thy deeds, 
 shall be thy 
 .judgment. 
 
 Death is a 
 deceiver, 
 880 and deceives 
 many, 
 therefore 
 
 859 Jm miht] and may D, how maiste HiR. 860 Godes werkes] To don 
 warkes D, Good warki's mid lawful Hi. 861 fat] om. A^H^R. 862 JJanne 
 maitou] j>ou mayjt D. don no]>er] nouhere do A 2 DR. ne] nor A 2 . 864 
 While] pe while A 2 , >at while D, whil Jrat R. Jju miht] mayjt J>ou D, Jww 
 maiste H X R. 866 Lef] Les A 2 , Laste DR, Els H x . >e wole] wil ]>e R. 867 
 And] For D. 869 irekened] rekenyde A 2 R, rekene D, rekkend Hi. 870 
 distu] dedest >ou A 2 , pon. diste H X) >ou didist R. and] or A 2 D. 872 or] and 
 A 2 , o]>er D. it be] fay benw D. 873 And Janne] fera Hi. woldestu] Jou 
 woldest A 2 , noldest J>ou D. 874 Biginne] By D. 875 Ac] Bot A 2 HiR, And 
 D. ne] om. DH 2 R. noht go] so A 2) not soo H X R. 876 Ac] Bot A 2 DHiR. 
 J>u] >at )>u AjR. 877 shalt fonge] sehalt A 2 , afong D, shalt fynde ]>ere Hj, 
 shalt take R. 878 pare] Fong beire A 2 , For soh Hi. rihte] om. A 2 , owera Hi, 
 rightwis R. 879 gilour] a gylour A 2 . swije] om. A 2 . 880 gileji] be gyle D, 
 bigiles R. many on] man A 2 D (D has an erasure of m before man.), many 
 men (The e in men is defective through a small hole in the parchment.) H 1# 
 881 worch] man wirch A 2 , om. D. while bu mait] while mayt D, with out 
 cessyngis Hi, whil pat \>ou. maght R, 
 
 1 Bead wirche : chirche. 2 MS. A 
 3 wheijw it be is written on erasure in MS. A\, 
 
 i deijng. 
 
 4 MS. A x fat >u. 
 
40 
 
 fear God, 
 
 but not in 
 dread, 
 
 as the bonds- 
 man before 
 his lord. 
 
 King of 
 Heaven, 
 so that 
 
 thou mayst 
 catch grace 
 
 With Fear of God. 
 For sodeyneliche Jm miht be caiht. 
 
 Intttum sapienttee, 1 ttmot fcomtnt 
 
 ' Drede of god in alle 2 ping 
 
 Off wisdom is fe biginnirag ; ' 
 
 And many hauen of god drede, 
 
 Ac noht for lone of his godhede, 
 
 But last )>eih sholde for here gilt 
 
 In-to strowg pine hen ipult. 3 
 11 Hit farej) bi swiche, i vnderstonde, 
 
 As hit doj) here bi be bonde : 
 
 J3e bonde nele nober loude ne stille 
 
 Don noht a3ein his lordes wille — 
 
 Ac fat nis for loue ne for acord, 
 
 Jjat he ha]) toward his lord — 
 
 For, if he dede, he wot wel, 
 
 He sholde lese of his catel ; 
 
 And 3W hit fare}) bi man also, 
 
 J)at sparef more sinne to [do] 4 
 
 For ]>e doute of gret piniwg, 
 
 Jjan for J)e loue of heuen ki»g. 
 IT It is noht euel so to bigiraie, 
 
 For drede of pine to late ]>i simne, 
 
 For sone after he may kacche grace 
 
 To bipenke him on godes face, 
 
 Hu murie hit were, to haue be siht 47 o 
 
 Off godes face, pat is so briht ! 
 
 De Timore 
 Domini. 
 
 884 
 
 888 
 
 892 
 
 896 
 
 900 
 
 904 
 
 882 For] "Wyrche glide for D. miht be] may be A 2 R, mayt D, mijt han >yrc 
 Hj. caiht] endyngis Hi. 884 is >e] >is is J>e first A 2 . 885 And many hauen 
 of] And many on ha>e of DR, Man haue euer Hj. drede] in drede H 2 . 886 
 Ac] Bot A 2 R, And D, For Hi. noht for loue] lesingis of Hi. 887 But] And 
 Hi. last] lat A 2 , >at B. feih sholde] >ei shullen D, J>at J>ou shalt Hi. here] 
 J>aire D, fi Hi. 888 strong] om. A 2 . ipult] pute D, plyte H lf pilt R. 890 
 As] Also A 2 . J)e] a Hi. 891 nele] wil HiR. nofer] neuere A 2 . 892 noht] 
 om. Hj, oght R. The manuscript ends with 892 in A 2 . 893 Ac] and D, But 
 HiR. nis] es DR, now)>er H r for] for no DR. ne for] no for no D, ne for 
 nom R. 894 toward] to R. 895 wot] wote ful D, wist hit R. 896 sholde 
 lese] lese suld D. 897 jit] rijt D. 898 pat] om. D. spare])] lettes R. to] 
 for to D. 899 Klero. R. 900 pan] om. Hj. >e loue] loue DR. 901 biginne] 
 gyraie DH X . 902 late ]>i] lete D, leue Hi, leeue his R. 903 sone after he 
 may] he may son» aftyr D, soon aftep >ou myjt Hi. 904 bi])enke] be ]>enke 
 DR. , him on] hym of DR, )>e in Hi. 905 J>e] a D, ]>at Hi. 906 godes] fat 
 D, his Hi. so briht] bryjt so Hi. 
 
 1 MS. Inicium sapiencie. 
 Probably read ipilt. See I. 239. 
 
 2 MS. A 1 al alle. 
 4 MSS., AiA 2 have go. 
 
Guy Learns 
 
 41 
 
 }e EJeemo- 
 
 1T And so he shal casten his loue 
 
 To Iesu Crist, )>at is aboue, 908 
 
 A«d leten and flen sinful dede, 
 
 Bof e for loue &nd eke for drede. 
 
 Ac, who-so wole don be my lore, 
 
 Iwis he shal spare more, 912 
 
 To flen sinne day and niht, 
 
 For drede to lese fat faire siht 
 1T Off godes face, fat is so cler, 
 
 Off whom we han al oure power, 
 
 Jjan for drede of any wo, 
 
 Jjat any f ing mihte hem do. 
 11 Lene frend, herkne to me, 
 
 And more i wole speke to J>e ; 
 
 For in f e godspel i wole rede 
 
 Off f e uertu of almesdede. 
 
 Jjin almesse Jm shalt forf puite, 
 
 And spare hit noht, f ouh hit be luite : 
 
 [In J>e godspel it es write, 
 
 I sal, man, fat fou it wite.] 
 God seif f us in his lore : 
 
 ' Man, if f u mint jeue no more 
 1T But a dishful of cold water, 
 
 Jju shalt hit jeue neuere f e later 
 
 Wid gode wille &nd wid charite, 
 
 And ful wel it worf jolden f e.' « & 
 
 And, whan fu shalt haue fawk and mede 
 
 For so litel an almesdede, 
 H Siker maitou f anne be, 
 If f u jeuest muche in charite 936 
 
 To god, f u miht f e betre spede, 
 
 to flee the 
 evil world, 
 
 lest thnu lose 
 the sight 
 of God's glori- 
 ous face. 
 
 916 
 
 920 Be piteous 
 to the poor 
 
 Put forth 
 alms. 
 
 924 
 
 928 Give but a 
 cup of cold 
 water in love. 
 
 932 and itwill re- 
 ward thee. 
 
 907 so] J>us D. he] om. R. shal] may Jen Hi, fen shal he R. 908 is] 
 syttes DR. 909 leten and flen] lete flene D, leue and flye Hi, leeue & fle alle 
 R. 910 eke] om. HiR. The manuscript ends with 910 in Hi. 911 Ac] and 
 D, But R. 912 spare] lett R. 913 day] bothe day R. 915 Off] And of D. 
 916 Off] And of D. 917 any] oure R. 918 mihte hem] hym myjt (over 
 erasure) T>, vs might R. 919 herkne] herken now D. 920 more i wole] 
 meche I sal D. 921 )>e godspel i wole] fis boke I sal D, }>o gospel as we R. 
 923 almesse] almes dede R. 924 1st hit] om. D. 925 and 926 are omitted in 
 AiR. 930 shalt hit Jeue] putt hit forth R. 931 wid charite] in pyte D, 
 charite R. 932 worf] wro> D, bes R. ' Jolden] ijolde-D. 933 whan] hou D. 
 haue ]>a?ik and] be benke for hat D. 935 maitou Janne] fen may fou R. 
 937 To] Tho D. miht] salt D. 
 
42 
 
 From Elijah and 
 
 In almsdeed 
 is double 
 good. 
 
 This learn of 
 old law. 
 
 Christ sent 
 
 Elijah to a 
 
 widow to 
 impart to her 
 this twofold 
 virtue. 
 
 Elijah 
 
 met the 
 widow, and 
 asked for 
 
 water and 
 bread, 
 to help him 
 to live. 
 
 And f e more shal ben f i mede. 
 Enes i it vnderstod, 
 
 Jjat in almesdede is double god : 
 % It fordo]) sinne, wite it wel, 
 
 And hit wole eche f i catel. 
 
 And, if f u art her-of in drede, 
 
 Hu hit mihte so be in dede, 
 
 A god witnesse i wole drawe, 
 
 On ensaumple of f e olde lawe. 
 IT Holi writ, fat wole noht hje, 
 
 Spekef of f e profete Eli^e, 
 
 Hou Iesu Crist, houre lo[ue]rd swete, 
 
 Spak to Eli^e f e profete. 
 
 To a pore widewe he hi?» sende, 
 
 Here beyfere lyf [for] 1 to amende. 
 He seide : ' Elije, f u shalt fare 
 
 In-to Sarepte &nd wone- fare. 
 IT ])er is a widewe, fat shal f e fede, 
 
 And i wole 3elde wel hire mede.' 
 1T J3e profete Helie began anon 
 
 Forf in his weie for to gon. 
 
 At f e jate of f e cite f e widewe he mette, 
 
 And faire anon he hire grette. 
 
 He bad hire for godes loue, 
 
 Jjat us alle sit aboue, 
 
 A di[sh]ful 2 water she sholde him 3iue, 
 
 Eor to helpen him to Hue. 
 IT J3e widewe seide, she wolde fain, 
 
 And to seme him she turne a3e[i]n. 
 
 After hire he gan to crie, 
 
 And bad hire fat she sholde hie. 
 ' Do,' he seide, ' be my red, 
 
 47 c 
 
 940 
 
 944 
 
 948 
 
 952 
 
 956 
 
 960 
 
 964 
 
 968 
 
 938 more] more hym D. 939 i it] hit I R. 939 reads in D : Twys . I 
 anderstand. 940 pat in] In R. 944 so be] be so DR. 945 A] I R. wole] 
 sal D. 946 On ensaumple of he] In be sample in D. 947 fat] om. R. wole] 
 nyl D. lije] be leis R. 948 Spekef] It tellehe D, hat spekes R. 951 To] 
 And to D. he] om. D 952 beyhere] pore D, bothws R. for to] to AiR. 954 
 wone] lye D. 955 shal he] hou sal D, wil £e R. 956 i wole] sal D. wel] 
 her ful wel R. 958 ire] on R. 959 he] hat R. 962 alle sit] sittes alle R. 
 963 dishful] disful of DR. she] he R. 964 2nd to] vnto D, for to R. 967 
 he gan] began D, he bygan R. 969 be] aftyr D. 
 
 for is supplied from D. 
 
 2 MS. A! lias difful. 
 
The Woman of Zarephath 
 
 Bring me wid f e a shiue bred ! ' 
 
 Jje widewe him answerefde] 1 anon : 
 ' Siker,' she seide, ' bred haue i non, 
 Ne nobt, fat i mibte f e 3iue, 
 For to helpe J)e to liue, 
 11 But an handful mele in o pieher 
 And a litel oyle, fat is cler, 
 )3at i mot make of mete here 
 To me and to my children ifere ; 
 And seff e we moten deie in sore, 
 For mete haue we no more.' 
 H pe profete hire answerede f o : 
 ' Abid,' he seide, ' er Jra go ! 
 First, fer-of mak me mete, 
 And, whan fat i hit haue iete, 
 Off fat, bileuej), Jm shalt make 
 For f e &nd for fi children sake.' 
 IT Jjis seli widewe f o wel sone 
 Grauntede 2 wel al his bone : 
 For his loue, fat him f ider sende, 
 Hire litel mete she wolde spewde. 
 
 Jjo f e profete f is iseih, 
 His eijen he kest to god on heih : 
 To him he made an orysoun, 
 And anon god putte his fuisoun 
 Vp-on hire mele in hire pieher 
 And on hire oyle, fat is cler. 
 IT Jjo seide anon f e profete 
 To f e widewe wordes swete : 3 
 
 43 
 
 972 The widow 
 had nothing 
 
 but a handful 
 nnn of meal lmA 
 
 yYo some oil. 
 
 980 
 
 She would eat 
 and die. 
 
 Elijah said : 
 ' Give me 
 first. 
 
 984 
 
 988 
 
 What re- 
 mains, use 
 for thyself.' 
 
 The good 
 woman 
 
 brought him 
 food. 
 
 Then the 
 prophet 
 992 turned his 
 eyes to God. 
 
 Abundance 
 came upon 
 the meal and 
 
 996 the oil. 
 
 He said 
 
 sweet words : 
 
 970 Bring] And brynge D. me] om. R. shiue] schyne D, shyuer of E. 971 
 him] J>o D, om. R. 973 noht] naujt elles D. be Jiue] Jeue D. 974 2nd to] for 
 to D. 975 mele hi o] of mele in a R. 977 of] in D, on R. here] now here D. 
 978 to] om. R. ifere] in fere DR. 979 deie in] die R. 980 haue we] ne haue 
 D. 981 hire answerede J>o] vnswerid hyr so R. 982 Abid] And badde her D, 
 I bid J>e R. 983 ber-of] he said D. 984 i hit] hit I R. iete] hete D, ete R. 
 985 bileuej>] J> a t leeues R. 987 pis] pe DR. >o wel] fen ful R. 988 al] to 
 do R. 989 him Jider sende] Iudas solde R. 990 she] he (perhaps for ho of 
 I. 963) D. she wolde spettde] shewe ho wolde R. 991 po] When R. iseih] 
 hym seghe R. 992 he test to god] to god he kast R. 993 made an] mende 
 his D. 995 hire] }>e D. 996 on] ira R. is] was so D, was R. 997 po] pen R. 
 
 1 MS. D reads answerd. 2 MS. A± has an erasure after t. 
 3 998 and 999 are over erasure in MS. A x . 
 
44 
 
 'Fear not. 
 
 thy meal 
 shall not 
 diminish : 
 thy oil shall 
 increase/ 
 
 This proves, 
 that in alms- 
 deed lies two- 
 fold Rood. 
 It removes 
 sin, so that 
 thou mayst 
 win heaven. 
 It adds to 
 earthly 
 goods. 
 
 God says : 
 'Give, and 
 men shall 
 give to thee.' 
 
 Be glad in 
 thy gift: 
 
 thou 
 
 takest it to ' 
 
 God with thy 
 hand. 
 
 Thou art not 
 too vile to 
 feed Christ, 
 
 Eternal joy 
 will be thine. 
 
 The Twofold Good of Almsdeed. 
 
 ' Ne dred f e noht, womman, in Jri pouht ! 
 
 Jji mele ne shal wante noht, 1000 
 
 And fin oyle shal waxen : sikerli 
 
 Jji lome shal noht ben empti.' 
 IT Gret plente hadde fe widewe f o, 
 
 "While she liuede euere mo. 1004 
 
 Now fu miht knowe in fi mod, 
 
 Jjat in almesse dede is double god : 
 
 Almesdede for[dofe J)i synne], 48 o 
 
 And fer-fur[w] [men may heuen wyn[ne]] ; 1008 
 
 And fi god sh[al multiplie], 
 
 So seif f e bok, [fat nyl naujt lye]. 
 IT Jje godspel sei[pe to f e and me] : 
 
 ' 3if and mew sha[l jefe J>e].' 1012 
 
 In anofer stede, [I haue wytnesse], 
 
 Jjat god self se[ide] [in sof enesse] : 
 
 ' Al fat Jm dost [for loue of me] 
 
 To fe leste of m[yn meyne], 1016 
 
 Eiht to my-sel[fe, wete it wele], 
 
 Jju dost fi pres[ent euery dele].' 
 1T Glad maitou [be fan in fi foujt], 
 
 Also ofte as f[ou maytj jeue oujt], 1020 
 
 For, fu miht [wele vnderstarade], 1 
 
 Jju takest hit [gode -with f i honde] ; 
 
 For godes w[orde in sof enesse] 
 
 Jjer-of beref [gude wyttnes] : 1024 
 
 ' A man [may] 2 b[e noujt to quede], 
 
 Iesu Crist for to [f ede] ; ' 
 
 For f er-wid f u [my3t wele spede] 
 
 And heuene h[aue vnto fi mede]. 1028 
 
 999 Ne] no D. ]>i]om. D. 1000ne]om. DR. wante] wane D, want right R. 
 1001 waxen] wereyn D. 1002 pi] and J>i R. 1004 While she] And >e while 
 ho D, whil >at ho R. 1005 miht knowe] knowestR. iw]weleimD. 1006pat] 
 om. R. 1007 — 1081 are defective in A v The page has been cut through the 
 middle of folio 48 a. Folio 48 b is wanting. The lines have been completed 
 from MS. D. 1007 >i] om. R. 1008 men] >ou R. 1010 nyl] wil R. 1011 
 pe] For he D. 1014 self] hym selfe D, hym R. seide] saiea R. 1015 for] for 
 yo R. 1018 euery] ilk'a R. 1019 be fan] be R. 1020 Also] Als DR. 1021 
 miht] maytj D, may nowe R. 1022 with >i] in his R. 1024 per-of bere>] 
 Ber)>e \er of D. 1025 A] per fore R. may] om. R. quede] gnede R. 1027 
 J>er-wid J>u myjt] J ou may her witA R. 1028 haue vnto] blis gete to R. 
 
 Read vnderstonde. 
 
 man matt is in MS. A\. 
 
Thus ends the Sermon. 
 
 45, 
 
 To J>a[t] blisse [he] [vs bryng], 
 Jjat is king [oner all[e] J>yng], 
 1T And 3eue us [grace, while we be here], 
 [To serue hym and hys moder dere 
 In trowpe, lone, and in charite. 
 
 Amen. Amen. So mot it be.] 
 
 1032 
 
 Almighty 
 King, 
 show grace 
 to us, 
 
 that we mny 
 serve Him! 
 
 1029he]ow. AjD. 1030 king] lord E. 1031 3eue]hegefe D. 1032—1034, 
 through loss offol. 48 b, are not found in k x . The text follows fol. 179 b in D. 
 1032 and hys moder dere] ]>at vs boght dere E. 1033 trowfe] trewe E. in] 
 om. R. The colophon reads in E : Explicit hic speculum vtile istius 
 
 MUNDI. 
 
47 
 
 VITA. 
 
 I, Geohgiana Lea Morrill, daughter of the Eeverend Abner 
 MacDonald and Ann Hussey Morrill, was born in Bolivar, Tennessee. 
 My earliest educational training was acquired at private schools of 
 New York and was followed by two years (four semesters) at Cook 
 Academy in preparation for college. In September 1878 I entered 
 the Freshman Class of Yassar College, and having completed regular 
 prescribed courses occupying four years (eight semesters), I re- 
 ceived in 1882 the Baccalaureate Degree (Artium Baccalauream) 
 conferred by that institution. In 1888 — £9 I was graduate student 
 at Bryn Mawr College. In 1889, on presentation of a dissertation 
 entitled Teutonic Antiquities in Exodus and Daniel, and after exam- 
 ination on the work represented by two years (four semesters) of 
 graduate study in English and Germanic philology, with specific 
 attention to Old English and Gothic, the Second Degree (Artium 
 Magistra) was granted me by Vassar College. In 1891 — 92 I was 
 graduate student of English and German at Columbia University 
 through medium of Barnard College. Otherwise during the years 
 1882 — 92 I was occupied with teaching and study. I was instructor 
 in the Girls' Central School, Brooklyn, and I had charge of the 
 English Department at the South Jersey Institute and at the Norfolk 
 College for Young Women. Among other subjects I taught Old 
 English, Middle English including Chaucer texts, and English 
 Literature of the Elizabethan and modern periods. In 1893 I con- 
 tinued the study of Germanic philology in Europe through the 
 Universities of Zurich, Leipzig, Berlin, and Heidelberg. I was in 
 attendance upon lectures (Golleg) and exercises in interpretation 
 (Seminar), and, in so far as their regulations permitted, I was in 
 immediate connection with these institutions. Early in June 1894 
 an arrangement of subjects (Fcieher) was marked out for me by the 
 Philosophical Faculty of the University of Heidelberg, preparatory for 
 the inaugural examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 
 
48 
 
 I passed several months of study in England, availing myself of the 
 pleasure of work in various British libraries of note, among them the 
 Library of the British Museum, the University Library, Cambridge, 
 and the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh. 
 
 My esteemed instructors in European Universities have been as 
 follows : Avenarius, Braune, Hoffmann, Holt, Osthoff, Eoediger, 
 Schick, Schirmer, Erich Schmidt, Sievers, Tobler, Vetter, Wundt, 
 and Zupitza. I am also glad to acknowledge here the service of 
 Professor Dr. Morsbach through three semesters of lectures, derived 
 by means of private courtesy. 
 
 To each of these honoured gentlemen I beg to express sincere 
 thanks. In many instances the name awakens a keen and deep-felt 
 sense of personal indebtedness for generous assistance and appreciated 
 kindness. It is my privilege to tender warm thanks to Professor 
 Dr. Kolbing for continued interest in the successful prosecution of 
 my studies, and for aid in many forms bestowed in an inofficial 
 capacity since an early period of my University relationship. Obli- 
 gation to Professor Dr. Sievers and to Professor Dr. Wiilker is en- 
 hanced by the service of valued Grammatik and Grundriss during 
 several years before direct connection in lecture hall. I desire 
 further the pleasure of expressing thanks to Professor Dr. Eoediger, 
 Professor Dr. Schmidt, Professor Dr. Braune, and Professor Dr. 
 Osthoff. For the immediate direction of my study in Germany with 
 personal guidance and instruction I am honoured in the privilege of 
 indebtedness to the late Professor Dr. Zupitza and to Professor 
 Dr. Schick. 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PR2143.S6A16 1898 
 
 Speculum Gy de Warewyke.Here for the fir 
 
 3 1924 013 116 813 
 
 All books are subject to recall after two weeks 
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